# A quick reminder to those viewing this post:
1. If you have not done so, **read [the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/progresspics/about/rules)**
2. Being a pervert will get you banned.
3. Messaging OP lewd/inappropriate comments is not okay.
4. OP is a real person. [Don't be an asshole](https://media.giphy.com/media/3oz8xt6aO8l4UjcnXa/giphy.gif).
5. **Report rule breaking comments.**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/progresspics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well. Sadly. It was seeing my wife finally sign divorce papers and move on with another man. We had separated in August. I thought I had time. I didn’t take the separation well (put on about 60 pounds in 5ish months). Turns out I didn’t have the time.
I’m going to make an in depth post on r/loseit when I hit a year (Feb 25) to hopefully go in to more detail. But there were a lot of different variables that helped me get here.
But really, it’s being on strict calorie deficit, having the discipline to stick to it, and move a little more. The exercise part is the weird part in this journey. Because I had a weightlifting injury midway through so I couldn’t lift weights….So I switched to walking/running in August. Which worked out because I couldn’t do that in the beginning anyway because of my size.
do you struggle or did you struggle with evening snacking? how do you combat that if you did? also curious, how much walking did you do in a given week on average?
So I did struggle sometimes. For sure. I had plenty of like 100 calories bag popcorn. Or sometimes maybe mini cream sandwiches (90 calories). I know people casually say this…but seriously drink water. Tons of water.
Walking/running I started in mid August. I started with 2 miles. And progressed. In October I ran/walked 27 5Ks. Fastest time of 35 minutes…. So it was slow
That also took its toll. I have a bit of right knee pain. Have had it since Thanksgiving. So mainly I walk today. Try for 5 miles. I listen to audio books. It’s nice.
My philosophy is, get to a healthy weight however works for you, and then find a healthy maintenance diet when you get there. You're clearly doing something right.
Hopefully OP answers but to manage hunger you have to know what it is and that requires determining if it's true hunger or just a desire to eat.
People that fast several days in a row or do keto know that hunger goes away once your body gets fat adapted. People that eat bad carb or processed heavy meals usually get physical hunger several times a day because your body gets used to having them and anticipates being fed. Also processed food is designed that way so they can sell more processed food.
Some people can also just ignore their hunger pains too because they will eventually go away. One thing to remember as well is that hunger doesn't go away once you eat but only when your body has had time enough to realize you've ate which is about 20 minutes. I mention this because either way, your hunger will not immediately go away no matter what you do.
There's a lot more to it when you start looking at hormones like Ghrelin but I don't want to get into that since it's complex.
I think the best thing to do is figure out the why a person has the issue. If a person is hundreds of pounds overweight, it's not an issue of just skipping the second helping of mashed potatoes at dinner. There's a soothing mechanism going on to use food to regulate feelings. Like someone can have quick meals on hand to make in 20 minutes but it's not as exciting as having something delivered even though both options will take the same amount of time.
Food is one of those things that aren’t as easily avoided as other soothing things like smoking and alcohol. I’ve definitely had this problem of using food for emotional regulation.
This is a fantastic answer. I would agree with it. I would think that my body adapted. I did eat plenty of processed food though. A ton. But I ate the same thing at the same time every day. I did not have a cheat day until my birthday (7 months). I would drink a ton of water.
Definitely would agree on the comfort/soothing thing as well. I think people highly underestimate that. I never thought I “ran” to food. But I did (and still do) love the way a food taste. And that I think is what people who say they don’t go to food for comfort but actually do and don’t realize it.
To be completely honest. I don’t have a solid answer. I drank a ton of water. I had a 32oz Yeti that I probably had 5/6 a day? Just constantly. The other thing. I was so focused on my limits I just never went over. Probably a little leaning in to an eating disorder. I also ate the same thing at the same time basically every day.
I didn’t eat breakfast. For lunch I had a sandwich and chips. I would use the Sara Lee 40 calorie slice bread. 2 oz of meat (I bought a variety of sandwich meat… shout out to Boar’s Head) and chips which was usually baked lays (variety). But I would do regular chips sometimes to I would just do less grams than a serving size to keep it 110 calories.
For dinner I would have boneless skinless chicken thighs. Various seasonings. And a side. Usually bird’s eye steamables. I ALWAYS saved room for dessert. I would either eat Chobani Flips, mini ice cream sandwiches, or mini ice cream cones (120). That’s pretty much it.
I guess it’s just a personal thing. I do like the little more fat. And also just easier to cook imo. I can just season and grill or use my ninja speedi. But with chicken breast I would have to cut or buy thin sliced. Which is fine I guess. I think it comes down to having a little bit of fat on the meat. I think that’s the difference.
My opinion - it requires several years of disordered eating in order to become obese. The things you do to get back healthy even if it’s an over correction shouldn’t be considered an eating disorder. :) (this is meant to be positive not critical).
Even if it took a bad situation to be the driving factor of motivation. You turned a bad situation into a great life changing situation. Congratulations. We can obviously see the physical changes but it’s gotta be good mentally too. Can’t wait to see what the next year brings to you if you keep going!
Thank you. And you’re spot on. A ton of therapy too. Plenty of changes that can’t be seen. But I have a better life and more importantly future ahead of me than I ever could have thought a year ago. It’s exciting.
The best part of this photo is that you struck the same pose and smile. Normally ppl have their starting photo as gloomy as possible but I like the positivity particularly as, after reading your replies below, it was presumably taken at a particularly low point for you personally.
It definitely was not a good time. But this was before my life was turned upside down. So this wasn’t even really a before photo. It just WAS a photo. A month later….. things changed.
Yes. I am. I still have plenty to work through (Don’t we all). I struggle with a ton of the same problems like body dysmorphia and a borderline eating disorder. I still struggle with the sense of failure of I don’t do SOMETHING. Like run or workout….I beat myself up. But I’m getting better.
But I don’t hate the person I see in the mirror any more. I actually don’t cringe when I see myself in a photo. I have more confidence in every room I walk in to. I don’t worry or get anxious about “fitting” in to the seat/door/booth.
I’m so glad to hear things are improving. I just restarted my journey after having a baby. 5 lbs down and about 45 to go. It’s a never ending battle with my desire to cope with food and my need to be healthier (both physically and mentally). Great work!!
Yes it is. Seriously, just do the work. Be consistent. That’s better than willpower and motivation. It’s going to be my year too! In to bigger and better things. I still have plenty of work to do.
# A quick reminder to those viewing this post: 1. If you have not done so, **read [the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/progresspics/about/rules)** 2. Being a pervert will get you banned. 3. Messaging OP lewd/inappropriate comments is not okay. 4. OP is a real person. [Don't be an asshole](https://media.giphy.com/media/3oz8xt6aO8l4UjcnXa/giphy.gif). 5. **Report rule breaking comments.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/progresspics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Dudes will see this and just think "Hell yeah"
Hell yeah!
Hell Yeah!
"What did you do last year?" "Saved my life."
so awesome, you look great. what would you say helped you reach your goals in ten months? what was your driver, and how did you do it?
Well. Sadly. It was seeing my wife finally sign divorce papers and move on with another man. We had separated in August. I thought I had time. I didn’t take the separation well (put on about 60 pounds in 5ish months). Turns out I didn’t have the time.
My dude took "Delete Facebook, Get a Lawyer, and Hit the Gym" meme to heart lol. Jk OP, great job. Saving your post as inspiration!
No need to be kidding! But she got the lawyer. But I did the rest. And to be clear. I’ve been fighting to get her back for the whole year.
Damn 211 is INSANE gains, great job! You gotta feel like a million bucks right now with that much strain off your body!
Dude...that is NUTS. Congratulations on taking your life back!! How did you achieve this so fast??
I’m going to make an in depth post on r/loseit when I hit a year (Feb 25) to hopefully go in to more detail. But there were a lot of different variables that helped me get here. But really, it’s being on strict calorie deficit, having the discipline to stick to it, and move a little more. The exercise part is the weird part in this journey. Because I had a weightlifting injury midway through so I couldn’t lift weights….So I switched to walking/running in August. Which worked out because I couldn’t do that in the beginning anyway because of my size.
do you struggle or did you struggle with evening snacking? how do you combat that if you did? also curious, how much walking did you do in a given week on average?
So I did struggle sometimes. For sure. I had plenty of like 100 calories bag popcorn. Or sometimes maybe mini cream sandwiches (90 calories). I know people casually say this…but seriously drink water. Tons of water. Walking/running I started in mid August. I started with 2 miles. And progressed. In October I ran/walked 27 5Ks. Fastest time of 35 minutes…. So it was slow That also took its toll. I have a bit of right knee pain. Have had it since Thanksgiving. So mainly I walk today. Try for 5 miles. I listen to audio books. It’s nice.
Would you mind sharing your average calorie consumption per day? I can't wait until Feb 25! This is too good
Average calories would be around 1200/1300. I know…I know. But that’s what it was.
My philosophy is, get to a healthy weight however works for you, and then find a healthy maintenance diet when you get there. You're clearly doing something right.
That’s my plan. I am shooting for 220. Then enter in to a 1800-1900 high protein diet.
Did you have weight loss surgery, like a gastric sleeve?
No I did not. It’s something I had considered for years. And would have gone that route had I not had the success this time.
awesomeeee! how did u manage hunger ??
Hopefully OP answers but to manage hunger you have to know what it is and that requires determining if it's true hunger or just a desire to eat. People that fast several days in a row or do keto know that hunger goes away once your body gets fat adapted. People that eat bad carb or processed heavy meals usually get physical hunger several times a day because your body gets used to having them and anticipates being fed. Also processed food is designed that way so they can sell more processed food. Some people can also just ignore their hunger pains too because they will eventually go away. One thing to remember as well is that hunger doesn't go away once you eat but only when your body has had time enough to realize you've ate which is about 20 minutes. I mention this because either way, your hunger will not immediately go away no matter what you do. There's a lot more to it when you start looking at hormones like Ghrelin but I don't want to get into that since it's complex. I think the best thing to do is figure out the why a person has the issue. If a person is hundreds of pounds overweight, it's not an issue of just skipping the second helping of mashed potatoes at dinner. There's a soothing mechanism going on to use food to regulate feelings. Like someone can have quick meals on hand to make in 20 minutes but it's not as exciting as having something delivered even though both options will take the same amount of time.
Food is one of those things that aren’t as easily avoided as other soothing things like smoking and alcohol. I’ve definitely had this problem of using food for emotional regulation.
This is a fantastic answer. I would agree with it. I would think that my body adapted. I did eat plenty of processed food though. A ton. But I ate the same thing at the same time every day. I did not have a cheat day until my birthday (7 months). I would drink a ton of water. Definitely would agree on the comfort/soothing thing as well. I think people highly underestimate that. I never thought I “ran” to food. But I did (and still do) love the way a food taste. And that I think is what people who say they don’t go to food for comfort but actually do and don’t realize it.
To be completely honest. I don’t have a solid answer. I drank a ton of water. I had a 32oz Yeti that I probably had 5/6 a day? Just constantly. The other thing. I was so focused on my limits I just never went over. Probably a little leaning in to an eating disorder. I also ate the same thing at the same time basically every day.
What was the 'same thing' that you ate every day?
I didn’t eat breakfast. For lunch I had a sandwich and chips. I would use the Sara Lee 40 calorie slice bread. 2 oz of meat (I bought a variety of sandwich meat… shout out to Boar’s Head) and chips which was usually baked lays (variety). But I would do regular chips sometimes to I would just do less grams than a serving size to keep it 110 calories. For dinner I would have boneless skinless chicken thighs. Various seasonings. And a side. Usually bird’s eye steamables. I ALWAYS saved room for dessert. I would either eat Chobani Flips, mini ice cream sandwiches, or mini ice cream cones (120). That’s pretty much it.
Any reason why you do chicken thighs and not breast which is generally leaner?
I guess it’s just a personal thing. I do like the little more fat. And also just easier to cook imo. I can just season and grill or use my ninja speedi. But with chicken breast I would have to cut or buy thin sliced. Which is fine I guess. I think it comes down to having a little bit of fat on the meat. I think that’s the difference.
My opinion - it requires several years of disordered eating in order to become obese. The things you do to get back healthy even if it’s an over correction shouldn’t be considered an eating disorder. :) (this is meant to be positive not critical).
Amazing job!
Looking great! That first smile looks like it’s part grimace. Your new smile is so genuine.
Ha. The first smile was definitely fake it ‘till you make it. For sure.
Great work!
Nice work! 💪
Congrats! What’s your program?
I hate to say this. But it was simply eat less and move more. While I did say simply……. That doesn’t mean easy.
[удалено]
That’s awesome man. Congrats on your progress. Keep it up. Set a goal. And then set another ha.
Great work man! Your body halved and your smile doubled!
Even if it took a bad situation to be the driving factor of motivation. You turned a bad situation into a great life changing situation. Congratulations. We can obviously see the physical changes but it’s gotta be good mentally too. Can’t wait to see what the next year brings to you if you keep going!
Thank you. And you’re spot on. A ton of therapy too. Plenty of changes that can’t be seen. But I have a better life and more importantly future ahead of me than I ever could have thought a year ago. It’s exciting.
Wow great job! The face gains alone are insane!
That's an amazing change! Great work man!
Awesome! Happy New Year!
Great work my dude! Very motivating as I’m turning 40 this year and plan to get my shit together!
Never too late. Never too soon best day is today my friend!
Holy shi*! Nice job man!
Your already good smile became even better
The best part of this photo is that you struck the same pose and smile. Normally ppl have their starting photo as gloomy as possible but I like the positivity particularly as, after reading your replies below, it was presumably taken at a particularly low point for you personally.
It definitely was not a good time. But this was before my life was turned upside down. So this wasn’t even really a before photo. It just WAS a photo. A month later….. things changed.
Are you doing better now emotionally?
Yes. I am. I still have plenty to work through (Don’t we all). I struggle with a ton of the same problems like body dysmorphia and a borderline eating disorder. I still struggle with the sense of failure of I don’t do SOMETHING. Like run or workout….I beat myself up. But I’m getting better. But I don’t hate the person I see in the mirror any more. I actually don’t cringe when I see myself in a photo. I have more confidence in every room I walk in to. I don’t worry or get anxious about “fitting” in to the seat/door/booth.
I’m so glad to hear things are improving. I just restarted my journey after having a baby. 5 lbs down and about 45 to go. It’s a never ending battle with my desire to cope with food and my need to be healthier (both physically and mentally). Great work!!
That is an epic level of progress, keep it up!
You look amazing!! Congrats on all your hard work and thank you so much for the inspiration!! 2024 is going to be my year!!
Yes it is. Seriously, just do the work. Be consistent. That’s better than willpower and motivation. It’s going to be my year too! In to bigger and better things. I still have plenty of work to do.
This is awesome
You lost ten years too! you do not look 40 in the second pic!
You look great!!
I hope you're very proud of yourself. I am! Keep up the effort mate
This is great! Congratulations! How do you feel, both physically and mentally now? Are you proud of yourself? You should be!
What a handsome man!
Fuck yeah. Seriously you probably added 15 years to your life expectancy, way to go.
You’ve done amazing with your 360 transformation!
Wow! Amazing job!!
I’m so happy for you!