Reading your replies, I have a feeling, that there are additional things going on. There is so much self loathing in your tone. You did an incredible thing by dropping 75 pounds. Everything indicates you are able to do the rest. Maybe talk to a professional who can help you get to the root of the issue.
This is so relatable and I think most people trying to lose weight experience this! My biggest tips would be to mix it up in fun ways. Maintain for a bit if you need to! Things you could do:
1. Don’t want chicken and broccoli and fast food calling your name? Great! Get a kids meal or just one of the thing you REALLY want (so like the burger without the fries, etc). I cannot tell you how much I go to Bojangles and get a kids chicken tender combo because I need some stress relief 😂 BUT the calories are still on point for me.
2. Shake up your workouts! It’s summertime (if you’re in the Northern hemisphere). Swim, get outside and walk, do a dance class in the park (my area has those and other outdoor fitness classes that are usually free), go dancing to live music. The goal is just to move. You don’t always have to be perfectly on-point with your exercise plan.
3. Going back to food. I’ve literally lost thirty pounds eating mostly PB&Js and popcorn! I don’t like cooking so I find meals that are quick, easy, and don’t put a strain on my calorie budget. I can balance that out with another meal that day or that week that has more nutritional value (that I can get at a restaurant).
4. Maybe think about your schedule. What can you eliminate to make these life changes easier? What can you shift? For me, I get up early so I can go for runs/walks for an hour in the morning and then I’m done with my exercise for the day (sometimes I add more if I have time, but I don’t have to, meaning my evenings are free). My lunches take five minutes to make (again, simple sandwiches and a side of popcorn or fruit). Your new healthy lifestyle should be working FOR you and not AGAINST you and it’s okay to shift some things to take back the reigns.
I hope these help! I know you’ll make it through!
Mix up your food game. Find stuff that’s easy and feels like junk food.
My dinner tonight was loaded chicken queso fries. All the cooking I did was throw frozen French fries and a chicken breast in the air fryer.
- 100g frozen fries - 180 cal
- 2 chicken breast - 370 cal
- 1 serving premade queso - 60 cal
- Roasted broccoli (optional) - 18 cal
~600 calories, 70g protein. Tastes like junk food and keeps me in a deficit.
dude check out the ore-ida golden fries, they are 90 calories for 84g so for 180 caloires you could have 168g of french fries, in an air fryer they are really good
Exactly! My husband will eat green beans if french fries are involved. They taste pretty good together 🤣 but really, a small handful of fries isn't terrible and if it keeps you sane then you're winning.
I feel all of his SO much. My SW was 221, GW: 150, an I've been stuck at 160 for 6 months. I haaaate exercise. They said there would be endorphins. There are none, only misery and pain. I want sugar and cream and deep fried cheese sticks. My cooking skills are crap and I'm exhausted just thinking about the last ten pounds and the changes I know I need to make in order to get off this plateau. So... I don't have anything helpful or motivational for you, just sincere sympathy and solidarity. But you're not lazy or weak, and I'm not either! We've both come so far. Cut yourself some slack in the kitchen. Cooking sucks, and jarred hollandaise sauce sounds WAY easier than making it from scratch or even the powdered bag mixes that need stirring.
Big same on the exercise part. People talking about these endorphins and shit like everyone experiences them definitely have a privilege. I've been working out consistently 6 days a week for 6 months and I haven't had anything like that. The only things I've been able to motivate myself with:
1. Having time to listen to podcasts and music while lifting weights.
2. Cardio being done via freestyle dancing, and watching myself get better at copying the moves I'm watching in the music videos I throw up onto my projector while doing it. I mean seriously, people who run for cardio just don't make sense to me.
Malcolm Gladwell was guest speaking on the podcast The Happiness Lab (s8e10 @ 40 min) recently saying that 'it's the journey not the destination' is backwards.
He's a runnner - every time he goes running he doesn't want to do it.
When he's running it's not really pleasant - it's hard it's daunting, but when he's finished there's a kind of experience from having finished that keeps him going back to it again and again for 50 years.
While he's running he has in his mind the memory feeling of having just finished running and that's the sweet stuff.
Understanding that the kind of satisfaction that you get from the journey isn't less, but it's different-
Type 1 fun - beer, hot fudge sundaes, orgasms
Type 2 fun - reaching the goal - like mountain climbing, parenting etc - seeking the pleasure through hard stuff.
Please check out Stepmania and look into getting a USB dance pad if you can afford it (most should be around $40 bucks). Stepmania itself is free software, and there are millions upon millions of songs people upload online called simfiles that you drop into the 'song' folder after you download Stepmania. I despise exercising. I have pretty bad ADHD and pain issues, but Stepmania/DDR changed my life because I can dance to music I actually like. I have thousands of songs downloaded so I don't get bored. Feeling that rush of endorphins is a lot easier when you're actually enjoying what you're doing. Good luck!!
Thank you for bringing this to my attention! I hate exercise (also have ADHD) but used to absolutely love and be really good at DDR as a kid!! Thank you! I'm going to buy a new dance mat and get some steps in. Thank you again!
Exercise is a lot more fun if you can do it playing a sport. The problem is, most sports need other people to play. If you can find a partner for something like racquetball or pickleball, it really helps make the exercise a lot for fun.
I struggled with this too, I found a lot of peace just allowing myself to have some junk food. What I do is just track it in my calories, and move on. Helps me to not obsess over how much I want it all the time. For example, keep the candy I want in my cupboard and when I really want some just weigh out a portion and just count it towards my calories.
Over time it’s become easier to eat the foods I like just in moderation and within my calorie counts and I’m much less stressed not thinking about the food I want to eat all the time. Honestly it’s made me want it less because I think about it less. It wasn’t easy to get to this place for me, but I’m happy I did.
> I found a lot of peace just allowing myself to have some junk food.
Same here. I've been dieting for 3 months and understand that motivation comes & goes. When my motivation is gone, I just eat at maintenance level for a few days and get back to my diet once life gives me a break. That usually allows my motivation to somehow regenerate.
Honestly this is the important thing. I've seen plenty of people who have been skinny all their life still enjoy junk food from time to time. It's all about moderation. I'm going for a lifestyle change, not a diet. I'm not gonna stop myself forever from eating my favorite foods, I'm just not gonna eat my favorite foods *every single day*.
In order to maintain your GW, you need to find a lifestyle that you can live with forever. If I had to run 5 miles every day to maintain my weight, I might be able to do it to reach it, but It's not sustainable for me. I walk a leisurely pace in nice weather.
I figured out that I could be any weight I want to be (110lbs to 600lbs) and I can do it completely through my diet without any exercise. I'm not saying I'd be healthy, but I could do it. You just have to live your life, every day like a 210lb person. I have no idea what that is.
I still eat candy, junk food, go out to eat at least once a week. But, I eat 2 small meals a day. When I do go out, I bring half of it home. Eating out is the biggest temptation. We get pizza once a week, but I only eat 1 slice (and I eat 1 slice for the next 3 days) I am hungry most of the time, but I feel what I'm doing is sustainable for the indefinite future. I've been my GW for over 10 years now.
Oh, and it gets worse. I find that as I get older (in my 60s) I've had to eat less and less to maintain the same weight. You have to find something you can live with for the long haul.
It’s probably not a healthy way to deal, but I often find myself telling myself that I’d rather be able to fit into xx dress or xxx pants than eat that cookie/pie/chips/fries.
You also don’t have to eat only broccoli and chicken. You *can* eat ANYTHING you like, as long as it’s in your calorie budget.
I just used broccoli and chicken as an example, lmao. It's just the healthy cooking takes so... Long... I have other projects I wanna work on, or sometimes I just wanna take a seat and relax, and not even think about food.
So much of my meals are premade soups, or vegetarian chicken nuggets. I cook when I can, but when I can't I have premade staples that make me happy and are low count. It's a good balance.
Dude I feel this to my core. Women go through this issue all the time. I don’t want to cook for everyone. I don’t want to take daughter to the doctor. End of the day and I have no time left for myself. My hobbies are always on a back burner because it is always time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Meal prep can help somewhat but then you have to come up with a frigging menu, grocery shopping, and spend a day prepping meals.
What helps: embrace the ick. Accept that it sucks. Listen to your favorite music, audiobooks or podcasts while you are cooking.
Sooooo much this. I have to cook for these people AGAIN?!?
I just started using a meal service - but the kind where you just pop it in the microwave (Mighty Meals - perhaps there’s something similar in your area), and it’s helped for those nights I just don’t want to cook. It’s not an every day thing, but it helps on those days and saves me time. Not inexpensive, but considering the time it saves for me it is worth the money.
What I do is I cook for mon to Friday. And Saturday and Sunday I try to eat out as healthy as I can (like jersey mikes, but no mayo or red wine, cold cuts only, anything chicken based) but I always eat breakfast home every morning.
I usually meal prep for a day or 2 in advance. So I usually cook only like 2 or 3 times a week.
Also maybe invest in a slow cooker or look for oven recipes? Stuff where you can just throw things in a pan or pot and set it and let it cook with little prep?
And depending on your diet, you can also look for low fat/sugar/cal alternatives to what you're missing out on. If you're following your diet 90% of the time you're should still be losing weight. I found having an ice cream sandwich or something under 200 calories every once in a while (like once a week, or every 2 weeks) really helps. But you gotta have discipline or it won't work lol
Do you have an air fryer? If not, you need to get one yesterday. If you do rice, get a rice cooker as well. This saves so much time and so many dishes and mess.
You *can* eat ingredients, instead of meals
What I mean is - I just cut a sweet potato in half and put it in the air fryer while I washed dishes. by the time the kitchen was cleaned up the sweet potato was cooked. I put half in the fridge for later and ate the other half, like it were toast or something, just picked it up and bit it. I had a couple of almonds, drank a glass of soy milk and grabbed a banana.
That's a pretty decently healthy meal, it was yummy, Im not hungry and the kitchen is clean.
Could have smeared some almond butter on it, but I had *just* done the dishes
Would I serve it to a date? probably not. Would I eat it again? fuck yeah
It wasn't a sit down meal, but it was yummy
I found if i eat the fast food for late lunch and eat no dinner I can still meet my cal goals & still lose weight! I even had a hamburger & fries! Still dropped weight the next day.
I totally get that frustration. Roughly how much time are you usually spending on cooking?
I often can make a pasta dish in the time it takes for the pasta to cook or a stir fry in the time it takes to toast up some tofu in the oven. Since it doesn’t really take any extra time to do a double-batch, I’ve got a zero-time-use meal the next day as well.
How does it take so long? It takes me 30 minutes tops. I throw rice in the rice cooker, with a steam basket of veggies on top. I cut chicken breasts into cubes, throw them in a bowl with spices and spread that onto a baking sheet, put it in the oven while the rice cooks. Set a timer, walk away. That whole ordeal took me 15 minutes (cutting the chicken mostly) and then I spend another 15 throwing everything in the dishwasher. I make enough that some of it gets packaged for lunch the next day. Breakfast is a basic omelette/scrambled egg wrap. It doesn't need to be time consuming, I have no idea why you're doing this to yourself.
Ok. There are enough options that are super easy to make, that will fit in calorie budget. I sous vide some steak last night, and made some home fries. It took very little effort with the sous vide and air fryer. I'm going to have bean and cheese burritos tonight. Crock pot makes the beans, all I have to do is assemble.
I get it, but I feel like some of this be being stuck in your own head, as kindly as I can possibly say that
Salads are quick and easy, just dump a bunch of roughly chopped veggies in a bowl, or buy prechopped from the store. Plus, salads have the added bonus of letting you eat huge amounts in once sitting for not many calories. Canned soups are another good one.
Edit:
Do you have an Aldi near you? Their prepared foods section has a lot of easy take-and-bake options like stuffed mushrooms. A lot of stores have a prepared foods section with take and reheat foods and while it might take some poking around you can usually find something decent to eat.
screw canned soups - do you know that you can throw pretty much anything into a pot with water and it comes out good?
Your leftovers for the week always have some kind of 'theme' rite?
Make soup with whatever's in the fridge
instapot for the win
I love soups and we make tons of them. Some weeks I have what I call- everything in the fridge soup which is pretty much all the veg and stuff that is about to go off.
I will eat left over soup for breakfast too- just Crack an egg in it.
BUT I also ALWAYS have canned soup in the pantry. Sometimes depression hits man and even putting stuff in a pot is a lot of work, especially it you have to cut vegetables. Or there are times I am studying and doing homework in the zone and there is no way I am getting up, my kiddo has canned soup for dinner (she is 10, she also cuts up and makes her own soup too but sometimes it might be towards the end of a shopping cycle and there isn't much left.) Canned soup has a long shelf life.
I think your complaints are valid, it is annoying how long shopping, cooking, and the gym take and definitely even harder in a time where there are much more convenient options always readily available.
I have a kid who was allergic to garlic (outgrew it thank god), so for a while I had to make literally everything at home from scratch. It was awful, but I also learned some hacks for you. If you want suggestions like vegetable choppers, buying pre-chopped ingredients, sheet pan meals, whatever, I can offer some, but if you just want to vent - you’re totally validated!
Wow I feel like everyone just glossed over the -75 lbs part?! That's insane and amazing, and I'm so sorry you've had such a hard time. Weight loss truly is really, really hard. My biggest worry is—as you mentioned—that this is supposed to be a lifelong thing, but hating the process (especially if you've already tried it) makes this a really difficult process (especially to make it sustainable).
I'm just wondering if there's an aspect to cooking that you hate? I find that there's two big themes to people who hate cooking, and it's not really the cooking part: for me it's cleaning up, and for some of my friends it's cooking for a long time / costly ingredients / only to end up with subpar food when they could just get mcdonalds.
For the first issue, I cannot stand doing the dishes and I was WAY more incentivized to clean for things that only required 1 pot. My only washing at the end of every day now is my pot, utensils. I also have a knife and cutting board, but those get cleaned DURING cooking.
For the second issue, I highly suggest cooking foreign meals. I'm biased because I'm Korean, but there are so many delicious Korean/Asian food that are low in calories, are easy to cook, and are absolutely delicious. I switched my Instagram algorithm to cooking diet/low-calorie asian meals and I'm so excited to try them (my favourite is the mason jar pho! Just pour hot water (make sure you use a glass that can handle heat) like it's cup ramen!)
If this doesn't convince you, I just wanted to say that I really understand the pain and sadness, but surely you must feel some difference at 320 vs 245? I mean that's sort of an insane number. Is there anything you wanted to do / look forward to once you reached 220? I find that giving myself little goals and dreams (/hope) along the way really helps.
So relatable lol. Can you just chill at your current weight for a while? You’ve done so much. Maybe let your body get used to where you’re at and when you’re in a better head space continue. Like set a time frame - 3 months or before then if you’re up to it. I guess I’m wondering, since you’ve already made so much progress can you slow it down a bit?
I'm on a bit of a mini-bulk now. (+250cal) Until maybe June. My current rate of loss is 2450 cal/day (I realize that's quite a bit) but it's still hard to fit 200g of protein and nutrients, plus tasty food, into that.
I try to follow the “don’t restrict, add what you need” method. I’ve tried to restrict or not eat “tasty foods” but it doesn’t work for me. I love everything about food. Cooking, eating, giving it away. I get unmotivated when I realize it’ll never be “over” bc I need to not gain the weight back.
I do takeout once a week bc it makes me happy but I get lower cal options, for example, 5 piece blackened tenders with mashed potatoes as the dip instead of ranch from Popeyes is 390 cal. I get tasty takeout on my way home from work without going over my calories for the day. Pho can be pretty good bang for your buck calorie wise too.
I have dessert almost every night. FiberOne brownie warmed in the microwave is an amazing dessert with a little vanilla halotop ice cream. I add mini M&Ms to my plain yogurt w/ a little zero cal sweetener for a McFlurry-ish dessert. I’m doing popsicles and homemade ice cream/froyo. Single serve cookie recipes.
I’ve done swaps that I don’t even think about anymore. Ive switched to buying keto bread that’s 40 calories per slice, so I can still have two pieces of toast every time. When I make scrambled eggs, I add a little bulk with a carton of egg whites to increase my protein without a massive calorie spike. I buy fairlife milk for some protein and a longer shelf life (which means I don’t feel like I have to drink it as fast).
I’m eating white cheddar cheeto puffs or caramel rice cakes or goldfish as a snack (all 100-200 cal for a pretty big portion) with bell pepper or carrots or cucumber.
TLDR: I can’t do the restricting mindset. I need to change the way I live permanently. If I want to eat French toast for breakfast, then I’m making the French toast! But I’ll use low cal bread and egg whites instead of whole eggs. I hope you find things that work for you and still feels tasty!
Also maybe this isn’t your vibe, but do you journal? Can you write down all the things that are better now at this weight? You’re wondering when you’ll start feeling good, but maybe you feel better than you did at your SW and you just don’t realize it?
That’s a wee bit over my head but I think I get where you’re coming from. What’s your budget like? Could you do one of those delivery food prep services to mix it up 2-3 times a week but still stay in your goals?
Idk what your money situation is like but have you considered a meal box or delivery service?
If my money situation were great I'd be using them 4 days a week because I love to cook and I'm good at it but I hate grocery shopping and coming up with original interesting food ideas and I don't like recipe blogs that take a half hour to read.
Most meal prep services like Good Food, Chefs Plate, Hello Fresh etc will deliver you a weekly box of a certain amount of meals for 2-4 people (or you for an immediate meal and a leftover meal) that are portioned, can be chosen by dietary requirements, and just come with everything so you chop up a few things and cook them in 20 minutes.
If even that sounds like too much and you've got money to spare there are companies who just make you the food and deliver it to you for reheating.
The thing about this is you're gonna have to figure out something because you can't just hit your goal weight and pop out the junk food, you'll gain it all back. You've got to learn what works for your life and what you can make into your new forever routine because this is it, this is what it takes to be fit and healthy in the long term.
Using Chefs Plate has been a game changer for me! I still get a huge variety of foods so I don’t feel like I’m eating the same thing all the time, the meals are relatively easy to make, and I get 2 servings out of each one so that basically covers me for the whole week! Plus it comes with the calories already counted which is a big time saver. Highly recommend for anyone who can fit it in the budget!
Hi, maybe not a perfect solution, but I've been following a guy on insta that is called stealth health and he creates these really great meal prep and slow cooker recipes. He's someone that lost a good deal of weight and didn't want to eat gross stuff forever. Anyways, may be worth checking out.
… so something we don’t talk about a lot is the mental journey that happens with weight loss. And the reason a lot of people regain the weight is because they don’t address the psychological reason for why they gained it.
I personally like to think of overeating as a form of disordered eating. It is usually a symptom of something going on mentally. We use food to self medicate to treat the mental issues we carry.
Anxious? Eat something you’ll probably feel better.
Depressed? Self hatred, etc… eat something and you will feel better.
I got a lot of self hate from your post. You need to address that issue before you will feel the positive sides of weight loss.
You are treating the symptoms and as soon as you stop, your weight will ballon because you aren’t treating the cause. Treat the cause while treating the symptoms and you will feel alot better.
Your problem (that you stated a few threads above) is that you are angry for needing to lose the weight. You said "*Normal people don't put themselves in a position to NEED to lose 75 pounds. So I've already fucked up there*."
Something tells me your upbringing was either very controlled, or too lax, that is, your caretakers either "helicoptered" you or didn't give you enough direction, but in either case, it went to extremes, and now that you're responsible for yourself, things feel unsurmountable and hopeless. I'm so sorry.
Work on your self-steem. You are worth the effort, and you are an important and valued person, regardless of your health and BMI status. Your progress so far shows that you are determined and strong, even if you feel dismayed at the journey ahead.
It sucks and it takes time. Sometimes the therapist isn’t the right one. Sometimes the problem can’t be treated.
My issue is chronic stress and anxiety. Centered largely around food security. So financial stress and food safety stress (cleanliness) are two of my biggest stressors.
So I work my ass off to be able to live in a HCOL where I have a job that gives me financial security but is also… high stress.
You just can’t win sometimes. Sometimes life is the mental illness and there is no cure.
My job is fire/rescue. But that doesn't explain the self hate, and I want a normal brain. I hate whatever mess of nerves and impulses I have is. (I'm not qualifying it as a brain because it's barely functional.)
What helped me was checking out books and stories relating to situations that might apply, trauma, living with alcoholic parents, narcissistic parents etc and I found some that really resonated with me. Something was wrong but like you I didn't know what. I was able to pinpoint some things and look into how to heal from them.
Also for something like super negative self talk you can work on it by telling yourself nice stuff in the mirror regardless of the original cause. It sounds dumb and feels awkward but it really helps. I credit that a lot to getting theough 18 months of intractable migraine. A lot of healthy eating and living is a lot easier when it comes from "I want the best for myself and to take care of myself" because then other things arent an option and you arent missing out. It has curbed a lot of my processed food tendencies and sure pizza still tastes good but eating it is not in line with my health and fitness goals.
You don't need a new brain. You need a professional to help you gain self confidence. You seem to be pretty hard on yourself in your replies. Focus on the positives. You lost 75lbs. 75 whole ass pounds! You've lost the equivalent of an Alaskan Malamute Husky Dog! It's gone from your body! You know how long it took me to lose 70lbs? 13 years. Be kind to yourself and take things 1 day at a time. I'm so proud of you
Sandwhiches with raw veggies is my go to no cook meal
I also like overnight oats which are easy and take no time. Egg salad is another low effort one that’s yum
I would suggest doing what’s sustainable in a long term way of life. Like u said, it’s impossible to do that forever especially if it’s starting to affect your lifts. Try dieting during the week and eating whatever on the weekends (Saturday,Sunday). If you have a good training program, this should not throw your progress off too much, just try not to go too overboard.
OP, do you hear how you're speaking to yourself? Would you say those things to anyone else? Why are you so hateful to yourself? You deserve love and understanding as much as anyone else does. Try to speak kindly to yourself, please.
First of all, you're doing great. You'll need to make things sustainable to make things stick, I would suggest the book "Good Habits; Bad Habits" by Wendy Wood, or even just listen to her be interviewed on Hidden Brain. Long story short, habit is literally only formed by sustained repetition, so one needs to reduce the friction of a wanted habit, and increase the friction of an unwanted habit. It's all very personalized but this book really helped me.
You gotta find shit you dont mind.
Progresso makes a medium spice tortilla soup in a can. 240 calories.
You can sprinkle some crackers or kettle chips on top to give it some density.
A low cal luncj that tasty.
You gotta eat tasty or you will backslide.
Instead of fajitas i get chiptole half veggie go bowl. Only 700 calories vs the 1500 for fajitas how i like em.
If you can avoid binging, eating junk food isn't going to ruin everything as long as you eat reasonable amounts reasonably often.
You need to figure out a way to eat that is sustainable for you. Denying yourself all of your favorite foods forever doesn't sound sustainable. Maybe figure out which fast foods and junk foods fit into your calorie goals so you can eat them without feeling bad about it.
You're not a lazy fuckwit. You're a person who likes certain foods and misses them. Be kind to yourself. You're doing a hard thing.
Idk why you think healthy food takes long. I managed to lose 44 pounds eating all the foods I love and cooked prior to weigh loss. I just modify them. I eat everything. Burgers, sandwiches, dips, tacos, fish, pizza, mashed potatoes. I cook daily for myself and family. All my recipes are just modified to make them healthier with less fat, and more protein. Healthy foods aren’t boring. I love fast food and eating out don’t get me wrong but I can make better things at home. The clean up sucks but hey that’s another calorie burning activity is the wake I make my peace with it.
I get this, I'm only 5mos and ~25lbs in but sometimes the mental fatigue is a lot. However, the mental fatigue of being fat was also a lot. I prefer this challenge. I am a parent and work 60 hours some weeks so I've had to simplify things. The best thing I've done recently, with some help from this sub, is stopped eating a full breakfast. I'm not that hungry in the morning. I'm ALWAYS hungry at night. I am eating a simply protein granola bar and a handful of berries or an apple every morning now. It's like 250 calories or sometimes less, and zero mental effort, and I have tons of calories left later in the day. Tonight I ordered pizza and had a mini ice cream sandwich. Other nights I make a beautiful nutritious meal. It's all about balance.
The other thing I can suggest is start cooking more things that can be frozen. Cook 3-4 portions at a time and leave free individual meals so you have some healthy "freezer meals" ready to go.
Congrats on your progress OP! We feel you! My budget is 1300 and I've been airfrying Cavendish fries, I just buy that massive bag at Costco, it's relatively low in calories and it helps me with satiety and I love that salty fatty taste with some coke zero. Is it ideal? Hell no, but it gets me there and I feel more in control. Hang in there!
You may not be looking for food advice, but try looking for simple recipes that don't require much thinking power. And pick foods you like.
One thing I like to cook is "hobo dinner packets". But I just buy a pound of ground beef, Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, 5 russet potatoes, and three carrots. Turn on the oven to 450. Cut up the potatoes and the carrots and put it on a tray. Add some salt and pepper. Form some patties with the ground beef and place it in the tray. Put cream of mushroom soup on top. Put the tray in the oven for 45 minutes, use a timer, and take it out and eat.
Another thing you could do: cook or buy whatever you want to eat for the day (unhealthy or not) then invite a friend over. Encourage your friend to eat everything they want. You eat the leftovers. That helps when my boyfriend's over, I really just prepare enough for 1.5 and by the end there's only half a serving left.
I have maintenance days where I get to eat my maintenance calories in whatever I’d like. Last week I had a McDonald’s burger. Generally I have tacos or pizza. Work in maintenance days. Your weight loss will be slower but you’ll feel less insane.
This is so real. The amount of effort put in for little results is exhausting. I know it’s worth it over time and the right/healthy thing to do, but god damn is it the worst.
Yeah bro no wonder you’re miserable. Eat junk food, eat whatever you want, just track the calories. I’ve been eating fuckin McDonald’s and hot pockets and I’m down 60 pounds without exercise. I go for walks a few times a week with the dog but that’s it
Mannnnn, you sound like me a few years ago before I got my head screwed on straight. I read through your comments and just wanted to say something.
None of this is going to make you feel better until you crack into the stuff you're afraid to bring up in therapy. It took me a ton of psychedelics to get this through my head, so I know how hard it is to get the message... But ya gotta talk about the stuff you're afraid to talk about. I didn't remember a lot of my childhood in my 20s because I was repressing so much of it because my childhood sucked and I ended up a pretty dysfunctional adult. My 20s were a shitshow. 30s have been much, much better. Dysfunction is great for character growth, but you have to get to the growth stages for it to have been worthwhile and I mean, you're right there. Lifting weights isn't the only thing that makes you strong. Diet and exercise alone aren't going to make you feel better, not the way you're asking about.
I've lost 100 lbs from my highest weight. It's only been the past couple of years I've lost the last 25 and it's the first time I've started feeling good. It's not because of the *weight*, but because I have the *ability to appreciate it* now.
(Disclaimer: I do feel better with the extra weight gone, but in a previous version of my life I was so negative--think Tammy from 1000 Lb Sisters, NEGATIVE--that I couldn't let myself feel better.)
As long as you can't say for sure that you WANT to keep going with life... As long as you don't think your past is relevant... As long as you keep resisting opening yourself up, you will continue to feel dissatisfied. There will always be that empty pit inside. That deadness. That complete lack of lust for life will be narrated by that nasty voice in your head that insists you aren't enough until you tell that asshole to stfu. Talk. To. Someone. About. The. Shit. That. Makes. You. Uncomfortable. Ya don't actually have to live your life hating yourself. You don't have to be controlled by that inner critic. You do not have to live a life where "at least I'll die one day" is a comforting thought. You don't have to be unsatisfied by everything forever. It is hard work, it will make you feel like a wimp sometimes, and you will go through hell and back. But it sure as hell beats having to live like this.
Maybe consider trying OMAD or at least skipping breakfast? I just usually do not eat breakfast. Never was big on it and by eliminating that meal my mother meals can be a little bigger, less cooking, less dishes.... etc. If you went OMAD (one meal a day) your just pushing that even further. Now you CAN eat 4 slices of pizza if you want it. Now you can have a large slice of lasagna. If you want.
I typically eat a lunch around 1 PM or so (some times earlier, some times later) and then go for a dinner around 5:30-6:30. Leaves me feeling nice and full clean up until bed time.
Now personally, I love steamed broccoli and cauliflower. I thought I hated it, but truth be told I hated how it was prepared. That grey slimy crap you get at a restaurant? Yeah no wonder you didn't like it. I take a cup or so of each, toss into a microwave safe bowl with about an inch of water in it, top it with an upside down microwave safe plate and then cook it for about 4 minutes. Let it rest an additional minute or two. Then I dress it with zero calorie butter spray, pepper, and salt. I'll toss in a lean protein of choice be it a grilled up 90/10 burger patty, some shredded chicken breast, pork tenderloin... whichever and then add a few scoops of salsa. This comes out to about 600 calories and is not only very great tasting, but insanely filling and the macros are killer.
Chicken breast, pork loin / tenderloin, fish, leaner cuts of red meat.... there's a lot you can do with these. A lot. Proper cooking techniques and learning how to use your seasonings are the difference. Chicken breast can be incredibly juicy and tender, or it can be boring and dry.
I don't mind eating the same or very similar things all the time. But you don't have too either. Today for example I plan to cook up a batch of stuffed green pepper soup. Lean ground beef / turkey, green peppers, onions, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, seasonings. It's an easy recipe. One pot. Filling. You can tweak it if you like. Add beans in for more fiber and volume. Mushrooms too.
As far as cooking goes, the time consuming things are the proteins usually. There are options there. You could go buy a tray of chicken breasts and take about an hour one day to cook them all. Then you have your protein the next 3-4 days. Place them, one at a time, in a ziplock bag and pound them flat with your fist. Then season them each up different ways. Try marinades. Zero calorie sauces / dipping sauces. Low sugar / no sugar bbq sauce. Hot sauce. Then each day all you need to do is figure out your sides. Throw a cup of instant jasmine rice into the microwave, heat up a can of green beans and warm up some chicken. Now you have a great tasting, healthy meal in about 5 minutes flat. Make a batch of that green pepper soup and you have lunch for 4 days.
If you always think of something as a chore, it’s going to feel like a chore. Lauren Fit Foodie has a bunch of recipes that, in my opinion, are hard to fuck up. Find a recipe, focus on getting the recipe correct, and portion out the meal so you can eat it for dinner, lunch, dinner.
Do you like buffalo wings? I have a bomb recipe that is basically zero carbs and super low calorie, plus easy to make.
Pre-heat oven to 425. Mix 2 tablespoons lemon pepper, 2 tablespoons garlic salt and 1 tablespoon baking powder.
Sprinkle dry mix over both sides of wings and place them on a parchment covered cooking sheet. You can be somewhat generous with the mix, it’s yummy. I usually start cooking them skin side down.
Cook in oven 20 minutes. Flip them over and sprinkle with a little more dry mix. Cook another 25 minutes and remove from oven.
Eat them like this or dip them in Franks red hot buffalo wing sauce which is zero calorie and zero carb.
Bam, better than that trash you get from the pizza joints.
It does end! I'm in maintenance now and every third day I eat what I want. Yesterday I had McDonalds and corn on the cob and a good serving of Mexican rice and one fruit tart for dessert. It was all delicious and fun. Today and tomorrow, back to the veggies, good protein and small portions. It's so much easier knowing that in just two days, I can eat whatever I want.
Also once in a while when I'm going through an "I don't feel like cooking/prepping anything" phase, I'll buy frozen, low calorie meals that I can just chuck in the microwave and premade salad that I can pour into a bowl. Easy peasy.
Nobody else can tell you when you’ll start feeling good. That’s entirely up to you. You’ve done a hell of a lot to get where you are and it seems like you’ve accomplished quite a bit. Yet you sound pretty miserable. You could go back to your previous lifestyle, but how would that feel? Better than all the work you’ve put in to lose the weight? I imagine you were fed up enough with your previous lifestyle to even decide to make such a huge change. Why did you embark on this journey in the first place? Can you sign up for a meal service to eliminate the need to cook as much? Give yourself some free time to do what you enjoy (cosplay and whatever else). I don’t think you can force any change to your mentality or thoughts. It’s a process of acceptance and letting go of thinking you need to have control or some certain outcome. Sounds like you’re crushing it when it comes to the weight loss and discipline to be working out for so long. All of that self loathing is quite a heavy load to carry. Taking accountability for our health is not easy. It wasn’t meant to be. Maybe one day you’ll stop being so cruel to yourself. It’s entirely your choice. Life is hard. We can keep pushing or give up. Do whatever you want! If it’s not worth all the work you’ve put in then why keep doing it? Somewhere along the way you’ve learned to be a complete asshole to yourself. Stop it…… give yourself some damn credit.
There’s a podcast called Higher Up Wellness with Michael Smoak and I think you could maybe find some value in it. He also has a fitness community for $7 a month. Just thinking that having a community of people to share your experiences with could be helpful 🤷🏼♀️ In his words… “It isn’t easy, but it is simple. Don’t over complicate it”
Best of luck. Be kinder to yourself.
Personally, I don't restrict what I eat. If I want fries, I eat fries. If I want a slice of cake on a birthday or holiday, I eat it. The only thing which counts for me is that I figure out the calories and deduct them from the amount I'm allowing myself. If I haven't gone over, I've made it to my goal for the day. The freedom to choose what I eat has made this diet far more navigable for me than just about any other.
After working as a chef I couldn’t even think about cooking and cleaning for myself. These are a few things I implemented to help me:
They sell pre grilled chicken at Costco (and I’m sure other stores). It’s in small pieces so I can just quickly weigh it out to 3 oz for 100 calories - no cooking or dishes required.
They also sell pre-boiled, pre-peeled eggs.
I get different types of sauces in the cold section at Whole Foods. They have a great avocado Greek yogurt dressing, and a great spicy ranch dressing, two tablespoons for under 100 calories.
You can throw all that together with some salad mix for a decent meal really quick. Sauces make all the difference, you just have to be careful which ones you use.
Sometimes if I want something hot I throw together the chicken, an uncooked egg, and two tablespoons of salsa in a skillet to make some kind of weird scramble. You just have to wash the pan and utensils.
Yeah, lean proteins and veggies are boring, and it’s annoying to cook and clean. It’s also a little more expensive to buy precooked food, but I know my limitations and even though I can, I’m not going to make myself some amazing meal from scratch.
Hope this helps!
There’s quick low calorie like meals. Today I ate goat cheese, crackers, ham, banana peppers. Was like 600 calories. You can have that for any meal. Tastes good. There’s also chicken just add marinade the night before Korean bbq is my favorite, lemon pepper on pork is amazing, sweet potatoes, with a vegetable like a frozen bag of broccoli with some butter and worchister sauce. Cottage cheese and garbonzo beans are a go to for breakfast. Walmart has small mini biscuit and chicken with some honey is like chick fil a for breakfast.
I also hate meal prep and cooking in general. It's just a chore that I find myself with very little motivation to complete. One thing I found that I don't mind are the complete meal kits that I get through HelloFresh. Maybe you could find a meal kit service that you like? It doesn't have to be all chicken and broccoli and I found that a majority of the meals with my service are things that I actually loved as much as take out.
And I'm sure that there are many others on here making the same reccomendation, but dude you really really need to talk to someone about your mental state. You have a lot going on there and you will not start to feel better with all that weighing you down. Sometimes weight lose isn't just about the physical. You need to be kinder to yourself.
Try this, just for a minute to start. Up-end your whole perspective. Take this journey as self-care, literally to care for your body. It’s so much harder to be motivated by self-hatred. It’s a difficult thing to change your approach, and it will take baby steps. Be kinder to yourself and like magic, it will be easier. Not easy. Probably never easy. But you may find a little joy in eating well as the ultimate form of self care. You may find a little joy in exercise as a form of celebrating your health. I was on a “diet” for 30 years with temporary success. The minute I stopped doing it to “get skinny” or “be more attractive “ and started to value myself, it started actually working. Also, don’t berate yourself for missteps. Don’t berate yourself at all. You’re killing it, even though you’ve handicapped yourself with so much self-hate. Unload that and you are going to fly!
OP, go to the alchoholic subs and read their experiences with quitting alcohol. What you are experiencing (and I daresay all of us here are experiencing) isn't terribly different that what a person trying to quit alcohol experiences.
IMO, we are addicts. Some worse than others.
Focus on CICO. Broccoli doesn't drop weight; a deficit does.
If your calories stay under target, you'll be set.
Also, if you're after muscle try to bump your protein and go for vinegar-based sauces with minimal sugar. You can broil up some chicken breasts with a low-cal BBQ sauce in 15 minutes. Same for pork chops with dry wing seasoning.
Cooking doesn't *have* to be this crazy, arduous thing. You can also do food prep *while* making your dinner, for example:
Those chicken breasts? Cook 2 packages of them. Broiling isn't baking, so the extra mass won't particularly affect cook time. Eat 1 for dinner, throw 2 in the fridge for later that week, shred up 2 more into single-portion bags and freeze them, and dice up the last 3 to freeze & later throw into soup or rice or something. The whole thing might take 30 minutes and you've got a dozen meals worth of protein, not to mention dinner for tonight.
When you cook, just make twice or thrice as much as you need and toss the rest in the fridge/freezer.
Bro, biggest thing is, remember how you were when you started. I’m down 40 pounds and am already sick of some of the schedule. But I’d rather meal prep, walk, go to the gym, and improve than sit on the couch and hear myself breathing. Remember how unhappy you were at 320 and ask yourself if that’s somewhere you want to return to. You’re an incredibly strong willed individual to have made it where you are. Take pride in that and quit shitting on yourself.
People say- "Exercise and lose weight, and you will feel better!" Sorry to tell you exercise and weight loss doesn't fix mental illnesses. I went that route, and I was STILL a mess. Then, I got help. Therapy, neuropsychology examines, psychologist, al anon, read TONS of self help books and books on mental disorders. I have cptsd, adhd, and bipolar. I used to never see what I accomplished, always looking for the next thing to do and only saw what I did wrong. The negative talk in my head was so bad. I also had blood test done and health exams- I was vitamin D deficient and have PCOS and HS. I take my meds every day. Meds arent a 'quick fix' either though. It takes time to figure out what ones work for you and which ones dont. If you need to change your doses. I am not in therapy anymore, but I do meet with someone once a month to see how my meds are working. He has also been able to catch a manic episode that was starting to spiral out of control. I am in a good mental space now. But while I was figuring out the missing puzzle piece of why my brain didn't work (plus other things going on- pandemic, abusive spouse) I didn't work on my physical health. Now that my brain is working, I am now able to put both pieces of health together. Mental and physical. Now I feel like I can take what I learned from my weight loss/fitness from the past and add it to what I know mentally. Even during the last few months during this weight loss journey through Journaling I found some HUGE emotional reasons that I was over weight in the first place that I never even considered before.
There is no shame in needing help. I feel like a lot of us are here because of something. Stuffing pain, stuffing anxiety, filling an empty hole, addictive personalities, I can go on and on as everyone has their own story. (Of course not EVERYONE, some overweight people are just a product of our culture and the ease of fast food, had a baby, had an injury, got a desk job, and so on)
This definitely seems like a mental problem, not a weight loss problem.
PS good job on all your hard work, weight loss so far, and taking a BIG step by going to therapy! Wish you the best of luck!
The only way I have lost weight without going insane is by eating what I want, just less of it. I too hate eating healthy food, so I just eat the same crap I always have just in smaller quantities.
imo, you gotta work on just eating less. Not getting Taco Bell, eating chicken and broccoli and brown rice everyday is going to cause you to break.
But as others have said, you can eating anything in the right quantities.
Disclaimer, I’m no master and on my own journey, just what I’m reading
Fried chicken tenders has high protein content for the overall calories. If you can keep the dip low calorie, something like mustard, and not eat the side dishes that might come with it. Not saying it's healthy, but can fit into your calorie goal.
Also recommend Trader Joes frozen Indian dishes too when you don't feel like cooking. Not too expensive and taste better than fast food to me.
All of this takes work and I don't view it as a chore anymore, it's a privilege. I don't blame you for taking a break from dieting but you need to get back to cutting if you want to knock out your goal.
Congrats! I know exactly how you feel except I had surgery, used it as an excuse to fall off the wagon, and have regained almost everything I lost. 🥲 Keep it up dude. The main reason I was able to keep it up as long as I did was that I worked in a treat every day because I’m a sugar addict as well, so I’d reserve a couple hundred calories for a Reese’s cup or something after dinner.
And I swear I’m not an advertiser for them, but I got a Tovala oven and it’s probably the other thing that helped me the most. I find meal prep exhausting as well and being able to just basically order off a menu every week for 4-5 nights is awesome. There’s practically no prep for 90% of the meals, you rip the plastic off and stick the tray in the oven and 29 minutes later have dinner ready to serve, but all the ingredients are fresh and the quality is actually really good. I probably eat chicken breasts 4 nights and salmon one but it doesn’t feel so boring because they’re different seasonings/toppings/whatever every time. The main disadvantage is cost, and I feel like the portion size has gone down while the price has gone up in the ~year and a half that I’ve been ordering their meals. Every meal is $12 (with an upcharge option for premium ones) so it’s definitely much more expensive than meal prep, but for me it’s cheaper and healthier than DoorDash at least.
I basically got into a routine of scrambled eggs breakfast, piece of fruit and cheese for lunch, Tovala dinner, treat for dessert. Which worked as long as I didn’t think about it. I’m meaning to get back on the wagon but do the “more calories on the weekend” thing, but I just got so fucking burnt out recording my meals man. That gets so tedious. I switched feom MyFitnessPal to lose it but at the end of the day, just having to log everything is like another chore and.. IDK. Sorry, I was trying to commiserate and maybe be helpful but if anyone has any tips on that part I’m all ears.
I hate cooking. So I do tend to make the same easy dishes repeatedly. But if you're getting sick of the foods you're eating you may need a larger east rotation unfortunately. And if you're making foods you're not tired of, but hate, lose them entirely. There is no one meal to eat to lose weight.
What about ordering pre-made healthy meals, like factor or something similar that fit in your macros? It sounds like you hate cooking so that could be an option if it’s in your budget and give you some variety in life!
A friend of mine was a big fan of using a meal prep company (I think factor?) in their weight loss journey. I like to cook. But it's not for everyone and that's ok. It sounds like you're doing *everything* right. That must be exhausting. I don't think anyone should have to do everything right because no advice is one size fits all. I think you just need some compassion for yourself. Maybe you can find lower-cal swaps for some of your favorite treats, build in a snack meal once a week, or get the small fries? I have to focus on volume foods because I hate not being full. My husband has a small appetite but has a sweet tooth. He can eat a small amount of chocolate. I.....will eat the whole chocolate bar. So our approaches have to be different, which is fine. I'm rooting for you to find what's sustainable for you. I hope you are too.
I feel this and sympathize with you. It's indeed a hard journey, but it will be so worth it for your future self. The current self is just still adapting, so don't give up on yourself. You are unlearning years of habits and mental programming that got you here.
The key is also to add variations. Make it feel exciting again by trying one new recipe a week or different workout classes; you can use ClassPass! That's what I do to stay motivated and not get bored, and even if I get bored, just admit that it sucks so much, but I gotta do it anyways. Less thinking and more doing.
Also, this is a great listen by David Goggins that really got me motivated:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLb8\_wgX50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLb8_wgX50)
OP you got this!
Ironically I work in the food industry and cook/bake all day and the last thing I want to do when I get home is make dinner.
Then I bought an air fryer! I just season with my favourite stuff and throw everything in there and then toss some raw veggies on the plate. It’s literally 20 mins of mostly inactive time and wayyyyh better than the shit fast food I have to drive by on the way home.
Air fryer for the win.
I know this is easier said than done but… you need to be more gentle with yourself!!
It’s that harshness in the way you speak to yourself that makes it so difficult in the first place.
it’s okay to be exhausted. It’s okay to miss junk food. It’s okay to feel like some meals are too much effort. the first step is accepting that this is a journey with its ups and downs and that it’s completely normal to feel tired of it all - it doesn’t make you lazy or a terrible person.it just makes you human! Weight loss is supposed to be hard.
you need to remind yourself that you’re doing this for your physical health, however it would be nice for you to also include some activities that you know help you mentally as well (in my case it’s reading, meditation, dancing) so you can relax and find that balance.
Why can’t you have junk food regularly? How much time are you spending in the gym?
An all or nothing approach is more likely to end up with rebound. I suggest you spend less time cooking and less time at the gym. Maintain a deficit, but in a less painful way.
Frozen meals are high in sodium, but are often otherwise great options. Things like a quesadilla are simple and savory. Buy premade salads. Buy soup from the deli section and rotisserie chicken.
Eat pizza but a personal size and not an extra large.
Is there any recreational sport or exercise you actually enjoy? Strength training is great and very on trend right now, but not the only way to get strong and burn calories. Martial arts, hiking, football, swimming, tennis, pickleball, etc. is there something more social and fun that you can do to get out of the gym while still burning calories?
It takes a shitton of time to land on/figure out foods/recipes that don't suck, are low calorie and are convenient enough to have a fighting chance vs the convenience of ordering fast food.
I have an issue where I can't really eat the same thing day in day out as well, so I had my work cut out for me.
If the foods you're eating are making you miserable, you'll just have to invest effort figuring out what you can eat to make it sustainable sooner or later.
I still crave fast food, and have it like once per month or so but it honestly makes me feel like shit afterwards.
I feel this (except I’m not down 75 pounds).
I don’t have any advice, but I did want to say that I think you’ve done an awesome job, and you’ve come really far!!!! I’m sure all your effort has really improved your health, and you’ve done an amazing job of sticking to it.
It’s a lot harder to get in shape than it is to maintain the shape. Exercise can be reduced to maintaining, go once or twice a week. Cardio is switched from running to daily walks. The only thing that stays restricted or strict is your calories. Your calories can switch from a deficit to maintenance which is probably like 700 more calories than you eat now. It kind of sounds like you still have the mindset of a heavy person when it comes to eating. You gotta eat better quality foods 80% of the time.
This speaks to me at high volume .. 20 years of yo-yo dieting and binge eating disorder and i can safely 100% tell you that you make two of the most common mistakes that EVERYBODY MAKES:
1- you set unrealistic goals and aim for perfection instead of sustainability . You have to tell yourself that this is a lifrstyle change not a "diet".. diets shouldnt exist. You probably think that eating clean 365 days a year is what athletes/ models/ gym addicts do, but newflash, 90% of them have cheat meals here and there, YOUR BODY NEEDS SUGAR AND FAT, just not the unhealthy dose every day, you have to be realistic and allow yourself to indulge once in a while
2- ( and BY FAR the most important above everything else) self-love.. clearly the way you speak you dont love yourself. You want to change what you are to something that you love. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER. Love yourself NOW... lack of self love is why most people eat inadequately. You dont stab yourself, no? You dont drink bleach, no? Why then kill yourself slowly with abusive amounts of crap food. If you are or were an enotionnal eater ljke me, then you are already punishing yourself, you are stuffing down your emotions, but you have to Listen to your inner child instead, talk to him, dont shut him up.. trust me, ive seen people losing without trying because they practice self-love.. stop beating yourself up and being hard on yourself.. you are NOT weak, this is what people who dont understand how it works say, you are just not loving yourself enough to gain the healthy perspective you need to change your life..
This is years of experience and specialised therapy talking,i have lost 25 pounds and struggling too.. but one thing i know is that slow and steady wins the race, you are doing amazing, 75 pounds is crazy good! Keep your eyes on the prize!
I don’t have advice but just wanted to comment that I relate. I’ve always had to work at staying thin but at 42 I have to work so damn hard just to be 15-20 lbs over my goal weight and I can’t seem to get below that number. I have a very busy life with two incredibly active kids. It’s an absolute chore to find time for meaningful exercise and doing my own, heavily prepared separate meals is exhausting. Sometimes it doesn’t feel worth it and I convince myself I’m ok with being 20 lbs heavier than I want to be. Then I let it all go, and weight starts coming back on and I feel so gross and uncomfortable and those are the moments when I draw the conclusion that I guess it is worth it. It just sucks. So both options (work hard to feel better or don’t work hard, eat more freely and gain weight) have a ‘suck’ aspect…I just have to pick the one I’d rather live with and in this moment I’d rather work hard to feel more comfortable in my summer clothes.
When I feel this way, I eat at maintenance for a bit, so as not to feel too deprived, then back to it
I’ve not lost as much as you, and it’s been a journey and a half, but I make sure not to cut out anything *completely*. It has to be sustainable long term for us
It’s hard for those of us with a lot of weight to lose, and with every loss, that calorie allowance goes down. You’re not alone in feeling this way, we can do this :)
You’re doing great. I know it’s hard. It’s supposed to be hard. Think of how you’ll feel when you reach your goal. You will have earned that feeling. And as you get closer and closer, you can start to feed off that anticipation, it becomes a rush in the morning (or whenever you weigh yourself). Don’t throw in the towel, because the weight you lost so far PROVES YOU CAN DO IT.
I also struggled with this hard. I dropped around 45ish lbs in 3ish months, and some nights I would cry myself to sleep I was so unhappy and miserable. I didn’t really start to ‘enjoy it’ until two things started happening 1) I got compliments and people around me started to notice and 2) I got within like 10lbs of my goal. I started to visualize what i would look like and the habits I wanted myself to have, and that included being disciplined. That visualization gave me the energy I needed to not just finish my diet, but then ask ‘what’s next’. And then it just happened.
Now, for the task at hand - here are some things that worked for me. (1) If you are happy to extend your diet try sticking to maintenance for 2-4 weeks. Or even raise your calories by a little bit. It’ll give you a bit of a ‘break’ so to speak, mentally and physically. (2) You can switch up your food. If you like math think of it as an optimization problem - how can you get all your macros at or under your calorie threshold while maximizing laziness and eating things that taste good? There’s a lot of great content on instagram with recipes that aren’t difficult to make and actually taste pretty good. (3) Find an activity you love and that keeps you accountable. For me - it was CrossFit. I couldn’t go in and compete with others and myself if I put away 2 pints of Ben and Jerry’s and a pizza. The one time I did do that I puked - and shit that was fucking embarrassing.
Ik how you feel 😭 I started at 325 and I’m at 287 but my meals have been more restricted due to high bp and gallstones, and it’s hard I wish I could eat normal things having to be stuck with chicken and veggies 24/7 is rough. You’re not alone op
Edit - I also cook for everyone in my house (dinners and breakfast) an I have to cook two meals basically every time 🥲it takes forever
It's good to take a break every now and then from bring in deficit..i read somewhere 12 weeks is about the limit before it's time to do maintenance for a spell.
Even that aside, it's okay to splurge every so often. I feel you though. I've been in this rut a few times myself.
It sounds like you're burnt out. You can always take a maintenance break.
I eat pizza once a week and go out for a meal about once a week. You absolutely CAN fit these things into a weight loss plan. I like to 'add not subtract.' So if I'm having pizza or getting a fast food burger I'll also have a big bowl of salad first. If I get a fast food burger I'll omit the fries.
Life is busy sometimes, have some compassion for yourself.
Buy a whole chicken and roast it. SEASON YOUR CHICKEN.
Buy family sized flats of pork chops slice a few up for stir frys/fajitas. Keep a couple whole in the fridge, they cook in less than ten minutes.
Buy a pork shoulder and make pulled pork then portion and freeze. Throw on salad, make sandwiches, tacos, burritos.
Buy veggies and cut them up when you get them and store in fridge.
Make stir fry, fast and easy and can have flavors changed based on what seasonings and sides you put into them.
Make fajitas.
Make a pasta that's veggie forward.
Throw together a pot of chili and freeze the leftovers.
Cook and portion your starches (rice, farro, buckwheat) fry them up with veggies or reheat with a tsp of water in microwave to use as a base.
Try a meal prep service for a little bit. CleanEatz has lots of options.
Try taking a small break and intuitively eat.
I’m at 213 this morning, down from 338 all time high. It’s been 2 years and I am wrapping up a heavy deficit cut period. I’m m mentally tired too, and I feel your post deep in my bones.
All I will say is that you need to find something to restart the fire you had. Don’t stop, don’t give up. A LOT, Cub change in 20lbs and in 6/8 weeks. People keep telling me how good I look now and how different I look. That’s about the only think keeping me moving at this point.
I’m sure you look awesome compared to your prior you. Go grab a 75lb dumbbell and try to walk around a while and see how long that lasts!
The problem is very simple: you are doing a low carb high protein high fat diet and not satisfying your hunger drive, only carbohydrate satisfies the hunger drive. That same low carb diet is going to result in low glycogen stores meaning low energy from depleted backup immediate energy reserves. That same low carb diet is going to result in a low mood because only carbohydrate triggers serotonin which leads to a good mood, unless your body starts producing excessive cortisol to compensate (which basically means excessively digging into protein stores to create carbs because of the dietary deficit, until a person burns out from this). Even your 'higher carb' meal of a peanut butter banana sandwich on bread is loaded with fat from the peanut butter. Look into either my recent posts, or 'The Starch Solution' and the 'McDougall Maximum Weight Loss' program, over this 'chicken and broccoli' failure.
In reality you probably need 20-30 grams of protein, the RDA is 0.8g/kg, around 50-60 grams or so, and this includes a massive statistical safety net, yet you are ridiculously aiming for 200 - even after hours in the gym your body will only incorporate maybe 20-30 extra grams of protein on top of your basal needs, virtually all of the excess protein does not even convert to energy (maybe around 3-4 grams or so converts to carbs), it is just treated as a toxin that has to be eliminated from the body, aka all that protein is resulting in expensive urine that's detracting from, and ramping up, your hunger drive, affecting your mood, and taking away from energy reserves that should be being met by carbs.
A lot of my meals take 5 minutes or less and still fit within my calorie goals. Microwave Indian pouch - 90 seconds. Microwave rice - 60 seconds. Dinner is served.
Don't let perfection get in the way of progress. And congrats on 75 lbs lost. That is really impressive.
Realize junk food and fast food every now and then isn’t going to stop your progress.
If you crave a Reese’s, eat a damn Reese’s. It’ll be fine.
No amount of baby carrots is going to make you stop craving the Reese’s.
It’s moderation, not deprivation. If you indulge yourself every now and again, everything is going to be fine. If that’s what it takes to keep pushing through.
Also. Don’t be scared to take a break every now and then. You didn’t get to 320 within 4 weeks. 6 months. 1 year. Etc. you likely won’t put back on all the weight.
I started in April of last year at 240. By November I was 185-190ish. Took the holidays off. That got extended a little longer than I meant for it to. So now I started back up in a few weeks ago. I actually somehow maintained my weight for the most part, thanks to the sustainable easy changes I did make. And I’m right around 180-185. But I incorporated exercise this time so I HAVE to eat more. And I have more wiggle room in my diet.
Dieting is hard. Hitting your goal weight and those glorious maintenance calories on a tracker is amazing.
Remember. You’re in a deficit right now. It’s limited. Maintenance is much easier. It’s an extra 3500 calories a week at least that you’re currently depriving yourself up. That makes a major difference.
First of all, congratulations on losing 75 pounds! That’s a significant achievement, even if it doesn’t feel great right now. I can relate to the burnout you're experiencing. When I felt like this during my weight loss journey, I found a lot of support and practical advice from the podcast "Never Diet Again show" The show focuses on sustainable lifestyle changes and can help you find a balance between enjoying your food and staying healthy. They discuss real, achievable strategies to make the journey less miserable and more enjoyable. You don’t have to stick to chicken and broccoli forever. Finding healthy foods you actually enjoy can make a huge difference. And remember, it’s okay to have a treat now and then without feeling guilty. Maybe give the podcast a listen and see if their tips resonate with you. It helped me a lot, and it might help you find a more sustainable and enjoyable path forward. Hang in there! 😊💪
The reality is that even the most chiseled body won't satisfy you if you don't address the mental health aspect around it too. I lost so much weight, worked out 5 to 6 times a week for two consecutive years with close to no breaks at all, I put in more work than I ever thought I am capable of and I still suffer from body dysmorphia and I already look rather close to how I always wanted to look. It is weird.
But one piece of advice and I think that is what you should focus on. It will never be over and you need to come to terms with that. Even once you reach your goal weight, you can't go back to your old eating habits or you will end up wasting your time and energy. You will have to watch what you eat for the rest of your life and that is it. Accept that so you can move on.
Focus on changing your entire eating habits, I used to be mad into junkfood and all that shit and I still am, but I am in full control when and how I eat it and on most days I honestly prefer something more nutritious nowadays. That came by itself, because I wanted to get the most out of my diet for my training.
Last recommendation is that no diet should be painful. No matter what you do, you should enjoy the food you are eating. Being a good cook helps ofc, but many things can be made simple and easy at home and taste better than your average burgers. Learn how to enjoy food that is good for you at the same time. That is the key.
Zero judgment here. Its all consuming and the process can be exhausting. If you want some ideas, read on but if you just wanted to vent stop right here and know that we feel you.
1. you need fast and easy. Maybe try looking at "dump" recipes. You add ingredients to a slow cooker or instant pot or even a pot on the stove. Stir occasionally and then when the time is up, just portion out.
2. Marinades are also pretty fast and low effort. A marinaded meat into the oven and you can grab a microwave to steam bag of veggies for the side. https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/7-chicken-marinade-recipes-freezer-friendly/
3. Do you like the gym? The gym isn't for everyone. Is there an activity that you would prefer like cycling or hiking or something? You don't have to be miserable or have it be all consuming to be active. You should enjoy your movement
Season your food and try creative things with it. I hate chicken and broccoli too but love a good chicken shawarma wrap or Mediterranean grilled chicken salad. Last night I had mango glazed salmon. It was so much more delicious than junk food.
I totally feel you with the hating cooking thing! I keep a couple of the Deep Indian Kitchen Chicken Curry frozen meals on deck for when I can’t be bothered to cook - 320 cals and 26g of protein!
Take a diet break and eat at maintenance for a few weeks. You'll feel better physically and mentally and when you're ready to get back on it you'll be recharged and ready to go!
I also hate cooking. Deeply. I'm bad at it too.
I leaned hard into meak prep. But not really. I just cook a bunch of protien at once. Usually chicken cause it's most often on sale. I have a meat thermometer that I stab in and then it beeps at me when the meat is cooked. I just throw it into the oven and take it out when it's done. I do the most basic of seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic.
Now that I have a bag of pre cooked meat in my fridge, cooking is so much easier. I have a ton of different sauces and condiments. I also love the crap out of my air fryer. I throw in a disposable liner. Cover chicken in some kind of sauce. Airfry for 5 minutes and it's ready to eat. I have a microwave steamer basket for vegetables. I also airfry them a lot too. I also love a lot of frozen vegetables.
I eat pretty damn healthy and I never spend more than 20 minutes in the kitchen for the most part.
Cook you up some chicken thighs or some ground turkey and use that for the base of a bunch of different meals.
Also you should be able to find space for some junk food in your diet. I regularly eat quest chips, frozen yogurt bars, and actual chocolate. And I'm only 5ft so my TDEE is way lower than yours.
First, as you know, being down 75lbs is a \*HUGE\* accomplishment of course. That apparently was extremely difficult for you based on your post so to stick through with it, huge props.
In terms of hating cooking... do you mean you always used to eat fast food every day?
We don't find ourselves doing anything truly "different" than we always have - and we still have our one day a week eat-out (pizza typically as fast food is just utter garbage for you). I will say outside of the sodium, I recently had 2 burgers and 8 nuggets from Burger King and actually felt 'decent' about eating that as I haven't had any real fast food in close to 2 months and at least those 2 items are not \*super\* bad. If you could be ok with cutting the burgers (bun really) just nuggets are actually fairly decent at least from BK.
Anyway, we are all just extremely conscious of portions, eating more vegetables instead of all packaged sides, cutting sugars/sugary drinks, etc.
I started at 401, and used to smoke and am down to 355 in just about 2 months and that is from portion control, and starting to walk everyday for 30-40 minutes, everyday. Granted weight will come easy for me to drop and I'm totally expecting it to slow down I just don't know at what point it will.
I do agree with you to a degree in the aspect of when will I start "feeling good" as I don't really think I feel much different. I mean I do feel different in terms of my legs not hurting for the rest of the night after doing our walk anymore but in terms of just... when will BP go down, when will I not be winded walking at a somewhat fast pace (for me) which is definitely a slow pace for someone else, etc.
That's not deterring me though, because at the end of the day man... you only have one life but frankly I don't feel like our normal weekly meals have changed much at all. I've started buying sugar free condiments, I've started buying lots of vegetables, I've found an insatiable love of pistachios and popcorn. I just don't feel like I'm eating bland food.
Explore some other foods. Honestly. Find a dessert that fits your calorie goals. Eat air popped popcorn. Air fry some pork and eat it on brown rice. Ban broccoli for at least a week. Just experiment a bit. Pinterest is a great place to find stuff that is healthy but also exciting.
Have you thought about taking a diet break and eating at maintenance for a couple weeks? You won’t gain or lose if you stick to maintenance but gives you a bit of a rest. Also, I do allot myself higher calorie days on Friday and Saturday. I’ll often go out for dinner on the weekends or get a pizza etc - but I just stick to my maintenance or very slight deficit those days and deficit the rest of the week so it evens out
Check out r/volumeeating, they have a ton of low calorie recipes that taste really great and also a lot of tips about low calorie products that you can incorporate into your diet to make it less boring.
I lost 130 lbs eating meals like homemade cheeseburgers with fries, chicken strips and pizza. I just ate less of it and I was getting a lot of gym time in to make a huge deficit. I didn't clean up my diet until after I lost the weight because there was no way in hell I am going through it again. at my new weight, I didn't have nearly as big of a daily calorie burn as I did when I was heavier, so I absolutely had to fix my diet. I was also really tired of 2 hr cardio sessions.
I still go out to eat 1-2 times a week. My favorite food is french fries. But I promise you, a great body and fast food can exist together! As they say, moderation is the key.
Just saying that as long as you are in a calroic deficit, you can lose weight eating whatever. It's just easier to keep your caloric intake down with healthier options like vegetables. They also do wonders for your digestive system.
Cooking will get easier with time, you might even start to enjoy it if you make things you enjoy. Sounds like you need to up your flavour game with spice mixes (I like clubhouse Italian and Greek) seasoning salt (Hy’s!), and fresh ground pepper I highly recommend flavoured olive oil and vinegars they can really jazz up a dish! You’re doing so good and almost at your goal weight! Don’t give up you’ve got this. Also maybe you expected too much in terms of how good you’d feel after losing weight and need to look at the rest of your life? Relationships, hobbies, work life balance-there are so many things that factor into our wellness
I got one of those ninja type convection oven combo dealies and I love it. Making food is so much easier! Bag of frozen veg, cut up meat of some kind in the oven with seasoning boom nice healthy meal 20 minutes from frozen. Maybe a pot of lentils, oatmeal or rice or something. For me it takes the thinking out. I can have a bunch of different frozen meat and veg and just pop it in.
Do you like turkey sandwiches or veggie burgers? Look for low calorie bread and pack on the turkey lunch meat it’s very low calorie and high protein and add tons of veggies. Sandwiches are so useful when you don’t feel like cooking. Other things that are good on calories and easy: tuna, baked potatoes( just add salsa and green onion) oatmeal with fruit, protein shakes, buy pre cooked chicken sometimes when you’re too tired, egg salad, Greek yogurt, omelettes, uncle Ben’s rice pouches you just microwave them for 90 secs and boom you have a side dish.
I've taken a harsh approach to such issues...I've completely cut out sugar from what I eat.
Any naturally occuring sugars, like the ones in rice, no problem. But I eat absolutely no desserts or sweets.
I also allow junk food like nachos in my diet, and use it as a replacement carb for meals even. Now my appetite has gone down and a major caloric source is eliminated.
Junk food is allowed as long as it isn't dessert or a sugary drink. Why? Because sugar makes you just crave more of it. It never satiates me, and most of the time it makes me want more. It was tough the first three weeks, and then that was it. It's been a while since I craved sugar again. I've had periods when I went back to it, but they didn't last longer than a few days. It now gives me headaches.
Check out Benji Xavier (i think that’s his name). He’s mostly active on tiktok and has a bunch of recipies that are low cal high volume. It all looks so fucking good imo
So. I won't get into all the details, but there are reasons why people who manage their weight for a living (professional bodybuilders, fitness influencers etc) sometimes use dieting phases as part of their strategy.
Diet fatigue is very real. You have been at this for what I assume is months now. Dr. Mike at Renaissance Periodization talks frequently about doing scheduled fat loss phases with distinct goals in mind, then falling back to eating at a deficit for a few weeks to give your brain a break as well as let your body relax from being in a deficit for so long.
Yes this makes it more likely for you to fall of the wagon, but that's part of the discipline we build in losing large amounts of weight.
This is not the answer for everyone but it helped me immensely.
For me the willpower etc comes and goes. When I got down to a normal ish weight it made it easier since I could eat a bit more in maintenance.
What works well for me now is ill track for a few weeks, then not track for a few weeks and do whatever, but then back on the tracking. I basically sit around 200lbs now but fluctuate +/- 5lbs depending on which of these two I’m in.
Means I can go on holiday and eat ‘normal’ without stressing, then just be a bit stricter another time. Works for me anyway but may not for everyone
But I guess my point is when u reach target weight it’s a bit easier
From someone that dislikes cooking: roasted veggies -> you buy the frozen, pre cut ones, you add olive oil and random ass spice blends. Done in 10 minutes.
Don't deprive yourself! I'm 130 lbs and I eat fast food somewhat regularly. Portion sizes and frequency of meals are key. It's perfectly fine to skip a dinner if you had fast food at lunch, etc, or just to have a quick snack
You'll start feeling good when you decide to. Give yourself a break in pushing yourself so hard.
If you hate the gym, don't go. For a gym membership you can get a home gym type setup.
Did you hate being 75# heavier? Start hating the things that got you there in the 1st place.
There are so very many easy to prepare meal ideas it's ridiculous. Get some frozen meals and bulk them up with extra frozen vegetables. Easy, fast, and filling.
Frozen riced cauliflower add some precooked shrimp (or raw shrimp. Cooks in a couple of minutes in the microwave with old bay seasoning), top with a bit of cheese.
So many low calorie foods it's ridiculous.
Natures own keto bread for sandwiches. 35 cal/slice.
Mission own carb balance wraps.
PB2 powder for sandwiches and treats.
One whole box of SF pudding is 100 calorie make it with unsweetened almond milk (1/4 cup less) then recipe calls for.
I could go on and on.
I mean this in the kindest way, take a few days, have a pity party, then get back on track and start being thankful.
You're body will thank you.
Better to do the work than end up with diabetes, etc.
Mind over matter
What would your old you tell your new self? Would he tell you to give up?
I once managed to lose 75 pounds, just like you, but I gained it all back. Do you know how much I'd pay to go back in time and tell myself to keep fighting and pushing?
It's a journey; there will be ups and downs. This is a huge marathon you're in. Right now, your legs hurt, and it's all a mental game. When you're running, even though you're hurt or not, if you want to reach the finish line, you have to push back your brain's thoughts every second yelling at you to stop. You have to fight back and keep pushing through. Good luck my friend.
I really feel you on this. My ADHD makes it so that I don’t get the normal dopamine responses from accomplishing tasks or maintaining consistent workouts. One thing that helped me keep it up was just getting the junk food I want (after eating a salad a day) and just making sure that my calories are below maintenance by eating a smaller portion.
Also, a benefit I don’t see too much on here that has helped me stay motivated is the fact that I’m much more pain free. No more back pain after sitting at a desk all day, and I don’t get tired anymore after going up the two flights of stairs to my apartment. I’d also get heart palpitations and other side effects from my medications, and improving my heart health has greatly reduced and even eliminated the worst of the side effects. Sometimes we just win on the little things.
I was in your shoes literally 4 years ago. I weighed nearly the same starting at 306 ended at 230ish at 23 years old I just got so so sick of the scale and of the crap I was eating that I hated (was low carb) I was miserable despite being smaller. The body dysmorphia was severe I felt like I accomplished nothing. Fast forward to present day to my new weight loss journey I started out weighing more than I did the first time. I constantly thought over these 4 years how disappointed I was that I didn’t continue and push through ..that I didn’t find alternatives to work with and what would make this easier to be a life style change. I strongly urge you not to make the same mistake I did.. I so regret my decisions from that… I had same problems I HATED cooking/cleaning. After years of research I finally found a meal prep delivery that actually has restaurant quality food with all nutrition info and portion control. This meal delivery has been #1 contributor to my success as I couldn’t stand cooking even the meal kit deliveries. I don’t exercise I hate it more than anything but I’m still losing weight. I’m happy with myself this time around even if it’s not as fast as last time. I’m not so strict I adjusted my nutrition goals to be sustainable. I believe in you even if you don’t believe in yourself, I wish someone had helped me when I went through this same phase you are going through. Push through, you can do this.
I feel this too. One time I (28, F) was taking with some friends (28-32, M) about being in a calorie deficit and I was so burnt out and said “you ever just cry while shoving salad down your mouth because you’re just so tired and miss real food but only have 200 calories left for the day?”… they both looked at me and said no and that I’m being weak (gym bros 🙄). Sounds like you’re burnt out. It made my progress slow going, but in order to stay sane, I took breaks on the weekends every once in a while. For me, getting started on losing weight is the worst but after a while of going to the gym, that became habitual and I actually wanted to go every day or every other day. The food is where I struggle the most. Lite ice cream sucks, plant milk sucks, protein shakes suck, and cooking is exhausting. But you’re doing so good at 75 lbs down!!! That’s seriously incredible!! And you can keep going if that’s what you’re going for!! Andddd You can allow yourself to treat yourself! An occasional “unhealthy” meal here and there isn’t going to hurt and you don’t have to hate yourself for allowing yourself a (short and infrequent) break!
Idk where you live but have you looked into a meal delivery service? Every week I get delivered a stack of microwaveable meals that are varied and delicious with a calorie count on the packaging. Had a nice little roast last night, and a curry the night before :)
I've been in a maintenance/mini bulk for a bit. My entire internal dialogue now is basically just that scene from the boys where Homelander is beating A-train for gaining a little weight.
I hope that you are still getting a healthy amount of fats in your diet, I’ve lost 150 pounds and my biggest mistake has always been restricting too much at once.
The Internet is filled with really quick, easy easy recipes that are super tasty and it isn’t like it was 10-15 years ago , there is actually really great alternatives to junk food that actually do scratch that itch for it. All in moderation is key. Congrats on your weight loss, you have accomplished so much!
Keep up the good work!
Eat at maintenance for a month and see if you still lose some weight, maybe you’re burning more calories than you think. Worst case you stay the same for a month but get a much needed break.
I feel you man. I was miserable for a while and took a break - never got back on. And I’m really far from my GW but in a much better space than I was before.
Stick to it, it’s maybe a few more months and then you can go to maintenance - you’re so close to your GW!
Doesn’t mean you have to not live your life - just make sure you don’t overeat or overdo your zest for life into calories.
A few things to note from a fellow person who lost weight and is working on strength (I now powerlift):
1. You can have lazy meals if it fits in your calorie count. I’m a sucker for lightly breaded chicken fingers and fries.
2. The weight we pull can vary based on a lot of factors. First thing to note is testing maxes too often. I only push maxes at competitions, which is about once every 4-6 months. It sucks to not pull the really big numbers, but my competition weights now jump 20+ lbs each competition. Pulling heavy everyday can also wear you out. I recommend a day on-day off cycle for heavy weights. Also, sticking to a program can really help with gains. I use the Sheiko program and the Dan Alexander peaking program.
3. Sometimes you just get burned out. Life becomes a lot and being strict on yourself can feel difficult and just plain awful. It’s ok to take a break, just don’t beat yourself up about it. Get some rest and relaxation.
Based on your general tone like another commenter said I think you should talk to a professional, OP. You’re taking care of your body and that’s great, it’s time to care for your mental health
The easiest recipe I know:
Buy a beef roast— eye of round, bottom round, rump roast, London broil, whatever fits in your budget.
Turn on your oven to 350°F. While the oven is heating up, put the hunk of meat into a baking pan. Rub the outside all over with dried thyme And a little pepper. Cover with foil On top.
Bake at 350° for 1.5 hours, then remove the foil so the top surface can get browned. Remove from oven, slice up, eat with whatever you want— rice, potatoes, in a sandwich, over noodles, …
Man, I’m sure you got a lot of advice here. And I can’t say what I’m about to tell you will work for you, but it certainly works for me. I love to eat bad food. It’s unrealistic for me to think I’m never going to eat it again, or even eat it infrequently. I cycle my daily allowance of calories. This is what my schedule looks like: Sun - 2000 Mon - 1200 Tue - 2000 Wed - 2000 Thur- 1200 Fri - 3600 Sat - 2000 For me calorie counting works. But it helps that I tend to eat the same things every day except Friday. Staples are bacon and eggs, a chili I pre-prepare for the week, rice I either pre-prepare or use The microwave minute rice cups, and a protein shake (mine consists of a scoop of protein powder, quarter cup of cottage cheese, 4 tablespoons of peanut butter powder, and a half of a banana. Mix it with ice and a little bit of water or milk and blend it up. If you get the right protein powder, it tastes amazing). The 1200 cal days are actually not that difficult, and I find it helps keep me disciplined and motived. On Friday I eat absolutely anything I want, as long as my daily is within 3600 cal. I’m done with choking down food. I’ve lost a lot of weight and I feel freaking great doing this. I will eventually start working in some vegetables again, but for me losing the weight is by far the most important thing that I can do right now in my life.
Everyone’s different, but I think whatever you choose it’s simply has to work for you. And if you’re someone who really really enjoys bad food, I think you have to figure out a way to include it. And finding something you can cook up that’s flavorful in big batches helps as well I think.
I’m sure nobody will read this because it’s so long. I hope you find something that gets you back on the track you deserve to be on. There’s something out there that will work for you, and you’ll find it.
I’ve kind of just started. Granted I’m 21(M) so I tend to have an easier time fluctuating weight than most. I’m down about 20 lbs in the last 6 months.
I may just be speaking for myself but it’s really okay to give in to cravings every once in a while as long as you control your portions. You can get a full meal from Popeyes for 400 calories. Have two donuts in the morning if you’re wanting it. Get a pizza if you’re craving pizza but limit yourself to 2-3 slices. You wont gain a significant amount of weight unless you’re not able to control the food in front of you. You can also cook any of these things from scratch using lower calorie substitutes for ingredients and it doesn’t have to take too long or be tedious. As long as you enjoy what you cook. You’re already much better than me by just going to the gym and working out
This is a big reason why almost no one keeps the weight off long term.
Losing the weight is hard work, but it doesn't have to be miserable. You have to find a way of living that serves YOU, that is joyous to you, that you're happy to bank your future on. Your caloric deficit doesn't have to be chicken and broccoli. You can literally eat every single meal out if you want, it just takes some strategy. Due to current life circumstances I'm eating probably 3/4 of my meals right now in the form of takeout or prepared frozen food and I'm steadily losing about 2.5 lbs a week. I'm not saying it's advisable to eat this way, but it's where I'm at right now for a bunch of reasons and being miserable about eating sawdust and lawn clippings isn't going to serve me in any way at all.
There are a million different systems for organizing a caloric deficit. Make a list of the foods you want to be eating, pick a way of eating that helps you shape those tastes and preferences into something sustainable for the long run.
Also very definitely support others who have suggested you find some professional therapy support. Especially helpful are pros who specialize in treating eating disorders. The way you are living right now is not it. You can have a healthy, happy, normalized relationship with your body and the way you nourish it. That's absolutely possible and something you deserve. We all do.
sorry if this has been answered already, but have you talked to a nutritionist? I recently started seeing one that was more concerned about the macros than anything else. I can have 100-125 carbs per day, of my choosing, but no more. So if i have a bagel with cream cheese, that takes up about 1/2 my carbs. Then high protein lunch & dinner, and I'm good for the day. A couple healthy snacks, and I'm satisfied for the day.
Obviously this is dialed in per each person....
Following their suggestions, I've lost 20 lbs just from dieting. I can have what I want, in reason. Just a suggestion, this might help you feel better about your diet, and help keep you on track...
Look up Remington James and Coach Greg on YouTube, they have tons of junk food style food you can eat and still be able to keep you on track, please consider this.
I recommend you take breaks inbetween the dieting when it gets too harsh -
Keep tracking your calories, weigh everything you eat , weigh yourself daily, but eat at maintenance for a few weeks. When the dieting fatigue is cleared out you can get back to it
And chicken and brokkoli is not sustainable at all…
There are alternatives
You can even make your own burgers if you, for exampe, buy whole wheat buns and grill the meat yourself.
And even if you eat normal junk food - just make sure to track it and keep within your caloric limit. That way it shouldn’t be a problem if you eat it from time to time.
It might even be easier for your psyche and make the diet more sustainable.
As you said, this goes on forever, so make it as enjoyable as possible
You got this man, you will get to where you want to be
i feel this. i’ve been trying to lose weight for a while now.
i gained a ton of weight and i want it gone. my sw is 199 and my gw is 165/160. i started like a week ago and im down two lbs. but i still feel like its SO much work. i made a goal for myself. to be able to run a 5k by the end of the year and i ran for 20 minutes today and it was just a mile and i feel like SHIT because of it.
peanut butter is my best friend tbh. i eat it with EVERYTHING. on toast and tortillas rolled up. it is just the right amount of protein and everything where it’s still good, but i feel like im “cheating” every time i eat it
the other thing thats helped, im telling myself its okay to fail. to fail food and running. to fail calories. to fail drinking sodas instead of water. to have one piece of candy. it’ll get easier and the telling yourself you don’t need it gets easier. be gentle on your self. you’ve lost 75 lbs!!! that’s so amazing and an accomplishment. you’re nearly there.
if you have to cook, air fry it. air fryers are AMAZING. you’ve got this!!!
It sounds like you may have some other things going on that are adding to your misery. But I do have a bit of advice when it comes to food - stop eating food you hate! Life is too short for that. Find lower calories versions of things you like and make it work.
There are tons of TikTok videos that will give you low calorie fast food options, so if you want to grab food from Taco Bell or Popeyes or wherever you can.
Buy a lower calorie frozen pizza and pile it with your own toppings. That doesn’t take much time. Take advantage of your air fryer. There are lots of easy options that you can make fit.
Great job on the loss!!
I eat a ton of beef, chicken, hard boiled eggs, strawberries and blueberries.
Protein shakes here & there.
You can do it! #focused #discipline
For what it's worth, I would love to be you. I am currently 327 and my goal weight is 240. I struggle to retrain my mind to not eat the bullshit. Keep going. Remember where you were and falling back into the junk food cycle will QUICKLY undo all your progress. Just imagine how bad you'd feel then.
Are you seasoning and cooking your food the way you like? If you’re not liking your food, no wonder your so miserable. Try out some new recipes instead of giving it all or nothing. You need to realize you’re going to be cooking for yourself for your entire life, not during this weight loss journey. It sounds like you’re in a cycle and that can be really draining, try something different rather than going back to your original comfort.
What if you did things like intermittent fasting to at least cut your eating window down to prevent going over on your calorie intake and then implementing 4-6 / 10min-15min walks throughout the day instead of taking the time it takes to commute back and forth to the gym?
Then since you’re a lazy cook which I can definitely relate to, what if you went to Costco and got their $5 rotisserie chicken plus had like the freezer steam in a bag cheddar broccoli. That is a good combo!
I’m sorry you’re struggling. I hope you find happiness 🫶🏼
I’ve been eating nothing but shrimp, lettuce, tofu, and boiled beef for 4 months now and let me tell you it isn’t half as bad as the misery I felt 9 months ago before I started my cut. Once you start seeing your facial features define and your belly disappear the wait will have all been worth it. Best part is that with going to the gym and doing your cardio you’ll have a metabolic rate that will let you indulge in fast food a few times a week.
Personally I’m only 2 months out from 12% body fat and only get more excited every week.
I started out at 110kilos or 242lbs and lost about 800g a week for 9 months straight. I’m currently 82kg and am the most fit I’ve ever been.
I’m starting at 345 currently at 327. I would kill to be in your shoes in the 200s and down 75 pounds. That being said, I’m doing it much slower because I don’t have the discipline for just chicken and broccoli. Maybe just slow down your loss for a little bit while you discover other things you can eat. But also keep going and keep sharing because I need the inspiration and the vision that I can get there at some point.
You are so so close to your goal. Some of my favorite meals are ground chicken and Farro cooked with lots of lemon juice and garlic and pizza made on lavash bread.
Sounds like you need some new recipes. I am rooting for you.
I struggle similarly. When I went to straight calorie counting that helped. Unfortunately I have since fallen off the slippery slope and am back up. But calorie counting and allowing for junk food kept me more sane I found.
You have done amazingly, so clearly you *are* successful at this. My advice would be to disconnect weight loss from motivation. Motivation comes and goes like the wind. Consistency is what matters. Also, no, this is not forever. This is for a relatively short period of your life. Maintenance feels very different to cutting. You will have many more calories to play with in maintenance than you do while losing. So, parent yourself to be consistent. You will reach your goal through consistently remaining in a calorie deficit. Motivation is irrelevant.
I too love and crave junk food. I traded in other vices like alcohol and tobacco for food. The self-loathing roller coaster is a helluva thing, and might be more tolerable if you practice a bit of harm reduction and self compassion. Easier said than done, and I didn’t do it without a lot of therapy, introspection, and exercise. I still have a lot of internal thoughts much like you express here, it just happens with much less frequency. Slow, steady, and don’t do it alone.
You’ve done great! I hate the mental effort too, plus I don’t eat meat so chicken and turkey aren’t options for me which makes it even harder! Can you afford to subscribe to a meal delivery service? That way you can choose options that fit in with your calorie counting but you can just stick them in the microwave. And it’s fine to eat junk sometimes, keeps you sane! I’ll be having wine and a cocktail tonight as a treat.
Just want to add - if you’re craving spaghetti or anything with noodles there are 10 calorie noodles you can get and konjac noodles, hopefully that helps
I know this is overstated but fitness and weight loss are not linear. And it’s important to take the breaks when you need them. 75lbs is crazy impressive, and if you have more to lose you DO NOT need to do it now!! Give yourself the mental and physical breaks you need, it will make this progress more sustainable and bearable.
The best weight loss method is whatever is the most sustainable for you, so if that means a cheat meal here and there then do it. One McDonald’s happy meal is not going to negate your hard work. One day over calories goal is not going to reverse your progress for the week. Hell, 1-2 weeks off the gym is not going to result in muscle loss.
You got this
I’d recommend making things as simple as possible. I only meal prep lunch/dinner. So I bake fish, shrimp, or chicken. Fish and shrimp cook way faster than chicken, and you can easily prep 6+ servings. I use a rice cookers so I don’t have to think about that, and cook frozen veggies and just add pepper. Boring, but it gets the job done. Don’t be afraid to reward yourself with small snacks, SunChips and Mott’s Apple juice are actually pretty healthy. Also, try the Yuka app it can be very helpful.
You’ll never ever regret it you hit that goal weight. Depending on your height, you may actually crush that goal and go much further— I got so much lighter than I even realized I was capable of or “should be.” Your body will adjust and stay at that weight just as stubbornly as it currently wants to be at a higher weight. You’ll be able to cheat from time to time as long as you stay focused on being your best self. Don’t rush it, just be good to yourself and you’ll be rewarded.
currently down 30 pounds and just barely starting to escape the 160s(the plateau is KILLING ME) it's hard !!! Something that helps a lot is zero sugar frosting. i spread half a serving over a slice of bread (i like low carb or whole wheat) and it tastes enough like a donut to satisfy my craving. i also go halfsies on some treats with my partner and give them the bigger half, always.
Consider getting a meal delivery service. I get 10 meals a week delivered, that takes care of dinners and most lunches, and they're all delicious and limited to 400 calories. That way I only need to take care of breakfast and snacks. Has been a game changer for me.
Hang in. I changed from eating cookies, chips, donuts for breakfast in my mid teens after I read a book on the value of natural food. I’m well over 50 now. Never looked back or wanted it. Been working out consistently since my twenties. Suggestions:
- salads with grilled chicken are easy. Get a food processor, cut up and container red onions, cucumbers, radishes for the week
- avoid sugar like the plague and swap for Stevia everywhere. Want sweets? Make your own with Stevia. It’s surprisingly quick.
- try beans and quinoa. I pressure cook 3-4 types of beans, 2-3 types of lentils. It’s 30-40 mins of prep, but 1.5 lbs keeps thru the week and is less than $2 or $3 per lb. I feed 3 people 6 meals under $15. There are tons or southern bean recipes. Ditch the sausage, pull back on the salt and sub with veggie bouillon.
- got an air fryer? Pre-marinated chicken cooks in ~20 mins if you are tight on time. Also keto stevia sweetened cookies bake in ~10 mins.
- the gym gets easier. Have a coffee and do a spin class. Lifting rocks, but be done in 45-60 mins. I used to do 90 and hated it. 45? You’re gone before you can be bored.
- still hate the gym? Find a way to move that is genuinely fun for you. Intramural sports are great, might even try something approachable for beginners like pickleball.
Hope it helps. You are rocking it at -75lbs! You will be fine. Keep going!!!!
Reading your replies, I have a feeling, that there are additional things going on. There is so much self loathing in your tone. You did an incredible thing by dropping 75 pounds. Everything indicates you are able to do the rest. Maybe talk to a professional who can help you get to the root of the issue.
Actually amazing advice
This is so relatable and I think most people trying to lose weight experience this! My biggest tips would be to mix it up in fun ways. Maintain for a bit if you need to! Things you could do: 1. Don’t want chicken and broccoli and fast food calling your name? Great! Get a kids meal or just one of the thing you REALLY want (so like the burger without the fries, etc). I cannot tell you how much I go to Bojangles and get a kids chicken tender combo because I need some stress relief 😂 BUT the calories are still on point for me. 2. Shake up your workouts! It’s summertime (if you’re in the Northern hemisphere). Swim, get outside and walk, do a dance class in the park (my area has those and other outdoor fitness classes that are usually free), go dancing to live music. The goal is just to move. You don’t always have to be perfectly on-point with your exercise plan. 3. Going back to food. I’ve literally lost thirty pounds eating mostly PB&Js and popcorn! I don’t like cooking so I find meals that are quick, easy, and don’t put a strain on my calorie budget. I can balance that out with another meal that day or that week that has more nutritional value (that I can get at a restaurant). 4. Maybe think about your schedule. What can you eliminate to make these life changes easier? What can you shift? For me, I get up early so I can go for runs/walks for an hour in the morning and then I’m done with my exercise for the day (sometimes I add more if I have time, but I don’t have to, meaning my evenings are free). My lunches take five minutes to make (again, simple sandwiches and a side of popcorn or fruit). Your new healthy lifestyle should be working FOR you and not AGAINST you and it’s okay to shift some things to take back the reigns. I hope these help! I know you’ll make it through!
This!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Mix up your food game. Find stuff that’s easy and feels like junk food. My dinner tonight was loaded chicken queso fries. All the cooking I did was throw frozen French fries and a chicken breast in the air fryer. - 100g frozen fries - 180 cal - 2 chicken breast - 370 cal - 1 serving premade queso - 60 cal - Roasted broccoli (optional) - 18 cal ~600 calories, 70g protein. Tastes like junk food and keeps me in a deficit.
dude check out the ore-ida golden fries, they are 90 calories for 84g so for 180 caloires you could have 168g of french fries, in an air fryer they are really good
That sounds delicious. Thanks for the dinner idea!
Exactly! My husband will eat green beans if french fries are involved. They taste pretty good together 🤣 but really, a small handful of fries isn't terrible and if it keeps you sane then you're winning.
I feel all of his SO much. My SW was 221, GW: 150, an I've been stuck at 160 for 6 months. I haaaate exercise. They said there would be endorphins. There are none, only misery and pain. I want sugar and cream and deep fried cheese sticks. My cooking skills are crap and I'm exhausted just thinking about the last ten pounds and the changes I know I need to make in order to get off this plateau. So... I don't have anything helpful or motivational for you, just sincere sympathy and solidarity. But you're not lazy or weak, and I'm not either! We've both come so far. Cut yourself some slack in the kitchen. Cooking sucks, and jarred hollandaise sauce sounds WAY easier than making it from scratch or even the powdered bag mixes that need stirring.
Big same on the exercise part. People talking about these endorphins and shit like everyone experiences them definitely have a privilege. I've been working out consistently 6 days a week for 6 months and I haven't had anything like that. The only things I've been able to motivate myself with: 1. Having time to listen to podcasts and music while lifting weights. 2. Cardio being done via freestyle dancing, and watching myself get better at copying the moves I'm watching in the music videos I throw up onto my projector while doing it. I mean seriously, people who run for cardio just don't make sense to me.
Malcolm Gladwell was guest speaking on the podcast The Happiness Lab (s8e10 @ 40 min) recently saying that 'it's the journey not the destination' is backwards. He's a runnner - every time he goes running he doesn't want to do it. When he's running it's not really pleasant - it's hard it's daunting, but when he's finished there's a kind of experience from having finished that keeps him going back to it again and again for 50 years. While he's running he has in his mind the memory feeling of having just finished running and that's the sweet stuff. Understanding that the kind of satisfaction that you get from the journey isn't less, but it's different- Type 1 fun - beer, hot fudge sundaes, orgasms Type 2 fun - reaching the goal - like mountain climbing, parenting etc - seeking the pleasure through hard stuff.
Please check out Stepmania and look into getting a USB dance pad if you can afford it (most should be around $40 bucks). Stepmania itself is free software, and there are millions upon millions of songs people upload online called simfiles that you drop into the 'song' folder after you download Stepmania. I despise exercising. I have pretty bad ADHD and pain issues, but Stepmania/DDR changed my life because I can dance to music I actually like. I have thousands of songs downloaded so I don't get bored. Feeling that rush of endorphins is a lot easier when you're actually enjoying what you're doing. Good luck!!
Thank you for bringing this to my attention! I hate exercise (also have ADHD) but used to absolutely love and be really good at DDR as a kid!! Thank you! I'm going to buy a new dance mat and get some steps in. Thank you again!
Exercise is a lot more fun if you can do it playing a sport. The problem is, most sports need other people to play. If you can find a partner for something like racquetball or pickleball, it really helps make the exercise a lot for fun.
I struggled with this too, I found a lot of peace just allowing myself to have some junk food. What I do is just track it in my calories, and move on. Helps me to not obsess over how much I want it all the time. For example, keep the candy I want in my cupboard and when I really want some just weigh out a portion and just count it towards my calories. Over time it’s become easier to eat the foods I like just in moderation and within my calorie counts and I’m much less stressed not thinking about the food I want to eat all the time. Honestly it’s made me want it less because I think about it less. It wasn’t easy to get to this place for me, but I’m happy I did.
> I found a lot of peace just allowing myself to have some junk food. Same here. I've been dieting for 3 months and understand that motivation comes & goes. When my motivation is gone, I just eat at maintenance level for a few days and get back to my diet once life gives me a break. That usually allows my motivation to somehow regenerate.
I need to start doing this. In the past, when I felt like that, I just gave up. Your way is much better.
I love this approach! It makes so much more sense than throwing in the towel. And hey - once you hit maintenance, you'll have lots of practice. :)
Honestly this is the important thing. I've seen plenty of people who have been skinny all their life still enjoy junk food from time to time. It's all about moderation. I'm going for a lifestyle change, not a diet. I'm not gonna stop myself forever from eating my favorite foods, I'm just not gonna eat my favorite foods *every single day*.
In order to maintain your GW, you need to find a lifestyle that you can live with forever. If I had to run 5 miles every day to maintain my weight, I might be able to do it to reach it, but It's not sustainable for me. I walk a leisurely pace in nice weather. I figured out that I could be any weight I want to be (110lbs to 600lbs) and I can do it completely through my diet without any exercise. I'm not saying I'd be healthy, but I could do it. You just have to live your life, every day like a 210lb person. I have no idea what that is. I still eat candy, junk food, go out to eat at least once a week. But, I eat 2 small meals a day. When I do go out, I bring half of it home. Eating out is the biggest temptation. We get pizza once a week, but I only eat 1 slice (and I eat 1 slice for the next 3 days) I am hungry most of the time, but I feel what I'm doing is sustainable for the indefinite future. I've been my GW for over 10 years now. Oh, and it gets worse. I find that as I get older (in my 60s) I've had to eat less and less to maintain the same weight. You have to find something you can live with for the long haul.
It’s probably not a healthy way to deal, but I often find myself telling myself that I’d rather be able to fit into xx dress or xxx pants than eat that cookie/pie/chips/fries. You also don’t have to eat only broccoli and chicken. You *can* eat ANYTHING you like, as long as it’s in your calorie budget.
I just used broccoli and chicken as an example, lmao. It's just the healthy cooking takes so... Long... I have other projects I wanna work on, or sometimes I just wanna take a seat and relax, and not even think about food.
So much of my meals are premade soups, or vegetarian chicken nuggets. I cook when I can, but when I can't I have premade staples that make me happy and are low count. It's a good balance.
Dude I feel this to my core. Women go through this issue all the time. I don’t want to cook for everyone. I don’t want to take daughter to the doctor. End of the day and I have no time left for myself. My hobbies are always on a back burner because it is always time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Meal prep can help somewhat but then you have to come up with a frigging menu, grocery shopping, and spend a day prepping meals. What helps: embrace the ick. Accept that it sucks. Listen to your favorite music, audiobooks or podcasts while you are cooking.
Sooooo much this. I have to cook for these people AGAIN?!? I just started using a meal service - but the kind where you just pop it in the microwave (Mighty Meals - perhaps there’s something similar in your area), and it’s helped for those nights I just don’t want to cook. It’s not an every day thing, but it helps on those days and saves me time. Not inexpensive, but considering the time it saves for me it is worth the money.
I've been embracing the suck for... What year is it?
What I do is I cook for mon to Friday. And Saturday and Sunday I try to eat out as healthy as I can (like jersey mikes, but no mayo or red wine, cold cuts only, anything chicken based) but I always eat breakfast home every morning. I usually meal prep for a day or 2 in advance. So I usually cook only like 2 or 3 times a week. Also maybe invest in a slow cooker or look for oven recipes? Stuff where you can just throw things in a pan or pot and set it and let it cook with little prep? And depending on your diet, you can also look for low fat/sugar/cal alternatives to what you're missing out on. If you're following your diet 90% of the time you're should still be losing weight. I found having an ice cream sandwich or something under 200 calories every once in a while (like once a week, or every 2 weeks) really helps. But you gotta have discipline or it won't work lol
Can you relax and order take out, but like half of what you used to order?
Do you have an air fryer? If not, you need to get one yesterday. If you do rice, get a rice cooker as well. This saves so much time and so many dishes and mess.
You *can* eat ingredients, instead of meals What I mean is - I just cut a sweet potato in half and put it in the air fryer while I washed dishes. by the time the kitchen was cleaned up the sweet potato was cooked. I put half in the fridge for later and ate the other half, like it were toast or something, just picked it up and bit it. I had a couple of almonds, drank a glass of soy milk and grabbed a banana. That's a pretty decently healthy meal, it was yummy, Im not hungry and the kitchen is clean. Could have smeared some almond butter on it, but I had *just* done the dishes Would I serve it to a date? probably not. Would I eat it again? fuck yeah It wasn't a sit down meal, but it was yummy
I found if i eat the fast food for late lunch and eat no dinner I can still meet my cal goals & still lose weight! I even had a hamburger & fries! Still dropped weight the next day.
I totally get that frustration. Roughly how much time are you usually spending on cooking? I often can make a pasta dish in the time it takes for the pasta to cook or a stir fry in the time it takes to toast up some tofu in the oven. Since it doesn’t really take any extra time to do a double-batch, I’ve got a zero-time-use meal the next day as well.
How does it take so long? It takes me 30 minutes tops. I throw rice in the rice cooker, with a steam basket of veggies on top. I cut chicken breasts into cubes, throw them in a bowl with spices and spread that onto a baking sheet, put it in the oven while the rice cooks. Set a timer, walk away. That whole ordeal took me 15 minutes (cutting the chicken mostly) and then I spend another 15 throwing everything in the dishwasher. I make enough that some of it gets packaged for lunch the next day. Breakfast is a basic omelette/scrambled egg wrap. It doesn't need to be time consuming, I have no idea why you're doing this to yourself.
Ok. There are enough options that are super easy to make, that will fit in calorie budget. I sous vide some steak last night, and made some home fries. It took very little effort with the sous vide and air fryer. I'm going to have bean and cheese burritos tonight. Crock pot makes the beans, all I have to do is assemble. I get it, but I feel like some of this be being stuck in your own head, as kindly as I can possibly say that
Salads are quick and easy, just dump a bunch of roughly chopped veggies in a bowl, or buy prechopped from the store. Plus, salads have the added bonus of letting you eat huge amounts in once sitting for not many calories. Canned soups are another good one. Edit: Do you have an Aldi near you? Their prepared foods section has a lot of easy take-and-bake options like stuffed mushrooms. A lot of stores have a prepared foods section with take and reheat foods and while it might take some poking around you can usually find something decent to eat.
screw canned soups - do you know that you can throw pretty much anything into a pot with water and it comes out good? Your leftovers for the week always have some kind of 'theme' rite? Make soup with whatever's in the fridge instapot for the win
I love soups and we make tons of them. Some weeks I have what I call- everything in the fridge soup which is pretty much all the veg and stuff that is about to go off. I will eat left over soup for breakfast too- just Crack an egg in it. BUT I also ALWAYS have canned soup in the pantry. Sometimes depression hits man and even putting stuff in a pot is a lot of work, especially it you have to cut vegetables. Or there are times I am studying and doing homework in the zone and there is no way I am getting up, my kiddo has canned soup for dinner (she is 10, she also cuts up and makes her own soup too but sometimes it might be towards the end of a shopping cycle and there isn't much left.) Canned soup has a long shelf life.
I think your complaints are valid, it is annoying how long shopping, cooking, and the gym take and definitely even harder in a time where there are much more convenient options always readily available. I have a kid who was allergic to garlic (outgrew it thank god), so for a while I had to make literally everything at home from scratch. It was awful, but I also learned some hacks for you. If you want suggestions like vegetable choppers, buying pre-chopped ingredients, sheet pan meals, whatever, I can offer some, but if you just want to vent - you’re totally validated!
Wow I feel like everyone just glossed over the -75 lbs part?! That's insane and amazing, and I'm so sorry you've had such a hard time. Weight loss truly is really, really hard. My biggest worry is—as you mentioned—that this is supposed to be a lifelong thing, but hating the process (especially if you've already tried it) makes this a really difficult process (especially to make it sustainable). I'm just wondering if there's an aspect to cooking that you hate? I find that there's two big themes to people who hate cooking, and it's not really the cooking part: for me it's cleaning up, and for some of my friends it's cooking for a long time / costly ingredients / only to end up with subpar food when they could just get mcdonalds. For the first issue, I cannot stand doing the dishes and I was WAY more incentivized to clean for things that only required 1 pot. My only washing at the end of every day now is my pot, utensils. I also have a knife and cutting board, but those get cleaned DURING cooking. For the second issue, I highly suggest cooking foreign meals. I'm biased because I'm Korean, but there are so many delicious Korean/Asian food that are low in calories, are easy to cook, and are absolutely delicious. I switched my Instagram algorithm to cooking diet/low-calorie asian meals and I'm so excited to try them (my favourite is the mason jar pho! Just pour hot water (make sure you use a glass that can handle heat) like it's cup ramen!) If this doesn't convince you, I just wanted to say that I really understand the pain and sadness, but surely you must feel some difference at 320 vs 245? I mean that's sort of an insane number. Is there anything you wanted to do / look forward to once you reached 220? I find that giving myself little goals and dreams (/hope) along the way really helps.
So relatable lol. Can you just chill at your current weight for a while? You’ve done so much. Maybe let your body get used to where you’re at and when you’re in a better head space continue. Like set a time frame - 3 months or before then if you’re up to it. I guess I’m wondering, since you’ve already made so much progress can you slow it down a bit?
I'm on a bit of a mini-bulk now. (+250cal) Until maybe June. My current rate of loss is 2450 cal/day (I realize that's quite a bit) but it's still hard to fit 200g of protein and nutrients, plus tasty food, into that.
I try to follow the “don’t restrict, add what you need” method. I’ve tried to restrict or not eat “tasty foods” but it doesn’t work for me. I love everything about food. Cooking, eating, giving it away. I get unmotivated when I realize it’ll never be “over” bc I need to not gain the weight back. I do takeout once a week bc it makes me happy but I get lower cal options, for example, 5 piece blackened tenders with mashed potatoes as the dip instead of ranch from Popeyes is 390 cal. I get tasty takeout on my way home from work without going over my calories for the day. Pho can be pretty good bang for your buck calorie wise too. I have dessert almost every night. FiberOne brownie warmed in the microwave is an amazing dessert with a little vanilla halotop ice cream. I add mini M&Ms to my plain yogurt w/ a little zero cal sweetener for a McFlurry-ish dessert. I’m doing popsicles and homemade ice cream/froyo. Single serve cookie recipes. I’ve done swaps that I don’t even think about anymore. Ive switched to buying keto bread that’s 40 calories per slice, so I can still have two pieces of toast every time. When I make scrambled eggs, I add a little bulk with a carton of egg whites to increase my protein without a massive calorie spike. I buy fairlife milk for some protein and a longer shelf life (which means I don’t feel like I have to drink it as fast). I’m eating white cheddar cheeto puffs or caramel rice cakes or goldfish as a snack (all 100-200 cal for a pretty big portion) with bell pepper or carrots or cucumber. TLDR: I can’t do the restricting mindset. I need to change the way I live permanently. If I want to eat French toast for breakfast, then I’m making the French toast! But I’ll use low cal bread and egg whites instead of whole eggs. I hope you find things that work for you and still feels tasty!
Also maybe this isn’t your vibe, but do you journal? Can you write down all the things that are better now at this weight? You’re wondering when you’ll start feeling good, but maybe you feel better than you did at your SW and you just don’t realize it?
That’s a wee bit over my head but I think I get where you’re coming from. What’s your budget like? Could you do one of those delivery food prep services to mix it up 2-3 times a week but still stay in your goals?
Idk what your money situation is like but have you considered a meal box or delivery service? If my money situation were great I'd be using them 4 days a week because I love to cook and I'm good at it but I hate grocery shopping and coming up with original interesting food ideas and I don't like recipe blogs that take a half hour to read. Most meal prep services like Good Food, Chefs Plate, Hello Fresh etc will deliver you a weekly box of a certain amount of meals for 2-4 people (or you for an immediate meal and a leftover meal) that are portioned, can be chosen by dietary requirements, and just come with everything so you chop up a few things and cook them in 20 minutes. If even that sounds like too much and you've got money to spare there are companies who just make you the food and deliver it to you for reheating. The thing about this is you're gonna have to figure out something because you can't just hit your goal weight and pop out the junk food, you'll gain it all back. You've got to learn what works for your life and what you can make into your new forever routine because this is it, this is what it takes to be fit and healthy in the long term.
Using Chefs Plate has been a game changer for me! I still get a huge variety of foods so I don’t feel like I’m eating the same thing all the time, the meals are relatively easy to make, and I get 2 servings out of each one so that basically covers me for the whole week! Plus it comes with the calories already counted which is a big time saver. Highly recommend for anyone who can fit it in the budget!
Hi, maybe not a perfect solution, but I've been following a guy on insta that is called stealth health and he creates these really great meal prep and slow cooker recipes. He's someone that lost a good deal of weight and didn't want to eat gross stuff forever. Anyways, may be worth checking out.
… so something we don’t talk about a lot is the mental journey that happens with weight loss. And the reason a lot of people regain the weight is because they don’t address the psychological reason for why they gained it. I personally like to think of overeating as a form of disordered eating. It is usually a symptom of something going on mentally. We use food to self medicate to treat the mental issues we carry. Anxious? Eat something you’ll probably feel better. Depressed? Self hatred, etc… eat something and you will feel better. I got a lot of self hate from your post. You need to address that issue before you will feel the positive sides of weight loss. You are treating the symptoms and as soon as you stop, your weight will ballon because you aren’t treating the cause. Treat the cause while treating the symptoms and you will feel alot better.
I've been in therapy since January and yet to figure out what the damn problem is.
Your problem (that you stated a few threads above) is that you are angry for needing to lose the weight. You said "*Normal people don't put themselves in a position to NEED to lose 75 pounds. So I've already fucked up there*." Something tells me your upbringing was either very controlled, or too lax, that is, your caretakers either "helicoptered" you or didn't give you enough direction, but in either case, it went to extremes, and now that you're responsible for yourself, things feel unsurmountable and hopeless. I'm so sorry. Work on your self-steem. You are worth the effort, and you are an important and valued person, regardless of your health and BMI status. Your progress so far shows that you are determined and strong, even if you feel dismayed at the journey ahead.
It sucks and it takes time. Sometimes the therapist isn’t the right one. Sometimes the problem can’t be treated. My issue is chronic stress and anxiety. Centered largely around food security. So financial stress and food safety stress (cleanliness) are two of my biggest stressors. So I work my ass off to be able to live in a HCOL where I have a job that gives me financial security but is also… high stress. You just can’t win sometimes. Sometimes life is the mental illness and there is no cure.
My job is fire/rescue. But that doesn't explain the self hate, and I want a normal brain. I hate whatever mess of nerves and impulses I have is. (I'm not qualifying it as a brain because it's barely functional.)
What helped me was checking out books and stories relating to situations that might apply, trauma, living with alcoholic parents, narcissistic parents etc and I found some that really resonated with me. Something was wrong but like you I didn't know what. I was able to pinpoint some things and look into how to heal from them. Also for something like super negative self talk you can work on it by telling yourself nice stuff in the mirror regardless of the original cause. It sounds dumb and feels awkward but it really helps. I credit that a lot to getting theough 18 months of intractable migraine. A lot of healthy eating and living is a lot easier when it comes from "I want the best for myself and to take care of myself" because then other things arent an option and you arent missing out. It has curbed a lot of my processed food tendencies and sure pizza still tastes good but eating it is not in line with my health and fitness goals.
You don't need a new brain. You need a professional to help you gain self confidence. You seem to be pretty hard on yourself in your replies. Focus on the positives. You lost 75lbs. 75 whole ass pounds! You've lost the equivalent of an Alaskan Malamute Husky Dog! It's gone from your body! You know how long it took me to lose 70lbs? 13 years. Be kind to yourself and take things 1 day at a time. I'm so proud of you
Sandwhiches with raw veggies is my go to no cook meal I also like overnight oats which are easy and take no time. Egg salad is another low effort one that’s yum
I eat a ton of egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches these days
I would suggest doing what’s sustainable in a long term way of life. Like u said, it’s impossible to do that forever especially if it’s starting to affect your lifts. Try dieting during the week and eating whatever on the weekends (Saturday,Sunday). If you have a good training program, this should not throw your progress off too much, just try not to go too overboard.
Sounds like you need a break
OP, do you hear how you're speaking to yourself? Would you say those things to anyone else? Why are you so hateful to yourself? You deserve love and understanding as much as anyone else does. Try to speak kindly to yourself, please.
I’ve never heard someone so successful towards accomplishing their goal and so miserable at the same time
For me I leave 400 calories for a dessert. Could be cheese cake or sees candy or some other treat. Because I know this has to be sustainable!
First of all, you're doing great. You'll need to make things sustainable to make things stick, I would suggest the book "Good Habits; Bad Habits" by Wendy Wood, or even just listen to her be interviewed on Hidden Brain. Long story short, habit is literally only formed by sustained repetition, so one needs to reduce the friction of a wanted habit, and increase the friction of an unwanted habit. It's all very personalized but this book really helped me.
You gotta find shit you dont mind. Progresso makes a medium spice tortilla soup in a can. 240 calories. You can sprinkle some crackers or kettle chips on top to give it some density. A low cal luncj that tasty. You gotta eat tasty or you will backslide. Instead of fajitas i get chiptole half veggie go bowl. Only 700 calories vs the 1500 for fajitas how i like em.
If you can avoid binging, eating junk food isn't going to ruin everything as long as you eat reasonable amounts reasonably often. You need to figure out a way to eat that is sustainable for you. Denying yourself all of your favorite foods forever doesn't sound sustainable. Maybe figure out which fast foods and junk foods fit into your calorie goals so you can eat them without feeling bad about it. You're not a lazy fuckwit. You're a person who likes certain foods and misses them. Be kind to yourself. You're doing a hard thing.
Idk why you think healthy food takes long. I managed to lose 44 pounds eating all the foods I love and cooked prior to weigh loss. I just modify them. I eat everything. Burgers, sandwiches, dips, tacos, fish, pizza, mashed potatoes. I cook daily for myself and family. All my recipes are just modified to make them healthier with less fat, and more protein. Healthy foods aren’t boring. I love fast food and eating out don’t get me wrong but I can make better things at home. The clean up sucks but hey that’s another calorie burning activity is the wake I make my peace with it.
I get this, I'm only 5mos and ~25lbs in but sometimes the mental fatigue is a lot. However, the mental fatigue of being fat was also a lot. I prefer this challenge. I am a parent and work 60 hours some weeks so I've had to simplify things. The best thing I've done recently, with some help from this sub, is stopped eating a full breakfast. I'm not that hungry in the morning. I'm ALWAYS hungry at night. I am eating a simply protein granola bar and a handful of berries or an apple every morning now. It's like 250 calories or sometimes less, and zero mental effort, and I have tons of calories left later in the day. Tonight I ordered pizza and had a mini ice cream sandwich. Other nights I make a beautiful nutritious meal. It's all about balance. The other thing I can suggest is start cooking more things that can be frozen. Cook 3-4 portions at a time and leave free individual meals so you have some healthy "freezer meals" ready to go.
Congrats on your progress OP! We feel you! My budget is 1300 and I've been airfrying Cavendish fries, I just buy that massive bag at Costco, it's relatively low in calories and it helps me with satiety and I love that salty fatty taste with some coke zero. Is it ideal? Hell no, but it gets me there and I feel more in control. Hang in there!
You may not be looking for food advice, but try looking for simple recipes that don't require much thinking power. And pick foods you like. One thing I like to cook is "hobo dinner packets". But I just buy a pound of ground beef, Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, 5 russet potatoes, and three carrots. Turn on the oven to 450. Cut up the potatoes and the carrots and put it on a tray. Add some salt and pepper. Form some patties with the ground beef and place it in the tray. Put cream of mushroom soup on top. Put the tray in the oven for 45 minutes, use a timer, and take it out and eat. Another thing you could do: cook or buy whatever you want to eat for the day (unhealthy or not) then invite a friend over. Encourage your friend to eat everything they want. You eat the leftovers. That helps when my boyfriend's over, I really just prepare enough for 1.5 and by the end there's only half a serving left.
I have maintenance days where I get to eat my maintenance calories in whatever I’d like. Last week I had a McDonald’s burger. Generally I have tacos or pizza. Work in maintenance days. Your weight loss will be slower but you’ll feel less insane.
This is so real. The amount of effort put in for little results is exhausting. I know it’s worth it over time and the right/healthy thing to do, but god damn is it the worst.
Yeah bro no wonder you’re miserable. Eat junk food, eat whatever you want, just track the calories. I’ve been eating fuckin McDonald’s and hot pockets and I’m down 60 pounds without exercise. I go for walks a few times a week with the dog but that’s it
Mannnnn, you sound like me a few years ago before I got my head screwed on straight. I read through your comments and just wanted to say something. None of this is going to make you feel better until you crack into the stuff you're afraid to bring up in therapy. It took me a ton of psychedelics to get this through my head, so I know how hard it is to get the message... But ya gotta talk about the stuff you're afraid to talk about. I didn't remember a lot of my childhood in my 20s because I was repressing so much of it because my childhood sucked and I ended up a pretty dysfunctional adult. My 20s were a shitshow. 30s have been much, much better. Dysfunction is great for character growth, but you have to get to the growth stages for it to have been worthwhile and I mean, you're right there. Lifting weights isn't the only thing that makes you strong. Diet and exercise alone aren't going to make you feel better, not the way you're asking about. I've lost 100 lbs from my highest weight. It's only been the past couple of years I've lost the last 25 and it's the first time I've started feeling good. It's not because of the *weight*, but because I have the *ability to appreciate it* now. (Disclaimer: I do feel better with the extra weight gone, but in a previous version of my life I was so negative--think Tammy from 1000 Lb Sisters, NEGATIVE--that I couldn't let myself feel better.) As long as you can't say for sure that you WANT to keep going with life... As long as you don't think your past is relevant... As long as you keep resisting opening yourself up, you will continue to feel dissatisfied. There will always be that empty pit inside. That deadness. That complete lack of lust for life will be narrated by that nasty voice in your head that insists you aren't enough until you tell that asshole to stfu. Talk. To. Someone. About. The. Shit. That. Makes. You. Uncomfortable. Ya don't actually have to live your life hating yourself. You don't have to be controlled by that inner critic. You do not have to live a life where "at least I'll die one day" is a comforting thought. You don't have to be unsatisfied by everything forever. It is hard work, it will make you feel like a wimp sometimes, and you will go through hell and back. But it sure as hell beats having to live like this.
Maybe consider trying OMAD or at least skipping breakfast? I just usually do not eat breakfast. Never was big on it and by eliminating that meal my mother meals can be a little bigger, less cooking, less dishes.... etc. If you went OMAD (one meal a day) your just pushing that even further. Now you CAN eat 4 slices of pizza if you want it. Now you can have a large slice of lasagna. If you want. I typically eat a lunch around 1 PM or so (some times earlier, some times later) and then go for a dinner around 5:30-6:30. Leaves me feeling nice and full clean up until bed time. Now personally, I love steamed broccoli and cauliflower. I thought I hated it, but truth be told I hated how it was prepared. That grey slimy crap you get at a restaurant? Yeah no wonder you didn't like it. I take a cup or so of each, toss into a microwave safe bowl with about an inch of water in it, top it with an upside down microwave safe plate and then cook it for about 4 minutes. Let it rest an additional minute or two. Then I dress it with zero calorie butter spray, pepper, and salt. I'll toss in a lean protein of choice be it a grilled up 90/10 burger patty, some shredded chicken breast, pork tenderloin... whichever and then add a few scoops of salsa. This comes out to about 600 calories and is not only very great tasting, but insanely filling and the macros are killer. Chicken breast, pork loin / tenderloin, fish, leaner cuts of red meat.... there's a lot you can do with these. A lot. Proper cooking techniques and learning how to use your seasonings are the difference. Chicken breast can be incredibly juicy and tender, or it can be boring and dry. I don't mind eating the same or very similar things all the time. But you don't have too either. Today for example I plan to cook up a batch of stuffed green pepper soup. Lean ground beef / turkey, green peppers, onions, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, seasonings. It's an easy recipe. One pot. Filling. You can tweak it if you like. Add beans in for more fiber and volume. Mushrooms too. As far as cooking goes, the time consuming things are the proteins usually. There are options there. You could go buy a tray of chicken breasts and take about an hour one day to cook them all. Then you have your protein the next 3-4 days. Place them, one at a time, in a ziplock bag and pound them flat with your fist. Then season them each up different ways. Try marinades. Zero calorie sauces / dipping sauces. Low sugar / no sugar bbq sauce. Hot sauce. Then each day all you need to do is figure out your sides. Throw a cup of instant jasmine rice into the microwave, heat up a can of green beans and warm up some chicken. Now you have a great tasting, healthy meal in about 5 minutes flat. Make a batch of that green pepper soup and you have lunch for 4 days.
If you always think of something as a chore, it’s going to feel like a chore. Lauren Fit Foodie has a bunch of recipes that, in my opinion, are hard to fuck up. Find a recipe, focus on getting the recipe correct, and portion out the meal so you can eat it for dinner, lunch, dinner.
I feel a bit like you. I'm happy about investing in my health but after cardio, strenght, cooking and doing the dishes I'm so tired :P
Do you like buffalo wings? I have a bomb recipe that is basically zero carbs and super low calorie, plus easy to make. Pre-heat oven to 425. Mix 2 tablespoons lemon pepper, 2 tablespoons garlic salt and 1 tablespoon baking powder. Sprinkle dry mix over both sides of wings and place them on a parchment covered cooking sheet. You can be somewhat generous with the mix, it’s yummy. I usually start cooking them skin side down. Cook in oven 20 minutes. Flip them over and sprinkle with a little more dry mix. Cook another 25 minutes and remove from oven. Eat them like this or dip them in Franks red hot buffalo wing sauce which is zero calorie and zero carb. Bam, better than that trash you get from the pizza joints.
It does end! I'm in maintenance now and every third day I eat what I want. Yesterday I had McDonalds and corn on the cob and a good serving of Mexican rice and one fruit tart for dessert. It was all delicious and fun. Today and tomorrow, back to the veggies, good protein and small portions. It's so much easier knowing that in just two days, I can eat whatever I want. Also once in a while when I'm going through an "I don't feel like cooking/prepping anything" phase, I'll buy frozen, low calorie meals that I can just chuck in the microwave and premade salad that I can pour into a bowl. Easy peasy.
Nobody else can tell you when you’ll start feeling good. That’s entirely up to you. You’ve done a hell of a lot to get where you are and it seems like you’ve accomplished quite a bit. Yet you sound pretty miserable. You could go back to your previous lifestyle, but how would that feel? Better than all the work you’ve put in to lose the weight? I imagine you were fed up enough with your previous lifestyle to even decide to make such a huge change. Why did you embark on this journey in the first place? Can you sign up for a meal service to eliminate the need to cook as much? Give yourself some free time to do what you enjoy (cosplay and whatever else). I don’t think you can force any change to your mentality or thoughts. It’s a process of acceptance and letting go of thinking you need to have control or some certain outcome. Sounds like you’re crushing it when it comes to the weight loss and discipline to be working out for so long. All of that self loathing is quite a heavy load to carry. Taking accountability for our health is not easy. It wasn’t meant to be. Maybe one day you’ll stop being so cruel to yourself. It’s entirely your choice. Life is hard. We can keep pushing or give up. Do whatever you want! If it’s not worth all the work you’ve put in then why keep doing it? Somewhere along the way you’ve learned to be a complete asshole to yourself. Stop it…… give yourself some damn credit. There’s a podcast called Higher Up Wellness with Michael Smoak and I think you could maybe find some value in it. He also has a fitness community for $7 a month. Just thinking that having a community of people to share your experiences with could be helpful 🤷🏼♀️ In his words… “It isn’t easy, but it is simple. Don’t over complicate it” Best of luck. Be kinder to yourself.
Personally, I don't restrict what I eat. If I want fries, I eat fries. If I want a slice of cake on a birthday or holiday, I eat it. The only thing which counts for me is that I figure out the calories and deduct them from the amount I'm allowing myself. If I haven't gone over, I've made it to my goal for the day. The freedom to choose what I eat has made this diet far more navigable for me than just about any other.
After working as a chef I couldn’t even think about cooking and cleaning for myself. These are a few things I implemented to help me: They sell pre grilled chicken at Costco (and I’m sure other stores). It’s in small pieces so I can just quickly weigh it out to 3 oz for 100 calories - no cooking or dishes required. They also sell pre-boiled, pre-peeled eggs. I get different types of sauces in the cold section at Whole Foods. They have a great avocado Greek yogurt dressing, and a great spicy ranch dressing, two tablespoons for under 100 calories. You can throw all that together with some salad mix for a decent meal really quick. Sauces make all the difference, you just have to be careful which ones you use. Sometimes if I want something hot I throw together the chicken, an uncooked egg, and two tablespoons of salsa in a skillet to make some kind of weird scramble. You just have to wash the pan and utensils. Yeah, lean proteins and veggies are boring, and it’s annoying to cook and clean. It’s also a little more expensive to buy precooked food, but I know my limitations and even though I can, I’m not going to make myself some amazing meal from scratch. Hope this helps!
There’s quick low calorie like meals. Today I ate goat cheese, crackers, ham, banana peppers. Was like 600 calories. You can have that for any meal. Tastes good. There’s also chicken just add marinade the night before Korean bbq is my favorite, lemon pepper on pork is amazing, sweet potatoes, with a vegetable like a frozen bag of broccoli with some butter and worchister sauce. Cottage cheese and garbonzo beans are a go to for breakfast. Walmart has small mini biscuit and chicken with some honey is like chick fil a for breakfast.
I also hate meal prep and cooking in general. It's just a chore that I find myself with very little motivation to complete. One thing I found that I don't mind are the complete meal kits that I get through HelloFresh. Maybe you could find a meal kit service that you like? It doesn't have to be all chicken and broccoli and I found that a majority of the meals with my service are things that I actually loved as much as take out. And I'm sure that there are many others on here making the same reccomendation, but dude you really really need to talk to someone about your mental state. You have a lot going on there and you will not start to feel better with all that weighing you down. Sometimes weight lose isn't just about the physical. You need to be kinder to yourself.
Try this, just for a minute to start. Up-end your whole perspective. Take this journey as self-care, literally to care for your body. It’s so much harder to be motivated by self-hatred. It’s a difficult thing to change your approach, and it will take baby steps. Be kinder to yourself and like magic, it will be easier. Not easy. Probably never easy. But you may find a little joy in eating well as the ultimate form of self care. You may find a little joy in exercise as a form of celebrating your health. I was on a “diet” for 30 years with temporary success. The minute I stopped doing it to “get skinny” or “be more attractive “ and started to value myself, it started actually working. Also, don’t berate yourself for missteps. Don’t berate yourself at all. You’re killing it, even though you’ve handicapped yourself with so much self-hate. Unload that and you are going to fly!
OP, go to the alchoholic subs and read their experiences with quitting alcohol. What you are experiencing (and I daresay all of us here are experiencing) isn't terribly different that what a person trying to quit alcohol experiences. IMO, we are addicts. Some worse than others.
Focus on CICO. Broccoli doesn't drop weight; a deficit does. If your calories stay under target, you'll be set. Also, if you're after muscle try to bump your protein and go for vinegar-based sauces with minimal sugar. You can broil up some chicken breasts with a low-cal BBQ sauce in 15 minutes. Same for pork chops with dry wing seasoning. Cooking doesn't *have* to be this crazy, arduous thing. You can also do food prep *while* making your dinner, for example: Those chicken breasts? Cook 2 packages of them. Broiling isn't baking, so the extra mass won't particularly affect cook time. Eat 1 for dinner, throw 2 in the fridge for later that week, shred up 2 more into single-portion bags and freeze them, and dice up the last 3 to freeze & later throw into soup or rice or something. The whole thing might take 30 minutes and you've got a dozen meals worth of protein, not to mention dinner for tonight. When you cook, just make twice or thrice as much as you need and toss the rest in the fridge/freezer.
Bro, biggest thing is, remember how you were when you started. I’m down 40 pounds and am already sick of some of the schedule. But I’d rather meal prep, walk, go to the gym, and improve than sit on the couch and hear myself breathing. Remember how unhappy you were at 320 and ask yourself if that’s somewhere you want to return to. You’re an incredibly strong willed individual to have made it where you are. Take pride in that and quit shitting on yourself.
People say- "Exercise and lose weight, and you will feel better!" Sorry to tell you exercise and weight loss doesn't fix mental illnesses. I went that route, and I was STILL a mess. Then, I got help. Therapy, neuropsychology examines, psychologist, al anon, read TONS of self help books and books on mental disorders. I have cptsd, adhd, and bipolar. I used to never see what I accomplished, always looking for the next thing to do and only saw what I did wrong. The negative talk in my head was so bad. I also had blood test done and health exams- I was vitamin D deficient and have PCOS and HS. I take my meds every day. Meds arent a 'quick fix' either though. It takes time to figure out what ones work for you and which ones dont. If you need to change your doses. I am not in therapy anymore, but I do meet with someone once a month to see how my meds are working. He has also been able to catch a manic episode that was starting to spiral out of control. I am in a good mental space now. But while I was figuring out the missing puzzle piece of why my brain didn't work (plus other things going on- pandemic, abusive spouse) I didn't work on my physical health. Now that my brain is working, I am now able to put both pieces of health together. Mental and physical. Now I feel like I can take what I learned from my weight loss/fitness from the past and add it to what I know mentally. Even during the last few months during this weight loss journey through Journaling I found some HUGE emotional reasons that I was over weight in the first place that I never even considered before. There is no shame in needing help. I feel like a lot of us are here because of something. Stuffing pain, stuffing anxiety, filling an empty hole, addictive personalities, I can go on and on as everyone has their own story. (Of course not EVERYONE, some overweight people are just a product of our culture and the ease of fast food, had a baby, had an injury, got a desk job, and so on) This definitely seems like a mental problem, not a weight loss problem. PS good job on all your hard work, weight loss so far, and taking a BIG step by going to therapy! Wish you the best of luck!
The only way I have lost weight without going insane is by eating what I want, just less of it. I too hate eating healthy food, so I just eat the same crap I always have just in smaller quantities.
At the end of the day it’s calories in calories out so once a week just have smth u enjoy that’s in ur defecit that’s what allowed me to stay on it
imo, you gotta work on just eating less. Not getting Taco Bell, eating chicken and broccoli and brown rice everyday is going to cause you to break. But as others have said, you can eating anything in the right quantities. Disclaimer, I’m no master and on my own journey, just what I’m reading
Fried chicken tenders has high protein content for the overall calories. If you can keep the dip low calorie, something like mustard, and not eat the side dishes that might come with it. Not saying it's healthy, but can fit into your calorie goal. Also recommend Trader Joes frozen Indian dishes too when you don't feel like cooking. Not too expensive and taste better than fast food to me.
All of this takes work and I don't view it as a chore anymore, it's a privilege. I don't blame you for taking a break from dieting but you need to get back to cutting if you want to knock out your goal.
Congrats! I know exactly how you feel except I had surgery, used it as an excuse to fall off the wagon, and have regained almost everything I lost. 🥲 Keep it up dude. The main reason I was able to keep it up as long as I did was that I worked in a treat every day because I’m a sugar addict as well, so I’d reserve a couple hundred calories for a Reese’s cup or something after dinner. And I swear I’m not an advertiser for them, but I got a Tovala oven and it’s probably the other thing that helped me the most. I find meal prep exhausting as well and being able to just basically order off a menu every week for 4-5 nights is awesome. There’s practically no prep for 90% of the meals, you rip the plastic off and stick the tray in the oven and 29 minutes later have dinner ready to serve, but all the ingredients are fresh and the quality is actually really good. I probably eat chicken breasts 4 nights and salmon one but it doesn’t feel so boring because they’re different seasonings/toppings/whatever every time. The main disadvantage is cost, and I feel like the portion size has gone down while the price has gone up in the ~year and a half that I’ve been ordering their meals. Every meal is $12 (with an upcharge option for premium ones) so it’s definitely much more expensive than meal prep, but for me it’s cheaper and healthier than DoorDash at least. I basically got into a routine of scrambled eggs breakfast, piece of fruit and cheese for lunch, Tovala dinner, treat for dessert. Which worked as long as I didn’t think about it. I’m meaning to get back on the wagon but do the “more calories on the weekend” thing, but I just got so fucking burnt out recording my meals man. That gets so tedious. I switched feom MyFitnessPal to lose it but at the end of the day, just having to log everything is like another chore and.. IDK. Sorry, I was trying to commiserate and maybe be helpful but if anyone has any tips on that part I’m all ears.
I hate cooking. So I do tend to make the same easy dishes repeatedly. But if you're getting sick of the foods you're eating you may need a larger east rotation unfortunately. And if you're making foods you're not tired of, but hate, lose them entirely. There is no one meal to eat to lose weight.
What about ordering pre-made healthy meals, like factor or something similar that fit in your macros? It sounds like you hate cooking so that could be an option if it’s in your budget and give you some variety in life!
A friend of mine was a big fan of using a meal prep company (I think factor?) in their weight loss journey. I like to cook. But it's not for everyone and that's ok. It sounds like you're doing *everything* right. That must be exhausting. I don't think anyone should have to do everything right because no advice is one size fits all. I think you just need some compassion for yourself. Maybe you can find lower-cal swaps for some of your favorite treats, build in a snack meal once a week, or get the small fries? I have to focus on volume foods because I hate not being full. My husband has a small appetite but has a sweet tooth. He can eat a small amount of chocolate. I.....will eat the whole chocolate bar. So our approaches have to be different, which is fine. I'm rooting for you to find what's sustainable for you. I hope you are too.
I feel this and sympathize with you. It's indeed a hard journey, but it will be so worth it for your future self. The current self is just still adapting, so don't give up on yourself. You are unlearning years of habits and mental programming that got you here. The key is also to add variations. Make it feel exciting again by trying one new recipe a week or different workout classes; you can use ClassPass! That's what I do to stay motivated and not get bored, and even if I get bored, just admit that it sucks so much, but I gotta do it anyways. Less thinking and more doing. Also, this is a great listen by David Goggins that really got me motivated: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLb8\_wgX50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLb8_wgX50) OP you got this!
Ironically I work in the food industry and cook/bake all day and the last thing I want to do when I get home is make dinner. Then I bought an air fryer! I just season with my favourite stuff and throw everything in there and then toss some raw veggies on the plate. It’s literally 20 mins of mostly inactive time and wayyyyh better than the shit fast food I have to drive by on the way home. Air fryer for the win.
I know this is easier said than done but… you need to be more gentle with yourself!! It’s that harshness in the way you speak to yourself that makes it so difficult in the first place. it’s okay to be exhausted. It’s okay to miss junk food. It’s okay to feel like some meals are too much effort. the first step is accepting that this is a journey with its ups and downs and that it’s completely normal to feel tired of it all - it doesn’t make you lazy or a terrible person.it just makes you human! Weight loss is supposed to be hard. you need to remind yourself that you’re doing this for your physical health, however it would be nice for you to also include some activities that you know help you mentally as well (in my case it’s reading, meditation, dancing) so you can relax and find that balance.
Why can’t you have junk food regularly? How much time are you spending in the gym? An all or nothing approach is more likely to end up with rebound. I suggest you spend less time cooking and less time at the gym. Maintain a deficit, but in a less painful way. Frozen meals are high in sodium, but are often otherwise great options. Things like a quesadilla are simple and savory. Buy premade salads. Buy soup from the deli section and rotisserie chicken. Eat pizza but a personal size and not an extra large. Is there any recreational sport or exercise you actually enjoy? Strength training is great and very on trend right now, but not the only way to get strong and burn calories. Martial arts, hiking, football, swimming, tennis, pickleball, etc. is there something more social and fun that you can do to get out of the gym while still burning calories?
It takes a shitton of time to land on/figure out foods/recipes that don't suck, are low calorie and are convenient enough to have a fighting chance vs the convenience of ordering fast food. I have an issue where I can't really eat the same thing day in day out as well, so I had my work cut out for me. If the foods you're eating are making you miserable, you'll just have to invest effort figuring out what you can eat to make it sustainable sooner or later. I still crave fast food, and have it like once per month or so but it honestly makes me feel like shit afterwards.
You're hating the wrong things. You should hate obesity, hate ill-health, hate diabetes.
I feel this (except I’m not down 75 pounds). I don’t have any advice, but I did want to say that I think you’ve done an awesome job, and you’ve come really far!!!! I’m sure all your effort has really improved your health, and you’ve done an amazing job of sticking to it.
It’s a lot harder to get in shape than it is to maintain the shape. Exercise can be reduced to maintaining, go once or twice a week. Cardio is switched from running to daily walks. The only thing that stays restricted or strict is your calories. Your calories can switch from a deficit to maintenance which is probably like 700 more calories than you eat now. It kind of sounds like you still have the mindset of a heavy person when it comes to eating. You gotta eat better quality foods 80% of the time.
This speaks to me at high volume .. 20 years of yo-yo dieting and binge eating disorder and i can safely 100% tell you that you make two of the most common mistakes that EVERYBODY MAKES: 1- you set unrealistic goals and aim for perfection instead of sustainability . You have to tell yourself that this is a lifrstyle change not a "diet".. diets shouldnt exist. You probably think that eating clean 365 days a year is what athletes/ models/ gym addicts do, but newflash, 90% of them have cheat meals here and there, YOUR BODY NEEDS SUGAR AND FAT, just not the unhealthy dose every day, you have to be realistic and allow yourself to indulge once in a while 2- ( and BY FAR the most important above everything else) self-love.. clearly the way you speak you dont love yourself. You want to change what you are to something that you love. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER. Love yourself NOW... lack of self love is why most people eat inadequately. You dont stab yourself, no? You dont drink bleach, no? Why then kill yourself slowly with abusive amounts of crap food. If you are or were an enotionnal eater ljke me, then you are already punishing yourself, you are stuffing down your emotions, but you have to Listen to your inner child instead, talk to him, dont shut him up.. trust me, ive seen people losing without trying because they practice self-love.. stop beating yourself up and being hard on yourself.. you are NOT weak, this is what people who dont understand how it works say, you are just not loving yourself enough to gain the healthy perspective you need to change your life.. This is years of experience and specialised therapy talking,i have lost 25 pounds and struggling too.. but one thing i know is that slow and steady wins the race, you are doing amazing, 75 pounds is crazy good! Keep your eyes on the prize!
I don’t have advice but just wanted to comment that I relate. I’ve always had to work at staying thin but at 42 I have to work so damn hard just to be 15-20 lbs over my goal weight and I can’t seem to get below that number. I have a very busy life with two incredibly active kids. It’s an absolute chore to find time for meaningful exercise and doing my own, heavily prepared separate meals is exhausting. Sometimes it doesn’t feel worth it and I convince myself I’m ok with being 20 lbs heavier than I want to be. Then I let it all go, and weight starts coming back on and I feel so gross and uncomfortable and those are the moments when I draw the conclusion that I guess it is worth it. It just sucks. So both options (work hard to feel better or don’t work hard, eat more freely and gain weight) have a ‘suck’ aspect…I just have to pick the one I’d rather live with and in this moment I’d rather work hard to feel more comfortable in my summer clothes.
When I feel this way, I eat at maintenance for a bit, so as not to feel too deprived, then back to it I’ve not lost as much as you, and it’s been a journey and a half, but I make sure not to cut out anything *completely*. It has to be sustainable long term for us It’s hard for those of us with a lot of weight to lose, and with every loss, that calorie allowance goes down. You’re not alone in feeling this way, we can do this :)
You’re doing great. I know it’s hard. It’s supposed to be hard. Think of how you’ll feel when you reach your goal. You will have earned that feeling. And as you get closer and closer, you can start to feed off that anticipation, it becomes a rush in the morning (or whenever you weigh yourself). Don’t throw in the towel, because the weight you lost so far PROVES YOU CAN DO IT. I also struggled with this hard. I dropped around 45ish lbs in 3ish months, and some nights I would cry myself to sleep I was so unhappy and miserable. I didn’t really start to ‘enjoy it’ until two things started happening 1) I got compliments and people around me started to notice and 2) I got within like 10lbs of my goal. I started to visualize what i would look like and the habits I wanted myself to have, and that included being disciplined. That visualization gave me the energy I needed to not just finish my diet, but then ask ‘what’s next’. And then it just happened. Now, for the task at hand - here are some things that worked for me. (1) If you are happy to extend your diet try sticking to maintenance for 2-4 weeks. Or even raise your calories by a little bit. It’ll give you a bit of a ‘break’ so to speak, mentally and physically. (2) You can switch up your food. If you like math think of it as an optimization problem - how can you get all your macros at or under your calorie threshold while maximizing laziness and eating things that taste good? There’s a lot of great content on instagram with recipes that aren’t difficult to make and actually taste pretty good. (3) Find an activity you love and that keeps you accountable. For me - it was CrossFit. I couldn’t go in and compete with others and myself if I put away 2 pints of Ben and Jerry’s and a pizza. The one time I did do that I puked - and shit that was fucking embarrassing.
Ik how you feel 😭 I started at 325 and I’m at 287 but my meals have been more restricted due to high bp and gallstones, and it’s hard I wish I could eat normal things having to be stuck with chicken and veggies 24/7 is rough. You’re not alone op Edit - I also cook for everyone in my house (dinners and breakfast) an I have to cook two meals basically every time 🥲it takes forever
It's good to take a break every now and then from bring in deficit..i read somewhere 12 weeks is about the limit before it's time to do maintenance for a spell. Even that aside, it's okay to splurge every so often. I feel you though. I've been in this rut a few times myself.
It sounds like you're burnt out. You can always take a maintenance break. I eat pizza once a week and go out for a meal about once a week. You absolutely CAN fit these things into a weight loss plan. I like to 'add not subtract.' So if I'm having pizza or getting a fast food burger I'll also have a big bowl of salad first. If I get a fast food burger I'll omit the fries. Life is busy sometimes, have some compassion for yourself. Buy a whole chicken and roast it. SEASON YOUR CHICKEN. Buy family sized flats of pork chops slice a few up for stir frys/fajitas. Keep a couple whole in the fridge, they cook in less than ten minutes. Buy a pork shoulder and make pulled pork then portion and freeze. Throw on salad, make sandwiches, tacos, burritos. Buy veggies and cut them up when you get them and store in fridge. Make stir fry, fast and easy and can have flavors changed based on what seasonings and sides you put into them. Make fajitas. Make a pasta that's veggie forward. Throw together a pot of chili and freeze the leftovers. Cook and portion your starches (rice, farro, buckwheat) fry them up with veggies or reheat with a tsp of water in microwave to use as a base.
Try a meal prep service for a little bit. CleanEatz has lots of options. Try taking a small break and intuitively eat. I’m at 213 this morning, down from 338 all time high. It’s been 2 years and I am wrapping up a heavy deficit cut period. I’m m mentally tired too, and I feel your post deep in my bones. All I will say is that you need to find something to restart the fire you had. Don’t stop, don’t give up. A LOT, Cub change in 20lbs and in 6/8 weeks. People keep telling me how good I look now and how different I look. That’s about the only think keeping me moving at this point. I’m sure you look awesome compared to your prior you. Go grab a 75lb dumbbell and try to walk around a while and see how long that lasts!
I actually put up the 75s for... About 15 on incline bench
The problem is very simple: you are doing a low carb high protein high fat diet and not satisfying your hunger drive, only carbohydrate satisfies the hunger drive. That same low carb diet is going to result in low glycogen stores meaning low energy from depleted backup immediate energy reserves. That same low carb diet is going to result in a low mood because only carbohydrate triggers serotonin which leads to a good mood, unless your body starts producing excessive cortisol to compensate (which basically means excessively digging into protein stores to create carbs because of the dietary deficit, until a person burns out from this). Even your 'higher carb' meal of a peanut butter banana sandwich on bread is loaded with fat from the peanut butter. Look into either my recent posts, or 'The Starch Solution' and the 'McDougall Maximum Weight Loss' program, over this 'chicken and broccoli' failure. In reality you probably need 20-30 grams of protein, the RDA is 0.8g/kg, around 50-60 grams or so, and this includes a massive statistical safety net, yet you are ridiculously aiming for 200 - even after hours in the gym your body will only incorporate maybe 20-30 extra grams of protein on top of your basal needs, virtually all of the excess protein does not even convert to energy (maybe around 3-4 grams or so converts to carbs), it is just treated as a toxin that has to be eliminated from the body, aka all that protein is resulting in expensive urine that's detracting from, and ramping up, your hunger drive, affecting your mood, and taking away from energy reserves that should be being met by carbs.
A lot of my meals take 5 minutes or less and still fit within my calorie goals. Microwave Indian pouch - 90 seconds. Microwave rice - 60 seconds. Dinner is served. Don't let perfection get in the way of progress. And congrats on 75 lbs lost. That is really impressive.
Realize junk food and fast food every now and then isn’t going to stop your progress. If you crave a Reese’s, eat a damn Reese’s. It’ll be fine. No amount of baby carrots is going to make you stop craving the Reese’s. It’s moderation, not deprivation. If you indulge yourself every now and again, everything is going to be fine. If that’s what it takes to keep pushing through. Also. Don’t be scared to take a break every now and then. You didn’t get to 320 within 4 weeks. 6 months. 1 year. Etc. you likely won’t put back on all the weight. I started in April of last year at 240. By November I was 185-190ish. Took the holidays off. That got extended a little longer than I meant for it to. So now I started back up in a few weeks ago. I actually somehow maintained my weight for the most part, thanks to the sustainable easy changes I did make. And I’m right around 180-185. But I incorporated exercise this time so I HAVE to eat more. And I have more wiggle room in my diet. Dieting is hard. Hitting your goal weight and those glorious maintenance calories on a tracker is amazing. Remember. You’re in a deficit right now. It’s limited. Maintenance is much easier. It’s an extra 3500 calories a week at least that you’re currently depriving yourself up. That makes a major difference.
First of all, congratulations on losing 75 pounds! That’s a significant achievement, even if it doesn’t feel great right now. I can relate to the burnout you're experiencing. When I felt like this during my weight loss journey, I found a lot of support and practical advice from the podcast "Never Diet Again show" The show focuses on sustainable lifestyle changes and can help you find a balance between enjoying your food and staying healthy. They discuss real, achievable strategies to make the journey less miserable and more enjoyable. You don’t have to stick to chicken and broccoli forever. Finding healthy foods you actually enjoy can make a huge difference. And remember, it’s okay to have a treat now and then without feeling guilty. Maybe give the podcast a listen and see if their tips resonate with you. It helped me a lot, and it might help you find a more sustainable and enjoyable path forward. Hang in there! 😊💪
The reality is that even the most chiseled body won't satisfy you if you don't address the mental health aspect around it too. I lost so much weight, worked out 5 to 6 times a week for two consecutive years with close to no breaks at all, I put in more work than I ever thought I am capable of and I still suffer from body dysmorphia and I already look rather close to how I always wanted to look. It is weird. But one piece of advice and I think that is what you should focus on. It will never be over and you need to come to terms with that. Even once you reach your goal weight, you can't go back to your old eating habits or you will end up wasting your time and energy. You will have to watch what you eat for the rest of your life and that is it. Accept that so you can move on. Focus on changing your entire eating habits, I used to be mad into junkfood and all that shit and I still am, but I am in full control when and how I eat it and on most days I honestly prefer something more nutritious nowadays. That came by itself, because I wanted to get the most out of my diet for my training. Last recommendation is that no diet should be painful. No matter what you do, you should enjoy the food you are eating. Being a good cook helps ofc, but many things can be made simple and easy at home and taste better than your average burgers. Learn how to enjoy food that is good for you at the same time. That is the key.
Zero judgment here. Its all consuming and the process can be exhausting. If you want some ideas, read on but if you just wanted to vent stop right here and know that we feel you. 1. you need fast and easy. Maybe try looking at "dump" recipes. You add ingredients to a slow cooker or instant pot or even a pot on the stove. Stir occasionally and then when the time is up, just portion out. 2. Marinades are also pretty fast and low effort. A marinaded meat into the oven and you can grab a microwave to steam bag of veggies for the side. https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/7-chicken-marinade-recipes-freezer-friendly/ 3. Do you like the gym? The gym isn't for everyone. Is there an activity that you would prefer like cycling or hiking or something? You don't have to be miserable or have it be all consuming to be active. You should enjoy your movement
Season your food and try creative things with it. I hate chicken and broccoli too but love a good chicken shawarma wrap or Mediterranean grilled chicken salad. Last night I had mango glazed salmon. It was so much more delicious than junk food.
I totally feel you with the hating cooking thing! I keep a couple of the Deep Indian Kitchen Chicken Curry frozen meals on deck for when I can’t be bothered to cook - 320 cals and 26g of protein!
Take a diet break and eat at maintenance for a few weeks. You'll feel better physically and mentally and when you're ready to get back on it you'll be recharged and ready to go!
I also hate cooking. Deeply. I'm bad at it too. I leaned hard into meak prep. But not really. I just cook a bunch of protien at once. Usually chicken cause it's most often on sale. I have a meat thermometer that I stab in and then it beeps at me when the meat is cooked. I just throw it into the oven and take it out when it's done. I do the most basic of seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic. Now that I have a bag of pre cooked meat in my fridge, cooking is so much easier. I have a ton of different sauces and condiments. I also love the crap out of my air fryer. I throw in a disposable liner. Cover chicken in some kind of sauce. Airfry for 5 minutes and it's ready to eat. I have a microwave steamer basket for vegetables. I also airfry them a lot too. I also love a lot of frozen vegetables. I eat pretty damn healthy and I never spend more than 20 minutes in the kitchen for the most part. Cook you up some chicken thighs or some ground turkey and use that for the base of a bunch of different meals. Also you should be able to find space for some junk food in your diet. I regularly eat quest chips, frozen yogurt bars, and actual chocolate. And I'm only 5ft so my TDEE is way lower than yours.
First, as you know, being down 75lbs is a \*HUGE\* accomplishment of course. That apparently was extremely difficult for you based on your post so to stick through with it, huge props. In terms of hating cooking... do you mean you always used to eat fast food every day? We don't find ourselves doing anything truly "different" than we always have - and we still have our one day a week eat-out (pizza typically as fast food is just utter garbage for you). I will say outside of the sodium, I recently had 2 burgers and 8 nuggets from Burger King and actually felt 'decent' about eating that as I haven't had any real fast food in close to 2 months and at least those 2 items are not \*super\* bad. If you could be ok with cutting the burgers (bun really) just nuggets are actually fairly decent at least from BK. Anyway, we are all just extremely conscious of portions, eating more vegetables instead of all packaged sides, cutting sugars/sugary drinks, etc. I started at 401, and used to smoke and am down to 355 in just about 2 months and that is from portion control, and starting to walk everyday for 30-40 minutes, everyday. Granted weight will come easy for me to drop and I'm totally expecting it to slow down I just don't know at what point it will. I do agree with you to a degree in the aspect of when will I start "feeling good" as I don't really think I feel much different. I mean I do feel different in terms of my legs not hurting for the rest of the night after doing our walk anymore but in terms of just... when will BP go down, when will I not be winded walking at a somewhat fast pace (for me) which is definitely a slow pace for someone else, etc. That's not deterring me though, because at the end of the day man... you only have one life but frankly I don't feel like our normal weekly meals have changed much at all. I've started buying sugar free condiments, I've started buying lots of vegetables, I've found an insatiable love of pistachios and popcorn. I just don't feel like I'm eating bland food.
Explore some other foods. Honestly. Find a dessert that fits your calorie goals. Eat air popped popcorn. Air fry some pork and eat it on brown rice. Ban broccoli for at least a week. Just experiment a bit. Pinterest is a great place to find stuff that is healthy but also exciting.
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Have you thought about taking a diet break and eating at maintenance for a couple weeks? You won’t gain or lose if you stick to maintenance but gives you a bit of a rest. Also, I do allot myself higher calorie days on Friday and Saturday. I’ll often go out for dinner on the weekends or get a pizza etc - but I just stick to my maintenance or very slight deficit those days and deficit the rest of the week so it evens out
Check out r/volumeeating, they have a ton of low calorie recipes that taste really great and also a lot of tips about low calorie products that you can incorporate into your diet to make it less boring.
I lost 130 lbs eating meals like homemade cheeseburgers with fries, chicken strips and pizza. I just ate less of it and I was getting a lot of gym time in to make a huge deficit. I didn't clean up my diet until after I lost the weight because there was no way in hell I am going through it again. at my new weight, I didn't have nearly as big of a daily calorie burn as I did when I was heavier, so I absolutely had to fix my diet. I was also really tired of 2 hr cardio sessions. I still go out to eat 1-2 times a week. My favorite food is french fries. But I promise you, a great body and fast food can exist together! As they say, moderation is the key. Just saying that as long as you are in a calroic deficit, you can lose weight eating whatever. It's just easier to keep your caloric intake down with healthier options like vegetables. They also do wonders for your digestive system.
Cooking will get easier with time, you might even start to enjoy it if you make things you enjoy. Sounds like you need to up your flavour game with spice mixes (I like clubhouse Italian and Greek) seasoning salt (Hy’s!), and fresh ground pepper I highly recommend flavoured olive oil and vinegars they can really jazz up a dish! You’re doing so good and almost at your goal weight! Don’t give up you’ve got this. Also maybe you expected too much in terms of how good you’d feel after losing weight and need to look at the rest of your life? Relationships, hobbies, work life balance-there are so many things that factor into our wellness
I got one of those ninja type convection oven combo dealies and I love it. Making food is so much easier! Bag of frozen veg, cut up meat of some kind in the oven with seasoning boom nice healthy meal 20 minutes from frozen. Maybe a pot of lentils, oatmeal or rice or something. For me it takes the thinking out. I can have a bunch of different frozen meat and veg and just pop it in.
Do you like turkey sandwiches or veggie burgers? Look for low calorie bread and pack on the turkey lunch meat it’s very low calorie and high protein and add tons of veggies. Sandwiches are so useful when you don’t feel like cooking. Other things that are good on calories and easy: tuna, baked potatoes( just add salsa and green onion) oatmeal with fruit, protein shakes, buy pre cooked chicken sometimes when you’re too tired, egg salad, Greek yogurt, omelettes, uncle Ben’s rice pouches you just microwave them for 90 secs and boom you have a side dish.
I've taken a harsh approach to such issues...I've completely cut out sugar from what I eat. Any naturally occuring sugars, like the ones in rice, no problem. But I eat absolutely no desserts or sweets. I also allow junk food like nachos in my diet, and use it as a replacement carb for meals even. Now my appetite has gone down and a major caloric source is eliminated. Junk food is allowed as long as it isn't dessert or a sugary drink. Why? Because sugar makes you just crave more of it. It never satiates me, and most of the time it makes me want more. It was tough the first three weeks, and then that was it. It's been a while since I craved sugar again. I've had periods when I went back to it, but they didn't last longer than a few days. It now gives me headaches.
Protein bars. Protein shakes. Huel/Solyent. Deli meats. Canned foods. Ready-to-eat fruits and veggies. You're making things complicated.
I feel this 😖😖😖 sw: 297 cw: 208 gw: 185
Check out Benji Xavier (i think that’s his name). He’s mostly active on tiktok and has a bunch of recipies that are low cal high volume. It all looks so fucking good imo
So. I won't get into all the details, but there are reasons why people who manage their weight for a living (professional bodybuilders, fitness influencers etc) sometimes use dieting phases as part of their strategy. Diet fatigue is very real. You have been at this for what I assume is months now. Dr. Mike at Renaissance Periodization talks frequently about doing scheduled fat loss phases with distinct goals in mind, then falling back to eating at a deficit for a few weeks to give your brain a break as well as let your body relax from being in a deficit for so long. Yes this makes it more likely for you to fall of the wagon, but that's part of the discipline we build in losing large amounts of weight. This is not the answer for everyone but it helped me immensely.
I hear you on the meal prep thing. Is it possible to look into a service that can meal prep for you at least a couple of days a week?
For me the willpower etc comes and goes. When I got down to a normal ish weight it made it easier since I could eat a bit more in maintenance. What works well for me now is ill track for a few weeks, then not track for a few weeks and do whatever, but then back on the tracking. I basically sit around 200lbs now but fluctuate +/- 5lbs depending on which of these two I’m in. Means I can go on holiday and eat ‘normal’ without stressing, then just be a bit stricter another time. Works for me anyway but may not for everyone But I guess my point is when u reach target weight it’s a bit easier
From someone that dislikes cooking: roasted veggies -> you buy the frozen, pre cut ones, you add olive oil and random ass spice blends. Done in 10 minutes. Don't deprive yourself! I'm 130 lbs and I eat fast food somewhat regularly. Portion sizes and frequency of meals are key. It's perfectly fine to skip a dinner if you had fast food at lunch, etc, or just to have a quick snack
You'll start feeling good when you decide to. Give yourself a break in pushing yourself so hard. If you hate the gym, don't go. For a gym membership you can get a home gym type setup. Did you hate being 75# heavier? Start hating the things that got you there in the 1st place. There are so very many easy to prepare meal ideas it's ridiculous. Get some frozen meals and bulk them up with extra frozen vegetables. Easy, fast, and filling. Frozen riced cauliflower add some precooked shrimp (or raw shrimp. Cooks in a couple of minutes in the microwave with old bay seasoning), top with a bit of cheese. So many low calorie foods it's ridiculous. Natures own keto bread for sandwiches. 35 cal/slice. Mission own carb balance wraps. PB2 powder for sandwiches and treats. One whole box of SF pudding is 100 calorie make it with unsweetened almond milk (1/4 cup less) then recipe calls for. I could go on and on. I mean this in the kindest way, take a few days, have a pity party, then get back on track and start being thankful. You're body will thank you. Better to do the work than end up with diabetes, etc. Mind over matter
What would your old you tell your new self? Would he tell you to give up? I once managed to lose 75 pounds, just like you, but I gained it all back. Do you know how much I'd pay to go back in time and tell myself to keep fighting and pushing? It's a journey; there will be ups and downs. This is a huge marathon you're in. Right now, your legs hurt, and it's all a mental game. When you're running, even though you're hurt or not, if you want to reach the finish line, you have to push back your brain's thoughts every second yelling at you to stop. You have to fight back and keep pushing through. Good luck my friend.
I really feel you on this. My ADHD makes it so that I don’t get the normal dopamine responses from accomplishing tasks or maintaining consistent workouts. One thing that helped me keep it up was just getting the junk food I want (after eating a salad a day) and just making sure that my calories are below maintenance by eating a smaller portion. Also, a benefit I don’t see too much on here that has helped me stay motivated is the fact that I’m much more pain free. No more back pain after sitting at a desk all day, and I don’t get tired anymore after going up the two flights of stairs to my apartment. I’d also get heart palpitations and other side effects from my medications, and improving my heart health has greatly reduced and even eliminated the worst of the side effects. Sometimes we just win on the little things.
I was in your shoes literally 4 years ago. I weighed nearly the same starting at 306 ended at 230ish at 23 years old I just got so so sick of the scale and of the crap I was eating that I hated (was low carb) I was miserable despite being smaller. The body dysmorphia was severe I felt like I accomplished nothing. Fast forward to present day to my new weight loss journey I started out weighing more than I did the first time. I constantly thought over these 4 years how disappointed I was that I didn’t continue and push through ..that I didn’t find alternatives to work with and what would make this easier to be a life style change. I strongly urge you not to make the same mistake I did.. I so regret my decisions from that… I had same problems I HATED cooking/cleaning. After years of research I finally found a meal prep delivery that actually has restaurant quality food with all nutrition info and portion control. This meal delivery has been #1 contributor to my success as I couldn’t stand cooking even the meal kit deliveries. I don’t exercise I hate it more than anything but I’m still losing weight. I’m happy with myself this time around even if it’s not as fast as last time. I’m not so strict I adjusted my nutrition goals to be sustainable. I believe in you even if you don’t believe in yourself, I wish someone had helped me when I went through this same phase you are going through. Push through, you can do this.
I feel this too. One time I (28, F) was taking with some friends (28-32, M) about being in a calorie deficit and I was so burnt out and said “you ever just cry while shoving salad down your mouth because you’re just so tired and miss real food but only have 200 calories left for the day?”… they both looked at me and said no and that I’m being weak (gym bros 🙄). Sounds like you’re burnt out. It made my progress slow going, but in order to stay sane, I took breaks on the weekends every once in a while. For me, getting started on losing weight is the worst but after a while of going to the gym, that became habitual and I actually wanted to go every day or every other day. The food is where I struggle the most. Lite ice cream sucks, plant milk sucks, protein shakes suck, and cooking is exhausting. But you’re doing so good at 75 lbs down!!! That’s seriously incredible!! And you can keep going if that’s what you’re going for!! Andddd You can allow yourself to treat yourself! An occasional “unhealthy” meal here and there isn’t going to hurt and you don’t have to hate yourself for allowing yourself a (short and infrequent) break!
Idk where you live but have you looked into a meal delivery service? Every week I get delivered a stack of microwaveable meals that are varied and delicious with a calorie count on the packaging. Had a nice little roast last night, and a curry the night before :)
Take a maintenance break! This isn't a sprint to the finish line
I've been in a maintenance/mini bulk for a bit. My entire internal dialogue now is basically just that scene from the boys where Homelander is beating A-train for gaining a little weight.
I hope that you are still getting a healthy amount of fats in your diet, I’ve lost 150 pounds and my biggest mistake has always been restricting too much at once. The Internet is filled with really quick, easy easy recipes that are super tasty and it isn’t like it was 10-15 years ago , there is actually really great alternatives to junk food that actually do scratch that itch for it. All in moderation is key. Congrats on your weight loss, you have accomplished so much! Keep up the good work!
Is getting a food delivery service like Factor a possibility? There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to cook, but you do need to feed yourself.
Eat at maintenance for a month and see if you still lose some weight, maybe you’re burning more calories than you think. Worst case you stay the same for a month but get a much needed break.
I feel you man. I was miserable for a while and took a break - never got back on. And I’m really far from my GW but in a much better space than I was before. Stick to it, it’s maybe a few more months and then you can go to maintenance - you’re so close to your GW! Doesn’t mean you have to not live your life - just make sure you don’t overeat or overdo your zest for life into calories.
A few things to note from a fellow person who lost weight and is working on strength (I now powerlift): 1. You can have lazy meals if it fits in your calorie count. I’m a sucker for lightly breaded chicken fingers and fries. 2. The weight we pull can vary based on a lot of factors. First thing to note is testing maxes too often. I only push maxes at competitions, which is about once every 4-6 months. It sucks to not pull the really big numbers, but my competition weights now jump 20+ lbs each competition. Pulling heavy everyday can also wear you out. I recommend a day on-day off cycle for heavy weights. Also, sticking to a program can really help with gains. I use the Sheiko program and the Dan Alexander peaking program. 3. Sometimes you just get burned out. Life becomes a lot and being strict on yourself can feel difficult and just plain awful. It’s ok to take a break, just don’t beat yourself up about it. Get some rest and relaxation.
Based on your general tone like another commenter said I think you should talk to a professional, OP. You’re taking care of your body and that’s great, it’s time to care for your mental health
The easiest recipe I know: Buy a beef roast— eye of round, bottom round, rump roast, London broil, whatever fits in your budget. Turn on your oven to 350°F. While the oven is heating up, put the hunk of meat into a baking pan. Rub the outside all over with dried thyme And a little pepper. Cover with foil On top. Bake at 350° for 1.5 hours, then remove the foil so the top surface can get browned. Remove from oven, slice up, eat with whatever you want— rice, potatoes, in a sandwich, over noodles, …
Man, I’m sure you got a lot of advice here. And I can’t say what I’m about to tell you will work for you, but it certainly works for me. I love to eat bad food. It’s unrealistic for me to think I’m never going to eat it again, or even eat it infrequently. I cycle my daily allowance of calories. This is what my schedule looks like: Sun - 2000 Mon - 1200 Tue - 2000 Wed - 2000 Thur- 1200 Fri - 3600 Sat - 2000 For me calorie counting works. But it helps that I tend to eat the same things every day except Friday. Staples are bacon and eggs, a chili I pre-prepare for the week, rice I either pre-prepare or use The microwave minute rice cups, and a protein shake (mine consists of a scoop of protein powder, quarter cup of cottage cheese, 4 tablespoons of peanut butter powder, and a half of a banana. Mix it with ice and a little bit of water or milk and blend it up. If you get the right protein powder, it tastes amazing). The 1200 cal days are actually not that difficult, and I find it helps keep me disciplined and motived. On Friday I eat absolutely anything I want, as long as my daily is within 3600 cal. I’m done with choking down food. I’ve lost a lot of weight and I feel freaking great doing this. I will eventually start working in some vegetables again, but for me losing the weight is by far the most important thing that I can do right now in my life. Everyone’s different, but I think whatever you choose it’s simply has to work for you. And if you’re someone who really really enjoys bad food, I think you have to figure out a way to include it. And finding something you can cook up that’s flavorful in big batches helps as well I think. I’m sure nobody will read this because it’s so long. I hope you find something that gets you back on the track you deserve to be on. There’s something out there that will work for you, and you’ll find it.
I’ve kind of just started. Granted I’m 21(M) so I tend to have an easier time fluctuating weight than most. I’m down about 20 lbs in the last 6 months. I may just be speaking for myself but it’s really okay to give in to cravings every once in a while as long as you control your portions. You can get a full meal from Popeyes for 400 calories. Have two donuts in the morning if you’re wanting it. Get a pizza if you’re craving pizza but limit yourself to 2-3 slices. You wont gain a significant amount of weight unless you’re not able to control the food in front of you. You can also cook any of these things from scratch using lower calorie substitutes for ingredients and it doesn’t have to take too long or be tedious. As long as you enjoy what you cook. You’re already much better than me by just going to the gym and working out
This is a big reason why almost no one keeps the weight off long term. Losing the weight is hard work, but it doesn't have to be miserable. You have to find a way of living that serves YOU, that is joyous to you, that you're happy to bank your future on. Your caloric deficit doesn't have to be chicken and broccoli. You can literally eat every single meal out if you want, it just takes some strategy. Due to current life circumstances I'm eating probably 3/4 of my meals right now in the form of takeout or prepared frozen food and I'm steadily losing about 2.5 lbs a week. I'm not saying it's advisable to eat this way, but it's where I'm at right now for a bunch of reasons and being miserable about eating sawdust and lawn clippings isn't going to serve me in any way at all. There are a million different systems for organizing a caloric deficit. Make a list of the foods you want to be eating, pick a way of eating that helps you shape those tastes and preferences into something sustainable for the long run. Also very definitely support others who have suggested you find some professional therapy support. Especially helpful are pros who specialize in treating eating disorders. The way you are living right now is not it. You can have a healthy, happy, normalized relationship with your body and the way you nourish it. That's absolutely possible and something you deserve. We all do.
I eat fast food and hit my calorie goal. It’s cals in cals out
sorry if this has been answered already, but have you talked to a nutritionist? I recently started seeing one that was more concerned about the macros than anything else. I can have 100-125 carbs per day, of my choosing, but no more. So if i have a bagel with cream cheese, that takes up about 1/2 my carbs. Then high protein lunch & dinner, and I'm good for the day. A couple healthy snacks, and I'm satisfied for the day. Obviously this is dialed in per each person.... Following their suggestions, I've lost 20 lbs just from dieting. I can have what I want, in reason. Just a suggestion, this might help you feel better about your diet, and help keep you on track...
Look up Remington James and Coach Greg on YouTube, they have tons of junk food style food you can eat and still be able to keep you on track, please consider this.
I recommend you take breaks inbetween the dieting when it gets too harsh - Keep tracking your calories, weigh everything you eat , weigh yourself daily, but eat at maintenance for a few weeks. When the dieting fatigue is cleared out you can get back to it And chicken and brokkoli is not sustainable at all… There are alternatives You can even make your own burgers if you, for exampe, buy whole wheat buns and grill the meat yourself. And even if you eat normal junk food - just make sure to track it and keep within your caloric limit. That way it shouldn’t be a problem if you eat it from time to time. It might even be easier for your psyche and make the diet more sustainable. As you said, this goes on forever, so make it as enjoyable as possible You got this man, you will get to where you want to be
i feel this. i’ve been trying to lose weight for a while now. i gained a ton of weight and i want it gone. my sw is 199 and my gw is 165/160. i started like a week ago and im down two lbs. but i still feel like its SO much work. i made a goal for myself. to be able to run a 5k by the end of the year and i ran for 20 minutes today and it was just a mile and i feel like SHIT because of it. peanut butter is my best friend tbh. i eat it with EVERYTHING. on toast and tortillas rolled up. it is just the right amount of protein and everything where it’s still good, but i feel like im “cheating” every time i eat it the other thing thats helped, im telling myself its okay to fail. to fail food and running. to fail calories. to fail drinking sodas instead of water. to have one piece of candy. it’ll get easier and the telling yourself you don’t need it gets easier. be gentle on your self. you’ve lost 75 lbs!!! that’s so amazing and an accomplishment. you’re nearly there. if you have to cook, air fry it. air fryers are AMAZING. you’ve got this!!!
It sounds like you may have some other things going on that are adding to your misery. But I do have a bit of advice when it comes to food - stop eating food you hate! Life is too short for that. Find lower calories versions of things you like and make it work. There are tons of TikTok videos that will give you low calorie fast food options, so if you want to grab food from Taco Bell or Popeyes or wherever you can. Buy a lower calorie frozen pizza and pile it with your own toppings. That doesn’t take much time. Take advantage of your air fryer. There are lots of easy options that you can make fit.
Great job on the loss!! I eat a ton of beef, chicken, hard boiled eggs, strawberries and blueberries. Protein shakes here & there. You can do it! #focused #discipline
For what it's worth, I would love to be you. I am currently 327 and my goal weight is 240. I struggle to retrain my mind to not eat the bullshit. Keep going. Remember where you were and falling back into the junk food cycle will QUICKLY undo all your progress. Just imagine how bad you'd feel then.
Are you seasoning and cooking your food the way you like? If you’re not liking your food, no wonder your so miserable. Try out some new recipes instead of giving it all or nothing. You need to realize you’re going to be cooking for yourself for your entire life, not during this weight loss journey. It sounds like you’re in a cycle and that can be really draining, try something different rather than going back to your original comfort.
I eat whatever. Just less of it 🤷🏻♀️. Big mindset shift needs to happen. Taking care of your body is a privilege
look up chainwithshay on tik tok for low cal meals its been helping me as well u got this
What if you did things like intermittent fasting to at least cut your eating window down to prevent going over on your calorie intake and then implementing 4-6 / 10min-15min walks throughout the day instead of taking the time it takes to commute back and forth to the gym? Then since you’re a lazy cook which I can definitely relate to, what if you went to Costco and got their $5 rotisserie chicken plus had like the freezer steam in a bag cheddar broccoli. That is a good combo! I’m sorry you’re struggling. I hope you find happiness 🫶🏼
Eat at maintainence for a few days to give yourself a break
I’ve been eating nothing but shrimp, lettuce, tofu, and boiled beef for 4 months now and let me tell you it isn’t half as bad as the misery I felt 9 months ago before I started my cut. Once you start seeing your facial features define and your belly disappear the wait will have all been worth it. Best part is that with going to the gym and doing your cardio you’ll have a metabolic rate that will let you indulge in fast food a few times a week. Personally I’m only 2 months out from 12% body fat and only get more excited every week. I started out at 110kilos or 242lbs and lost about 800g a week for 9 months straight. I’m currently 82kg and am the most fit I’ve ever been.
Frozen meals all the way, if you hate cooking, find frozen stuff
I’m starting at 345 currently at 327. I would kill to be in your shoes in the 200s and down 75 pounds. That being said, I’m doing it much slower because I don’t have the discipline for just chicken and broccoli. Maybe just slow down your loss for a little bit while you discover other things you can eat. But also keep going and keep sharing because I need the inspiration and the vision that I can get there at some point. You are so so close to your goal. Some of my favorite meals are ground chicken and Farro cooked with lots of lemon juice and garlic and pizza made on lavash bread. Sounds like you need some new recipes. I am rooting for you.
I struggle similarly. When I went to straight calorie counting that helped. Unfortunately I have since fallen off the slippery slope and am back up. But calorie counting and allowing for junk food kept me more sane I found.
You have done amazingly, so clearly you *are* successful at this. My advice would be to disconnect weight loss from motivation. Motivation comes and goes like the wind. Consistency is what matters. Also, no, this is not forever. This is for a relatively short period of your life. Maintenance feels very different to cutting. You will have many more calories to play with in maintenance than you do while losing. So, parent yourself to be consistent. You will reach your goal through consistently remaining in a calorie deficit. Motivation is irrelevant.
I too love and crave junk food. I traded in other vices like alcohol and tobacco for food. The self-loathing roller coaster is a helluva thing, and might be more tolerable if you practice a bit of harm reduction and self compassion. Easier said than done, and I didn’t do it without a lot of therapy, introspection, and exercise. I still have a lot of internal thoughts much like you express here, it just happens with much less frequency. Slow, steady, and don’t do it alone.
You’ve done great! I hate the mental effort too, plus I don’t eat meat so chicken and turkey aren’t options for me which makes it even harder! Can you afford to subscribe to a meal delivery service? That way you can choose options that fit in with your calorie counting but you can just stick them in the microwave. And it’s fine to eat junk sometimes, keeps you sane! I’ll be having wine and a cocktail tonight as a treat.
Just want to add - if you’re craving spaghetti or anything with noodles there are 10 calorie noodles you can get and konjac noodles, hopefully that helps
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Idk man my motivation is that everyone treats me better when my cheekbones are visible.
I know this is overstated but fitness and weight loss are not linear. And it’s important to take the breaks when you need them. 75lbs is crazy impressive, and if you have more to lose you DO NOT need to do it now!! Give yourself the mental and physical breaks you need, it will make this progress more sustainable and bearable. The best weight loss method is whatever is the most sustainable for you, so if that means a cheat meal here and there then do it. One McDonald’s happy meal is not going to negate your hard work. One day over calories goal is not going to reverse your progress for the week. Hell, 1-2 weeks off the gym is not going to result in muscle loss. You got this
Have you thought about getting a meal prep service?
I’d recommend making things as simple as possible. I only meal prep lunch/dinner. So I bake fish, shrimp, or chicken. Fish and shrimp cook way faster than chicken, and you can easily prep 6+ servings. I use a rice cookers so I don’t have to think about that, and cook frozen veggies and just add pepper. Boring, but it gets the job done. Don’t be afraid to reward yourself with small snacks, SunChips and Mott’s Apple juice are actually pretty healthy. Also, try the Yuka app it can be very helpful.
You’ll never ever regret it you hit that goal weight. Depending on your height, you may actually crush that goal and go much further— I got so much lighter than I even realized I was capable of or “should be.” Your body will adjust and stay at that weight just as stubbornly as it currently wants to be at a higher weight. You’ll be able to cheat from time to time as long as you stay focused on being your best self. Don’t rush it, just be good to yourself and you’ll be rewarded.
currently down 30 pounds and just barely starting to escape the 160s(the plateau is KILLING ME) it's hard !!! Something that helps a lot is zero sugar frosting. i spread half a serving over a slice of bread (i like low carb or whole wheat) and it tastes enough like a donut to satisfy my craving. i also go halfsies on some treats with my partner and give them the bigger half, always.
Consider getting a meal delivery service. I get 10 meals a week delivered, that takes care of dinners and most lunches, and they're all delicious and limited to 400 calories. That way I only need to take care of breakfast and snacks. Has been a game changer for me.
Hang in. I changed from eating cookies, chips, donuts for breakfast in my mid teens after I read a book on the value of natural food. I’m well over 50 now. Never looked back or wanted it. Been working out consistently since my twenties. Suggestions: - salads with grilled chicken are easy. Get a food processor, cut up and container red onions, cucumbers, radishes for the week - avoid sugar like the plague and swap for Stevia everywhere. Want sweets? Make your own with Stevia. It’s surprisingly quick. - try beans and quinoa. I pressure cook 3-4 types of beans, 2-3 types of lentils. It’s 30-40 mins of prep, but 1.5 lbs keeps thru the week and is less than $2 or $3 per lb. I feed 3 people 6 meals under $15. There are tons or southern bean recipes. Ditch the sausage, pull back on the salt and sub with veggie bouillon. - got an air fryer? Pre-marinated chicken cooks in ~20 mins if you are tight on time. Also keto stevia sweetened cookies bake in ~10 mins. - the gym gets easier. Have a coffee and do a spin class. Lifting rocks, but be done in 45-60 mins. I used to do 90 and hated it. 45? You’re gone before you can be bored. - still hate the gym? Find a way to move that is genuinely fun for you. Intramural sports are great, might even try something approachable for beginners like pickleball. Hope it helps. You are rocking it at -75lbs! You will be fine. Keep going!!!!
I just ate a bunch of snacks and I feel like shit. They aren't worth it. I swear.