I started my weight loss journey at 29 years old, depressed, alone, 371 lbs naked on my scale at my home.
The TLDR question is below btw.
I was eating nearly 5000 calories or more daily, fast food, hot pockets, pizzas, you name it. The last thing I ate before starting this journey as I had a realization was 2 Family Sized Stuffed Garlic and Chicken pizzas from a local pizza place, 2lbs of buffalo wings and a 2 liter of Dr Pepper.
I have had multiple "I realize" moments in the last 10 years. I've had a lot of yo-yo diets. Eat only salad mix plain for a week, or only rice, or chicken. This time was different. I felt like I was going to die and I refuse to let that happened. I have a child, 8, and want to be healthy.
I got a gym membership, and threw all my shit food out. I decided to sit down and create a sustainable way to eat instead of thinking or all the stuff I no longer could eat. I set 1400 calories as my daily limit.
Yes, I know it's low. I also am very anal about what I do and stubborn and have been subbed to many of these weight loss subs over the last 7 years and have read up on so much. I understand loose skin. I understand also that losing weight rapidly isn't as unhealthy as people believe. That isn't the point. I don't know everything and this post isn't about that. I've just seen enough of these posts to say what exactly this is about while also wanting to just say what I've done to...anyone. I am somewhat proud of my progress and just want to say it. I also have questions too.
Moving back to calories. I had no specific 'diet' in mind. I know from previous knee jerk diet experiences that CICO works. So I chose 1400 calories a day. My TDEE was 3400 at 371.
I then went through and created a bunch of meals and priced out the ingredients to achieve those meals with the lowest calories and lowest prices. I then spent 3 hrs in my local super market finding these items and taking home 2 weeks worth of food to prepare. I prepped a weeks worth of meals and that was Jan 2nd.
Since Jan 2nd, I have gone to the gym every day for at least an hr, average M-F for 2 hrs. I've logged every day in MFP app and have had 1 'Maintenance' day this last Saturday and 1 cheat day on this last Sunday.
I started at 371 and weighed in at 325 on Friday afternoon. I got very discouraged after Sunday weighing at 327 but I understand how weight fluxes and I'm so self aware of my self at this point that I just told my brain to keep going on my path instead of saying I fucked up, time to quit.
I did take my scales and give them to a friend to hide because I feel the compulsion to weigh myself almost every time I go to the bathroom. Im going to a weekly weigh in on Mondays going forward.
At the gym, I created a 7 day workout plan involving a lot of cardio on a spreadsheet with tracking pages to hold myself accountable. I started by walking at 3.0 mph for a while but now Im at 5 mins of jogging at 4.5 mph, then 8 minutes of rowing on a high resistance, then whatever the workout plan entails after like weights targeted at specific areas. I repeat that 3 times and it takes about 2 hrs M through Friday. Sat is a rest day and Sun is a 'do simple cardio while watching a podcast day' lol.
I got tested for Diabetes, or pre diabetic and negative on both. Thankfully.
I've gone from a size 5xl tall shirt to a 3xl. I have gone from a 50 pant to a 40. I have lost weight in my face and feel overall just 1000% better. Do I crave, yes.
Luckily my sustainable plan is working. I dont just eat salads. I eat a lot of chicken, no breads, pastas or dairy. I eat rice, brown, and lots of cooked and raw vegetables. I have about 12 different meals I have made and cycle through but when I slowly incorporate pasta and bread into the mix that will increase so much.
I watch my sodium, my sugar and my fat intake, and eat a lot of protien daily. Also started taking vitamins.
Overall, I feel great and I know deep in my soul that this is NOT temporary. I've been big my entire life. Last time I was under 300lbs was when I was 17. I can't go back to being unhealthy. My mind set has been to focus on what I am eating RIGHT and not what I CANT eat, like fast food or soda or pizza or whatever. This has helped so much.
I also quit chewing tobacco the same day. I quit drinking cold turkey 2 years ago last month too so I have the willpower to do this.
TLDR below.
Now with that out of the way. With all the knowledge I feel like I DO know, one thing I'm so unsure about is weight lifting.
I want to incorporate much more weight lifting but am afraid that I will build too much muscle and gain weight.
As it is right now, the way it was explained to me was that I need to work out to damage the muscles like you do so they can rebuild bigger, but dont go so hard that they actually grow bigger rapidly. This muscle work will tell the body to not eat the muscle but instead eat the fat during weight loss. Compared to just being sedentary and eating at a severe calorie deficit and the body eating muscle first.
Is this correct. Because I use the bench press 2 times a week and can do 100lbs with some effort, but its doable. This makes me slightly sore but not so sore it is painful the next day. I could do a lot more, but this would make me way more sore. I could also do enough reps of 100 to make myself more sore, but I feel this would promote more muscle growth. Which right now, I do NOT want. I'm focused on losing weight to get to my GW which is 200. And then from there, I want to focus on lifting. Heavily.
Is this how it works.
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/f63x2l/ive_lost_45lbs_since_i_started_my_journey_january/
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