Routine is essential

Guitarjon

Im a primary school teacher and have been on my journey since January this year. From January to the end of July I came from 131kg to 106kg. Throughout the whole summer holidays, which I spent doing a lot of hard work, carpet fitting, chopping trees, building ponds and making garden fences I didn't loose a anything, in fact I went up to about 108 at one point. I have been back at school now for almost a week and I have lost the weight I put on and lost an additional 2kg in one week.

What's different?

I am now waking up earlier - I'm sure been up longer allows you to burn more daily calories.
I am back onto my morning porridge and not anything infancy in the morning.
I am eating at regular intervals
I eat no later than 7 pm, usually around 6.30
I don't feel any need to snack late at night as I just go to bed....
At lunch times I am back to eating a chicken salad, apple and Greek yoghurt
I ensure I drink at the very minimum 2l of water a day. Usually about 3.

I have another piece of fruit at break and some oak cakes in the afternoon before I come home. At home I would eat bigger meals, my meals would often contain a larger carb count and probably usually more fat. I am not against carbs and do believe you should have a balanced diet but I genuinely find my body is better at dealing with less carbs, I seem to loose weight better that way. I should say I change the carbs I eat more I guess.

So I reccomend structure and routine from no scientific investigation, just my own personal gut feeling. I should also add that the weight lost has come from fat and water and not muscle as I do monitor these too.

rmalcolm_88

congrats on the weight you have managed to lose so far and i tend to agree with you about the routine thing. i am kind of on and off with the healthy eating because i find it really hard to stick with it when i am going to school and busy with my son. i find that i do best and am able to stick to my eating best when i have some kind of routine. for example, i will eat instant oatmeal every morning for breakfast. if i have to think about it i will get lazy and just go to mcdonald's, but if i have my oatmeal package ready on the counter and the kettle filled up more often than not i'll just eat that. same with working out.

opuntia

I agree. Everything I've read about this sort of thing suggests that actually will-power is overrated, and the best way to make lasting life changes is to simply create habits. Once something becomes habitual, you do it on autopilot - no need for will-power at all. It is simply easier to do it than not do it. Of course, overeating, unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, etc., are also habits - that's why it's easier to continue doing them. But once you've replaced them with positive habits, the new habits will become easier.