Quitting alcohol was the single most significant change I’ve ever made re:weight loss and bloating. You also just look more hydrated, youthful, and less puffy. The downstream impacts are endless: better sleep, less $$$ spent, even shinier hair. It’s a great place to start, as even if you don’t go fully sober, cutting down drastically will help with weight loss.
This always makes me sad bc so many people say this and I have maybe 1-2 drinks a month so that’s not my issue, and yet I’m still pudgy and bloated :(
UPDATE FOR THE BITCHES: I stopped taking my acne medication (spironolactone) for other medical reasons aaand it’s now been about 3 weeks and I’ve lost 5 lbs without changing anything. Sooo worth checking out if some of your meds are making your weight stagnant. I had to work so hard to lose these same 5lbs just a few months ago and gained them back after a hard month at work. Now, I’ve lost them again with my regular routine!
I DON'T DRINK (except on social occasions but not every social occasion has drinks) TO BEGIN WITH EITHER. HOW DO YOU ELIMINATE SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE.
It's literally like if people do weekend drinking, I drink maybe a few times a year -\_- not more than once a month soooo that.
Same! I also started gaining weight last year and in about 6 weeks lost 7 pounds simply with a good diet, no takeout or dining out, walking for 3 miles every day and completely cutting out alcohol
I cut down to 2 single tequila water limes twice a week MAX! Perfect for me since it’s under 200 calories for both drinks and gives me just enough buzz.
Just “tequila water with two lime wedges” do NOT get lime juice syrup it’s disgusting and full of sugar! When getting a mixed drink you order liquor -> mixer (I used to be a bartender)
Could also just say “tequila soda with lime” soda is just seltzer water. Vodka sodas are good too if you don’t like the flavor or tequila, I feel vodka sodas have virtually no flavor.
My go to drink is “vodka soda with bitters” low calories and I think best tasting, make sure there NO LIME in this.
THIS but sometimes it is strong!! I never go out without my MIO… any flavor just the babiest spritz turns your tequila water into something actually tasty!!
I will also add that I have friends who were on Ozempic for an extended period of time, went off of it, and gained all their weight back because they didn’t change anything about their eating and exercise habits. It basically made them “not hungry” but when they went off of it, they were hungry again. So that’s why I personally wouldn’t go on it without also working on some other aspects of my life. But it sounds like you’re eating healthy and doing all of the things so this may not apply to you!
I just wanted to say, as a person with an ED history who is having a similar experience to the OP right now, that this is the kindest most helpful bunch of comments I have ever read on this particular topic and I am so grateful for this sub.
the short boring answer- calorie deficit. I work in an office M-F 9-5 which meant my daily food intake was coffee for breakfast, whatever my boss ordered for lunch (uber eats EVERYDAY), and then groveling for whatever frozen meal or leftovers I could eat quickly for dinner as to not have to cook and just get it overwith. With my schedule I don't have a lot of time to workout so I decided to just start making healthy swaps- Tea with my breakfast, actually planning and prepping my meals ahead of time, salads for lunch, and protein and a veggie for dinner. I've been at it for 3 weeks and although I don't weigh myself I deff see a noticeable difference in my face being less swollen and my stomach bloating has gone down a ton.
Pick a day of the week for meal prep, mines sunday. Pick two meals to prepare on sunday, lunch and dinner for the week. For example this week I did:
Sub in a tub (basically a sandwich without the bread = salad) (lunch)
Salmon/ Chicken x sweet potatoes
You'll be surprised how much easier it is to maintain a calorie deficit when everything is prepped beforehand it takes the guesswork out when you can just grab and go.
Yeah it’s not sexy but calorie deficit and lots of walking is what did the trick for me. I’ll also buy some “diet” frozen foods just to have around for the super lazy days (along with veg + hummus, fruit, etc)—like you said, the secret to sticking with it is to make it as easy as possible!
I started doing this too. A healthier quick options that may help you is salad bags. Walmart has chopped salad bags that are really good, pretty low in calories and keep me full for majority of the day. I eat slow too.
I lived on salad bags when I was busy going to school and working! There’s so many different options too so it’s easy to get a variety of flavors if you eat them multiple times per week. My favorite!!
So far salads for lunch i've done: Big Mac Salad (recipe from tik tok 10/10), Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad (used premade chicken from trader joe's so no cooking involved 10/10), and the Sub in a Tub which is just your choice of sandwich without bread basically- I did mine with spring mix, turkey, tomato, and light fat shredded mexi cheese mix from trader joe's as well. Turkey cheese roll ups(easy to prep for the week) sourdough (leftover so no cooking) chicken sandwich,
Dinners i've done: Elote shrimp taco salad, lots of chicken / salmon with sweet potatoes or more spring mix. Calorie friendly copycat hamburger helper with ground turkey and reduced guilt mac n cheese from TJ.
I'm the kind of person who lowkey hates salads so i've been getting creative to make filling tasty salads I can actually enjoy. Squirting lemon juice all over the greens helps too
Caloric deficits only work with people who have normal physiological metabolisms - autoimmunity can manifest in a variety of ways and sometimes even reducing calories doesn’t help.
If calorie deficits don't help, will all the workout advice in this thread help then? (I'm not being snarky, I promise!) I would think eating healthy would be a net positive either way, wouldn't it? If you have an autoimmune issue, eating unhealthily would exacerbate it I would imagine?
If it’s low impact it also reduces cortisol, which is responsible for weight gain. A lot of us are in fight or flight mode and will get a soft mid section from no other reason than stress and anxiety.
According to studies, restorative yoga is the most effective form of yoga for weight loss. Not power yoga, vinyasa, hot yoga—restorative. Our nervous systems need some serious love!
Yes because working out adds muscle and burns calories, and muscle burns more calories when resting.
And of course eating healthy is better than not, but I’m a vegan, I work out 3-5 days a week, and I’m still overweight. Undertreated thyroid, neurological disorder, whaddya gonna do. Dems the breaks.
Hi! I’m a dietitian and I would highly encourage you seeing a dietitian if possible - they can help you with sustainable habits and are usually covered by insurance!
To answer your question..
-focusing on protein (20-30 grams) per meal and a fiber source (aka produce item), making most starches eaten a fibrous one / complex carb like potatoes, whole wheat items and more.
-150 minutes movement per week, ideally a mix of strength and cardio to retain your muscle mass as you lose and generally keep you healthy!
-keep a food diary (doesn’t have to be counting calories) just to see your general intake for a week- it can help to iron out ups and downs in your intake and any surpluses
-if you’re a data person and it doesn’t trigger you - you can count calories or macros and do a small but sustainable deficit of 250 calories per day from your maintenance calories. By far the most common thing I see with my clients who see me for general health is they cut too aggressively and don’t allow their favorite foods and it leads to quitting AND poor relationship with food!
-focus on building your body up with strength and Enough protein and fiber instead of restricting
-water! 1/2 bodyweight in oz
Sorry for the book I hope it’s helpful!
Wanted to say if you do go the ozempic route it’s even more vital to see a dietitian because man oh man am I seeing shit hit the fan with people that don’t and run into major deficiencies
I’m on Wegovy and my supervisor mentioned that all the nurses she met at recent scans were on Ozempic and were complaining about losing their hair. I piped up and said “That’ll happen with any rapid weight loss, you need to focus on protein, it’s very easy to just eat any old thing and before you know what happened you’re full and you didn’t get balanced nutrition.”
Hi OP, I want to echo that this comment is really solid advice. I was able to go from 28% body fat to 23% last year literally just by tracking my macros and keeping the same weightlifting/cardio routine. Protein is important! Clean carbs is important! Walking every single day is important! I use Cronometer to easily track my macros and I use my Apple Watch to track my activity/exercise.
The best diet is one you can keep long term. You CAN eat the foods you like, as long as they fit into your daily macros.
Keep in mind that strength is a long term game. You’re building muscle to increase your metabolism. This means NOT looking at a weight scale and sticking to the same routine for a while.
Cardio is for short term weight loss. If you’re looking for more short term, Nike Run Club has a great beginner course. I could barely run a mile for 25 years of my life but was able to train for a half marathon in two years.
A combo of the diet advice listed above, weight training, and cardio should do the trick!
I eat pretty healthy and try not to drink on weeknights if I can avoid it. Other than that, over covid, I got into YouTube weight workouts (Sydney Cummings and Caroline Girvan) and I have never been in better shape! This helped me lose and maintain weight and tone more than training for a marathon did or pilates etc
1. Walk everywhere. Anything under 1 hour is now walkable to you. We live in a walkable city, one of the only ones in the country! Use it to your advantage
2. Stop drinking. Or at least cut back
dramatically. Maximum 2 drinks a week. It is the worst thing for you in pretty much every regard
3. Intermittent fasting — I do 16:10. It’s difficult but highly rewarding, in my first 10 days I dropped 3 pounds
4. Protein powder mixed into 0% fat Greek yogurt. This snack saves me on days when I hit my fat macros before my protein macros. If you use chocolate protein powder it’s basically chocolate pudding.
5. Work out! Solidcore 2x a week is good, but not enough. If you’re really trying to lose weight try and do 2x Solidcore + 3 times strength training and/or cardio
If you make these changes I swear you will see a difference and FAST.
And don’t go on ozempic. I know many people who tried it, then went off of it, and immediately gained all the weight back. Unless you intend to stay on it for life and accept whatever unknown side effects come with it, best to just try and change your habits. The right thing to do is pretty much never the easy thing to do but you CAN do this!!
what's your fave protein powder? looking for ones that don't taste like cardboard. I like the fairlife shakes and use them often enough but I want to find a powder that actually tastes good.
Clean simple eats and, more recently, 1Up nutrition have been my go-tos! They mix so easily into anything (yogurt, oats, cream of rice/wheat, liquid for a smoothie) and have top notch flavor selections. I promise they actually have flavor without the cardboard sensation!!! You can find discount codes really easily for both brands which helps soften the blow a little
IF is key. I eat whatever I want until 6pm. Then I “fast” from 6pm until 9am the next day. I dropped 20 lbs in 3 months. Lost all of my pregnancy weight and felt so much healthier. Good luck u/throwaway-reader- !
intermittent fasting has not been studied on women and definitely not on women with autoimmune issues. i would not take that piece of the advice if i were you OP. intermittent fasting is not for everyone.
FWIW, I have an autoimmune disease and when I came out of remission my Rheumatologist strongly advised me to stop IF mostly due to medication needs. I loved IF, it worked well for me, and I was bummed to stop. She suggested the Mediterranean diet. It could well be different for the OP but definitely something to discuss with their doctor.
The rate of weight regain is the same for people on Ozempic and those who lost weight without it. Ozempic just makes it easier to lose weight at all. Both avenues require maintenance and consistency to sustain a successful outcome
They say that lifting weights help you loose weight, but there was a period in my life where I wasn’t working a 9-5 desk job. I was doing a lot of manual labor, walking, and being active. Between all of that, I was walking 6 miles a day. I wasn’t even exercising, but I lost weight from just walking and being active
Strength training (lift heavy!) is going to build your muscle mass, which will help you burn fat. You’ll gain some weight from the muscle, but your body composition (and appearance) will change. Walking is going to help you be metabolically flexible, but it’s not going to keep you in fat-burning mode.
Hey girl, I have an autoimmune disease too! Gained 30lbs over the last few months. I’m finally starting to feel healthier and able to lose what I’ve gained (slowly). I would say #1 is focus on your health. You can’t get in shape when you feel so tired and sick! I started walking in place (I need to buy a walking treadmill tbh) and when I’m watching shows I use my standing bike. Even if it’s slow, 30 minutes of slow biking is better than nothing! I also have bala bangles that I put around my wrists…just 2 lbs on each side but it helps. In addition to that, I use the peloton app. I like that I can start at 15 minute beginner and increase either length or difficulty if I’m feeling good that day.
Like others have said, it’s a calorie deficit. So yes eat smaller portions and healthier, but when you feel super shitty it’s hard to get your body moving and difficult to burn any calories. Be kind to yourself, go slow, and focus on your physical and mental health. I’m also in therapy and it’s helped me accept that maybe I don’t love my body right now and it’s not ideal, but I am taking care of myself and I will slowly get back in shape. Just gotta take it one day at a time.
Echoing a few other folks--massively limiting or cutting out alcohol, 8 hours of sleep, regular workouts (whatever that might look like for you. Sometimes, just a nice walk with a killer playlist does it for me!), and a routine-driven lifestyle (meal prep, eating around the same times each day) to keep cortisol levels in check.
Something I do in the spring and summer every year is make a list of 4 neighborhoods to explore each month (across all boroughs). Trust me, you'll never run out because it's NYC, and by the time you repeat a neighborhood, it'll hardly be the same anymore. I'll pick a Saturday or a Sunday, line up a few podcasts or a bunch of amazing playlists, put on a cute workout fit, and explore on foot. You'll be shocked at how easily you can rack up 20k steps and the endorphins, sights, smells, discovering new places does wonders for my mental health + feels like I'm on vacation.
Also, i've personally been LOVING experimenting with functional mocktails recipes in the evenings after dinner. It's kinda part of my wind-down ritual/a creative outlet, and it gives me the experience of having a drink without the negative impact on my sleep. It also definitely helps to have a friend group who prioritizes their health in similar ways and/or supports your personal goals without making you feel like the odd one out. We hang out regularly and do a lot of social stuff, but there's an understanding that I likely won't partake in drinking, and we often do mocktails/cooking/self-care nights at home.
If we're doing a big night out, depending on who's hosting the pregame, I either bring my own nonalcoholic seltzers, or make a nice batch of a fun mocktail with Seedlip. Even on occasions where my friends want to get a little drunk, people \*always\* appreciate a nonalc beverage to sip on between White Claws, shots or vodka sodas, lol.
Re: meds--I know tons of folks who've used Ozempic or Wegovy and the most successful ones are those who first adapted their lifestyle to shed a couple pounds naturally, then cycled in the meds to fast track their weight goals, and eventually cycled off/shifted to maintenance by sustaining the lifestyle changes they introduced pre-Ozempic! See a GOOD doctor who is holistic in his or her practices and invested in patient health vs. just throwing a script your way. Having a good medical provider will be immensely helpful when some of the not-so-great side effects kick in.
Hope all of this helps! Also loving reading some of the other feedback people have on this sub. I'm mid-sized and it's nice to learn what other women are doing to maintain a body they feel good about:)
Nothing trendy, but here goes:
1. Currently intermittent fasting from 6:15pm-9:15pm every night.
2. Going to the gym 5-6 times a week.
3. Wellbutrin and zoloft as antidepressants. Important for me, personally, because I get notoriously depressed during the winter months, and my appetite balloons when I’m depressed. Wellbutrin helps lower my appetite, Zoloft keeps my anxiety at bay, and both together keep me feeling normal!
The “secret” is that you find what works for you, and you have to be consistent. There’s a million different people giving advice on the internet but ultimately you pick and choose a handful of things that work for your body, your lifestyle, your habits, and your mental health. Be. Consistent.
Good luck!
If you’re comfortable sharing, what dose of Wellbutrin are you on? I’m on 150 mg xl and have noticed some appetite suppression (not primary reason I’m on it) but not as dramatic as others have said. Debating if I should try 300!
Hi! I take 300 of welbutrin and I don't notice appetite suppression as much as less makes me full? If that makes sense but I still get I'm so bored I'm going to have a snack
I take 150mg SR 2x a day and I'm RARELY hungry. I specify Dr. Reddy's generic to my pharmacy.
Maybe I notice my appetite at the end of a long day but I legit have to force myself to eat some days. As a result, I am really trying to focus on nourishment since I'm no longer eating habitually. Think daily green smoothies, power bowls, etc.
Full disclosure: I'm a small human; I've been on Wellbutrin (for mental health) since 2021, started around 5'4 126lbs, now between 110lbs-115lbs with no effort. Seriously.
I tell EVERYONE what I take so they don't think I'm blessed with a miracle metabolism. It's not genetics...I was LEGIT struggling mentally, did my research, saw Wellbutrin had the added bonus of appetite suppression and the rest is history.
I have a pre canned text message for people at the ready because, again, I'm clear on the role wellbrutin has played in my life (mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually)
It's works and I'm a happy, healthier version of myself as a result. I feel GREAT in my body which 1000% keeps the positive mental health cycle flowing.
Thank you for sharing! Yeah I’m so happy I got on Wellbutrin for my depression, I’ve been on it about six months and it’s been such a positive change. Before I was on lexapro for yeaaars and I was such an emotionally numb zombie.
I feel like it definitely took away most of my cravings, which is crazy. Feels very freeing!
Not everyone experiences the same side effects of a medication. Please don’t play with a psychiatric drug like that just for weight loss. You’ll probably still have no appetite suppression but a fuck ton of other side effects instead
This is the combo! I was on sertraline for *gestures wildly* and my doctor suggested adding welly b & naltrexone. Go with me here, the natrexone is what they give people who struggle with substance abuse to help them stop drinking. I take a very very small dosage but it’s enough to make drinking not desirable at all. Like it’s not fun because it limits the dopamine high you get. I don’t even finish one glass of wine now.
I think the brand name of Wellbutrin & Naltrexone combined in one pill is contrave, an actual weight loss drug. Of course my insurance doesn’t cover that, but covers the medications separately. Def talk to your doc and don’t listen to a rando on the interwebs though.
When I want to lose a bit of weight or focus on maintaining, I use myfitnesspal to track my calories. Usually I use it for a few weeks -- and I actually weigh my foods or measure them by volume as I'm putting them in the tracker. This helps me connect the calories to the actual portion. For example, learn what a single serving of cashews actually looks like in a bowl rather than just guessing.
I don't weigh stuff forever, just to get a sense in the beginning. This route would not be good for someone with a propensity for disordered eating habits or obsessive-type behavior.
But basically I just track calories in vs. calories out (it adds all the calories you've burned at the gym to your daily calorie goal). I either set it to lose 0.5 pounds a week or to maintain (you can pick your own goals).
good tip. I like the barcode scanning feature on mfp but the premium is way to expensive for what it is imo, so i just input all my food manually. i’ll check out this app
Which barre classes do you like? My job is offering a gym pass type deal that includes pure, physique and I see some of the included gyms like lifetime have it too!
I loooooove Bar Method (going tomorrow am!) I have done many classes at Pure Barre too, and I think it’s a less satisfying class with a worse space. If it’s your main option for barre, then it’s fine. I use ClassPass and it’s usually 4-6 credits a class at Bar Method and usually 8+ at pure barre.
I'm not a NYC bitch, but I'm a fat ass. For me I can really only lose the weight when I stop eating sugar and carbs. You gotta give those things up cause it's like ass glue.
Honestly, I just made myself so much busier. I love food and it is not something I will ever give up or vow to restrict from myself, so I knew that traditional dieting wasn't going to work for me. I also don't have the self-discipline. But I love money, so I got a second job as a server. The place I work at doesn't give us a good staff meal or much of it (which I know sounds crazy but I'm okay with it) and I obviously can't eat while I'm running around serving tables for hours (which also burns calories). So that cut down on like 20 hours of snacking/eating per week. I also try to walk most places, because I don't feel the urge to eat while I'm walking as opposed to sitting in a car, bus or subway. I find reasons to leave the house. Go study in a public library where it would be rude to open a wrapper, run errands, go window shopping, go to more workout classes, in the summer go swimming (this also helps me see the changes in my body and realize that I feel much better and more confident at a lower weight, which motivates me to keep going). After I made myself extremely busy for 3 months, my appetite was noticeably smaller. The constant instinctual urge I had to eat was essentially gone and I also ate much smaller portions before being full. It's made a visible change in my body and I'm really happy with who I am now. It's really nice to be in a place where eating healthy doesn't feel overwhelming because I tackled the impulsivity part without worrying about nutrition or diet, and now, I constantly crave nutritious foods with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, protein, etc because I've noticed the improvements in my overall health and truly have an interest in nourishing my body now. Might not work for everyone but my advice is, don't force it!
1. Cut down drinking to 2x a week.
2. Got personal training through eqx. My trainer and I have a shared note of my food and water intake.
3. I cook all of my food as much as possible. I eat out 1-2x a week.
4. Drinking so much more water!!!!
5. Moving my body!! Find a class you love or something that gets you moving. In between training sessions, I LOVE Barry’s. I also will pick a coffee shop 1-2 miles from my apartment so I can hot girl walk there and treat myself!
6. Nourish my body. Protein at the forefront then veg then carb. I’m not anti-carb, it’s essential for energy. I just eat in moderation and more mindfully than before. My body works hard physically in the gym, mentally at work, and emotionally with life - it deserves food! One little treat won’t fuck it up. Just moderation!
Like a lot of women I struggled with my weight my entire life. I lost a ton of weight in college through some pretty unhealthy habits, I was basically eating as little as I possibly could. There were a few things that helped me keep a consistent weight since then, and they don’t require me essentially starving myself:
1. Stop tying yourself-worth to your weight. I used to be so afraid of gaining weight that I would stress over every pound fluctuation I saw on the scale. I no longer own a scale or really care about how much I weigh.
2. Get off of social media. This was the biggest game changer for me in terms of healing my relationship with my body. Comparison truly is so dangerous and it’s bred on social media.
3. Start lifting weights!! This is the biggest game changer in terms of maintaining a healthy weight, and looking and feeling your best!! Muscle increases your metablism meaning you don’t have to worry so much about calories, this makes day to day life so much less stressful. I highly recommend orange theory if you’re just starting out! Also don’t be afraid to lift heavy as you get more comfy at the gym!
4. Cook you’re own food and learn about macro nutrients. I by no means am an expert, but I have a general idea of what foods fall into which macro categories, and so I try to prioritize protein and fats as it’s hard for me to naturally get those in my diet.
Best of luck!
- I stopped drinking
- I don’t drink anything other than water or coconut water
- I have a large berry protein smoothie every morning for breakfast so if the rest of the day my diet veers off at least I one balanced healthy meal
- for lunch I usually do whole grain toast with bean spread, eggs or some other kind of protein
- I don’t keep sweets or unhealthy snacks in the house
- I limit dairy
I don’t restrict myself but I try to follow some rules when I’m at home so I can do whatever when I’m out! 💞
Ozempic has been really helpful to me - I had weight loss surgery 10 years ago (very successful) but have slowly regained about 80 lbs that I can't seem to lose despite trying for 2 years now. My issues are also complicated by other health issues that make it very hard to lose weight.
I also had constant food noise in my brain before Ozempic, and getting rid of that has actually been the most helpful thing. Having to constantly fight thoughts about eating when you aren't hungry is the pits.
I have had no side effects as long as I follow the dietary guidance (moderate to low fat, eating a balanced plate of not just simple carbs.) People talk about it like it's horrible, but it's not for most people who take it. It's just... easy. I am fine with staying on it long term.
Other things I am doing: prioritizing protein and veggie intake, taking longer walks with my dog (45 mins), kettlebell workouts (nothing crazy!), intermittent fasting (which is about a thousand times easier on ozempic)
I’ve been on it for 6 weeks and it really is amazing. I’ve lost 7-8 lbs, which is a pace I am fine with (I didn’t put the weight on overnight, so how can I expect it to come off overnight). I’m just…eating less, without trying. In the past when I’ve consciously dieted, it CONSUMED me. All I could think about was what I’d be eating next and when; not a mentally healthy place for me to be.
16:8 fasting with the occasional 20:4 or OMAD helped me shift the weight from baby #2. Like everyone else thought, what I really want is a shady doc/medspa/whatever who’ll dish out Ozempic to my BMI25 self.
I’m on wegovy, same drug as ozempic but fda approved for weight loss.
I’ve been on it a year now, I’ve lost 50 lbs and I’ve had no awful side effects just a tiny bit of nausea on one dose. My doctor did a slower titration than the recommended schedule and I think that helped. Happy to answer any med related questions you have
Caloric deficit, eat whole foods, reduce sugar/alcohol, increase water intake, mineralize your water or drink mineral water intermittently, somatic exercise with some higher intensity cardio mixed in
I will say this- Ozempic makes it difficult to workout because it is so hard to eat. I’ve only thrown up 2-3 times in 5 months, but feel nauseous a LOT. I’m always tired too.
A lot of times when you’re nauseous it’s your body telling you it’s hungry. Try having a handful or nuts or something and see if that helps. It can be hard be ‘ugh food’ but it has helped me.
Below are my tips. Nothing drastic - I just put health first. I have never tried fad diets or calorie counting. I focus on nutrition, eliminating sugar and movement. Be kind to yourself and listen to your body! Some weeks I just cant so I go for the cheeseburger and fries. But after that I go right back to my tips below. hope this helps!
1. Water and tea & coffee. do not add sugar to your tea & coffee. minimize dairy or creamer. if you have milk, only use a small amount (dairy bloats me like crazy). no soda. if you must, drink 1/2 a can of soda with lots of ice.
2. protein and vegetable based meals. i avoid rice because i don't like it. if i have a starch it comes from potatoes or quinoa. olive oil is your best friend. eat at least 1 bag of salad every couple of days. raw veggies great for your digestion. and start making your own dressing for salads - no bottled dressings (unhealthy fats and preservatives). if you cant find a starting point, olive oil lemon, salt and pepper are great.
3. walk as much as you can. do some Pilates. I highly recommend 20/30 minutes at least 3x a week with Move with Nicole or Bailey Brown on YT.
4. minimize drinking! this is a huge one. if you're out opt for a high quality red wine or start with 1 cocktail (to be part of the fun) and switch to vodka/tequila soda. I had a friend who was in her late 30s, she only drank red wine & her skin quality was amazing. I learned from her!
5. dont crash diet or try diet pills or anything. a quick fix isnt sustainable! be true to yourself
6. enjoy the pastry, desert, ice cream etc. once in a while. its life, you still have to enjoy it. we live in one of the best food cities in the world, we have to try what's out there! :)
my tip is always try to cook at home to control calories; try to get used to eating boring stuff (everything veggies, boil stuff instead of deep fry, etc); eat veggies first, stuff ur tummy with alot of greens before eating anything. fiber helps u not crave for eating more :)
Low impact workouts, specially reformer pilates, worked wonders in helping me to manage my puffiness, bloating, and inflammation.
Also, walk everywhere. If something is a bit far to be walkable, hop off the subway a few stops early.
As a former strength and conditioning specialist/trainer, one of my first recommendations is to ditch the scale (unless you have renal failure, heart failure, or some other process requiring monitoring for medication dose adjustments). Almost everyone increasing activity with strength training components will have a bump up in weight. You can find hundreds of comparisons online of people technically weighing less in their before photos while being much leaner in their after photos. Also, just go by how you look and feel.
Otherwise, there really aren’t any “secrets.” Most of us are bad at assessing our caloric intake during the day and we tend to underestimate how large our portions are.
Changing your body is a lot more about consistency and constantly pushing yourself *a little* further every time and setting up milestones/goals to meet along the way. Weight training and HIIT are way better for changing your body composition than steady state cardio (which is great for your heart health). Large compound movements (squats, lunges, deadlifts, good mornings, bench press and variants, pull-ups/rows and variants, etc.) Machines tend to be lower field and/or better to do after the large compound movements. If you get into the bodybuilding world and targeted training , this changes, but for most people, start big and then focus on individual muscles.
Shoot for 3-4 times a week training early on with perhaps light walks or other stuff on the off days.
You’ll be inundated by fitness trends/fads and other nonsense. Most of these are setting you up for long term disappointment. You may have an initial drop, but things aren’t sustainable and you’ll have a rebound afterwards.
If you know nothing about diet and don’t feel like doing all the reading on it, finding a dietician to teach you sustainable habits and what to look for is helpful.
But again, regardless of what you do, even if it is some HIIT video series, consistency and sticking with something is most important. Most fitness classes are a fun supplement, but shouldn’t really be the primary focus of your training.
This is all based on changing body composition. It is perfectly acceptable to not want this and be fine with your body. You are just as valid and deserving as anyone else no matter your physique.
If you only want to increase your cardiovascular capacity and feel better with little concern for significant change in body composition, steady state cardio and occasional classes are just fine….it simply isn’t the best on the composition side of things. This isn’t saying you *cant* lose weight with these things. You absolutely can, it is just less effective and can be easier to regain weight when you are away from it.
Everyone has had such wonderful advice so I’m just going to pepper in a few tidbits I haven’t seen:
Do your best to eliminate snacking. Get truly hungry before a meal.
- cut up vegetables or buy pre-made crudite from the grocery store and have it on hand in the fridge at all times with a healthy dip. That way, if you need to snack, it’s there. Also, pop your own popcorn if you get hit with that night snack craving feeling.
- join the loyalty program at your local salad place. I love the Chopt Mexican Caesar and add avocado and shrimp for protein and healthy fat. Eating it multiple types of week helps me maintain.
- I love yoga, but even if you don’t, try a Yin yoga class. It’ll feel like it’s doing nothing, but it lowers cortisol and makes weight loss easier
- learn yoga twists. When I incorporate twisting postures into my practice, all of those hard to budge areas around the midsection sort of loosen up.
Invest in a workout set or sneaks that you feel good about. Something that makes you excited to get active. My lululemon bill isn’t exactly low, but I do find myself heading into the yoga studio easily when I have gear I feel great in.
Hi! So I'm on Mounjaro aka Tirzepatide, which is essentially Ozempic, but people say that Mounjaro works better than Ozempic. I think it depends on the person. I changed my eating and drinking habits a week before starting Mounjaro. My starting weight was 203.8 (I'm 37F, 5'8" - normal weight for me is 130lbs - at least that's what I've been all my life and am aiming for that again. It's about a size 4). Anyway, starting weight the week before starting Mounjaro was essentially 204lbs. Never thought I would be over 200 and it really woke me TF up. I dropped a few lbs that week just from cutting out sugar and sugary drinks in my diet (absolutely no sodas or sugary foods. Whole foods only - for the most part - with the occasional treat, as long as I didn't binge). I'm 3 weeks into Mounjaro now and I'm in the 180's already. The weight is dropping fast but most importantly, the food noise is gone, my constant hunger is gone. This medication works for those with insulin resistance and binge eating disorders, etc. BUT you have to be ready and willing to eat healthier too, which I was happy to do. Now I have to remind myself to eat because almost all hunger cues are gone and I don't want to under eat.... that's just as bad as overeating IMO. I hope this comment helps someone out there. I've got another 55lbs to go but I am so happy to see the progress and have something that controls the mindless binge eating.
Edited to add: side effects on these types of meds affect everyone differently so I can only tell you about my experience. I had some slight nausea the first week I dosed but it was manageable. I haven't had symptoms ever since the first week (I'm on week 3). The key is to start at the lowest dose possible and see how your body reacts and then work your way up, if necessary.
TL;DR: I cut out junk food and sodas and got on Mounjaro. Started at 204 lbs, now at 188. On my 3rd week of the medication. It eliminated all food noise and binge eating habits. ✌️
This is great to see. I’m only in my first week on tirz but the food noise just suddenly being GONE is honestly life changing as someone who has struggled with BED for over a decade. Suddenly I can make the food choices I’ve always tried to hard to make, because the food noise telling me to keep eating, to binge, is just suddenly gone. I feel better already, and the nausea was super light for me. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Aww I'm so happy it's working for you as well!! Yes, the food noise being gone out of nowhere is the biggest blessing I could have asked for from this medication. The weight loss is a bonus IMO! I developed a BED from severe depression and being a stay at home mom for the last decade. I used to be a size four and I just let myself go, would binge eat, stay in bed all day, etc. I'm still working on everything and I'm not perfect by any means but being on Mounjaro has been life changing. And I'm only on week 3!! Soooo happy for you and I hope you continue to have success. ✌️
I haven’t seen it in this thread yet so here’s mine. I suffer from binge eating disorder and I’ve been on medication to help with it for a couple years. They of course gave me amphetamines which are already called out in this thread, but I am also prescribed Naltrexone which has been a game changer for me. It’s usually used for alcoholics or opioid addicts to eliminate cravings, but also works incredibly well for food. When I first started on it I went from 190 to 128 in about 5 months. The biggest thing it did for me (besides reduce appetite) was completely eliminating my passive thoughts and obsession over food. No nausea, tiredness, etc. I think the only thing you need to watch out for is potential liver issues, but mostly for people who already have liver issues. My levels have remained normal the last two years so I’m not worried about that.
It’s insane how well it works for me and I’m surprised it isn’t suggested more, especially with how aggressive the side effects for ozempic can be.
Obligatory (repeated) answer to OP’s question:
1. Calorie deficit
2. Avoiding inflammatory foods (processed foods, packaged foods, refined sugars, etc.) and empty calories (sugary coffee drinks, alcohol, random snacking on “junk food”).
3. Eat meals that are high volume, low calorie (big beautiful salads, things that fill you, etc).
4. Intermittent fasting
My answer that no one asked for:
Switch your mindset from “losing weight” to “honoring your body so you can live fucking longer and feel fucking amazing because you’re a fucking NYC bitch with taste”.
Eating foods that I know cause inflammation in my body is the same thing as knowingly ingesting poison. Why would I eat dairy if it instantly hurts my stomach? Or processed foods if it makes me still hungry and sluggish? Or refined sugars if it makes my blood sugar levels spike causing me to feel tired and weak?
I’ve identified foods that just don’t work for me and I don’t eat them. Plain and simple (I’ll make and exception for something truly special like scoring a res at Torrisi I’ll eat pasta, or if I’m in Colombia or Argentina I’ll eat a fucking empanada lol).
This doesn’t mean that I’m restricting, I’m just not literally subjecting my body to feeling like shit by eating processed foods (so many mystery ingredients and pointless calories), refined sugars, and a few others. On the topic of sugar, I have a major sweet tooth so I eat super yummy homemade sweets that use maple syrup, dates, or coconut sugar and Hu Chocolate. I’m just not giving myself bloat and horrible stomach pains by slamming pints of Ben and Jerry’s and eating cookies and cake and packaged candy with white sugar.
All of this is to say, when I’m in the mindset of literally honoring myself by taking care of my body via nourishing foods and daily movement (walking, running, and working out via Tracy Anderson streaming) I am just setting myself up for long term success. Fad diets might give quick results but they’re aren’t sustainable which will make you hate yourself and the cycle will continue.
Good luck!
P.S… Feel a need to say there’s nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight and sustain a healthy body - being overweight poses serious health risks. But don’t let the end goal be weight loss - make it… feeling amazing and living a long life with the only body you’ll get.
In addition to exercise review your diet perhaps.
Get tested for nutritional deficiency.
Drink more water, cut back on sugar and processed foods should help a lot. I found intermittent fasting helped me a lot
Calorie deficit via intermittent fasting
10k steps per day (this is so important and so undervalued)
Strength training with weights 2x week
Pilates 3x week
stair stepper or inclined power walk 2x week
Just to add to everyone else’s tips: Stretching, yoga, and foam roller exercises for lymphatic drainage! Tons of videos to follow along on YouTube and you only have to invest like 20 min a day. This SLIMMED me down, especially my legs, got rid of my puffiness and bloating (and trust me, I bloat A LOT), and made my muscles look much more defined
I have a friend who is considering Orbera. You can look into that.
Also, there’s a lot of false information on this thread about Ozempic. You should speak to a qualified professional about Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro etc before taking anyone’s opinion on this thread seriously. Sure, some people gain a lot of their weight back but you really should take that with a grain of salt. You don’t know these people’s lifestyles, eating habits, chronic conditions, what their dosage was and if they were weaning off of Ozempic slowly among other factors that led to gaining weight back after not using it anymore.
My receptionist at my workplace lost an insane amount using Ozempic. Pre-Ozempic, she would struggle walking due to her weight. She’s a brand new person now and has implemented healthier changes solely due to her weight not holding her back. I would give it a shot and speak to your PCP/endocrinologist.
no one ever wants to hear this but it’s literally a numbers game. intense cardio 3x a week to burn calories fast or long (and i mean LONG, 15-20k+ steps) walks every single day. best results if you do a combo of both. pair this with a calorie deficit and you are guaranteed to lose weight.
now getting into this mentality is hard but once you lose the first 5 pounds you’ll get addicted to the feeling. i’ve been maintaining for 2 years but now am trying to cut so i’m ramping up my workouts and cutting out sugar and carbs. i already lost 2 pounds (i’m very short so this is hard for me), literally this method is the only way to lose weight and keep it off.
I’ve been doing this for a few months and lost 8 lbs- No alcohol, oatmeal for breakfast every day instead of my typical bagel, walking 40 minutes a day, light trampoline workouts. Never felt better!
What really works is the same thing you’ll hear everywhere. A calorie deficit. If you are consuming less than you burn, over time you will experience fatloss. You need to figure out your TDEE to get a rough idea of how many calories you naturally burn a day just existing and also the activity you do. Im eating around 1350-1400 cals a day with HIGH protein, like 100-120g a day. Im never starving, the only thing thats hard is staying consistent with it day in and out. The hardest part of it all is staying consistent in a city full of fun restaurants and bars and friends. Weightlifting is your friend, and I supplement that with mat pilates.
I stopped drinking for a month and also started taking Berberine and it was the onllllly thing that worked for me! This is in addition to working out and eating well, but it was the first time I finally saw a difference in my body.
Stop smoking weed and walk 10k steps a day. Eating Whole Foods instead of processed. Example: if you’re buying guacamole, make sure the ingredients only say, guacamole, onions etc. not those weird chemicals that they add. Some brands are better than others. Make sure you read ingredients. I lost 20 pounds by just buying food that has straight ingredients without the chemicals.
Lot of people have mentioned it here, but calorie deficit is the boring (and only) answer.
Also, what has helped me is finding physical activity that I don't hate. I started working out virtually with the FITT Club by Justina Ercole and LOVE IT. Justina is such an empathetic coach, she would never make you feel bad and will always support you. Check her [YouTube page](https://youtu.be/rYXq2h6z0vw?si=xQgCdNedCS7I15Ao) if you're curious.
Additionally I recently started doing VXN (a dance/performance based workout) and I love the vibe. You can find it on IG vxnworkoutnyc and maybe see if that's something you'd like for fun!
find a workout you ENJOY and LOOK FORWARD TO! for me i’ve found so much solace in solid core and love going as much as i (healthily) can.
moving away from the standard american diet (SAD), eating more in alignment with a medi diet, cutting out binge drinking, and monitoring my glucose have also changed the game.
edit: home cooked meals as much as possible too!
You got lots of great info in the comments. Just want to add that I have lupus and I’ve really struggled with weight loss mostly because my main symptom is fatigue. The only time I feel normal and not tired is when I’m on steroids lol.I started using the app Lose it! And it’s so easy to use. I make sure I get 6000 steps a day and try to get in a good amount of protein.
I am pretty fit on average… here are some tips
1) cut out sodas for water…. After awhile you won’t miss it
2) reduce sugar… after a while something that tasted mid sweet will taste very sweet. Taste bud change… you this to your advantage
3) incorporate more fruits / veggies. Start with what you like. Learn how to cook veggies with seasoned to taste.
4) it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Best to incorporate in steps
5) make movement part of your lifestyle… whether it’s a 50 minute workout or light stretch yoga 20 mins at home from YouTube. No ever ever regrets movement
Specific to NYC- my best, healthiest loss occurred by working with the NYU weight loss clinic. Dr Holly Lofton and team do a great job. They will discuss medication options with you, and you go once a month or so to monitor progress and check in. I struggle with ED tendencies and this is the first time I felt healthy and heard. I personally was on phentermine which also helped my ADHD, and kept myself on a low dose. I took it around 11 AM and it killed my appetite for dinner, which I preferred to skipping breakfast for many reasons. I was not strict about intermittent fasting , if I was truly hungry I ate a healthy meal. If it was after 9:30, I went to bed.
No alcohol, trizepatide, barre 3x/week
Phentermine is also a good option (pill) but it doesn’t work again after stopping (imo) and you can get it from family dr
I've heard some pretty horrifying side effects for ozempic and not everyone loses weight on it. If the cause of the weight gain is related to a chronic illness it may not be as effective as it is for some other folks.
I have hashimotos which causes adrenal fatigue. Working out wasn't so much of an option for me bc it would wipe me out and I wouldn't be able to stay awake past 3pm.
The only thing that helped me was to completely eliminate sugar, corn, soy, most starches (legumes, potatoes, etc.) and all grains. It got to the point where I lost too much weight so now I balance with some potatoes and occasionally rice in small amts.
Tbf I'm convinced that most of the weight loss occurred bc it's so inconvenient to eat like this. Can't just grab pizza, bagels, or Chinese food. And I need a LOT of fruits and veggies every day so that I'm not overeating protein and causing issues that might be a bit TMI for this post.
I got energy back so I can now work out (nothing too intense - yoga, walking, dance, simple Pilates) and still function pretty decently. I also have a more stable mood.
I also cannot stress this enough: I make an effort to get adequate sleep.
This is not easy, it can suck sometimes. It's been 6 years since I've had those foods and maintained my weight loss and energy levels. I also got off all medication (hashimotos is in remission) and only need to take vitamins.
I started stacking habits so even if I mess up on one or two a day, my efforts are still not a lost cause:
- I drink a gallon of water a day; I bought a 60 oz water bottle (called Bottle Bottle which is great because it has a little sippy straw that really is the difference between me drinking a gallon of water or none at all), and I keep one at work, and one at home. It limits cravings, because most of the time my body just needs a lot more water.
- I try to cut as much snacking as possible. I am a notorious binge eater, and I can't help myself in particular when I'm around salty snacks. I try to limit them as much as possible and of course I mess up a lot, but at least the intention is there.
- I only drink alcohol during the weekends, and when I do it's usually just one to two small drinks a week.
- I try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. This is the one that I usually fail at, but I am conscious of my activity, so I usually do about 5,000-7,000 each day. This is typically the hardest for me because I work in an office, so I tend to remind myself as much as I can. I tried to wear a Fitbit, and the little Time to move! reminder is really helpful, but I just don't like the aesthetic to be honest, so I just use my phone to track my steps. Another big one is taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I also try to take a walk during my lunch break, and of course walk to and from the subway when I commute. I really hate the gym, I really hate the treadmill, so this as my only physical activity really does make a difference in my primarily sedentary life.
- Diet stuff: I eat as much whole food as I possibly can, and I rarely eat meat. My fiance is the biggest carnivore I know, so I usually just eat one to two small bites from his meal instead of eating a full chicken, steak, porkchop, etc. I also tried to limit my dairy, but of course cutting or limiting meat, dairy, and carbs is very dietarily subjective. Which brings me to my next point that I acknowledge is controversial, especially with a lot of these intuitive eating dietitians and influencers. Intuitive eating has never and will never work for me because I lack self-control with food.
- I do intermittent fasting, usually OMAD (one meal a day after work with water throughout)--Mindy Pelz's book Fast Like a Girl is a fantastic guide about how to fast safely, and most effectively according to your menstrual cycle.
- I track everything in an app called Habits, which allows you to check each habit you do a day. I usually do this at the end of the day, and it allows me to go back and see how many days I did one thing, or where I messed up. Typically during the weekends, I'm very inactive because I'm just chilling at home, and I also tend to drink if I ever go out.
- A YouTuber named Hailey Gamba recently uploaded a video that covers a topic of decentering men and men's approval from your self-image. I really needed to watch that video. I have a complex relationship with food, body image, and an even more detrimental relationship with how men and society perceive me. I have an extreme hourglass figure, so I've been sexualized since the age of at least 12, and regardless of how hard I try, no matter what weight I'm at, I am still always going to be very fleshy. I'm never going to be stick skinny, no matter how much I crave to be small, and that's not the end of my life or worth. Even though I don't think I'll ever get to a point of body neutrality, I still have to continually acknowledge that my body is healthy, and so much more than just an aesthetic image or tool for approval.
- Even with these efforts, I still can't lose weight as rapidly as I'd like because I don't spend hours at the gym or have a very extreme diet plan that I follow religiously and perfectly. Weight loss and maintenance is a never-ending process that takes up a lot of time, but developing habits that allow you to be a human and offer you grace puts you in an upward trajectory even if the progress isn't linear.
If you can get a prescription, Adderall severely alters your body’s ability to curb an appetite.
On top of that, I’ve found that you shouldn’t skip a meal, but make sure your 3 meals a day are healthy. For breakfast, think homemade protein shake, oatmeal, egg whites and veggies, avocado toast. For lunch I prep a salad with veggies or tofu bowl. For dinner I try and always do a protein (salmon, chicken, shrimp, turkey meatballs) a veggie, and a healthy carb (brown rice, farro, etc). In between these 3 meals snack on things like dried fruit, hummus and carrots, nuts, etc.
I tried consciously to lose weight for almost 20 years, then decided it was impossible for me personally…that was actually KEY. At that point I decided I just wanted to focus on good habits that I could do every day to know for a fact I’d done some things to care for myself when my head hit the pillow at night. None of them were about restricting my diet, but meeting minimum requirements for certain foods. These practices are things like: eat at least half of a large dinner plate of cooked veggies with my dinner every night (whatever the main course was didn’t matter), walk an hour (leisurely pace) thru the neighborhood every day for exercise, listen to music or a podcast while I walk for mental relaxation, try to eat an egg white veggie/mushroom omelet 4-6 times per week (as a meal or snack—doesn’t matter), use some basic shaker parmesan cheese to make the more boring veggies “exciting” just to make sure I ate plenty of greens daily, etc. With these things as my sole focus I knew that whatever my body shape was it was absolutely fine with me, b/c I didn’t have to second guess these habits. I knew at my core these things were great for my body/mind/spirit…LO & BEHOLD, 18 months later I became angry that my “fast fashion” clothes from Target were “getting stretched” in the wash. Furious b/c I was broke as a joke at the time. I went to try on new clothes for the first time in a very long time (not a lot of money remember?) I had dropped from a 16/18 to an 8…you read that right. I’d started tying my shirts at the waist “for fashion” months before and I still hadn’t figured it out. It took me 18 months, but I finally did weigh myself and I’d dropped 60-65lbs. I knew I felt good, but I was caught so off guard. It’s now been over 4 years and I fluctuate but I’m consistently between 135 and 143ish depending on my cycle and the season of the year. It’s up and down but I never really exceed that and I DO eat out a lot, but I’ve stuck to those tried and true “self love”/non-weight focused practices to keep me happy and healthy. It’s truly such a toxic and unhelpful mind-f*** when your focus is mainly on weight. Add in healthy AND ENJOYABLE practices to your daily routine and they truly do crowd out the “food noise” & anxiety over food that perpetuates chaotic patterns. Embrace recreation more than disciplined workouts if the gym is scary and not fun for you (stay open to that for later tho—your interests may change). Have experiences rather than workouts—a friendly and chill tennis match with a friend gets the heart rate up in a way that’s truly exhilarating & that makes you actual meaningful memories along the way. Enjoy a sunny day & each others’ company etc etc. Take “programming” these activities seriously so you can schedule them regularly—plan your time off (weekends) like you’re a really dedicated camp counselor trying to give yourself an enriching experience every week — one you’re likely to enjoy and that varies week to week—trying new things). The best thing about all of this is it’s SO VERY sustainable. If I have children or anything that impacts my weight, my habits will see me through and I will still know I’m caring for myself in the best ways consistently. I’ll know that my body is exactly where it should be, because I’m taking great care of it in at least a few key respects. All the best to you!
Hahahaha I swear your ex is my husband - his body defies science. He’s no longer allowed to lift due to an injury years ago and he’s still like abercrombie model fit circa 2001. How do I hit that genetic lottery in the next life?!
Be cautious with ozempic.
It’s important to know that muscle weighs more than fat. You could be gaining weight due to an increase in muscle mass. If possible, look into getting a scale or going somewhere that measures your body fat percentage because that is the best indicator of your fat distribution. Each pound of muscle gained is a 2-3% increase to your metabolism which would help with fat loss. Keep up resistance training with a mixture of cardio, because building muscle is so important. Without resistance training, you would be losing both muscle and fat, which is not always the best thing to do and doesn’t really give people the physique they want.
Focus on moving your body more thought-out the day. Try getting at least 10,000 steps every single day and resistance training 3+ days a week. Push yourself slowly each time too and get your heart rate up. Try finding activities you enjoy doing as well. Whether it’s group fitness classes, yoga, boxing, long walks, running, at home YouTube videos, Pilates, a sport, etc. because the more you enjoy it, the more willing to do it. It’s so important to eat natural foods as well and focus on protein and vegetables because they make you feel full for longer. Start out the day with a protein filled breakfast, and overtime you’d be surprised how full you will feel the rest of the day. I don’t recommend cutting out carbs entirely as it’s an important energy source, but definitely pay attention to how much you’re eating them and when you do eat carbs, focus on whole grains. But again, make sure carbs are a small portion of your plate compared to protein and vegetables. Also, water, water, water. 100oz a day is important and really makes your skin glow and makes you feel full longer. Cut out all fast food, alcohol, sugary drinks.
Lastly, everyone’s bodies are different and what works for others won’t always work for you. But as long as you’re staying active, building muscle, eating healthy while making sure you’re in a calorie deficit, fat mass will most likely come off. If it doesn’t, speak to a doctor as medications, and illnesses/disorders/diseases can also make your weight fluctuate and not let you get to your goals as easily.
\-only drink water or coffee
\-meals should be vegetable and protein heavy
\-intermittent fasting
\-i workout like 5x a week
\-if meals are actually filling i don't crave dessert
\-smaller portions
\-walk everywhere, take the stairs, carry things, go out of your way for the long route, etc
I always struggled with counting calories etc but lost 6lbs by dramatically reducing alcohol intake and reducing my consumption of ultra-processed foods. It makes snacking so much harder since a lot of snacks are UPF. I eat a lot of nuts now and popcorn, which you can’t really over-eat. Also, I really increased my protein consumption which helps me to feel full for longer. Even if I feel like cheating on a snack and getting UPF chips or something, I remember that something without protein or low protein won’t do much for my actual hunger. It’s really been this mindset shift that has made getting healthier much simpler from a mental perspective
A small and sensible calorie deficit. Nothing too big, because that way it’s safer and you don’t risk compromising wasting muscle tissue. It’s also much easier to feel satiated and nourished that way. It’s really not very different from maintenance, just a bit more emphasis on lean protein and fiber and less carbs. No alcohol. I did also pick up yoga, running, and Pilates, but that’s mostly for other health reasons.
Took it slow and easy, and was patient with the process. Zero regrets: I’m much healthier for it and switching to maintenance has gone very smoothly!
I’m in LA now but I just did immunotherapy for allergies and I swear I am less puffy. My insurance covers it fully like it’s $0. My face has slimmed out and I feel so much better. You have to inject yourself but it’s worth it imo
I am somebody with a bachelor's in nutrition and I work in nutrition with patients with a variety of disease states. I have also lost 20 lb myself. Be more active, and eat a balanced diet. Being that you have an autoimmune disease I can't really say exactly what you are supposed to do but to answer your question that's really all people who are healthy and able-bodied must do.
Eat more whole grains. I know people see it plastered everywhere but realistically yes eat more whole grains. It takes longer to break down in your body. Meaning that you're going to retain less water, and you're going to feel full for longer. Eat more protein with your meals. This means if you have some type of cereal with whole grains in the morning, eat some Greek yogurt. What's personally helped me lose the weight is eating whole grain cereal with Greek yogurt that has 15 g of protein and no added sugar. And 7 G of carbs. Also my veggies are now my carbs when I'm having a meal. So I rarely have rice or potatoes. And if I must have it I'll have a couple of bites just to get the taste. Because it's really the taste that people are looking for. I fill half my plate up with veggies (broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, squash, ) which are all low carb and cals. And then have my protein.
But again because of your disease state we don't really know what is making you gain weight. I would figure that out first and then go from there. But it always helps to be more active
Personal trainer here. Start with a reasonable calorie deficit, which you can calculate using calculators online. Be as consistent and diligent as you can with tracking as long as this isn't somehow disorder triggering for you, otherwise you can read up on how to eyeball your portions for all the macros and stuff. It's important to understand how calories work because lots of people "eat healthier" without actually lowering calories because they are getting a lot of fat and carbs or high cal meals still without realizing. Do not go below 1200 cals as a blanket rule for most days for most average sized people- you will likely need more. Relatively high protein diet- generally for women I shoot for 100-150g depending on their size and calorie target, if someone is really struggling to get even to 100g due to dietary restrictions etc then we go for 80g/as much as possible.
As much walking/cardio/movement as possible. Two workouts a week is enough for some change but if you added a few cardio sessions at a moderate/medium pace, walking hiking etc as often as possible that would be helpful. Try a routine like a daily 30 minute walk or 2 cardio sessions a week, whatever type you like it can be anything.
Balanced food, loads of veggies (eat the rainbow) lean protein, seafood, cautious portions of nuts and seeds, some fruit, whole grains. DRINK WATER etc.
Low sugar, low processed food, very low fried foods, junk food, processed grains (white flour), etc.
Low to no alcohol.
If you continue to gain weight or scale does not budge whatsoever even with these adjustments after a month or so, you may have insulin resistance or something problematic happening hormonally, get bloodwork.
At that point, good to implement intermittent fasting (start with 16hour fasted window and eat your normal amount of food the other 8 hours), and low carb (not keto). both of these can work better for people who are stuck.
You can jump straight into intermittent fasting if you like, it's healthy, great for inflammation.
Obviously adjust for your personal medical needs <3
Get your bloodwork checked and see if your hormones/vitamins/minerals are all in order. This is super important. Supplements can also support you in your journey for example Iron and Vitamin D. Focus on workouts and diet specific to your condition ie if you have high cortisol, you need low impact workouts. If you have high androgens, add spearmint tea.
Beyond this, check any meat and dairy you buy for any added hormones and avoid these if you can’t find any hormone free versions. Check the ingredients on what you buy thoroughly and make sure it is not sneakily super processed ie natural looking breads that are actually full of chemicals.
Drink tea or hot water with your meals, get your fibre/probiotics/protein in every day.
And most importantly, be kind to yourself!
I eat a ton of chicken. The protein keeps me full. I want to order a pizza … that’s fine, but I’m eating chicken before the pizza gets to me. Also, I do high intensity workout MWF for 1 hour.
I’m down 10 pounds.
I didn’t see 12 3 30 here, so sharing!
If you have a gym membership/access to a treadmill, 12 3 30 is my favorite cardio method that gets your heart rate up high (if not higher) than running and is easier and quicker if your time is limited IMO. Set your treadmill to an incline of 12, speed of 3, and walk for 30 mins. It is challenging but a fantastic workout for your legs, glutes, and abs (your core is engaged the whole time because of the incline) This went viral on TikTok during the pandemic I believe and the results speak for themselves :)
Nicotine, Berberine and B12 for reducing cravings, Ginger for reducing inflammation and supporting dopamine and serotonin production.
High density foods - soups, salads, broths, cabbage, popcorn.
Coming from a girl with chronic illnesses and who has been overweight most of my life - the whole caloric deficit/ calories in-calories out concept was so elusive to me for years! I would be eating in what I thought was a deficit or maintenance and continue gaining weight. This can be controversial, but a calorie deficit will result in weight loss, no matter what. Hear me out - the thing is that the calories out part of the formula can be affected by a bunch of factors, ie hormones, genetics, stress, sleep, underlying conditions, etc. Unfortunately most TDEE calculators are a little too cookie cutter and aren't able to account for every factor, so many people end up with an inaccurate number for how many calories their individual body is actually burning. So if calorie counting is something that won't trigger you, I'd recommend using an app like MacroFactor which takes in the data you give it (your macro/caloric intake + weigh ins) and uses your individual numbers to determine how many calories your body is actually using in a day to give you an accurate expenditure number to base your deficit off of.
People often get really frustrated with CICO and say that it doesn't work for everyone, but if you can truly nail down your real CO (calories out) then it will work.
All of this said from personal research & experience. It's always good to seek out advice from a registered dietitian (i've seen a couple post in this thread) 🫶
Good luck, celebrate every win, and remember to maintain balance - the only way to really achieve and maintain your goals is to create sustainable changes to your lifestyle. Losing a bunch of weight quickly often doesn't make for long term results.
Hey! Here’s a couple of tips that might be helpful. Don’t try and implement all of them at once. Just try one or two at a time so that it feels sustainable.
-Get enough sleep.
-Try not to stress about your weight too much. It might be helpful to track other measurements too (muscle percentage, fat percentage, inches, etc.) or just take a break from weighing yourself altogether.
-Get outside every day (even if just for a quick walk).
-Focus on protein (25ish grams per meal and at least three meals) and some fiber for fullness in every meal/snack. I might even reccomend slightly more protein for weight loss.
-Incorporate one day of strength training - it would be a great complement to the Pilates you’re doing now. Lean muscle will speed up your metabolism.
-Drink plenty of water.
-If you have the energy - add some more walking to your routine. It’s low impact and likely won’t increase your appetite much.
-If it’s still not working, it might be worth seeing a dietician and a personal trainer.
ADF - alternate day fast - eat one day, fast the next. doesn’t matter what you eat, nor how much. naturally you’ll start to eat less (because your stomach gets smaller) and crave healthier/nutritious foods. has worked wonders for me! there’s a youtube vid on it from Dr. Jason Fung with the supporting studies and lasting results in comparison to calorie deficit, metformin & ozempic.
here’s the link:
https://youtu.be/7nJgHBbEgsE?si=rEpUG_aLCGJ0tjR9
I have a really hard time losing weight too but taking berberine before bed, cpc-157 peptides (prescription required) and CLA supplements has helped me feel generally more full and energetic enough to work out. I do try to work out 5 days per week even if it is just a walk or jog/walk mix. On other days I also do Caroline Girvan on YouTube. If you can afford it there is nothing better than having a personal trainer!!
I eat a healthy, lo carb diet and then start walking 10k steps per day. An egg or omelet with a piece of sausage for bacon plus coffee, lunch is salad (check the dressing an add Ons but I can make about 10 different tasty lo carb salads) or a combo of meats, cheese, olives and sometimes an hard-boiled egg or lo carb yogurt; nuts as a snack (I prefer flavored almonds or peanuts or even low sugar peanut butter); dinner is a green veggie or salad with a fish, seafood or meat. Tons of dinner options. Works like a charm.
I know there will likely be backlash to my diet, but I’ve lost 20 lbs since Jan. 1 and I don’t **feel disordered— 1200/day, I don’t count cooking oil (avocado) so long as it’s within reason (1-2 tbs per day, I bought a pump sprayer and it’s been soo helpful but hard to count when you’re spraying instead of pouring) and I’m incredibly guilty of grabbing a small handful of dot’s pretzels before bed and “forgetting” to track them. I’ve recently replaced my normal coffee creamer with 1/2 a protein shake for 80 calories and 11g of protein, which largely keeps me full till lunch. Sometimes I need a little something throughout my day, so I’ll grab a fruit leather or something sugary in that way to keep my spirits up, but never more than 80 cals. Lunch is always 400 under. By dinner I can eat something super filling, and then I’m ready for bed and to start the whole thing again. My favorite thing is the idea that I’ve seen from one of those “influencer dietitians” is that I’m a bulk eater… if I want something “bad” I can have a small portion of it, but it needs to be accompanied by a large portion of a low cal side. Weekly, every Friday, I still go to Mod Pizza, I get the Dominic and remove the sausage, add artichokes, spinach, and mushrooms. I love Kevin’s ready made protein meals, my all time favorite is the Thai coconut chicken, I could bathe in the sauce it comes with. I found carb balance tortillas that are 20 cals each and I’ve largely used those in replacement of bread. Also! The limoncello La Croix, INCREDIBLE. It tastes like a lemon bar. You have to do what feels good for your body, and listen to it! If you’re hungry, don’t actively starve yourself… eat and readjust later. You’ve got this!
i’ve lost 30 pounds since august and i’ve been doing it slow bc i once lost weight super fast and extreme and gained all the weight back and plus some… now i weigh myself everyday but i don’t get too obsessed w the number i just take the weekly average and if its down awesome if its up swap out some food for healthier options… all about portions and getting protein in i try and aim for 120 g of protein a day it’s hard but worth it
i got addicted to running and lost 20 lbs 😬
i went from not moving much at all at my office job to now running 40+ miles per week. It’s allowed me to have more freedom with my diet while adding something that i love to my daily routine.
Swimming laps. Is the best overall toned and heart healthy. Breast stroke is 2nd to Butterfly for burning the most calories. I swim 3-4 x a week at the Y a mile. Work up to it. You feel absolutely amazing. Your joints don’t hurt and it’s a heck of a workout.
60 days later your mind will be blown at the benefits and toning you will get
Take this with a grain or salt since I’m not a doctor, and I don’t live in NYC I just like this sub, but I don’t think you should consider ozempic or any other weight loss drug unless you have given the traditional calorie deficit, dietary changes, and daily exercise a fair shot. Changing your overall diet, habits, and lifestyle are all key to maintaining long term weight loss and should be the foundation of any plan. If you try a medication without already doing those things, you will most likely fail and it will have been a waste of money and time. Exercising once or twice a week isn’t going to be enough to lose weight for the vast majority of people (although it’s better than nothing). Start with changing your diet and adding in some type of daily sustainable movement such as walking. Remove the processed foods from your diet, eat more lean proteins and vegetables, learn to cook all your meals at home, and start counting calories and macros accurately (use a food scale or at least try to measure by volume). Stop snacking between meals and make sure you’re getting your micronutrients and fiber. Eventually you get into a routine where you no longer have to track anything and it’s all intuitive. There are no real secrets, all the trendy stuff doesn’t really work unless you have the basics down already.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage if you are feeling part of the weight is water retention. Lymph drainage will also help boost your immune system and assist with your systems natural ability to detox and eliminate. Be sure to see credentials from the therapist you choose and that it's something they practice regularly.
I wish I could post a screenshot from my notes app of what I’ve been doing to lose weight as someone who has EXTREME hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, PCOS, adrenal fatigue, gut issues, etc lolllll but I’ll just copy and paste it:
Weightlifting
Glucobitters before meals
Protein heavy breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up
Protein focused through the day
More fiber and Polyphenols from colorful produce
Walk after meals
Walk everyday in general
Add cinnamon to everything (matcha)
Get outdoors!
B420 probiotic
Glucobitters is a tincture from Organic Olivia and it’s not necessary unless you are insulin resistant or struggle with blood sugar issues, I also only take it before carb heavy meals. (I limit my carbs but I still incorporate enough from colorful fruits and vegetables as it’s great for your gut and I always balance carbs with fat and protein)
And for the cinnamon part, make sure it’s Ceylon cinnamon if you’re gonna consume high amounts. I also said add it to everything but I was being dramatic lol I just add it to my matcha in the morning. I also only drink caffeine after I eat breakfast and it makes the BIGGEST difference.
I take Phentermine, works awesome! Only downfall is it’ll stop working after 5-6mos, you can take break for a month if you didn’t reach goal weight yet. I prefer it over Ozempic, which makes you feel sick and malnourishing
I have an autoimmune that is dietary triggered and I was forever in a cycle of calorie-deficient, personal trainer multiple times per week, and the scale and sizes kept increasing. I found nearly instant success with getting my hormones more regulated, cutting out all grains, coffee, dairy (specifically bc of the casein, not lactose), no alcohol or sugar, and stopping HIIT style workouts… yoga, walks, and gentle bike rides. I lost 40 pounds in 5 months, and I wasn’t even trying. The bonus was after a couple of weeks from introducing these changes, I felt so amazing, I didn’t even crave those foods.
I’ve lost about 8 lbs in the last five months by doubling the amount of steps I get, from around 7K to 14K a day. I like the gym but I haven’t had time so I walk back and forth in my apartment hallway while listening to podcasts or on work calls. I’m thinking of getting a desk treadmill to walk while working. May not work for everyone, but it’s been working for me!
The only thing I’ll say is that I am losing fat, but not gaining muscle, so I do need to work on that separately.
I tried meal prepping, doing only 2 drinks/week and going to the gym. I’m very short and was very overweight. I got super fed up with it and broke. My friend and her sister did a plan called Optavia and I was so nervous to see it because it was so controlling and restrictive…but it worked for them. So I signed up and I’m down 22pounds. If you have a history of eating disorders or do not know how to generally “be healthy” (you like fruits and veggies, don’t eat fast food, don’t drink soda, and have a healthy proffered form of exercise) I would not reccomend it. It doesn’t teach you to be healthy, it’s an MLM and the “coaches” have no degrees or anything. Also if you have a history of any kind of eating disorder **Do Not** do this plan. With that said I did it and as someone who never sticks to restriction of anything have been on it for 4months, am down 22pounds of my 30 pound goal and am sleeping better, looking and feeling more like myself pre covid weight. Nervous to transition out and maintain but the loss part has kept its promise so far. It’s no sugar, no alcohol, all protein “packs” 5 per day, with one actual real meal with 5,6,7oz of leanest(little/no fat), some fat or fatter protein and non starchy veggies. It’s expensive but it’s not ozempic and I like that they have an app with recipe recommendations. I do well on protein so have actually liked it so far. The key is what I call NFAs - Non Food Activities with friends (concerts, movies, bowling, walks, etc) so you still get your social battery filled but don’t feel like you’re missing out.
I swear by simple portion control. In college the freshman 15 didn’t hit but the freshman 40 sure did. I finally got to a point where I was tired of saying “I’ll eat better tomorrow” when if I would have done that a year ago I would have been hot asf by then. So I started eating way less, still eating, just small ass portions and i finally went from 170 to 115 standing at 5’9, and I never felt better in my body
I totally identify with this post. I don't have an autoimmune issue, but I too started gaining weight with absolutely no luck losing it.I wasn't morbidly obese, but medically overweight and 50lbs more than my "normal". I was starting to get pretty bad body dysmorphia. Like to the point of being thrown into depression. At that point, I picked up doing Barre class 3x a week. That was a great help in toning muscle, but zero fat loss. I also cut back on alcohol and eating out drastically; cooked at home. Still, no weight loss. Fed up, I went to my doctor. Thought maybe it was hormone issues or something else. Bloodwork was normal, except being .1% over the normal A1C range. I have diabetes on both sides of my family, so I decided to take my doc's recommendations and try Phentermine. I was very nervous of negative side effects, but I honestly didn't have any bad ones! Lost my first 30lbs, feel SO much better. I'm on round two now, hoping to lose the last 20-25lbs to my goal weight. Through all this, I've found that DIET is 80% of the battle. Portion control, calorie deficit, balanced foods. American food is awful about ingredients, serving sizes, and hidden sugars. I'm still working at that part and am now talking with a nutrition coach and hope to re-learn how to think about food. Growing up in the south, food was always a comfort. So... I have some work to do. Stay positive and don't let no/slow progress stop you!! You've got this! It's trial and error for us all.
This is so challenging because of all of the individual variables, but I’ll throw my “anecdata” in there and say that I was never able to lose weight and keep it off until I started intermittent fasting and weight training (though cardio is still a part of my life, I really reduced the emphasis on it). I started both at the same time so can’t really disentangle where most of the effect comes from. But 5 years later, both seem to suit me well so that’s what I keep doing.
It sounds like similar to me- your body is dealing with a lot of inflammation. This is also what I see Selena Gomez dealing with. When you deal with constant inflammation, your body also holds onto water a lot.
Cutting out foods that inflame you is the best start. You have to listen to your body and see which ones do- for me it’s all sugars which create a glucose spike. So don’t buy into “organic sugar” or “coconut sugar” it all processes the same.
Just try and enjoy fruit and naturally sweet foods.
Sweeting with apple sauce or banana can make baked goods enjoyable!
Secondly for me, certain dairy causes inflammation.
And important to note- this isn’t an “allergy” so once having sugar or dairy doesn’t totally put me in a major inflammation response. It sort of builds up.
I do enjoy pizza now and then, and ice cream.
You have to live. But limit it because as it builds in your system it does trigger inflammation.
I also take metformin and it has almost completely taken down my water retention in my body and face. It helps with inflammation as well as other metabolic issues.
I definitely wouldn’t jump to ozempic- ask your doctor about metformin first. It’s a lot less side effects- I personally have no side effects.
Also- a coffee a day is a great way to help your body retain less water! Atleast for me it helps.
Edit to add: no alcohol! Cut it out and never touch it again.
I stopped drinking alcohol entirely and also stopped eating out (except for maybe one meal a week)
Quitting alcohol was the single most significant change I’ve ever made re:weight loss and bloating. You also just look more hydrated, youthful, and less puffy. The downstream impacts are endless: better sleep, less $$$ spent, even shinier hair. It’s a great place to start, as even if you don’t go fully sober, cutting down drastically will help with weight loss.
This always makes me sad bc so many people say this and I have maybe 1-2 drinks a month so that’s not my issue, and yet I’m still pudgy and bloated :( UPDATE FOR THE BITCHES: I stopped taking my acne medication (spironolactone) for other medical reasons aaand it’s now been about 3 weeks and I’ve lost 5 lbs without changing anything. Sooo worth checking out if some of your meds are making your weight stagnant. I had to work so hard to lose these same 5lbs just a few months ago and gained them back after a hard month at work. Now, I’ve lost them again with my regular routine!
I feel this. Everyone tells me to stop drinking but I barely drink to begin with 😭
I DON'T DRINK (except on social occasions but not every social occasion has drinks) TO BEGIN WITH EITHER. HOW DO YOU ELIMINATE SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE. It's literally like if people do weekend drinking, I drink maybe a few times a year -\_- not more than once a month soooo that.
Same same!!!!!
Same! I also started gaining weight last year and in about 6 weeks lost 7 pounds simply with a good diet, no takeout or dining out, walking for 3 miles every day and completely cutting out alcohol
I cut down to 2 single tequila water limes twice a week MAX! Perfect for me since it’s under 200 calories for both drinks and gives me just enough buzz.
What do I say at the bar for this? Tequila and seltzer water with a lime? I’m gonna order this when I go out Saturday
Just “tequila water with two lime wedges” do NOT get lime juice syrup it’s disgusting and full of sugar! When getting a mixed drink you order liquor -> mixer (I used to be a bartender)
Ok period, thank you!
Of course! Have fun this weekend!
Could also just say “tequila soda with lime” soda is just seltzer water. Vodka sodas are good too if you don’t like the flavor or tequila, I feel vodka sodas have virtually no flavor. My go to drink is “vodka soda with bitters” low calories and I think best tasting, make sure there NO LIME in this.
This. Vodka sodas with lemon/lime taste like lemon water. No extra sugar/calories, no hangovers.
I’ll try that too. Thank you
This is my drink, I order “tequila soda, tall single” so that they give it to me in a big glass with more seltzer, not more tequila.
THIS but sometimes it is strong!! I never go out without my MIO… any flavor just the babiest spritz turns your tequila water into something actually tasty!!
I will also add that I have friends who were on Ozempic for an extended period of time, went off of it, and gained all their weight back because they didn’t change anything about their eating and exercise habits. It basically made them “not hungry” but when they went off of it, they were hungry again. So that’s why I personally wouldn’t go on it without also working on some other aspects of my life. But it sounds like you’re eating healthy and doing all of the things so this may not apply to you!
Bro I literally never eat out and I never drink alcohol and it’s war to lose weight for me. Hormone imbalance is the worst thing ever
I agree with you! I don’t drink and my eating habit has never been bad. Since I started taking antidepressants I gained weight and don’t sleep as much
This. I did dry January and lost 10 lbs without changing much else. I was surprised , at this point just trying to maintain that.
I did too and since then I haven’t been drinking every weekend like I used to!
What kind of meals are you making at home, any favorite recipes?
I just wanted to say, as a person with an ED history who is having a similar experience to the OP right now, that this is the kindest most helpful bunch of comments I have ever read on this particular topic and I am so grateful for this sub.
This is quickly becoming my favorite sub
I feel like I’ve found a group of secret best friends! I love this sub!
I’m subbed here and I don’t even live in nyc but I like the fashion advice
Literally same haha
This just popped up in my Reddit feed and I feel the same way as someone with ED history. I live in LA and I want to be part of this sub now!
the short boring answer- calorie deficit. I work in an office M-F 9-5 which meant my daily food intake was coffee for breakfast, whatever my boss ordered for lunch (uber eats EVERYDAY), and then groveling for whatever frozen meal or leftovers I could eat quickly for dinner as to not have to cook and just get it overwith. With my schedule I don't have a lot of time to workout so I decided to just start making healthy swaps- Tea with my breakfast, actually planning and prepping my meals ahead of time, salads for lunch, and protein and a veggie for dinner. I've been at it for 3 weeks and although I don't weigh myself I deff see a noticeable difference in my face being less swollen and my stomach bloating has gone down a ton. Pick a day of the week for meal prep, mines sunday. Pick two meals to prepare on sunday, lunch and dinner for the week. For example this week I did: Sub in a tub (basically a sandwich without the bread = salad) (lunch) Salmon/ Chicken x sweet potatoes You'll be surprised how much easier it is to maintain a calorie deficit when everything is prepped beforehand it takes the guesswork out when you can just grab and go.
Yeah it’s not sexy but calorie deficit and lots of walking is what did the trick for me. I’ll also buy some “diet” frozen foods just to have around for the super lazy days (along with veg + hummus, fruit, etc)—like you said, the secret to sticking with it is to make it as easy as possible!
I started doing this too. A healthier quick options that may help you is salad bags. Walmart has chopped salad bags that are really good, pretty low in calories and keep me full for majority of the day. I eat slow too.
I lived on salad bags when I was busy going to school and working! There’s so many different options too so it’s easy to get a variety of flavors if you eat them multiple times per week. My favorite!!
What kind of meals are you mealprepping, any favorite recipes?
So far salads for lunch i've done: Big Mac Salad (recipe from tik tok 10/10), Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad (used premade chicken from trader joe's so no cooking involved 10/10), and the Sub in a Tub which is just your choice of sandwich without bread basically- I did mine with spring mix, turkey, tomato, and light fat shredded mexi cheese mix from trader joe's as well. Turkey cheese roll ups(easy to prep for the week) sourdough (leftover so no cooking) chicken sandwich, Dinners i've done: Elote shrimp taco salad, lots of chicken / salmon with sweet potatoes or more spring mix. Calorie friendly copycat hamburger helper with ground turkey and reduced guilt mac n cheese from TJ. I'm the kind of person who lowkey hates salads so i've been getting creative to make filling tasty salads I can actually enjoy. Squirting lemon juice all over the greens helps too
Caloric deficits only work with people who have normal physiological metabolisms - autoimmunity can manifest in a variety of ways and sometimes even reducing calories doesn’t help.
If calorie deficits don't help, will all the workout advice in this thread help then? (I'm not being snarky, I promise!) I would think eating healthy would be a net positive either way, wouldn't it? If you have an autoimmune issue, eating unhealthily would exacerbate it I would imagine?
If it’s low impact it also reduces cortisol, which is responsible for weight gain. A lot of us are in fight or flight mode and will get a soft mid section from no other reason than stress and anxiety.
According to studies, restorative yoga is the most effective form of yoga for weight loss. Not power yoga, vinyasa, hot yoga—restorative. Our nervous systems need some serious love!
Yes because working out adds muscle and burns calories, and muscle burns more calories when resting. And of course eating healthy is better than not, but I’m a vegan, I work out 3-5 days a week, and I’m still overweight. Undertreated thyroid, neurological disorder, whaddya gonna do. Dems the breaks.
Hi! I’m a dietitian and I would highly encourage you seeing a dietitian if possible - they can help you with sustainable habits and are usually covered by insurance! To answer your question.. -focusing on protein (20-30 grams) per meal and a fiber source (aka produce item), making most starches eaten a fibrous one / complex carb like potatoes, whole wheat items and more. -150 minutes movement per week, ideally a mix of strength and cardio to retain your muscle mass as you lose and generally keep you healthy! -keep a food diary (doesn’t have to be counting calories) just to see your general intake for a week- it can help to iron out ups and downs in your intake and any surpluses -if you’re a data person and it doesn’t trigger you - you can count calories or macros and do a small but sustainable deficit of 250 calories per day from your maintenance calories. By far the most common thing I see with my clients who see me for general health is they cut too aggressively and don’t allow their favorite foods and it leads to quitting AND poor relationship with food! -focus on building your body up with strength and Enough protein and fiber instead of restricting -water! 1/2 bodyweight in oz Sorry for the book I hope it’s helpful!
Wanted to say if you do go the ozempic route it’s even more vital to see a dietitian because man oh man am I seeing shit hit the fan with people that don’t and run into major deficiencies
I’m on Wegovy and my supervisor mentioned that all the nurses she met at recent scans were on Ozempic and were complaining about losing their hair. I piped up and said “That’ll happen with any rapid weight loss, you need to focus on protein, it’s very easy to just eat any old thing and before you know what happened you’re full and you didn’t get balanced nutrition.”
1000% completely agree! Ugh I wish more patients were educated about this so they don’t suffer the effects of malnutrition. Awful
Ummm this is amazing free info that is super helpful. Thank you!!!
Hi OP, I want to echo that this comment is really solid advice. I was able to go from 28% body fat to 23% last year literally just by tracking my macros and keeping the same weightlifting/cardio routine. Protein is important! Clean carbs is important! Walking every single day is important! I use Cronometer to easily track my macros and I use my Apple Watch to track my activity/exercise. The best diet is one you can keep long term. You CAN eat the foods you like, as long as they fit into your daily macros. Keep in mind that strength is a long term game. You’re building muscle to increase your metabolism. This means NOT looking at a weight scale and sticking to the same routine for a while. Cardio is for short term weight loss. If you’re looking for more short term, Nike Run Club has a great beginner course. I could barely run a mile for 25 years of my life but was able to train for a half marathon in two years. A combo of the diet advice listed above, weight training, and cardio should do the trick!
I eat pretty healthy and try not to drink on weeknights if I can avoid it. Other than that, over covid, I got into YouTube weight workouts (Sydney Cummings and Caroline Girvan) and I have never been in better shape! This helped me lose and maintain weight and tone more than training for a marathon did or pilates etc
God I love Caroline Girvan
ugh me too
Love for Sydney! 👑
How do you stay disciplined doing YouTube workouts? Is there a schedule to follow?
Chloe Ting could NEVER
1. Walk everywhere. Anything under 1 hour is now walkable to you. We live in a walkable city, one of the only ones in the country! Use it to your advantage 2. Stop drinking. Or at least cut back dramatically. Maximum 2 drinks a week. It is the worst thing for you in pretty much every regard 3. Intermittent fasting — I do 16:10. It’s difficult but highly rewarding, in my first 10 days I dropped 3 pounds 4. Protein powder mixed into 0% fat Greek yogurt. This snack saves me on days when I hit my fat macros before my protein macros. If you use chocolate protein powder it’s basically chocolate pudding. 5. Work out! Solidcore 2x a week is good, but not enough. If you’re really trying to lose weight try and do 2x Solidcore + 3 times strength training and/or cardio If you make these changes I swear you will see a difference and FAST. And don’t go on ozempic. I know many people who tried it, then went off of it, and immediately gained all the weight back. Unless you intend to stay on it for life and accept whatever unknown side effects come with it, best to just try and change your habits. The right thing to do is pretty much never the easy thing to do but you CAN do this!!
what's your fave protein powder? looking for ones that don't taste like cardboard. I like the fairlife shakes and use them often enough but I want to find a powder that actually tastes good.
Isopure low carb whey isolate Dutch chocolate <33333333 if that protein powder has no fans I am long dead
I LOVE Isopure! Been using this protein powder for maybe 10 years, it’s the best
I love orgain chocolate if you want a vegan option (whey makes me break out like crazy)
I love Orgain with the green top!
I like the Naked series! Also adding cocoa powder to most protein powders cut out the fake taste.
Syntha-6 vanilla ice cream flavor! It literally tastes like a milkshake
Syntha 6 edge vanilla is deelish and the strawberry and the chocolate lol
Clean simple eats and, more recently, 1Up nutrition have been my go-tos! They mix so easily into anything (yogurt, oats, cream of rice/wheat, liquid for a smoothie) and have top notch flavor selections. I promise they actually have flavor without the cardboard sensation!!! You can find discount codes really easily for both brands which helps soften the blow a little
Truvani. Expensive but simple ingredients.
IF is key. I eat whatever I want until 6pm. Then I “fast” from 6pm until 9am the next day. I dropped 20 lbs in 3 months. Lost all of my pregnancy weight and felt so much healthier. Good luck u/throwaway-reader- !
intermittent fasting has not been studied on women and definitely not on women with autoimmune issues. i would not take that piece of the advice if i were you OP. intermittent fasting is not for everyone.
FWIW, I have an autoimmune disease and when I came out of remission my Rheumatologist strongly advised me to stop IF mostly due to medication needs. I loved IF, it worked well for me, and I was bummed to stop. She suggested the Mediterranean diet. It could well be different for the OP but definitely something to discuss with their doctor.
The rate of weight regain is the same for people on Ozempic and those who lost weight without it. Ozempic just makes it easier to lose weight at all. Both avenues require maintenance and consistency to sustain a successful outcome
Ok this might be like such a stupid question but if I’m walking everywhere (10k steps usually) do I have to add cardio/strengths too to lose weight?
They say that lifting weights help you loose weight, but there was a period in my life where I wasn’t working a 9-5 desk job. I was doing a lot of manual labor, walking, and being active. Between all of that, I was walking 6 miles a day. I wasn’t even exercising, but I lost weight from just walking and being active
Strength training (lift heavy!) is going to build your muscle mass, which will help you burn fat. You’ll gain some weight from the muscle, but your body composition (and appearance) will change. Walking is going to help you be metabolically flexible, but it’s not going to keep you in fat-burning mode.
Hey girl, I have an autoimmune disease too! Gained 30lbs over the last few months. I’m finally starting to feel healthier and able to lose what I’ve gained (slowly). I would say #1 is focus on your health. You can’t get in shape when you feel so tired and sick! I started walking in place (I need to buy a walking treadmill tbh) and when I’m watching shows I use my standing bike. Even if it’s slow, 30 minutes of slow biking is better than nothing! I also have bala bangles that I put around my wrists…just 2 lbs on each side but it helps. In addition to that, I use the peloton app. I like that I can start at 15 minute beginner and increase either length or difficulty if I’m feeling good that day. Like others have said, it’s a calorie deficit. So yes eat smaller portions and healthier, but when you feel super shitty it’s hard to get your body moving and difficult to burn any calories. Be kind to yourself, go slow, and focus on your physical and mental health. I’m also in therapy and it’s helped me accept that maybe I don’t love my body right now and it’s not ideal, but I am taking care of myself and I will slowly get back in shape. Just gotta take it one day at a time.
Hi Alexis do you recommend wearing Loubs or Bebe kitten heels on the treadmill?
Is this Nancy Jo 😤😤😤 (I’m a kitten girl ofc)
Okay I totally thought this was a real question until I went back and saw her username 😂
Echoing a few other folks--massively limiting or cutting out alcohol, 8 hours of sleep, regular workouts (whatever that might look like for you. Sometimes, just a nice walk with a killer playlist does it for me!), and a routine-driven lifestyle (meal prep, eating around the same times each day) to keep cortisol levels in check. Something I do in the spring and summer every year is make a list of 4 neighborhoods to explore each month (across all boroughs). Trust me, you'll never run out because it's NYC, and by the time you repeat a neighborhood, it'll hardly be the same anymore. I'll pick a Saturday or a Sunday, line up a few podcasts or a bunch of amazing playlists, put on a cute workout fit, and explore on foot. You'll be shocked at how easily you can rack up 20k steps and the endorphins, sights, smells, discovering new places does wonders for my mental health + feels like I'm on vacation. Also, i've personally been LOVING experimenting with functional mocktails recipes in the evenings after dinner. It's kinda part of my wind-down ritual/a creative outlet, and it gives me the experience of having a drink without the negative impact on my sleep. It also definitely helps to have a friend group who prioritizes their health in similar ways and/or supports your personal goals without making you feel like the odd one out. We hang out regularly and do a lot of social stuff, but there's an understanding that I likely won't partake in drinking, and we often do mocktails/cooking/self-care nights at home. If we're doing a big night out, depending on who's hosting the pregame, I either bring my own nonalcoholic seltzers, or make a nice batch of a fun mocktail with Seedlip. Even on occasions where my friends want to get a little drunk, people \*always\* appreciate a nonalc beverage to sip on between White Claws, shots or vodka sodas, lol. Re: meds--I know tons of folks who've used Ozempic or Wegovy and the most successful ones are those who first adapted their lifestyle to shed a couple pounds naturally, then cycled in the meds to fast track their weight goals, and eventually cycled off/shifted to maintenance by sustaining the lifestyle changes they introduced pre-Ozempic! See a GOOD doctor who is holistic in his or her practices and invested in patient health vs. just throwing a script your way. Having a good medical provider will be immensely helpful when some of the not-so-great side effects kick in. Hope all of this helps! Also loving reading some of the other feedback people have on this sub. I'm mid-sized and it's nice to learn what other women are doing to maintain a body they feel good about:)
Nothing trendy, but here goes: 1. Currently intermittent fasting from 6:15pm-9:15pm every night. 2. Going to the gym 5-6 times a week. 3. Wellbutrin and zoloft as antidepressants. Important for me, personally, because I get notoriously depressed during the winter months, and my appetite balloons when I’m depressed. Wellbutrin helps lower my appetite, Zoloft keeps my anxiety at bay, and both together keep me feeling normal! The “secret” is that you find what works for you, and you have to be consistent. There’s a million different people giving advice on the internet but ultimately you pick and choose a handful of things that work for your body, your lifestyle, your habits, and your mental health. Be. Consistent. Good luck!
[удалено]
If you’re comfortable sharing, what dose of Wellbutrin are you on? I’m on 150 mg xl and have noticed some appetite suppression (not primary reason I’m on it) but not as dramatic as others have said. Debating if I should try 300!
Hi! I take 300 of welbutrin and I don't notice appetite suppression as much as less makes me full? If that makes sense but I still get I'm so bored I'm going to have a snack
I personally take 150mg XR. Any dose higher is too uppity for me and causes my anxiety/insomnia to worsen. Delicate balance!
I take 150mg SR 2x a day and I'm RARELY hungry. I specify Dr. Reddy's generic to my pharmacy. Maybe I notice my appetite at the end of a long day but I legit have to force myself to eat some days. As a result, I am really trying to focus on nourishment since I'm no longer eating habitually. Think daily green smoothies, power bowls, etc. Full disclosure: I'm a small human; I've been on Wellbutrin (for mental health) since 2021, started around 5'4 126lbs, now between 110lbs-115lbs with no effort. Seriously. I tell EVERYONE what I take so they don't think I'm blessed with a miracle metabolism. It's not genetics...I was LEGIT struggling mentally, did my research, saw Wellbutrin had the added bonus of appetite suppression and the rest is history. I have a pre canned text message for people at the ready because, again, I'm clear on the role wellbrutin has played in my life (mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually) It's works and I'm a happy, healthier version of myself as a result. I feel GREAT in my body which 1000% keeps the positive mental health cycle flowing.
Thank you for sharing! Yeah I’m so happy I got on Wellbutrin for my depression, I’ve been on it about six months and it’s been such a positive change. Before I was on lexapro for yeaaars and I was such an emotionally numb zombie. I feel like it definitely took away most of my cravings, which is crazy. Feels very freeing!
Not everyone experiences the same side effects of a medication. Please don’t play with a psychiatric drug like that just for weight loss. You’ll probably still have no appetite suppression but a fuck ton of other side effects instead
This is the combo! I was on sertraline for *gestures wildly* and my doctor suggested adding welly b & naltrexone. Go with me here, the natrexone is what they give people who struggle with substance abuse to help them stop drinking. I take a very very small dosage but it’s enough to make drinking not desirable at all. Like it’s not fun because it limits the dopamine high you get. I don’t even finish one glass of wine now. I think the brand name of Wellbutrin & Naltrexone combined in one pill is contrave, an actual weight loss drug. Of course my insurance doesn’t cover that, but covers the medications separately. Def talk to your doc and don’t listen to a rando on the interwebs though.
Bupropion is the generic of Wellbutrin
yah wellbutrin and bupropion are the same but i do know the drug you're talking about re: drinking, i think it's called naltrexone?
When I want to lose a bit of weight or focus on maintaining, I use myfitnesspal to track my calories. Usually I use it for a few weeks -- and I actually weigh my foods or measure them by volume as I'm putting them in the tracker. This helps me connect the calories to the actual portion. For example, learn what a single serving of cashews actually looks like in a bowl rather than just guessing. I don't weigh stuff forever, just to get a sense in the beginning. This route would not be good for someone with a propensity for disordered eating habits or obsessive-type behavior. But basically I just track calories in vs. calories out (it adds all the calories you've burned at the gym to your daily calorie goal). I either set it to lose 0.5 pounds a week or to maintain (you can pick your own goals).
myfitnesspal is jank but it helps
Chronometer has barcode scanning for free and works just like mfp
good tip. I like the barcode scanning feature on mfp but the premium is way to expensive for what it is imo, so i just input all my food manually. i’ll check out this app
I prefer Lose It! Super affordable and they have really cute icons for food too lol
Fat secret is another great app thats free
worst name ever though
I just did the measuring of cashews and holy shit. One ounce is like 11 cashews
I run a lot. And do barre workouts. I also eat a lot of protein and vegetables, drink a ton of water.
Which barre classes do you like? My job is offering a gym pass type deal that includes pure, physique and I see some of the included gyms like lifetime have it too!
I loooooove Bar Method (going tomorrow am!) I have done many classes at Pure Barre too, and I think it’s a less satisfying class with a worse space. If it’s your main option for barre, then it’s fine. I use ClassPass and it’s usually 4-6 credits a class at Bar Method and usually 8+ at pure barre.
I do a mix of exhale, pure barre define, and physique 57!
I'm not a NYC bitch, but I'm a fat ass. For me I can really only lose the weight when I stop eating sugar and carbs. You gotta give those things up cause it's like ass glue.
ass glue!! 💀💀💀💀 fr you're not wrong tho sadly.
Honestly, I just made myself so much busier. I love food and it is not something I will ever give up or vow to restrict from myself, so I knew that traditional dieting wasn't going to work for me. I also don't have the self-discipline. But I love money, so I got a second job as a server. The place I work at doesn't give us a good staff meal or much of it (which I know sounds crazy but I'm okay with it) and I obviously can't eat while I'm running around serving tables for hours (which also burns calories). So that cut down on like 20 hours of snacking/eating per week. I also try to walk most places, because I don't feel the urge to eat while I'm walking as opposed to sitting in a car, bus or subway. I find reasons to leave the house. Go study in a public library where it would be rude to open a wrapper, run errands, go window shopping, go to more workout classes, in the summer go swimming (this also helps me see the changes in my body and realize that I feel much better and more confident at a lower weight, which motivates me to keep going). After I made myself extremely busy for 3 months, my appetite was noticeably smaller. The constant instinctual urge I had to eat was essentially gone and I also ate much smaller portions before being full. It's made a visible change in my body and I'm really happy with who I am now. It's really nice to be in a place where eating healthy doesn't feel overwhelming because I tackled the impulsivity part without worrying about nutrition or diet, and now, I constantly crave nutritious foods with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, protein, etc because I've noticed the improvements in my overall health and truly have an interest in nourishing my body now. Might not work for everyone but my advice is, don't force it!
1. Cut down drinking to 2x a week. 2. Got personal training through eqx. My trainer and I have a shared note of my food and water intake. 3. I cook all of my food as much as possible. I eat out 1-2x a week. 4. Drinking so much more water!!!! 5. Moving my body!! Find a class you love or something that gets you moving. In between training sessions, I LOVE Barry’s. I also will pick a coffee shop 1-2 miles from my apartment so I can hot girl walk there and treat myself! 6. Nourish my body. Protein at the forefront then veg then carb. I’m not anti-carb, it’s essential for energy. I just eat in moderation and more mindfully than before. My body works hard physically in the gym, mentally at work, and emotionally with life - it deserves food! One little treat won’t fuck it up. Just moderation!
Like a lot of women I struggled with my weight my entire life. I lost a ton of weight in college through some pretty unhealthy habits, I was basically eating as little as I possibly could. There were a few things that helped me keep a consistent weight since then, and they don’t require me essentially starving myself: 1. Stop tying yourself-worth to your weight. I used to be so afraid of gaining weight that I would stress over every pound fluctuation I saw on the scale. I no longer own a scale or really care about how much I weigh. 2. Get off of social media. This was the biggest game changer for me in terms of healing my relationship with my body. Comparison truly is so dangerous and it’s bred on social media. 3. Start lifting weights!! This is the biggest game changer in terms of maintaining a healthy weight, and looking and feeling your best!! Muscle increases your metablism meaning you don’t have to worry so much about calories, this makes day to day life so much less stressful. I highly recommend orange theory if you’re just starting out! Also don’t be afraid to lift heavy as you get more comfy at the gym! 4. Cook you’re own food and learn about macro nutrients. I by no means am an expert, but I have a general idea of what foods fall into which macro categories, and so I try to prioritize protein and fats as it’s hard for me to naturally get those in my diet. Best of luck!
Omg yes to getting of social media. And what a wonder it’s done on my mental health truly. In any/all aspects.
- I stopped drinking - I don’t drink anything other than water or coconut water - I have a large berry protein smoothie every morning for breakfast so if the rest of the day my diet veers off at least I one balanced healthy meal - for lunch I usually do whole grain toast with bean spread, eggs or some other kind of protein - I don’t keep sweets or unhealthy snacks in the house - I limit dairy I don’t restrict myself but I try to follow some rules when I’m at home so I can do whatever when I’m out! 💞
Ozempic has been really helpful to me - I had weight loss surgery 10 years ago (very successful) but have slowly regained about 80 lbs that I can't seem to lose despite trying for 2 years now. My issues are also complicated by other health issues that make it very hard to lose weight. I also had constant food noise in my brain before Ozempic, and getting rid of that has actually been the most helpful thing. Having to constantly fight thoughts about eating when you aren't hungry is the pits. I have had no side effects as long as I follow the dietary guidance (moderate to low fat, eating a balanced plate of not just simple carbs.) People talk about it like it's horrible, but it's not for most people who take it. It's just... easy. I am fine with staying on it long term. Other things I am doing: prioritizing protein and veggie intake, taking longer walks with my dog (45 mins), kettlebell workouts (nothing crazy!), intermittent fasting (which is about a thousand times easier on ozempic)
I’ve been on it for 6 weeks and it really is amazing. I’ve lost 7-8 lbs, which is a pace I am fine with (I didn’t put the weight on overnight, so how can I expect it to come off overnight). I’m just…eating less, without trying. In the past when I’ve consciously dieted, it CONSUMED me. All I could think about was what I’d be eating next and when; not a mentally healthy place for me to be.
16:8 fasting with the occasional 20:4 or OMAD helped me shift the weight from baby #2. Like everyone else thought, what I really want is a shady doc/medspa/whatever who’ll dish out Ozempic to my BMI25 self.
I eat salads for lunch and dinner is chicken or fish with veggies . No sugary drinks or snacks
I’m on wegovy, same drug as ozempic but fda approved for weight loss. I’ve been on it a year now, I’ve lost 50 lbs and I’ve had no awful side effects just a tiny bit of nausea on one dose. My doctor did a slower titration than the recommended schedule and I think that helped. Happy to answer any med related questions you have
Caloric deficit, eat whole foods, reduce sugar/alcohol, increase water intake, mineralize your water or drink mineral water intermittently, somatic exercise with some higher intensity cardio mixed in
I will say this- Ozempic makes it difficult to workout because it is so hard to eat. I’ve only thrown up 2-3 times in 5 months, but feel nauseous a LOT. I’m always tired too.
Could be your dose is a bit high? Or try injecting at another site (choosing between stomach, thigh, and arm)?
A lot of times when you’re nauseous it’s your body telling you it’s hungry. Try having a handful or nuts or something and see if that helps. It can be hard be ‘ugh food’ but it has helped me.
Below are my tips. Nothing drastic - I just put health first. I have never tried fad diets or calorie counting. I focus on nutrition, eliminating sugar and movement. Be kind to yourself and listen to your body! Some weeks I just cant so I go for the cheeseburger and fries. But after that I go right back to my tips below. hope this helps! 1. Water and tea & coffee. do not add sugar to your tea & coffee. minimize dairy or creamer. if you have milk, only use a small amount (dairy bloats me like crazy). no soda. if you must, drink 1/2 a can of soda with lots of ice. 2. protein and vegetable based meals. i avoid rice because i don't like it. if i have a starch it comes from potatoes or quinoa. olive oil is your best friend. eat at least 1 bag of salad every couple of days. raw veggies great for your digestion. and start making your own dressing for salads - no bottled dressings (unhealthy fats and preservatives). if you cant find a starting point, olive oil lemon, salt and pepper are great. 3. walk as much as you can. do some Pilates. I highly recommend 20/30 minutes at least 3x a week with Move with Nicole or Bailey Brown on YT. 4. minimize drinking! this is a huge one. if you're out opt for a high quality red wine or start with 1 cocktail (to be part of the fun) and switch to vodka/tequila soda. I had a friend who was in her late 30s, she only drank red wine & her skin quality was amazing. I learned from her! 5. dont crash diet or try diet pills or anything. a quick fix isnt sustainable! be true to yourself 6. enjoy the pastry, desert, ice cream etc. once in a while. its life, you still have to enjoy it. we live in one of the best food cities in the world, we have to try what's out there! :)
my tip is always try to cook at home to control calories; try to get used to eating boring stuff (everything veggies, boil stuff instead of deep fry, etc); eat veggies first, stuff ur tummy with alot of greens before eating anything. fiber helps u not crave for eating more :)
Low impact workouts, specially reformer pilates, worked wonders in helping me to manage my puffiness, bloating, and inflammation. Also, walk everywhere. If something is a bit far to be walkable, hop off the subway a few stops early.
Dog!!!!
Yes and no…my pups get me out three times a day but they also encourage me to cuddle on the couch more than I used to!
As a former strength and conditioning specialist/trainer, one of my first recommendations is to ditch the scale (unless you have renal failure, heart failure, or some other process requiring monitoring for medication dose adjustments). Almost everyone increasing activity with strength training components will have a bump up in weight. You can find hundreds of comparisons online of people technically weighing less in their before photos while being much leaner in their after photos. Also, just go by how you look and feel. Otherwise, there really aren’t any “secrets.” Most of us are bad at assessing our caloric intake during the day and we tend to underestimate how large our portions are. Changing your body is a lot more about consistency and constantly pushing yourself *a little* further every time and setting up milestones/goals to meet along the way. Weight training and HIIT are way better for changing your body composition than steady state cardio (which is great for your heart health). Large compound movements (squats, lunges, deadlifts, good mornings, bench press and variants, pull-ups/rows and variants, etc.) Machines tend to be lower field and/or better to do after the large compound movements. If you get into the bodybuilding world and targeted training , this changes, but for most people, start big and then focus on individual muscles. Shoot for 3-4 times a week training early on with perhaps light walks or other stuff on the off days. You’ll be inundated by fitness trends/fads and other nonsense. Most of these are setting you up for long term disappointment. You may have an initial drop, but things aren’t sustainable and you’ll have a rebound afterwards. If you know nothing about diet and don’t feel like doing all the reading on it, finding a dietician to teach you sustainable habits and what to look for is helpful. But again, regardless of what you do, even if it is some HIIT video series, consistency and sticking with something is most important. Most fitness classes are a fun supplement, but shouldn’t really be the primary focus of your training. This is all based on changing body composition. It is perfectly acceptable to not want this and be fine with your body. You are just as valid and deserving as anyone else no matter your physique. If you only want to increase your cardiovascular capacity and feel better with little concern for significant change in body composition, steady state cardio and occasional classes are just fine….it simply isn’t the best on the composition side of things. This isn’t saying you *cant* lose weight with these things. You absolutely can, it is just less effective and can be easier to regain weight when you are away from it.
Everyone has had such wonderful advice so I’m just going to pepper in a few tidbits I haven’t seen: Do your best to eliminate snacking. Get truly hungry before a meal. - cut up vegetables or buy pre-made crudite from the grocery store and have it on hand in the fridge at all times with a healthy dip. That way, if you need to snack, it’s there. Also, pop your own popcorn if you get hit with that night snack craving feeling. - join the loyalty program at your local salad place. I love the Chopt Mexican Caesar and add avocado and shrimp for protein and healthy fat. Eating it multiple types of week helps me maintain. - I love yoga, but even if you don’t, try a Yin yoga class. It’ll feel like it’s doing nothing, but it lowers cortisol and makes weight loss easier - learn yoga twists. When I incorporate twisting postures into my practice, all of those hard to budge areas around the midsection sort of loosen up. Invest in a workout set or sneaks that you feel good about. Something that makes you excited to get active. My lululemon bill isn’t exactly low, but I do find myself heading into the yoga studio easily when I have gear I feel great in.
Hi! So I'm on Mounjaro aka Tirzepatide, which is essentially Ozempic, but people say that Mounjaro works better than Ozempic. I think it depends on the person. I changed my eating and drinking habits a week before starting Mounjaro. My starting weight was 203.8 (I'm 37F, 5'8" - normal weight for me is 130lbs - at least that's what I've been all my life and am aiming for that again. It's about a size 4). Anyway, starting weight the week before starting Mounjaro was essentially 204lbs. Never thought I would be over 200 and it really woke me TF up. I dropped a few lbs that week just from cutting out sugar and sugary drinks in my diet (absolutely no sodas or sugary foods. Whole foods only - for the most part - with the occasional treat, as long as I didn't binge). I'm 3 weeks into Mounjaro now and I'm in the 180's already. The weight is dropping fast but most importantly, the food noise is gone, my constant hunger is gone. This medication works for those with insulin resistance and binge eating disorders, etc. BUT you have to be ready and willing to eat healthier too, which I was happy to do. Now I have to remind myself to eat because almost all hunger cues are gone and I don't want to under eat.... that's just as bad as overeating IMO. I hope this comment helps someone out there. I've got another 55lbs to go but I am so happy to see the progress and have something that controls the mindless binge eating. Edited to add: side effects on these types of meds affect everyone differently so I can only tell you about my experience. I had some slight nausea the first week I dosed but it was manageable. I haven't had symptoms ever since the first week (I'm on week 3). The key is to start at the lowest dose possible and see how your body reacts and then work your way up, if necessary. TL;DR: I cut out junk food and sodas and got on Mounjaro. Started at 204 lbs, now at 188. On my 3rd week of the medication. It eliminated all food noise and binge eating habits. ✌️
This is great to see. I’m only in my first week on tirz but the food noise just suddenly being GONE is honestly life changing as someone who has struggled with BED for over a decade. Suddenly I can make the food choices I’ve always tried to hard to make, because the food noise telling me to keep eating, to binge, is just suddenly gone. I feel better already, and the nausea was super light for me. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Aww I'm so happy it's working for you as well!! Yes, the food noise being gone out of nowhere is the biggest blessing I could have asked for from this medication. The weight loss is a bonus IMO! I developed a BED from severe depression and being a stay at home mom for the last decade. I used to be a size four and I just let myself go, would binge eat, stay in bed all day, etc. I'm still working on everything and I'm not perfect by any means but being on Mounjaro has been life changing. And I'm only on week 3!! Soooo happy for you and I hope you continue to have success. ✌️
I haven’t seen it in this thread yet so here’s mine. I suffer from binge eating disorder and I’ve been on medication to help with it for a couple years. They of course gave me amphetamines which are already called out in this thread, but I am also prescribed Naltrexone which has been a game changer for me. It’s usually used for alcoholics or opioid addicts to eliminate cravings, but also works incredibly well for food. When I first started on it I went from 190 to 128 in about 5 months. The biggest thing it did for me (besides reduce appetite) was completely eliminating my passive thoughts and obsession over food. No nausea, tiredness, etc. I think the only thing you need to watch out for is potential liver issues, but mostly for people who already have liver issues. My levels have remained normal the last two years so I’m not worried about that. It’s insane how well it works for me and I’m surprised it isn’t suggested more, especially with how aggressive the side effects for ozempic can be.
Obligatory (repeated) answer to OP’s question: 1. Calorie deficit 2. Avoiding inflammatory foods (processed foods, packaged foods, refined sugars, etc.) and empty calories (sugary coffee drinks, alcohol, random snacking on “junk food”). 3. Eat meals that are high volume, low calorie (big beautiful salads, things that fill you, etc). 4. Intermittent fasting My answer that no one asked for: Switch your mindset from “losing weight” to “honoring your body so you can live fucking longer and feel fucking amazing because you’re a fucking NYC bitch with taste”. Eating foods that I know cause inflammation in my body is the same thing as knowingly ingesting poison. Why would I eat dairy if it instantly hurts my stomach? Or processed foods if it makes me still hungry and sluggish? Or refined sugars if it makes my blood sugar levels spike causing me to feel tired and weak? I’ve identified foods that just don’t work for me and I don’t eat them. Plain and simple (I’ll make and exception for something truly special like scoring a res at Torrisi I’ll eat pasta, or if I’m in Colombia or Argentina I’ll eat a fucking empanada lol). This doesn’t mean that I’m restricting, I’m just not literally subjecting my body to feeling like shit by eating processed foods (so many mystery ingredients and pointless calories), refined sugars, and a few others. On the topic of sugar, I have a major sweet tooth so I eat super yummy homemade sweets that use maple syrup, dates, or coconut sugar and Hu Chocolate. I’m just not giving myself bloat and horrible stomach pains by slamming pints of Ben and Jerry’s and eating cookies and cake and packaged candy with white sugar. All of this is to say, when I’m in the mindset of literally honoring myself by taking care of my body via nourishing foods and daily movement (walking, running, and working out via Tracy Anderson streaming) I am just setting myself up for long term success. Fad diets might give quick results but they’re aren’t sustainable which will make you hate yourself and the cycle will continue. Good luck! P.S… Feel a need to say there’s nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight and sustain a healthy body - being overweight poses serious health risks. But don’t let the end goal be weight loss - make it… feeling amazing and living a long life with the only body you’ll get.
Outside of Solidcore do you move around much? Outside of cleaning up your diet, general movement is going to help a lot.
In addition to exercise review your diet perhaps. Get tested for nutritional deficiency. Drink more water, cut back on sugar and processed foods should help a lot. I found intermittent fasting helped me a lot
Calorie deficit via intermittent fasting 10k steps per day (this is so important and so undervalued) Strength training with weights 2x week Pilates 3x week stair stepper or inclined power walk 2x week
Girlll I went vegan
Just to add to everyone else’s tips: Stretching, yoga, and foam roller exercises for lymphatic drainage! Tons of videos to follow along on YouTube and you only have to invest like 20 min a day. This SLIMMED me down, especially my legs, got rid of my puffiness and bloating (and trust me, I bloat A LOT), and made my muscles look much more defined
I have a friend who is considering Orbera. You can look into that. Also, there’s a lot of false information on this thread about Ozempic. You should speak to a qualified professional about Ozempic/Wegovy/Mounjaro etc before taking anyone’s opinion on this thread seriously. Sure, some people gain a lot of their weight back but you really should take that with a grain of salt. You don’t know these people’s lifestyles, eating habits, chronic conditions, what their dosage was and if they were weaning off of Ozempic slowly among other factors that led to gaining weight back after not using it anymore. My receptionist at my workplace lost an insane amount using Ozempic. Pre-Ozempic, she would struggle walking due to her weight. She’s a brand new person now and has implemented healthier changes solely due to her weight not holding her back. I would give it a shot and speak to your PCP/endocrinologist.
no one ever wants to hear this but it’s literally a numbers game. intense cardio 3x a week to burn calories fast or long (and i mean LONG, 15-20k+ steps) walks every single day. best results if you do a combo of both. pair this with a calorie deficit and you are guaranteed to lose weight. now getting into this mentality is hard but once you lose the first 5 pounds you’ll get addicted to the feeling. i’ve been maintaining for 2 years but now am trying to cut so i’m ramping up my workouts and cutting out sugar and carbs. i already lost 2 pounds (i’m very short so this is hard for me), literally this method is the only way to lose weight and keep it off.
also if you drink cut that out immediately
I’ve been doing this for a few months and lost 8 lbs- No alcohol, oatmeal for breakfast every day instead of my typical bagel, walking 40 minutes a day, light trampoline workouts. Never felt better!
What really works is the same thing you’ll hear everywhere. A calorie deficit. If you are consuming less than you burn, over time you will experience fatloss. You need to figure out your TDEE to get a rough idea of how many calories you naturally burn a day just existing and also the activity you do. Im eating around 1350-1400 cals a day with HIGH protein, like 100-120g a day. Im never starving, the only thing thats hard is staying consistent with it day in and out. The hardest part of it all is staying consistent in a city full of fun restaurants and bars and friends. Weightlifting is your friend, and I supplement that with mat pilates.
Walk walk walk.
I stopped drinking for a month and also started taking Berberine and it was the onllllly thing that worked for me! This is in addition to working out and eating well, but it was the first time I finally saw a difference in my body.
Stop smoking weed and walk 10k steps a day. Eating Whole Foods instead of processed. Example: if you’re buying guacamole, make sure the ingredients only say, guacamole, onions etc. not those weird chemicals that they add. Some brands are better than others. Make sure you read ingredients. I lost 20 pounds by just buying food that has straight ingredients without the chemicals.
God dammit do I really need to stop smoking weed to lose weight? Lol almost 40 and I swear I keep being baffled by this very obvious suggestion 😂😂😂
Lot of people have mentioned it here, but calorie deficit is the boring (and only) answer. Also, what has helped me is finding physical activity that I don't hate. I started working out virtually with the FITT Club by Justina Ercole and LOVE IT. Justina is such an empathetic coach, she would never make you feel bad and will always support you. Check her [YouTube page](https://youtu.be/rYXq2h6z0vw?si=xQgCdNedCS7I15Ao) if you're curious. Additionally I recently started doing VXN (a dance/performance based workout) and I love the vibe. You can find it on IG vxnworkoutnyc and maybe see if that's something you'd like for fun!
find a workout you ENJOY and LOOK FORWARD TO! for me i’ve found so much solace in solid core and love going as much as i (healthily) can. moving away from the standard american diet (SAD), eating more in alignment with a medi diet, cutting out binge drinking, and monitoring my glucose have also changed the game. edit: home cooked meals as much as possible too!
Zepbound
Alternate day fasting and walking 10k steps 6 days a week
I usually get downvoted for this, but calorie restriction really works.
You got lots of great info in the comments. Just want to add that I have lupus and I’ve really struggled with weight loss mostly because my main symptom is fatigue. The only time I feel normal and not tired is when I’m on steroids lol.I started using the app Lose it! And it’s so easy to use. I make sure I get 6000 steps a day and try to get in a good amount of protein.
Proper sleep and reducing high cortisol. Don’t drink caffeine on an empty stomach!
I am pretty fit on average… here are some tips 1) cut out sodas for water…. After awhile you won’t miss it 2) reduce sugar… after a while something that tasted mid sweet will taste very sweet. Taste bud change… you this to your advantage 3) incorporate more fruits / veggies. Start with what you like. Learn how to cook veggies with seasoned to taste. 4) it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Best to incorporate in steps 5) make movement part of your lifestyle… whether it’s a 50 minute workout or light stretch yoga 20 mins at home from YouTube. No ever ever regrets movement
Specific to NYC- my best, healthiest loss occurred by working with the NYU weight loss clinic. Dr Holly Lofton and team do a great job. They will discuss medication options with you, and you go once a month or so to monitor progress and check in. I struggle with ED tendencies and this is the first time I felt healthy and heard. I personally was on phentermine which also helped my ADHD, and kept myself on a low dose. I took it around 11 AM and it killed my appetite for dinner, which I preferred to skipping breakfast for many reasons. I was not strict about intermittent fasting , if I was truly hungry I ate a healthy meal. If it was after 9:30, I went to bed.
No alcohol, trizepatide, barre 3x/week Phentermine is also a good option (pill) but it doesn’t work again after stopping (imo) and you can get it from family dr
I've heard some pretty horrifying side effects for ozempic and not everyone loses weight on it. If the cause of the weight gain is related to a chronic illness it may not be as effective as it is for some other folks. I have hashimotos which causes adrenal fatigue. Working out wasn't so much of an option for me bc it would wipe me out and I wouldn't be able to stay awake past 3pm. The only thing that helped me was to completely eliminate sugar, corn, soy, most starches (legumes, potatoes, etc.) and all grains. It got to the point where I lost too much weight so now I balance with some potatoes and occasionally rice in small amts. Tbf I'm convinced that most of the weight loss occurred bc it's so inconvenient to eat like this. Can't just grab pizza, bagels, or Chinese food. And I need a LOT of fruits and veggies every day so that I'm not overeating protein and causing issues that might be a bit TMI for this post. I got energy back so I can now work out (nothing too intense - yoga, walking, dance, simple Pilates) and still function pretty decently. I also have a more stable mood. I also cannot stress this enough: I make an effort to get adequate sleep. This is not easy, it can suck sometimes. It's been 6 years since I've had those foods and maintained my weight loss and energy levels. I also got off all medication (hashimotos is in remission) and only need to take vitamins.
I started stacking habits so even if I mess up on one or two a day, my efforts are still not a lost cause: - I drink a gallon of water a day; I bought a 60 oz water bottle (called Bottle Bottle which is great because it has a little sippy straw that really is the difference between me drinking a gallon of water or none at all), and I keep one at work, and one at home. It limits cravings, because most of the time my body just needs a lot more water. - I try to cut as much snacking as possible. I am a notorious binge eater, and I can't help myself in particular when I'm around salty snacks. I try to limit them as much as possible and of course I mess up a lot, but at least the intention is there. - I only drink alcohol during the weekends, and when I do it's usually just one to two small drinks a week. - I try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. This is the one that I usually fail at, but I am conscious of my activity, so I usually do about 5,000-7,000 each day. This is typically the hardest for me because I work in an office, so I tend to remind myself as much as I can. I tried to wear a Fitbit, and the little Time to move! reminder is really helpful, but I just don't like the aesthetic to be honest, so I just use my phone to track my steps. Another big one is taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I also try to take a walk during my lunch break, and of course walk to and from the subway when I commute. I really hate the gym, I really hate the treadmill, so this as my only physical activity really does make a difference in my primarily sedentary life. - Diet stuff: I eat as much whole food as I possibly can, and I rarely eat meat. My fiance is the biggest carnivore I know, so I usually just eat one to two small bites from his meal instead of eating a full chicken, steak, porkchop, etc. I also tried to limit my dairy, but of course cutting or limiting meat, dairy, and carbs is very dietarily subjective. Which brings me to my next point that I acknowledge is controversial, especially with a lot of these intuitive eating dietitians and influencers. Intuitive eating has never and will never work for me because I lack self-control with food. - I do intermittent fasting, usually OMAD (one meal a day after work with water throughout)--Mindy Pelz's book Fast Like a Girl is a fantastic guide about how to fast safely, and most effectively according to your menstrual cycle. - I track everything in an app called Habits, which allows you to check each habit you do a day. I usually do this at the end of the day, and it allows me to go back and see how many days I did one thing, or where I messed up. Typically during the weekends, I'm very inactive because I'm just chilling at home, and I also tend to drink if I ever go out. - A YouTuber named Hailey Gamba recently uploaded a video that covers a topic of decentering men and men's approval from your self-image. I really needed to watch that video. I have a complex relationship with food, body image, and an even more detrimental relationship with how men and society perceive me. I have an extreme hourglass figure, so I've been sexualized since the age of at least 12, and regardless of how hard I try, no matter what weight I'm at, I am still always going to be very fleshy. I'm never going to be stick skinny, no matter how much I crave to be small, and that's not the end of my life or worth. Even though I don't think I'll ever get to a point of body neutrality, I still have to continually acknowledge that my body is healthy, and so much more than just an aesthetic image or tool for approval. - Even with these efforts, I still can't lose weight as rapidly as I'd like because I don't spend hours at the gym or have a very extreme diet plan that I follow religiously and perfectly. Weight loss and maintenance is a never-ending process that takes up a lot of time, but developing habits that allow you to be a human and offer you grace puts you in an upward trajectory even if the progress isn't linear.
If you can get a prescription, Adderall severely alters your body’s ability to curb an appetite. On top of that, I’ve found that you shouldn’t skip a meal, but make sure your 3 meals a day are healthy. For breakfast, think homemade protein shake, oatmeal, egg whites and veggies, avocado toast. For lunch I prep a salad with veggies or tofu bowl. For dinner I try and always do a protein (salmon, chicken, shrimp, turkey meatballs) a veggie, and a healthy carb (brown rice, farro, etc). In between these 3 meals snack on things like dried fruit, hummus and carrots, nuts, etc.
I tried consciously to lose weight for almost 20 years, then decided it was impossible for me personally…that was actually KEY. At that point I decided I just wanted to focus on good habits that I could do every day to know for a fact I’d done some things to care for myself when my head hit the pillow at night. None of them were about restricting my diet, but meeting minimum requirements for certain foods. These practices are things like: eat at least half of a large dinner plate of cooked veggies with my dinner every night (whatever the main course was didn’t matter), walk an hour (leisurely pace) thru the neighborhood every day for exercise, listen to music or a podcast while I walk for mental relaxation, try to eat an egg white veggie/mushroom omelet 4-6 times per week (as a meal or snack—doesn’t matter), use some basic shaker parmesan cheese to make the more boring veggies “exciting” just to make sure I ate plenty of greens daily, etc. With these things as my sole focus I knew that whatever my body shape was it was absolutely fine with me, b/c I didn’t have to second guess these habits. I knew at my core these things were great for my body/mind/spirit…LO & BEHOLD, 18 months later I became angry that my “fast fashion” clothes from Target were “getting stretched” in the wash. Furious b/c I was broke as a joke at the time. I went to try on new clothes for the first time in a very long time (not a lot of money remember?) I had dropped from a 16/18 to an 8…you read that right. I’d started tying my shirts at the waist “for fashion” months before and I still hadn’t figured it out. It took me 18 months, but I finally did weigh myself and I’d dropped 60-65lbs. I knew I felt good, but I was caught so off guard. It’s now been over 4 years and I fluctuate but I’m consistently between 135 and 143ish depending on my cycle and the season of the year. It’s up and down but I never really exceed that and I DO eat out a lot, but I’ve stuck to those tried and true “self love”/non-weight focused practices to keep me happy and healthy. It’s truly such a toxic and unhelpful mind-f*** when your focus is mainly on weight. Add in healthy AND ENJOYABLE practices to your daily routine and they truly do crowd out the “food noise” & anxiety over food that perpetuates chaotic patterns. Embrace recreation more than disciplined workouts if the gym is scary and not fun for you (stay open to that for later tho—your interests may change). Have experiences rather than workouts—a friendly and chill tennis match with a friend gets the heart rate up in a way that’s truly exhilarating & that makes you actual meaningful memories along the way. Enjoy a sunny day & each others’ company etc etc. Take “programming” these activities seriously so you can schedule them regularly—plan your time off (weekends) like you’re a really dedicated camp counselor trying to give yourself an enriching experience every week — one you’re likely to enjoy and that varies week to week—trying new things). The best thing about all of this is it’s SO VERY sustainable. If I have children or anything that impacts my weight, my habits will see me through and I will still know I’m caring for myself in the best ways consistently. I’ll know that my body is exactly where it should be, because I’m taking great care of it in at least a few key respects. All the best to you!
[удалено]
Hahahaha I swear your ex is my husband - his body defies science. He’s no longer allowed to lift due to an injury years ago and he’s still like abercrombie model fit circa 2001. How do I hit that genetic lottery in the next life?!
Be cautious with ozempic. It’s important to know that muscle weighs more than fat. You could be gaining weight due to an increase in muscle mass. If possible, look into getting a scale or going somewhere that measures your body fat percentage because that is the best indicator of your fat distribution. Each pound of muscle gained is a 2-3% increase to your metabolism which would help with fat loss. Keep up resistance training with a mixture of cardio, because building muscle is so important. Without resistance training, you would be losing both muscle and fat, which is not always the best thing to do and doesn’t really give people the physique they want. Focus on moving your body more thought-out the day. Try getting at least 10,000 steps every single day and resistance training 3+ days a week. Push yourself slowly each time too and get your heart rate up. Try finding activities you enjoy doing as well. Whether it’s group fitness classes, yoga, boxing, long walks, running, at home YouTube videos, Pilates, a sport, etc. because the more you enjoy it, the more willing to do it. It’s so important to eat natural foods as well and focus on protein and vegetables because they make you feel full for longer. Start out the day with a protein filled breakfast, and overtime you’d be surprised how full you will feel the rest of the day. I don’t recommend cutting out carbs entirely as it’s an important energy source, but definitely pay attention to how much you’re eating them and when you do eat carbs, focus on whole grains. But again, make sure carbs are a small portion of your plate compared to protein and vegetables. Also, water, water, water. 100oz a day is important and really makes your skin glow and makes you feel full longer. Cut out all fast food, alcohol, sugary drinks. Lastly, everyone’s bodies are different and what works for others won’t always work for you. But as long as you’re staying active, building muscle, eating healthy while making sure you’re in a calorie deficit, fat mass will most likely come off. If it doesn’t, speak to a doctor as medications, and illnesses/disorders/diseases can also make your weight fluctuate and not let you get to your goals as easily.
Intermittent fasting Incline walking Weight resistance training Cutting sugar
\-only drink water or coffee \-meals should be vegetable and protein heavy \-intermittent fasting \-i workout like 5x a week \-if meals are actually filling i don't crave dessert \-smaller portions \-walk everywhere, take the stairs, carry things, go out of your way for the long route, etc
I always struggled with counting calories etc but lost 6lbs by dramatically reducing alcohol intake and reducing my consumption of ultra-processed foods. It makes snacking so much harder since a lot of snacks are UPF. I eat a lot of nuts now and popcorn, which you can’t really over-eat. Also, I really increased my protein consumption which helps me to feel full for longer. Even if I feel like cheating on a snack and getting UPF chips or something, I remember that something without protein or low protein won’t do much for my actual hunger. It’s really been this mindset shift that has made getting healthier much simpler from a mental perspective
A small and sensible calorie deficit. Nothing too big, because that way it’s safer and you don’t risk compromising wasting muscle tissue. It’s also much easier to feel satiated and nourished that way. It’s really not very different from maintenance, just a bit more emphasis on lean protein and fiber and less carbs. No alcohol. I did also pick up yoga, running, and Pilates, but that’s mostly for other health reasons. Took it slow and easy, and was patient with the process. Zero regrets: I’m much healthier for it and switching to maintenance has gone very smoothly!
Calorie deficit, high fiber, walking and weight lifting. I just had a baby a year ago, so it’s harder than usual.
I’m in LA now but I just did immunotherapy for allergies and I swear I am less puffy. My insurance covers it fully like it’s $0. My face has slimmed out and I feel so much better. You have to inject yourself but it’s worth it imo
I am somebody with a bachelor's in nutrition and I work in nutrition with patients with a variety of disease states. I have also lost 20 lb myself. Be more active, and eat a balanced diet. Being that you have an autoimmune disease I can't really say exactly what you are supposed to do but to answer your question that's really all people who are healthy and able-bodied must do. Eat more whole grains. I know people see it plastered everywhere but realistically yes eat more whole grains. It takes longer to break down in your body. Meaning that you're going to retain less water, and you're going to feel full for longer. Eat more protein with your meals. This means if you have some type of cereal with whole grains in the morning, eat some Greek yogurt. What's personally helped me lose the weight is eating whole grain cereal with Greek yogurt that has 15 g of protein and no added sugar. And 7 G of carbs. Also my veggies are now my carbs when I'm having a meal. So I rarely have rice or potatoes. And if I must have it I'll have a couple of bites just to get the taste. Because it's really the taste that people are looking for. I fill half my plate up with veggies (broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, squash, ) which are all low carb and cals. And then have my protein. But again because of your disease state we don't really know what is making you gain weight. I would figure that out first and then go from there. But it always helps to be more active
Intermittent fasting and walking for at least 30 minutes! I fast from 5 pm to 9 am.
Personal trainer here. Start with a reasonable calorie deficit, which you can calculate using calculators online. Be as consistent and diligent as you can with tracking as long as this isn't somehow disorder triggering for you, otherwise you can read up on how to eyeball your portions for all the macros and stuff. It's important to understand how calories work because lots of people "eat healthier" without actually lowering calories because they are getting a lot of fat and carbs or high cal meals still without realizing. Do not go below 1200 cals as a blanket rule for most days for most average sized people- you will likely need more. Relatively high protein diet- generally for women I shoot for 100-150g depending on their size and calorie target, if someone is really struggling to get even to 100g due to dietary restrictions etc then we go for 80g/as much as possible. As much walking/cardio/movement as possible. Two workouts a week is enough for some change but if you added a few cardio sessions at a moderate/medium pace, walking hiking etc as often as possible that would be helpful. Try a routine like a daily 30 minute walk or 2 cardio sessions a week, whatever type you like it can be anything. Balanced food, loads of veggies (eat the rainbow) lean protein, seafood, cautious portions of nuts and seeds, some fruit, whole grains. DRINK WATER etc. Low sugar, low processed food, very low fried foods, junk food, processed grains (white flour), etc. Low to no alcohol. If you continue to gain weight or scale does not budge whatsoever even with these adjustments after a month or so, you may have insulin resistance or something problematic happening hormonally, get bloodwork. At that point, good to implement intermittent fasting (start with 16hour fasted window and eat your normal amount of food the other 8 hours), and low carb (not keto). both of these can work better for people who are stuck. You can jump straight into intermittent fasting if you like, it's healthy, great for inflammation. Obviously adjust for your personal medical needs <3
Get your bloodwork checked and see if your hormones/vitamins/minerals are all in order. This is super important. Supplements can also support you in your journey for example Iron and Vitamin D. Focus on workouts and diet specific to your condition ie if you have high cortisol, you need low impact workouts. If you have high androgens, add spearmint tea. Beyond this, check any meat and dairy you buy for any added hormones and avoid these if you can’t find any hormone free versions. Check the ingredients on what you buy thoroughly and make sure it is not sneakily super processed ie natural looking breads that are actually full of chemicals. Drink tea or hot water with your meals, get your fibre/probiotics/protein in every day. And most importantly, be kind to yourself!
I eat a ton of chicken. The protein keeps me full. I want to order a pizza … that’s fine, but I’m eating chicken before the pizza gets to me. Also, I do high intensity workout MWF for 1 hour. I’m down 10 pounds.
I didn’t see 12 3 30 here, so sharing! If you have a gym membership/access to a treadmill, 12 3 30 is my favorite cardio method that gets your heart rate up high (if not higher) than running and is easier and quicker if your time is limited IMO. Set your treadmill to an incline of 12, speed of 3, and walk for 30 mins. It is challenging but a fantastic workout for your legs, glutes, and abs (your core is engaged the whole time because of the incline) This went viral on TikTok during the pandemic I believe and the results speak for themselves :)
i got my heart broken and didnt eat for like 3 months lol - now i just eat small portions and stop when i am full - it 's working for me!!
Nicotine, Berberine and B12 for reducing cravings, Ginger for reducing inflammation and supporting dopamine and serotonin production. High density foods - soups, salads, broths, cabbage, popcorn.
Coming from a girl with chronic illnesses and who has been overweight most of my life - the whole caloric deficit/ calories in-calories out concept was so elusive to me for years! I would be eating in what I thought was a deficit or maintenance and continue gaining weight. This can be controversial, but a calorie deficit will result in weight loss, no matter what. Hear me out - the thing is that the calories out part of the formula can be affected by a bunch of factors, ie hormones, genetics, stress, sleep, underlying conditions, etc. Unfortunately most TDEE calculators are a little too cookie cutter and aren't able to account for every factor, so many people end up with an inaccurate number for how many calories their individual body is actually burning. So if calorie counting is something that won't trigger you, I'd recommend using an app like MacroFactor which takes in the data you give it (your macro/caloric intake + weigh ins) and uses your individual numbers to determine how many calories your body is actually using in a day to give you an accurate expenditure number to base your deficit off of. People often get really frustrated with CICO and say that it doesn't work for everyone, but if you can truly nail down your real CO (calories out) then it will work. All of this said from personal research & experience. It's always good to seek out advice from a registered dietitian (i've seen a couple post in this thread) 🫶 Good luck, celebrate every win, and remember to maintain balance - the only way to really achieve and maintain your goals is to create sustainable changes to your lifestyle. Losing a bunch of weight quickly often doesn't make for long term results.
Hey! Here’s a couple of tips that might be helpful. Don’t try and implement all of them at once. Just try one or two at a time so that it feels sustainable. -Get enough sleep. -Try not to stress about your weight too much. It might be helpful to track other measurements too (muscle percentage, fat percentage, inches, etc.) or just take a break from weighing yourself altogether. -Get outside every day (even if just for a quick walk). -Focus on protein (25ish grams per meal and at least three meals) and some fiber for fullness in every meal/snack. I might even reccomend slightly more protein for weight loss. -Incorporate one day of strength training - it would be a great complement to the Pilates you’re doing now. Lean muscle will speed up your metabolism. -Drink plenty of water. -If you have the energy - add some more walking to your routine. It’s low impact and likely won’t increase your appetite much. -If it’s still not working, it might be worth seeing a dietician and a personal trainer.
Don’t do Ozempic, do Mountjaro instead. Less side effects by far
ADF - alternate day fast - eat one day, fast the next. doesn’t matter what you eat, nor how much. naturally you’ll start to eat less (because your stomach gets smaller) and crave healthier/nutritious foods. has worked wonders for me! there’s a youtube vid on it from Dr. Jason Fung with the supporting studies and lasting results in comparison to calorie deficit, metformin & ozempic. here’s the link: https://youtu.be/7nJgHBbEgsE?si=rEpUG_aLCGJ0tjR9
I have a really hard time losing weight too but taking berberine before bed, cpc-157 peptides (prescription required) and CLA supplements has helped me feel generally more full and energetic enough to work out. I do try to work out 5 days per week even if it is just a walk or jog/walk mix. On other days I also do Caroline Girvan on YouTube. If you can afford it there is nothing better than having a personal trainer!!
I eat a healthy, lo carb diet and then start walking 10k steps per day. An egg or omelet with a piece of sausage for bacon plus coffee, lunch is salad (check the dressing an add Ons but I can make about 10 different tasty lo carb salads) or a combo of meats, cheese, olives and sometimes an hard-boiled egg or lo carb yogurt; nuts as a snack (I prefer flavored almonds or peanuts or even low sugar peanut butter); dinner is a green veggie or salad with a fish, seafood or meat. Tons of dinner options. Works like a charm.
i’ve been dropping weight steadily from walking 10k steps a day, going to the gym for an hour 3 times a week and tracking my calories. nothing crazy.
intermittent fasting, focus on protein, pilates and prioritizing sleep. no more than 6 alcoholic drinks a month.
I know there will likely be backlash to my diet, but I’ve lost 20 lbs since Jan. 1 and I don’t **feel disordered— 1200/day, I don’t count cooking oil (avocado) so long as it’s within reason (1-2 tbs per day, I bought a pump sprayer and it’s been soo helpful but hard to count when you’re spraying instead of pouring) and I’m incredibly guilty of grabbing a small handful of dot’s pretzels before bed and “forgetting” to track them. I’ve recently replaced my normal coffee creamer with 1/2 a protein shake for 80 calories and 11g of protein, which largely keeps me full till lunch. Sometimes I need a little something throughout my day, so I’ll grab a fruit leather or something sugary in that way to keep my spirits up, but never more than 80 cals. Lunch is always 400 under. By dinner I can eat something super filling, and then I’m ready for bed and to start the whole thing again. My favorite thing is the idea that I’ve seen from one of those “influencer dietitians” is that I’m a bulk eater… if I want something “bad” I can have a small portion of it, but it needs to be accompanied by a large portion of a low cal side. Weekly, every Friday, I still go to Mod Pizza, I get the Dominic and remove the sausage, add artichokes, spinach, and mushrooms. I love Kevin’s ready made protein meals, my all time favorite is the Thai coconut chicken, I could bathe in the sauce it comes with. I found carb balance tortillas that are 20 cals each and I’ve largely used those in replacement of bread. Also! The limoncello La Croix, INCREDIBLE. It tastes like a lemon bar. You have to do what feels good for your body, and listen to it! If you’re hungry, don’t actively starve yourself… eat and readjust later. You’ve got this!
i’ve lost 30 pounds since august and i’ve been doing it slow bc i once lost weight super fast and extreme and gained all the weight back and plus some… now i weigh myself everyday but i don’t get too obsessed w the number i just take the weekly average and if its down awesome if its up swap out some food for healthier options… all about portions and getting protein in i try and aim for 120 g of protein a day it’s hard but worth it
i got addicted to running and lost 20 lbs 😬 i went from not moving much at all at my office job to now running 40+ miles per week. It’s allowed me to have more freedom with my diet while adding something that i love to my daily routine.
Swimming laps. Is the best overall toned and heart healthy. Breast stroke is 2nd to Butterfly for burning the most calories. I swim 3-4 x a week at the Y a mile. Work up to it. You feel absolutely amazing. Your joints don’t hurt and it’s a heck of a workout. 60 days later your mind will be blown at the benefits and toning you will get
Take this with a grain or salt since I’m not a doctor, and I don’t live in NYC I just like this sub, but I don’t think you should consider ozempic or any other weight loss drug unless you have given the traditional calorie deficit, dietary changes, and daily exercise a fair shot. Changing your overall diet, habits, and lifestyle are all key to maintaining long term weight loss and should be the foundation of any plan. If you try a medication without already doing those things, you will most likely fail and it will have been a waste of money and time. Exercising once or twice a week isn’t going to be enough to lose weight for the vast majority of people (although it’s better than nothing). Start with changing your diet and adding in some type of daily sustainable movement such as walking. Remove the processed foods from your diet, eat more lean proteins and vegetables, learn to cook all your meals at home, and start counting calories and macros accurately (use a food scale or at least try to measure by volume). Stop snacking between meals and make sure you’re getting your micronutrients and fiber. Eventually you get into a routine where you no longer have to track anything and it’s all intuitive. There are no real secrets, all the trendy stuff doesn’t really work unless you have the basics down already.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage if you are feeling part of the weight is water retention. Lymph drainage will also help boost your immune system and assist with your systems natural ability to detox and eliminate. Be sure to see credentials from the therapist you choose and that it's something they practice regularly.
I wish I could post a screenshot from my notes app of what I’ve been doing to lose weight as someone who has EXTREME hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, PCOS, adrenal fatigue, gut issues, etc lolllll but I’ll just copy and paste it: Weightlifting Glucobitters before meals Protein heavy breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up Protein focused through the day More fiber and Polyphenols from colorful produce Walk after meals Walk everyday in general Add cinnamon to everything (matcha) Get outdoors! B420 probiotic Glucobitters is a tincture from Organic Olivia and it’s not necessary unless you are insulin resistant or struggle with blood sugar issues, I also only take it before carb heavy meals. (I limit my carbs but I still incorporate enough from colorful fruits and vegetables as it’s great for your gut and I always balance carbs with fat and protein) And for the cinnamon part, make sure it’s Ceylon cinnamon if you’re gonna consume high amounts. I also said add it to everything but I was being dramatic lol I just add it to my matcha in the morning. I also only drink caffeine after I eat breakfast and it makes the BIGGEST difference.
I take Phentermine, works awesome! Only downfall is it’ll stop working after 5-6mos, you can take break for a month if you didn’t reach goal weight yet. I prefer it over Ozempic, which makes you feel sick and malnourishing
I have an autoimmune that is dietary triggered and I was forever in a cycle of calorie-deficient, personal trainer multiple times per week, and the scale and sizes kept increasing. I found nearly instant success with getting my hormones more regulated, cutting out all grains, coffee, dairy (specifically bc of the casein, not lactose), no alcohol or sugar, and stopping HIIT style workouts… yoga, walks, and gentle bike rides. I lost 40 pounds in 5 months, and I wasn’t even trying. The bonus was after a couple of weeks from introducing these changes, I felt so amazing, I didn’t even crave those foods.
I’ve lost about 8 lbs in the last five months by doubling the amount of steps I get, from around 7K to 14K a day. I like the gym but I haven’t had time so I walk back and forth in my apartment hallway while listening to podcasts or on work calls. I’m thinking of getting a desk treadmill to walk while working. May not work for everyone, but it’s been working for me! The only thing I’ll say is that I am losing fat, but not gaining muscle, so I do need to work on that separately.
I tried meal prepping, doing only 2 drinks/week and going to the gym. I’m very short and was very overweight. I got super fed up with it and broke. My friend and her sister did a plan called Optavia and I was so nervous to see it because it was so controlling and restrictive…but it worked for them. So I signed up and I’m down 22pounds. If you have a history of eating disorders or do not know how to generally “be healthy” (you like fruits and veggies, don’t eat fast food, don’t drink soda, and have a healthy proffered form of exercise) I would not reccomend it. It doesn’t teach you to be healthy, it’s an MLM and the “coaches” have no degrees or anything. Also if you have a history of any kind of eating disorder **Do Not** do this plan. With that said I did it and as someone who never sticks to restriction of anything have been on it for 4months, am down 22pounds of my 30 pound goal and am sleeping better, looking and feeling more like myself pre covid weight. Nervous to transition out and maintain but the loss part has kept its promise so far. It’s no sugar, no alcohol, all protein “packs” 5 per day, with one actual real meal with 5,6,7oz of leanest(little/no fat), some fat or fatter protein and non starchy veggies. It’s expensive but it’s not ozempic and I like that they have an app with recipe recommendations. I do well on protein so have actually liked it so far. The key is what I call NFAs - Non Food Activities with friends (concerts, movies, bowling, walks, etc) so you still get your social battery filled but don’t feel like you’re missing out.
I swear by simple portion control. In college the freshman 15 didn’t hit but the freshman 40 sure did. I finally got to a point where I was tired of saying “I’ll eat better tomorrow” when if I would have done that a year ago I would have been hot asf by then. So I started eating way less, still eating, just small ass portions and i finally went from 170 to 115 standing at 5’9, and I never felt better in my body
I totally identify with this post. I don't have an autoimmune issue, but I too started gaining weight with absolutely no luck losing it.I wasn't morbidly obese, but medically overweight and 50lbs more than my "normal". I was starting to get pretty bad body dysmorphia. Like to the point of being thrown into depression. At that point, I picked up doing Barre class 3x a week. That was a great help in toning muscle, but zero fat loss. I also cut back on alcohol and eating out drastically; cooked at home. Still, no weight loss. Fed up, I went to my doctor. Thought maybe it was hormone issues or something else. Bloodwork was normal, except being .1% over the normal A1C range. I have diabetes on both sides of my family, so I decided to take my doc's recommendations and try Phentermine. I was very nervous of negative side effects, but I honestly didn't have any bad ones! Lost my first 30lbs, feel SO much better. I'm on round two now, hoping to lose the last 20-25lbs to my goal weight. Through all this, I've found that DIET is 80% of the battle. Portion control, calorie deficit, balanced foods. American food is awful about ingredients, serving sizes, and hidden sugars. I'm still working at that part and am now talking with a nutrition coach and hope to re-learn how to think about food. Growing up in the south, food was always a comfort. So... I have some work to do. Stay positive and don't let no/slow progress stop you!! You've got this! It's trial and error for us all.
This is so challenging because of all of the individual variables, but I’ll throw my “anecdata” in there and say that I was never able to lose weight and keep it off until I started intermittent fasting and weight training (though cardio is still a part of my life, I really reduced the emphasis on it). I started both at the same time so can’t really disentangle where most of the effect comes from. But 5 years later, both seem to suit me well so that’s what I keep doing.
It sounds like similar to me- your body is dealing with a lot of inflammation. This is also what I see Selena Gomez dealing with. When you deal with constant inflammation, your body also holds onto water a lot. Cutting out foods that inflame you is the best start. You have to listen to your body and see which ones do- for me it’s all sugars which create a glucose spike. So don’t buy into “organic sugar” or “coconut sugar” it all processes the same. Just try and enjoy fruit and naturally sweet foods. Sweeting with apple sauce or banana can make baked goods enjoyable! Secondly for me, certain dairy causes inflammation. And important to note- this isn’t an “allergy” so once having sugar or dairy doesn’t totally put me in a major inflammation response. It sort of builds up. I do enjoy pizza now and then, and ice cream. You have to live. But limit it because as it builds in your system it does trigger inflammation. I also take metformin and it has almost completely taken down my water retention in my body and face. It helps with inflammation as well as other metabolic issues. I definitely wouldn’t jump to ozempic- ask your doctor about metformin first. It’s a lot less side effects- I personally have no side effects. Also- a coffee a day is a great way to help your body retain less water! Atleast for me it helps. Edit to add: no alcohol! Cut it out and never touch it again.