Is this really how moderation and weight loss works?

I’ve struggled with moderation for my entire life. I’m either a perfectionist or I don’t give a crap at all.

Today we were out with our boys and decided to grab Taco Bell. According to my mfp calculation I would readily consume my entire calorie allotment (1500) in one meal. Today I had fewer calories (450) for lunch at Taco Bell than I did yesterday when I ate my “healthy lunch” of a tofu scramble and salad.

I don’t feel sick or stuffed.. but I do feel so much anxiety.

It’s the same feeling that I had when I had a 150 calorie protein bar with my plain latte this afternoon.

Please tell me that a little bit of fast food or processed food won’t derail my efforts and keep me at this weight for my entire life so long that I stay under my calorie goal. I know plenty of people had to have achieved weight loss while moderating treats and fast food and processed foods. I feel like I just can’t convince myself that it’s okay. 🥺

ETA: I have been tracking for 3 weeks and have lost about 8 lbs. I eat a mostly whole foods, vegetarian diet. The anxiety drops up when I stray from my whole foods diet for something processed, even though it isn’t often. I feel like I’m going crazy because I can look at my mfp showing my weight loss and calories remaining and feel like a failure for having 450 cal of Taco Bell over 450 calories of beans and veggies, even though it’s maybe twice a week at most. I feel out of control it certain ways about labeling foods strictly as good or bad.

submitted by /u/caliberry1991
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvmly2/is_this_really_how_moderation_and_weight_loss/

Weight loss is not always a proud feeling. Today was a very raw experience.

When extreme weight gain was a defense mechanism or trauma response, shedding that weight does not always feel like something to be proud of.

On most days, I do feel more confident and more energetic due to my weight loss. Today was not one of those days.

I haven't really worn "real clothes" during my entire weight loss journey, since I've been working from home and have had no need to dress up. But today I needed to dig through my closet to find a proper, well-fitting outfit. Everything hung across me like a garbage bag. As I stood there swimming in my clothes, I felt an unsettling, palpable feeling like half of my body was missing. Like my protection layer was missing. Like that big blubbery part of me that kept people away—and kept me safe from being hurt by bad people—was gone.

I felt tiny and fragile standing in those giant clothes.

I kept digging through my closet and finally found something that fit. Clothes from college—a very rough period of my life. Putting those clothes on transported me right back in time to that place I've tried to leave behind. Putting on those clothes felt like putting on an old version of myself that I wanted to leave in the past. The clothes fit exactly right... and at the same time, I felt suffocated in them.

Weight loss is as much of a psychological journey as a physical one. For those of you whose weight challenges have deep roots, know you are not alone. It's not always easy, but it's worth it. It can hurt at times but it's for our own good.

submitted by /u/Hollyannlang94
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvsn7d/weight_loss_is_not_always_a_proud_feeling_today/

[rant] I’m ready to lose my curves 🤷‍♀️

When I lost weight before, I hated myself in the process, and I hated having to buy all new bras too. When I put weight back on, my consolation price, I told myself, was having boobs again.

Now that I don’t have to go into the office or really ever be presentable, I usually wear sports bras or camisoles. I wore a padded bra a while back and just felt that it’s so stupid to have these things in the way!

I’m down 14 pounds since Christmas. I’ve already lost fat off my chest and ass but I don’t care anymore! I want my best healthy body. I’ve always justified being chubby with having “curves” and didn’t want to “get too thin.” I’ll just work on my squat form and stop worrying about fitting into these stupid “hourglass” body types! Bring on the A-cups! 😂

submitted by /u/No_Recording4596
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvs0fx/rant_im_ready_to_lose_my_curves/

How do I even start losing weight?

F20 here. I’ve been about 180-220 lbs for about 3 years. I seem to take 2 steps forward, one step back when it comes to weight loss. I’ll lose 20, gain back 25. Lose 10, gain back 15.

I have a lot of food based anxiety I’ve recently come to terms with as I was hospitalized for anorexia in my teens. I gained a bunch of weight in the last three years and haven’t seemed to be able to lose it sustainability without trying fad diets or starving myself, I love to cook and I’m good at it, however I work shift work and find it very hard to cook all these meals and not be exhausted. If I’m tired I will order out no hesitation.

I’d love to work out but I don’t enjoy it, and I work a job on my feet 9 hours a day, full time, and don’t know how to fit those in.

My boyfriend and I are to a point where we know we need to start taking the weight loss seriously. I weighed in at 230 this morning and it kicked for me. However, I don’t know where to begin. Any advice would be seriously appreciated.

submitted by /u/sscovtt
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvs45c/how_do_i_even_start_losing_weight/

Miscalculation Story

TL;DR: Try actually counting calories for anything 'home made' you or your family cook, you could be in for a shock. I thought I was too smart to make that mistake.

So I've been here before. I was at 220 at my highest, and at my lowest, I reached about 153, I was doing ok. I reached a plateau that lasted for a while, frustratingly so. I eventually reverted to eating junk food and not exercising. I've gone up to 184 now. However, good news, today is my first day doing CICO again, yay! I cooked my usual lunch of chili for the week, and decided out of curiosity, let's try and calculate roughly how many calories are in each serving. So I added up all the nutrition info for the ingredients, divided it by the number of cups yielded, and I kinda freaked out.

Each serving was a little over double the calories I thought it was. I used to think each cup was 225 calories, when in reality, each cup was about 450. And I eat two cups at a time, so that's about an extra 500 calories over what I thought I was eating.

I was losing at a rate of 1 pound per week, then I wasn't. Since I was otherwise calculating my calories correctly, that means the undercalculation of calories in the chili was exactly enough to bring me to maintenance, instead of in a deficit. No wonder I stopped losing weight!

On one hand, while I'm really angry that such a simple problem caused so much stress before, I'm also excited, because if I managed to make great progress before the plateau, I can only imagine what my progress will be like now, with an accurate calorie count!

Maybe this time instead of getting stuck at 153, I can actually get cut.

Don't be like me, actually measure all of your ingredients instead of just estimating or eyeballing.

submitted by /u/ctbpdx
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvqjfa/miscalculation_story/

30 Day Accountability Challenge - Day 1

Hello losers,

Happy March! Since it's day one, I'm going to give y'all the low down again in case you didn't catch it in the sign up post. Which by the way, is an arbitrary name. You are always welcome to hop in or off or in again whether you signed up or not!

For the newbies to the sub reddit, please start here, so much good info!

https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/quick_start_guide https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/faq

And hey, maybe it’s not a bad idea to review them anyway to you returning conquerors. I do occasionally to remind myself of the basics.

Here’s what we do in the DAC my friends!

This is the sign up post to outline your goals, weight loss, self care, creative, whatever keeps your motor going.

There will be a daily update post for you to chime in about how day whatever is going!

At the end of the month, there is a wrap up post to reflect on the progress you made or didn’t make & what you learned. Learning is progress my friends!

We try to foster a supportive, caring place to discuss the actual day to day of deficits & counting & caring so much about how we fuel our bodies & lives. So be kind, interact if you like & hopefully you feel supported by the internet version of a push up bra! Leading by example, here I go!

Weigh in daily, enter into Libra & report here even if I don't like it: I looked at the scale & immediately forgot the number & to put it in libra this morning. Monday for ya. Tomorrow I shall be more vigilant. X this morning, 229.9 lbs trend weight. Entering it even when I don't like it.

Stay within calorie range (1800): I think I should be good today, some guestimating on fajitas will occur. 1/1 days.

Exercise 5 days a week: 30 minute lunch walk & 30 minute stationary bike. 1/1 days.

Self-care time (journaling, beauty treatments, anything that fills the bucket, non food rewards): I'm going to address the pile of laundry on my bed & there will be a long shower & skin care routine after.

Try a new recipe once a week: Nothing yet, although I tried the pickled peppers from last month & those need to happen again for sure, with more exciting seasonings & types of peppers. X/4 weeks.

Express mindfulness and or gratitude: Today I am grateful for revisiting a blog I've seen referenced before but never spent enough time on. Captain Awkward for the win.

Your turn!

submitted by /u/Mountainlioness404d
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvq7p1/30_day_accountability_challenge_day_1/

When your doctor doesn't just tell you to lose weight as a fix-all solution.

Lately my feet and ankles have been in a whole lot of pain, in fact I briefly lost feeling in my right foot for a couple hours last month. People have been telling me left and right to lose some weight and it'll go away.

I used to weigh much more this with no problems, so I went to my doctor for her opinion. X-rays showed nothing, blood sugar was normal, pulse was a little high but that's normal for me. Some of her theories is that my body is trying to warn me I'm approaching diabetes (it does run in the family) or perhaps there's a vein somewhere not functioning properly.

Throughout the visit she never once suggested losing weight in fact over the years that I've had her she never even mentioned it. I decided to ask myself.

"At best weightloss will lessen the pain because there will be less weight and pressure on your feet, but it won't magically fix what is causing it."

She suggested that if I was serious about losing weight I should try alternating between low/zero carbs and moderate carbs, and regular exercise and if I or a friend has a pool that would be an ideal place to start. But in the meantime she wanted me to monitor my blood sugar and referred me for a venogram.

submitted by /u/221CBakerStreet
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/lvoj4f/when_your_doctor_doesnt_just_tell_you_to_lose/