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Not *quite* 40 years old. Mostly sedentary job. 5'11" and weight varies as per my history. I previously lost over 130 pounds in 2017 and kept it off for a year. I've found some (but not all) of that weight again. My weight history shows cycles, where my weight has fluctuated between 245 and 290 pounds over the last four years.
In August of 2022, after buying a new house, I started working on my weight again in earnest. I've gone from 294 pounds on August 1st to 266 pounds here at the end of November 2022. I would like to lose another 20 pounds, as an intermediate goal, at a steady rate of about 5 pounds for month, getting to 245 by the end of March 2023.
I want to take these goals one step at a time to avoid getting overwhelmed with the prospect of losing 60 pounds. In the past, I looked at it as losing 10% of my body weight at a time (300 > 270 > 243 > 219 > 197 ). For now, I'm sticking to a goal of 245 while getting stronger with the resistance training. Once I get there, I'll move on to new goals.
Tools I've found useful in the past:
Nutrition:
CICO
If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)
I track my meals using google sheets as a calculator. I group it into 14 day periods where I can see on one tab how I've done over those two weeks.
Abstaining from alcohol and other liquid calories (except a limited amount of milk -- e.g., 240 mL of 2% blended with 240 mL low calorie almond milk, for coffee in the mornings).
Repetitive meals to make food boring and automate the process, where there is no decision fatigue that goes along with the choice, "What will I eat today?"
Exercise:
Walk every day. Preferably outdoors. At LEAST five days a week. Shoot for 15 miles a week. Don't accept less than 10.
Resistance training (I use dumbbells and some machines currently with the Body for Life program. In the past, I've had very good results with 16 weeks of barbell training using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 lifting protocol.)
Community/Support:
FatSecret (of course!). The weight tracking is mostly what I use. I find some of the community is hit or miss, but I look for inspiration from those who are succeeding, they are living proof that it can be done.
/LoseIt on Reddit. I haven't used this as much lately but I used to check in with it often for inspiration and to learn others' stories. A few saved posts I keep stored and reread over and over again. I found it helpful in dealing with the mental/psychological aspects of losing weight.
A technique called the Four Fundamental cards for increasing willpower. I found this on Reddit and it worked for me in various areas, especially in habit formation and willpower. They are four relatively low-effort things or habits you can implement that generate more willpower than they require. (1) Sleep (enough and high quality); (2) Exercise; (3) Nutrition; and (4) Meditation Practice (Aim for 13-20 minutes twice a day, using Mindfulness or Transcendental practice).
"Trust the Process": Strive to move from outcome oriented goals to a process-based approach that eventually becomes part of your identity (e.g., "I will lose 20 pounds," to "I will do so through proper nutrition and exercise consistently, as a daily practice," to "I am an active person who makes healthful choices with eating."
Consistency is the habit of victory! ~one mantra from Reddit
The concept of SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound. Instead of, "I want to lose weight (not be fat, unhealthy, etc.)" have a goal such as, Over the next two weeks, I will follow my meal plans of 2200 calories per day (83 g fat/186 g carb/170 g protein) with 95% compliance. I will lift weights 3x per week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from 7 - 8 a.m. in the morning before work. I will walk 2 miles each day on Tuesday and Thursday on my lunch break. On Saturday, I will go on a 5 miles hike in the morning with friends."
For meals, the "Four P's": Usually once a week go through this process: (1) Plan (with the spreadsheet), (2) Purchase (go the supermarket after you've eaten a meal and aren't hungry), (3) Prepare (do all the cooking for the week, from chopping to baking, in one fell swoop!), (4) Portion (go ahead and put it in meal prep containers. These days, I prep my evening meals. My lunch doesn't require much cooking and my breakfasts take less than 10 minutes to prepare.
By sharing these things I have found useful, I hope to help others in their journey!
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Specifics on my current plan:
To accomplish an intermediate goal of 245 pounds while not losing lean body mass:
On the nutrition side (80-90% outcome-determinative in my book/"you can't outrun your fork"), I'm sticking to a meal plan (usually 6 days a week) that currently works out to 2200 calories a day (86 g fat/183 g carbs/170 g protein).
On the activity end (10-20% outcome-determinative, to look and feel better), my exercise priorities are: (1) strength training 3x a week using Body for Life; (2) 20 minute high-intensity aerobics solution 3x a week; (3) low-intensity walking for about an hour first thing in the morning; (4) long hikes (5-10 miles every other weekend). Right now I'm doing great on sticking with the weight training (just finished week 12 of that). I need to work on keeping with the walking, which I've let slide while focusing on the weights.
Background on my weight loss journey: After being very overweight (BMI ~40) for most of my adult life, I made a change in 2017. Found FatSecret and the /loseit community on Reddit. I went from over 330 pounds to under 200 pounds in less than a year, with most of that loss occurring by October 2017. Changing the way I ate (meal plans according to IIFYM, no alcohol) and increase in activity (walking 10-15 miles a week, then resistance training using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program starting in October - December).
I kept the weight off for about a year, moving to Alaska for work and then back to the Deep South. I tracked my meals using CICO and IIFYM. In 2017 and 2018 I did a lot of walking (usually 15 miles a week and some additional hikes of 8-12 miles on weekends). I gained the weight back fairly quickly in late 2018 and early 2019, while taking another bar and working full time. I plateaued at a weight lower than my max, around 245 on the low end and 270 on the high end.
Since then, I've had that "come to Jesus" moment several times where I've gotten heavier, cresting 290 but not quite getting to 300. I've put on the brakes with meal planning and IIFYM, getting down to around 250 again -- so that most of my "250 lb." clothes fit better -- but never going lower back into 235# territory. It's been a pattern, where after a loss to the comfort zone of 250#, I'll slack off on eating right and creep back up heavier. Here's to setting new patterns!
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2141 kcal
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Gras: 80,34g | Prot: 192,47g | Glu: 178,54g.
Petit Déjeuner: Butter, Herdez Salsa Verde, Great Value Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread, Egg. Déjeuner: Great Value Peanut Butter, Cosmic Crisp Apple. Dîner: Great Value Broccoli Florets, Member's Mark Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Specially Selected White Basmati Rice, Red Cabbage. Snacks/Autre: Lemon Juice, Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Original Unsweetened Almond Milk, 1% Fat Milk. plus...
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3370 kcal
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Exercice:
Body for life (leg day) - 35 minutes, Repos - 15 heures et 25 minutes, Dormir - 8 heures. plus...
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