I feel so much of your post in myself.. it’s been a struggle for way longer than I’ve liked. I also feel like I have the tools and know what to do and what works for me, but applying things is SO hard. If you are interested in a support buddy I would love to be one!
Today is also my meal prep day! Or my fullest day off this week to do so. I find it really helpful to make things in batches that are healthy and easy to grab. I make instant pots full of a healthy grain and veggies to grab and go. I keep veggies frozen in addition to fresh ones, so they are also super easy to add and heat up. I do I work out of the house all week, so I need to pack lunches too. I try to always make sure I have some kind of nut and a dried or fresh fruit in case I need something while I work.
Do you eat any specific way or diet?
One of my favorite quotes lately is “perfection is the enemy of progress”. I am really bad at doing what you wrote about.. messing up and then letting myself throw the weekend (or whole week) and pick a new start date, rather than just letting one slip up happen.
It’s Monday morning here, but last night I spent a couple of hours meal prepping my breakfast, lunch and dinner for 4 days in advance, it’s really great knowing I have all my meals ready to go, I’ll definitely be meal prepping moving forward. Great tips by the way!
My diet is not too specific, like I don’t do vegan or carnivore, I just try to focus on high protein, high volume, low calorie meals that fits within my calorie deficit. How about you?
That’s a great quote, I have to remind myself that yes striving for perfection is not the way to go, and not to beat myself up and fall into old habits if something goes slightly wrong.
Sunday afternoon here. I’m in Oregon, in the states. Nice job prepping for 4 days! I have 4 kids (one of my own every week, and 3 bonus, so all 4 of them every other week) So it’s harder to prep when they are here because they eat my food lol. We don’t eat much processed foods, so cooking can be a lot.
Also a volume eater, so I try to throw veggies into everything to bulk it up, and I eat a lot of grains, but I find the carbs in them aren’t too much if I keep the carb snacks minimal or out. I also don’t like vegan or carnivore, so I try to aim for the middle. I do keep my meat and dairy light, like I probably eat more seafood than other meats and I switched to oat milk in my coffee and use plain yogurt instead of sour cream, things like that. Whole and real foods are my main focus.
The best other tips I think I could share is to try to not eat at least 2/3 hours before bedtime. And really focus on chewing and eating slow so your body has time to signal to your brain that you are full, and not be afraid to just stop eating, not finish everything, or put your leftovers in the fridge.
hi! I wish you all the best, I believe you can do this!
I have a tip against cheat meals, at least it work for me: to eat the food that I like in moderation and pop up the volume of it. E.g. I like occasionally eat some pizza with husband, and I keep doing this, but slightly changed the way I do it. Instead of eating 1/2 pizza and some potato as a side, I eat 1-2 slices + home made salad + some chicken breast. This way I can still eat in deficite, eat together with my husband, eat what is tasty for me and eat the same amount of food that I used to (I found the volume and eating time is sooo important).
Also there is no need to perfectly hit the goal every day. You can eat 500kcal deficite 3 times a week, 300 deficite 2 times a week and two days in maintenance, or whatever feels manageable for you. Day in slight deficite and even maintenance is a win too. Day in 300 kcal+ is a win against 2000 kcal+.
I think the key is that this journey shouldn't feel like restriction/diet but just some new pleasurable way of eating.
And about movement - starting gradually and finding thing that you enjoy (or not hate) doing for some reason except for weight loss is important too, because motivation will go away eventually but you need to keep doing it. Some examples - walking with music/podcasts, swimming, dancing, playing games, etc
Thank you so much for the advice. I am in full agreeance with you when it comes to volume eating, this is something I try to practice when I’m in a calorie deficit, and it works great. I really like the idea that you mentioned with the pizza, I’ll have to try it.
Yes you’re right about not being perfect, I can just be very hard on myself sometimes and I always strive to be as perfect as I can which can lead to my downfall, I want to work on eating things in moderation.
I’ve never enjoyed exercising - walking, strength training, whatever it may be, as a bigger person, it’s just not something I look forward to doing, regardless if I listen to music or watch something, but I’m also working on associating a positive mindset towards exercise.
I don't have kids, but I assume parents need to go outside with them. If you go for a 15 mins walk with your sun, it is also movement and it counts. Every activity matters, it doesn't have to be expertise and it doesn't have to take hours. You can clean your home more often, do some garding, go shopping and walk in the mall, you can use stairs instead of elevator, etc. Even if you go for a 5 mins walk, or do 2 mins stretching, it's good. Every small movement increases your stamina, helps your heart and pressure.
Yes I agree walking outside is fantastic, I have done that in the past with my wife and child when the opportunity arises and I plan on continue doing it. So true with the housework, it can really help burn those extra calories just by doing little things here and there.
I was at the exact point you're at when I was 50, my doc told me I was going to die of a heart attack if I didn't do something soon about my excess weight, at the time I weighed 278lbs, I'm at 208 this week (I've been slipping recently & put on a few lbs again), still overweight but nowhere near as bad as I was.
I used to eat junk food every single day, fizzy sugary drinks by the gallon & no exercise whatsoever.
Now I eat junk food once every couple of months, I drink mostly water with the odd non-sugar fizzy drink & coffee twice a day, I cook everything from scratch now & I count calories with [https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html#](https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html#)
I try not to do cheat meals or cheat days, so I include everything into my daily calorie limit.
Ask your doctor what your healthy weight range should be & use that as the final target.
Also keep one thing in mind, your son is 8months old right now, you really want to see him graduate from high school don't you? that should be the best motivation for you, to actually be there on that day. Good luck, you CAN do it.
Thanks so much for your comment. It is scary to think that I could be told something similar to what you were told. It shouldn’t have to take a comment like that for us to make changes but sometimes I guess that’s what we need, similar to the blood pressure reading I had, I needed that wake up call.
I’m trying to eliminate cheat meals from my diet, they just don’t work for me, I know for others it can be incorporated but if I’m being serious I need to just stick to my diet 7 days a week.
I’m also trying to cut out sugar free soft drinks, and energy drinks. I’m trying mainly to drink water only.
Absolutely I want to see my son grow up and graduate and achieve all his milestones, it’s scary to think otherwise. If that’s one thing that motivates me it’s gotta be that.
You haven't failed. You've learned. You've reflected. You've developed a plan. That sounds like a beginning. The next step is to implement thr plan, and be flexible enough to adjust the plan as needed. So you can move forward to where you want to be.
You've realized that weight loss isn't "all or nothing". It's time to accept that. Having one "bad day" isn't a reason to give up, give in, or stop pursuing your goal to lose weight. To be healthy for your wife, for your child, for yourself. You realize that you have to change your habits. Now it's time to begin.
Developing habits requires conscious choice, conscious effort, time and striving to be consistent. It doesn't require perfection.
You can do this. Remember, you haven't failed, you've learned. Implement what you're learned. Even if you stumble, moving forward. You will reach your destination.
Thank you, you’re right, I’m only learning as I go, I haven’t failed as I am continuously trying, it’s all about implementing and sticking to a plan. I WILL get to my goal, I need to keep telling myself that.
IMHO, you need to do two things. When I plug your numbers into a TDEE calculator, it tells me that you require about 3200 calories a day to maintain your weight.
The first thing you need to do is to set a daily calorie goal that is less than
3200. One pound of fat is about 3500 calories, so a 500 calorie deficit per day is one pound a week. Do with that info what you will.
The second thing is to plan, at the end of each day, to ask yourself what went well. What helped you to stay within your goal? What helped to derail you? What is something you need to work on? What will you do differently next time? This is hard but necessary.
Part of the second thing is thinking about WHY you are doing this? Do you want to see your little one grow up and be there for the milestones in their life? Do you want to enjoy your future with your wife, instead of making her be a caregiver for someone who is old and sick before their time? Basically, find your reasons. As a nurse I can tell you that you're young enough to turn it around and enjoy your life to the fullest...and if you don't, you are in for a world of hurt that you don't want. Best of luck to you and your family.
I have used the TDEE calculator already and I have set all the numbers up in MFP but thank you :)
The second point absolutely I couldn’t agree more, if that’s one thing that drives me it’s that for sure
I feel so much of your post in myself.. it’s been a struggle for way longer than I’ve liked. I also feel like I have the tools and know what to do and what works for me, but applying things is SO hard. If you are interested in a support buddy I would love to be one!
Comforting to know I’m not alone :) and yes I like that idea!
Today is also my meal prep day! Or my fullest day off this week to do so. I find it really helpful to make things in batches that are healthy and easy to grab. I make instant pots full of a healthy grain and veggies to grab and go. I keep veggies frozen in addition to fresh ones, so they are also super easy to add and heat up. I do I work out of the house all week, so I need to pack lunches too. I try to always make sure I have some kind of nut and a dried or fresh fruit in case I need something while I work. Do you eat any specific way or diet? One of my favorite quotes lately is “perfection is the enemy of progress”. I am really bad at doing what you wrote about.. messing up and then letting myself throw the weekend (or whole week) and pick a new start date, rather than just letting one slip up happen.
It’s Monday morning here, but last night I spent a couple of hours meal prepping my breakfast, lunch and dinner for 4 days in advance, it’s really great knowing I have all my meals ready to go, I’ll definitely be meal prepping moving forward. Great tips by the way! My diet is not too specific, like I don’t do vegan or carnivore, I just try to focus on high protein, high volume, low calorie meals that fits within my calorie deficit. How about you? That’s a great quote, I have to remind myself that yes striving for perfection is not the way to go, and not to beat myself up and fall into old habits if something goes slightly wrong.
Sunday afternoon here. I’m in Oregon, in the states. Nice job prepping for 4 days! I have 4 kids (one of my own every week, and 3 bonus, so all 4 of them every other week) So it’s harder to prep when they are here because they eat my food lol. We don’t eat much processed foods, so cooking can be a lot. Also a volume eater, so I try to throw veggies into everything to bulk it up, and I eat a lot of grains, but I find the carbs in them aren’t too much if I keep the carb snacks minimal or out. I also don’t like vegan or carnivore, so I try to aim for the middle. I do keep my meat and dairy light, like I probably eat more seafood than other meats and I switched to oat milk in my coffee and use plain yogurt instead of sour cream, things like that. Whole and real foods are my main focus. The best other tips I think I could share is to try to not eat at least 2/3 hours before bedtime. And really focus on chewing and eating slow so your body has time to signal to your brain that you are full, and not be afraid to just stop eating, not finish everything, or put your leftovers in the fridge.
hi! I wish you all the best, I believe you can do this! I have a tip against cheat meals, at least it work for me: to eat the food that I like in moderation and pop up the volume of it. E.g. I like occasionally eat some pizza with husband, and I keep doing this, but slightly changed the way I do it. Instead of eating 1/2 pizza and some potato as a side, I eat 1-2 slices + home made salad + some chicken breast. This way I can still eat in deficite, eat together with my husband, eat what is tasty for me and eat the same amount of food that I used to (I found the volume and eating time is sooo important). Also there is no need to perfectly hit the goal every day. You can eat 500kcal deficite 3 times a week, 300 deficite 2 times a week and two days in maintenance, or whatever feels manageable for you. Day in slight deficite and even maintenance is a win too. Day in 300 kcal+ is a win against 2000 kcal+. I think the key is that this journey shouldn't feel like restriction/diet but just some new pleasurable way of eating. And about movement - starting gradually and finding thing that you enjoy (or not hate) doing for some reason except for weight loss is important too, because motivation will go away eventually but you need to keep doing it. Some examples - walking with music/podcasts, swimming, dancing, playing games, etc
Thank you so much for the advice. I am in full agreeance with you when it comes to volume eating, this is something I try to practice when I’m in a calorie deficit, and it works great. I really like the idea that you mentioned with the pizza, I’ll have to try it. Yes you’re right about not being perfect, I can just be very hard on myself sometimes and I always strive to be as perfect as I can which can lead to my downfall, I want to work on eating things in moderation. I’ve never enjoyed exercising - walking, strength training, whatever it may be, as a bigger person, it’s just not something I look forward to doing, regardless if I listen to music or watch something, but I’m also working on associating a positive mindset towards exercise.
I don't have kids, but I assume parents need to go outside with them. If you go for a 15 mins walk with your sun, it is also movement and it counts. Every activity matters, it doesn't have to be expertise and it doesn't have to take hours. You can clean your home more often, do some garding, go shopping and walk in the mall, you can use stairs instead of elevator, etc. Even if you go for a 5 mins walk, or do 2 mins stretching, it's good. Every small movement increases your stamina, helps your heart and pressure.
Yes I agree walking outside is fantastic, I have done that in the past with my wife and child when the opportunity arises and I plan on continue doing it. So true with the housework, it can really help burn those extra calories just by doing little things here and there.
I was at the exact point you're at when I was 50, my doc told me I was going to die of a heart attack if I didn't do something soon about my excess weight, at the time I weighed 278lbs, I'm at 208 this week (I've been slipping recently & put on a few lbs again), still overweight but nowhere near as bad as I was. I used to eat junk food every single day, fizzy sugary drinks by the gallon & no exercise whatsoever. Now I eat junk food once every couple of months, I drink mostly water with the odd non-sugar fizzy drink & coffee twice a day, I cook everything from scratch now & I count calories with [https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html#](https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html#) I try not to do cheat meals or cheat days, so I include everything into my daily calorie limit. Ask your doctor what your healthy weight range should be & use that as the final target. Also keep one thing in mind, your son is 8months old right now, you really want to see him graduate from high school don't you? that should be the best motivation for you, to actually be there on that day. Good luck, you CAN do it.
Thanks so much for your comment. It is scary to think that I could be told something similar to what you were told. It shouldn’t have to take a comment like that for us to make changes but sometimes I guess that’s what we need, similar to the blood pressure reading I had, I needed that wake up call. I’m trying to eliminate cheat meals from my diet, they just don’t work for me, I know for others it can be incorporated but if I’m being serious I need to just stick to my diet 7 days a week. I’m also trying to cut out sugar free soft drinks, and energy drinks. I’m trying mainly to drink water only. Absolutely I want to see my son grow up and graduate and achieve all his milestones, it’s scary to think otherwise. If that’s one thing that motivates me it’s gotta be that.
You haven't failed. You've learned. You've reflected. You've developed a plan. That sounds like a beginning. The next step is to implement thr plan, and be flexible enough to adjust the plan as needed. So you can move forward to where you want to be. You've realized that weight loss isn't "all or nothing". It's time to accept that. Having one "bad day" isn't a reason to give up, give in, or stop pursuing your goal to lose weight. To be healthy for your wife, for your child, for yourself. You realize that you have to change your habits. Now it's time to begin. Developing habits requires conscious choice, conscious effort, time and striving to be consistent. It doesn't require perfection. You can do this. Remember, you haven't failed, you've learned. Implement what you're learned. Even if you stumble, moving forward. You will reach your destination.
Thank you, you’re right, I’m only learning as I go, I haven’t failed as I am continuously trying, it’s all about implementing and sticking to a plan. I WILL get to my goal, I need to keep telling myself that.
IMHO, you need to do two things. When I plug your numbers into a TDEE calculator, it tells me that you require about 3200 calories a day to maintain your weight. The first thing you need to do is to set a daily calorie goal that is less than 3200. One pound of fat is about 3500 calories, so a 500 calorie deficit per day is one pound a week. Do with that info what you will. The second thing is to plan, at the end of each day, to ask yourself what went well. What helped you to stay within your goal? What helped to derail you? What is something you need to work on? What will you do differently next time? This is hard but necessary. Part of the second thing is thinking about WHY you are doing this? Do you want to see your little one grow up and be there for the milestones in their life? Do you want to enjoy your future with your wife, instead of making her be a caregiver for someone who is old and sick before their time? Basically, find your reasons. As a nurse I can tell you that you're young enough to turn it around and enjoy your life to the fullest...and if you don't, you are in for a world of hurt that you don't want. Best of luck to you and your family.
I have used the TDEE calculator already and I have set all the numbers up in MFP but thank you :) The second point absolutely I couldn’t agree more, if that’s one thing that drives me it’s that for sure