Introduce Yourself
Replies
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@nazah_sakin WELCOME!! I am also new to the group but have found a lot of great friends and inspirations in this group! Sustainability is my goal this time around, I have tried many times to lose weight but they were never very successful. I have about 150lbs to lose but am trying not to focus on that number and just make healthier choices!0
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@tempe987 thank you so much. This should be the ultimate goal.. Living a healthy life.. Making healthy choices. I focus on how I feel when I make healthy choices.. When I eat clean food.. I am focusing on the process and I am enjoying it. Hope we can support each other to build a healthier life 😊😊😊2
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Hi everyone, I’ve only just started using the app as once again in my life I’m over 300pounds and I’m frustrated with my physical limitations. At the same time not being ‘able’ ‘allowed’ or restricting my food is something that really scares me on a deep emotional level. When I think about not eating something (even if it’s my cognitive choice) I go into rebellious mode (and I’ll eat it anyway) or panic mode ( but I have to have it, what if I can never have that again). I’m a mom of two young children and I’m afraid that soon they will start to notice my physical limitations (not being able to go ice skating, not fitting on certain rides etc.). I’m hoping to find like minded people who I can create a virtual support network with for those times when it all gets too much or my initial motivation goes down the drain. Looking forward ‘meeting’ you.
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lyo4ma: I've been there. I've dealt with that panic.
Part of it got broken when I was very poor. If I did not have chocolate chips in the cupboard, there would be no chocolate chip cookies, and that was just all, and I was going to have to deal with it. I also have had the policy, up until I started seriously working on weight loss, that if I wanted it badly enough I would be willing to get out the butter and sugar and flour and actually make the cookies from scratch. (Those were what I wanted, anyway.) If I didn't want it enough to do that, well, then, it was a whim, and wasn't getting indulged.
And part of it I had to break down myself by sitting there and waiting out the panic and talking to myself. I deal with some of it on a day to day basis during the diet by allowing myself some foods that other people don't. I eat a single-serving size bag of chips most days for lunch with a sandwich. If I do that, I don't feel deprived. About once or twice a week I look at my calories and note I have enough left to have a cup of ice cream in the evening. Rice Krispie treats are 90 calories, and I can work that in more often than the ice cream. I know that some people can't lose weight if they eat "junk" , but I know that if I deprive myself of the junk I'll be miserable and then I'll cheat and binge and feel worse.
I look at my calories like I look at money. I decide what to spend it on. I could arrange to have cookies every day; two cookies isn't that bad calorically. I could work it in. But I'd have to give up butter on my English muffin in the morning, and my little bag of chips at lunch, and, nah, I'd rather have the butter and the chips. And if I discover I REALLLY want ice cream one evening, and I've already spent the calories earlier in the day, well, I can't get it on this paycheck, but I can wait and get it tomorrow. If I can do it with books and earrings. I can do it with food. And sometimes when I get to the evening and the long-anticipated cup of ice cream....I don't want it any more. And that informs me. A lot of times I'll wait a week or two on something I'm craving. Just to be really sure. I did that with onion rings recently. But now that I've had them I won't want them for a couple months.
If you listen to your body as you lose weight, you may even discover your tastes changing. You won't want some things any more, and that's okay. But the lovely thing about calorie counting is that we're just looking at calories to start, and not worrying about clean eating or eating this way or that way. And you can spend your calories as you like.6 -
Hi everyone, I’ve only just started using the app as once again in my life I’m over 300pounds and I’m frustrated with my physical limitations. At the same time not being ‘able’ ‘allowed’ or restricting my food is something that really scares me on a deep emotional level. When I think about not eating something (even if it’s my cognitive choice) I go into rebellious mode (and I’ll eat it anyway) or panic mode ( but I have to have it, what if I can never have that again). I’m a mom of two young children and I’m afraid that soon they will start to notice my physical limitations (not being able to go ice skating, not fitting on certain rides etc.). I’m hoping to find like minded people who I can create a virtual support network with for those times when it all gets too much or my initial motivation goes down the drain. Looking forward ‘meeting’ you.
Hello there!
I do know what you mean. I am an emotional eater. I eat when I am emotional. I am emotional when I can't eat! What a struggle! I have tried many diets in my life GM diet, keto diet, no carb, low carb what not. I lose weight then I gain it back. Losing weight has been such a struggle for me. I felt helpless at times that why is it not happening. Why does it seem like a punishment? Not being able to lose weight led to more weight gain!
What I learned from my experience that restricting myself from a certain food item or carbs not going to work for me. I love rice. I grew up eating rice. Rice is the staple food in my culture. So if I try to stop myself from eating rice, it seems like I crave it even more.
I started my journey again from July 1, 2020. I am not setting any big goals. Not stressing over on how quickly I can shed some weight. I am not calling it a diet either. It is a lifestyle. Simple as that. I am eating everything. I am allowed to eat everything. I just eat them in moderation. I used to eat 5-6 cups of rice in two meals. Now I am eating rice only once a day and limited it to 1.5 cups. I didn't reduce my intake drastically. I started with 3 cups a day. Then 2.5 cups.. Then 2 cups.. Now 1. 5 cups. My main goal is to stay under my calorie goal. I take one day at a time. I don't plan for 6 months or 1 year. This is a lifestyle to keep my body healthy at the same time I do not want to miss out on life and what it has to offer.
Along with setting a calorie goal, I am also trying to burn some calories by doing household chores such as cleaning, cooking or dishwashing which we have to do anyway. I see all these as being active. Making the best out of my daily routine.
I am new here too but not new in trying. We will support each other. Welcome to the group! 👏👏5 -
AlexandraFindsHerself1971 wrote: »lyo4ma: I've been there. I've dealt with that panic.
Part of it got broken when I was very poor. If I did not have chocolate chips in the cupboard, there would be no chocolate chip cookies, and that was just all, and I was going to have to deal with it. I also have had the policy, up until I started seriously working on weight loss, that if I wanted it badly enough I would be willing to get out the butter and sugar and flour and actually make the cookies from scratch. (Those were what I wanted, anyway.) If I didn't want it enough to do that, well, then, it was a whim, and wasn't getting indulged.
And part of it I had to break down myself by sitting there and waiting out the panic and talking to myself. I deal with some of it on a day to day basis during the diet by allowing myself some foods that other people don't. I eat a single-serving size bag of chips most days for lunch with a sandwich. If I do that, I don't feel deprived. About once or twice a week I look at my calories and note I have enough left to have a cup of ice cream in the evening. Rice Krispie treats are 90 calories, and I can work that in more often than the ice cream. I know that some people can't lose weight if they eat "junk" , but I know that if I deprive myself of the junk I'll be miserable and then I'll cheat and binge and feel worse.
I look at my calories like I look at money. I decide what to spend it on. I could arrange to have cookies every day; two cookies isn't that bad calorically. I could work it in. But I'd have to give up butter on my English muffin in the morning, and my little bag of chips at lunch, and, nah, I'd rather have the butter and the chips. And if I discover I REALLLY want ice cream one evening, and I've already spent the calories earlier in the day, well, I can't get it on this paycheck, but I can wait and get it tomorrow. If I can do it with books and earrings. I can do it with food. And sometimes when I get to the evening and the long-anticipated cup of ice cream....I don't want it any more. And that informs me. A lot of times I'll wait a week or two on something I'm craving. Just to be really sure. I did that with onion rings recently. But now that I've had them I won't want them for a couple months.
If you listen to your body as you lose weight, you may even discover your tastes changing. You won't want some things any more, and that's okay. But the lovely thing about calorie counting is that we're just looking at calories to start, and not worrying about clean eating or eating this way or that way. And you can spend your calories as you like.
Loved the money metaphor. It's so true. When I make my choices, I basically decide what to spend it on.
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Hi everyone, I’ve only just started using the app as once again in my life I’m over 300pounds and I’m frustrated with my physical limitations. At the same time not being ‘able’ ‘allowed’ or restricting my food is something that really scares me on a deep emotional level. When I think about not eating something (even if it’s my cognitive choice) I go into rebellious mode (and I’ll eat it anyway) or panic mode ( but I have to have it, what if I can never have that again). I’m a mom of two young children and I’m afraid that soon they will start to notice my physical limitations (not being able to go ice skating, not fitting on certain rides etc.). I’m hoping to find like minded people who I can create a virtual support network with for those times when it all gets too much or my initial motivation goes down the drain. Looking forward ‘meeting’ you.
Hi @lyo4ma,
Welcome to LL.
I tend to get rebellious too when I tell myself I can't have something. It doesn't seem to matter if it is something I rarely eat when I was not trying to lose weight either. Fried chicken is a good example. Even when I was gaining weight I might eat fried chicken 3 times a year. If I told myself I could not have it while losing I would be obsessed with it. It is for this reason I do not restrict anything more than absolutely needed. I just make it fit in my calorie budget or eat in on one of the occasions I give myself a bigger budget (like a vacation).
I am not sure what works for other people but your current motivations are negative based and they have never worked on me. Perhaps they will work for you just fine but even with all my physical limitations and compounding health problems I still ate more because eating felt positive (it was not) and I do not like being negative. I find it better to march towards something positive then away from something negative because it helps make food control easier and uplifting. Marching away from a bad scenario keeps me down mentally and then the food control becomes a source of misery. I am not trying to change anything that you are doing because, again, it might work for you. I am just pointing it out.
Based on your post I would also suggest an experiment of volume eating. This is where you eat a large volume of lower calorie foods so that it gives you a very full feeling. If you are interested I can point you towards a thread with some ideas.0 -
@NovusDies
Thanks for your reply. I hadn’t considered that my motivations were negative based. I guess a better way to word it would then be I am looking forward to being able to play better with my children and be physically active in ways I haven’t before. I’ve also thought of volume eating as I am used to eating large quantities. Tracking my food for the past couple of days has shown me just how warped my idea of portion and serving sizes is and unfortunately the idea of eating less still scares me. I get this sense of panic that I won’t have enough, that I’ll ‘starve’ even though I’ve never actually had to go hungry in my life, unless it’s some left over feeling from when I was an infant (but that’s a whole other story/theory). So of you could point me to some threads, that would be helpful thanks.0 -
@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
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I still hoard food and calories....I hide my “ treats” and I will skip a meal to have something else..... I “ might “want later...It is just something I do and it is a habit I deal with...of course at our house if you don’t hide your goodies, you may never see them again!0
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@NovusDies
Thanks for your reply. I hadn’t considered that my motivations were negative based. I guess a better way to word it would then be I am looking forward to being able to play better with my children and be physically active in ways I haven’t before. I’ve also thought of volume eating as I am used to eating large quantities. Tracking my food for the past couple of days has shown me just how warped my idea of portion and serving sizes is and unfortunately the idea of eating less still scares me. I get this sense of panic that I won’t have enough, that I’ll ‘starve’ even though I’ve never actually had to go hungry in my life, unless it’s some left over feeling from when I was an infant (but that’s a whole other story/theory). So of you could point me to some threads, that would be helpful thanks.
@lyo4ma
Somehow it seemed like volume eating might be part of your gateway. Here is the thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1
It seems to me that your anxiety over volume should be able to be modified. Unless you measure your current serving size precisely the exact amount is likely variable from one meal to the next and one day to the next. It is very possible whatever your average amount of food is now has grown over the years. If that is the case it could be slowly reduced.
At the same time you would need to challenge your unhelpful notions. You know nothing bad would actually happen if you eat less but you need to actually write it all out. Write down what it is you fear then write down as much evidence to support and to oppose it as you can. Then before you sit down to eat you would re-read it all. It is a living document so as you think of more you add to it. The idea is to change your cognition. This is an aspect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It allows your rational side to counter your irrational side. I do not use irrational in a judgmental way. We all have irrational thoughts.2 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
Lightweight!
I never eat less than a pound of green beans as a serving unless I am at a restaurant.
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bmeadows380 wrote: »@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
Lightweight!
I never eat less than a pound of green beans as a serving unless I am at a restaurant.
lol
That's because I have to share! These are from mom's garden; mine hasn't come in yet.
I did eat all the fresh broccoli I had yesterday myself
And I have 2 heads of cabbage that are just about ready, and I'm licking my lips in anticipation! 2 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »bmeadows380 wrote: »@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
Lightweight!
I never eat less than a pound of green beans as a serving unless I am at a restaurant.
lol
That's because I have to share! These are from mom's garden; mine hasn't come in yet.
I did eat all the fresh broccoli I had yesterday myself And I have 2 heads of cabbage that are just about ready, and I'm licking my lips in anticipation!
SO jealous. I don't eat vegetables because I don't like them, I don't eat them because they provoke a vicious bout of IBS. Summer is always so hard because of all the fresh vegetables that I cannot have at all.
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Hi All
Im a 39yr old single Dad from Sydney Aus, back on what hopefully will be a long but rewarding journey.
Ive always been big, gone up and down over time, the last time I was super fit was 2005 I think, always played sports, body building rugby, cricket etc, had a bad knee injury but back to losing weight, setup a Squat rack, dumbells, rower etc in garage and been walking.
I was 199.8kg/440lb now at 162kg/357lb and losing around 1kg per week, when i really watch what i eat I lose alot more however i give up to easily and put it back on which is my main issue, so ive just cut down on food which was never really my issue, but stopped soft drink, alcohol etc and drink water with a glass of Pure Orange juice with dinner.
I try to walk around 5-7km per day, play golf once or twice a week, and basketball with my kids every 2nd day, Ive been working from home the past 7 years so that has its challenges.
Looking forward to chatting with people, learning new things and ideas and seeing other people succeed, feel free to add me
Dale3 -
Hi All
Im a 39yr old single Dad from Sydney Aus, back on what hopefully will be a long but rewarding journey.
Ive always been big, gone up and down over time, the last time I was super fit was 2005 I think, always played sports, body building rugby, cricket etc, had a bad knee injury but back to losing weight, setup a Squat rack, dumbells, rower etc in garage and been walking.
I was 199.8kg/440lb now at 162kg/357lb and losing around 1kg per week, when i really watch what i eat I lose alot more however i give up to easily and put it back on which is my main issue, so ive just cut down on food which was never really my issue, but stopped soft drink, alcohol etc and drink water with a glass of Pure Orange juice with dinner.
I try to walk around 5-7km per day, play golf once or twice a week, and basketball with my kids every 2nd day, Ive been working from home the past 7 years so that has its challenges.
Looking forward to chatting with people, learning new things and ideas and seeing other people succeed, feel free to add me
Dale
Hi @Zippo_DB Dale,
Welcome to LL.
To the bolded above you probably wrote it one way but I am reading it another. You might think that losing faster is better and you are annoyed you cannot maintain it. I see it as a person I once was who may not realize that trying to lose faster IS the problem. 1kg a week is a good rate of loss and likely sustainable for you. The athletic mindset can be a liability during weight loss because some will always gear up to push themselves very hard to get maximum results. The problem is this is not a challenge this is everyday life that has challenges. Losing weight is better off boring and easy. You could make driving a car more exciting by doing it blindfolded but when you have your kids in the backseat you probably want a very easy and uneventful trip.
I also caution you about doing full squats. You might want to modify that until you lose some more. There is a lot of pressure on those joints. You do not want to end up like me in 10 years.3 -
Welcome, Zippo_DB!
I don't know how old your kids are, but remember that they're watching you and learning healthy attitudes towards food and weight from you. Mine are grown and out of the house, so now I'm losing weight so that when and if I have grandchildren they'll have a Grandma who can keep up with them.1 -
well i was 345 pounds when i restarted my fitness pal about 2 weeks ago .i lost over 100 pounds about 3 years ago but then i wrecked up my knee and being shut in with covid i put it all back on .i am a 54 year old women from canada. knee is still wrecked up but they will not do surgery till i lose weight. i also had a heart stint put in about a year and a half ago and i have both high blood pressure (controlled) and diabetic (controlled with pills but getting high reading last check. likely the staying in during covid) so i need to lose this weight but i know it will not be easy1
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Hi! I have posted on the general forum a couple of times, and members here have invited me to join y'all! Thanks!
I have always struggled with my weight. Most recently, in December 2019, I found myself weighing 435lbs. I was half-heartedly watching what I was eating after the first of the year and lost 14lbs. I got serious when Covid 19 shut everything down because we kept hearing how deadly it was to people with comorbidities like obesity. As of this morning, I am down 74.8lbs.
I have used MFP with success in the past, but like many others, gained it back when I got tired and/or lazy about tracking my calories. I made the commitment to myself that I am going to log consistently everyday for one whole year (April 17th will be my logging anniversary.) I'm not on any kind of timeline. I truly want to lose to be healthier and feel better.
I walk a lot for exercise. I try to get 10,000 steps per day, with about 6000 of those from a dedicated walk about six days a week.
I have enjoyed lurking around this board. I like data and numbers and seeing patterns and trends, but y'all put me to shame with your level of detail. 😆 I look forward to spending more time learning from and with y'all!4 -
Welcome, @margaretlunan2 and @Mrs_Smith_8002!
Weight loss definitely isn't easy, but it helps knowing you can do it, both from past success and from being surrounded by people who are fighting the same fight and winning. Especially when you are dealing with a lot of weight and not just vanity pounds. You both have very sensible and realistic goals and plans in place, so congratulations on your current successes! Jump in wherever you desire, whether it be updates, goals, life, NSVs, complaints, whatever - we listen with sympathy and understanding as we've all been there ourselves at one time or the other (though I really do think NovusDies rolls his eyes quite heavily at times whenever I get off onto one of my whines, since it tends to be repetitive *laughs* )
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Mrs_Smith_8002 wrote: »Hi! I have posted on the general forum a couple of times, and members here have invited me to join y'all! Thanks!
I have always struggled with my weight. Most recently, in December 2019, I found myself weighing 435lbs. I was half-heartedly watching what I was eating after the first of the year and lost 14lbs. I got serious when Covid 19 shut everything down because we kept hearing how deadly it was to people with comorbidities like obesity. As of this morning, I am down 74.8lbs.
I have used MFP with success in the past, but like many others, gained it back when I got tired and/or lazy about tracking my calories. I made the commitment to myself that I am going to log consistently everyday for one whole year (April 17th will be my logging anniversary.) I'm not on any kind of timeline. I truly want to lose to be healthier and feel better.
I walk a lot for exercise. I try to get 10,000 steps per day, with about 6000 of those from a dedicated walk about six days a week.
I have enjoyed lurking around this board. I like data and numbers and seeing patterns and trends, but y'all put me to shame with your level of detail. 😆 I look forward to spending more time learning from and with y'all!
I am a lurker too and I am trying to be more active on the boards, I find it really helps me to engage with others.
Congratulations on your 74.8lb loss!
P.s. I am also a Mrs. Smith!2 -
margaretlunan2 wrote: »well i was 345 pounds when i restarted my fitness pal about 2 weeks ago .i lost over 100 pounds about 3 years ago but then i wrecked up my knee and being shut in with covid i put it all back on .i am a 54 year old women from canada. knee is still wrecked up but they will not do surgery till i lose weight. i also had a heart stint put in about a year and a half ago and i have both high blood pressure (controlled) and diabetic (controlled with pills but getting high reading last check. likely the staying in during covid) so i need to lose this weight but i know it will not be easy
Hi @margaretlunan2 ,
Welcome.
The expression that comes to mind is:
"Having weight is hard. Losing weight is hard. Choose your hard."
For you the "having weight" side is disproportionately harder than what you will go through to lose it. Every 10 percent you lose should help to mitigate some of your health issues. The problem is you don't stop going through the other as you add in weight loss. Even with a good plan that makes weight loss fairly easy most days it adds to the total of your hardship.
I think the key here is to be aware of it and be especially kind to yourself as you go forward. Know when to back off a little so that your total amount of hardship remains manageable because it is likely that food control will be the first thing you ditch when pushed just too far even though that is your road to improvement.2 -
Hi all!
Long time lurker, first time poster. Just over a year ago I was at my highest weight of 257. So far I've lost 54 lbs.
I started very slow, with a lot of thought and introspection (but that's a whole other post, lol). My first goal was simply to find my maintenance calories, and eat at or just below those. After a few weeks this became easy, so I bumped myself to a 250 calorie/day deficit. After another month, I finally felt ready to increase to a 500 calorie/day deficit. Just this spring I started adding in exercise.
For the most part, it has been easy. I've maintained that 1 lb a week deficit, taking logging breaks on vacations, and over the winter holidays. I just finished a 2 week diet break, which was a tough decision for me to make. I had been at 201 lbs, and was planning a diet break once i broke in to the 190's. But after a few weeks of hovering around 201, I realized that I was regularly feeling hungry, feeling crabby, and really having a hard time hitting my deficit. For the first time, my diet was feeling hard. So I decided to start my diet break early. It was mentally a huge struggle be SO CLOSE to my sub 200 goal, but the break was the absolute right decision and I'm feeling quite proud of myself for it. (Also, eating at maintenance was surprisingly harder than I anticipated. This break taught me I'll need to practice more often as I get closer to my goal).
Today is my first day back on my deficit, and it is kind of a relief. I'm a little hungry and over my calorie goal today, but I'm still below maintenance so all is good.
I love the sound advice and support of this group, and am looking forward to being more active in it!
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Mrs_Smith_8002 wrote: »Hi! I have posted on the general forum a couple of times, and members here have invited me to join y'all! Thanks!
I have always struggled with my weight. Most recently, in December 2019, I found myself weighing 435lbs. I was half-heartedly watching what I was eating after the first of the year and lost 14lbs. I got serious when Covid 19 shut everything down because we kept hearing how deadly it was to people with comorbidities like obesity. As of this morning, I am down 74.8lbs.
I have used MFP with success in the past, but like many others, gained it back when I got tired and/or lazy about tracking my calories. I made the commitment to myself that I am going to log consistently everyday for one whole year (April 17th will be my logging anniversary.) I'm not on any kind of timeline. I truly want to lose to be healthier and feel better.
I walk a lot for exercise. I try to get 10,000 steps per day, with about 6000 of those from a dedicated walk about six days a week.
I have enjoyed lurking around this board. I like data and numbers and seeing patterns and trends, but y'all put me to shame with your level of detail. 😆 I look forward to spending more time learning from and with y'all!
Hi @Mrs_Smith_8002,
Welcome!
Congrats on the amazing weight loss so far.
I am curious how you feel about logging at the moment? As of today you have logged for 98 days in a row. By now, and with your previous experience, hopefully the amount of time you spend doing it is less. If not, let me know and I will point you at a thread that helps.
You have an excellent mindset and all that walking is definitely going to pay dividends. I hope most of it is on flat surfaces for the moment. If not, I would check into some knee protection until you make more progress.
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Hi all!
Long time lurker, first time poster. Just over a year ago I was at my highest weight of 257. So far I've lost 54 lbs.
I started very slow, with a lot of thought and introspection (but that's a whole other post, lol). My first goal was simply to find my maintenance calories, and eat at or just below those. After a few weeks this became easy, so I bumped myself to a 250 calorie/day deficit. After another month, I finally felt ready to increase to a 500 calorie/day deficit. Just this spring I started adding in exercise.
For the most part, it has been easy. I've maintained that 1 lb a week deficit, taking logging breaks on vacations, and over the winter holidays. I just finished a 2 week diet break, which was a tough decision for me to make. I had been at 201 lbs, and was planning a diet break once i broke in to the 190's. But after a few weeks of hovering around 201, I realized that I was regularly feeling hungry, feeling crabby, and really having a hard time hitting my deficit. For the first time, my diet was feeling hard. So I decided to start my diet break early. It was mentally a huge struggle be SO CLOSE to my sub 200 goal, but the break was the absolute right decision and I'm feeling quite proud of myself for it. (Also, eating at maintenance was surprisingly harder than I anticipated. This break taught me I'll need to practice more often as I get closer to my goal).
Today is my first day back on my deficit, and it is kind of a relief. I'm a little hungry and over my calorie goal today, but I'm still below maintenance so all is good.
I love the sound advice and support of this group, and am looking forward to being more active in it!
hi @eliezalot !
You're doing a great job by the sound of it with a very sensible approach. Diet breaks are a hard mental game to win but I can see where they help, especially as you said the closer you get to goal. The refeeds and diet breaks thread in the forums (we have a link somewhere) talks about them.
It does seem though like you're stuffing yourself when you first take one - or at least, when you are still in a big deficit, anyway. Do be proud of yourself - that mental game to take one versus wanting to soldier on can be a vicious battle, just like the one where you need to slow down the loss as you get close to goal.
Don't be afraid to jump in wherever you want, to talk about your day, your plans, your irritations, or just get a rant off your chest
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Hi all!
Long time lurker, first time poster. Just over a year ago I was at my highest weight of 257. So far I've lost 54 lbs.
I started very slow, with a lot of thought and introspection (but that's a whole other post, lol). My first goal was simply to find my maintenance calories, and eat at or just below those. After a few weeks this became easy, so I bumped myself to a 250 calorie/day deficit. After another month, I finally felt ready to increase to a 500 calorie/day deficit. Just this spring I started adding in exercise.
For the most part, it has been easy. I've maintained that 1 lb a week deficit, taking logging breaks on vacations, and over the winter holidays. I just finished a 2 week diet break, which was a tough decision for me to make. I had been at 201 lbs, and was planning a diet break once i broke in to the 190's. But after a few weeks of hovering around 201, I realized that I was regularly feeling hungry, feeling crabby, and really having a hard time hitting my deficit. For the first time, my diet was feeling hard. So I decided to start my diet break early. It was mentally a huge struggle be SO CLOSE to my sub 200 goal, but the break was the absolute right decision and I'm feeling quite proud of myself for it. (Also, eating at maintenance was surprisingly harder than I anticipated. This break taught me I'll need to practice more often as I get closer to my goal).
Today is my first day back on my deficit, and it is kind of a relief. I'm a little hungry and over my calorie goal today, but I'm still below maintenance so all is good.
I love the sound advice and support of this group, and am looking forward to being more active in it!
Hi @eliezalot,
Welcome to LL.
You seem to have a very wise mindset. Definitely wiser than mine has been at times.
When transitioning back from a break I have learned to give myself the option of 2 or 3 days at half deficit to make it easier.
I definitely feel your pain on the break timing. I was at 202.6 when I made the mistake of doing a fair number of landscaping chores around the house over the course of a week that were not properly being tracked by my fitness watch. I didn't eat enough so I ended up physically fatigued and it wasn't going away. I had no choice but to take a break and to make sure it "fixed" me I ate at a small surplus. With the summer water weight gain the lowest I have been since then is 203.6. I am projected to be about 2 pounds lighter so even with the water weight gone I still would not be quite to onederland yet.
Your fatigue was mental and I have been through that before too. It was the right call to take a break. My only concern is that a break from fatigue whether mental or physical needs to have insurance that there is no ongoing deficit. This would be done by setting MFP to gain a half a pound a week during the break. Maintenance calories are not as easy to judge because when you eat more after being in a prolonged deficit your NEAT goes up raising your TDEE. Even a 250 calorie "surplus" may not be enough for some people but I think it would be for most, at least most that have gained enough to qualify for this group. I mean if we were highly responsive to an increase in calories, as some are, it would have been harder to gain weight. Some people think that is a difference in metabolism and I am sure that is a small factor but really it is really that some people have a higher response to the increased levels of energy. Some people are so responsive they gravitate towards underweight and have a hard time gaining.3 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »
hi @eliezalot !
You're doing a great job by the sound of it with a very sensible approach. Diet breaks are a hard mental game to win but I can see where they help, especially as you said the closer you get to goal. The refeeds and diet breaks thread in the forums (we have a link somewhere) talks about them.
It does seem though like you're stuffing yourself when you first take one - or at least, when you are still in a big deficit, anyway. Do be proud of yourself - that mental game to take one versus wanting to soldier on can be a vicious battle, just like the one where you need to slow down the loss as you get close to goal.
Don't be afraid to jump in wherever you want, to talk about your day, your plans, your irritations, or just get a rant off your chest
Thanks for the welcome, @bmeadows380!
I ate at maintenance last year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas (I didn't log either holiday, or between Christmas and New Year). By the end (especially after not logging for a week), I was so ready to get back to my deficit. I didn't have a hard time hitting my maintenance calories then; it all felt quite easy.
This time around it seemed like so much food at first - 500 calories could be extra meal! It felt so extravagant...until the end of the first day when I was a few hundred calories over my maintenance and still hungry, lol. I was mentally ready to get back to the deficit though, if only to finally break that 200 lb mark.
Hi @eliezalot,
Welcome to LL.
You seem to have a very wise mindset. Definitely wiser than mine has been at times.
When transitioning back from a break I have learned to give myself the option of 2 or 3 days at half deficit to make it easier.
I definitely feel your pain on the break timing. I was at 202.6 when I made the mistake of doing a fair number of landscaping chores around the house over the course of a week that were not properly being tracked by my fitness watch. I didn't eat enough so I ended up physically fatigued and it wasn't going away. I had no choice but to take a break and to make sure it "fixed" me I ate at a small surplus. With the summer water weight gain the lowest I have been since then is 203.6. I am projected to be about 2 pounds lighter so even with the water weight gone I still would not be quite to onederland yet.
Your fatigue was mental and I have been through that before too. It was the right call to take a break. My only concern is that a break from fatigue whether mental or physical needs to have insurance that there is no ongoing deficit. This would be done by setting MFP to gain a half a pound a week during the break. Maintenance calories are not as easy to judge because when you eat more after being in a prolonged deficit your NEAT goes up raising your TDEE. Even a 250 calorie "surplus" may not be enough for some people but I think it would be for most, at least most that have gained enough to qualify for this group. I mean if we were highly responsive to an increase in calories, as some are, it would have been harder to gain weight. Some people think that is a difference in metabolism and I am sure that is a small factor but really it is really that some people have a higher response to the increased levels of energy. Some people are so responsive they gravitate towards underweight and have a hard time gaining.
@NovusDies, any wisdom in my approach has come from reading the level-headed advice from you and other forum pros.
That is interesting - I did not think of the extra energy needs from increased NEAT. Now I'm glad I accidentally overate my maintenance calories every day, lol. I have a lot to think about for my next break, which will probably be when I get into the 170 range (unless I need one before again). I'm also tentatively planning on having that be a longer break for maintenance practice. I also love the half-deficit idea for a few days - I think easing back in will work well for me.
Before the break I was at 201.6, went up to 203.8 during, and am back down to 201.6 today. I am not usually particularly goal-oriented, but the 200 lb mark is a big one for me. I suppose it will happen when it happens. But if it wanted to happen sooner I wouldn't complain!
1 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »
hi @eliezalot !
You're doing a great job by the sound of it with a very sensible approach. Diet breaks are a hard mental game to win but I can see where they help, especially as you said the closer you get to goal. The refeeds and diet breaks thread in the forums (we have a link somewhere) talks about them.
It does seem though like you're stuffing yourself when you first take one - or at least, when you are still in a big deficit, anyway. Do be proud of yourself - that mental game to take one versus wanting to soldier on can be a vicious battle, just like the one where you need to slow down the loss as you get close to goal.
Don't be afraid to jump in wherever you want, to talk about your day, your plans, your irritations, or just get a rant off your chest
Thanks for the welcome, @bmeadows380!
I ate at maintenance last year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas (I didn't log either holiday, or between Christmas and New Year). By the end (especially after not logging for a week), I was so ready to get back to my deficit. I didn't have a hard time hitting my maintenance calories then; it all felt quite easy.
This time around it seemed like so much food at first - 500 calories could be extra meal! It felt so extravagant...until the end of the first day when I was a few hundred calories over my maintenance and still hungry, lol. I was mentally ready to get back to the deficit though, if only to finally break that 200 lb mark.
Hi @eliezalot,
Welcome to LL.
You seem to have a very wise mindset. Definitely wiser than mine has been at times.
When transitioning back from a break I have learned to give myself the option of 2 or 3 days at half deficit to make it easier.
I definitely feel your pain on the break timing. I was at 202.6 when I made the mistake of doing a fair number of landscaping chores around the house over the course of a week that were not properly being tracked by my fitness watch. I didn't eat enough so I ended up physically fatigued and it wasn't going away. I had no choice but to take a break and to make sure it "fixed" me I ate at a small surplus. With the summer water weight gain the lowest I have been since then is 203.6. I am projected to be about 2 pounds lighter so even with the water weight gone I still would not be quite to onederland yet.
Your fatigue was mental and I have been through that before too. It was the right call to take a break. My only concern is that a break from fatigue whether mental or physical needs to have insurance that there is no ongoing deficit. This would be done by setting MFP to gain a half a pound a week during the break. Maintenance calories are not as easy to judge because when you eat more after being in a prolonged deficit your NEAT goes up raising your TDEE. Even a 250 calorie "surplus" may not be enough for some people but I think it would be for most, at least most that have gained enough to qualify for this group. I mean if we were highly responsive to an increase in calories, as some are, it would have been harder to gain weight. Some people think that is a difference in metabolism and I am sure that is a small factor but really it is really that some people have a higher response to the increased levels of energy. Some people are so responsive they gravitate towards underweight and have a hard time gaining.
@NovusDies, any wisdom in my approach has come from reading the level-headed advice from you and other forum pros.
That is interesting - I did not think of the extra energy needs from increased NEAT. Now I'm glad I accidentally overate my maintenance calories every day, lol. I have a lot to think about for my next break, which will probably be when I get into the 170 range (unless I need one before again). I'm also tentatively planning on having that be a longer break for maintenance practice. I also love the half-deficit idea for a few days - I think easing back in will work well for me.
Before the break I was at 201.6, went up to 203.8 during, and am back down to 201.6 today. I am not usually particularly goal-oriented, but the 200 lb mark is a big one for me. I suppose it will happen when it happens. But if it wanted to happen sooner I wouldn't complain!
I understand that! 220 lbs has been a huge goal mark for me since I started losing again in January of 2017; that was the goal weight I entered into MFP when I set my profile up (and at the time, I was 375 lbs). Back then it was surreal and such a far off point that I didn't really truly believe it was achievable even as I set it up. But now I'm hovering right at 230 lbs (trend line, anyway), and can't believe how close that goal point is! I would love to hit it before October 1st because the first week or two of October is when I see my GP next, and I'd like to cruise through the holidays sitting around that 220 lb mark then strive to get the next 20 lbs off in the spring and close in on 200. 180 lb was a pipe dream for me in the past and considered completely unattainable; now I find myself actually flirting with the idea of making it my next big goal post!2 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »
hi @eliezalot !
You're doing a great job by the sound of it with a very sensible approach. Diet breaks are a hard mental game to win but I can see where they help, especially as you said the closer you get to goal. The refeeds and diet breaks thread in the forums (we have a link somewhere) talks about them.
It does seem though like you're stuffing yourself when you first take one - or at least, when you are still in a big deficit, anyway. Do be proud of yourself - that mental game to take one versus wanting to soldier on can be a vicious battle, just like the one where you need to slow down the loss as you get close to goal.
Don't be afraid to jump in wherever you want, to talk about your day, your plans, your irritations, or just get a rant off your chest
Thanks for the welcome, @bmeadows380!
I ate at maintenance last year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas (I didn't log either holiday, or between Christmas and New Year). By the end (especially after not logging for a week), I was so ready to get back to my deficit. I didn't have a hard time hitting my maintenance calories then; it all felt quite easy.
This time around it seemed like so much food at first - 500 calories could be extra meal! It felt so extravagant...until the end of the first day when I was a few hundred calories over my maintenance and still hungry, lol. I was mentally ready to get back to the deficit though, if only to finally break that 200 lb mark.
Hi @eliezalot,
Welcome to LL.
You seem to have a very wise mindset. Definitely wiser than mine has been at times.
When transitioning back from a break I have learned to give myself the option of 2 or 3 days at half deficit to make it easier.
I definitely feel your pain on the break timing. I was at 202.6 when I made the mistake of doing a fair number of landscaping chores around the house over the course of a week that were not properly being tracked by my fitness watch. I didn't eat enough so I ended up physically fatigued and it wasn't going away. I had no choice but to take a break and to make sure it "fixed" me I ate at a small surplus. With the summer water weight gain the lowest I have been since then is 203.6. I am projected to be about 2 pounds lighter so even with the water weight gone I still would not be quite to onederland yet.
Your fatigue was mental and I have been through that before too. It was the right call to take a break. My only concern is that a break from fatigue whether mental or physical needs to have insurance that there is no ongoing deficit. This would be done by setting MFP to gain a half a pound a week during the break. Maintenance calories are not as easy to judge because when you eat more after being in a prolonged deficit your NEAT goes up raising your TDEE. Even a 250 calorie "surplus" may not be enough for some people but I think it would be for most, at least most that have gained enough to qualify for this group. I mean if we were highly responsive to an increase in calories, as some are, it would have been harder to gain weight. Some people think that is a difference in metabolism and I am sure that is a small factor but really it is really that some people have a higher response to the increased levels of energy. Some people are so responsive they gravitate towards underweight and have a hard time gaining.
@NovusDies, any wisdom in my approach has come from reading the level-headed advice from you and other forum pros.
That is interesting - I did not think of the extra energy needs from increased NEAT. Now I'm glad I accidentally overate my maintenance calories every day, lol. I have a lot to think about for my next break, which will probably be when I get into the 170 range (unless I need one before again). I'm also tentatively planning on having that be a longer break for maintenance practice. I also love the half-deficit idea for a few days - I think easing back in will work well for me.
Before the break I was at 201.6, went up to 203.8 during, and am back down to 201.6 today. I am not usually particularly goal-oriented, but the 200 lb mark is a big one for me. I suppose it will happen when it happens. But if it wanted to happen sooner I wouldn't complain!
@eliezalot
Originally I planned to take a 4 month break/recomp period starting mid February to have an extended maintenance practice and concentrate more on the gym side of things. I had just gotten into the swing of things when covid closed down, well, everything. I scrambled trying to get some equipment for the house but so was everyone else and getting used was not working and new was just too expensive. I decided to return to losing.
I am a little concerned that I had to cancel my plan. I was following my gut instinct which has guided me pretty well up until now. I was planning on 4 months in maintenance, 2 months of losing, and 4 more months of maintenance. The idea was to give myself enough time to get maintenance right or wrong, spend 2 months evaluating and deciding what to do better, and then 4 more months before finishing my weight loss.
Ah well... I harp on the importance of adaptation so I have been forced to adapt.2
