★OFFICIAL DAILY★ Daily Q&A Thread December 10, 2024

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[u/OmmaleoSimfallao]

I started my weight loss journey back in June and until October, I lost 15kg/33lbs. I am still 15kg off my personal goal (1.85m x 90kg / 6ft1in x 200lbs)

In the last couple of months I’ve been limboing at the same weight +/- 3kg/6-7lbs. I have tried to incorporate cardio (30-45mins) on an empty stomach in the last month but that’s simply unsustainable for me, I am extremely fatigued at the end of the working week.

I am not particularly worried by the weight shown by the scale, since I gained a lot of muscle, strength and stamina, but at the same time I feel mentally worn out by following the same plain diet of the last half year.

Any advice for me to pull through this moment? am I living through the dreadful moment called a plateau?

[u/denizen_1 → u/OmmaleoSimfallao]

That's exactly when I took "maintenance breaks" in doing 115 kg -> 75 kg as a 178 cm man. A month or two at maintenance and your psychology and probably TDEE will improve. The delay might be hard to accept since you want to reach your goal but lots of people find them essential to making the process work, especially over the long term of having to maintain your weight loss and not rebound as soon as you're done.

edit: I didn't see that you've basically been at maintenance for a few months, my apologies. It's still might make sense to stay there a bit. But, when you get back to it, you're going to have to cut calories to whatever causes the weight loss you're looking for.

[u/agathafreak]

I'm looking to add some weight loss influence to the media I consume. What weight loss influencers do you follow or podcasts do you listen to? I already listen to Half Size Me and We Only Look Thin. TIA!

[u/theallnewmattaccount]

I feel so afraid about going back to the gym. I know I've lost everything I worked for, but I don't want to face it directly. It doesn't help that I alienated my workout friends when I let myself go - I lashed out over literally nothing, I'm the bad guy. But I can't do this forever.

[u/Nessaea-Bleu → u/theallnewmattaccount]

Muscle comes back faster when you've had it before. The body has a memory, probably in the form of neural pathways. You haven't lost everything.

[u/TurbulentResident527 → u/theallnewmattaccount]

Life is very long, you’ll have seasons. You’ll be in a season of building back muscle and endurance, and I’d recommend - if you can - thinking about if you have done what you need to do today to be 1% better than yesterday. Not how many percent behind you are from some other season.

[u/frijolita_bonita]

Super discouraged… I took a short weekend vacation and came home 4.5 pounds heavier

I tried watching what I ate. Never went back for seconds. Skipped desserts. Hiked and swam.

This mornings weigh in back home I lost an entire month of progress from the CICO plan I’ve been on.

This is ridiculous!

[u/Yachiru5490 → u/frijolita_bonita]

It is ridiculous, I agree. Best I can tell you is check back next week before declaring you lost an entire month (yes I'm guilty of doing the same thing...)

[u/frijolita_bonita → u/Yachiru5490]

One week later, I’m back to where I was before the weekend away. I’ll just keep going and hoping for continued loss, thanks!

[u/frijolita_bonita → u/Yachiru5490]

Thanks. This helps my outlook a bit!

[u/BradleyyBear → u/frijolita_bonita]

You can't gain 4.5lbs in a weekend. If you ever need a sanity check on this take the weight gain number and multiply it by 3500 and then divide that by .7 in your case that's 22,500 now tell me you ate 22,500 calories ABOVE your maintenance calories and I'll believe you gained 4.5lbs.

What actually happened is you ate more sodium and probably had some alcohol and likely ate more carbs than usual and as a result you are not retaining water, waste, and glycogen which all weighs something. A couple days binge can add up to 10lbs in my experience that goes away a week later. Don't stress it. The scale tells you how much you weigh not how much fat you have.

[u/frijolita_bonita → u/BradleyyBear]

This makes so much sense. Thank you! Yep - I did have alcohol in moderation (4 maybe 5 glasses of red wine total) and fatty foods and high sodium. I’m chugging water tonight. Thank you. And I haven’t pooped yet so there’s that too.

[u/BradleyyBear → u/frijolita_bonita]

Yep, alcohol dehydrates which makes you retain water. Sodium makes you retain water. And then drastic changes up or down in your diet causes you to store glycogen which is the end result of processed calories, everything you consume gets turned into waste and glycogen, the glycogen is how your body uses energy. It can take a week to reach normal glycogen levels again so my suggestion is to always wait a week or two after a binge before you start weighing again.

[u/frijolita_bonita → u/BradleyyBear]

Happy cake day. Yea - a week later and I’m back to where i was. I didn’t get my pound of weight loss I was on track for but at least I havent “gained”

[u/cat_peaches]

do y’all try to avoid the scale/weight tracking when you’re on your period?? im on day two of my period and just did a weigh in, im so disappointed :/

[u/Nessaea-Bleu → u/cat_peaches]

No, why would I? Collecting data doesn't change the reality.

[u/TurbulentResident527 → u/cat_peaches]

I intentionally weigh myself often enough to see the increases in weight. It has helped my mindset so much to see that the weight comes off every time, so I never panic if I see a pound or two - if I know I’ve not eaten the amount of calories for that change. It’s delayed gratification to see the reduction, but there is no one putting me on a timer but me, so I try not to worry about it.

[u/Sister__Winter → u/cat_peaches]

i never weigh in on my period and i usually skip a day or two on either side of it too

[u/BradleyyBear → u/cat_peaches]

I'm a guy but it is very common to retain water during your period so if you feel better not weighing in that's fine. I also only weigh in once a month anyway.

[u/Throwaway26702008]

Am I doing something wrong by wanting to switch to maintence?

I lost 12 kg and am still obese, and my friends are saying, and I want to, just go to the gym and build muscle at my current weight.

That would be 5’4, male, 16M, 80kg.

Would I look muscley and strong or would my muscle be hidden beneath my fat and really difficult to gain while obese?

[u/Throwaway26702008]

Is mfp maintence wrong? On mfp it says 2410 for sedentary maintence, but on tdee calculator it says 2108

[u/BradleyyBear → u/Throwaway26702008]

Yeah it's very inaccurate. Tdee calc is better. It's not 100% accurate, nothing is, but tdee is good enough to lose weight with.

[u/TurbulentResident527 → u/Throwaway26702008]

Mine is definitely ~300-500 higher than reality.

[u/BradleyyBear]

Sanity check how many calories are in 15oz of boneless skinless chicken thighs weighed raw? I put it in MyFitnessPal and it just sounds too low for the amount of food it is.

[u/Complicatedrocks → u/BradleyyBear]

506

[u/Glattic]

Do you really need to drink 2 litres of water a day to lose weight effectively?

[u/TurbulentResident527 → u/Glattic]

No 🙂 drinking enough water has many benefits - helps you stay full, helps with clear skin, gives you a great 0 calorie alternative to sodas etc - but the amount of weight you lose is always going to be based on how many calories you ate vs your body used/burned.

[u/Complicatedrocks → u/Glattic]

No. But drinking more often eases the way for many people for the following reasons: 1. Eat less as stomach has more water = less space for food 2. Less likely to mistake thirst signals for hungry signals. 3. Drink plenty of water -> feel better -> make better food choices 4. Not being dehydrated means less brain fog and easier to manage calories 

[u/Immediate_Lychee_372]

Two questions

if I’m eating veggies and or like fruits do I need to calculate them in? I’m eating stuff like peppers/spinach/watermelon/dragon fruit with my meals and since those are apparently low calorie I don’t bother but I’m afraid that’s a big mistake

Also how do you guys stop cravings or resist them at night? I find that after 8 my body just wants food all the time even if I’ve already eaten and reached my calorie limit

[u/TurbulentResident527 → u/Immediate_Lychee_372]

I do not count vegetables that are parts of dishes - so for example, my lettuce/tomato/onion on a sandwich. All of this in my diet might add up to ~300-500 calories a week, which for me is something I’m fine not tracking (knowing I’m not tracking it). I do count if it’s a specific dish or part of my meal - those calories would add up to a lot more. So for example, if I’m making a big salad for lunch, I add that all up and track.

For the night time eating, this is the hardest part for me too. The most effective for me was going to OMAD, or IF more generally. Instead of fighting it, I then had more calories to ‘spend’ at night from not eating earlier meals and I would still be in a deficit. When I’m not doing IF/OMAD, I will not buy food that is easy to grab and eat (chips, etc) - not having it in the house makes it a lot easier to not eating earlier meals! Or, I’ll tell myself ‘sure, you can have those chips you’re craving tomorrow.’ Then, when tomorrow comes the craving is over. ☺️

[u/Immediate_Lychee_372 → u/TurbulentResident527]

I like eating the fruits as snacks or the vegetables as dips with the dish I’m eating so I’ll guess I’ll ignore them for now

That night craving really ruins it for me lol I just get such an intense craving. I guess I’ll just try to resist it for now

[u/Stressyalaire]

Hello there! I want to lose 10 KG

I ate only unhealthy for several months and gained weight. I want it gone again. Some things I don't understand.

I don't feel hungry right now. And I think that feeling can go on for the whole day. The feeling of not being hungry, not needing to eat and being okay with it. That doesn't sound okay to me, bit alarming, what is this? Has anyone else gotten this?

Second, it feels like I'm salivating right now. Despite not feeling hungry there is that drive to eat. I don't get it >.<

[u/blauerblumentopf → u/Stressyalaire]

Feeling hungry is triggered by a hormone called ghrelin. And it's just a feeling, so you are not starving just because you haven't eaten today.

You could look at subs like r/intermittentfasting or r/fasting, they know more about this and will probably give you an overview.

Remember you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose your weight. Calculate your tdee and eat in a deficit, then you will see progress

[u/Stressyalaire → u/blauerblumentopf]

thank you! I can't describe it, the feel to eat is there, but my stomach doesn't feel empty at all D: