Good thread idea.

I started without really meaning to start which turned out to be a happy accident. I was doing something for Lent last year and I was obviously in a calorie deficit. I started feeling better then I realized it didn't have to be a major change to start losing weight. I quickly went back over a lot of my past failures trying to make rules to prevent myself from previous mistakes. One of the main things was keeping it simple for myself and knowing when to relax. The only complicated part of my plan (and it really is still simple) is that I do 7 days of deficit in 6 days so I can always have my maintenance calories each Sunday. It gives me something to look forward to and got rid of my fear of eating over my calorie goal line.

jjlewey wrote: »

I dont know what if anything will be different this time but I am trying. My wife and I are going on a cruise in 2 months. I talked her into driving 20 hours to the port because I am afraid of trying to fit into an airplane seat. I am 6ft 3in and 415 pounds today. It has been a week, lost a little over 10 pounds. Trying to keep the momentum going.

@jjlewey

I am concerned that you don't feel like anything is different. Can I encourage you to post your plan here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10754240/what-is-your-plan#latest

Maybe we can help find some ways to make it different or easier for you.

I understand about the airplane seat all too well. At my highest (higher than you now) I was buying two seats and I was experiencing claustrophobia because my overall girth. It was all I could do to keep myself distracted so I didn't flip out.

I also know about inconveniencing my wife on vacations.

jjlewey wrote: »

At this point I guess my plan is just keep tracking, try to hit my fitbit step goal 12k, and hopefully build a little momentum. My goal is to feel better and not dread going to the doctors office next time. This last week has been good, I have felt better for sure. I can feel the difference.

@jjlewey

What made you stop tracking in the past?

I am doing a lot better on steps. I am hitting 8500 pretty regularly and considering my own particular restrictions I feel pretty good about it. My goal is 10k steps right now because I think it should always be a little higher to help motivate me to do more.

jjlewey wrote: »

I think mainly discipline. I would skip tracking a meal, then a day, then before I knew it I hadn't logged anything in a month or 2. I just have to make sure I do it every meal, every time.

That is not something I have to really worry about. Once I make something a part of my routine my fairly compulsive nature kicks in. I even find waiting a longer than normal amount of time between eating and logging irritating. Not mad irritating but mentally irritating like an itch. Helpful here but not always helpful in other situations.

melanie_marie78 wrote: »

This time around, I've changed up a few things:
-I'm weighing myself everyday to make it part of my routine
-I switched from a strict keto diet to a more standard calorie counting diet
-Well...I'm here talking it out! That's different. I usually keep my journey pretty internal, which is okay. But when I have setbacks, it's easy to justify it to myself or keep it secret when there's no one else to talk it out with.

Something I still need to work on:
-strategies to move away from emotional eating instincts. Every time I've gained a significant amount of weight has centered around something emotionally traumatic and my long-term poor coping mechanisms.

I do find it helpful to post my thoughts even if no one replies. Sometimes just writing it out and reading is enough to give me insight into my situation.

shrinking_amazonian wrote: »

bjkoziara wrote: »

I'm also getting others less involved in my weight loss and relying only on myself for motivation and accountability.

This is a big part for me - I am not telling family what I am up to. I don't want to be subjected to their scrutiny.

My hubs knows, he is and always has been my main support. With family I find that they are so judgmental - I am always doing it wrong. They are also all overweight and try to push me off track, "just have a treat, you've earned it" or "you're good enough as you are, don't lose any more weight!"

I think that tackling this with my core nucleus of support will be a lot easier.

I am also trying keto to help with my intense hunger in the mornings, I would wake up and feel like I could eat the whole fridge even after having gone to bed overfull. So far it's working amazingly, I am very happy to report I can easily wait to have breakfast! I am really happy with this way of eating even if that is the only big success it brings me.

I didn't tell anyone either outside my wife. I even denied it for a very long time and well past the point it was so obvious I was losing that it was ridiculous for me to keep deflecting. Even though everyone knows now I still don't talk specifics with most people. The online community knows more than the majority of people in my life.

Anyway good job on finding a way of eating for yourself. Being happy is the biggest part of sustainability.

You are aware of the "keto flu", right?

shrinking_amazonian wrote: »

NovusDies wrote: »

You are aware of the "keto flu", right?

So interesting to hear someone else with a similar approach!

I have mostly had headaches and my leg was cramped up one day but so far it’s not too bad. I armed myself with a bunch of different electrolytes and it’s been doing the trick I think!

I am glad that you knew. I am often shocked how many people show up at MFP complaining about symptoms because they jumped into a diet without doing a lick of research.

My own electrolytes can be fun to manage. I can retain a stupid amount of water when I eat maintenance or above for several days. The combo of sodium from restaurant food and higher carb (I tend to be moderate carb for a medical reason) is like hooking me up to a hose. When it starts coming back off it is tough to keep up with the electrolytes.

You may need to keep that in mind if you take a non-keto break like a vacation or something. When you return you will probably go through the same fluid drop.

Are you shooting for the 50ish net carbs or are you trying to go really low like sub 30?

shrinking_amazonian wrote: »

I wanted to do a fair amount of research since it was going to be such a different way of eating and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Being that it's so new to me I am not trying to be too hard on myself. My goal is to have 25net carbs but if I am getting under 75 total carbs this first month I am still happy with that. Once I get my footing I figure I will have a better idea on what recipes to choose, where I am finding "hidden" carbs and how to manage eating out more effectively.

I find my water retention is always most noticeable in my hands - my fingers get so so swollen and if I add in some exercise and nice warm weather they get painfully swollen. It's been rainy and cool so I haven't really had a chance to see if the low carb has helped combat the sausage fingers.

Sounds like a good way to start. It might also tell you if you need to even bother with going lower carb. I see so many people come through MFP and they get stuck thinking they either need to eat normal high carb or very low carb. I have asked many of them if they have ever tried slightly lower or moderate levels of carbs and they all seem confused at the notion. I have a medical condition that is easier to manage if I keep my carbs lower but mine still run 80 - 120 most of the time. They are running a little lower right now because it is summer and the heat has a definite impact on my appetite and food choices.

I firmly believe in keeping a diet as flexible as possible just because I think it is easier. Many people respond very well to low carb for satiety which obviously helps keep a person happy during weight loss. I don't believe everyone that goes this path needs super low carb although you may be one of them. I would just encourage you not to get stuck with a specific criteria just because it exists. You probably want to try the 25 and see what you think since it is part of your initial game plan though. I did several experiments initially including keto.

merph518 wrote: »

jjlewey wrote: »

I dont know what if anything will be different this time but I am trying. My wife and I are going on a cruise in 2 months. I talked her into driving 20 hours to the port because I am afraid of trying to fit into an airplane seat. I am 6ft 3in and 415 pounds today. It has been a week, lost a little over 10 pounds. Trying to keep the momentum going.

I flew to Florida last year to take my family on a Disney vacation. I was 380+ lbs at the time, and shorter than you, so I was most likely wider. The seats are a little snug, but if you're sitting next to your wife, you can most likely raise the armrest between the two of you. Also, you can request seat belt extenders.

I'm hoping that next time I fly, I won't need them! But I figured I would share and maybe save you a 20 hour drive. If you're super concerned, you could call the airline and ask about it. It should be doable and not too uncomfortable, though!

As many times as I have had to ask for the beloved seat belt extender I am not sure why I didn't think to suggest it. That is why I think a group like this can be helpful. We will just know things about the challenges of living large. I was past the point of raising the armrest and had to buy 2 seats. This was not always helpful because we fly out of a small airport and on the smaller planes the armrests do not always go up. So it may require driving to a larger airport but not necessarily driving the entire way.

jjlewey wrote: »

merph518 wrote: »

jjlewey wrote: »

I dont know what if anything will be different this time but I am trying. My wife and I are going on a cruise in 2 months. I talked her into driving 20 hours to the port because I am afraid of trying to fit into an airplane seat. I am 6ft 3in and 415 pounds today. It has been a week, lost a little over 10 pounds. Trying to keep the momentum going.

I flew to Florida last year to take my family on a Disney vacation. I was 380+ lbs at the time, and shorter than you, so I was most likely wider. The seats are a little snug, but if you're sitting next to your wife, you can most likely raise the armrest between the two of you. Also, you can request seat belt extenders.

I'm hoping that next time I fly, I won't need them! But I figured I would share and maybe save you a 20 hour drive. If you're super concerned, you could call the airline and ask about it. It should be doable and not too uncomfortable, though!

Thanks for the advice, we made up our minds about driving. Gonna be an adventure, we are going to Gatlinburg and Stone Mountain on the way down. Then Charleston SC on the way back. It is adding 3 or 4 days to the trip but now I am kinda looking forward to it.

I have been measuring every chair at work trying to find 1 about the standard airline chair size. Last time I was on an airplane was about 10 years ago and I was about 340/350. I remember it being snug but not stupid uncomfortable. Hopefully I will get to the point that I dont have to worry about it.

You will be in my neck of the woods then. Gatlinburg will be fun if you have never been there. We haven't been in years because it gets played out in a hurry although we have talked about returning recently. I like that indoor putt-putt golf place. I haven't been to Stone Mountain since I was a teenager. I really should plan to go again myself.