Weight Loss Support Group!

[Canada]

Thanks for the tips, everyone.  I think I will make a list of non-food treats - I really don't do anything to treat myself, ever, and I think that's why I turn to food so often.  I've forgotten how to do anything that's just fun!

 

And I think it's right that I shouldn't put a timeframe on this process... I've always done that in the past and obviously that didn't work.  I don't know why I feel the need to do that.  But I think I'm just going to monitor my weight and celebrate any loss, regardless of how much it is or how long it takes. 

[emma675]

A food scale helped me, too. It's amazing how much of a difference it made in figuring out my portions--I like gluten free pasta some nights and the box says "xxx calories in 56 grams or roughly 3/4 cup". What I thought was 3/4 cup was vastly different when I started weighing out the portion. I was eating way more than I realized.

 

I also use a stupid little trick--in my pantry and fridge I have little pictures of cute clothes I want to fit into again and it helps me when I'm turning to food when I'm not really hungry. 

[Canada]

Wow, the last few days have been great, but today is a tough one!  I haven't given in yet, but I'm this close to raiding my kitchen.  *holds fingers very close together*

[emma675]

Canada, sometimes if the craving is just too much, I let myself have one bite, just one, and then walk away for 30 minutes and see if I'm still hungry after that. 9 times out of 10, I don't want it 30 minutes later.

[Shannon L.]

 

Wow, the last few days have been great, but today is a tough one!  I haven't given in yet, but I'm this close to raiding my kitchen.  *holds fingers very close together*

Hang in there.  The first few days are fairly simple, then it gets tough for a few days.  If you can manage to get through it, it will get better.  Try what emma675 said and I would recommend also drinking a big glass of water and waiting 30 minutes.  Here's another odd suggestion that I heard a number of years ago that may or may not help, but couldn't hurt (I never tried it):  Brush your teeth.  I heard that that can help with cravings--it must have something to do with the mint.

[editorgrrl]

Here's another odd suggestion that I heard a number of years ago that may or may not help, but couldn't hurt (I never tried it): Brush your teeth. I heard that that can help with cravings—it must have something to do with the mint.

It makes your mouth feel so fresh and clean, you don't want to "ruin" it with food.

Deprivation can lead to bingeing, so fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal every day. To avoid emotional eating, make a list of non-food ways to make yourself feel better. (Mine includes everything from guilty-pleasure TV to getting a massage.)

[Canada]

I ended up doing fairly well.  I gave myself an extra 200 calorie snack, instead of binging like I normally would when I'm feeling emotional/stressed out, and that seemed to do the trick.  It was worth it to avoid demolishing my kitchen!  And I ended up giving my home a good clean in order to distract myself, so now everything looks good too!

[Shannon L.]

 

I ended up doing fairly well.  I gave myself an extra 200 calorie snack

Speaking of calories: you haven't dropped a lot of calories off of your daily intake yet, have you?  If you cut out way too many, it could end up being detrimental to your diet.  You want to taper off slowly as you drop weight.  Aside from that, sounds like you did a great job getting through your cravings!

[Canada]

Nope, I didn't cut down my calories too much.  I'm still eating 2100 calories per day.  Like you suggested, I'm going to cut down slowly as I lose weight.  For my height and weight, I can eat a good amount of calories per day and still lose weight slowly.  I definitely can't cut down my calories drastically all at once, because then I will probably only last about half a day before I raid my kitchen!

[auntlada]

And the cleaning probably burned more calories, too.

[Canada]

287.4lbs.  Lost 2.2lbs this week.  I'll take that!  Now I want to continue on doing what I have been doing... I only had that one day of feeling crave-y; otherwise, I've felt pretty good.

[Qoass]

Forgive me if I've already brought this up.  I guess I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what I want to hear...

 

I KNOW you're supposed to exercise for 30 minutes a day most days of the week.

 

If I go on a high energy hike for three hours once a week, does that give me the same benefits?  It's not like I spend the other six days lying around eating doughnuts but it's already too dark and cold to be walking after work.

[Canada]

It's hard to answer that question.  Al the information I find states that it's okay to break up that minimum exercise requirement into 10 minute intervals, but no mention is made of grouping the time.  I do recall reading in the past that daily physical activity is important for everyone.

 

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.5263145/k.FA7C/Physical_Activity_Heart_Disease_and_Stroke.htm

[Canada]

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp#.VkLmtH4WJ2E

[legaleagle53]

fat weighs less than muscle.

 

Not true.  A pound is still 16 ounces, whether it's of fat or of muscle.  In other words, a pound of fat weighs exactly the same as a pound of muscle.  What IS different is that fat has a lower density than muscle does -- that's why fat floats but muscle sinks.  It's also why, for example, a man can be 6'0", weigh 200 lbs., and have a low body-fat ratio but still be technically "overweight" for his height (and that's what makes BMI such a controversial measure of fitness to begin with).  That the "excess" weight is due to more muscle than fat is irrelevant.

[Wings]

Hello everyone!  I just found this forum!.  Yay.  I am no stranger to dieting.   Two go to solutions, for me,  are either calorie counting or low carb. 

 

I am on low carb/gluten free this time because I find it easier to do.  I lost 5 pounds the first week.  Love that first week!  The biggest draw for me is the increased energy and lack of hunger.  Once I get rolling I adhere to this on an 80/20% plan.   The Primal Blueprint is my bible.

 

My occasional splurge is steel cut oatmeal with a little butter, brown sugar with whole milk.  It carries me threw an entire day and satisfies the craving for carbs and sugar that surface.  

 

I want to be accountable so having this thread will be good for me!  

Edited November 29, 2015 by wings707

[ShortyMac]

Hello everyone!  I just found this forum!.  Yay.  I am no stranger to dieting.   Two go to solutions, for me,  are either calorie counting or low carb. 

 

I am on low carb/gluten free this time because I find it easier to do.  I lost 5 pounds the first week.  Love that first week!  The biggest draw for me is the increased energy and lack of hunger.  Once I get rolling I adhere to this on an 80/20% plan.   The Primal Blueprint is my bible.

 

My occasional splurge is steel cut oatmeal with a little butter, brown sugar with whole milk.  It carries me threw an entire day and satisfies the craving for carbs and sugar that surface.  

 

I want to be accountable so having this thread will be good for me!  

 

I started doing low carb for the first time three weeks ago (70g per day instead of 150+). I don't really miss, pasta, rice, and bread too much, my issue is with sweets. It has helped me break through a plateau that I'd been stuck at forever. What helps me with cravings is good dark chocolate or Greek yogurt with a bit of honey, oats, or peanut butter.

 

I like it. Eating full fat dairy and such that I was avoiding before and I'm eating a larger variety of vegetables with much less processed food. 

 

I started round 3 of Fitness Blender's four-week abs program today and hit a new low with my weight since I started. :) The last day is on Christmas. I did it for the first time in June (lost 1/2 inch off of my stomach) and then just did it again this past month (another 1/2 inch gone). With my awesome genetics (not), I'm thin everywhere except for my stomach and lower back. I want this belly fat GONE. I hate core work, so the program tells me what routines to do. I love having it laid out for me.

Edited December 1, 2015 by ShortyMac

[Shannon L.]

 

I hate core work, so the program tells me what routines to do. I love having it laid out for me.

That's why I love classes at the gym.  I have friends who refuse to go to them, saying all they want is to be alone with the machines, but, left to my own devices, I'd either never get anything done or I'd go easy on myself.  I have learned over the years to do work on my own when necessary, but if I could hit a class 5 or 6 days a week, I'd do it in a heartbeat. 

[stillshimpy]

 

fat weighs less than muscle.

Not true.  A pound is still 16 ounces, whether it's of fat or of muscle.

 

That is true, but it's just a saying that is trying to convey something that is important to know:  A pound of fat takes up more space (makes you larger) than a pound of muscle will, because muscle  is dense and fat is not.   So a very fit person can weigh 140 pounds and wear the same size as a person who is 125 pounds, even if they are the same height and bone structure. 

 

Since issues of density are hard to shorthand, the saying helps convey something that is accurate, even if the wording is not.  Sort of like people talking about giving 150% effort, which is impossible, but still gets the point across. 

 

Just doing a regular drive-by of this thread.  I love to check it to see if you guys have linked up to any new workout routines. 

 

Good luck going into the holiday season, guys.  You can do this! 

 

 

 

I started round 3 of Fitness Blender's four-week abs program today and hit a new low with my weight since I started.

 

I was wondering how that one was.  I've done their Booty Bootcamp twice through and there are a couple of workouts in there that made me swear my head off at those extremely cute people "Are you F'ing kidding me?"  Star-jump burpees are the stuff of my nightmares, but Oz Squats turned out to be not as terrifying as I thought they would be.  How's the cardio on that?  Are they using HIIT? I'm in good core shape, but I have a feeling (based on a couple of those butt workouts) that I'd be moved to some serious profanity regardless. 

Edited December 4, 2015 by stillshimpy

[ShortyMac]

I was wondering how that one was.  I've done their Booty Bootcamp twice through and there are a couple of workouts in there that made me swear my head off at those extremely cute people "Are you F'ing kidding me?"  Star-jump burpees are the stuff of my nightmares, but Oz Squats turned out to be not as terrifying as I thought they would be.  How's the cardio on that?  Are they using HIIT? I'm in good core shape, but I have a feeling (based on a couple of those butt workouts) that I'd be moved to some serious profanity regardless. 

 

Yeah, they use HIIT for cardio most of the time. Sometimes, those twenty-second intervals seem to go on FOREVER.

[stillshimpy]

Yeah, they use HIIT for cardio most of the time. Sometimes, those twenty-second intervals seem to go on FOREVER.

 

What I love is that -- as if by magic -- whatever rest period is included, ten seconds or twenty -- that time period flies by in less time tan it takes to blink.  Time is always accelerated in rest periods :-)  I've done some of their HIIT where the intervals are 50second on, 10 off and I swear to you, there's wormhole between the 50 and 60 second time. 

 

It's the only reasonable explanation for time passing that quickly.   

 

Thank you for the answer.  Switchfoot jumps is what I'll be consigned to do in Hell, I feel certain of it :-) 

[Wings]

 

Fitness Blender's four-week abs program

 

 

I am off to google this.  I am on low carb day one again!  LOL!   Getting started is the hardest part for me.  Once on a roll I am good to go.  Onward!  

[ShortyMac]

I am off to google this.  I am on low carb day one again!  LOL!   Getting started is the hardest part for me.  Once on a roll I am good to go.  Onward!  

 

Fitness Blender just had their Cyber Monday sale last week - 30% off all of their plans. I bought the program for $6.99 back in June; it is now $9.99. Still really cheap, but they've had to raise the prices as their costs to bring us all free content have increased.

[Miss Dee]

Went to the doctor about seven weeks ago and he told me my blood sugar was up, my cholesterol was up and unless I could get them down and lose 5 to 15 pounds in the meantime, I was going on medication. I had a month to do it.

I went to see him last Monday (he was away unexpectedly so it took a bit longer than a month). Cholesterol was down to normal. Sugar was in the upper range of normal (after fasting - I have a family history of developing diabetes in one's sixties, so not a shock). And I had lost 17 pounds. Best of all: no medications!!

I'm going to keep on. I was at 260 and am now at 243. The doctor told me to aim for 220-230. I'll decide then how much further I want to go, depending on what's healthy and how my body feels. My lowest weight as an adult was 200, and that was at a size 8 and while maintaining an extensive exercise regime that took everything I had to keep up. Not my cup of tea.

[emma675]

I'm 5 weeks out from my neck surgery and I'm down 8 more pounds. They put me on an antibiotic after surgery and it totally killed my appetite and then screwed up my digestion, so even though I couldn't exercise after surgery, I still lost weight. Not the way I would have preferred, but it is what it is. I'm now on a good probiotic, l-glutamine, oregano oil capsules and digestive enzymes to repair the digestive issues. I've had trouble with leaky gut in the past and antibiotics always screw things up again.

[JTMacc99]

How's everybody doing with their diets?

 

I've been obsessed with watching what I eat since the start of the year, and have accomplished about half of my weight loss goal, which is actually right on schedule which was to move into maintaining by July 4th.  I'm at a weight where almost everything I own fits again, which means I've undone most of the damage done very slowly but steadily over the last 6 years, and have about another month to be back to where I hover as an adult.

 

The thing is, I think this time I'm going to keep going the last 15-25 pounds to get into the middle of what seems to be the recommended weight range for somebody my age and height. Seems like the thing to do. Heck, if I got down that 25 number, if I had ab muscles, you would actually be able to see them. That would be pretty cool.

Edited April 8, 2016 by JTMacc99

[Maharincess]

Why are there never any support groups for people who need to gain weight? I've been struggling to put some weight on for years. I'm under Drs orders to gain a minimum of 20 pounds but there's never any support for that.

There are issues on both sides of the weight coin.

I just bought some appetite boosting pills and have gone from 98 pounds to 103 and I'm thrilled! But there's no forum for that so I'm putting it here.

I was overweight at one point and in my case, it's harder to gain weight than it was to lose it all those years ago.

Edited April 13, 2016 by Maharincess

[auntlada]

I just bought some appetite boosting pills and have gone from 98 pounds to 103 and I'm thrilled! But there's no forum for that so I'm putting it here.

 

Good for you! It's not something I've ever struggled with, but I imagine it's harder in general to find support in our society.

[emma675]

I think it's maybe because people automatically think skinny = perfect and healthy. When I was in the midst of Graves disease I dropped down to around 100 pounds (which is awful since I'm 5'8") and I couldn't keep weight on me at all. I got two reactions from people--1) You look great! or 2) Do you have an eating disorder? There was never any in between.

[Shannon L.]

I also think people just assume that it's easy to put on weight.  But, I can imagine it must be tough when you are trying to do it with healthy foods and maintaining exercise (which is important for more than just losing weight and keeping it off), as opposed to sitting around all day eating hamburgers and ice cream. 

 

Somebody should look into support groups for weight gain.  Congratulations on your weight gain!   Keep us informed on how it's going. 

 

 

How's everybody doing with their diets?

Mine's ok. I've gained 10lbs since my lowest point a couple of years ago, which isn't a bad thing--I was way too thin and my face looked saggy and old--but, I was hoping to keep that weight gain at 5lbs instead of 10.  My problem started when I developed back problems and the doctor told me to lay off the heavy exercises until the core exercises the PT started me on began to work.  That took a while.  Unfortunately, not only did I lose my stamina for my aerobic work outs, but I can't seem to get it back to where it was when I started my weight loss a few years ago.  I'm older now and have developed a couple more aches and pains that just go along with aging.  So, when I'd only gained 5 back, I was good with that because I had 5lbs to fluctuate between.  Now, at 10lbs heavier, I don't like fluctuating more than a couple, so when the scale goes higher, I get nervous.  I think, though, after a number of months of being really bothered by it, I've found my groove--what my max. aerobic workout can be without injuring myself and how much I can/can't eat and I'm happy with the weight I'm at.  I just can't get in the mind frame of "oh, it's just a couple of pounds...no biggie..." because that's how I ended up over 200lbs at one point.  And I really don't want to do this again--it will just be that much harder again the next time.

[JTMacc99]

After averaging about 2-3 pounds of weight loss per week, last week was the first net-zero week for me.  I've decided that it's okay* as long as I get back in the full routine this week.  

* Full disclosure: This may be a result of getting together with my college friends of 25+ years over the weekend and drinking more than the full amount of calories I should consume both Friday and Saturday nights before even the first bite of food. And there was plenty of food. If I was going to go off the rails, this was a pretty good way to do it for a couple days. Heh.

[Snipsa]

So glad to have found this topic.  I have always been on the overweight side of things (not quite obese - although I have reached a BMI of 30-31 a couple of times in my life), and have not been a healthy weight in all my adult life.

 

After a number of failed attempts in the past I decided this new year (cliche I know) to fundamentally change my lifestyle and get healthy for the first time.

 

I started at 87Kg (I'm 1.68m) - which was a BMI of almost 31 (close to my highest weight ever).

I'm currently weighing 72Kg (Down 15kg (33lbs) yay!) and this is the lowest weight I've been in all my adult life.  I'm now only 2Kg away from a healthy BMI and 12Kg away from my ultimate goal weight of 60Kg.  

 

I've been using a calorie counting app(mfp), fitbit charge hr (aiming for 12000+ steps per day with at least a 30 minute walk per day) and strength training 3-5 days per week.  It has not been easy, but also not nearly as difficult as previous times - maybe I am just more motivated this time around...

 

Good luck to all on this journey, may we all be successful!

[Princess Sparkle]

I don't know how I didn't notice this topic (or really, the health and wellness forum in general) before, but I'm glad I found it.  I'd always been a decently healthy weight through college, but then throughout a bad relationship (and a bad breakup), I gained 50 pounds that I haven't been able to lose.  My best friend got married a few months ago, and when I saw pictures of me from the wedding, I knew I finally had to get it together.  Through exercise, I've been able to get down 15 pounds (yay!), but I know I have to get my diet in check in order to really make an impact.  

I'm slowly reading back over this thread for good ideas; I know how to make healthy foods, but my problem is definitely portion control and a major sweet tooth.  Does anyone have any good suggestions on how to help with either one of those?  Or any ideas on how to make food tracking a habit - I know intellectually that it's a good idea, but I have the hardest time actually remembering to do it.     

[emma675]

A food scale helped me a ton--I really had no idea what portion sizes really were until I got one. 

[auntlada]

I track on the Fitbit app. I have to make myself do it. I don't have any tips on making it a habit other than you just have to decide you are going to it and then make yourself do it.

For portion control, I suggest measuring everything and making only one serving so you don't have leftovers. If you can not eat the whole bag at once (a problem for me) you can try mini candy bars for a sweet treat if you have to have something sweet. Otherwise, I'd just get all of that stuff out of the house. Sometimes I'll have lowfat strawberry yogurt for dessert. It doen't always work, but sometimes it does.

[Athena]

I've been reading more about portion control using your hands. I think this is good if you are out or if you do not have the scale handy, just err on the side of less is more. Some people have smaller hands or larger hands, but weigh it out as well.

I'm a natural "light" Intermittent Faster (IF), and I find it does work if I ever get consistent with it again (at this point of my life probably not). Has anyone tried a form of IF? I'm curious because if it actually has helped people other than the books I read about it.

[editorgrrl]

48 minutes ago, Princess Sparkle said:

I know how to make healthy foods, but my problem is definitely portion control and a major sweet tooth.  Does anyone have any good suggestions on how to help with either one of those?  Or any ideas on how to make food tracking a habit—I know intellectually that it's a good idea, but I have the hardest time actually remembering to do it.     

I log my food at http://www.myfitnesspal.com and then sync it with my activity trackers, so I can see my calories in vs. calories out. (You can log your food directly into a tracker like http://www.fitbit.com or https://jawbone.com/up, but I started logging before I got my first activity tracker.) Logging is hard at first, but now it's a habit, something I do automatically to stay healthy—like brushing my teeth.

For portion control, get a digital kitchen scale and use it for absolutely everything. You'll be shocked how tiny one serving of chips is, and at the actual size of your "tablespoons" of anything.

When I open a big bag of something, I weigh my portions and put them in Ziplock bags. When I cook, I put leftovers in single-serving freezer containers. Now I have a wide selection of healthy meals.

My "trigger food" is ice cream, so I only buy single-serving cups or bars—or go to an ice cream parlor. Deprivation usually leads to bingeing, so portion control is really important.

Most of all, be kind to yourself. You don't have to be perfect to lose weight. (I'm living proof!) Just do a little better today than you did yesterday.

[AimingforYoko]

Portion control is the key. Last August I was diagnosed with Stage 2 hypertension, and I was prescribed medicine for that, but I decided it was time to make some changes.

I'm a foodie. I love all different types of food, so limiting myself to certain food groups wasn't going to work. If I eliminated carbs, I would just crave carbs. So what I did was cut my regular portions by 30-50%. I still eat all my favorites: Pizza, Fried Chicken, Steak, Pork Chops, I simply eat less of them. I did increase my fruits and vegetable intake as it was almost non-existent before then. The results: On August 11th, 2015 I weighed 247 lb. (I'm 5'10"). As of this morning, I weighed 179 lb. My waist size has gone from 40 to 34. Don't get me wrong, I'm still out of shape, but I feel a lot better than I did.

[Princess Sparkle]

Thanks for all the advice!  I bought a food scale this weekend, so we'll see how this goes.  Weighing everything out so far is slightly depressing, but it is showing me that I've been WAY off on what I thought one portion was.

[DeLurker]

On 4/29/2016 at 6:30 PM, AimingforYoko said:

Portion control is the key. Last August I was diagnosed with Stage 2 hypertension, and I was prescribed medicine for that, but I decided it was time to make some changes.

I'm a foodie. I love all different types of food, so limiting myself to certain food groups wasn't going to work. If I eliminated carbs, I would just crave carbs. So what I did was cut my regular portions by 30-50%. I still eat all my favorites: Pizza, Fried Chicken, Steak, Pork Chops, I simply eat less of them. I did increase my fruits and vegetable intake as it was almost non-existent before then. The results: On August 11th, 2015 I weighed 247 lb. (I'm 5'10"). As of this morning, I weighed 179 lb. My waist size has gone from 40 to 34. Don't get me wrong, I'm still out of shape, but I feel a lot better than I did.

Don't downplay the accomplishment - it is a great achievement and I wish you continued success.  Figuring out what approach works for you sounds key to me - diets where you need to forego all the foods you genuinely enjoy seem to be a built in fault line to me.

[auntlada]

8 hours ago, Princess Sparkle said:

Thanks for all the advice!  I bought a food scale this weekend, so we'll see how this goes.  Weighing everything out so far is slightly depressing, but it is showing me that I've been WAY off on what I thought one portion was.

That was the biggest surprise to me, too. It's a pain to measure everything, but after you do it for a while, you'll get a feel for how much some things are by looking at them. Of course, for me, the things I got the best feel for are the things that have the lowest calories, like carrots and grapes. Cake is much harder (but better).

[editorgrrl]

21 hours ago, Princess Sparkle said:

Weighing everything out so far is slightly depressing, but it is showing me that I've been WAY off on what I thought one portion was.

It's human nature to underestimate how much we eat and overestimate how many calories we burn. You are not alone!

[AimingforYoko]

On 5/2/2016 at 11:12 AM, Princess Sparkle said:

Thanks for all the advice!  I bought a food scale this weekend, so we'll see how this goes.  Weighing everything out so far is slightly depressing, but it is showing me that I've been WAY off on what I thought one portion was.

The sticker shock for me was seeing how much sodium is in everything.

[DeLurker]

Sodium is a tough one to get a handle on.  I almost never add salt to anything I am cooking (except steak), but when you eat out the amount of salt is ridiculous.  Interestingly, after getting used to the taste of foods using less salt, I often find prepared food a lot less appetizing because now it is too salty for me.

[Princess Sparkle]

I must re-thank everyone for their suggestions about portion control and tracking, because that has helped me finally break through a plateau I'd been experiencing.  

Edited May 10, 2016 by Princess Sparkle
Forgot the second half of my sentence

[auntlada]

I've been stuck for a while, in large part because I kept eating too much. I was trying to make it on 1,500 calories a day, but just couldn't do it most days. It was just really hard not to eat more than that, and also I kept feeling hungry. It's not too little for me because if I make a serious effort, I'm still only burning about 2,000 calories a day, but it's just hard to eat only 1,500 calories. Unless you are eating mainly vegetables -- mostly raw or boiled without salt -- most stuff is going to put you over that.

Last week, I decided I was never going to be able to do that, so I upped my allowed intake to 1,700 calories a day. I still don't make it every day, but I do make it more days. But the weird thing is that I've lost a pound or two since making that change. I have exercised more a couple of days, but I've done just as much before without losing anything. The only thing I can think is that making it OK to eat 200 calories more means I'm not figuring I've lost it already once I hit 1,600 and then going overboard.

Weight loss is weird.

[Shannon L.]

9 hours ago, auntlada said:

I've been stuck for a while, in large part because I kept eating too much. I was trying to make it on 1,500 calories a day, but just couldn't do it most days. It was just really hard not to eat more than that, and also I kept feeling hungry. It's not too little for me because if I make a serious effort, I'm still only burning about 2,000 calories a day, but it's just hard to eat only 1,500 calories. Unless you are eating mainly vegetables -- mostly raw or boiled without salt -- most stuff is going to put you over that.

Last week, I decided I was never going to be able to do that, so I upped my allowed intake to 1,700 calories a day. I still don't make it every day, but I do make it more days. But the weird thing is that I've lost a pound or two since making that change. I have exercised more a couple of days, but I've done just as much before without losing anything. The only thing I can think is that making it OK to eat 200 calories more means I'm not figuring I've lost it already once I hit 1,600 and then going overboard.

Weight loss is weird.

Hmm....maybe it's what you were choosing to eat? I have a few questions here:

1.Were a substantial amount of those calories from protein? 

2. Also, were are you in your diet?  Is it early on or have you been at it a while?  I ask because if it's early on and you were eating a lot of calories to begin with, then maybe you tried dropping too much too fast.  When I started out, I figured I was eating almost 2200 calories a day, give or take.  So, I dropped my calories to about 1850 at first, then gradually dropped from there as my weight started to go down. 

3. Do you like sweet potatoes?  I like the white skinned ones and discovered that a cup of sweet potatoes with a little salt and 3oz of chicken helped curb my hunger longer than anything else I've tried. 

4. Is there anything you can do (not watching tv--it has to be active and/or engaging) to distract you when you get hungry, but it's too soon for another meal?  I find that housework (ick, I know) and those adult coloring books help pass the time when I'm really hungry, but it's another hour or so until lunch/dinner.  Many times I've grabbed one of my coloring books complaining that I was really hungry and before I knew it, it was time to start dinner.  (Sometimes, though, I do need some veggies nearby to munch on while I'm doing these activities).

5. Do you drink a lot of water?  I read that new studies show that a lot of water isn't necessary for weight loss, but sometimes it helps fill your stomach a little and it can satisfy that need to eat something (I don't know how to say what I mean here, but I hope you understand).

[JTMacc99]

On 4/29/2016 at 7:30 PM, AimingforYoko said:

Portion control is the key. Last August I was diagnosed with Stage 2 hypertension, and I was prescribed medicine for that, but I decided it was time to make some changes.

I'm a foodie. I love all different types of food, so limiting myself to certain food groups wasn't going to work. If I eliminated carbs, I would just crave carbs. So what I did was cut my regular portions by 30-50%. I still eat all my favorites: Pizza, Fried Chicken, Steak, Pork Chops, I simply eat less of them. I did increase my fruits and vegetable intake as it was almost non-existent before then. The results: On August 11th, 2015 I weighed 247 lb. (I'm 5'10"). As of this morning, I weighed 179 lb. My waist size has gone from 40 to 34. Don't get me wrong, I'm still out of shape, but I feel a lot better than I did.

I had meant to reply to this a while ago.  This is a great story.  It is also very similar to the journey I'm on. (I noticed that I eat a lot of pizza for somebody on a very successful diet. Or more accurately, I eat pizza frequently for somebody on a diet.) I started at a slightly lower number than you, and am down 50 at the moment, and have my final goal in sight.  It is definitely odd to have people compliment me and for my first thought to be "Plenty more to go!"  They look at me crazy, but I am fully aware of what I'm doing.  

The warm and genuine compliments are great, but I also know that if a fit person went away for a year and came back weighing what I weigh, people would be like, "wow, he got fat!"  

And I think this is a little bit of a problem for me to keep motivated. If people keep telling me I'm okay, I might take my foot off the gas.

Edited May 17, 2016 by JTMacc99

[emma675]

Quote

 It is definitely odd to have people compliment me and for my first thought to be "Plenty more to go!"  They look at me crazy, but I am fully aware of what I'm doing.  

I totally understand! I've plateaued a bit and still have about 15-20 more pounds to go (I've lost a little over 40 over the span of 1.5 years), but I'm fairly small now. I'm scared to fall off the wagon, even though my diet is a lifestyle change, because it's so easy to fall back into bad habits. And it's hard to have a few people around me at work who wouldn't mind seeing me gain again--they don't mean it maliciously but they are overweight and don't have the motivation yet to lose, so I think seeing me fall might make them feel better.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, emma675 said:

I totally understand! I've plateaued a bit and still have about 15-20 more pounds to go (I've lost a little over 40 over the span of 1.5 years), but I'm fairly small now. I'm scared to fall off the wagon, even though my diet is a lifestyle change, because it's so easy to fall back into bad habits. And it's hard to have a few people around me at work who wouldn't mind seeing me gain again--they don't mean it maliciously but they are overweight and don't have the motivation yet to lose, so I think seeing me fall might make them feel better.

Gosh, I hope that's not the case, but sometimes I give people the benefit of the doubt to a fault.

I was in San Francisco last week on a business trip. I was able to stay the course all day. Hit the gym in the mornings, usual fruit and coffee (with half and half, NEED half and half in my coffee) for breakfast, and I had no problems picking out really good choices from the lunches at my conference. But dinner... It was the wine. The delicious, California, expensive, paid for by somebody else wine that got me. And to be honest, great wine and/or great beer is one of my bad habits that I'm most proud of turning into properly portioned.  

I have been fine since I got home, but it was SO easy to lose my focus. Scary.