First off, stats:
SW: 223
CW: 201
GW: 180 (eventually 170!)
24F 5'10"
So I've been floating around here since October. During that time, losing weight seemed impossible. I suffer from depression and some kind of executive function issue (maybe adhd but never officially tested) that make it really, really hard to do basic things regularly, like staying on top of laundry, groceries, cleaning, et cetera.
In October, I was still finishing up a final term at college. The challenging nature of the school I went to made it difficult to think about anything other than academics, and though I tried to count calories, I gave up after 3 weeks (also because it was too hard to resist the siren call of halloween mini Twix bars...). I was fairly upset with myself.
Since then, I have:
- officially finished my degree (even though it took 5.25 years--I took a year off due to mental health problems)
- gotten an entry level job that is adjacent to the field I want to go into, even if it isn't perfect
- lost 22 lb since January 27
- found a bra that fits me (thanks r/abtf!)
So let me go into this saying that losing weight is really hard to do if you're not in an okay place mentally. I'm currently on medication for depression, and have had enough therapy at this point to realize my overly intense feelings of guilt and shame when they do come up.
But here's how I did lose weight:
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I subscribed to r/loseit and just lurked for a while. Seeing the success stories in my feed every day got me more comfortable with the idea of losing weight as a thing I could achieve.
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I downloaded the loseit app and just tracked without changing anything for 2 weeks. I waited until after the holidays so it wouldn't be as hard at first. When I did start to restrict, I didn't worry too much about going over.
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I measured the volume of a bunch of different bowls, so I wouldn't have to go through the process of scooping food into a measuring cup. I know most people use food scales, but I was able to do fine so far without one.
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I got a bento box for lunches. The nice little separate containers actually have measuring marks on them. I generally bring 2 cups of veggies, 1 cup of fruit, some kind of light dip or hummus, and a light snacky carb (i.e. popcorners or baked lays) or some almonds. This amounts to about 440 to 470 calories, and it takes me forever to eat because it's a bunch of little things instead of one big sandwich, and I feel full. And it takes all of 5 minutes to throw together in the morning.
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I found a treat that I could give myself. My little dumb treat is Dinosaur Eggs oatmeal, because I'm an Adult. At 190 cal a packet, it's decently filling and sweet enough to get my sweet tooth handled, and it makes the child inside me gleeful. And if I can fit in that donut or DQ vanilla cone (my weakness), I do it!
On holidays, I relax, but still try to keep tracking in the back of my mind. I still enjoy some cake, and end up going over usually, but not as much as if I'd just given up entirely!
I also cut out liquid calories with the exception of an occasional coffee or V8. I don't drink alcohol, so this was fairly easy for me. I bring a water bottle to work and fill it multiple times a day.
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I started weighing myself daily and tracking it in the app, which really helped with motivation! It was scary at first to see the number, but now I think of it as data points rather than the actual weight that I am. I weigh myself every morning after using the restroom.
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The structure of a job really helps. If I'm at home all day, I'll gravitate towards snacking nautrally. But if I'm stimulated and occupied, the urge lessens.
And I try to consider cico a game -- I'm trying to eat strategically to a certain number, so what can I fit?
- I found other sources of stimulation! In particular, reading, crafting, drawing, playing instruments, and video games tend to make me want to snack less than TV or internet browsing.
And that's all! I didn't take a proper before pic, so I found one of the more unflattering ones from August that helped motivate me. (I was also wearing a completely unfitting bra at the time, which doesn't help!)
Tl;dr: It may take longer than you expected, and it might not be perfect, but you can do it, whether it's school, getting a job, or losing some weight.
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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2FV2quI
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