Starting over, Frustrated, feeling hopeless
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Sissylynn1979 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Instead of fasting. Keto, etc why not just stick with logging and weighing? KISS works better than you think.
Sometimes throwing too much at yourself just creates confusion and frustration.
The smoking, no help here. When I was five, Daddy, who grew up on a tobacco farm and started in his preteens, took me out on the patio, handed me a lit cigarette and said “ Here, baby. Try this.”
It was the best possible thing he could have done. Never had any desire to even touch a cigarette again. Would turn back the clock and give you that if I could.
I wonder, when I was a kid my mom put this awful tasting stuff on my fingernails to prevent me from biting them. I wonder if you could do something like that to your cigarettes, dip them in cayenne, or something so gross that you’d lose your taste for them.
It’s hard. He tried to quit for years. Never successful. He did, however, go from heavy drinker to teetotaler overnight. That was amazing, and I respected him for that.
KISS is what I usually recommend to others, so maybe that's part of my issue too, lol. I think I will try to avoid those things this time. It just gets to be... a lot.
I've quit smoking before, but it was because I found out I was pregnant... didn't start again till my kid was in school.... wish I hadn't. It's a LOT harder without that motivator, lol.cmriverside wrote: »It's been four days. We're coming up on the weekend and in the States at least, this is a big foodie weekend.
Do you have a plan?
Have you started logging food and stepping on that scale daily?
Keep checking in. We're on your side.
I'm logging everything consistently (though I'm not weighing the food cause it's all pre-weighed crap). I'm weighing myself each day, though. (267 this morning, but it's obvious water weight)
I... don't have a plan for Easter... glad you pointed that out, I need to make one asap! Think I'll pre-log what I intend to eat so I can watch myself!
And I'm actually thinking I will keep checking in on this post, since I can look back over stuff... I think a lot of the times the stuff I need to hear is stuff people have *already* said
vivmom2014 wrote: »I'm so sorry that you lost your cat, OP. That's always hard to say goodbye to a beloved friend.
It sounds like, from your posts, that you're a "house afire" with wanting to implement new & improved habits NOW. So again the theme of "slow down" seems appropos. I feel like I want to take a huge calming breath for you.
Simplify, slow down, breathe, be at peace. All good things will come in time, no sense trying to rush them. Ease up on your strict high standards and just BE for a while. Life comes at us, no matter what, and ultimately it's better to let it wash over us than to relentless fight it off. Eat foods you love, don't worry too much about the smoking, take some long, contemplative walks, relax. You've got all the head smarts for weight loss and smoking cessation -- now give your heart & soul some time and space to catch up.
Yeah, the kitty was my daughter's companion pet, and we've had her forever... she was family. It was in October, but we are still kind of reeling.
And... yeah... "house afire" is probably better than any description I could have given
I'm definitely going to try to slow down this time. And maybe try some slower habits... lol maybe I will start meditating. Reading back on my original post I sound kind of frantic! I think you're right about needing to breathe!all
Thank you all for the insight, and for checking in! I'm going to get through this. Compiling everyone's suggestions and shaking out a plan, still, but I'm sticking to the calorie goal at least, so I'm gonna be okay!
In light of this post, just a couple of things to *consider*.
You're not IMO really far on this track (described in the link) if at all, but it's worth a think about slippery slopes, maybe?
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research/dietary-restraint-cortisol-levels
Extreme measures are unlikely to be the best long-term route, eh?
Also, with the caveat that it isn't the right route for everyone (because nothing is), here's another potential approach to consider that doesn't depend on radical change or true-believer status in some "magical" restrictive way of eating to "lose weight fast".
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1
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Sissylynn1979 wrote: »You mentioned trying to lose weight quickly because you think you'll run out of motivation. But motivation is precisely what you shouldn't be building your weight loss on 🙂
Most of my weight loss journey I wasn't particularly motivated (except in a deeper way of wanting to feel healthier, ...). Mostly I just soldiered on by habit. Habit of logging my food, habit of weighing myself, habit of sticking to my calorie goal (most of the time), habit of being more active and exercising.
Yeah... I tend to BE super motivated starting out, and then quickly institute new "habits". And 3+ months in, I start to tell myself the habits are set, and I don't need to be on top of it all the time... and then, well:Aside from that, one thing strikes me when reading your story: you stop weighing yourself and then 'rediscover' the scale and see you've gained a lot of weight. Do you stop weighing when you start to 'lose the plot'/ start regaining? Or do you think you start regaining because you are no longer weighing yourself? Weighing myself daily and entering the data into a weight trending app is something that, for me, is important because it keeps my head in the game.
Sort of both? I will quite literally talk myself (and everyone else!) into the idea of me "taking a break" or "easing up" or... whatever, really. So then I stop tracking and then stop weighing because the scale isn't moving. Or I stop weighing myself and lose the will to track without the scale as a motivator.
So, for example... the last time I lost weight: April 2022, 273 lbs. Four months later, in August is when I stopped weighing in. Well...
I'd been in a weight loss support group. I'd had zero issues. No plateaus, no struggles, nothing. So mostly in the group, I'm listening and telling other people how to succeed. I'd been losing steadily (rapidly) for 4 months that time. I'm down 42 lbs. I'd been off soda completely for 3 months. I'd been fasting every Saturday for 3 months. I'd been doing Keto for 2 months. I'd not gone outside of my calorie goal for 4 months. I'd gotten from "literally cannot walk to the bathroom and back" to walking 3 miles a day, doing pushups and planks, lifting weights... but I couldn't run, cause I smoke. I wanted to quit smoking and convinced myself and everyone else that was the priority. I mentioned it in group. I cut down a lot but can't seem to quit. I decide that I needed to be able to snack while I quit. It actually helps combat the cravings. I bring that up in group. Everyone encourages me to focus on quitting smoking. It's more important. Start doing well with that (made it a whole week!) but gave up a lil because it was disheartening seeing the calorie totals from logging all the extra. So I decide to stop logging.
Then I'm not watching what I'm eating at all so the weight creeps back up. So I decide to stop weighing just until I can quit smoking.
Well I kept trying and failing at that and then a bunch of like... *life* happens, and was sick for awhile, and we lost our cat, and had some money struggles... and I look up, and it's now, a year later, and I still smoke and I weigh more than ever.
And the previous times were kinda similar tbh. I think.... I just keep thinking "this time will be different because I know better", but I guess knowing doesn't help, lol.I've regained a bit of weight since losing 75lbs, perhaps 6 or 7lbs over 6 months. The reason it isn't worse than that is because I've kept up my logging, daily weighing and exercise, it's just been the quantity of food that's been a bit much. So to get my weight trend down again, getting a better handle on my food intake is all I have to do now.
Maybe that's the fix for me, idk. Like... I will need a "break" but...that can only be *maintenance* calories. I still have to weigh/log and whatnot (?) and then at least I wouldn't regain the weight. I don't know.
Thank you for the reply. It's a lot to think about. I'm introspecting now, which usually has good results...
And absolutely feeling more positive than I did before!
2, 3 and 4 months, those are pretty young habits. I lost 75lbs over 3 years, that's a lot of time to build my habits gradually 🙂 not saying you need to go as slow as that, but obviously somewhat slower could be a good idea. I started out just logging and aiming for my calorie goal (I chose the slowest rate of loss) and my activity level increased gradually as I realised it raised my calorie allowance and that I was very sedentary. So I increased my step count and built from there.3 -
2, 3 and 4 months, those are pretty young habits. I lost 75lbs over 3 years, that's a lot of time to build my habits gradually 🙂 not saying you need to go as slow as that, but obviously somewhat slower could be a good idea. I started out just logging and aiming for my calorie goal (I chose the slowest rate of loss) and my activity level increased gradually as I realised it raised my calorie allowance and that I was very sedentary. So I increased my step count and built from there.
Yeah, lol I guess they ARE young habits. I guess I keep thinking about it in terms of how many *years* I've been doing this, and forget to account for the fact that it's only ever a few months of habit forming!!
75 lbs over 3 years drives me crazy thinking about it because I keep going "I could do that in less than 1!!" but ... I *can't*. Because here I am years later weighing *more*, not less.
Definitely leaning toward the slow loss now. I have set MFP to 0.5 lbs per week... I smoke, and I breathe coffee, so I lose weight pretty fast no matter what (When I'm not eating 3000-5000 kcals per day!) so... yeah it makes sense.
I found this comment especially helpful, because when I first read the "those are pretty young habits" I wanted to dispute it so bad that it had to be true *and* something I was subconsciously ignoring.
I think I need to treat it like that this time. Like I'm *new* at this. Cause I guess I still am, lol.
Thank you so much, this really helped a lot!In light of this post, just a couple of things to *consider*.
You're not IMO really far on this track (described in the link) if at all, but it's worth a think about slippery slopes, maybe?
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research/dietary-restraint-cortisol-levels
Extreme measures are unlikely to be the best long-term route, eh?
Also, with the caveat that it isn't the right route for everyone (because nothing is), here's another potential approach to consider that doesn't depend on radical change or true-believer status in some "magical" restrictive way of eating to "lose weight fast".
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1
Thanks for the links! I've actually read your personalized plan post when I was here before and found it really helpful. Maybe time to look back into that again.
I read the cortisol link again just now. My problem is ... kind of the opposite of that? Like super rapid weight loss. When I'm actually *doing* it, it's almost ...
Okay so... maybe ya'll can actually help me finally figure out what this is...
Every time I try eating at what calculators come up with as maintenance for me, I stay at the same weight (within normal fluctuations). So I KNOW the calculations are right. But if I eat at 500kcal deficit, I end up consistently losing 2+ lbs (usually more toward the start, and less later on).
Like I almost always start dropping 4-5 lbs per week on 1400 calories. And like... I know I'm super obese, but I'm 5'1" and almost completely bed-bound. No WAY I'm burning that much through activity starting out, right?
I do tend to drink more coffee and smoke more, but not enough to account for the rapid loss.
Maybe it's just my body freaking out? Some sort of thyroid thing? No clue.
So I get really excited, start feeling super healthy super fast, and rapidly start adding in even more tricks to melt off the lbs...
Maybe I don't need to know why, and I just need to stick to one thing unless/until it stops working lol
Going to go re-read your thread now, now that I can find it again
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Sissylynn1979 wrote: »
2, 3 and 4 months, those are pretty young habits. I lost 75lbs over 3 years, that's a lot of time to build my habits gradually 🙂 not saying you need to go as slow as that, but obviously somewhat slower could be a good idea. I started out just logging and aiming for my calorie goal (I chose the slowest rate of loss) and my activity level increased gradually as I realised it raised my calorie allowance and that I was very sedentary. So I increased my step count and built from there.
Yeah, lol I guess they ARE young habits. I guess I keep thinking about it in terms of how many *years* I've been doing this, and forget to account for the fact that it's only ever a few months of habit forming!!
75 lbs over 3 years drives me crazy thinking about it because I keep going "I could do that in less than 1!!" but ... I *can't*. Because here I am years later weighing *more*, not less.
Definitely leaning toward the slow loss now. I have set MFP to 0.5 lbs per week... I smoke, and I breathe coffee, so I lose weight pretty fast no matter what (When I'm not eating 3000-5000 kcals per day!) so... yeah it makes sense.
I found this comment especially helpful, because when I first read the "those are pretty young habits" I wanted to dispute it so bad that it had to be true *and* something I was subconsciously ignoring.
I think I need to treat it like that this time. Like I'm *new* at this. Cause I guess I still am, lol.
Thank you so much, this really helped a lot!In light of this post, just a couple of things to *consider*.
You're not IMO really far on this track (described in the link) if at all, but it's worth a think about slippery slopes, maybe?
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research/dietary-restraint-cortisol-levels
Extreme measures are unlikely to be the best long-term route, eh?
Also, with the caveat that it isn't the right route for everyone (because nothing is), here's another potential approach to consider that doesn't depend on radical change or true-believer status in some "magical" restrictive way of eating to "lose weight fast".
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1
Thanks for the links! I've actually read your personalized plan post when I was here before and found it really helpful. Maybe time to look back into that again.
I read the cortisol link again just now. My problem is ... kind of the opposite of that? Like super rapid weight loss. When I'm actually *doing* it, it's almost ...
Okay so... maybe ya'll can actually help me finally figure out what this is...
Every time I try eating at what calculators come up with as maintenance for me, I stay at the same weight (within normal fluctuations). So I KNOW the calculations are right. But if I eat at 500kcal deficit, I end up consistently losing 2+ lbs (usually more toward the start, and less later on).
Like I almost always start dropping 4-5 lbs per week on 1400 calories. And like... I know I'm super obese, but I'm 5'1" and almost completely bed-bound. No WAY I'm burning that much through activity starting out, right?
I do tend to drink more coffee and smoke more, but not enough to account for the rapid loss.
Maybe it's just my body freaking out? Some sort of thyroid thing? No clue.
So I get really excited, start feeling super healthy super fast, and rapidly start adding in even more tricks to melt off the lbs...
Maybe I don't need to know why, and I just need to stick to one thing unless/until it stops working lol
Going to go re-read your thread now, now that I can find it again
Yes. Stick to one thing for long enough. Not necessarily all the way until it stops working, but at least long enough to get a reasonably decent data-based experiential reading on what's actually happening.
If you'll forgive me for being blunt, your posts feel a little . . . impatient? . . . in how you approach weight management?
In that light: You say that if you eat maintenance calories (per a calculator) you maintain, but that if you cut 500 calories you "almost always start dropping 4-5 pounds per week on 1400 calories". How many weeks does 4-5 pounds loss per week continue, and how does that timing correlate with the thing about "rapidly start adding in even more tricks to melt off the lbs"?
Why I ask: It's utterly common to lose scale weight more quickly in the first couple of weeks, and depending on some variables, it could be a little bit longer. If eating style changed, things get even more complicated. (Note: It's also reasonably common for some people to not lose weight in the first couple of weeks even at appropriate calories because of changes in eating style or activity level. Everybody needs more data than that.)
Really and truly, you don't necessarily actually have decent insight into your fat loss rate (as distinct from your scale-weight loss rate) in anything less than 4-6 weeks on a new, consistent regimen, whole menstrual cycle(s) if that applies. Even then, I sometimes tell people that if the first two weeks looks unusual (in loss rate) compared to the following weeks, they should exclude the first couple of weeks from the average, and go on the exact same way for an additional couple of weeks before averaging.
To be frank, if you're evaluating results based on shorter time periods, and switching things up along the way, all you have is poor quality data. You need 4-6 weeks on pretty much the same routine of eating and activity, at least.
Something along those lines seems more likely than that you're a metabolically special person in some way that's not conventionally observed among other people. Being special is by definition unusual, right? If we hear hoofbeats (at least in my neighborhood), think horses, not zebras.
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Yes. Stick to one thing for long enough. Not necessarily all the way until it stops working, but at least long enough to get a reasonably decent data-based experiential reading on what's actually happening.
If you'll forgive me for being blunt, your posts feel a little . . . impatient? . . . in how you approach weight management?
I'm... working on that, lol. I tend to be pretty impatient with myself with *most* things, so maybe there is some of that impatience creeping in... I hadn't thought so, but if it's showing in my posts, maybe I am.
Need to work on that, I suppose.In that light: You say that if you eat maintenance calories (per a calculator) you maintain, but that if you cut 500 calories you "almost always start dropping 4-5 pounds per week on 1400 calories". How many weeks does 4-5 pounds loss per week continue, and how does that timing correlate with the thing about "rapidly start adding in even more tricks to melt off the lbs"?
Why I ask: It's utterly common to lose scale weight more quickly in the first couple of weeks, and depending on some variables, it could be a little bit longer. If eating style changed, things get even more complicated. (Note: It's also reasonably common for some people to not lose weight in the first couple of weeks even at appropriate calories because of changes in eating style or activity level. Everybody needs more data than that.)
Yeah. So... I ate over 5000 kcals on April 1st. I was 280 lbs that morning. Next day, 279 lbs, ate 1400 kcals, weighed in on the 3rd at 274. Today is the 8th, I've been averaging 1700 kcals/day, and I'm at 266.
That's all... water weight. That will last for 2-3 weeks for me, usually.
Then for like 2 weeks, (if I was doing 1400) I'd be losing 4 or 5 lbs per week. Then a couple weeks of 3 or 4 lbs per week. Then I "plateau" for about a week (and yeah, I know that's not actually a plateau) and then it settles in to about 2lbs per week. The problem is ... my TDEE at sedentary is ~2200. At 260-270, if I eat 2200 calories, I gain weight. Which makes sense, because I'm *well* below sedentary. My actual maintenance calories (where I stay the same weight at that size) is 1900. So 1400 kcals/day is a 500 deficit... I should only be losing 1 lb per week. It doesn't drop to 1 lb per week until month 4 or 5.
I think it just.... bothers me because I know the math is wonky. It doesn't make sense. It always averages out by the time I give up to be about 10 lbs per month... which would be like 2 lbs per week. Not super drastic, but it's still about twice as fast as I should be losing on that deficit! And my measurements will reflect the scale loss, so... I *assume* most of it is fat?
Usually I end up adding in the changes in eating patterns as I *feel* healthier. Like... it just feels like a next logical step. It's not something I add to lose faster, just to lose... better?
Like right now I'm eating processed pre-packaged crap, because it makes logging easier. But a few weeks in I'll probably add in a lot more veg/cut the sodium, etc, because I *can* by that point? IdkReally and truly, you don't necessarily actually have decent insight into your fat loss rate (as distinct from your scale-weight loss rate) in anything less than 4-6 weeks on a new, consistent regimen, whole menstrual cycle(s) if that applies. Even then, I sometimes tell people that if the first two weeks looks unusual (in loss rate) compared to the following weeks, they should exclude the first couple of weeks from the average, and go on the exact same way for an additional couple of weeks before averaging.
To be frank, if you're evaluating results based on shorter time periods, and switching things up along the way, all you have is poor quality data. You need 4-6 weeks on pretty much the same routine of eating and activity, at least.
Something along those lines seems more likely than that you're a metabolically special person in some way that's not conventionally observed among other people. Being special is by definition unusual, right? If we hear hoofbeats (at least in my neighborhood), think horses, not zebras.
I... maybe I've exaggerated the problem in my head? I'll go find my log book from last year, and check the numbers with those first 2 weeks excluded! I've always looked at it over a month or so, but maybe I need to look at like... a 3 month period or something.
Actually, that makes sense, because I DO tend to have a larger deficit later, and it ALWAYS averages 10 lbs a month or so by the end. Going to look into that now, I'd feel WAY better if I could make the scale weight make sense, lol
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You always want to be averaging over multi-week periods. A calculator (or MFP, or a fitness tracker) doesn't define your deficit. Your actual weight loss over the multi-week periods defines your deficit. The deficit is always "on average" across the whole period, and ideally the period needs to be on a generally pretty consistent routine - generally same calories (weekly average-ish), same general eating style, pretty much the same daily life activities (workday vs. weekend differences maybe, but no big changes other than things like that that average out), pretty much the same level of exercise.1
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The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again.
If you already can predict what will happen, and know it hasn’t worked in the past, on more than one occasion, I’d challenge you to change it up.2 -
You always want to be averaging over multi-week periods. A calculator (or MFP, or a fitness tracker) doesn't define your deficit. Your actual weight loss over the multi-week periods defines your deficit. The deficit is always "on average" across the whole period, and ideally the period needs to be on a generally pretty consistent routine - generally same calories (weekly average-ish), same general eating style, pretty much the same daily life activities (workday vs. weekend differences maybe, but no big changes other than things like that that average out), pretty much the same level of exercise.
Okay so...
This is all same eating style (from last year, also it's messy, sorry)
If I ignore the 1st week, and it's 264.8 to 241.9 or in 7 weeks, 3.3 lbs.
If I ignore the almost 2 weeks in April, it's 259.2 lbs May 1st, to 247.6 on June 1st, to 241.9 on the 12th.
That's 17.3 lbs in 6 weeks, so... oh it's ~2.9 lbs per week that way. Not as bad as I'd thought, at any rate!
Still doesn't quite make sense since if I slip over 1900 I start gaining weight, so it's only like 300-400 deficit, but it does slow down a bit each month, which I'd chalked up to yknow... weighing less... but maybe it averages out over time ??! Idkspringlering62 wrote: »The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again.
If you already can predict what will happen, and know it hasn’t worked in the past, on more than one occasion, I’d challenge you to change it up.
Fair point! Although the plan has worked as long as I was sticking to it... guess I just need a different plan to uh... stick to it.
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Again, when you say "if I slip over 1900 I gain weight" . . . over 1900 for how long? If you start eating more, you'll see an instant scale increase from increased water retention (more carbs, which require more water retention to metabolize; more sodium) and probably higher food content in your digestive system on its way to becoming waste. That has a weight. If you keep eating at that higher level, those pounds will tend to stick around.
If you keep eating right around 1900, do you keep gaining weight, or do you see a jump to a few pounds heavier, then hover there? It's still a question of 4-6 week (whole menstrual cycle) averages.
I actually think your practical answer is in what others - like @springlering62 and @lietchi - have said. You've done the same thing repeatedly. It seems to involve fast loss and big changes** that don't stick, then regaining. (**2.9 pounds a week on average at your weight is too fast, IMO.)
Do something different.
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Again, when you say "if I slip over 1900 I gain weight" . . . over 1900 for how long? If you start eating more, you'll see an instant scale increase from increased water retention (more carbs, which require more water retention to metabolize; more sodium) and probably higher food content in your digestive system on its way to becoming waste. That has a weight. If you keep eating at that higher level, those pounds will tend to stick around.
If you keep eating right around 1900, do you keep gaining weight, or do you see a jump to a few pounds heavier, then hover there? It's still a question of 4-6 week (whole menstrual cycle) averages.
I actually think your practical answer is in what others - like @springlering62 and @lietchi - have said. You've done the same thing repeatedly. It seems to involve fast loss and big changes** that don't stick, then regaining. (**2.9 pounds a week on average at your weight is too fast, IMO.)
Do something different.
Yeah, the 1900 kcal/day is like... my maintenance at ~260lbs. I've done it many times for a couple months or so to check. I'm fairly immobile most of the time (disabilities) and short, so it's not unusual in itself, it's just that the numbers get screwy when I *do* go under that... those weights from last year are at 1500 - 1600. That's what confuses me every time
I think you all are right too though, it is too fast. I think I'm going to just stick at 1700-1800 for ... Idk... maybe 8 weeks would be best, for comparison at least, lol. And no keto or fasting or anything this time, cause, like you said, it doesn't stick. Just going to focus on logging that rather than "losing weight", I think.
Thanks for all the feedback, it really does help. Got a lot to think about!
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Sissylynn1979 wrote: »Again, when you say "if I slip over 1900 I gain weight" . . . over 1900 for how long? If you start eating more, you'll see an instant scale increase from increased water retention (more carbs, which require more water retention to metabolize; more sodium) and probably higher food content in your digestive system on its way to becoming waste. That has a weight. If you keep eating at that higher level, those pounds will tend to stick around.
If you keep eating right around 1900, do you keep gaining weight, or do you see a jump to a few pounds heavier, then hover there? It's still a question of 4-6 week (whole menstrual cycle) averages.
I actually think your practical answer is in what others - like @springlering62 and @lietchi - have said. You've done the same thing repeatedly. It seems to involve fast loss and big changes** that don't stick, then regaining. (**2.9 pounds a week on average at your weight is too fast, IMO.)
Do something different.
Yeah, the 1900 kcal/day is like... my maintenance at ~260lbs. I've done it many times for a couple months or so to check. I'm fairly immobile most of the time (disabilities) and short, so it's not unusual in itself, it's just that the numbers get screwy when I *do* go under that... those weights from last year are at 1500 - 1600. That's what confuses me every time
I think you all are right too though, it is too fast. I think I'm going to just stick at 1700-1800 for ... Idk... maybe 8 weeks would be best, for comparison at least, lol. And no keto or fasting or anything this time, cause, like you said, it doesn't stick. Just going to focus on logging that rather than "losing weight", I think.
Thanks for all the feedback, it really does help. Got a lot to think about!
In case it's not obvious: I could not be cheering harder for you to succeed, even though I'm a total stranger. Being at a healthy weight these last 7+ years has been a huge quality of life improvement for me, and getting active 20+ years ago similarly high impact on the quality of life front. I wish everyone good outcomes, including you, sincerely. So worth it. (You're clearly investing thought in figuring this out - great stuff - now go translate it into action. You can.)2 -
In case it's not obvious: I could not be cheering harder for you to succeed, even though I'm a total stranger. Being at a healthy weight these last 7+ years has been a huge quality of life improvement for me, and getting active 20+ years ago similarly high impact on the quality of life front. I wish everyone good outcomes, including you, sincerely. So worth it. (You're clearly investing thought in figuring this out - great stuff - now go translate it into action. You can.)
Oh I know! Absolutely taking it from a positive place
I'm going to get there, just... trying to avoid making the same mistakes again, so I'm trying to logic it out, lol.
Thank you again. I think I've got a plan fairly well figured out for the moment. Ya'll have been amazing!!1 -
Keep letting us know how it's going, eh, if you feel up to it? (I always wonder how people's stories turn out - cheering for success on all goals, for sure!)2
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Keep letting us know how it's going, eh, if you feel up to it? (I always wonder how people's stories turn out - cheering for success on all goals, for sure!)
I will! Honestly not sure if it should be this post or a new one... probably I will do a new one once I get in a routine so people don't end up replying to the original question like 4 months from now LOL0 -
cmriverside wrote: »
If you were driving from Florida to New York and you took a wrong left turn somewhere, would you keep driving until you hit the Pacific Ocean? Of course not. You'd turn around somewhere a whole heckofalot sooner.
Do that. :flowerforyou:
This is the best advice!! Love it!! This is me too. It's not that i quit the programme that works, its that i quit for so long I'm right back at the start. I've made my peace with having off days, treat days and breaks for holidays but I keep weighing myself daily (hop up on scale soon as I brush my teeth first thing in the morning). I find the daily weigh ins are great for getting me used to the normal fluctuations in my weight and when I see it ticking up too much I get an immediate nudge to get back on track.
I have found that going keto was great for giving my metabolism a kick-start. I seemed to be going into starvation mode when I stuck to my normal diet with just reduced calories so I wasn't losing weight. Def mixing up the food plan and calories per day is good to keep your metabolism guessing.
I'd also recommend meditation. Not strictly a weight loss plan but I've found the more I brought a bit of calm, thoughtfulness and patience into my eating and food choices the more success I've had.
Best of luck with your journey 🥳0 -
Sorry if this seems a bit harsh or abrupt. But this post isn't meant to be. Apologies I didn't read the whole thread either. So bare with me!
Have you ever visualised what your future self would look like losing 'X' amount of weight? How would it feel? Would you be more confident and happy?
You need to embrace the daily actions and habits to get there. Meaning, you need to learn to be happy and embrace the process.
Every action you take today is a win for your future self. Don't put pressure on your future self for your past, and present slip ups.
I would probably advise you to not track your calories for a little while and get used to eating more Protein, Fruit and Veg. And definitely not cut out any of your favourite foods. Just moderate them. Counting calories can come later when your confidence has increased.
You can still be happy and lose weight without tracking.
Understand this journey is a long one. Enjoy the process. You don't need accountability from anyone. No one can hold your hand forever on this journey 👍💪 you've got this. 🔥🎇0 -
Sissylynn1979 wrote: »Keep letting us know how it's going, eh, if you feel up to it? (I always wonder how people's stories turn out - cheering for success on all goals, for sure!)
I will! Honestly not sure if it should be this post or a new one... probably I will do a new one once I get in a routine so people don't end up replying to the original question like 4 months from now LOL
Update this one: That'd be my vote. Some of us (OK, me) read a lot of posts here, but sometimes it's hard to remember the past or context. If you update this one - if only by posting a link to an update thread - those of us who replied here (and have notifications turned on) will get a notification that you've replied on the thread, not overlook it; and would have the context.
But you should do what's right for you, more than what's right for me.
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Meditation and mindfulness can definitely be enhancements to a weight loss effort. Good stuff!cmriverside wrote: »
If you were driving from Florida to New York and you took a wrong left turn somewhere, would you keep driving until you hit the Pacific Ocean? Of course not. You'd turn around somewhere a whole heckofalot sooner.
Do that. :flowerforyou:
This is the best advice!! Love it!! This is me too. It's not that i quit the programme that works, its that i quit for so long I'm right back at the start. I've made my peace with having off days, treat days and breaks for holidays but I keep weighing myself daily (hop up on scale soon as I brush my teeth first thing in the morning). I find the daily weigh ins are great for getting me used to the normal fluctuations in my weight and when I see it ticking up too much I get an immediate nudge to get back on track.
I have found that going keto was great for giving my metabolism a kick-start. I seemed to be going into starvation mode when I stuck to my normal diet with just reduced calories so I wasn't losing weight. Def mixing up the food plan and calories per day is good to keep your metabolism guessing.
Weight loss often starts with a big-ish scale drop from reduced average food waste in the digestive tract, plus reduced water retention from lower carbs (which require water retention in order to metabolize them) and sodium (which can cause retention to balance electrolyte levels in the body). Very little of that start-up drop is fat loss.
Keto does tend to kick-start that drop in water retention, i.e., make it bigger and quicker.
Starvation mode? Not true, at least not what most people mean by that phrase. If our bodies held on to fat because of reduced calories, all the many people who (sadly) starve to death worldwide every day would be fat corpses. They're not.
There are some mechanisms the body will use to limp along at reduced calories that can drop calorie utilization a little (largely through fatigue), but they're not going to stop fat loss at low enough calories.
Anyone who wants a serious science-based rundown on the myth and the reality should read the first few posts in this thread (the initial posts by the person who started the thread):
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1I'd also recommend meditation. Not strictly a weight loss plan but I've found the more I brought a bit of calm, thoughtfulness and patience into my eating and food choices the more success I've had.
Best of luck with your journey 🥳
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This is the best advice!! Love it!! This is me too. It's not that i quit the programme that works, its that i quit for so long I'm right back at the start. I've made my peace with having off days, treat days and breaks for holidays but I keep weighing myself daily (hop up on scale soon as I brush my teeth first thing in the morning). I find the daily weigh ins are great for getting me used to the normal fluctuations in my weight and when I see it ticking up too much I get an immediate nudge to get back on track.
I have found that going keto was great for giving my metabolism a kick-start. I seemed to be going into starvation mode when I stuck to my normal diet with just reduced calories so I wasn't losing weight. Def mixing up the food plan and calories per day is good to keep your metabolism guessing.
I'd also recommend meditation. Not strictly a weight loss plan but I've found the more I brought a bit of calm, thoughtfulness and patience into my eating and food choices the more success I've had.
Best of luck with your journey 🥳
I'm glad other people are getting help from this too! And I always had a lot of loss with "changing it up"
Be careful, though, starvation-mode is kind of a myth... or rather, it's a term people have taken entirely out of context!
Definitely going to try the meditation thing, though!
Thanks for the reply, and Best luck on your journey too!!Update this one: That'd be my vote. Some of us (OK, me) read a lot of posts here, but sometimes it's hard to remember the past or context. If you update this one - if only by posting a link to an update thread - those of us who replied here (and have notifications turned on) will get a notification that you've replied on the thread, not overlook it; and would have the context.
But you should do what's right for you, more than what's right for me.
Lol, I probably will at least link them! It looks like it already helped someone else, and I suppose it would be easier with the context as well. Thanks again, you're a huge help!
(Also, thank you for providing more context on the "starvation mode" thing. Always feel like I'm talking into a void when I refute that!
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Sissylynn1979 wrote: »Be careful, though, starvation-mode is kind of a myth... or rather, it's a term people have taken entirely out of context!
Yeah I guess I'm using the wrong term but from my own experience I need to keep my body guessing, when I do restrict calories to a set 1500 a day (and keep tracking) ill initially lose some weight but then its like my metabolism adapts and says "oh we live off 1500 now OK I can work with that" and my weight will plateau for 4 or 5 months!! Which I realise makes no logical sense in the sense of calories in to calories out, maintain a calories deficit and lose weight but that's what happens me......So rather than a set amount of calories to aim for I go for a range, some days I go higher some lower, a month keto or low carb, mix it up.
I think it's important to get to know your own body's reactions and find what fits 🥳1
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