Weight Loss

[missy]

@kmoro congratulations for finding what works so well for you. That is wonderful.

And I completely agree with your post. It is freeing to not have to always focus on one's weight and not have to think about it and a real gift that you have been able to figure it out for you.

I agree what works for each person is unique to them. Sure there are similarities and overlap but what works for one may not work at all for another. The key is finding what healthy way of eating you can enjoy doing and manage to continue for life. Once you figure that out there is your magic bullet so to speak.
It's gotta feel like it isn't a struggle to maintain and that you can actually enjoy eating that way. That's what will stick.

For me it's almost the opposite of your way @kmoro. I love volume (I think I was a depression era baby in a past life lol as I always keep the fridge stocked and the supply closet stocked) and love big portions. But I make that work for me with healthy options like veggies and salad that I can enjoy in larger amounts and the foods that are more dense with calories I enjoy in smaller portions. But like you I try not to deny myself (though as of recent I have a few dietary restrictions that were challenging to begin with but now it isn't hard to avoid) and enjoy treats in moderation.

Most of all I enjoy what I eat and do not feel deprived. That IMO is key.

 

[TooPatient]

I was about 50 pounds overweight until my mid-thirties, and was 200 pounds when my son was born (I’m 5’1”).

I tried everything.

And then I did the simplest thing ... I started eating anything I wanted, whenever I wanted, just not very much at a time. I don’t mean to make this sound easy - it always sounds easier than it is. But once you get used to small portions and never go through the psychology of depriving yourself, there are no more diet and binge cycles, no more diet yo-yo.

I remember planning diets. There was always the diet that I was going to start tomorrow, where I could not have chocolate, or cookies, or ice cream ... and so the night before, I would binge on those things, knowing that I would not be allowed the next day. Or being on a diet and “blowing it” ... so for the rest of day, it’s a free for all, to start clean again the next day. Always a cycle of diet and binge. Once I started eating part of the chocolate bar and knowing that I can have chocolate the next day and the next and the next, I just stopped doing those types of things.

Measuring food and constantly planning the next meal ... diets made me think food all the time. Stopping the diets ended the food obsession. During my initial weight loss, I did try to limit my total calories per day to 1000, computed roughly in my head. I would always come in over that, but it was close enough, and over time, the pounds just slowly fell off.

I stopped cleaning my plate. That’s a tough one, especially when you go out for dinner. We’re not to waste food, right? But if you think it’s wasted on my hips just as it’s wasted in the garbage, it becomes easier to leave food behind. And eat your favourite things first - you’ll eat less.

I haven’t had to think about my weight for 20 years. I can’t tell you what will work for you, and I hope that I’m not coming across as a know-it-all. All I can do is tell you what has worked for me.

Good luck to you all - weight can be one tough struggle!

Definitely no depriving! That is the best way to get me to stop.

Yesterday had three cookies (total of 210 calories) and all the wine I wanted (1 ounce). Balance is definitely a must!

I think what is huge so far in this is the protein and fat (I don't think I was getting nearly enough before) plus the more often so I don't have heartburn or ever really get to hungry.

 

[TooPatient]

I am doing great with five meals a day. I was skeptical, but it is working! There have been a few times in the last 10 days that I didn't quite hit the 5 meals at 200 calories, but it has been close. I drifted to it from 1600 (first day of five and almost no planning) to 1500 to 1300 then settled in right around 1000. I haven't been hungry. My heartburn is almost gone. I feel less swollen. So many good things!

My birthday was this week so we went out to dinner.... Yeah. Walked extra and was careful to stick to the 1,000 and have finally gotten rid of that extra weight.

The lady weighed me on 2/25: 273
My first weight after that 3/1: 267.4
Today: 263.6

 

[Loves Vintage]

@TooPatient - That's great!! You must feel great! Care to share what a sample day of 5 meals looks like?

I'm slowly chugging along here. I do feel quite a bit of hunger, like right now!

My knees have been not too happy lately, and I know it's because of the gym, so I've stopped doing lunges which I read is not great for knees, but I should probably check in with my doctor for some advice.

This week, I was able to do chest presses, one arm at a time, with 25lb dumbbells in each arm, with my legs elevated (I'm sure there's a name for that) so I was happy about that.

I signed up for a yoga class with my 8 year old daughter on Sunday morning. We'll see how that goes!

 

[TooPatient]

@TooPatient - That's great!! You must feel great! Care to share what a sample day of 5 meals looks like?

I'm slowly chugging along here. I do feel quite a bit of hunger, like right now!

My knees have been not too happy lately, and I know it's because of the gym, so I've stopped doing lunges which I read is not great for knees, but I should probably check in with my doctor for some advice.

This week, I was able to do chest presses, one arm at a time, with 25lb dumbbells in each arm, with my legs elevated (I'm sure there's a name for that) so I was happy about that.

I signed up for a yoga class with my 8 year old daughter on Sunday morning. We'll see how that goes!

Definitely! I can post the suggested meals too. Some great options I need to look through again as I plan the next week.

Just finished yogurt with fruit and granola. Total of 185 calories.

1/2 cup Fage 0% Greek yogurt
1/2 cut diced strawberries (I like diced so they go all through the yogurt)
1/4 cup Kind peanut butter whole grain clusters


Not my favorite for staying full, but nice to fit in some days since it is yummy!

 

[TooPatient]

@Loves Vintage

Here is what I have so far this week. I cooked up a batch of spinach (just with a tiny drop of olive oil for the whole batch) so I can do spinach all week for the first meal. Doing yogurt every day here as it is yummy and I have a container to finish up. Cooking in sort of batches helps! These three days use a lot of stuff I already cooked this weekend but were pretty quick to cook the first time too.

Monday

1. Spinach frittata (2 eggs, fresh garlic, cooked spinach) with salsa

2. Smoked turkey salad (lots of lettuce, ½ cup tomatoes, 4 oz smoked turkey, 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar)

3. Greek yogurt with fruit and granola (1/2 cup Fage 0% Greek yogurt, ½ cup strawberries (cut up small), ¼ cup peanut butter granola (checked for one with relatively low sugar!))

4. ½ apple with 2 oz low fat mozzarella

5. 4 oz chicken breast, ½ cup tomatoes, ½ cup red bell pepper (cooked together – I forget the name of the dish!) served over 1 cup cauliflower pearls with a side of asparagus (touch of olive oil to sauté) and squeeze of lemon juice.

Tuesday

1. Spinach frittata (2 eggs, fresh garlic, cooked spinach) with salsa

2. ½ apple, 1.5 oz gouda

3. 4 oz chicken breast (cut up) browned then 2 small zucchini (sliced) tossed in. Serve with squeeze of lemon.

4. Greek yogurt with fruit and granola (1/2 cup Fage 0% Greek yogurt, ½ cup strawberries (cut up small), ¼ cup peanut butter granola (checked for one with relatively low sugar!))

5. 4 oz chicken breast in simmer sauce (I have several I like. I keep these to 70 calories or less per half cup serving so I can have ½ cup) over 1 cup cauliflower pearls with side of roasted brussels sprouts and squeeze of lemon juice

Wednesday

1. Spinach frittata (2 eggs, fresh garlic, cooked spinach) with salsa

2. Greek yogurt with fruit and granola (1/2 cup Fage 0% Greek yogurt, ½ cup strawberries (cut up small), ¼ cup peanut butter granola (checked for one with relatively low sugar!))

3. Leftover chicken in simmer sauce (careful to cut portion a bit to keep this meal under 250 calories since my meal 5 is usually closer to 370-400), asparagus, cauliflower pearls

4. Salad layered to go (I use a 24 oz disposable cup): lettuce, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 3 oz smoked turkey, 1 oz sunflower seeds, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

5. Beef taco salad (leftover from a NY roast I did this weekend): lots of lettuce, ½ cup tomatoes, 3 oz beef, 4 Tbsp salsa

 

[Loves Vintage]

Hey @TooPatient - Thank you so much for posting all of the details. I know I could do well with something like this, but I would guess I'd have to eat a little more, but truthfully right now, I'm eating a lot more!! I love all of the veggies though! I could totally do the yogurt/strawberries and apple/cheese! I'll pack those for work tomorrow and will have to figure out a lunch. Maybe I get my usual quinoa bowl, but with no quinoa, lol! Will you go back to the nutritionist for a follow up?

 

[TooPatient]

Here is my lunch today. It is HUGE!
ETA: 10" diameter dinner plate

 

[TooPatient]

Hey @TooPatient - Thank you so much for posting all of the details. I know I could do well with something like this, but I would guess I'd have to eat a little more, but truthfully right now, I'm eating a lot more!! I love all of the veggies though! I could totally do the yogurt/strawberries and apple/cheese! I'll pack those for work tomorrow and will have to figure out a lunch. Maybe I get my usual quinoa bowl, but with no quinoa, lol! Will you go back to the nutritionist for a follow up?

I'll add some pictures! It definitely isn't eating just a little. Now that I got the veggies down to fill it out...

I'm going back to follow up every month. She will monitor to make sure I am losing fat not muscle and refer me for any thyroid or hormone issues she may notice.

Oh! I will also get those pages of suggested meals too. Some looked great and others looked like diet food. I love to eat yummy things and more than just two bites!

 

[TooPatient]

Here is my beef taco salad from last night. So good!

 

[Loves Vintage]

That DOES look good! Oh, and when I said I was eating a lot more . . . what I meant was, I'm eating a lot more and NOT losing weight, haha! Had an ok food weekend, but then picked up a bag of salt and vinegar chips on my target run! Have.not.had.chips in a LONG time.

 

[TooPatient]

That DOES look good! Oh, and when I said I was eating a lot more . . . what I meant was, I'm eating a lot more and NOT losing weight, haha! Had an ok food weekend, but then picked up a bag of salt and vinegar chips on my target run! Have.not.had.chips in a LONG time.

You need fat to lose weight too. Big pile of lettuce, 2-4 ounces of turkey. Vinegar drizzle. Side of chips! Just aim for under 10g fat! (Plus I keep full meal to under 220 so I don't get too far off!)

 

[TooPatient]

About 350 calories. In range of fat, protein, and carbs! (10" plate) This is the chicken with bell peppers.

 

[TooPatient]

This is the main sheet saying what I am after. Each meal is: 15-30g protein, under 20g carbs, 5-15g fat

Just thought it was a good explanation of the balance wanted. Plus some examples to get a feel for what that means.

 

[TooPatient]

Main meal ideas

 

[TooPatient]

Smaller meals (snacks, whatever you want to call it)

 

[TooPatient]

Still doing well with eating more often. I have been busy with school and ended up with 4 meals several days but made sure to adjust a meal up a bit to keep intake what it should be. I noticed one day where I hit calories for the day but was off of protein/fat a couple of meals that my weight didn't go down despite walking almost three times as much as most days. Was interesting to see that! Good reminder to keep myself in balance.

2/25: 273
3/13: 260.8

 

[Matata]

^

 

[junebug17]

@TooPatient, I just wanted to congratulate you on your weight loss!!! You are doing so well, and I'm glad you have found something that works for you! Thank you for posting the meals and snacks, I might give this a try myself. I just have to get my act together and get to the store and buy some healthy stuff to have in the house. Kudos to you, you are doing fantastic.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to check in to see how everyone is doing? Any updates, ladies?

TooPatient - how are things going with you?

****
Trying to get back on track this week. My weight is a few pounds under from when I started posting here. I keep going to the gym, a few days a week, but my real problem is food. Hard to make a big switch, but I am happy for where I am today and hope to continue reducing gradually.

 

[MamaBee]

Can I join you girls? Enough is enough and I need to lose weight! I stress eat and it’s been a stressful stretch..so pounds need to leave!
I’m starting tonight..hope I can join in with you guys! I’m probably lots older so I won’t lose as fast but I’ll try!

 

[TooPatient]

Can I join you girls? Enough is enough and I need to lose weight! I stress eat and it’s been a stressful stretch..so pounds need to leave!
I’m starting tonight..hope I can join in with you guys! I’m probably lots older so I won’t lose as fast but I’ll try!

Never too late to start!

 

[TooPatient]

@TooPatient, I just wanted to congratulate you on your weight loss!!! You are doing so well, and I'm glad you have found something that works for you! Thank you for posting the meals and snacks, I might give this a try myself. I just have to get my act together and get to the store and buy some healthy stuff to have in the house. Kudos to you, you are doing fantastic.

Thank you! Getting the healthy stuff in the house is a good start. It is so easy to do the wrong thing if less healthy options are easy and healthy means a trip to the store before cooking.

 

[TooPatient]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to check in to see how everyone is doing? Any updates, ladies?

TooPatient - how are things going with you?

****
Trying to get back on track this week. My weight is a few pounds under from when I started posting here. I keep going to the gym, a few days a week, but my real problem is food. Hard to make a big switch, but I am happy for where I am today and hope to continue reducing gradually.

Gradually is the best way to do it. Keep at the little changes and they will add up!

Last week was rough. MRI (great results!) plus saw almost every specialist I work with for follow up appointments packed into Thursday and Friday. Plus lots of errand running the other days... This meant big gaps between meals and some bad food choices as options were limited most of the time. I had been down to 257. Climbed back to 263. Recovering from that still!

The nutrition person is pleased with my tracking and how well I (mostly) stick to the right choices. She is doing a full remeasure next month to get measurements around my body plus fat/muscle/water measurements again. She challenged me to find new recipes so I don't get bored with the food I am eating. She also suggested I get a cooler and ice packs so I can eat during the day when I am running errands. (How did I not think of this!?!)

This week, I am ordering a cooler for the car (powered one that can run even with the car off) and trying two new recipes.


2/25: 273
4/1: 259

 

[KristinTech]

An update from me! Down about 25 pounds since January. I made it to ONEDERLAND! This was a huge goal of mine. I was 203 on April 3rd when I left to be a chaperone on my son’s middle school band trip. On the 5th, I was having an emergency appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with infection spreading. I am so thankful I had a “routine” emergency surgery right when I needed it.

I did come home weighing 212 last Monday—body very inflamed and full of bloat weight. I barely ate in five days! But my body was stressed. I concentrated on sleeping and drinking my water, and I’m so thankful that I’m healing so well. I will take another week off from the gym (still on lifting restrictions), and I will ease back into it.

My ultimate goal is to weigh about 180 (5’10), so I feel as though I am within striking distance.

My gym started another challenge (begins tomorrow), so I will have an extra support boost with an active Facebook group and another meal plan. Looking forward to it!

 

[Cozystitches]

An update from me! Down about 25 pounds since January. I made it to ONEDERLAND!

I haven't been active in this thread, but just came to say hi when I saw your post! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! Way to go! Even with surgery!!!

I've started as well, focusing more on exercising and paying attention to my food intake. Am aiming for 1lb loss a week. I've been at this for 2 weeks, and will weigh in tomorrow.

 

[KristinTech]

I haven't been active in this thread, but just came to say hi when I saw your post! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! Way to go! Even with surgery!!!

I've started as well, focusing more on exercising and paying attention to my food intake. Am aiming for 1lb loss a week. I've been at this for 2 weeks, and will weigh in tomorrow.

Thank you!! I was pretty excited this morning!

Do you have a gym/group workouts? Or are you doing it on your own?

 

[Cozystitches]

Thank you!! I was pretty excited this morning!

Do you have a gym/group workouts? Or are you doing it on your own?

On my own But perhaps if I check in here more often, I'll have some accountability. There's an Instagrammer who lost over 200lbs, so i'm following her stories which helps. Got on the scale today and I'm down 2lbs (only hoping for a 1lb loss a week).

My plan is to follow the 21day fix plan. I do modify slightly so that it fits in my lifestyle. I keep reading that this is a lifestyle not a diet.Every time I finish the cycle (21days) I'll measure and compare how my measurements have changed over the 3 weeks. That along with weekly weigh ins, I'm hoping to see progress.

 

[KristinTech]

@Cozystitches It sounds like you have a solid plan—that’s great! My biggest challenge is to treat this as a long-term journey. If I “mess up” or have a bad day or week, I can shake it off and make better choices next time. I don’t want to give up and peter out this time.

 

[bludiva]

I was about 50 pounds overweight until my mid-thirties, and was 200 pounds when my son was born (I’m 5’1”).

I tried everything.

And then I did the simplest thing ... I started eating anything I wanted, whenever I wanted, just not very much at a time. I don’t mean to make this sound easy - it always sounds easier than it is. But once you get used to small portions and never go through the psychology of depriving yourself, there are no more diet and binge cycles, no more diet yo-yo.

I remember planning diets. There was always the diet that I was going to start tomorrow, where I could not have chocolate, or cookies, or ice cream ... and so the night before, I would binge on those things, knowing that I would not be allowed the next day. Or being on a diet and “blowing it” ... so for the rest of day, it’s a free for all, to start clean again the next day. Always a cycle of diet and binge. Once I started eating part of the chocolate bar and knowing that I can have chocolate the next day and the next and the next, I just stopped doing those types of things.

Measuring food and constantly planning the next meal ... diets made me think food all the time. Stopping the diets ended the food obsession. During my initial weight loss, I did try to limit my total calories per day to 1000, computed roughly in my head. I would always come in over that, but it was close enough, and over time, the pounds just slowly fell off.

I stopped cleaning my plate. That’s a tough one, especially when you go out for dinner. We’re not to waste food, right? But if you think it’s wasted on my hips just as it’s wasted in the garbage, it becomes easier to leave food behind. And eat your favourite things first - you’ll eat less.

I haven’t had to think about my weight for 20 years. I can’t tell you what will work for you, and I hope that I’m not coming across as a know-it-all. All I can do is tell you what has worked for me.

Good luck to you all - weight can be one tough struggle!

This may sound stupid but telling myself I can have whatever I want as long as it is a single serving and high quality plus realizing that I'm never going to be able to have all the amazing delicious things in the world helps me. So for example I love chocolate but instead of buying a candy bar I'll get a few callebaut chips from the bulk bin.

These past few months I've had more anxiety than usual and it's been hard to stick to good habits though. I have ~5lbs to lose which doesn't sound like much but my family carries some major fat hoarding genes so it's tough. I also had to become ok with being healthy not skinny a long time ago. I'll never be the kind of thin that's fetishized in the US, I just try to focus on being healthy and fitting my clothes.

I've had a hard time motivating myself to exercise lately which isn't helping either....sorry for the ramble and thanks for the inspiration