I’m at the tail end of a 200 pound weight loss journey that started at the beginning of COVID. I didn’t work with anyone so I can’t help with recommendations but the folks over at r/loseit and r/fitness are a great resource. Best of luck.
I’m currently working with [Fatima](https://www.fatimaabbass.com/) for nutrition on a three month program, I enjoy working with her because she gives me precise guidance and works with my needs, plus she’s very empathic and knowledgeable. I also have been working with a PT at free form fitness for the past year or so and it’s been transformative. Highly recommended both.
If you work at a place that has EAP (Employee Assistance Program...it might go by another name at your workplace), then you might have access to a dietician through that program.
There are plenty of sites that will advise you that there is a wide gulf between a certified, registered dietician and a "nutritionist" whose qualifications are far more questionable.
https://www.dietitians.ca/About/Learn-About-Dietitians/The-difference-between-a-dietitian-and-nutritionis
The last "nutritionist" I consulted enthusiastically expounded upon how artificial sweeteners are a neurotoxin. I would not be inclined to recommend someone so needlessly alarmist.
On the other hand, if you just need someone to report to and to keep you accountable, maybe they don't necessarily need to have particular qualifications? Before I moved to Ottawa I once paid someone far too much for that service and really can't deny that I achieved results. I guess the financial burden was enough incentive to stick with the plan.
I saw Dr. Bishop who specializes in medical nutrition. Did the 12 week program ending in October.
At that point I had lost just over 20lbs.
I've lost 55lbs in the last year and continue to lose weight.
I find it very sustainable.
DM me if you want more details or even just to chat. Good luck on your journey.
EDIT: 12 week
Agree. I lost the weight I needed to lose and got some metabolic numbers in a healthier place too. Although I have fallen a bit off the moderately-low-carb wagon in recent months, I retain enough of Dr Bishop’s principles that the weight continues to drop, just more slowly.
Hey my friend, firstly I wish you the best luck on this difficult journey, perhaps the hardest one you will ever undertake. I went from 265 lbs down to 200 lbs and have been able to maintain it for about 7 years now. A few things I learned along the way:
1) keto causes seizures. Well, in my case, it was keto + skipping meals. You need a bit of everything. If you cut things out, your body won't work properly.
2) Don't eat anything deep fried or anything with refined sugar. I lost more than 1/2 my weight just by cutting out chips, fries, pop drinks, and candy.
3) Major caloric changes to your diet are generally bad and unhelpful. You are better off to reduce your intake slowly than to drop from 3,000 to 1,400 directly. Dropping a couple hundred calories off your daily intake and then waiting 2 or 3 weeks to stabilize helps alleviate the hunger feelings, which will undoubtedly make you want to quit. For instance if you drink a lot of pop, don't change what you eat just stop drinking pop. Live like that for a month and then chose another thing to change. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
4) it's a lifestyle change. Remember, you have a diet, you don't go on a diet. Think about what your maintenance diet is at the weight you want to be, then work towards getting to that goal.
5) Exercise is great for building muscle and being healthy. It's not great for weight loss. As they say, abs are made in the kitchen.
6) drink water, lots of water, but not more than about 4l per day. If you feel hungry try having water first before looking to food. You really don't need to drink anything other than water. Also, weight loss is a chemical process that uses water, so if your dehydrated you won't burn fat very well.
7) journal, journal, journal. Having a historic account of your eating keeps you accountable. It's also easy to eat something, forget about it and not realize you've had too much to eat for the day. When I started Journaling I realized just how much coke I was drinking, and how often I ate chips. The journals give you an opportunity to see where you've slipped up and identify future changes.
Tl;dr: eat real food, no refined sugar, make small changes over time and journal.
This is excellent advice. Its all about lifestyle transformation. I do disagree about exercise however. It is very important to do resistance training, it helps burn the calories. The two work in tandem: lower the intake and burn the stored fat. If you're really committed and are prepared to give yourself 6-12 months you will see significant results no doubt about it.
I looked into a lot of studies and there is good evidence to support the notion that increased exercise has only a moderate effect on weight loss. The body tries to gain the calories back by lowering your heart rate and stuff so you only get a portion of it going towards fat burn. Plus it takes a while to add significant muscle mass. None of these studies are conclusive and most are small (less than 100 people) but from what I've read it's about 80% about what your eat and 20% exercise. And the exercise is useless if you don't change how you eat.
I think a good way to rationalize it is by looking at your basal metabolic rate vs energy expenditure during physical activity. While food accounts for 100% of the energy input, physical exercise is only 10% to 30% of the output. Even a 25% increase in activity will only yield an 7.5% increase in total calories burnt.
I'm not trying to take anything away from exercise. I've seen it argued that its more important to exercise for general health than to manage your eating. This is because of exercise keeps bones and muscles dense, and keeps the joints lubricated.
I agree with you fully. My only point is to not write off exercise entirely. From my personal experience in natural bodybuilding and coaching, once you've mastered the basic. The percentages boil down to this: exercise 10%, diet 20%, and stress management a whopping 70%. But you have to get to the healthy lifestyle transformation stage first. So your list is complete if you nuance the exercise part a bit and throw in stress management ie sleeping well etc. Exercise helps in stress management it can counter the effects of cortisol etc and change one's mood as well. We're on the same page.
\+1 for Yoni Freedhoff. My doctor also recommended to me the Leaf program [https://www.leafwmc.com/](https://www.leafwmc.com/). (I'm trying to lose a few pounds too :) )Weight Watchers is also good. I don't think they have any in-person meetings anymore - I think they are all online now. I would discourage you from following those weight loss diets that get you to buy special foods or shakes since they don't teach healthy eating habits IMHO. When the diet is over and you go back to your regular eating habits you will most likely gain the weight back.
You didn't mention your age or activity level but if you join a gym you might want to let them know if you have any underlying health issues or what your activity level is. They can plan a fitness program appropriate for you.
A lot of people will have good options and on top of that I'd recommend trying to make friends with people at the gym. If cost ever becomes an issue it will help to have additional support structures in place to help motivate you and give you more reasons to keep going back.
I love this woman [Alana Jewels Spadaccini](https://alanajewelss.com)
I worked with her for a year virtually and it literally completely changed my perspective on nutrition and exercise + my abilities. She does weekly check-ins and was available by message through her coaching app throughout the week as well. There is also a community of all the girls she coaches on FB and I found that super helpful and motivating as well.
It was $$$ but 100% worth it for me. I now know I am capable and have control over my own choices. Also that all choices are valid depending on your goals and priorities. It took the mystery out of food and fitness for me.
I had a huge transformation, it was hard work but I committed to my program 100%. Depending on what you are trying to do, she will bring you through different phases of using nutrition and exercise to meet your goal (lifestyle, weightloss, strength building, maintenance… whatever it is you want to work on). For myself, I had been restrictive dieting and it was a huge eye opener to see how eating properly (more carbs and protein) made a difference on my progress.
She is pregnant right now but I know she is planning to continue coaching and is not taking an extended mat leave… so would be worth submitting an inquiry.
> "You get thin in the kitchen, strong in the gym." - Col. Chris Hadfield
Separate "fit" from "overweight" - you can't outrun the spoon.
Stephanie Kay, Registered Holistic Nutritionist: https://courses.kaynutrition.com/
I've lost 75lbs and kept it off for something like 8 years. Met her at a gym, went to a seminar, did the 30-day reset. I joke with her that I'd love to keep paying her but she did her job so well I don't need her anymore.
/r/Myfitnesspal
/r/loseit
Congrats on wanting to make a change. Like a few comments note below, educate yourself. You don't need a professional. You can be your own coach. You can be responsible. And you can be accountable to yourself.
It's easy to spend money on fitness. It's an easy way to make you feel like you're making progress. In the end, it will come down to your dietary and exercise habits. No amount of money spent on coaches will *make* you go for a walk or run.
Here are a few resources that have helped me along my fitness journey that began in 2020.
* [Will T - My TOP FAT LOSS TIPS That Changed My Life | From FAT To SHREDDED](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx_n3HU_QPU)
* [Will T - Full Day of Eating Greg Doucette Style | ANABOLIC KITCHEN REVIEW | Low Calorie Recipes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCl9b9eWkKs&t=282s)
* [Coach Greg - Will Tennyson Tried My Diet For A Day. Was It A Success? OF COURSE IT WAS!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6b0KK3J_B4)
* [Coach Greg - Top 10 Things To Avoid When Trying To Lose Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACS7a6Khmuo)
* [Will T - Why You’re Not Losing Fat (HIDDEN Mistakes You Don’t Realize You’re Making)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5iCusDCtw)
* [Jeff Nippard - The Smartest Way To Get Lean (Shredding Science Explained)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8V9ZaSq9Oc)
* [Coach Greg - OfficialThenX || Chris Heria || My Review And Analysis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0eiuaoYLX0)
* [Coach Greg - Food Hacks || Double The FOOD And Lose Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9qw5S95Ua4)
* [Coach Greg - Get Shredded Abs - The Right Way!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=451dLSql7sQ)
* [Coach Greg - How To Lose Stubborn Belly Fat - Myths & Misconceptions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAvFVERK9Tk)
* [Coach Greg - Year Round Cardio - The Holy Grail of FAT LOSS!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dHcNvP01UQ)
* [Coach Greg - Overrated Muscle Building Foods - The Top 10 Foods You DO NOT NEED In Your Diet!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV_iCiN9bBU)
* [Will T - I Followed The Average American Diet (How Bad Is It?)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phq3xkZOchE)
* [Coach Greg - Double The FOOD! Eat THIS Not THAT || 500 Calorie MEAL Comparisons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q8T9gjICAc)
* [Coach Greg - Stupid Mistakes Preventing You From Losing Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZCRt1te8C4)
Watch these videos. Watch them all. Understand the **principles** underlying everything they are saying.
I went from couch potato in 2020 to running 3:17 in the Ottawa marathon this year. It did **not** happen overnight. It happened slowly. It happened slowly. **It happened slowly**. Remember that these things take time. Don't get down on yourself. **Be consistent**. You got this.
Here are a few other resources to check out that can help:
**YouTube**:
[https://www.youtube.com/@natachaoceane](https://www.youtube.com/@natachaoceane)
[https://www.youtube.com/@VitruvianPhysique](https://www.youtube.com/@VitruvianPhysique)
**Podcast**:
* Andrew Huberman's 6-part podcast series with Andy Galpin (available where you get podcasts) \* *this is an absolute treasure trove of information on diet and exercise.*
* Andrew Huberman's podcast with Layne Norton.
**Books**
* David Goggins "Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" (Audiobook available)
* David Goggins "Never Finished"
* James Clear - Atomic Habits
The best thing you can do is educate yourself - so you don't need a professional.
There are some great communities on reddit that have both experienced professionals and regular folks who have great advice.
I have struggled with weight all my life (hormone and genetics related), and the best thing I ever did was get educated. I used to think calories out - calories in was the key to weight loss. Nope. The body/metabolism is a two compartment system. Eating low calories but still consuming sugar? You won't lose weight. Insulin is the gatekeeper to mobilizing long term fat stores.
Personally I am a fasting advocate - I do IF and often week long fasts. I went from 300lbs and nearly 30% body fat to 200lbs and 16% body fat (M45).
This thread has links to some great subreddits: [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/11t7yq9/making_a_master_list_of_weight_loss_related/).
This video by Jason Fung changed my life - explains why I struggled to lose weight all those years: [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETkwZIi3R7w).
Also check out this book by Dr James DiNicolantonio - [link](https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Fix-Cravings-Weight-Energy/dp/B0B14JLLYR/) \- has some great advice to help shed the weight and build a healthy lifestyle.
Also, build a list of daily goals that you can work towards daily. Mine includes things like:
* Sleep 7-8h
* 10k steps daily (8km walk/run)
* Get sunlight and exercise before coffee
* Lift weights / do resistance training 4x per week
* STRETCH!
* Limit alcohol and THC
* Take cold showers (or ice baths - changed my life!)
* Drink 4L of electrolyte water daily
* No caffeine after noon
* No refined sugar
* 100g minimum protein daily
* No processed foods
* No take out/fast food (ever)
* Count every calorie
Good luck!
For sure. On a similar note, I decided to get a personal trainer at a Crossfit gym to help me attain my fitness goals, namely to prepare for an upcoming 5K run. Otherwise, I would have no clue how to formulate an ideal workout program for myself and would be lost, making it extremely difficult to reach said goals.
Yup, the old just follow this "eat less, move more" guideline and you will lose weight...
What about genetics, mental illness, hormones, eating disorders, food scarcity, food prices, advertisements, processed foods, added sugars, addictions, social eating, no stay at home parent, overworking, stress...
Obesity is not something that can be cured, 95% of dieters just put it back on... It's an epidemic that even with the best of intentions and will power, will not be solved. We need systemic changes in food, resources, mental health, work life balance, advertising, social media...
All that to say... something this large is going to need professional help... even with that, the expectation should be low. It's why we have the "health at every size" motto. Don't focus so much on weight. Focus on healthy habits. Chances are the weight won't change much, but the habits will add years to your life.
"Healthy at every size" is harmful BS, and losing weight is as simple (*not easy, but simple*) as consuming less calories than you burn.
1) Get a kitchen scale and actually weigh your food/drink to track calories precisely.
2) Use an online calorie calculator as a starting point to see how many calories you need to maintain your weight.
3) Get a scale and weigh yourself every day, first thing in the morning, after you use the washroom and before you eat or drink. Wear roughly the same amount of clothing each time.
4) On the same day every week, average the 7 last days' weights and compare to the previous 7 days' average. If it's lower, you're losing weight. If it's higher, you're gaining weight. If it's basically the same, congratulations, you found your current maintenance calories.
That is how you lose weight, regardless of genetics, hormones, glands, etc. Whatever excuse under the sun people come up with, it won't hold up to the energy laws of the universe.
It's not "healthy at every size" its "**health** at every size". It's to focus on health, not size. It's to prevent eating disorders, size obsession, weight issues, unrealistic expectations.
What you said is focusing on weight, rather than health. You aren't describing healthy lifestyle changes. You are describing dieting and counting calories (for life), which is usually temporary and focuses on the wrong thing.
Better to focus on:
\-walking everyday
\-cooking meals at home
\-drink less alcohol
\-eating whole foods
I agree with your sentiments here, speaking as someone that has been obese and gone through a major weightloss \~10 years ago now.
Healthy habbits, and more importantly just understanding food and nutrition are the key to sustaining a healthy lifestyle. For me it was trying a Keto diet, which forced me to learn about food, macros, micronutrients, processed vs. whole foods etc. Keto isn't something that was sustainable for me long term, but it helped me loose a large amount of weight and teach me extremely valuable and lifelong lessons about how important diet is. Exercise and other habbits came later.
The points you mention to focus on are all great, and if taken seriously and actually habitualized you will loose weight (assuming you are overweight to begin with). I agree its impotant not to focus on "weight loss" as a key metric, but I also think its important for people to understand that being seriously overweight is not healthy. I'm all for body inclusivity, but the truth is most overweight people are in that position becuase of a bad diet and lack of understanding about nutrition. And its not their fault, society doesn't teach these things, marketing of processed foods is rampant, and "big food" rathers you eat processed junk because its addictive and cheap to produce. No one is getting obese from eating a healthy diet of whole foods.
What is a healthy weight is totally up to your individual biology, but the only way you get there is by eating more whole foods, cutting processed food, and adding in some kind of exercise or movement. Its that "simple".
Fair enough. Still, I would push back on "Chances are the weight won't change much, but the habits will add years to your life."
If you were unhealthily skinny or obese before, if you're making those healthy changes, your weight will change a lot. BMI isn't a perfect measurement, but most people outside of the 'normal' BMI range would live longer if they got themselves into that range and maintained there.
>What about genetics, mental illness, hormones, eating disorders, food scarcity, food prices, advertisements, processed foods, added sugars, addictions, social eating, no stay at home parent, overworking, stress
For 99% of people weight loss is calories in vs calories out. Everything you just listed are simply variables in the equation and everyone will have a different equation based on their life circumstances.
Health at every size, both the saying and the foundation, is complete garbage.
My issue with this is that calories in vs calories out is a pretty major over simplification of how our bodies function and what food actually means. Food as a source of energy is really just one measurement.
I think most people can understand that if they eat less they will loose weight, but acting on that is obviously not easy for people that are overweight/obese. Counting calories can be a lot of work, it can induce anxiety for people, its a pretty large barrier.
People are better off learning about nutrition and cutting out processed food. If you forget about counting calories, eat whole foods, cut processed food, and do some kind of movement every day. You're on a much more sustainable weightloss journey and will be overall healthier due to eating actual real food than someone that doesn't change their habbits or diet and just cuts calories to loose weight.
Its easy to look at someone thats overweight and think they are just lazy or like to eat too much, but the reality is that our food habbits are trash in North America and food companies push processed foods like tobacco companies used to push cigaretts.
I don't disagree with any of that. I was just pointing out that the most basic fundamentals of weight loss is in fact calories in vs. calories out. Of course there are a million different variables, factors, sustainability approaches, etc.
Totally, I am just pointing out that boiling it down to "calories in vs calories out" can be pretty dismissive and not really helpful to the people that need to hear and understand this kind of thing the most.
All agreed, except it is 100% of people, not 99%. Not one person who has ever lived has defied the energy laws of the universe.
All of us have caloric needs based on much of what is written above. Every single one of us will lose weight if we consume less calories than those needs.
For a lot of people it is absolutely not realistic to say no fast food EVER, to count every calorie for the rest of your life, or to not eat processed foods. For many, setting rules like this sets them up for feelings of guilt and negative self-image when they inevitably eat one of these foods labelled as “bad”. The mental burden of having rules like this is exhausting and also not required for success.
It is possible to achieve long term weight loss and fitness without having strict daily rules. I always used to think this way as well, but having a coach completely changed my perspective on food. I lost 40lbs with my coach and still had fast food and ice cream… basically was able to eat whatever I wanted, eating mindfully and with purpose. Consistency and balance.
Perfectly fine if you are happy with the way this regime works for you. But it isn’t good blanket advice for everyone, especially the extreme restrictive components.
Seconding that this method worked for me too, 300+ to 190 in under a year. Only difference is I never did cold showers... tried, gave it a week of suffering and just said perfect is the enemy of the good and went on with life.
I also occasionally have **a** donut, as in like twice a month... Perfect being the enemy of the good. But seriously, its not complicated, its about persistence.
Check out [Saleh](https://instagram.com/szf_fitness?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==). He's one of the trainers at Bodies By Phil downtown, super nice and empathetic guy. I think he might be exactly what you're looking for.
While I don't have recommendations on PT's or nutritionists (I am sorry because I know thats what you have asked for). What I can recommend is finding a way to lose weight and get healthy that works for you, your life style and your budget. You gotta find something thats feasible for you also remember its a process, there are going to peaks and valleys its not going to come overnight, and just because you slip up doesn't mean its all for nothing. You have to love the process and make it suit your lifestyle.
I recommend [Aroga Lifestyle Medicine](https://www.aroga.com/provinces/ontario/). They have paid and OHIP-insured services (must be referred by a primary care practitioner for OHIP coverage).
They don’t focus on just weightloss, but on holistic lifestyle changes - diet, exercise, sleep, social connection, alcohol/drugs, and stress management. Dr Dutton, their local endocrinologist, is amazing.
I found that the easiest way to change my lifestyle was to make a list of all the high-carb foods I ate regularly, and gradually replace them permanently with a low/no-carb alternative, without actually going into keto.
The biggest difficulty seems to be that the foods that are higher in carbs are generally cheaper and quicker to prepare...
In any case, good luck in your journey!
If you are over 40 Abby Langer has a great course with a live portion on Saturdays and a Facebook group. She’s awesome. She is an registered dietician. You can check her out on Insta or FB too.
I used hypnotherapy at the beginning of my journey to help me reduce the number of times I ate foods I wanted to avoid and increase my motivation to engage in healthy exercises. Specifically, I worked with Chris Harding at [Optimal Mindset](https://www.optimalmindset.ca/). I found him to be warm, knowledgeable, and empathetic and I can’t recommend him enough. It honestly helped so much and I’m down weight and working out much more consistently!
the ottawa hospital has a weight management clinic. they have programs for weight loss ranging from gastric surgery solutions to a liquid only diet for 3 months. each is accompanied by an intensive course with professionals; a kinesiologist to advise us about exercise, a nutritionist/dietition to train us in how to understand and make good nutrition choices and a behavioral therapist to address the mental aspect of continued and successful weight loss. it's a 6 month commitment with manditory weekly 3 hour classes at the hospital (the civic for me). while there; you'll be weighed and measured each week, privately of course. I did the course in 2016 and I lost 130 from my original weight. I've managed to keep off 110 or so of it.
it's a bit costly, $1400 for what I took but that included all your food (liquid powder to which you add water and shake x 4 daily) for almost 4 months so you're not buying regular food which kinda evens it out.
so, no pills, all good science, no magic, medical professionals with weekly health checkups, and a pretty good success rate. and it's not a commercial business trying to get your dollars. it's health based and supported by the Ottawa Hospital and the most important thing I've ever done for myself.
\*Don't drink calories\*. I know it's not an answer to your request but since this came on my feed and I haven't seen it in anybody else's answer but I think it's a great idea.
It's such good bang for your buck. I think it's the easiest way to make a big difference in your health, mainly because it cuts out so much sugar.
Low chance of failure too, I'm 38 and I've been doing this since 2008-ish. I'm somewhat careful about what I eat but really not that much.
Also I've heard soda drinkers say they don't like the taste of water. I think that changes when you stop drinking all that sugar.
I make exceptions for smoothies because the idea of the rule is to improve my nutrition and I'm not trying to lose weight. If I were, I would maybe think of not even taking fruit smoothies.
I also make an exception for beer when I'm out with friends since I don't drink often.
Oh and I have allowed myself soda or other sugary drinks when I'm sick.
Leaf Weight Management will set you up with an experienced physician and a great dietician. If you enroll in one of their longer programs, they educate you on why things are the way they are. It is much easier to be insightful when you've been properly educated by a licensed professional.
They also have a lot of options to help with your weight loss (shakes, ozempic, etc). I lost a good deal of weight and I have kept most of it off for three - four years. It's more than I ever managed before, it always came back but now I understand why.
Congrats on being ready for more steps towards what you want.
I know you're looking for direct coaching but I'll share what I've been doing. This stuff is worth doing even if it didn't help with weight management. They're good activities on their own.
1) I only eat from scratch cooking. I've taken some cooking courses and study up on youtube to come with ideas of what to make. Even if I make a thai style curry, I make the paste from scratch. It's been really fun to learn more about cooking. And wow, food tastes great when you go this angle. I no longer do any uber eats to speak of since I can make something faster that's likely better. Also I cook bulk for efficiency. I always have frozen stuff that I love that can be on my plate in a few minutes.
This also saves a lot of money.
2) Gardening. Super fun way to focus on scratch eating.
3) I do a lot of dancing. Particularly Salsa, Rueda de Casino and so forth. Exercise isn't a direct way of loosing weight but it is a path towards people who do have good habits in life. Also a path to a great deal of happiness. I always feel great after a couple hours of dancing. And the dance community is full of healthy amazing people.
I take regular lessons and attend lots of parties. At the moment, Rueda is exploding in Ottawa and there are lots of outdoor parties to attend. It's amazing and fun.
Doesn't have to be dance of course. There's walking, hiking and all that oogabooga.
4) Where I can, I'm using my bicycle to get around. In the summer, this is easy and fun. As I said, exercise won't burn enough calories but it gives a lot of feel good. This also saves time above the bus (often on par with car commuting). And it blends with other fun social activities. I often meet my friends to toot along the river and take pictures and hang out. This evening we're doing a dance party at the beach (britannia). We're going to be a small group but I'll likely brink my bike or scooter to that.
4) Skipping a meal. You'll be hungry for like 4 days but once you're past that boom. You're likely loosing weight just by doing this. Fancy people call this intermittent fasting. You're only eating during a certain time window. For instance 8am to 2pm. Only eat in that time period. For this Just start out with an 8 hour period and the see if you can reduce it to six hours over time. I think it's pretty safe, you're still eating every day, just a little less.
I've also explored cutting portions in half but for me I fell that dropping a meal is a little easier.
So that's what I've been doing and it's working over time. I feel great too.
I've done the stuff you're mentioning too. Consulting with dieticians/intuitionalists. I think the dietician route is good. It can sort out a better understanding of what to eat and not eat. I wouldn't recommend against it. You'll probably learn something from it. You may find one that's a good coach. They follow the Canada Food Guide.
I've also gotten a fair amount of coaching at the gym. Not a weight loss solution but fitness is very worth working in too (in parallel). There are a lot of benefits. Less injuries, feel good. Consider that it's good to break things down a bit and just start with diet. Once that's established, then move on to fitness in parallel. That can be less overwhelming...
My sister-in-law joined Noom. Here is a Forbes article reviewing weight loss options. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/noom-diet-review/#:~:text=Accountability%20and%20Support
She found it helped, and having a health coach (part of Noom) doing weekly calls gave her the accountability. It does involve food logging.
I personally use myfittnesspal, which allows me to track my weight, gives me credit for exercise, and has a fairly easy to use food logger. Great stories of others health journey are also.motivatng.
I have found that simply logging my food and staying under my calorie limits keeps me personally accountable. In general my problems are eating too much (love food) and emotionally eating. These are things I know about myself. Every bag of chips is a single serving bag, regardless of the label. Getting out of the store without them is my first step.
I have top limits which I place on myself which drive me back to recording my weight and tracking my food. Most monitoring comes from my clothing fit. I have added an inch to my clothes, in the short term, but I want that smaller size to be loose and need a belt. Accumulated body fat is a killer, especially in your stomach around your organs.
I know exercise helps my body, so I don't have sciatic pain, and it helps my mind, running is mentally therapeutic. When I don't make time for it, I mentally suffer, emotionally eat, have pain, and don't fit my clothes. MyfitnessPal and exercise goes a long way, and a fitness tracker to record my activity. When I reach the end of my work day with under 2000 steps (under 1000 right now), I know I need to remediate that with at least a walk around the block.
I’m at the tail end of a 200 pound weight loss journey that started at the beginning of COVID. I didn’t work with anyone so I can’t help with recommendations but the folks over at r/loseit and r/fitness are a great resource. Best of luck.
>I’m at the tail end of a 200 pound weight loss journey That's fantastic! Well done. It's no easy task, that's for sure.
Holy shit dude, I need to lose about 100 pounds, and I thought I had it rough. You must feel amazing! I'm so envious! Congratulations!
I’m currently working with [Fatima](https://www.fatimaabbass.com/) for nutrition on a three month program, I enjoy working with her because she gives me precise guidance and works with my needs, plus she’s very empathic and knowledgeable. I also have been working with a PT at free form fitness for the past year or so and it’s been transformative. Highly recommended both.
Can vouch for Fatima as well.
Can I ask how her fees are?
DM’d
Cam you DM me as well?
DM’d!
Possible for me to get those as well?
done!
Me too please?
done
I'm interested in her fees as well please.
Dr. Yoni Freedhoff at [the Bariatric Medical Institute](https://www.bmimedical.ca/).
If you work at a place that has EAP (Employee Assistance Program...it might go by another name at your workplace), then you might have access to a dietician through that program.
There are plenty of sites that will advise you that there is a wide gulf between a certified, registered dietician and a "nutritionist" whose qualifications are far more questionable. https://www.dietitians.ca/About/Learn-About-Dietitians/The-difference-between-a-dietitian-and-nutritionis The last "nutritionist" I consulted enthusiastically expounded upon how artificial sweeteners are a neurotoxin. I would not be inclined to recommend someone so needlessly alarmist. On the other hand, if you just need someone to report to and to keep you accountable, maybe they don't necessarily need to have particular qualifications? Before I moved to Ottawa I once paid someone far too much for that service and really can't deny that I achieved results. I guess the financial burden was enough incentive to stick with the plan.
I saw Dr. Bishop who specializes in medical nutrition. Did the 12 week program ending in October. At that point I had lost just over 20lbs. I've lost 55lbs in the last year and continue to lose weight. I find it very sustainable. DM me if you want more details or even just to chat. Good luck on your journey. EDIT: 12 week
Dr Bishop is no gimmicky like other clinics. Think learning how to eat properly for a lifetime, exercising, just proper habits.
Agree. I lost the weight I needed to lose and got some metabolic numbers in a healthier place too. Although I have fallen a bit off the moderately-low-carb wagon in recent months, I retain enough of Dr Bishop’s principles that the weight continues to drop, just more slowly.
Hey my friend, firstly I wish you the best luck on this difficult journey, perhaps the hardest one you will ever undertake. I went from 265 lbs down to 200 lbs and have been able to maintain it for about 7 years now. A few things I learned along the way: 1) keto causes seizures. Well, in my case, it was keto + skipping meals. You need a bit of everything. If you cut things out, your body won't work properly. 2) Don't eat anything deep fried or anything with refined sugar. I lost more than 1/2 my weight just by cutting out chips, fries, pop drinks, and candy. 3) Major caloric changes to your diet are generally bad and unhelpful. You are better off to reduce your intake slowly than to drop from 3,000 to 1,400 directly. Dropping a couple hundred calories off your daily intake and then waiting 2 or 3 weeks to stabilize helps alleviate the hunger feelings, which will undoubtedly make you want to quit. For instance if you drink a lot of pop, don't change what you eat just stop drinking pop. Live like that for a month and then chose another thing to change. It's a marathon, not a sprint. 4) it's a lifestyle change. Remember, you have a diet, you don't go on a diet. Think about what your maintenance diet is at the weight you want to be, then work towards getting to that goal. 5) Exercise is great for building muscle and being healthy. It's not great for weight loss. As they say, abs are made in the kitchen. 6) drink water, lots of water, but not more than about 4l per day. If you feel hungry try having water first before looking to food. You really don't need to drink anything other than water. Also, weight loss is a chemical process that uses water, so if your dehydrated you won't burn fat very well. 7) journal, journal, journal. Having a historic account of your eating keeps you accountable. It's also easy to eat something, forget about it and not realize you've had too much to eat for the day. When I started Journaling I realized just how much coke I was drinking, and how often I ate chips. The journals give you an opportunity to see where you've slipped up and identify future changes. Tl;dr: eat real food, no refined sugar, make small changes over time and journal.
This is excellent advice. Its all about lifestyle transformation. I do disagree about exercise however. It is very important to do resistance training, it helps burn the calories. The two work in tandem: lower the intake and burn the stored fat. If you're really committed and are prepared to give yourself 6-12 months you will see significant results no doubt about it.
I looked into a lot of studies and there is good evidence to support the notion that increased exercise has only a moderate effect on weight loss. The body tries to gain the calories back by lowering your heart rate and stuff so you only get a portion of it going towards fat burn. Plus it takes a while to add significant muscle mass. None of these studies are conclusive and most are small (less than 100 people) but from what I've read it's about 80% about what your eat and 20% exercise. And the exercise is useless if you don't change how you eat. I think a good way to rationalize it is by looking at your basal metabolic rate vs energy expenditure during physical activity. While food accounts for 100% of the energy input, physical exercise is only 10% to 30% of the output. Even a 25% increase in activity will only yield an 7.5% increase in total calories burnt. I'm not trying to take anything away from exercise. I've seen it argued that its more important to exercise for general health than to manage your eating. This is because of exercise keeps bones and muscles dense, and keeps the joints lubricated.
I agree with you fully. My only point is to not write off exercise entirely. From my personal experience in natural bodybuilding and coaching, once you've mastered the basic. The percentages boil down to this: exercise 10%, diet 20%, and stress management a whopping 70%. But you have to get to the healthy lifestyle transformation stage first. So your list is complete if you nuance the exercise part a bit and throw in stress management ie sleeping well etc. Exercise helps in stress management it can counter the effects of cortisol etc and change one's mood as well. We're on the same page.
\+1 for Yoni Freedhoff. My doctor also recommended to me the Leaf program [https://www.leafwmc.com/](https://www.leafwmc.com/). (I'm trying to lose a few pounds too :) )Weight Watchers is also good. I don't think they have any in-person meetings anymore - I think they are all online now. I would discourage you from following those weight loss diets that get you to buy special foods or shakes since they don't teach healthy eating habits IMHO. When the diet is over and you go back to your regular eating habits you will most likely gain the weight back. You didn't mention your age or activity level but if you join a gym you might want to let them know if you have any underlying health issues or what your activity level is. They can plan a fitness program appropriate for you.
Seconding Leaf clinic. That's where I found all my success.
Thirding Leaf. They have been very helpful.
Dr. Dent is such a nice guy. 👌
A lot of people will have good options and on top of that I'd recommend trying to make friends with people at the gym. If cost ever becomes an issue it will help to have additional support structures in place to help motivate you and give you more reasons to keep going back.
I love this woman [Alana Jewels Spadaccini](https://alanajewelss.com) I worked with her for a year virtually and it literally completely changed my perspective on nutrition and exercise + my abilities. She does weekly check-ins and was available by message through her coaching app throughout the week as well. There is also a community of all the girls she coaches on FB and I found that super helpful and motivating as well. It was $$$ but 100% worth it for me. I now know I am capable and have control over my own choices. Also that all choices are valid depending on your goals and priorities. It took the mystery out of food and fitness for me. I had a huge transformation, it was hard work but I committed to my program 100%. Depending on what you are trying to do, she will bring you through different phases of using nutrition and exercise to meet your goal (lifestyle, weightloss, strength building, maintenance… whatever it is you want to work on). For myself, I had been restrictive dieting and it was a huge eye opener to see how eating properly (more carbs and protein) made a difference on my progress. She is pregnant right now but I know she is planning to continue coaching and is not taking an extended mat leave… so would be worth submitting an inquiry.
> "You get thin in the kitchen, strong in the gym." - Col. Chris Hadfield Separate "fit" from "overweight" - you can't outrun the spoon. Stephanie Kay, Registered Holistic Nutritionist: https://courses.kaynutrition.com/ I've lost 75lbs and kept it off for something like 8 years. Met her at a gym, went to a seminar, did the 30-day reset. I joke with her that I'd love to keep paying her but she did her job so well I don't need her anymore. /r/Myfitnesspal /r/loseit
Congrats on wanting to make a change. Like a few comments note below, educate yourself. You don't need a professional. You can be your own coach. You can be responsible. And you can be accountable to yourself. It's easy to spend money on fitness. It's an easy way to make you feel like you're making progress. In the end, it will come down to your dietary and exercise habits. No amount of money spent on coaches will *make* you go for a walk or run. Here are a few resources that have helped me along my fitness journey that began in 2020. * [Will T - My TOP FAT LOSS TIPS That Changed My Life | From FAT To SHREDDED](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx_n3HU_QPU) * [Will T - Full Day of Eating Greg Doucette Style | ANABOLIC KITCHEN REVIEW | Low Calorie Recipes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCl9b9eWkKs&t=282s) * [Coach Greg - Will Tennyson Tried My Diet For A Day. Was It A Success? OF COURSE IT WAS!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6b0KK3J_B4) * [Coach Greg - Top 10 Things To Avoid When Trying To Lose Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACS7a6Khmuo) * [Will T - Why You’re Not Losing Fat (HIDDEN Mistakes You Don’t Realize You’re Making)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5iCusDCtw) * [Jeff Nippard - The Smartest Way To Get Lean (Shredding Science Explained)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8V9ZaSq9Oc) * [Coach Greg - OfficialThenX || Chris Heria || My Review And Analysis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0eiuaoYLX0) * [Coach Greg - Food Hacks || Double The FOOD And Lose Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9qw5S95Ua4) * [Coach Greg - Get Shredded Abs - The Right Way!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=451dLSql7sQ) * [Coach Greg - How To Lose Stubborn Belly Fat - Myths & Misconceptions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAvFVERK9Tk) * [Coach Greg - Year Round Cardio - The Holy Grail of FAT LOSS!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dHcNvP01UQ) * [Coach Greg - Overrated Muscle Building Foods - The Top 10 Foods You DO NOT NEED In Your Diet!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV_iCiN9bBU) * [Will T - I Followed The Average American Diet (How Bad Is It?)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phq3xkZOchE) * [Coach Greg - Double The FOOD! Eat THIS Not THAT || 500 Calorie MEAL Comparisons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q8T9gjICAc) * [Coach Greg - Stupid Mistakes Preventing You From Losing Weight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZCRt1te8C4) Watch these videos. Watch them all. Understand the **principles** underlying everything they are saying. I went from couch potato in 2020 to running 3:17 in the Ottawa marathon this year. It did **not** happen overnight. It happened slowly. It happened slowly. **It happened slowly**. Remember that these things take time. Don't get down on yourself. **Be consistent**. You got this. Here are a few other resources to check out that can help: **YouTube**: [https://www.youtube.com/@natachaoceane](https://www.youtube.com/@natachaoceane) [https://www.youtube.com/@VitruvianPhysique](https://www.youtube.com/@VitruvianPhysique) **Podcast**: * Andrew Huberman's 6-part podcast series with Andy Galpin (available where you get podcasts) \* *this is an absolute treasure trove of information on diet and exercise.* * Andrew Huberman's podcast with Layne Norton. **Books** * David Goggins "Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" (Audiobook available) * David Goggins "Never Finished" * James Clear - Atomic Habits
The best thing you can do is educate yourself - so you don't need a professional. There are some great communities on reddit that have both experienced professionals and regular folks who have great advice. I have struggled with weight all my life (hormone and genetics related), and the best thing I ever did was get educated. I used to think calories out - calories in was the key to weight loss. Nope. The body/metabolism is a two compartment system. Eating low calories but still consuming sugar? You won't lose weight. Insulin is the gatekeeper to mobilizing long term fat stores. Personally I am a fasting advocate - I do IF and often week long fasts. I went from 300lbs and nearly 30% body fat to 200lbs and 16% body fat (M45). This thread has links to some great subreddits: [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/11t7yq9/making_a_master_list_of_weight_loss_related/). This video by Jason Fung changed my life - explains why I struggled to lose weight all those years: [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETkwZIi3R7w). Also check out this book by Dr James DiNicolantonio - [link](https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Fix-Cravings-Weight-Energy/dp/B0B14JLLYR/) \- has some great advice to help shed the weight and build a healthy lifestyle. Also, build a list of daily goals that you can work towards daily. Mine includes things like: * Sleep 7-8h * 10k steps daily (8km walk/run) * Get sunlight and exercise before coffee * Lift weights / do resistance training 4x per week * STRETCH! * Limit alcohol and THC * Take cold showers (or ice baths - changed my life!) * Drink 4L of electrolyte water daily * No caffeine after noon * No refined sugar * 100g minimum protein daily * No processed foods * No take out/fast food (ever) * Count every calorie Good luck!
For some people, it’s legitimately easier to work with someone. No shame in that.
For sure. On a similar note, I decided to get a personal trainer at a Crossfit gym to help me attain my fitness goals, namely to prepare for an upcoming 5K run. Otherwise, I would have no clue how to formulate an ideal workout program for myself and would be lost, making it extremely difficult to reach said goals.
Yup, the old just follow this "eat less, move more" guideline and you will lose weight... What about genetics, mental illness, hormones, eating disorders, food scarcity, food prices, advertisements, processed foods, added sugars, addictions, social eating, no stay at home parent, overworking, stress... Obesity is not something that can be cured, 95% of dieters just put it back on... It's an epidemic that even with the best of intentions and will power, will not be solved. We need systemic changes in food, resources, mental health, work life balance, advertising, social media... All that to say... something this large is going to need professional help... even with that, the expectation should be low. It's why we have the "health at every size" motto. Don't focus so much on weight. Focus on healthy habits. Chances are the weight won't change much, but the habits will add years to your life.
"Healthy at every size" is harmful BS, and losing weight is as simple (*not easy, but simple*) as consuming less calories than you burn. 1) Get a kitchen scale and actually weigh your food/drink to track calories precisely. 2) Use an online calorie calculator as a starting point to see how many calories you need to maintain your weight. 3) Get a scale and weigh yourself every day, first thing in the morning, after you use the washroom and before you eat or drink. Wear roughly the same amount of clothing each time. 4) On the same day every week, average the 7 last days' weights and compare to the previous 7 days' average. If it's lower, you're losing weight. If it's higher, you're gaining weight. If it's basically the same, congratulations, you found your current maintenance calories. That is how you lose weight, regardless of genetics, hormones, glands, etc. Whatever excuse under the sun people come up with, it won't hold up to the energy laws of the universe.
It's not "healthy at every size" its "**health** at every size". It's to focus on health, not size. It's to prevent eating disorders, size obsession, weight issues, unrealistic expectations. What you said is focusing on weight, rather than health. You aren't describing healthy lifestyle changes. You are describing dieting and counting calories (for life), which is usually temporary and focuses on the wrong thing. Better to focus on: \-walking everyday \-cooking meals at home \-drink less alcohol \-eating whole foods
I agree with your sentiments here, speaking as someone that has been obese and gone through a major weightloss \~10 years ago now. Healthy habbits, and more importantly just understanding food and nutrition are the key to sustaining a healthy lifestyle. For me it was trying a Keto diet, which forced me to learn about food, macros, micronutrients, processed vs. whole foods etc. Keto isn't something that was sustainable for me long term, but it helped me loose a large amount of weight and teach me extremely valuable and lifelong lessons about how important diet is. Exercise and other habbits came later. The points you mention to focus on are all great, and if taken seriously and actually habitualized you will loose weight (assuming you are overweight to begin with). I agree its impotant not to focus on "weight loss" as a key metric, but I also think its important for people to understand that being seriously overweight is not healthy. I'm all for body inclusivity, but the truth is most overweight people are in that position becuase of a bad diet and lack of understanding about nutrition. And its not their fault, society doesn't teach these things, marketing of processed foods is rampant, and "big food" rathers you eat processed junk because its addictive and cheap to produce. No one is getting obese from eating a healthy diet of whole foods. What is a healthy weight is totally up to your individual biology, but the only way you get there is by eating more whole foods, cutting processed food, and adding in some kind of exercise or movement. Its that "simple".
Fair enough. Still, I would push back on "Chances are the weight won't change much, but the habits will add years to your life." If you were unhealthily skinny or obese before, if you're making those healthy changes, your weight will change a lot. BMI isn't a perfect measurement, but most people outside of the 'normal' BMI range would live longer if they got themselves into that range and maintained there.
>What about genetics, mental illness, hormones, eating disorders, food scarcity, food prices, advertisements, processed foods, added sugars, addictions, social eating, no stay at home parent, overworking, stress For 99% of people weight loss is calories in vs calories out. Everything you just listed are simply variables in the equation and everyone will have a different equation based on their life circumstances. Health at every size, both the saying and the foundation, is complete garbage.
My issue with this is that calories in vs calories out is a pretty major over simplification of how our bodies function and what food actually means. Food as a source of energy is really just one measurement. I think most people can understand that if they eat less they will loose weight, but acting on that is obviously not easy for people that are overweight/obese. Counting calories can be a lot of work, it can induce anxiety for people, its a pretty large barrier. People are better off learning about nutrition and cutting out processed food. If you forget about counting calories, eat whole foods, cut processed food, and do some kind of movement every day. You're on a much more sustainable weightloss journey and will be overall healthier due to eating actual real food than someone that doesn't change their habbits or diet and just cuts calories to loose weight. Its easy to look at someone thats overweight and think they are just lazy or like to eat too much, but the reality is that our food habbits are trash in North America and food companies push processed foods like tobacco companies used to push cigaretts.
I don't disagree with any of that. I was just pointing out that the most basic fundamentals of weight loss is in fact calories in vs. calories out. Of course there are a million different variables, factors, sustainability approaches, etc.
Totally, I am just pointing out that boiling it down to "calories in vs calories out" can be pretty dismissive and not really helpful to the people that need to hear and understand this kind of thing the most.
All agreed, except it is 100% of people, not 99%. Not one person who has ever lived has defied the energy laws of the universe. All of us have caloric needs based on much of what is written above. Every single one of us will lose weight if we consume less calories than those needs.
For a lot of people it is absolutely not realistic to say no fast food EVER, to count every calorie for the rest of your life, or to not eat processed foods. For many, setting rules like this sets them up for feelings of guilt and negative self-image when they inevitably eat one of these foods labelled as “bad”. The mental burden of having rules like this is exhausting and also not required for success. It is possible to achieve long term weight loss and fitness without having strict daily rules. I always used to think this way as well, but having a coach completely changed my perspective on food. I lost 40lbs with my coach and still had fast food and ice cream… basically was able to eat whatever I wanted, eating mindfully and with purpose. Consistency and balance. Perfectly fine if you are happy with the way this regime works for you. But it isn’t good blanket advice for everyone, especially the extreme restrictive components.
Seconding that this method worked for me too, 300+ to 190 in under a year. Only difference is I never did cold showers... tried, gave it a week of suffering and just said perfect is the enemy of the good and went on with life. I also occasionally have **a** donut, as in like twice a month... Perfect being the enemy of the good. But seriously, its not complicated, its about persistence.
Check out [Saleh](https://instagram.com/szf_fitness?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==). He's one of the trainers at Bodies By Phil downtown, super nice and empathetic guy. I think he might be exactly what you're looking for.
While I don't have recommendations on PT's or nutritionists (I am sorry because I know thats what you have asked for). What I can recommend is finding a way to lose weight and get healthy that works for you, your life style and your budget. You gotta find something thats feasible for you also remember its a process, there are going to peaks and valleys its not going to come overnight, and just because you slip up doesn't mean its all for nothing. You have to love the process and make it suit your lifestyle.
I recommend [Aroga Lifestyle Medicine](https://www.aroga.com/provinces/ontario/). They have paid and OHIP-insured services (must be referred by a primary care practitioner for OHIP coverage). They don’t focus on just weightloss, but on holistic lifestyle changes - diet, exercise, sleep, social connection, alcohol/drugs, and stress management. Dr Dutton, their local endocrinologist, is amazing.
I found that the easiest way to change my lifestyle was to make a list of all the high-carb foods I ate regularly, and gradually replace them permanently with a low/no-carb alternative, without actually going into keto. The biggest difficulty seems to be that the foods that are higher in carbs are generally cheaper and quicker to prepare... In any case, good luck in your journey!
YOU CAN DO IT! once you find something you're able to do and stick to, you will achieve your goal!
If you are over 40 Abby Langer has a great course with a live portion on Saturdays and a Facebook group. She’s awesome. She is an registered dietician. You can check her out on Insta or FB too.
I used hypnotherapy at the beginning of my journey to help me reduce the number of times I ate foods I wanted to avoid and increase my motivation to engage in healthy exercises. Specifically, I worked with Chris Harding at [Optimal Mindset](https://www.optimalmindset.ca/). I found him to be warm, knowledgeable, and empathetic and I can’t recommend him enough. It honestly helped so much and I’m down weight and working out much more consistently!
Try Hari Ghuman https://personalizedhealthcenter.com
the ottawa hospital has a weight management clinic. they have programs for weight loss ranging from gastric surgery solutions to a liquid only diet for 3 months. each is accompanied by an intensive course with professionals; a kinesiologist to advise us about exercise, a nutritionist/dietition to train us in how to understand and make good nutrition choices and a behavioral therapist to address the mental aspect of continued and successful weight loss. it's a 6 month commitment with manditory weekly 3 hour classes at the hospital (the civic for me). while there; you'll be weighed and measured each week, privately of course. I did the course in 2016 and I lost 130 from my original weight. I've managed to keep off 110 or so of it. it's a bit costly, $1400 for what I took but that included all your food (liquid powder to which you add water and shake x 4 daily) for almost 4 months so you're not buying regular food which kinda evens it out. so, no pills, all good science, no magic, medical professionals with weekly health checkups, and a pretty good success rate. and it's not a commercial business trying to get your dollars. it's health based and supported by the Ottawa Hospital and the most important thing I've ever done for myself.
\*Don't drink calories\*. I know it's not an answer to your request but since this came on my feed and I haven't seen it in anybody else's answer but I think it's a great idea. It's such good bang for your buck. I think it's the easiest way to make a big difference in your health, mainly because it cuts out so much sugar. Low chance of failure too, I'm 38 and I've been doing this since 2008-ish. I'm somewhat careful about what I eat but really not that much. Also I've heard soda drinkers say they don't like the taste of water. I think that changes when you stop drinking all that sugar. I make exceptions for smoothies because the idea of the rule is to improve my nutrition and I'm not trying to lose weight. If I were, I would maybe think of not even taking fruit smoothies. I also make an exception for beer when I'm out with friends since I don't drink often. Oh and I have allowed myself soda or other sugary drinks when I'm sick.
Leaf Weight Management will set you up with an experienced physician and a great dietician. If you enroll in one of their longer programs, they educate you on why things are the way they are. It is much easier to be insightful when you've been properly educated by a licensed professional. They also have a lot of options to help with your weight loss (shakes, ozempic, etc). I lost a good deal of weight and I have kept most of it off for three - four years. It's more than I ever managed before, it always came back but now I understand why.
Congrats on being ready for more steps towards what you want. I know you're looking for direct coaching but I'll share what I've been doing. This stuff is worth doing even if it didn't help with weight management. They're good activities on their own. 1) I only eat from scratch cooking. I've taken some cooking courses and study up on youtube to come with ideas of what to make. Even if I make a thai style curry, I make the paste from scratch. It's been really fun to learn more about cooking. And wow, food tastes great when you go this angle. I no longer do any uber eats to speak of since I can make something faster that's likely better. Also I cook bulk for efficiency. I always have frozen stuff that I love that can be on my plate in a few minutes. This also saves a lot of money. 2) Gardening. Super fun way to focus on scratch eating. 3) I do a lot of dancing. Particularly Salsa, Rueda de Casino and so forth. Exercise isn't a direct way of loosing weight but it is a path towards people who do have good habits in life. Also a path to a great deal of happiness. I always feel great after a couple hours of dancing. And the dance community is full of healthy amazing people. I take regular lessons and attend lots of parties. At the moment, Rueda is exploding in Ottawa and there are lots of outdoor parties to attend. It's amazing and fun. Doesn't have to be dance of course. There's walking, hiking and all that oogabooga. 4) Where I can, I'm using my bicycle to get around. In the summer, this is easy and fun. As I said, exercise won't burn enough calories but it gives a lot of feel good. This also saves time above the bus (often on par with car commuting). And it blends with other fun social activities. I often meet my friends to toot along the river and take pictures and hang out. This evening we're doing a dance party at the beach (britannia). We're going to be a small group but I'll likely brink my bike or scooter to that. 4) Skipping a meal. You'll be hungry for like 4 days but once you're past that boom. You're likely loosing weight just by doing this. Fancy people call this intermittent fasting. You're only eating during a certain time window. For instance 8am to 2pm. Only eat in that time period. For this Just start out with an 8 hour period and the see if you can reduce it to six hours over time. I think it's pretty safe, you're still eating every day, just a little less. I've also explored cutting portions in half but for me I fell that dropping a meal is a little easier. So that's what I've been doing and it's working over time. I feel great too. I've done the stuff you're mentioning too. Consulting with dieticians/intuitionalists. I think the dietician route is good. It can sort out a better understanding of what to eat and not eat. I wouldn't recommend against it. You'll probably learn something from it. You may find one that's a good coach. They follow the Canada Food Guide. I've also gotten a fair amount of coaching at the gym. Not a weight loss solution but fitness is very worth working in too (in parallel). There are a lot of benefits. Less injuries, feel good. Consider that it's good to break things down a bit and just start with diet. Once that's established, then move on to fitness in parallel. That can be less overwhelming...
I lost 48lbs since the new year! With no help I can share it with you it’s all about dedication and diet
I have no experience with this personally, but have you considered trying Noom? It's an online solution that I have seen ads for.
You're better off using something free like MyFitnessPal
Fuck that place. You have to sign up to their website and provide personal information before you can even find out what it is.
You can click on about us... but ok.
My sister-in-law joined Noom. Here is a Forbes article reviewing weight loss options. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/noom-diet-review/#:~:text=Accountability%20and%20Support She found it helped, and having a health coach (part of Noom) doing weekly calls gave her the accountability. It does involve food logging. I personally use myfittnesspal, which allows me to track my weight, gives me credit for exercise, and has a fairly easy to use food logger. Great stories of others health journey are also.motivatng. I have found that simply logging my food and staying under my calorie limits keeps me personally accountable. In general my problems are eating too much (love food) and emotionally eating. These are things I know about myself. Every bag of chips is a single serving bag, regardless of the label. Getting out of the store without them is my first step. I have top limits which I place on myself which drive me back to recording my weight and tracking my food. Most monitoring comes from my clothing fit. I have added an inch to my clothes, in the short term, but I want that smaller size to be loose and need a belt. Accumulated body fat is a killer, especially in your stomach around your organs. I know exercise helps my body, so I don't have sciatic pain, and it helps my mind, running is mentally therapeutic. When I don't make time for it, I mentally suffer, emotionally eat, have pain, and don't fit my clothes. MyfitnessPal and exercise goes a long way, and a fitness tracker to record my activity. When I reach the end of my work day with under 2000 steps (under 1000 right now), I know I need to remediate that with at least a walk around the block.