First Month Down

nicolepburgess91

Well, I've been at it for a month. I worked out hard the first week and a half. And then just stopped. Now I'm just focusing on being more active throughout my day and eating very healthy.
Results:
December 31: 202lbs.
January 25: 192.6lbs.
TEN POUNDS DOWN!
I know my weight is somewhere lower but I start retaining water really badly this TOM. But I can see the difference and I'm feeling pumped!
If I can maintain this weight loss, I'll reach my goal in 5 1/2 or 6 months.
And if I can manage to get off my butt and actually workout, it would be sooner than that.

What was your first month like?

murp4069

Congrats on your great weight loss in your first month!
My first month went really well too, I went from 170 to about 162. My first 10 lbs went much much fast than my last 10 lbs lol.
The first few weeks to a month, a lot of people experience larger than average losses, so don't get discouraged if your second or third month is a smaller loss than your first month. As long as you are headed in the right direction and your rate of loss is lining up with your expectations given your calories in vs calories out, you are doing great.
Congrats again!

prattiger65

Not to buzz kill, but generally speaking, the big initial loss is a lot of fluid. Your rate of loss will probably slow down some, 2 pounds per week is actually really aggressive. Be cautious not to set yourself up for disappointment by restricting too much which can cause a "F this, I am hungry" binge. I have been at this about four years now and I find for me, and many, many stories I read on here that a balanced diet of the foods you love with an eye towards macros/calories and some activity is the best long term recipe for success. Well done on your first month and good luck for many more good months.

nicolepburgess91

I keep hearing about enjoying the foods you love in moderation and what not. But pizza rolls, toquitos and frozen burritos just aren't healthy. At any cost. So I've learned to love new foods
I've invented tuna recipes that cut out mayo. No yogurt either. I love tuna without that stuff.
I can't agree that you can eat all the foods u love as well as u do it in moderation. 4 pizza rolls don't fill me up. I've had to train myself to enjoy new foods that are healthy. Finding ways to fix raw spinach in ways I love. Brussels sprouts - love them the way I make it.
some say it's all about moderation, others say it's WHAT you eat.
I'm team healthier choices.

ttg82889

Congrats on your loss! I am on a similar trajectory.

Jan 3: 187 lbs
Jan 25: 176 lbs

I started working out with a trainer 2x a week which has been working wonders for taking me from a couch potato to actually fit in 4 weeks. I work out another 2-3 days on my own consisting of spin classes or just getting my *kitten* to the gym to do something. It's a 20 minute walk each way so it keeps me moving much more than I would otherwise.

I agree with you on the healthier choices! Sure I can indulge once in a while on junk food I love but I'm not working it into my calorie allotment everyday. I'm focusing on eating low carb (no processed ones, anyway), with lots of fibrous veggies, meats/fish and maximizing flavour while sticking to 1200-1400 calories a day (higher amount on days I see my trainer). I find low carb manages to satiate me much better with such a low calorie intake.

Sure, you can lose weight eating at a caloric deficit even with a diet of junk food. Calories in, calories out is of course the main factor. I'm concerned about my nutrition, though. I want to fuel myself to be active and make sure I'm getting all the nutrients I need. At 1200 calories a day I don't have room for junk! I still indulge in cheese and bacon and all sorts of tasty things I love but I'm trying to create a new lifestyle where I'm not dependent on heavily processed prepared foods.

prattiger65

Good luck to you OP, and I mean that. Personally, I don't attach moral labels to food, there are no "good or bad", "healthy or unhealthy" foods, just food. Just for fun, Totinos combination pizza rolls have 210 calories per serving of 6. That serving has 29g of carbs, 8g of fat and 6g of protein. I would probably need 12 to call it a "meal" so I have 420 calories, 58g of carbs, 16g of fat and 12g of protein. Now I can supplement that meal with a RTD protein shake and get 20g of protein, 5g of carbs and 4g of fat at 130 calories. So I have a total of 550 calories, 63g of carbs, 20g of fat and 32g of protein, that is a macro split of 55% carbs, 17% fat and 28% protein. Now, do I eat like this often, or even occasionally? No, but I do every once in a while. For dinner tonight I will have grilled chicken breast, Sautéed cabbage and a sweet potato, that's how I normally eat, but I still eat the foods I love, just not ALL of it and not ALL the time. Seriously, good luck.

nicolepburgess91

Of course I'm not saying you can NEVER eat the food that's a little worse for you. But, everybody gains weight differently. For me, and most females in my family, I can eat the correct portion at the recommended daily calorie intake and still manage to gain weight - add working out and I'll maintain weight. Doctors say it's a slow metabolism. So, for me, one meal at 550 calories as you cited in your example, would be harmful to my weight loss goals.
I made brownies for my nephews almost a week ago and couldn't help myself - I had to try one. Nearly 600 calories (they were iced and had white chocolate chips in them) on top of about another 700 for my daily meals and the scale ended up showing it.
Different things work for different people. And I envy the person who can eat pizza rolls without them showing up on the scals.

veganbaum

nicolepburgess91 wrote: »

Of course I'm not saying you can NEVER eat the food that's a little worse for you. But, everybody gains weight differently. For me, and most females in my family, I can eat the correct portion at the recommended daily calorie intake and still manage to gain weight - add working out and I'll maintain weight. Doctors say it's a slow metabolism. So, for me, one meal at 550 calories as you cited in your example, would be harmful to my weight loss goals.
I made brownies for my nephews almost a week ago and couldn't help myself - I had to try one. Nearly 600 calories (they were iced and had white chocolate chips in them) on top of about another 700 for my daily meals and the scale ended up showing it.
Different things work for different people. And I envy the person who can eat pizza rolls without them showing up on the scals.

Most people who talk about eating in moderation completely recognize that balance is important - fulfill nutritional needs, but fit in "treats" (or whatever term one uses) in "moderation" (however often that means for a person). For some moderation is daily, for others weekly, and so on. I tend more towards the abstaining end with a lot of things, but once-a-week treats with others.

But in terms of what you wrote above, you don't magically gain weight because of what you eat, you gain weight eating above your maintenance calories. A "slow metabolism" basically just means your maintenance calories are lower than the average for your height/weight/gender/activity level. All numbers are estimates that each person should use as a starting point, and adjust accordingly based on real-world results. When you ate that brownie your scale "ended up showing it" when? The next day? That's not real weight gain. If you ate a little more than usual, especially more carbs than usual, you had some extra weight due to water weight or food being digested, that's all. Do you really think you gained weight eating 1300 calories for one day?

Nevermind, looking at your diary (if it's accurate) it's no wonder you showed some "weight" gain after eating 1300 calories. You really should be eating more, consistently eating under 1,000 calories a day is concerning.

prattiger65

Congrats OP, 10 pounds is a fine first month!