Struggling with weight loss

mattsgal2018

I just started using this app again. I am looking to loose around 20 pounds. I have been struggling for quite some time with my weight. I tend to over eat and can't control portion sizes or what I put into my body. Anyone have any helpful tips for someone just starting out again on this journey?

mtaratoot

Welcome back!

Twenty pounds is a big deal, but it isn't a huge amount. You can do it. Helpful tips include going slowly - a pound per week or less. Probably even more like a half pound a week really soon when you've lost your first five or eight.

Another tip if your challenge is portion size would be to use your food scale. If you don't have one, you can find decent ones for $20 or so. Measure in grams, and log what you eat.

Final tip: If (when) you go off the rails, don't beat yourself up about it. Just get back up and keep sticking to it. It's OK to have a break, but not too long.

This part of the discussion board is about maintaining weight, not necessarily losing weight. You might ask your question in one of the other categories if you're looking for weight LOSS tips. Those tips will serve you well when you get to your goal because you'll still need to use the same techniques to maintain your weight at your goal.

nxd10

I’ve been here forever and just recommitting as well. This is a comfortable weight for me and I’m still in the ‘healthy’ BMI category. But I was a lot happier (and still in ‘healthy’) when I was 20 pounds down.

I find analyzing my log really helpful. When I first lost weight, I realized milk, bread, and cheese added hundreds of calories a day to my log and I wouldn’t miss them if they were gone. That knocked out the calories I needed.

Then I worked on not snacking (late afternoon nuts were my killer) and smaller portion sizes.

Your filler calories may be different, but identifying what you could drop without bothering you will help a lot.

I also know that every time I stalled on weight loss it was because I needed to re-calibrate my calories for my new lower weight.

Finally, being sedentary is a killer. You don’t have to exercise a lot, but you do have to stand up and walk a little every hour. According to several pieces I’ve read in the NYTimes, it switches how your body processes calories - you go into sleep mode. A walk to the bathroom or coffee machine will do it. And those long term studies of weight loss maintenance all say an hour of exercise a day is even more important than calories (opposite of the loss phase).

Good luck to us both!

nsk1951

For me, it was very helpful to know the volume my food paraphernalia contains up to a comfortably transferable level ... just enough so the bowl/plate/cup/glass looked satisfying full and low enough so I could walk it from the kitchen counter to the dining room table without spilling any. ... And then only using those items for my meals. Yes, a kitchen scale is a very reliable source, and measuring cups are great too ... but I'm lazy that way.

Another thing that worked for me is to really wait to eat until I know for certain that I am hungry. I always feed my hunger, but only my bodily hunger. Sometimes it's hard to know, so I'll drink a glass of water first and wait 10 minutes.

GloriaBJN

Water, preferably flavored with no calories. Slow down in your eating to let your body catch up to let you know you're filling up and drink water with your meals. Don't eat until you're full. That's my current struggle. I got a taste of "filling up" and now I'm struggling again.

Also count your day's allocated calories before you eat. Once you realize that's all you get, you'll slow down. I also learned to save some of my calories until closer to bedtime so it's not such a power struggle. I know - people say don't eat before bed. I do it all the time. Don't forget to treat yourself, but portion control is the difference between staying on track and not. Also, if you ever get to the point where you're not hungry, don't force yourself to eat all your calories. I wouldn't deny myself those allocated calories if I was hungry, but you can save some of those extra calories for the next day when you're struggling if that helps. I've started putting non-perishable carryover foods in a dish to remind myself I still have them. It's easier to say no to something you can have than tell yourself you can't have it.

Trading a high calorie bite for something healthier with more volume for the calories also helps you to gain control but still lets you eat. At one point when I was struggling to choose good bites, I made a list of low calorie foods that I like to eat, now I have to do it all over again for the winter.
When veggie salads are expensive, soups help.

Good luck.

spiriteagle99

If portion size is a problem, try adding more vegetables to whatever you are eating. At one point when I was trying to lose weight in my 20s, I used to eat frozen meals (so calories were pre-determined) with two large servings of vegetables. That limited the calories, but gave me enough bulk to feel full. Limiting (but not eliminating) treats helps a lot too.

snowflake954

The OP posted Nov 2 and hasn't logged in since.