Winter Months Strategies?

FattBitt · October 19

I’ve been doing this for over six months. I’ve made really solid progress. Easy during Spring/Summer when eating light is normal for me. Autumn brings the colder weather and an urge for comfort foods. I’ve been making lighter versions of everything and have weighed weighed portions and log the calories, but honestly, the whole calorie counting thing is about ready to drive me over the edge. I feel my grip slipping. I am doing more activity, meeting my step and burn goals but I worry that I’m going to lose it once Halloween comes. All the deprivation might lead to a tsunami of a backlash. Especially when the weather turns cooler and the days get short Anyone else? Strategies? Please? Help!

sollyn23l2 · October 19

You can let yourself eat at maintenence through the holidays. But you really should keep counting calories, or you're at a high risk of regaining all the weight you worked so hard to lose

Theoldguy1 · October 19

Don't think of the holiday season (Oct-Jan) or whatever, Think of holidays, the actual 3-5 days out of the 3-4 months. Eat what you want on HOLIDAYS but follow your current eating plan through the holiday SEASON.

AnnPT77 · October 19

Ditto to holiDAYS vs. holiMONTHS. The rare days are a drop in the ocean, and our regular day-in, day-out habits - the things we do the overwhelming majority of the time - are the ocean. Those routine habits that are on repeat, those determine the majority of our outcomes.

Going to maintenance calories for a while is also a reasonable choice. It's an extra-reasonable choice, actually something I'd recommend, if you've been losing weight quite quickly for months. (I don't know what you mean by "really solid progress". Sometimes people have expectations of normal loss that turn out to be unsustainably aggressive. Maybe that's not you, but I can't know.)

Here's a discussion of why a maintenance break could be positive, in addition to the obvious reason that we're going to need to have maintenance habits forever when we reach goal, and practice is good prep.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks

I'd strongly recommend reading/viewing the content at the links in the first post.

You're doing a good thing by lightening up your traditional comfort foods. It helps me to eat more of those warm, filling dishes in the Fall.

Another thing that helps me a little is a SAD (seasonal affective disorder) light, even though I don't have fullbore SAD. I follow directions for using it, normally turn it on for a while during the day while doing other things that leave me seated.

It may also help to make sure your sleep quality/quantity is as tuned up as you can manage. Sub-optimal sleep increases appetite and reduces willpower.

I hope you haven't put treat foods totally off limits during weight loss, at least not treats you could successfully consume in moderation within your calorie goal. Over-restricting tends to increase chances of backlash. A few hundred calories of Halloween treats isn't life-destroying in the big picture, but 5 pounds of it followed by not being able to stop gobbling it potentially is. Have some, not lots. Eating up to maintenance calories is fine, and I'm talking about weekly averages here.

If it's purely the counting that's getting to you, not the eating levels, then maybe try a month experiment where you follow your established healthy weight loss eating habits for a month, and see what happens to your body weight. (You do have routine habits you've developed, I hope?) If you don't go crazy, you can stop counting for a while as a break, too, if counting per se is the irritant. If you start that, and DO go crazy, of course stop. It's an experiment. We learn from them, right?

I think you can work your way through this, but only you can zero in on what the root problem is here, and take steps to counter it. What works for others of us maybe can give you some ideas, but I think weight management is very much an n=1 experiment where we need to figure out what works for us as individuals. Personalization is a key success factor, IMO.

Best wishes!

Retroguy2000 · October 19

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48803790#Comment_48803790

Exactly that. It sounds like you're diet fatigued anyway. No need to make yourself miserable over the holiday season. It's fine to take a break. It's healthy to take a break. Your goal should be to maintain, plus maybe a few pounds of water weight increase.

Keeping up steps count and other exercise might be harder, with weather often a good reason to do less. If you have equipment at home then you might be find it easier to keep active, even if that's as little as some dumbbells, kettlebells or bands.

FattBitt · October 19

Thank all so very much for thoughtful, considered and thorough replies. I set out to lose 90 and I’ve lost over 50 since starting in April. I’m not doing the injections and my hunger naturally increases during winter. My losses have slowed a bit, but I’ve been gaining a little muscle so that might be the reason. Or perhaps my biology just holds on to the weight when the weather turns cooler. This year I’m ignoring “the season” because I want to gift myself with better health and it’s more difficult with all the festive cheer. Thank you all again for the great tips.

csplatt · October 19

Yes definitely go to maintenance and take a break for a bit.

tulips_and_tea · October 20

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48804293#Comment_48804293

You've done really well so far! Losing 50 lbs is amazing!

In regard to this statement: "perhaps my biology just holds on to the weight when the weather turns cooler", that's just not true. You are probably less active and/or eat more in the colder, holiday season months.

You didn't say what your activity is, but I find it is easier to get moving and do cardio when the weather is colder because it helps me stay warm. Definitely keep tracking your calories whether you stay in a deficit or go to maintenance because holidays and seasonal changes happen every year, so you might as well have a plan for it.

spiriteagle99 · October 20

One option is to rely more on soups in the winter. A cup of hot soup before a meal will take the edge off your hunger. It also makes a good main dish that doesn't have a lot of calories. A cup of sugar free hot chocolate satisfies my sweet tooth with less than 100 calories when I come in from a walk or run in the cold. Apples and grapefruit are good winter fruits that are very filling.

FattBitt · October 20

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48805736#Comment_48805736

Soup is a fantastic idea!! I only know one lo-cal/fat/sodium recipe which is the old cabbage soup business but I’m guessing you mean broth based type soups? I’ve looked through the recipe section on MFP and the soups are scarce. I’d love to hear any of your favorites. Thank you.

PAV8888 · October 21

The big hints to me is the increasing activity plus unsustainable plus past the six month mark.

10lbs a month is really fast (not just "solid" loss) unless you're still within the morbidity obese range in terms of excess energy reserves that are available to be lost.

You may be surprised as to how much more willing you may be to count calories if you switch away from viewing calories counting as a way to impose restriction. Perhaps view counting as a way to maximize intake. Within the parameters of achieving your goals.

But a more reasonable goal at this time may be achieving deficits in the 250 to 500 Cal a day range as opposed to the 750 to 1250 you've been posting based on your actual losses.

0.5% or even 0.25% of body weight loss a week is slower than 1% or 0.75%, but a *** kittens *** load faster than regain!

Sustainability of effort wins every time. So try to make things as easy as you can so you can keep on keeping on.

BubBerry · October 21

i’m planning to prepare big pots of soup all winter and have them ready to warm. I find soups like white bean (300 cals/bowl) or lentil (150) nutritious, comforting, and satisfying. They can be dinner or lunch several days a week.
The healthiest, leanest person I ever knew ate the same lunch every day: cup of lentils, quarter cup of guacamole, apple. 400 cals. (Once a week she drank a shot of Dewers on the rocks)

Strudders67 · October 21

Have you, every so often, gone back to the Guided Set Up page and re-saved? MFP doesn't auomatically calculate the lower calorie requirement needed as we lose weight, so that may be why your rate of loss has slowed. However, slowing your rate of loss is definitely a good idea, as is a couple of weeks or a month at Maintenance, to give yourslef a bit of a break. Switch to Maintenance. When you've had a bit of a break, reselect to 'lose' but select a slower rate than whatever you currently have chosen. As Pav8888 says, losing slowly is infinitely better than gaining. Unless you have a health emergency and have to lose weight fast, under medical supervision, if it takes a long time to lose another 40lbs, that's fine. It's learning / practice for how you'll be eating for the rest of your life if you want to maintain your lower weight.

Making lighter versions of winter meals is a good idea. Look at where the higher calories come from and reduce the quantity of those items / increase the quantity of more filling, lower calorie ingredients.

I make my own chicken and vegetable soup. One carcass and lots of water, on a low heat for an hour. Fish out all the skin, bones etc then, whilst pulling bits of meat off the bones etc, I add loads of chopped veg (onion, broccoli, courgette, mushroom, carrots, tomatoes etc) and herbs to the pot. I re-add any large bones once I've taken the meat off (easy enough to find in amongst the veg) and simmer for another half an hour until the veg is soft. Mash with a potato masher (or whizz some of the veg mix in a blender and then re-add to the pot). Add in the chicken flakes that I've taken off the bones. And stir. A big pot usually does me 4 or 5 lunches at around 110 cals a day.

I also make things like fish or cottage pie, but put a much thinner layer of potato on top than the recipe suggests. Vegetable chilli and many curries and stews are filling and can be low cal. The question is what you serve them with. I've pretty much ditched having potatoes, rice or pasta at home and have a bed of veg (usually sauted, finely sliced white cabbage) with almost everything.

You talk about deprivation. Why are you depriving yourself? Do you plan to be deprived for the rest of your life? Lowering your rate of weight loss per week will give you more calories to eat. Build things into your diary. Many of us log ahead of eating, to see what we have space for. I'll happily skip potatoes in favour of a glass of wine. Someone on here once said that the winner is the person who can eat the most and still lose weight.

FattBitt · October 21

You all are amazing. Thank you for caring enough to take time and give advice, tips, recipes, inspiration and support. I just read that black beans, in particular, have something in them that is like the glp1 injections. Just a cup a day can make you feel full and satisfied.

@Strudders67 - I feel deprived because I have radically reduced sugar. I have a massive sweet tooth and am trying to eliminate refined sugar although I don’t think it will happen. It is a vicious cycle because giving in, even a little over my plan, opens the floodgates and that’s why the holidays worry me. Sugar plums and all that …

Wishing good health and good days for all of you. ♥️

Retroguy2000 · October 21

@fatbitt I had to look up black beans after your comment. They are considered satiating, and relative to other foods they presumably rank quite high in that respect. I doubt they're anywhere near as effective as GLP1 drugs though.

I should get some for home, thanks for reminding me. I like them in texmex meals when I'm out, but for some reason I never think to have any at home.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316625000896

FattBitt · October 22

@retroguy2000(great name) - I’ve been looking for that black bean article and haven’t found it again. I did come across other articles indicating that whatever component it is that binds to the glp-1 receptors, black beans have an abundance of it. I’m absolutely certain that black beans cannot replace the injections, but if they help satiety, as you noted, then it might be a win. They are on my shopping list this week, too.

I’ve decided to take the advice to eat at maintenance for a break of a few days. It’s interesting to note that at my 1200 intake/1000 deficit , I begin to see a slowdown in loss. If I increase to 1500 intake for a week or so, big drops happen and fast.

tulips_and_tea · October 22

I think most, if not all, beans are satiating, so if you try the black beans and aren't a huge fan, try others. There are multitudes of varieties out there and most are cheap, so it doesn't hurt to experiment with them.

I buy bags of a variety of dried beans (15 different types in one bag). They are versatile and budget friendly.

rms62003 · October 22

I like using beans, and usually use the dried version. Black bean soup, or throwing them on a Fajita or taco salad is great.

I also like chickpeas - can do a lot with those.

I highly recommend getting the dried. Yes, it's a little more work, but worth it. You have less cost and salt. And, if you cook them for 45 -60 minutes in a pressure cooker, you can forgo the soaking the night before!

I love doing stews and vegan chili for winter. Pair that with a salad and it's a great dinner. I also like taking advantage of spaghetti squash (usually lower cost this time of year) as a 'pasta' alternative.

Strudders67 · October 22

I read the same article or something similar re black beans this morning. I also read people's comments and there were a lot saying that the lady who 'lost lots of weight by adding black beans to her diet' was also breast-feeding and would probably have lost the baby weight anyway. Others, including one registered health practitoner, also mentioned that eating large quantities of beans, daily, can lead to kidney stones due to the oxalates.

As tulip_and_tea says, most beans are satiating - probably because they're high in protein.

@Fattbitt - consider eating at maintenance for a couple of weeks, not just days, to give you a mental break. Unfortunately, I can't really come up with anything to help you eat a small amount of sugary food without wanting to keep eating more. I guess that even buying a really expensive bar of good chocolate and just having one square, per day, wouldn't work.

AnnPT77 · October 23

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48807071#Comment_48807071

This doesn't work for everyone, but one thing that has helped me and some others who've reported here reduce sweets cravings was to make it a point to eat more fruit. It took a little time - maybe a couple of weeks? - for the benefit to kick in for me, but it really did reduce my cravings for less nutrient-dense sweets like baked goods and candy.

For a while, I intentionally ate 3 servings of whole fruit every day. After doing that habitually for quite some time, I was able to be more flexible with fruit intake and still keep the effect. I have to admit, I still eat quite a bit of fruit, but I love both veggies and fruit, so it's not something that takes discipline or feels like an ordeal for me. I think I could probably eat less fruit, maybe eat it more often in response to sweets cravings if they popped up, but I haven't run that experiment.

Now, I'm much more able than I used to be to eat actual candy or baked goods in moderation - smaller portions, less often, that sort of thing - without feeling deprived, crave-y, or as if I need to "be disciplined" or "use willpower".

YMMV, but it could be worth a try as an experiment.

AnnPT77 · October 23

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48808020#Comment_48808020

Beans may be filling because of the protein, but may also be filling because of the fiber.

There are quite a range of foods that boost the body's natural GLP-1 levels, though that natural GLP-1 isn't typically as long-lasting or strong an effect as the GLP-1 drugs. Broadly, there's a lot of overlap with foods that are just generally considered "whole foods" - fatty fish, nuts, avocados, whole grains, high fiber vegetables, etc.

An overlapping but slightly different set of foods delay gastic emptying, which also tends to help people feel more full for a longer time period. Loosely, these are high fat and high fiber foods among others.

The question about oxalates in foods is nuanced, IMU. Much of the oxalate in our bodies is endogenous, i.e., produced in the body. In a general population, there's evidence that intake of higher oxalate foods isn't strongly correlated with kidney stone formation. I'm thinking of findings like this:

https://journals.lww.com/jasn/abstract/2007/07000/oxalate_intake_and_the_risk_for_nephrolithiasis.28.aspx

Most food oxalates aren't highly bioavailable, estimated at 2-15% of food oxalates being actually absorbed. Most are excreted, but bioavailability is complicated.

Personally, I might be concerned about oxalate intake if I had a family history or personal history of kidney stones, but personally wouldn't (and don't) worry about eating normal amounts of things like beans if I didn't have that kind of history. YMMV.

Winter Months Strategies?

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