Author Topic: Losing Weight in 2018  (Read 245554 times)

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #400 on: January 29, 2018, 07:05:42 AM »
I did great on the weekend with eating.  And the scale is holding steady.
The only problem is this:  I woke up at 3am to use the bathroom and could not get back to sleep easily.  I finally realized around 5 am that I was hungry.  Then I got my brain around to hunger is good for me.  And I was able to fall back into a deep sleep.  My partner didn't wake me. Kids pounding around looking for food woke me up at 7:44.  So I don't feel useless like a typical sleepless night and I am ready to deal with the sugar cravings that come for me after a poor sleep.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #401 on: January 29, 2018, 08:04:44 AM »
Can someone please talk me down and reassure me that the 2 lbs I gained after a week of staying below my calorie limit and off white carbs - except for ONE day when I ate a (normal-sized) sandwich and drank 1 alcoholic beverage - is not fat gain? I know I didn't eat an extra 7,000 calories. It's not the right time of the month for me to be having a PMS gain. Feeling very disheartened. I was SO hungry all week and on ONE day I ate to satisfaction (not even fullness, really), and that was enough to undo the past month where I struggled to get those 2 pounds off? :(

Candace

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #402 on: January 29, 2018, 09:01:31 AM »
January 14th: 153
January 26th: 150
January 29th: 149

Goal: 138

Good progress so far. I'm happy that I'm finally back below 150, though I never should have been above there in the first place. Yesterday DH and I went out to breakfast, which we enjoy doing on the weekends. We have separate finances and I can't get him to give up the idea of going out. He pays, so I've made my peace with that. We went to First Watch, which helpfully (?) has their meal calorie counts on the menu. After blanching at the high calorie counts in the "healthy" meal options, I ordered a custom egg scramble with spinach and tomatoes while DH chowed down on his 1,100 calorie waffle. With syrup, his waffle was surely more like 1,300 calories -- almost my entire day's worth.

Tris Prior, I'm sorry to hear about your frustration. I've definitely been there. You do everything right and the scale goes in the wrong direction or doesn't move. Perhaps a few hundred extra calories combined with a long walk or other exercise session would jog your metabolism? If you're restricting calories TOO much, your body may hold onto its fat because it thinks it's starving. Or, just persevere because you KNOW you're doing what you're supposed to do, and have faith that the scale will follow suit. You can easily gain two pounds of water weight if you eat something high in salt or if you're just retaining water for another reason, even besides PMS. I know when something like that happens, it seems like nothing you can do will help. But if you're eating healthy food and not too much, and not literally starving yourself, you should lose weight.

Maybe use a running average of your weight to smooth out the bumps? That can make the numbers work out better if you tend to retain water sometimes. Best of everything going forward.

ETA: I love how a "healthy" meal can have coconut milk listed as the first ingredient. Holy calories, Batman. Real coconut milk from a coconut might be healthy, but the stuff you get in cans is quite heavy.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2018, 09:06:10 AM by Candace »

G-dog

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #403 on: January 29, 2018, 09:07:38 AM »
The numbers:

11/30/17:  Starting weight
12/27/17: -8.80 lb

1/28/18: -11.6 lb

Hit burn out on tracking everything. I'll go back to it, as it helps me be mindful or portions, etc. but a break from it is OK too.  As I noted earlier - I'm trying to establish healthier habits for long-term benefits, not just a temporary diet change.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #404 on: January 29, 2018, 09:14:11 AM »
Tris Prior:  I don't think you can take one weigh in as a for sure thing.  My weight jumps all over the place at the moment.  I try to get on the scale at exactly the same time every day wearing exactly the same amount of clothing (birthday suit).  I will weigh two pounds more showered, dressed post breakfast and even more with some hormonal fluctuations.  It is the longer term game.  It took me 12 years to put all this weight on so I am going to give myself at least that to take it off.
So yes, please calm down.  You are developing better eating habits and over time you will get to your destination. 

G-dog

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #405 on: January 29, 2018, 09:30:09 AM »
Tris Prior:  I don't think you can take one weigh in as a for sure thing.  My weight jumps all over the place at the moment.  I try to get on the scale at exactly the same time every day wearing exactly the same amount of clothing (birthday suit).  I will weigh two pounds more showered, dressed post breakfast and even more with some hormonal fluctuations.  It is the longer term game.  It took me 12 years to put all this weight on so I am going to give myself at least that to take it off.
So yes, please calm down.  You are developing better eating habits and over time you will get to your destination.

Exactly.

Your body isn't the Internet - you can't expect immediate results.  The fluctuations are frustrating, but so normal.

LifeHappens

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #406 on: January 29, 2018, 09:37:35 AM »
My weight can vary 3 or 4 pounds from day to day for no apparent reason. That's why some people use rolling averages.

This week featured a 4 day getaway with many, many adult beverages. Fortunately, there was also a lot of walking and a bike ride with a killer headwind. I brought my exercise bands and used them to workout by the hotel pool. Plenty of activity.

I've realized a logistical issue with the "no cheese" rule. I'm vegetarian, so if I'm not eating cheese that effectively makes me vegan at many restaurants. Lots of restaurants might have nothing I eat, aside from a small salad. Three times this past week, I ordered a meal with cheese just so I could eat something substantial.

I'm fasting until dinner today. It's time to start implementing that tool.

Edited for typo
« Last Edit: January 29, 2018, 11:32:51 AM by LifeHappens »

StarBright

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #407 on: January 29, 2018, 10:51:35 AM »
Weekly Weigh in:

December 30: 145
January 5:      144
January 12:    143.4
January 19:    143.8
January 26:    143.2

Mid Week weigh in here: 141.8

I don't know if it will last until Friday for my usual weigh in (I have a very hard time getting below 143) so I wanted to post it for posterity :)


I agree with Squashing Debt that the loveliest thing about the old thread was the general supportiveness of it. We'll all use different methods and have different successes but the most important part of the thread is that we are cheering each other on!

MrsDinero

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #408 on: January 29, 2018, 11:26:08 AM »
Tris Prior:  I don't think you can take one weigh in as a for sure thing.  My weight jumps all over the place at the moment.  I try to get on the scale at exactly the same time every day wearing exactly the same amount of clothing (birthday suit).  I will weigh two pounds more showered, dressed post breakfast and even more with some hormonal fluctuations.  It is the longer term game.  It took me 12 years to put all this weight on so I am going to give myself at least that to take it off.
So yes, please calm down.  You are developing better eating habits and over time you will get to your destination.

Exactly.

Your body isn't the Internet - you can't expect immediate results.  The fluctuations are frustrating, but so normal.

"Your body isn't the Internet - you can't expect immediate results. "

this is great and I'm stealing it!

So true.  I'm honestly not a fan of weekly weigh-in, I prefer monthly weight and tape measurements.  While weekly weight loss can be motivating,  the ups would mess with my head.  Monthly check-ins are far more, to me, indicative of actual progress.   

Very much like finances and investing.  Ups and Downs will happen, all that matters is the overall progress towards your goal.

galliver

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #409 on: January 29, 2018, 01:34:51 PM »
Jan 29: 184.5 today, after hovering in the 182.5-183.5 range the past week (so hopefully a bit of a fluke?)

Wasn't a great week weight loss/tracking wise; I do know that's how it goes.
-A best friend from far away unexpectedly visited mid-week on a work trip, so we got some burgers and drinks
-Felt sick to my stomach the next evening, not sure if infection, food poisoning, or stress. It was aggravated by movement so I stayed home Fri and ate simple carbs when hungry to avoid hunger-nausea (it's a thing).
-Felt better by evening/the next day but a different bff came to town; went out for Indian with them.
-Yesterday just ended up in a mental funk/low energy/"the blahs". Bf and his friend made homemade pesto (with pasta and veg) for dinner so we all just shared that and I didn't feel like being difficult

Gotta get back to tracking mostly because it keeps me honest! And encourages me to make more veggie-licious meals. :)

Jan 21: 183.2
Jan 15: 182.0
Jan   8: 186.9

Pooperman

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #410 on: January 29, 2018, 01:37:29 PM »
Height: 71"

Weight history prior to this:
06/2008: ~175lb
11/2008: ~160lb (thanks, mono)
12/2009: ~195lb (stress eating + college food. yay)
12/2011: ~210lb (college graduation)
12/2016: ~230lb (my peak)
12/2017: 209lb

1/8/2018: 207lb
1/12/2018: 206lb
1/28/2018: 204.6lb

G-dog

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #411 on: January 29, 2018, 01:45:15 PM »
Ok - I feel like there’s some misinformation getting posted here.  This thread is meant to be supportive, and these kind of statements may hurt and/or drive some folks away.

I don’t understand how “loveyourbody” can be unhealthy, and I disagree that obesity cannot be supported by a healthy lifestyle.  I’m not going to go look up supporting documents now (though that seems to be an SOP on the forum in general). 

These but feel like very judgemental statements to me, even if that’s not what was intended. I think there is plenty of hate and judgement out in society, especially directed to how women look (and men are judged too).

I did not mean to offend with stating that obesity could not be supported by a healthy lifestyle. I should have said that *my* obesity could not be supported by a healthy lifestyle.

*My* obesity was the result of living poorly. I could not maintain it going back to a healthy lifestyle.

The whole point of my post was to encourage self respect and say that body positivity can be very healthy, but you are right that I should be careful writing about my own particular health situation in general terms.

I'm glad you are on track for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

It's easy to type things into the little box and then learn that the tone was not what you intended.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #412 on: January 29, 2018, 02:03:18 PM »
Thanks for the reality check. I wish I had started tape-measuring when I first started dieting in October. Alas, I did not. I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle. I do notice that my waist, stomach, and boobs got smaller, based on clothing fit. Those were NOT the areas where I needed it to come off; all my body fat is in my thighs and I do not see a difference there at all. This may be genetics, I suspect. :(

Anyone want to commiserate about weight coming off boobs when that was the one part of your body you actually liked and didn't want to be smaller? :/

galliver

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #413 on: January 29, 2018, 02:22:11 PM »
Thanks for the reality check. I wish I had started tape-measuring when I first started dieting in October. Alas, I did not. I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle. I do notice that my waist, stomach, and boobs got smaller, based on clothing fit. Those were NOT the areas where I needed it to come off; all my body fat is in my thighs and I do not see a difference there at all. This may be genetics, I suspect. :(

Anyone want to commiserate about weight coming off boobs when that was the one part of your body you actually liked and didn't want to be smaller? :/

Take this with all the weight of a stranger's word on the internet, but I've read that thigh fat is quite different than stomach/organ fat, and as a result not bad to have on you as a woman. For one thing, thighs/butt are where women's bodies store DHA and Omega3's to build baby brains. Of course, baby brains might not be in your life plan, and there's no way to tell your body that :/ But if it worries you from a health standpoint, perhaps you don't need to sweat it? Just grow muscles :)

LifeHappens

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #414 on: January 29, 2018, 02:52:04 PM »
I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle.
A hard workout can result in extra water retention. Your muscle cells need it for repair, which results in stronger muscles.

Candace

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #415 on: January 29, 2018, 02:57:17 PM »
I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle.
Whenever I start doing more strength training or anything that makes me really sore (i.e. that builds more muscle) I almost always gain weight right away. Pretty annoying, but I try to remember that I should be losing fat and gaining muscle in that case. And feeling strong makes me feel good. I hope it does you too.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #416 on: January 29, 2018, 04:41:33 PM »

Anyone want to commiserate about weight coming off boobs when that was the one part of your body you actually liked and didn't want to be smaller? :/

I hear you.  And bras are not cheap.  And wearing that bra with two sizes too big cups looks really weird.  I have to say that the back and neck do feel better.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #417 on: January 29, 2018, 05:06:48 PM »
I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle.
Whenever I start doing more strength training or anything that makes me really sore (i.e. that builds more muscle) I almost always gain weight right away. Pretty annoying, but I try to remember that I should be losing fat and gaining muscle in that case. And feeling strong makes me feel good. I hope it does you too.

Interesting - I recently started using a pullup bar which left me Sore As F***, like I haven't been since I first started working out. OK, so, that makes sense that weight gain would follow that.

(still can't quite use my arms properly.....)

SquashingDebt

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #418 on: January 29, 2018, 05:13:22 PM »

Anyone want to commiserate about weight coming off boobs when that was the one part of your body you actually liked and didn't want to be smaller? :/

I hear you.  And bras are not cheap.  And wearing that bra with two sizes too big cups looks really weird.  I have to say that the back and neck do feel better.

So far in my life I have had the opposite problem... my chest gets bigger every time I gain weight, but I don't think it's ever gotten smaller when I've lost weight.  I don't recall ever having a bra that was too big - they always get too small.  If I'm successful on this weight loss journey, it'll be interesting to see if they ever do get smaller (which would be ok in my case, to stay proportional and maybe be able to do things like run and jump and wear button-down shirts)... I'll report back ;)

SlowlyButSurely

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #419 on: January 29, 2018, 09:43:22 PM »
Five weeks in and I've hit a plateau. I'm disappointed, but not surprised. I had expected it to be a lot harder than it was to get as far as I have, so I'm not going to complain.

12/26/2017 - 192.1 lbs
01/01/2018 - 190.6 lbs (14% goal 1, 5% stretch goal)
01/08/2018 - 189.2 lbs (28% goal 1, 11% stretch goal)
01/15/2018 - 184.3 lbs (77% goal 1, 31% stretch goal)
01/22/2018 - 182.1 lbs (99% goal 1, 71% goal 1.5, 40% stretch goal)
01/29/2018 - 181.5 lbs (105% goal 1, 75% goal 1.5, 42% stretch goal)

I've realized a logistical issue with the "no cheese" rule. I'm vegetarian, so if I'm not eating cheese that effectively makes me vegan at many restaurants. Lots of restaurants might have nothing I eat, aside from a small salad. Three times this past week, I ordered a meal with cheese just so I could eat something substantial.

Right there with you. I'm usually vegetarian but trying to do vegan January, which is totally fine at home, but restaurants are tough, especially when I'm travelling for work or eating at a catered event. I ended up cheating a couple times in the past week just because of the logistics. I'm sure there are more options out there than I'm aware of. I just haven't learned how to assess restaurants for vegan options the way I do for vegetarian options. It's a skill that takes more than a month to build.

I also cheated on my no wine resolution on my work trip. That part was about being frazzled and tired and out of my routine, wanting a treat for not sleeping in my own bed. I think I need to work on both habit change and self-care on the road.

I'm actually home all this week (!), so I'm going to do what I can to make progress. I'm going to stick with my plan (except maybe with pizza on Saturday when vegan January is over), and shoot for two 24 hour fasts. On the whole, I've done pretty well with exercise when I'm at home, so I'm going to keep that up. And I did a meditation class last weekend that has me pumped up about starting a daily practice. My hope is that sitting once or twice a day will make me feel more grounded, and help me be more mindful when it comes to making food choices.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #420 on: January 30, 2018, 03:42:20 AM »
I'm doing a weigh-in on a Tuesday night instead of my 'usual' Sunday night, as I had a weekend of 'cheat' food and plenty of alcohol so I decided to wait for things to calm down a bit :)

Starting weight: 120.7kg
Last week's weight: 118.7kg
Current weight: 118.2kg

I've fluctuated from about 117 to 120 (the day after a big night on the beers). Today and yesterday I've been a little bit better.

Two and a half kilos in three and a half weeks isn't all that bad, really :)

asiljoy

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #421 on: January 30, 2018, 06:25:11 AM »
Thanks for the reality check. I wish I had started tape-measuring when I first started dieting in October. Alas, I did not. I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle. I do notice that my waist, stomach, and boobs got smaller, based on clothing fit. Those were NOT the areas where I needed it to come off; all my body fat is in my thighs and I do not see a difference there at all. This may be genetics, I suspect. :(

Anyone want to commiserate about weight coming off boobs when that was the one part of your body you actually liked and didn't want to be smaller? :/

Ha! I can join on you on the thighs thing. When I'm in good shape/the weight that's healthy for me my jeans just gape at the waistband while staying fitted through the thighs; basically means I'm besties with my tailor.

chaskavitch

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #422 on: January 30, 2018, 07:01:43 AM »
Thanks for the reality check. I wish I had started tape-measuring when I first started dieting in October. Alas, I did not. I'm also doing strength training and was warned that I might see gains due to building muscle. I do notice that my waist, stomach, and boobs got smaller, based on clothing fit. Those were NOT the areas where I needed it to come off; all my body fat is in my thighs and I do not see a difference there at all. This may be genetics, I suspect. :(

Anyone want to commiserate about weight coming off boobs when that was the one part of your body you actually liked and didn't want to be smaller? :/

Ha! I can join on you on the thighs thing. When I'm in good shape/the weight that's healthy for me my jeans just gape at the waistband while staying fitted through the thighs; basically means I'm besties with my tailor.

Haha.  My sister bodybuilds and powerlifts, and I'm pretty sure she's worn nothing but leggings for the past 3 years.  She can't find jeans with thighs that fit that will also stay up without a ridiculous amount of gathering at the waist. 

As a family, we're definitely built to gain wait in the thighs, so I have a similar problem, but it's not because of my giant quads, unfortunately.

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #423 on: January 30, 2018, 08:15:21 AM »

I've realized a logistical issue with the "no cheese" rule. I'm vegetarian, so if I'm not eating cheese that effectively makes me vegan at many restaurants. Lots of restaurants might have nothing I eat, aside from a small salad. Three times this past week, I ordered a meal with cheese just so I could eat something substantial.


You're in FL, right? I had a hard time finding vegetarian food in FL that wasn't loaded with cheese. If I even found anything at all?  Come to Chicago, we've got amazing vegan restaurants! (I'm not vegan but eat that way often.)

firelight

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #424 on: January 30, 2018, 10:04:36 AM »
I'd love to join too. I have baby fat to get rid of now that baby is five months old. I'm down 32 pounds from my highest of this year but that includes an 8 lb baby too, haha. I still need to lose 18 lbs for pre pregnancy weight and another 12 for my marriage wedding and another 14 for my ideal weight. I joined in 2017 and found we got pregnant. Hope to finish 2018 at my ideal weight. First goal is to get to pre pregnancy weight by end of March. Second goal is to hit wedding weight by June and to hit lowest weight by end of year (the hardest stretch which I hope to attack with established habits). Let's bring it on!


Like the idea of goals - here are our goals for Jan:
1) 5000 steps per day
2) 6 stairs per day
3) one meal of veggies and fruits only per day
Updating after two days:

I've lost two pounds - I'm sure it's more water weight than actual one but I'll take it :) I've cut out all carbs except for a tiny portion. Surprisingly it's not been that hard to switch. I've also noticed that I eat more sweets now (and ate some ice cream and sweets for new year). I usually hate sweets but developed a liking for them during my second pregnancy and am still holding on to it six months later. Time to kick the habit back to curb. My routine is crazy and I don't have much leeway into building in exercises. The only exercise I get is carrying a 17 lb baby. Has anyone lost weight only with diet changes? How important is exercise in a weight loss journey?
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll concentrate on food changes till I can add more exercise in. I especially loved the suggestion to incorporate exercise into play and surprisingly my baby is loving it! I'm now trying to find more ways to add in fun exercise into daily routine.

My weight is down 3 lbs (mostly water weight because low carbs). I don't track my food but try to eat healthy (less carbs, more veggies and fruits) but looking at some of your meals, I think I just eat a lot. I've gotten used to eating more when pregnant (yep, fell for the eating for two advice.... not that I needed lot of encouragement)  and my stomach expects more food. Need to slowly dial down the amount to a normal person's portions.

Does anyone forget you are trying to lose weight? I completely forgot and ate a few cookies. Later when I was checking how I did at end of day, I realized I ate those cookies :( how do I remember all the time?
I'm still losing weight daily (goes to show how much crap I was eating before) but it has slowed down. My eating is still not good enough (I eat a serving of carbs at every course (and a bit more at lunch) and I eat ice cream or sweets because it is at home). My nemesis is sweets and ice cream. I can't resist it when it is at home and I can't stop others at home buying it. To add to the problem, I forget I'm on a diet and eat them. I'm considering figuring what I should eat all day and not eat anything not on that list. Will give it a try for a few days to see if I can continue losing weight.
Still on the losing trend. I was expecting it to stop since my activity level hasn't increased much and my eating is still not perfect. I don't count calories or have a chance to weigh  food since I don't cook or shop (visiting in-laws for a few months). I'm trying to eat healthier (less carbs, more fruits vegetables and protein - egg, fish, chicken) and reduce sweets (take smaller portions, being selective in what I eat). My culture (Indian) shows love through food, especially sweets. So every visit (even when visiting parents every day) leads to more sweets and hurt egos if we don't eat the sweets. So far portion control has been the key. I can't believe how much crap I've been eating before for the weight to come off so easily now that I'm eating healthier.

This thread is so motivating and reminds me to make healthier choices with food. I find that I eat healthy when I remember and this thread is helping me remember. Thanks everyone!
Ok now the weight loss has stopped. Time to really get into cutting calories or burning them through exercise. I don't have an easy way to estimate calories or do exercise which makes it tricky. I'm planning to drink at least a glass of water before every meal and snack (and ideally before anytime food passes through my lips). I think I eat more than I think I'm eating. The first eight pounds came off easy. Now the real struggle starts. I still need to cut 12 pounds to reach my first goal (highest pre pregnancy weight) and 18 pounds to reach my second goal (my normal BMI weight). Hoping the water trick helps.

Please suggest other tricks that have helped in reducing food portions (basically tricking myself to eat less and eat healthier) or exercising more (moving more). I currently walk 7k steps a day and do 5-10 stairs.
Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I especially love the eating fruits instead of sweets and using  shape wear ideas. I've also started concentrating on adding more protein to my diet (changed macros). My weight is still at standstill but it's at least not going up any more. I had one day (DH bday) where I had some cake but otherwise I'm starting to not be super tempted by sweets. I'm liking the progress even though the scales don't show it.... yet.

I'm also experimenting with eating only upto 80% of my stomach's capacity. Due to pregnancy eating, I fear my stomach has increased in size and I now need more food to feel satiated. I need to eat less to reduce it back to normal size. Will report back soon on its effects.

Thanks for the exercise tips. I'm an absolute beginner when it comes to exercise. So I'm starting with the walking videos and hope to increase from there.

Weight - still at 8 lbs loss from New year, no gains, no loss from last time.

Any app recommendations to log weight and get trending weight for a period?

I've started eating more frequently (breakfast, 11, 1, 4, 6 and 8) but lesser portions. This has helped me keep hunger at bay while tricking my stomach into eating less at every meal (and not worry too much if I don't eat to max since I know the next meal is just two hours away). I hope this reduces my stomach size and bring it back to normal (from pregnancy size). I'm also drinking more water than before.

Exercise is still not happening yet :( got a jump rope to see if I can make myself use it.

Managed to knock out three more pounds after hitting a plateau for a week or so in between. That brings up tally to 11 pounds lost since new year. Hope this is the start of a new losing streak.
Checking in here. Still at the 11 pound loss, inching towards 12 pounds. I think I've finally found a way to figure out how much food is right for my stomach. I've been experimenting with food portions and frequent small meals with each time being less than my palm keeps me sated while not overloading my stomach. I also like the feeling I get when I don't stuff myself. Now to remember it for all the hard times (party, buffet, mom-cooked delicious dishes). A pound more to my first half goal. So close!
Welcome everyone! Especially new moms :) I'm one too and my goal is to lose pregnancy weight and get to a healthy weight now that baby is seven months and starting on solids. I still breastfeed exclusively but no longer have the pressure to be the sole food provider.

Weight still in the decline. Down 13 pounds from Jan 1 and I've reached my first goal. Now to stay here and lose more to reach my second goal of prepregnancy weight which is 6 pounds lesser. My eating has slacked a bit this week and I've been eating cakes and sweets more than I like (to celebrate my first goal). Need to get back to careful monitoring. I guess my weight loss rate would reduce a lot once I reach my prepregnancy weight since that is my usual weight range. But I want to lose another 15 pounds from there to get to my comfortable weight. I've always been lackadaisical about weight loss once I reach a healthy BMI but this time I'm going to try and lose those last 15 (those are my freshman 15 and have been around 12 years now).

I've also started doing mini exercises after trying to do dedicated half an hour to an hour of exercise and failing miserably. So far it's going good. Will report back next week if I can sustain it.
Holding steady at 13 pound decline. Not sure if it is a new plateau but I'm chalking it up to bad sleep due to baby being sick. As a result, I'm craving simple sugars to keep my energy going. That doesn't help in weight loss either. I've also taken to eating some almonds or cashewnuts when I wake in the middle of the night or as snacks which my body is not too happy about. Need to cut those extra calories and see if I can drink more water since my water drinking rate is abysmal.

The mini exercises are sticking! I have a goal to hit 5k steps before lunch and 8k by 8 pm and hopefully 10k by end of night. I do power walks to hit these goals. They won't strengthen muscles but my Fitbit shows my heartbeat rising enough to be classified as fat burn or cardio. I now need to find some strengthening exercises and work them in as mini exercises. Would love to hear if anyone does mini strength training exercises and what your experience has been.

LifeHappens

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #425 on: January 30, 2018, 11:08:40 AM »

I've realized a logistical issue with the "no cheese" rule. I'm vegetarian, so if I'm not eating cheese that effectively makes me vegan at many restaurants. Lots of restaurants might have nothing I eat, aside from a small salad. Three times this past week, I ordered a meal with cheese just so I could eat something substantial.


You're in FL, right? I had a hard time finding vegetarian food in FL that wasn't loaded with cheese. If I even found anything at all?  Come to Chicago, we've got amazing vegan restaurants! (I'm not vegan but eat that way often.)
I am in FL. The culture hasn't quite caught up. Also, I don't know about dragging my DH to a vegan restaurant ;)

galliver

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #426 on: January 30, 2018, 11:59:50 AM »


I am in FL. The culture hasn't quite caught up. Also, I don't know about dragging my DH to a vegan restaurant ;)

As an avowed carnivore...vegan restaurants made me consider vegan food in a different light. He should go with you and try it. Why should you always make the concession of eating someplace with limited or no options of the food you prefer to eat.

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #427 on: January 30, 2018, 12:22:24 PM »


I am in FL. The culture hasn't quite caught up. Also, I don't know about dragging my DH to a vegan restaurant ;)

As an avowed carnivore...vegan restaurants made me consider vegan food in a different light. He should go with you and try it. Why should you always make the concession of eating someplace with limited or no options of the food you prefer to eat.

Boyfriend is the same way. He's tried vegan restaurants with me and was completely grossed out every time. He wants meat at every meal - which used to really piss me off, but as he needs to lose around 50 lbs and now paleo/keto is a thing, I'm in favor of him eating it as it keeps him full and isn't loaded with white carbs.

I mean, to be fair, I find some vegan restaurant food gross!

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #428 on: January 30, 2018, 01:07:01 PM »
Dammit, I'm in!  I need some accountability.  I'm 5'7" and 178 as of this morning.  I'd been obese since childhood and several years ago I topped out at 220, but then I got serious and got down to 155.  It was honestly the most difficult thing I have done in my life.  Stabilized around 160 for a couple years, but over the last 3 years it's been gradually creeping up.  Time to get serious again.  My realistic goal is 160 and my "I'd love to get there some day, but I don't know if I really ever will" goal is 140ish.  My enemies are emotional eating, carbs, and laziness. My friends are vegetables, fish, hiking, and reggaeton.

« Last Edit: January 30, 2018, 01:10:30 PM by neophyte »

LifeHappens

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #429 on: January 30, 2018, 01:47:51 PM »
This is an interesting podcast on the history of dieting. Trigger warning: there is some pretty extreme and messed up behavior explored in a historical context. The Ancient Origins of Dieting

galliver

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #430 on: January 30, 2018, 02:34:18 PM »


I am in FL. The culture hasn't quite caught up. Also, I don't know about dragging my DH to a vegan restaurant ;)

As an avowed carnivore...vegan restaurants made me consider vegan food in a different light. He should go with you and try it. Why should you always make the concession of eating someplace with limited or no options of the food you prefer to eat.

Boyfriend is the same way. He's tried vegan restaurants with me and was completely grossed out every time. He wants meat at every meal - which used to really piss me off, but as he needs to lose around 50 lbs and now paleo/keto is a thing, I'm in favor of him eating it as it keeps him full and isn't loaded with white carbs.

I mean, to be fair, I find some vegan restaurant food gross!

I actually meant that in spite of no intentions doing a vegan diet exclusively, I find vegan-restaurant food quite tasty (at least the two we have nearby do a wonderful job). One does not have to be a vegan to enjoy it as a cuisine and possibly learn tricks from it.  It *does* help to enjoy flavors besides "steak and potatoes" (and I guess cheese) though. 

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #431 on: January 30, 2018, 02:45:39 PM »
Ah, sorry, quote nesting fail, I meant Boyfriend was like LifeHappens' DH who will not step food in a vegan restaurant, not like you as you sound far more adventurous and open minded than him. He's a picky eater. Has come a LONG way since he's been with me (i.e., he now will eat at least some vegetables now and then). But it does limit where we can eat out. To be fair, my vegetarianism also does that, to an extent, though less so in a big liberal city.

LifeHappens

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #432 on: January 30, 2018, 02:53:18 PM »
Ah, sorry, quote nesting fail, I meant Boyfriend was like LifeHappens' DH who will not step food in a vegan restaurant, not like you as you sound far more adventurous and open minded than him. He's a picky eater. Has come a LONG way since he's been with me (i.e., he now will eat at least some vegetables now and then). But it does limit where we can eat out. To be fair, my vegetarianism also does that, to an extent, though less so in a big liberal city.
Yeah, it's tricky navigating different diet preferences in one house. And the "not dragging my DH to a vegan restaurant" is MY thing. He doesn't cook much, and I don't cook meat, so at home he is effectively vegetarian. When we go out, I feel like he deserves a chance to be a little carnivorous. I always tell him, "I won't cook you a meatloaf, but I'll take you to a diner so you can order one." :)

Tris Prior

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #433 on: January 30, 2018, 03:00:20 PM »
Fair enough! The rule in our house is: He can have meat, but he must cook it and clean it up himself and not leave meat byproducts all over the kitchen. And pick it out from the store himself as I became veg at 19 before I was on my own and thus have no experience selecting quality meat from a store (it all looks like it's gone off to me, honestly.)

Also, nothing comes into the house alive (i.e., lobster). Also, nothing with a head still on it, please (this rule was made after an incident with my ex-husband involving a whole fish that was LOOKING at me). This all seems reasonable to both of us. :) He was a bachelor for many years so is fairly competent, if not terribly adventurous, at cooking.

Dulcimina

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #434 on: January 30, 2018, 03:00:58 PM »
Check in:
Weight:
Jan 1 2018:    153.4 lb
Jan 8 2018:    150.7 lb
Jan 15, 2018: 147.6 lb
Jan 22, 2018:  146.3

Between the 15th and the 22nd, weight fluctuated a lot, going as high as 148.1 and as low as 145.

Food:
Still low carb, but not ketogenic, until I finish off some fruit and butternut squash. I did another 36 hour fast.  It wasn't as weird as the first. I'm tempted to add more days a week, but I'm holding off for now so I don't burn out.

Exercise:
Met most of my fitness goals: 4 long walks, 2 strength training (gym was closed one day for the holiday), 1 yoga. I still haven't found a "fun" activity yet to replace swing dancing.

Jan 29: 148.7
I messed up this weekend. I planned to fast on Friday, but my dad made me muffins and guava jelly! So I had those, then had rice and beans as a side to my chicken.  On Saturday, I made chickpea blondies to use up the last of my honey, and finished off the rice and beans. On Sunday, I managed to rein in the carbs, but was still having lowish carb treats which I finished yesterday.  My weight peaked over 150 lb on Sunday, but  dropped by down to the 140s by Monday.   Plus some of the health issues that plague me on HC eating came back. So just a reminder that I can't handle high levels of carbs without sabotaging myself.

SquashingDebt

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #435 on: January 30, 2018, 04:29:52 PM »
Small victory: I just put on a pair of underwear that has been borderline too-small for quite awhile.  A few minutes later, I realized that they're fitting better than usual!  (This is the first time since starting my weight loss that I've noticed clothing fitting differently!)

Sassociate

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #436 on: January 31, 2018, 01:15:38 AM »
I did not mean to offend with stating that obesity could not be supported by a healthy lifestyle. I should have said that *my* obesity could not be supported by a healthy lifestyle.

*My* obesity was the result of living poorly. I could not maintain it going back to a healthy lifestyle.

The whole point of my post was to encourage self respect and say that body positivity can be very healthy, but you are right that I should be careful writing about my own particular health situation in general terms.

I got what you were saying, and have found some of the same to be true for me - when I appreciate my body, I treat it better (eating when I'm hungry, actually picking up satiety cues, doing fun, easygoing activities often instead of punishing workouts I hate once in a blue moon) and do so much more effortlessly.

Small victory: I just put on a pair of underwear that has been borderline too-small for quite awhile.  A few minutes later, I realized that they're fitting better than usual!  (This is the first time since starting my weight loss that I've noticed clothing fitting differently!)

Nice! I'm all about the small victories, makes it so much easier to keep making better choices!

I'm legit considering signing up for a 5:30 am crossfit class.  I usually get to work at 6, so I'd be about 40 minutes late, but that can be adjusted for by taking a short lunch.  I might be completely insane, but otherwise I end up pushing it later and later in the day, and half the time I end up not going.

Got it, so what you're saying is you're insane?? Nah, just kidding, if you can make early morning workouts work for you, more power to you! I used to work out before classes when I was a student, and you're right that it's easer not to come up with excuses for missing morning workouts, but I personally don't know if I could do something as intense as crossfit that early in the morning. Did you end up going to a 5.30 am class? How did you like it?

My Wednesday update:

Starting weight (24 Jan): 145
Current weight (31 Jan): 143

I've had a pretty decent first week! My main focus for January and February is on cutting back on sugary treats and getting in some daily activity, and I'm happy to report I've been doing pretty well on both counts! I've gotten at least 30 min of activity in every day except Saturday when the weather was especially foul and I just couldn't face going out. And as far as sugar, I had some home made cookies on Saturday and a can of San Pelegrino Aranciata yesterday, and that's it! Compared to the mountain of sugar I had the week before, I'm really really happy with that. I'm especially proud that I didn't go nuts yesterday. I was having the most intense cravings and had already had the can of soda, so it already wasn't a zero sugar day, and it would have been soooo easy to just say fuck it and have some chocolate, but instead I went for a walk and then ate some yoghurt and the craving passed!

Morning Glory

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #437 on: January 31, 2018, 01:59:08 AM »
Well, today is my first day back at work and I am 1.2 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight, so mini-goal crushed. I have lost over 11lbs in the last 10 weeks. I am still 5.8 lbs above the weight I would like to be. New challenges ahead as I won't be able to get in as many workouts per week.

Hirondelle

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #438 on: January 31, 2018, 06:11:51 AM »
Well, today is my first day back at work and I am 1.2 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight, so mini-goal crushed. I have lost over 11lbs in the last 10 weeks. I am still 5.8 lbs above the weight I would like to be. New challenges ahead as I won't be able to get in as many workouts per week.

Congrats on that achievement! Getting below your pre-pregnancy weight is awesome. And 11 lbs in 10 weeks is also a great pace. The last few lbs' will be the hardest, but you'll get there :)

MrsDinero

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #439 on: January 31, 2018, 07:33:04 AM »
Today is Day30 of my Whole30 Challenge.  I have to say the last week or so was rough on me.  It was hard to keep my mind on Whole30 when all I wanted was a bowl of oatmeal!  Still I pushed through.  So glad I did! 

I like to set up challenges for myself so the next 30 days will be to exercise every day.  It doesn't matter what, I'm just going to do some sort of physical activity every day. 

Food wise, I'm going to practice "Food Freedom" which for me is probably Whole30/Paleo with breaks if I feel like it.  Basically I'm not going to self-flagellate if I eat some chickpeas or have some wine.

Now for the stats!!!

4/27/17 (End of my first Whole30 Round)
Weight: 144 lbs
Arms: 11"
Waist: 33.9
Hips: 39.6
Thighs: 21.9
BMI: 28

1/2/2018 (Day 1 Whole30 Round 2)
Weight: 142.4 lbs
Neck: 13.5"
Arms: 10.5"
Waist: 34.5
Hips: 39.5"
Thighs: 21"
BMI: 28

1/31/2018 (Day 30 Whole30 Round 2)
Weight: 133.4
Neck: 13"
Arms: 10"
Waist: 32"  <--I measured this 4 times because I could not believe it.  I even pushed out my stomach.
Hips:  37.5
Thighs: 20.5
BMI 26


All total I lost 9 lbs and 6" total in 30 days. I'm honestly floored by this.  I feel amazing and I wasn't hungry at all.  I ate large meals to get me through to the next one.  I did snack a few times, but really tried to keep that in check. 

 I will say that on week 3 a stomach bug hit our house, while I wasn't throwing up, my stomach was very sour for days.  I couldn't eat food for at least 24 hours without feeling like I was going to be sick.  I drank a lot of chicken stock, but for about 3 days I wasn't eating 3 full meals a day.  Day 4 after the bug hit, I was ravenous and ate until content.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 08:54:21 AM by MrsDinero »

rab-bit

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #440 on: January 31, 2018, 03:34:23 PM »
Time for my monthly weigh-in:

11/26/2017     253.4
12/31/2017     242.6
01/31/2018     234.8

So 18.6 pounds in 2 months! I'm into a pretty good eating routine now, so sticking to my 2000 calorie per day limit seems to be getting easier, and I'm on track to blow through even my stretch goal of 200 by the end of the year. New long term goal is 175 (but no timetable for that yet) which would bring my BMI to 25 (top end of the normal range).
« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 03:36:20 PM by rab »

frugalkristen

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #441 on: January 31, 2018, 04:47:10 PM »
I wanted to lose 10 pounds in the month of January.  I put on weight in the last 3-4 years and I needed to do something about it.  I'm a 48 yr old female, 5'6" and started at 129 (I was 133 the day after Christmas - ugh).  Tried to count calories but found myself hungry all the time and I couldn't stick to it.   Decided to try a low carb diet due to some people posting here - which I've never tried before.  In 10 days, I'm down to 123.   My clothes fit better, my stomach is flatter and I feel better!  There has already been a big change.  I am not hungry all the time and the weight is coming off.  I'd like to get down to 118 - which I haven't been for years.  Everyone on this thread have been so helpful to stay motivated!!!

SquashingDebt

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #442 on: January 31, 2018, 08:21:10 PM »
I need help!  My food tracker website that I've been using on and off for 6 years, have all my recipes programmed into, etc. is now being shut down by the UDSA (who hosted it).

So, now I need to find a new one to migrate to.  I don't want this to derail what has become a good tracking habit.

It seems like most people who track their food/count calories on here use MyFitnessPal.  Is that because it's the best?  Have people tried other apps, or does anyone use other apps?


Frugal Lizard

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #443 on: January 31, 2018, 08:47:24 PM »


It seems like most people who track their food/count calories on here use MyFitnessPal.  Is that because it's the best?  Have people tried other apps, or does anyone use other apps?
I just couldn't get into using it.  It was just too much work for me and I am not actually counting calories so it was overkill.  I find just writing down every thing I eat in my notebook beside the fridge is enough to keep my accountable.
Well except for today.

galliver

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #444 on: January 31, 2018, 09:15:45 PM »
I need help!  My food tracker website that I've been using on and off for 6 years, have all my recipes programmed into, etc. is now being shut down by the UDSA (who hosted it).

So, now I need to find a new one to migrate to.  I don't want this to derail what has become a good tracking habit.

It seems like most people who track their food/count calories on here use MyFitnessPal.  Is that because it's the best?  Have people tried other apps, or does anyone use other apps?
I really like MyNetDiary, especially the phone version. I think it's designed by nutritionists? The biggest sell was I found it the easiest to log improvised recipes (with a food scale) and a huge database of prepared food, too. It has some nutrient tracking features, which I found cool: eating well is about more than calories and macros!

Most of the functionality is free but I paid $40/yr for the critical (to me) feature of editing recipes. Connecting to Fitbit is a perk (but I would have done without it). I consider it well worth out overall for an app I enjoy using, but I definitely used the free one for a while to make sure!

Morning Glory

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #445 on: February 01, 2018, 03:24:40 AM »
I need help!  My food tracker website that I've been using on and off for 6 years, have all my recipes programmed into, etc. is now being shut down by the UDSA (who hosted it).

So, now I need to find a new one to migrate to.  I don't want this to derail what has become a good tracking habit.

It seems like most people who track their food/count calories on here use MyFitnessPal.  Is that because it's the best?  Have people tried other apps, or does anyone use other apps?

I used to use Lose it but they stopped supporting Fitbit integration in the free version, so I switched to MFP. I had tried MFP years ago and hated it but it has improved a lot since then. A long time ago I liked Noom but they have really stripped down their free version.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #446 on: February 01, 2018, 03:52:05 AM »
I'm getting better at improving what is in my meals (I've ditched most of the potato/bread/rice, and eating more vegetables/salad), but I'm still filling the plate and eating largish meals.

Maybe I'll need to address how much is on my plate rather than just the composition of it :)

asiljoy

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #447 on: February 01, 2018, 05:34:08 AM »
I need help!  My food tracker website that I've been using on and off for 6 years, have all my recipes programmed into, etc. is now being shut down by the UDSA (who hosted it).

So, now I need to find a new one to migrate to.  I don't want this to derail what has become a good tracking habit.

It seems like most people who track their food/count calories on here use MyFitnessPal.  Is that because it's the best?  Have people tried other apps, or does anyone use other apps?

I've gone through a bunch. My current is My Diet Pal and Happy Scale.

LifeHappens

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #448 on: February 01, 2018, 08:09:57 AM »
1/1/18 - Weight 146.6, Waist 31 5/8"
2/1/18 - Weight 145.6, Waist 31 9/16"

Notes: It's a start. The "no cheese" rule has been good. I'm going to stick with "minimal cheese" this month - probably no more than 1 meal per week. I've made a good start on weight training, which has been really fun. Other behaviors:
1) Incorporate some cardio. I've fallen off the cardio train pretty hard. I will start by putting my bike on the trainer stand today so I can do some even when it's cold. (I'm a wimp!!) Aiming for 3 morning cardio sessions per week.
2) One fasting day per week.
3) At least one dinner salad per week. We found a great Asian salad mix DH and I both enjoy, which makes it easy.
4) Meal plan for colorful, healthy meals. Lots of veggies and seasonings for flavor. I want to cultivate a feeling of abundance. My crisper drawers will look like this:

galliver

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Re: Losing Weight in 2018
« Reply #449 on: February 01, 2018, 11:03:50 AM »
Random: bf and I remembered a mindblowing fact today that I thought I'd share: most of your weight loss happens through breathing out (because CO2 molecules are heavier than O2). Breathe vigorously!