I have never been part of a forum, so I don't know how to start. Basically, I need help staying on track with my weight loss.
I've always been overweright and have had times where I dropped a ton of weight. This made me happy and satisfied, but as you may know, you just gain it all back once you lose weight so fast. I've hit my heaviest weight of 220 lbs and I've been feeling so down about myself. I get into these spells of, "Yes, I can do this!". I mean I bought a $1500 treadmill that I've used twice. I just need support and tips on how to maintain a positive mindset to push through those moments when I feel like I can't do it. Anything will help.
Ultimately the motivation and positivity has to come from you but it think it comes from having confidence that what we are doing will work. As you've done it before, you have to draw on that to do it again. Hopefully you learnt something from last time and will correct the problems you had then.
From my point of view, it is not a great idea to lose the weight too fast. You can start off fairly fast but you should deliberately slow it down when your weight drops significantly, maybe about 10% less than what you think your normal weight is for the last longish period of time.
This is because - as i have been reading - your body resists losing lots of weight and sabotages your efforts. Even your low mood can be symptomatic of the body fighting back.
if you want to understand more about this theory then you check out my thread using the words famine reaction in the search engine.
Of course like every theory on weightloss and diet, there will be disagreement and you will come across people who disagree with the position i propose. But for all that, i would suggest if it makes any sense to you at all, check it out.
I am finding the book the Don't go Hungry Diet by Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis interesting and useful to me. She draws her ideas from her own research as a molecular biologist, her own experiences as an overweight woman when younger and her long term maintenance as well as from other studies and research around the world. I find her a credible author though i won't follow her route to the letter. I think we all have to tweak things a bit to fit our own preferences, experiences and ideas but i first caught onto this idea about losing weight slowly a few years ago from an in-depth article about why most people fail at weight loss especially long term weight loss.
As to using the forum. Dig around a lot, try things out, have a go. you can ask questions anywhere but if you have a question about your own experience its always best to start a new discussion (thread).
You will probably find the goal threads motivating.
Don't be shy, if you are not sure ask. People here have been through everything already. You will not likely find yourself alone in whatever your issues are.
Another website i have found very useful for learning how to understand the whys and what have your is nutrition wonderland. There are some useful articles which i find credible on how hormones affect weightloss. The one on seratonin discusses issues around mood. But leptin insulin, fibre and others are all very interesting and useful.
Welcome to this site, the successes here are amazing,and there are tons of information on this site that can give you tools to help you along the way.
The way that really helps me, is to set in your brain, or to envision yourself as a thinner person. Kind of like self hypnotism. Also to realize what your trigger points are when you overheat. Which foods are your nemesis, mine is bread. So when I see it, I know to eat very little of it or not at all.
It looks like you know how to lose weight but you gain it back, aka what is referred to as a yo yo diet. I don't like to use the word diet because it signifies something to me that is just temporary. People who diet often lose weight and then gain more back when they get close to their goal weight. They lose weight quickly by eliminating certain foods, possibly a liquid diet or some other new crazy diet that once they start eating normal again, the scale blows up on them.
Long term weight loss is a slower process. It comes from eating normal, but eating less than you normally do. We know that approximately 3300 calories is going to add or subtract a pound out of your weight. Then you have to estimate how many calories you're burning a day. There are charts based on your age, height and physical activity of how much you should weigh and how many calories you should be consuming in a day. It's pretty simple. It's calories in versus calories out.
So find out where you should be and make a plan that is rational to lose weight. If you're able and can exercise, even walking more helps burns more calories. You stated you bought a treadmill, fantastic, put on your favorite TV show, and walk. Start out slow, walking 1 mile 3 times a week (if you haven't exercised before) then gradually go farther and longer and when you feel comfortable move up to 4 times a week. The key here is not to eat more because you're exercising more, which can be tricky at times.
There is no such thing as losing weight without getting hungry. You have to know your planned calorie intake and stick with it. Eventually those hunger pangs will stop as your stomach shrinks. No large servings, no seconds and only low calorie healthy snacks 2 times a day. Remember long term weight loss is not a sprint it's a lifetime commitment for a thinner healthier you. Welcome and remember you can do anything that you set your mind to doing.
Kscott, when i get hungry, i eat. Not eating when you are hungry, i mean quite hungry, is a recipe for binging. A lightweight hunger is ok because food is soon to follow. But don't let your hunger become bad because then you tend to get out of control when you do eat. Its very hard at that point to stop eating at a sensible point.
so yes there is a way of losing weight without going hungry. Eat a wide variety of nutritious healthy foods, don't over eat, and don't get too hungry. So far that recipe has worked for me. In fact i've done several diets following that formula. In earlier times when i restricted my diet too much my diet never lasted for longer than a month at maximum.
Congratulations on joining this awesome community! You have just made a great choice to do something for yourself. Everyone here is really great, so supportive, very knowledgeable, its great! And the best thing is, you can use this forum however you like; if you feel like you need to be kept on track, or kept positive, to be held accountable or to be reminded why you are doing this, you have come to the right place! Post all you like, I have found it helps me immensley. You should feel proud of yourself, you have done something really positive for yourself! Please keep us posted on your journey, we are all here for the same reason, and all of us need some support or information, so dont be afraid to ask!
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