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Weight Managament

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magikheart

Guest
Everyone struggles with their weight, right? Even those who, I enviously think of, have trouble putting weight on. I'm curious to hear anyone success story about how they managed their weight healthfully. Personally, I've tried Weight Watchers, points systems, Cooking Light Diet, etc., and none seem to last too long because I always feel restraint in ways I don't like. If I want to eat something, I think, "Just enjoy it. You only live once." How have you balanced this want with a diet?
 

TheresaD

New member
I definitely struggle with this as well. The few times I have been successful at losing weight it's been due to commitment. I switched to a gluten-free diet for several years and that was great. Having to follow something very strict at that time worked for me.
I've also had success using a food diary. Forcing myself to be honest about everything I ate, and looking at it at the end of the day, helped me make better food decisions. Apps like "Lose It" are great for this because they also calculate calories.
 

shelbyk

New member
Hi! I work full time as a health coach, and I want you guys to know you are not alone in the seemingly never ending “diet struggle.” As a professional, I cannot stand the concept of a traditional “diet” - essentially, you are setting yourself up for failure. My three tips for you are moderation, mindfulness, and accountability. For fear of rambling on too long, I’ll just briefly touch on each. Moderation is key to any healthy lifestyle change- nothing is “bad” or “off limits” - labeling foods as such creates feelings of deprivation, and can lead to binging. The statement “everything is okay in moderation” is true! Craving chocolate cake? Great! Have a few bites, maybe even a small piece. My next point, mindfulness, is a follow up to this. Imagine craving that cake- is a few bites enough to satisfy the craving? Do you need to eat the whole thing, or can you be happy and feel satisfied, but not guilty or self loathing, afterward?
Finally, accountability. As Theresa mentioned, keeping a food diary or another log of everything (and yes, I mean everything!) is a great way to notice patterns in your eating and identify areas you might want to change.

I hope this blurb was semi helpful to you- do any of these three feel like they can be applied to your life/goals?
 

waldemar

Member
Been struggling gaining weight since I was a child however I bulked up a little bit but my metabolism is so fast that I can lose weight fast and eat as many as I can and not get fat. There is also a point in my life that I got bullied when I was in highschool for being skinny that is why I lifted weights to bulk up a little bit. Being comfortable with your own skin is the most important and it is on how you handle yourself I think my opinion about this one is live healthy and as long as you do not restrain or make yourself suffer from not eating what you like just have a balance diet. Good luck :)
 

BrigS

New member
I've tried everything and nothing works. I even tried a medical diet that included shots in my stomach and a 500 calorie a day diet that had me sobbing in bed every night from severe hunger. One of my medicines also is an appetite stimulant, which doesn't help. I have a hard time sticking with things, but I wish I knew what would absolutey work, there's NOTHING worse than going hungry for days, weeks, or months, and having the scale not budge. That's when I give up.
 

shelbyk

New member
I've tried everything and nothing works. I even tried a medical diet that included shots in my stomach and a 500 calorie a day diet that had me sobbing in bed every night from severe hunger. One of my medicines also is an appetite stimulant, which doesn't help. I have a hard time sticking with things, but I wish I knew what would absolutey work, there's NOTHING worse than going hungry for days, weeks, or months, and having the scale not budge. That's when I give up.
I’m so sorry you’ve been through that! 500 calories a day is in no way sustainable or healthy! At such a low number, your body goes into starvation mode, which means it dramatically slows down your metabolism and throws everything out of whack. Starving yourself is not a successful or enjoyable way to reach your goals- you’ll spend your whole life miserable, and discouraged with a lack of results! Making small lifestyle changes is a positive way to go about achieving weight loss goals- setting small, achievable goals that can fit into your life for the long term can make a huge difference. It isn’t the quickest way to drop the weight, but it is the most sustainable and healthy way to do so. With this approach, it really comes down to mind over matter- you want to build up new, healthy habits and create a new lifestyle, based on the things you currently love and enjoy, rather than beat yourself up and starve yourself. A nourished body is a happy one!
 

Sam_C

New member
shelbyk – I like what you said about mindfulness. A big part of keeping my weight under control is to pause and think before and during my meals. Dessert sounds great, but am I still hungry? My eyes say yes, but is my tummy on board? I may want that piece of cake, but do I really need it? If I’m still hungry, I go for it. But if I feel full, I don’t.

When it comes to eating out, I stumbled upon this advice -- when your plate is still 30% full, stop and consult your appetite. Restaurants tend to pile your plate with more food than you need. Avoid the extra calories by asking yourself, do I feel full? If you do, there's no reason to keep going.
 
My struggle has always been to keep my weight in check. I have that body type where you bulk up really fast if you dont watch what you eat :( I am trying a new method of eating and its working so for me so far. I avoid fast food and eating out for 6 days a week. My daily meals are rich in protein, fiber and some form of carbs. I do sneak in a cheat meal once a week and go berserk. Also i am hitting the gym for 1.5 hours a day everyday except for Sundays. I am not going to say this will work for everyone but for me it has yielded some good results.
 

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