Hello, need some motivation

Hi, I'm 27 and currently 202 lbs. My highest weight ever was 232 lbs but ive been staying at 190-202 about a year now. It's been challenging to actually find the motivation to really stay consistent. I joined a YMCA about two months ago and have been attending the fitness classes there. It's been a fun way to keep my body moving, but the number on the scale won't budge. It's been difficult to keep track of calories while also working a job and keeping the house clean. I'm just trying to find a way where this is achievable…My goal weight is to be 140 lbs but no matter what I want to just be healthy no matter the weight. I wish I had a workout buddy that could go to the gym with me to support me. I think that would help alot.

Replies

penguinmama87

How do you track your food intake now?

Getting precise about this doesn't have to be an "all the way, right away" deal to be effective. Any measure you take to improve your accuracy or maintain a deficit is developing skills and habits you didn't have before.

Healthy grocery shopping is also a skill that takes time to learn, as is cooking and food prep (even if you are already skilled generally.)

Logging accurately is a good place to start because then you actually know how much you eat. All the working out in the world won't make a dent if you're regularly consuming surplus calories.

Maybe you can start getting acclimated to that on days you don't work? Food scales are inexpensive and easy to use, but I get that they might seem intimidating to a newbie!

AnnPT77

For most of us, @JennaIRL, the eating side of the equation matters much more than the exercise side.

I worked out pretty intensely for a dozen years, 6 days most weeks, and stayed obese. I "ate healthy" in general- Ive been vegetarian for 51+ years, for example. It's the calorie intake that matters.

I can not-eat a serving of peanut butter on a slice of hearty whole-grain bread in zero seconds, but it would take me the better part of an hour to exercise that many calories, and that's at a weight currently below your goal weight, and over 3 times your age (70 y/o, low 130s pounds . . . but formerly obese over 10 years ago, like I said).

Logging food isn't the only way to lose body fat. I'm old enough to have been an adult before food logging was practical. People who committed to losing weight did so despite that, back then. My own father did, in fact.

How? Less fried food. More veggies. Lean meats. Smaller portions. Fewer sweets. Less dressing, mayo, butter, oil, and that sort of thing. To what extent? Keep adjusting routine habits until gradual weight loss shows up as a trend on average over a few weeks - one menstrual cycle is a good length, at your age.

Logging accurately makes it more predictable but logging's not essential. For sure workouts - or a workout buddy - aren't the key, if you ask me. I was even training hard enough to compete as an athlete (not always unsuccessfully!) while class 1 obese, and staying weight stable at an obese body weight. For me - and I think for most people - it's the eating side of the equation that has the biggest impact.

Best wishes!

rms62003

I hear you about logging - it can be difficult to do. I work 10-12 hrs a day and am single - take care of everything and the dogs myself.
I do find that meal prepping, and logging what I prep all at one time (I'll log 80% of my meals for the whole week) helps me. Not only does it mean I'm logged and can watch my calories, but it does actually stop me from cheating.

AnnPT77 is also right. If we eat more nutrient dense foods, we tend to fill up faster and actually eat less calories without even watching it. Good strategy is to build your plate with veggies first. Fill your 1/2 your plate with NON starchy veg (watch any sauces or dressings), add a lean protein to 1/4 of it, then the rest is for whole grains/starchy veg. Bake/grill/broil instead of fry. Although, I'd have to say the air fryer is also the bomb. Sub out cake/cookie/etc in snacks and desserts for fruit. Keeping a veg plate in the fridge for snacking and hiding/not buying chips, etc.

I encourage you to try to incorporate changes such as these. Not all at once, that is hard to sustain. But small changes over time until they become habit and can be sustained.

Azar96guate

Hello, add me if you would like someone to listen and some accountability for both, cheers