Struggling 😕

amioc wrote: »

I have been trying to loose weight now for 3 years. My goal is to go from a uk size 10 to a uk size 8 without having to squeeze into them 😕 so probably need to loose around 12lbs ish maybe a bit less.
My problem is I don’t stick to anything. I’ll loose like 6lbs and then gain it all back sometimes more. I can’t stick to healthy eating for long. Food is definitely my biggest problem. I joined the gym a year and a half ago and loved it but since COVID hit I haven’t been much at all because of lockdowns. I couldn’t get in to the whole exercise at home. I’m really struggling mentally because I hate to way I look and the past few summers I’ve felt so uncomfortable and I promise myself that next summer I will be at my goal but it never happened 😕. Is there time to get near my goal by June?
So I’m hoping to get advice and tips as to how anybody started out on there journey? How much did you cut out in the beginning? How do you still manage to maintaining/loosing weight?
I’d be so grateful to anyone that could help me ☺️. Sorry for such a long post!

I'd say, start knowing that you will have bad days - more bad than good early on. Set-up a realistic plan, not an ambitious one. Stick to the plan as much as you can. When you don't, don't punish or beat yourself, just restart as soon as possible.

One 'easy'-ish way to approach this is intermittent fasting, or setting up one or two 'fasting' days per week -- where you restrict calories. For example, if you consume on average 2200 calories per day, keep it to 2200 for all days except for two, when you try hard as you can to not exceed 1200 calories. If the fast days are spaced apart, you will always have time to recover and won't get exhausted.

You will also need to supplement this with exercise. The easiest way to lose weight and keep the losses is to run regularly. By run, I really mean just 'jog' - relatively fast paced but not trying to knock yourself out. Start with only 5 minutes the first time you run. At first, run every other day - and try increasing your next run by 1 minute. By the end of Week 1, you will have run a continuous 8 minute run; 11 minutes by the second week; 15 minutes by the end of the third week. Within a month you will be running about 20 minutes per run - every other day. No matter how fast or slow, it will be a great change to your lifestyle. Even if you run 8 or even 9 minutes per kilometer, that will be already between 2 and 2.5 km per run every couple of days.

Ideally, you then keep this up and keep increasing the time (or distance) you run. I went from not being able to run for more than 5 minutes without going out of breath, to comfortably running over 70 minutes consecutively uphill within less than 2 months by following this approach. I also went from probably over-eating, maybe exceeding 3500 calories per day, to sticking to just under 2000 calories per day, and just under 1000 calories per day on fasting days.

It may seem like a simple change, but if you work out the maths, it will be impressive: By the end of the first month, you will be running over 20 minutes per time. That would be up to 80 minutes jogging per week. This translates to 100-150 calories per run; 400-600 calories per week. Combined with the approx. 2000 calories saved per week from fasting - that's about 2500 calories per week. You will probably lose the 5-6 kilos (12 lbs) you seek before the end of month 2. If you find the plan tough, halve everything (1 fast day; increase running time by 1 minute every 2 runs; or 2 fast days of 1600 calories instead of 1200, etc.). It will take longer, maybe, but what does it matter?

And remember, any change you make must become a permanent lifestyle change to keep the weight off.

The only recommendation I can make is a lifestyle change. And lots and lots and lots of patience.

I had the yo-yo effect so many times over. This is what makes calorie counting a great tool. You can calculate your estimated energy requirements and then plan your meals around those. This way I managed to still incorporate foods I enjoy so I don't feel deprived, and I can stick with it. I choose to prelog my meals for the day as then I just "eat according to plan".

Another trap I initially fell in was wanting to get rid of the extra weight AS IN YESTERDAY! And it's natural to want fast results, but... it can really backfire. If your calorie target is based on a loss of 2lbs/week, then MFP would likely set you at a very low calorie intake (especially because you have so little to lose). This might leave you feeling hungry and unable to stick to your planned meals even if you did all the above. This is where patience comes into play. It would be more sustainable to eat at a smaller deficit thus losing weight slower, than at a larger deficit and being unable to consistently stick to your target.

As for exercise, I highly recommend doing something you enjoy, be it swimming, a walk, ping pong, golf, dancing, any activity you enjoy is good, because you'd be more likely to keep doing it. For me, I find weight lifting enjoyable, and I love the challenge of running (but once a week only because I don't find cardio THAT enjoyable :laugh:), and in-between I'll play ping pong if I have the time.

TLDR?

1. Do not be overly restrictive and find ways to incorporate your favourite foods into a REASONABLE calorie target (i.e. mild/small deficit);
2. Find activities that you enjoy (the kind where you move, not the Netflix kind);
3. Be consistent and be patient.

Good luck!

ooops when I say above, IM I mean IF - intermittent fasting

To my point of plant-based and satiety, I want to point out "for long" and I should add also "personally". In other words, for me personally, a plant-based diet is what it took to start a great health journey away from the SAD way of eating I was raised with and then I pivoted into what I enjoy now. NSNG.

Hey, congrats on your effort so far. Agree it is a struggle - eating too much is an addiction I struggled with. Hated diets restricting the foods I love.

However, there is a way to achieve results without too much sacrifice (or at least feeling that way). Some reply posts actually talk about that.

The reason I say this is because I felt just like you did. Lose a few pounds after exercise and strict diet - only to regain it within a day or 2. That is demotivating and hard to do.

So, I have lost about 14lbs since April 2021 without feeling much difficulty. Here is what I am doing:

1) Intermittent fasting (18 hours no food, 6 hours eating window) - My first meal is at 10 AM and last meal before 4PM. It is ok to eat 2-3 meals (anything you like in moderation). Sticking to this will make you watch the portion size without you realizing it. Also resist your urge to eat at around 8-830 AM (you will most likely feel it). But wait till 10 AM - it is well worth it.
2) AVOID watching TV/Phone or other distractions when you eat. Mindful eating is important
3) Drink lots of water -say min 2000ml up to max of half your body weight in fl oz
4) Check in MFA with your weight every morning immediately after waking up & restroom visit
5) Check in on this app, make food entries every day: keeps you motivated
6) Do light to moderate exercise - walking or biking if you can (15-30 mins is fine)
7) Lastly - try to get at least 6-7 hours of sleep. Stop screen time at least 30 mins before bedtime.

18hr fasting is easy - start with 12 and slowly increase the fast time. Your stomach will thank you and your body will get a break to do all the needed repair. Whatever you do, please refrain from eating after 6 PM, that is a great start. See how you feel in the morning.

The above steps will give daily result which in itself will motivate us to stick to the plan. If you falter a day or 2, don't worry, get back on the plan. That should eventually take you to your goal. Hope you regain your best self soon!