Quote:
Originally Posted by Bald Guy
I'm supposed to be about 170 lbs. I've been pushing 250-260 lbs lately but trying to fix my act ASAP as I continue to follow my PCP's advice alongside. I don't want diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol issues. 39-40 years old currently. The sooner I get back on track, the better.
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Look into Noom. It worked for me. I call it "Weight Watchers for the 2020's". There is no magic, it is simply a mechanism to track caloric intake combined with some really good psychological lessons on why you eat, what makes you "hungry" and how to properly fuel yourself mentally and physically.
Like many posts above, weight loss is all about caloric deficit. The problem is making that deficit work for you. The first step is abandon the term "diet" or anything that is a temporary solution. They just don't ever work because your brain is waiting for it to be over, only to return to your previous behavior. I think in the back of my head I knew that, but it was the lessons contained in the Noom program that finally made it click for me.
Started in April 2001 at 6'2" / 278 lbs. Ended a year later at 212.5. No hardcore exercise but plenty of increased activity (walking, biking, walk / jogging, no real weight workouts). Stopped using the app and logging food and the weight stayed steady, except that since I wasn't constantly logging food, holiday times became a little more out of control. And then slowly, each thanksgiving and Christmas, the weight would go up 2-3 lbs. (Per Noom, weigh yourself every day and I continued to do that). Tried using My Fitness Pal to track but I found that I just couldn't discipline myself enough to do it. My own fault. So went back on it about 2 months ago and already back down 5 lbs.
This time I am doing better about weight training trying to build overall muscle tone since I'm now over 50 and want to continue to be healthy. Don't need to bulk, those days are over, lol. Just want functional strength for life and sports (MTB, golf, etc.).
The lessons I learned:
Log what you eat.
Weigh yourself every day.
Try to eat as much food as possible that has low caloric density (under 1 calorie per gram of food). Avoid as much as possible of high caloric density (1 calorie per less than 0.5g).
Don't deprive yourself of treats, but log them and be honest.
Weigh everything especially if it's a treat. A serving of ice cream is a LOT smaller than you think.
Plan ahead when eating out. Look at the menus, know what you're going to order.
When eating out, grab a to-go container at the start of your meal and immediately put a large portion in it.
Make sure you're getting enough protein. It's way harder than you think.
Drink lots of water!
Many other small things but all about making sure you're truly aware of what you are eating and most importantly:
DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.
Whether that's intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or just old fashioned calorie counting, the thing that enables you to change your lifestyle permanently is the best. Not what works for your buddy, your gym partner, or your co-worker. What works best for you.
It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change.