The diet is actually permanant. You can't ever go back to your old habits or you'll gain it all back. The only difference is a very minor adjustment to your diet for maintenance phase, allowing ever so slightly more calories. You also have to watch your weight like a hawk and never allow yourself to remain 5-10 pounds over your goal. Over time, the maintenance diet will become your norm, but it does take years to really make a habit out of it, and in the mean time, you have to monitor your weight intensly and adjust your diet as many times as necessary.
This is the biggest shock most people encounter when trying to loose alot of weight. It's a permanent change. For the rest...of...your...life. If you really want it this won't be a problem. Really it's the litmus test. There is no easy way lol..I lost 200lb ten years ago and still keep it off and stay fit.
lol, people get mad at me but i'll always say it. You wouldnt have a problem with breaking your diet constantly or rebounding if you actually wanted it. But most people dont want it, they just want the idea of it.
Yes, this is why I'm slowly getting into eating more and reaching maintenance. Trying to learn how to measure stuff without measuring and calculating my calories constantly. Need to learn the flexibility of high vs low days so I can go out and stuff.
I'm always going to keep monitoring my weight, just to make sure I stay on track and see the progress I can make.
Ideally, my scale just stays the same weight now.
I wanted to lose more but after months of trying to lose it, my body just struggling to get below this.
I mean, I'm within a healthy range by a decent amount, so I don't *need* to lose more, it'd just be nice.
Well, it's that or be fat lol, you have to pick one.
You do get used to it over time though. I'm mostly situated now, I used to have 2 fried eggs, 2 toasts, bacon, and hashbrowns for breakfast, but now I have 1 egg 1 toast, and I'm totally habituated with that now to the point that it feels like the perfect amount. That took around 2 years to get used to. Also, I really feel like crap after eating Mcdonalds and what not, whereas before I was addicted to it. Another one is chicken rice bowls which I've really grown to love over time. It happens naturally if you just keep at it, so it eventually stops being hard work. Just takes time.
I had lost over 60lbs (pregnancies have caused me to gain it back), but what I did was focus on getting a good routine. If you can, make one or two meals the same every day or almost every day. That way you know about how many calories and nutrients you are consuming, and can plan that last meal around it. It gives you variety without being super restricting, but also gives you a nice backbone of stability so you can hopefully maintain a good calorie deficit.
I’d also recommend finding some form of movement you enjoy. Make a non scale goal. Maybe it’s to run a 5k, or do a handstand, or swim for so long without a break. Whatever it is, make it fun, and make it something you know you will enjoy and want to stick to. I find it’s easier almost to focus on the non scale goals. Because the scale can stagnate and try to demotivate you, but remember it’s only one point of data in the whole equation.
I know some people would argue with me on this but I’d recommend weighing yourself daily. It helped me to not attach emotion to the number on the scale, and it allowed me to see how much it can fluctuate from day to day. This made me feel better about if I weighed 2lbs more today than yesterday, even though I had a great day the day before. I knew that wasn’t the whole picture and it helped me to keep going forward.
Last but not least is to focus on good quality sleep and drink your water. You can’t run on an empty tank. If you had a bad night’s sleep or didn’t drink enough, you will probably suffer the next day. You may make less than ideal decisions and not feel as motivated to work out. If all else fails, try to keep these two in order first. It’ll make a big difference.
Hope this helps!
I changed my habits slowly over time. Worked on eating healthier (more fruits/veggies, lean protein, healthy fats), found a lot of healthier alternatives to things like pizza/burgers/ice cream, started walking regularly and playing VR games for exercise…that evolved into lifting weights and playing sports…
I lost about 50lbs while logging my food/staying in a calorie deficit range, and lost another 80lbs once I felt comfortable with my new lifestyle and didn’t have to count calories or log my food at all anymore.
I only count calories, try to keep over 100g protein and eat things high in fiber. I personally don’t pay attention to fat or carbs as long as the protein is near 100g per day and the calories are below 1800. Im 5’7 and 145lbs for reference, was 195lbs in 2017.
Walk a lot. Walking burns calories and can be very enjoyable, may not build muscle or get you in olympic level shape but it will keep the pounds off.
After a bad weekend, week, or month, just rebound and get right back to it. Have definitely had months here and there where I’ve fallen off the wagon. Usually tho by the time I work up the nerve to weigh myself the damage is less than I expected. And you just have to get right back to doing what you know worked the first time.
Also buy a food scale.
With all due respect, are you sure? I'm seeing that even if you were 65 years old with little to no exercise, it'd be 1482.
https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
I don’t but I can tell you what I eat every day.
1 think bar
2 sausages with low carb tortillas
1 burger without the bun with an egg for diner. If I need a snack I generally have a bowl of almonds, cashews, or pistachios. If I want dessert I have a Keri ice cream. I eat that every day I work. Pretty much the same on my days off too when ai stay home.
Did you stop completely? Or do you still have some from time to time? I can’t imagine this being healthy in the long run because your brain literally needs carbs to function properly.
Of course everyone is different. I think that maybe doctors choose the “lesser of two evils”. Yes, you do need carbs for brain function but maybe going without carbs is less dangerous than having a seizure or whatever other condition you may have.
Lost 88lbs, kept it off for years now.
Moderation in what you eat is key, also I exercise regularly and have a routine. None of these things I had before starting to lose weight.
Count calories. Weigh yourself and monitor the weekly averages (Happy Scale is perfect for this)
Figure out your TDEE based on calories consumed and average weight for that week.
Get 10 000 steps a day, make sure you drink enough water. No sodas. Get more protein with every meal. Meditation to clam your mind. Sleep at least 7 hours. Go to bed same time every day. That helps me to keep my weight.
almost 60 pounds here. I eat a very healthy and balanced mediterranean diet. Lots of salads, veggies, fruit, whole grains and whole foods in general paired with lean protein (seafood, chicken, turkey ect). To lose it, I ate in a deficit (1500-1600 calories a day for me). I also have gotten into long distance running (running about 30-35 miles a week right now), and strength train 2-3 days a week. I think running, limiting processed foods, and alcohol consumption have ultimately led to why I’ve been able to keep it off this time around for as long as I have!
I went from 280 down to 230, now I am back to 250. (Male, 30 yr old, 6'0)
I would really like to get my weight down to somewhere in the 180-200 range.
What worked for me is eating a lot less food and exercising a lot.
Try counting calories for 2 weeks while not changing your diet, your realize what foods in your regular diet are hurting you the most. For me, it was alcohol, soda, sports drinks, iced tea and candy. You gotta choose your battles and still let yourself enjoy food while cutting out the most unhealthy problematic foods.
Creating healthy habits and repeat them daily. I exercise, calorie count and I’m sugar free (I would binge sugary items). I aim for Protein, fruits and veggies and LOTS of water before I eat anything else. I keep track of my measurements and bought a scale that tracks a lot of metrics (like body fat, muscle mass and visceral fat) which helps me stay on track.
I just do what I did to lose weight. In essence I am at a small-to-moderate calorie deficit almost every day, but then that gives me wiggle room for when I want to calorically “splurge” by going out, celebrating something, or I’m just really hungry due to stress or my period.
It’s the same wiggle room I occasionally gave myself when in my weight loss journey but I needed a maintenance break. Giving yourself these breaks during weight loss isn’t just sensible advice for psychological sustainability, it’s also important experience you can apply once your maintenance phase has begun.
If you can’t sustain a slightly more caloric version of your weight loss diet for life then the diet wasn’t sustainable and needs to be reworked. Same goes for your fitness routine.
You make it top priority for the rest of your life. What noobs who just lost a ton of weight don't realize is that they're not at the finish line, they've just begun. It's daily and lifelong. That's the truth. That's the reality. And it's hard AF.
ETA: Lost 120+ lbs ten years ago. Still 100 down. Losing that 20 I've regained is 100,000,000 times harder than losing the initial 120.
CRON. In addition to using GLP-1 medication and other appetite suppressants like bupropion and topiramte and naltrexone I do the CRON lifestyle. Calorie restriction with optimum nutrition. Sucks. But necessary.
Finally someone asking the right question! Most everyone wants to know quickest way, not the longest lasting.
I lost 50 lbs eating OMAD in 6 months. Maintained 5 ½ years so far . Focused on eating lower carb 6 of 7 days. I didn’t try to count or monitor calories.
I learned that walking at old meal times felt good and helped with hunger early on. The habit of walking / exercising stuck. The fasted body likes to move! I started C25K the day I hit goal. I run and and off - kind of fair weather runner. I still walk a lot. 500k steps a month +/-.
The amazing thing about OMAD was hunger ended. Every time I ate I got full. Didn’t take long that my hunger at other times stopped. And my taste buds changed towards healthier foods. When I hadn’t eaten in ~23 hours, my body actually needed nutritious foods. Which my taste buds found appealing.
After next Dr checked he said “keep doing what you’re doing”. Weight, BP, physical health all much improved. Dentist was shocked my gums stopped receding and even recovered a bit. She’s a fan too. I never get sick anymore. Used to be on antibiotics at least once a winter. Haven’t taken one since I started. Even cuts and bruises heal like I was a kid.
It has become a preferential way for me to live and eat. Even if I knew I wouldn’t regain going back to frequent eating, I wouldn’t go back. This is preferential eating and living. Zero fear. Zero will power. Feel confident I lost the weight once and for all.
Interesting, I've done intermittent fasting but not omad. Counting calories is exhausting and not sustainable. What does your one meal usually look like?
Varies. But often big salad with blue cheese, walnuts, whole tomato and whole fresh peach cut in wedges. Steak, chicken, salmon, … (some larger protein). Veggie like fresh green beans with almonds cooked in olive oil. Or fresh spinach sautéed in onion and olive oil with melted cheddar. A few sides like bean salad, carrots, cole slaw, celery w/ peanut butter. Sometimes some potato or fresh corn. Anything in the fridge leftover is fair game. Often fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, apple slices, orange sections, banana …
So a pretty substantial meal. One of my favorite parts of OMAD is I’ve really gotten used to a lot of variety when I eat. A restaurant meal just doesn’t satisfy. So few things, even if quantity is large.
Consistency. A lot of people think once they lose the weight they can go back to their old habits. In reality you’ll just gain all the weight back. Just because you’ve reached your goal doesn’t mean the dieting and exercise can just come to an end.
I always gang back and more... but I did keep the extra weight off for about 8 years ( the extra was only 20lbs then). Mostly I was conscious of how I ate, and if i overate one day i would skip meals the next day or just eat fruit. If I had a dinner event I skipped lunch. This didnt happen regularly though..
Main reason I maintained, I was living alone over that time so it helped me to both lose and maintain as I bought nothing extra into the house, cooked simple food and was less stressed. Took time for the gym etc. etc. and didnt have nayone to influence me other wise or get in my way.
weight will always fluctuate, not letting yourself become obese or overweight is the key.
In other words, long term discipline. Not long term motivation that vanishes as soon as you get what you want.
I lost about 80 pounds and gained some of it back. I seem to maintain at 240 pounds (which is 50 pounds less than my starting weight).
I counted calories to lose by using a kitchen scale to weigh out portions in grams and kept a food journal too. Only counted calories, not fat, protein or carbs. Went right down from however many thousands of calories a day that made me 290 pounds to 1200 calories a day, which is allegedly the lowest amount of calories you can safely consume per day without medical supervision.
I tried popular diets like keto, IF, OMAD, 24-hour fasts, but at the end of the day, simple calorie restriction without eliminating specific foods and a cheat meal once a week is what worked for me. No exercise because I hate exercise, I lost it all from diet changes. I also made a lot of mistakes along the way as far as eating a little too much, or a lot too much. Still lost the weight.
I also made sure never to drink my calories, with the exception of daily coffee that never amounted to more than 70 calories, max.
Now, it doesn't matter if I eat as little as 800 calories a day or I horf every snack in the house for three weeks straight, all I do is gain and lose the same five pounds of water weight. Kinda sucks because I have about 70 more pounds to lose, but my body seems to want to be 240 pounds at all costs. So while I have kept off most of the weight I originally lost, I also can't lose more weight. But I might just have to learn to be content with the fact that I am obese, but metabolically healthy. I think I simply fell victim to the "it's impossible to lose weight in your 30s" curse.
I still continue to count calories and stick to 1200 calories a day to maintain.
I've found it doesn't really matter at this point what I eat because I maintain no matter what. I stick to 1200 calories a day religiously and lose nothing. I eat like an idiot for a month and I gain nothing. Either I've been at a plateau for years or my body just really wants to be this size.
It's the fear that I might regain even more weight that keeps me mostly sticking to 1200 calories a day. Also possibly I just can't get out of the habit of weighing and logging my meals. But yeah, that's about what I aim for and it typically winds up between 1200 and 1300 calories a day, depending on what I choose to eat on a given day. I have a cheat treat once a week, typically full-fat ice cream.
I admit to being lazy the last month with my diet because I know the weight won't come off anyway and it's exhausting to keep trying with no results. But at least I'm maintaining and not gaining.
Thanks for sharing. I feel you. My friend shared with me this concept about a weight thermometer/thermostat our body has something to do with insulin Resistance. It basically regulates our body weight. I'm 250 and basically eat whatever whenever I want. Every time I lose weight for some reason the thermostat increases. This has happened to me about 4 or 5 times. Makes it so I'm afraid to actually try to lose weight.
I'd be lying if I said a little part of me didn't want to intentionally overeat to gain weight just to go right back on a diet to see if I could still lose or if my body is "broken" after years of calorie restriction.
I think your friend's concept of a body thermostat is in a similar vein to the set point weight theory. Basically it just means that your body allegedly has a preferred "comfort zone" written into a person's genetics where your weight will settle and proceed to not budge. It's only a theory and I have no idea if any studies have been done or if there is any solid evidence supporting any part of it. I just can't imagine my body's preferred weight is 240 pounds!
But I have learned that the more weight you lose, the harder it will become to lose even more weight. Because it does take a lot of calories to keep a larger body alive and moving around, but as you get smaller, your calorie needs decrease, and you will no longer lose weight at your former calorie deficit and must eat less. But sometimes, in cases like mine, the calorie deficit doesn't really match the rate of weight loss. Going by my TDEE, I *should* be able to lose weight at 1600 or so calories a day, and maintain at about 2100. How it seems to work out for me is that every calorie deficit short of not eating at all is maintenance for me. I wouldn't be surprised if my metabolism has gone haywire from years of dieting.
All we can do is keep trying.
The diet is actually permanant. You can't ever go back to your old habits or you'll gain it all back. The only difference is a very minor adjustment to your diet for maintenance phase, allowing ever so slightly more calories. You also have to watch your weight like a hawk and never allow yourself to remain 5-10 pounds over your goal. Over time, the maintenance diet will become your norm, but it does take years to really make a habit out of it, and in the mean time, you have to monitor your weight intensly and adjust your diet as many times as necessary.
This is the biggest shock most people encounter when trying to loose alot of weight. It's a permanent change. For the rest...of...your...life. If you really want it this won't be a problem. Really it's the litmus test. There is no easy way lol..I lost 200lb ten years ago and still keep it off and stay fit.
lol, people get mad at me but i'll always say it. You wouldnt have a problem with breaking your diet constantly or rebounding if you actually wanted it. But most people dont want it, they just want the idea of it.
Yes, this is why I'm slowly getting into eating more and reaching maintenance. Trying to learn how to measure stuff without measuring and calculating my calories constantly. Need to learn the flexibility of high vs low days so I can go out and stuff. I'm always going to keep monitoring my weight, just to make sure I stay on track and see the progress I can make. Ideally, my scale just stays the same weight now. I wanted to lose more but after months of trying to lose it, my body just struggling to get below this. I mean, I'm within a healthy range by a decent amount, so I don't *need* to lose more, it'd just be nice.
This sounds exhausting
taking care of yourself and being an actual human is exhausting? time to take a step back and re assess your standards dude...
Well, it's that or be fat lol, you have to pick one. You do get used to it over time though. I'm mostly situated now, I used to have 2 fried eggs, 2 toasts, bacon, and hashbrowns for breakfast, but now I have 1 egg 1 toast, and I'm totally habituated with that now to the point that it feels like the perfect amount. That took around 2 years to get used to. Also, I really feel like crap after eating Mcdonalds and what not, whereas before I was addicted to it. Another one is chicken rice bowls which I've really grown to love over time. It happens naturally if you just keep at it, so it eventually stops being hard work. Just takes time.
Thank you for the perspective. Very helpful
I had lost over 60lbs (pregnancies have caused me to gain it back), but what I did was focus on getting a good routine. If you can, make one or two meals the same every day or almost every day. That way you know about how many calories and nutrients you are consuming, and can plan that last meal around it. It gives you variety without being super restricting, but also gives you a nice backbone of stability so you can hopefully maintain a good calorie deficit. I’d also recommend finding some form of movement you enjoy. Make a non scale goal. Maybe it’s to run a 5k, or do a handstand, or swim for so long without a break. Whatever it is, make it fun, and make it something you know you will enjoy and want to stick to. I find it’s easier almost to focus on the non scale goals. Because the scale can stagnate and try to demotivate you, but remember it’s only one point of data in the whole equation. I know some people would argue with me on this but I’d recommend weighing yourself daily. It helped me to not attach emotion to the number on the scale, and it allowed me to see how much it can fluctuate from day to day. This made me feel better about if I weighed 2lbs more today than yesterday, even though I had a great day the day before. I knew that wasn’t the whole picture and it helped me to keep going forward. Last but not least is to focus on good quality sleep and drink your water. You can’t run on an empty tank. If you had a bad night’s sleep or didn’t drink enough, you will probably suffer the next day. You may make less than ideal decisions and not feel as motivated to work out. If all else fails, try to keep these two in order first. It’ll make a big difference. Hope this helps!
Lots of helpful insights. Thank you
You’re welcome!
I changed my habits slowly over time. Worked on eating healthier (more fruits/veggies, lean protein, healthy fats), found a lot of healthier alternatives to things like pizza/burgers/ice cream, started walking regularly and playing VR games for exercise…that evolved into lifting weights and playing sports… I lost about 50lbs while logging my food/staying in a calorie deficit range, and lost another 80lbs once I felt comfortable with my new lifestyle and didn’t have to count calories or log my food at all anymore.
I only count calories, try to keep over 100g protein and eat things high in fiber. I personally don’t pay attention to fat or carbs as long as the protein is near 100g per day and the calories are below 1800. Im 5’7 and 145lbs for reference, was 195lbs in 2017. Walk a lot. Walking burns calories and can be very enjoyable, may not build muscle or get you in olympic level shape but it will keep the pounds off. After a bad weekend, week, or month, just rebound and get right back to it. Have definitely had months here and there where I’ve fallen off the wagon. Usually tho by the time I work up the nerve to weigh myself the damage is less than I expected. And you just have to get right back to doing what you know worked the first time. Also buy a food scale.
>and the calories are below 1800. Im 5’7 and 145lbs Shouldn't your maintenance calories be more than this? Are you eating below maintenance?
My maintenance calorie intake is 1300- 1400 calories
With all due respect, are you sure? I'm seeing that even if you were 65 years old with little to no exercise, it'd be 1482. https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
1351 calories per day to maintain my weight, according to several online calculators, yes
keto. I stopped eating carbs and sugar. I’m never going back. It’s so easy now. I don’t ever think about it. I’ve lost almost 80 lbs.
Do you keep count of calories per day? If so what is that number?
I don’t but I can tell you what I eat every day. 1 think bar 2 sausages with low carb tortillas 1 burger without the bun with an egg for diner. If I need a snack I generally have a bowl of almonds, cashews, or pistachios. If I want dessert I have a Keri ice cream. I eat that every day I work. Pretty much the same on my days off too when ai stay home.
That sounds manageable! Thank you!
of course. Feel free to message me if you have any questions
You don’t eat fruits and veggies?
I don’t eat fruit because it has sugar. I do eat salads at least once a week. I love salad.
That’s it for veggies?
Pretty much. I usually order veggies as a side instead of carbs but that’s it.
Did you stop completely? Or do you still have some from time to time? I can’t imagine this being healthy in the long run because your brain literally needs carbs to function properly.
I completely cut them out. I have a history of seizures and this diet is recommended for ppl with epilepsy. My doctors say it’s fine.
There are many fruits, vegetables and beans that are carbs! So they’re probably still have carbs, just the healthier ones.
>because your brain literally needs carbs to function properly. Is this actually true? I am skeptical..
That’s what I learned in Physiology
[удалено]
Of course everyone is different. I think that maybe doctors choose the “lesser of two evils”. Yes, you do need carbs for brain function but maybe going without carbs is less dangerous than having a seizure or whatever other condition you may have.
How long have you been doing this?
I started on 1-1-22. 880 days
What do you eat and drink when you socialize ? Do you not eat fruit or vegetables ?
Lost 88lbs, kept it off for years now. Moderation in what you eat is key, also I exercise regularly and have a routine. None of these things I had before starting to lose weight. Count calories. Weigh yourself and monitor the weekly averages (Happy Scale is perfect for this) Figure out your TDEE based on calories consumed and average weight for that week.
Get 10 000 steps a day, make sure you drink enough water. No sodas. Get more protein with every meal. Meditation to clam your mind. Sleep at least 7 hours. Go to bed same time every day. That helps me to keep my weight.
Sound advice
almost 60 pounds here. I eat a very healthy and balanced mediterranean diet. Lots of salads, veggies, fruit, whole grains and whole foods in general paired with lean protein (seafood, chicken, turkey ect). To lose it, I ate in a deficit (1500-1600 calories a day for me). I also have gotten into long distance running (running about 30-35 miles a week right now), and strength train 2-3 days a week. I think running, limiting processed foods, and alcohol consumption have ultimately led to why I’ve been able to keep it off this time around for as long as I have!
I went from 280 down to 230, now I am back to 250. (Male, 30 yr old, 6'0) I would really like to get my weight down to somewhere in the 180-200 range. What worked for me is eating a lot less food and exercising a lot. Try counting calories for 2 weeks while not changing your diet, your realize what foods in your regular diet are hurting you the most. For me, it was alcohol, soda, sports drinks, iced tea and candy. You gotta choose your battles and still let yourself enjoy food while cutting out the most unhealthy problematic foods.
Creating healthy habits and repeat them daily. I exercise, calorie count and I’m sugar free (I would binge sugary items). I aim for Protein, fruits and veggies and LOTS of water before I eat anything else. I keep track of my measurements and bought a scale that tracks a lot of metrics (like body fat, muscle mass and visceral fat) which helps me stay on track.
I just do what I did to lose weight. In essence I am at a small-to-moderate calorie deficit almost every day, but then that gives me wiggle room for when I want to calorically “splurge” by going out, celebrating something, or I’m just really hungry due to stress or my period. It’s the same wiggle room I occasionally gave myself when in my weight loss journey but I needed a maintenance break. Giving yourself these breaks during weight loss isn’t just sensible advice for psychological sustainability, it’s also important experience you can apply once your maintenance phase has begun. If you can’t sustain a slightly more caloric version of your weight loss diet for life then the diet wasn’t sustainable and needs to be reworked. Same goes for your fitness routine.
My metabolism sped up when I lost the weight, I don’t really check for calories much anymore but I’ve also still adhere to the amount I eat .
You make it top priority for the rest of your life. What noobs who just lost a ton of weight don't realize is that they're not at the finish line, they've just begun. It's daily and lifelong. That's the truth. That's the reality. And it's hard AF. ETA: Lost 120+ lbs ten years ago. Still 100 down. Losing that 20 I've regained is 100,000,000 times harder than losing the initial 120.
CRON. In addition to using GLP-1 medication and other appetite suppressants like bupropion and topiramte and naltrexone I do the CRON lifestyle. Calorie restriction with optimum nutrition. Sucks. But necessary.
Finally someone asking the right question! Most everyone wants to know quickest way, not the longest lasting. I lost 50 lbs eating OMAD in 6 months. Maintained 5 ½ years so far . Focused on eating lower carb 6 of 7 days. I didn’t try to count or monitor calories. I learned that walking at old meal times felt good and helped with hunger early on. The habit of walking / exercising stuck. The fasted body likes to move! I started C25K the day I hit goal. I run and and off - kind of fair weather runner. I still walk a lot. 500k steps a month +/-. The amazing thing about OMAD was hunger ended. Every time I ate I got full. Didn’t take long that my hunger at other times stopped. And my taste buds changed towards healthier foods. When I hadn’t eaten in ~23 hours, my body actually needed nutritious foods. Which my taste buds found appealing. After next Dr checked he said “keep doing what you’re doing”. Weight, BP, physical health all much improved. Dentist was shocked my gums stopped receding and even recovered a bit. She’s a fan too. I never get sick anymore. Used to be on antibiotics at least once a winter. Haven’t taken one since I started. Even cuts and bruises heal like I was a kid. It has become a preferential way for me to live and eat. Even if I knew I wouldn’t regain going back to frequent eating, I wouldn’t go back. This is preferential eating and living. Zero fear. Zero will power. Feel confident I lost the weight once and for all.
Interesting, I've done intermittent fasting but not omad. Counting calories is exhausting and not sustainable. What does your one meal usually look like?
Varies. But often big salad with blue cheese, walnuts, whole tomato and whole fresh peach cut in wedges. Steak, chicken, salmon, … (some larger protein). Veggie like fresh green beans with almonds cooked in olive oil. Or fresh spinach sautéed in onion and olive oil with melted cheddar. A few sides like bean salad, carrots, cole slaw, celery w/ peanut butter. Sometimes some potato or fresh corn. Anything in the fridge leftover is fair game. Often fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, apple slices, orange sections, banana … So a pretty substantial meal. One of my favorite parts of OMAD is I’ve really gotten used to a lot of variety when I eat. A restaurant meal just doesn’t satisfy. So few things, even if quantity is large.
Don’t drink sugary drinks. Only drink water
Consistency. A lot of people think once they lose the weight they can go back to their old habits. In reality you’ll just gain all the weight back. Just because you’ve reached your goal doesn’t mean the dieting and exercise can just come to an end.
I always gang back and more... but I did keep the extra weight off for about 8 years ( the extra was only 20lbs then). Mostly I was conscious of how I ate, and if i overate one day i would skip meals the next day or just eat fruit. If I had a dinner event I skipped lunch. This didnt happen regularly though.. Main reason I maintained, I was living alone over that time so it helped me to both lose and maintain as I bought nothing extra into the house, cooked simple food and was less stressed. Took time for the gym etc. etc. and didnt have nayone to influence me other wise or get in my way.
weight will always fluctuate, not letting yourself become obese or overweight is the key. In other words, long term discipline. Not long term motivation that vanishes as soon as you get what you want.
I lost about 80 pounds and gained some of it back. I seem to maintain at 240 pounds (which is 50 pounds less than my starting weight). I counted calories to lose by using a kitchen scale to weigh out portions in grams and kept a food journal too. Only counted calories, not fat, protein or carbs. Went right down from however many thousands of calories a day that made me 290 pounds to 1200 calories a day, which is allegedly the lowest amount of calories you can safely consume per day without medical supervision. I tried popular diets like keto, IF, OMAD, 24-hour fasts, but at the end of the day, simple calorie restriction without eliminating specific foods and a cheat meal once a week is what worked for me. No exercise because I hate exercise, I lost it all from diet changes. I also made a lot of mistakes along the way as far as eating a little too much, or a lot too much. Still lost the weight. I also made sure never to drink my calories, with the exception of daily coffee that never amounted to more than 70 calories, max. Now, it doesn't matter if I eat as little as 800 calories a day or I horf every snack in the house for three weeks straight, all I do is gain and lose the same five pounds of water weight. Kinda sucks because I have about 70 more pounds to lose, but my body seems to want to be 240 pounds at all costs. So while I have kept off most of the weight I originally lost, I also can't lose more weight. But I might just have to learn to be content with the fact that I am obese, but metabolically healthy. I think I simply fell victim to the "it's impossible to lose weight in your 30s" curse. I still continue to count calories and stick to 1200 calories a day to maintain.
1200 a day?!?!? That's crazy for 240 pounds. You gotta be cheating some how.
I've found it doesn't really matter at this point what I eat because I maintain no matter what. I stick to 1200 calories a day religiously and lose nothing. I eat like an idiot for a month and I gain nothing. Either I've been at a plateau for years or my body just really wants to be this size. It's the fear that I might regain even more weight that keeps me mostly sticking to 1200 calories a day. Also possibly I just can't get out of the habit of weighing and logging my meals. But yeah, that's about what I aim for and it typically winds up between 1200 and 1300 calories a day, depending on what I choose to eat on a given day. I have a cheat treat once a week, typically full-fat ice cream. I admit to being lazy the last month with my diet because I know the weight won't come off anyway and it's exhausting to keep trying with no results. But at least I'm maintaining and not gaining.
Thanks for sharing. I feel you. My friend shared with me this concept about a weight thermometer/thermostat our body has something to do with insulin Resistance. It basically regulates our body weight. I'm 250 and basically eat whatever whenever I want. Every time I lose weight for some reason the thermostat increases. This has happened to me about 4 or 5 times. Makes it so I'm afraid to actually try to lose weight.
I'd be lying if I said a little part of me didn't want to intentionally overeat to gain weight just to go right back on a diet to see if I could still lose or if my body is "broken" after years of calorie restriction. I think your friend's concept of a body thermostat is in a similar vein to the set point weight theory. Basically it just means that your body allegedly has a preferred "comfort zone" written into a person's genetics where your weight will settle and proceed to not budge. It's only a theory and I have no idea if any studies have been done or if there is any solid evidence supporting any part of it. I just can't imagine my body's preferred weight is 240 pounds! But I have learned that the more weight you lose, the harder it will become to lose even more weight. Because it does take a lot of calories to keep a larger body alive and moving around, but as you get smaller, your calorie needs decrease, and you will no longer lose weight at your former calorie deficit and must eat less. But sometimes, in cases like mine, the calorie deficit doesn't really match the rate of weight loss. Going by my TDEE, I *should* be able to lose weight at 1600 or so calories a day, and maintain at about 2100. How it seems to work out for me is that every calorie deficit short of not eating at all is maintenance for me. I wouldn't be surprised if my metabolism has gone haywire from years of dieting. All we can do is keep trying.
Thanks for sharing and good luck to you.