Amazing! Well done you! Do you have any tips/tricks you’re willing to share?
I’ve quit drinking for good which I’m sure is helping a lot- if I’m honest I wouldn’t eat a lot of junk before but I definitely had a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol and it was just calories and piling on the pounds.
ive also been diagnosed as coeliac, so cutting gluten out has really helped I think as well! Before I found it hard to loose weight and (except for the alcohol) I’ve found a lot of people with coeliac on online message boards saying they couldn’t loose weight whilst eating gluten.
Other than that, calories in has to be less than calories out. This simple fact, without fad diets or weird regimes has really helped me understand snd stick to it. There are ways I’ve been boosting this and trying to improve my health and nutrition- I used to do slimming world and their rule of having 1/3 of every meal minimum be a speed food (super fruit or vegetable) has been a really good plan to follow- even if I’m not sticking to the full plan and paying for classes, this one trick is definitely helping me stay fuller for longer (and healthier!).
ive also found making lunch the big meal of the day, and then only having a small dinner really helpful. Maybe that’s just because of my daily routine but I have a long commute with a fair bit of walking so I’m always hungry at work- I’ve found having a 500-600kcal lunch then a 400kcal dinner a lot better. (Don’t worry I also have breakfast and snacks!)
I would also say calorie count EVERYTHING to begin with and then as you go on and get better you’ll be able to estimate. Weigh all your food as you do so as well, never guesstimate. The small size of portions really freaked me out at first, I’d been eating 2-3 portions of cereal in one go, and sadly probably about 20 portions of Mayo with one dinner ahahaha. Ive stopped calorie counting vegetables, especially broccoli and other super veggies now as I can measure by eye okay. Also, don’t be scared of calorie counting- I was terrified if I went over but it’s okay- your calorie ‘allowance’ as it were is best measured over a week and it’s up to you how to dole them out (but obvs don’t do 3000 on one day and 500 on another haha). I had a belated birthday dinner on Saturday and I counted the approx calories for it- I went over my weight loss calorie amount but stayed within my maintenance which I would say is a good goal for ‘cheat meals’ but I don’t think I’d do a cheat day as that would make me feel bad. On this note, don’t deprive yourself! Enjoy your favourite food but make it a treat and hold yourself accountable- this is about building a healthy relationship with food and your body in order to create habits for life we’ll live by to stay a healthy weight in the long run.
I also love to cook, which is great for creating lovely home cooked meals- I would recommend cooking at home whenever you can. Even if you don’t there are millions of healthy recipes online that take five mins and a couple of ingredients to whip up!
I’m also not too concerned with exercise at the moment- it’s something I want to do further down the line definitely and id love to get fit and active but food and nutrition is the way to loose weight so I will introduce it when I’m feeling a bit lighter as it were, and sobriety is 100% my priority rn.
calculate your TDEE as well (google TDEE calculator)- using your height and weight and age, it will tell you what your maintenance calories are and then you have a base to set off from in terms of how much to eat- remember 500kcal deficit a day for a week should equal 1lb loss a week, but that can change depending on water weight etc…
Also (finally I promise!) something that I’m still working on myself is not being scared of the number on the scale. It will fluctuate with water, if you do a lot of exercise or walking the day before, hormones you name it! As long as there’s a downward trend, you’re heading in the right direction!!
Golly, I hope this helps!! I’m still early into my journey but I’m doing so much research it’s really helping me understand my body and my life journey!
need to get my head in the game and get serious
No regrets! I'm going back to my healthy eating again today!!
