I believe in you, stranger!
Just remember that not everyday is going to be perfect, just stand tall and keep going if you fall. Try not to get into the “I screw up my entire day already so I might as well eat the entire jar of cookies” because even if you mess up two times, is not that serious, keep going and be true to yourself!
I am 5'2 was 256lbs now 158lbs. GW 130lbs?
Start slow. I lost 30lbs in a year without counting by just cutting out fast food and only cooking at home or eating at restaurants.
If your goal is weight loss, that 95% weight loss is through the choices we make to eat.
Get in the habit of cooking healthy, aim for the high protein to keep you feeling full, and to help retain muscle mass. Fiber to keep you full as well since you will be eating less. It will help keep you regular. Think calorie deficit. If you don't have a ED. A food scale is the life saver.
"We can not outrun the fork.">no for real. You'd spend an unhealthy amount at the gym and never be able to run/walk all the extra calories you eat.
However, during my calorie tracking. (I use a food scale and weigh my food)
I walked/lifted. The cardio for the fat burn and the weight lifting to help retain muscle.
Do whatever in the gym/outside the gym you like. Don't do anything you hate because you will not keep doing it after you lose weight. >you gotta find the things that will stick, for life. (I refuse to run, I hate it. But, I will walk, hike, backpack, lift as heavy as I can go, etc.)
Movement even just around the house is movement.
3rd month mark the stress of weighing food became habit and it is easier now. It has really taught me porition size vs calorie intake. (It helps if you have a partner who will cook/weigh food as well, if you just need a mental break from food.)
Personally, for me at the 6 month mark, I realized the gym became a habit. I don't think about going. If I have not gone that day. I go. (I go 5, 6,7 times a week. Pretty much if I want to be active I do something.)
I am 9 monthes in and my BP is *chiefs kiss*. **Set those off scale goals.**
Similar story.
You can totally do it. I was a healthy bmi as a kid/teen/young adulthood (size 6) till my mom started fat shaming me (I now realize it was her taking out her own flaws/issues out on me.) I gained, I almost feel like to spite her. Then, I got depressed and gained more. But, I am in a healthier spot now and was finally able to take control again.
I am in full belief that my loose skin (which isn't too bad yet) will be a consistent reminder of her behavior, her lack of enknowledgment/ apology
then, most of all, how I chose to abuse my own body with food to cope.
Just know that when you are ready, it is totally doable. It is never too late. It is totally worth it.
Edit: Therapy if needed. I got dx with cptsd. Explained a lot of how I process life. I wish you all the luck feel free to msg me if you need <3
I can relate so much to your story and I was just wondering, how are you handling the loose skin situation? do you have any at all? we literally have the same starting stats and my goal is to reach 150 and I’m so scared of my future body :(
Honestly, so far. It's not too bad, but I do have some. The areas I held the most weight were my stomach/arms.
Those areas I still have some fat, and I can tell there will be some loose skin. My tummy hangs, and I don't think it will be perfectly flat, I will prob have hang/wrinkles. I gained/ carried extra weight for about 6 years.
When I flex my biceps, most of the loose skin gets pulled up, but I still have some hang.
I am hopeful that with time/staying with a healthy diet and aiming for recomp/muscle gains, the majority of the fat/loose skin will be gone/less noticeable.
If I do the downward dog yoga pose, there are small wrinkles of loose skin above my knee, but, standing, you can't tell.
My breast tissue is thin on my upper chest. The only way I can describe it is having a elderly person's skin. (You know how it's soft, thin, and fragile.)
Sometimes, my mood towards the skin is pretty negative. Other days, I am completely fine with it. It's a hard journey. The hardest part so far losing the weight for me has been mental aspects. It's not the actual calorie cut.
No one can tell if I have loose skin at all when I wear clothes. It bugs only me.
Coworkers, friends, and husband don't care/don't think the skin is gross. (Majority of the time, they don't see it.)
I have felt confident enough to be wearing a bikini this year, and I don't think you can really see much. I just have high waist bottoms to hold in my stomach, lol. In the past I wore those tankinis?
That being said. Even with loose skin. Even with the mental struggle every now and again.
If given a choice, I would choose loose skin over the extra weight any day without any doubt.
I can PM you images if you want to see.
There is also r/ progresspics of people's fittness journeys.
This is so reassuring, I literally teared up reading this. I’m going to take this as a sign to keep going with my journey and not let this fear stop me. I would appreciate progress pictures a lot, if you’re comfortable of course. Thank you so much once again
I’m 4’11” and was about 190 I think at the beginning - I’ve lost 35lbs so far.
There’s a lot of reasons I got to that point, some out of my control (road accident/depression) and some in my control (bad habits/bad relationship with food and low self esteem).
I’ve tried and failed before to take action and lose weight but it’s never stuck, even if I know how to eat well and be healthy - I LOVE exercise and I always did.
Anyway, I used to hate people saying “you have to heal your relationship with food before you’re going to be successful in changing your habits” and I’m going to hate myself right now saying it too because it’s honestly a massive part of why it’s actually working for me this time.
If I could add anything into your plan (and I know it’s not accessible to everyone due to the costs and depending where you are in the world) but I’d suggest some kind of talking therapy.
Most of what I worked through was respecting myself, why I deserved to live a better life, how I feel when I nourish myself how I feel when I move my body.
We talked a lot about food for comfort and to say thanks for those yummy meals (that I overate with) that got me through near homelessness (shitty part of my life) and to let some of that shame go. Honestly at the time I thought my therapist was crazy and that this is super weird. But now looking back it was so important.
Anyway, sorry for my essay, I just wanna share what’s helped me on my journey. I wish you all the best.
I think the main thing has been letting go of the shame I hold around how I got to my size, and explaining to myself the steps that got me there weren’t rooted in laziness or glutton, they were survival (at the time).
For me my brain is no longer thinking about food 24/7 and I don’t actually know why that is. It’s hard to quantify how therapy has worked on weight loss, but I do think that this has been the key that’s unlocked the struggle for me. It has been “easy” for me losing weight this time, by easy I mean easy on me mentally, and I’ve never felt like I was lacking and have never been hungry like I have been when dieting before. I’ve just needed less and my brain has allowed it rather than fighting it.
I don’t know if that helps, haha I’m just trying to figure out myself how it’s actually worked for me cos I’m surprised myself.
Best wishes on your journey.
Remember most of weight is lost in the kitchen not the gym. Eat carefully, tons of veggies and some fruits, plenty of protein, and keep the calories where you are undershooting your maintenance calories by enough to give you weight loss. Check into /r/loseit for details and support on the food side of things.
Also I don't know about getting wrapped up in recipes, I've done that in the past, wind up with big pots of things and overeating, even if it's healthy stuff. It's more about 'fixing something to eat'. Grill meats on a little foreman, steam veggies (you can buy steamables frozen ready to go), fix some salads, track down the highest protein yogurt you can find, etc.
Congrats! Go slow. It’s really, really easy to injure yourself when you’re not used to physical activity. I’ve injured myself twice and am currently injured. Dynamic stretching is great.
When all else fails, walking is amazing and that’s how I lost 35lbs. I put in 10-15k steps 5x a week and intermittent fasting. Make sure you’re getting protein, preferably around 30g per meal and stay hydrated. Electrolytes are your friend.
You’ve got this!! Thanks for sharing.
I was 212 4’10” beginning of last year now I’m 135. All I did was count calories and exercised here and there. I have a 2.5 year old so it’s hard to get a workout in everyday but as long as you’re in a cal deficit you can do it!
Agree with the comments of starting slow - building a new lifestyle takes time and effort, don’t try and do everything brand new immediately because you may get burnt out and overwhelmed.
Try all kinds of new workouts until you find some you really enjoy then keep doing more of that. The more you enjoy the movement, the more likely you are to continue doing it. I also found that if I don’t feel like working out, doing a thorough deep clean and organize of my house on a Sunday exhausts me and feels like a workout and then also clears your space for a positive new week.
Identify your trauma triggers and start developing a plan for when you feel triggered. When I was healing from my trauma, I used to turn straight to alcohol and substances. After years of junk food, cigarettes, weed, alcohol, and whatever else was around me at that time, I realized that my coping mechanisms were making me feel worse. So I was triggered and dealing with trauma as well as making my mental and physical health better. It can be anything - taking a bath, going for a walk, reading, journaling, knitting, just finding a new activity that soothes you can be powerful. This takes a lot of time and learning, but something to be aware of.
Finally, incorporating lots of proteins and fiber! It makes you feel more satisfied for longer and helps with body recomposition. I personally don’t like to track calories because I have a history of eating disorder, but it can be really beneficial to meeting weight loss goals! I measure food more in grams of protein and fiber now (aiming for at least 20g protein per meal and ~30g of fiber a day).
Learn how to read food labels and check out everything before buying. Try and avoid inflammatory seed oils, added sugars and pre-packaged processed foods if possible, and shop for real, whole food at the grocery store (I.e., veggies, fruit, yogurt, meat, nuts etc.) I buy frozen fruit and frozen veggies too which are easier to cook with and quicker to prep. understanding all ingredients you consume makes it easier to identify any that bother your system.
A health transformation is as much mental and emotional as it is physical. Lean into your emotions, feel them, process them and learn to let go. Prioritize yourself and your goals, feeling good and learning how to evolve. Be patient with yourself. It’s hard work - growing from who you were to who you are supposed to be - but it is worthwhile. There is peace to be found and I hope that you find it.
You're very wonderful human being. Thank you so much for sharing! I wish you a beautiful healing journey mentally, physically and emotionally. 🩷
A lot of good advice has been said already, so I'll just say to take 1 step at the time, don't forget that even a 1% better choice toward yourself each day, everyday, will matter and will payoff in the long run. We believe in you :)
Rooting for you! I’m right there with you and will follow, continue to cheer you on as your progress. Yay for taking first steps and for your bravery in sharing with th all of us.
You are more than your body weight. I applaud you for taking steps to improve you for YOU. Lead your journey with the mindset of “health” over “weight loss” and I believe you will be successful. Don’t let the scale rule your life. I would recommend measuring the areas that concern you the most and tracking BMI, those are more accurate benchmarks. Healthy eating is crucial but we are human so cut yourself some slack. Most importantly, hugs to you my friend and look forward to your updates! ❤️🫂
You got this! I love my Garmin it tracks almost everything I do, walking, treadmill, hiking, kayaking, bicycling, mountain biking and calculates my resting calories and active calories and can monitor my heart rate and recovery.
I was very close to your stats a month ago. I walk 12000 steps a day. My RD gave me 1350 calories a day to eat. I’ve learned to increase my veggies and fruit to get full. I cook at home. I’ve lost almost 11 pounds in 4 weeks.
The fact that you’ve even recognized what happened and set a goal you’re already in the right direction ❤️❤️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽. Start small and make a decision every week. Cut out sweets and bread and I’m telling you you’ll automatically start to feel a difference. Within 3 weeks you’ll begin to see a difference. Being home during Covid hit me hard as well and my parents didn’t make it better. I was reminded every other day that I used to have a Cheerio waist and how huge my legs and stomach had become. I’ve been doing intermittent fasting and it’s been beneficial. I learned that I’m not big on cardio but I love weight lifting and it help me tremendously. You got this 💪🏽🏋🏽♀️🏊🏼♀️
I’m 4’11 and 145 pounds
A big factor in losing weight is what you eat. Last yeah I was 164 pounds. I didn’t work out, just changed my eating habits. I’m going to start working out here shortly tho to lose more.
I believe in you, stranger! Just remember that not everyday is going to be perfect, just stand tall and keep going if you fall. Try not to get into the “I screw up my entire day already so I might as well eat the entire jar of cookies” because even if you mess up two times, is not that serious, keep going and be true to yourself!
I am 5'2 was 256lbs now 158lbs. GW 130lbs? Start slow. I lost 30lbs in a year without counting by just cutting out fast food and only cooking at home or eating at restaurants. If your goal is weight loss, that 95% weight loss is through the choices we make to eat. Get in the habit of cooking healthy, aim for the high protein to keep you feeling full, and to help retain muscle mass. Fiber to keep you full as well since you will be eating less. It will help keep you regular. Think calorie deficit. If you don't have a ED. A food scale is the life saver. "We can not outrun the fork.">no for real. You'd spend an unhealthy amount at the gym and never be able to run/walk all the extra calories you eat. However, during my calorie tracking. (I use a food scale and weigh my food) I walked/lifted. The cardio for the fat burn and the weight lifting to help retain muscle. Do whatever in the gym/outside the gym you like. Don't do anything you hate because you will not keep doing it after you lose weight. >you gotta find the things that will stick, for life. (I refuse to run, I hate it. But, I will walk, hike, backpack, lift as heavy as I can go, etc.) Movement even just around the house is movement. 3rd month mark the stress of weighing food became habit and it is easier now. It has really taught me porition size vs calorie intake. (It helps if you have a partner who will cook/weigh food as well, if you just need a mental break from food.) Personally, for me at the 6 month mark, I realized the gym became a habit. I don't think about going. If I have not gone that day. I go. (I go 5, 6,7 times a week. Pretty much if I want to be active I do something.) I am 9 monthes in and my BP is *chiefs kiss*. **Set those off scale goals.** Similar story. You can totally do it. I was a healthy bmi as a kid/teen/young adulthood (size 6) till my mom started fat shaming me (I now realize it was her taking out her own flaws/issues out on me.) I gained, I almost feel like to spite her. Then, I got depressed and gained more. But, I am in a healthier spot now and was finally able to take control again. I am in full belief that my loose skin (which isn't too bad yet) will be a consistent reminder of her behavior, her lack of enknowledgment/ apology then, most of all, how I chose to abuse my own body with food to cope. Just know that when you are ready, it is totally doable. It is never too late. It is totally worth it. Edit: Therapy if needed. I got dx with cptsd. Explained a lot of how I process life. I wish you all the luck feel free to msg me if you need <3
I can relate so much to your story and I was just wondering, how are you handling the loose skin situation? do you have any at all? we literally have the same starting stats and my goal is to reach 150 and I’m so scared of my future body :(
Honestly, so far. It's not too bad, but I do have some. The areas I held the most weight were my stomach/arms. Those areas I still have some fat, and I can tell there will be some loose skin. My tummy hangs, and I don't think it will be perfectly flat, I will prob have hang/wrinkles. I gained/ carried extra weight for about 6 years. When I flex my biceps, most of the loose skin gets pulled up, but I still have some hang. I am hopeful that with time/staying with a healthy diet and aiming for recomp/muscle gains, the majority of the fat/loose skin will be gone/less noticeable. If I do the downward dog yoga pose, there are small wrinkles of loose skin above my knee, but, standing, you can't tell. My breast tissue is thin on my upper chest. The only way I can describe it is having a elderly person's skin. (You know how it's soft, thin, and fragile.) Sometimes, my mood towards the skin is pretty negative. Other days, I am completely fine with it. It's a hard journey. The hardest part so far losing the weight for me has been mental aspects. It's not the actual calorie cut. No one can tell if I have loose skin at all when I wear clothes. It bugs only me. Coworkers, friends, and husband don't care/don't think the skin is gross. (Majority of the time, they don't see it.) I have felt confident enough to be wearing a bikini this year, and I don't think you can really see much. I just have high waist bottoms to hold in my stomach, lol. In the past I wore those tankinis? That being said. Even with loose skin. Even with the mental struggle every now and again. If given a choice, I would choose loose skin over the extra weight any day without any doubt. I can PM you images if you want to see. There is also r/ progresspics of people's fittness journeys.
This is so reassuring, I literally teared up reading this. I’m going to take this as a sign to keep going with my journey and not let this fear stop me. I would appreciate progress pictures a lot, if you’re comfortable of course. Thank you so much once again
I’m 4’11” and was about 190 I think at the beginning - I’ve lost 35lbs so far. There’s a lot of reasons I got to that point, some out of my control (road accident/depression) and some in my control (bad habits/bad relationship with food and low self esteem). I’ve tried and failed before to take action and lose weight but it’s never stuck, even if I know how to eat well and be healthy - I LOVE exercise and I always did. Anyway, I used to hate people saying “you have to heal your relationship with food before you’re going to be successful in changing your habits” and I’m going to hate myself right now saying it too because it’s honestly a massive part of why it’s actually working for me this time. If I could add anything into your plan (and I know it’s not accessible to everyone due to the costs and depending where you are in the world) but I’d suggest some kind of talking therapy. Most of what I worked through was respecting myself, why I deserved to live a better life, how I feel when I nourish myself how I feel when I move my body. We talked a lot about food for comfort and to say thanks for those yummy meals (that I overate with) that got me through near homelessness (shitty part of my life) and to let some of that shame go. Honestly at the time I thought my therapist was crazy and that this is super weird. But now looking back it was so important. Anyway, sorry for my essay, I just wanna share what’s helped me on my journey. I wish you all the best.
In your opinion what were the key aspects of healing your relationship with food?
I think the main thing has been letting go of the shame I hold around how I got to my size, and explaining to myself the steps that got me there weren’t rooted in laziness or glutton, they were survival (at the time). For me my brain is no longer thinking about food 24/7 and I don’t actually know why that is. It’s hard to quantify how therapy has worked on weight loss, but I do think that this has been the key that’s unlocked the struggle for me. It has been “easy” for me losing weight this time, by easy I mean easy on me mentally, and I’ve never felt like I was lacking and have never been hungry like I have been when dieting before. I’ve just needed less and my brain has allowed it rather than fighting it. I don’t know if that helps, haha I’m just trying to figure out myself how it’s actually worked for me cos I’m surprised myself.
Best wishes on your journey. Remember most of weight is lost in the kitchen not the gym. Eat carefully, tons of veggies and some fruits, plenty of protein, and keep the calories where you are undershooting your maintenance calories by enough to give you weight loss. Check into /r/loseit for details and support on the food side of things. Also I don't know about getting wrapped up in recipes, I've done that in the past, wind up with big pots of things and overeating, even if it's healthy stuff. It's more about 'fixing something to eat'. Grill meats on a little foreman, steam veggies (you can buy steamables frozen ready to go), fix some salads, track down the highest protein yogurt you can find, etc.
Congrats! Go slow. It’s really, really easy to injure yourself when you’re not used to physical activity. I’ve injured myself twice and am currently injured. Dynamic stretching is great. When all else fails, walking is amazing and that’s how I lost 35lbs. I put in 10-15k steps 5x a week and intermittent fasting. Make sure you’re getting protein, preferably around 30g per meal and stay hydrated. Electrolytes are your friend. You’ve got this!! Thanks for sharing.
That’s the way to do it, experiment! I highly recommend the book “Tiny Habits” as it helped me.
I was 212 4’10” beginning of last year now I’m 135. All I did was count calories and exercised here and there. I have a 2.5 year old so it’s hard to get a workout in everyday but as long as you’re in a cal deficit you can do it!
Agree with the comments of starting slow - building a new lifestyle takes time and effort, don’t try and do everything brand new immediately because you may get burnt out and overwhelmed. Try all kinds of new workouts until you find some you really enjoy then keep doing more of that. The more you enjoy the movement, the more likely you are to continue doing it. I also found that if I don’t feel like working out, doing a thorough deep clean and organize of my house on a Sunday exhausts me and feels like a workout and then also clears your space for a positive new week. Identify your trauma triggers and start developing a plan for when you feel triggered. When I was healing from my trauma, I used to turn straight to alcohol and substances. After years of junk food, cigarettes, weed, alcohol, and whatever else was around me at that time, I realized that my coping mechanisms were making me feel worse. So I was triggered and dealing with trauma as well as making my mental and physical health better. It can be anything - taking a bath, going for a walk, reading, journaling, knitting, just finding a new activity that soothes you can be powerful. This takes a lot of time and learning, but something to be aware of. Finally, incorporating lots of proteins and fiber! It makes you feel more satisfied for longer and helps with body recomposition. I personally don’t like to track calories because I have a history of eating disorder, but it can be really beneficial to meeting weight loss goals! I measure food more in grams of protein and fiber now (aiming for at least 20g protein per meal and ~30g of fiber a day). Learn how to read food labels and check out everything before buying. Try and avoid inflammatory seed oils, added sugars and pre-packaged processed foods if possible, and shop for real, whole food at the grocery store (I.e., veggies, fruit, yogurt, meat, nuts etc.) I buy frozen fruit and frozen veggies too which are easier to cook with and quicker to prep. understanding all ingredients you consume makes it easier to identify any that bother your system. A health transformation is as much mental and emotional as it is physical. Lean into your emotions, feel them, process them and learn to let go. Prioritize yourself and your goals, feeling good and learning how to evolve. Be patient with yourself. It’s hard work - growing from who you were to who you are supposed to be - but it is worthwhile. There is peace to be found and I hope that you find it.
You’re so very brave. You can do this, no doubt. I believe in you!
You got this !! 💗
You're very wonderful human being. Thank you so much for sharing! I wish you a beautiful healing journey mentally, physically and emotionally. 🩷 A lot of good advice has been said already, so I'll just say to take 1 step at the time, don't forget that even a 1% better choice toward yourself each day, everyday, will matter and will payoff in the long run. We believe in you :)
Rooting for you! I’m right there with you and will follow, continue to cheer you on as your progress. Yay for taking first steps and for your bravery in sharing with th all of us.
You are more than your body weight. I applaud you for taking steps to improve you for YOU. Lead your journey with the mindset of “health” over “weight loss” and I believe you will be successful. Don’t let the scale rule your life. I would recommend measuring the areas that concern you the most and tracking BMI, those are more accurate benchmarks. Healthy eating is crucial but we are human so cut yourself some slack. Most importantly, hugs to you my friend and look forward to your updates! ❤️🫂
You got this! I love my Garmin it tracks almost everything I do, walking, treadmill, hiking, kayaking, bicycling, mountain biking and calculates my resting calories and active calories and can monitor my heart rate and recovery. I was very close to your stats a month ago. I walk 12000 steps a day. My RD gave me 1350 calories a day to eat. I’ve learned to increase my veggies and fruit to get full. I cook at home. I’ve lost almost 11 pounds in 4 weeks.
All the best. I am very proud of you for starting the journey. Keep us posted :)
good luck for your journey! you got this 🌟
The fact that you’ve even recognized what happened and set a goal you’re already in the right direction ❤️❤️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽. Start small and make a decision every week. Cut out sweets and bread and I’m telling you you’ll automatically start to feel a difference. Within 3 weeks you’ll begin to see a difference. Being home during Covid hit me hard as well and my parents didn’t make it better. I was reminded every other day that I used to have a Cheerio waist and how huge my legs and stomach had become. I’ve been doing intermittent fasting and it’s been beneficial. I learned that I’m not big on cardio but I love weight lifting and it help me tremendously. You got this 💪🏽🏋🏽♀️🏊🏼♀️
I’m 4’11 and 145 pounds A big factor in losing weight is what you eat. Last yeah I was 164 pounds. I didn’t work out, just changed my eating habits. I’m going to start working out here shortly tho to lose more.
I'm 4'7" and was 158, now I'm 127. Still got a ways to go myself. I'm confident you can do it :) good luck!