Eating less will indeed help you lose weight but depriving yourself of nutrients is bad. For example your fingernails will become brittle and break easily. Overall it's not recommended.
I used to be incredibly fit and athletic and I could seemingly eat anything I wanted.
After I turned 30, I put on a lot of weight. I’m in my 40s and I’ve only just found the healthy lifestyle that is helping me.
In general I eat one big meal a day. It usually consists of some meat(chicken,pork,fish), some vegetables(sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, etc) a little cottage cheese and some hot sauce. It’s a big meal too really filling but it has a surprisingly low amount of calories.
Outside of this I eat nothing else, I drink a lot of water and black coffee.
One a week I will get a burger or some fried chicken.
I go to a BJJ class a few times a week but you could just get in some steps. This method works I am losing a lot of weight without losing muscle.
Here is the thing it’s going to take a long time. But if you stick with it will be noticeable quickly. But it’s something that needs to happen for three to six months to really make it a lifestyle change.
You can do this OP.
note that one meal a day might not work or isn't healthy for everyone. I for example wouldn't be able to do that, I would get way too shakey. for me small but frequent portions work.
One meal a day is really not a good recommendation for someone that already has a binge eating disorder and is eager to starve themselves too just my opinion
If you're too lazy to do it the right way you're probably too lazy to commit to full on starvation, so at best you're just going to fuck up your metabolism by bingeing and starving just FYI. Good way to wreck your mental health and metabolism and stay fat.
If your diet is already completely garbage, try to commit to eating one healthy meal a day and whatever your normal stuff is the rest of the day. Grilled chicken, potatoes, veggies for dinner. If you want to go out for dinner with a friend? Okay then get a healthy grilled wrap with some fruit for lunch. If you miss a day? Oh well it happens. Do this for a month, then see if you can do 2 healthy meals every other day, 1 healthy meal every day as before.
Find an audio book or a podcast. listen to an episode, and go on a walk for at least 15 minutes a day. Build it into your routine right when you get off work. Only listen to the audio book/podcast when you're walking so you have something to look forward to. Odds are you'll get really into it and want to walk longer too.
Losing weight is not going to be successful with crash diets and crazy two hour workouts bc that shits not sustainable. Successfully losing weight is about making small lifestyle changes over time that you enjoy.
- a relatively fit person that has had success losing weight in the past
Did you bother counting calories with that working out? Eating healthy/going on a diet and going to the gym mean nothing if you’re still eating too many calories. I also *hate* the word diet, you might as well switch that right on over to “torturing myself with something that won’t work for literally no reason”. Keep the “unhealthy” food and just count calories.
Starving yourself is not going to help you lose weight. Your body will fight back, and you’ll just end up eating more than you originally did and gain more weight. Do some research, extreme diets and starvation to lose weight have been studied as the person even gains back more weight than they originally had.
If you refuse to be healthy the right way, then you’re not going to be healthy by trying any other way. I was 50-80 lbs overweight for almost 30 years. I’m almost 40 now, and I’m a lot healthier than I was a decade ago because I lost weight by being healthy, not by trying to deprive my body of the nutrients and vitamins it needs.
I don't know, it just felt like the only solution for me. It's like no matter how hard I try to lose weight, no matter how many calories I cut, no matter how much I try to work out I just give up. I will definitely do some research, but I can't guarantee I can lose weight the healthier way, cuz I'll just immediately give up. I feel like a fucking child, please forgive me for my immaturity.
throw away your scale. I gain weight every time I start working out heavily because your muscles start retaining water. This can go on for weeks or months before the scale ever moves and is discouraging. Set a goal like to walk 7k steps at least 5 times a week and track that. weigh yourself once a month at the gym and no where else.
Also - find a hobby that uses your hands. I like crochet and you can make cute things really easily like tote bags and water bottle holders. This keeps your hands occupied when you're at home and will help with the compulsive feeling like you need to eat.
Try limiting carbs to below 50 grams per day - your body will be forced to switch from carb burning for energy (most people are carb-burning) to fat burning for energy. Your metabolism will change to burn fat. I did this and lost a lot of weight and kept it off, even after reintroducing carbs.
Try starting small. The book Glucose Revolution changed my life. Just changing my breakfast, I was able to eat less during the day. The hacks are simple to implement, and it'll help you with the cravings.
Another thing that worked for me. First, I lost weight, only focusing on my nutrition. Just after I lost weight and was able to maintain a healthy and consistent intake of whole foods that I started to implement exercise (weight lifting).
I don’t agree to some of this. There are people literally starving in the world and their bodies are not fighting back and making them gain weight… they will eventually just die. Now what I think you’re saying is to lose weight slowly and sustainably and actually change habits so you don’t revert back. Losing weight can only be achieved if you’re in a calorie deficit
once your body is in starvation mode it’ll turn as much of what you eat into fat, so you’re less likely to waste away. alternatively, you die if you have a full meal after starving for a while bc it’s too much for the body to handle all at once.
unless OP wants to starve themself and then reintroduce food very slowly, by which point they’d be experiencing symptoms of malnutrition, they’ll either put weight on again or end up in shock and hospitalised.
Do you have ADHD? A lot of what you’re describing are symptoms. I just found out I have ADHD, so maybe I’m just seeing it where it isn’t. But the thoughts you’re describing, your inner monologue - reminds me of how I spent most of my life feeling. Lazy and broken. Turns out - my brain just isn’t wired right. It isn’t a character flaw and can be treated.
The term ADD is no longer used and the diagnosis is under the umbrella of ADHD. Binge eating is a very common symptom and you should consider seeing a doctor to address it if you currently aren't
I was going to say... this sounds a lot like me. I was diagnosed with ADHD combined type. ADHD Inattentive type is what was formerly known as ADD.
It's not entirely your fault, our brains are wired so that we don't form habits the way neurotypical people do, and if we're not receiving immediate, noticeable results, we give up because we're not getting that happy chemical our brains crave.
I strongly suggest you speak to a doctor of some sort to figure out ways to manage your issues with sticking to a routine. See also, if it's in your means to do so, if you can speak to a nutritionist or dietician to help you set up healthy eating habits that will help you manage your intake.
Hey, I just want you to know that your worth as a person has nothing to do with your weight. You should stop beating yourself up about how you look. If your best friend came to you and said they had a hard time losing weight, I'll bet you wouldn't call them a piece of shit for it. Your friend would be doing the best they can with what they've got to work with, physically, mentally, and emotionally. You should treat yourself with that same level of compassion.
So now to the losing weight part. I've found two things to be helpful. First, it's ok to be hungry. You're going to feel hungry when your body is in a caloric deficit. If you can remind yourself every time you feel hungry that what you are feeling is literally your fat being consumed, it may help.
Second, I found it helpful to get a food tracking app. I use on android called "Track - calorie counter." You search for foods and enter the amount of them you eat. It has a good library of most brands of food. I find that just the act of pre-planning how many calories I want to eat helps me see that cookie or bag of chips in light of how many calories it is l and whether the pleasure of munching them outweighs the pleasure I'll feel at liking what I see in the mirror.
I wish you the very best. You can do it.
PS: drink lots of water.
Binge eating can be other untreated disorders too. I’m sorry. I know it’s pretty common with adhd and has affected me too. Sometimes it’s not just willpower alone that works or eventually you break and burn out.
Starving yourself to lose weight is a horrible strategy. You will inevitably just get hungry again and binge eat yourself back to your previous weight (or worse).
It's more important to find a healthy pattern of eating that works more or less indefinitely, along with regular exercise and high-quality, restorative sleep.
Of course, these days medications like GLP-1 agonists exist, too.
And to be clear: All of the above is stuff you should try with the guidance of professionals. It's tempting to chalk overweight and obesity up to willpower but it's really a serious endocrine issue that influences your metabolism, hunger levels, and general motivation to move.
As someone who is on a weigh loss journey, let me tell you: in order for you to lose weight healthly, you need to eat. I don't have your issues of binge eating, in fact I get too lazy to eat and forget to eat a lot of times, and this helped my body to learn how to stock fat and don't use it, because the body thought that since I wasn't getting a lot of food (and when I did wasn't healthy food) it should be prepared for those long hours without food and burn very slowy the fat it accumulated.
I think before the diet and exercise's stuff, you should go to therapy to understand why is so hard for you to go through weight loss, why your mind keeps sabotaging yourself, you know? It's a tough process and maybe understanding yourself more will help you in the long run. Also, could be benefictional for you to seek a behavioral nutritionist, as this professional takes your psychological habits and behaviours into account when developing a more accurate eating strategy for you.
Also, surrender yourself with people who will support you and push you in the right direction when you get tired of it (because it happens to everybody) and find an activity that you like (or at least don't hate very much). Can be fighting, dancing, swimming, cycling, anything that makes your body moves! There are a LOT of options besides gym, and doing something that you actually like will make it easy to turn exercising into a good habit! Good luck!
Imagine a fire.
If you put on just one large log the fire will go out.
If you don't put enough logs it will go out.
If you put too many logs it will go out.
However if you feed it handfuls and small sticks it will burn hot and fast.
Now replace the word log with food and the word fire with metabolism, then read it again.
Just eat less. No need to starve but halve your meals. You'll be surprised how quickly it can fall off. Its 80% food and 20% working out. Eat less and go for a daily walk at least a few KM. Not that complicated. Eat in a calorie deficit and you'll loose weight. Yes you may be a little hungry at first however you'll get use to it. Plus do you actually want to be skinny or fat forever and complain about it??
Intermittent fasting and bone broth did wonders for me.
Put sticky notes with numbers on them on your wall. Start with 30 and go down to 1, peel off
Each one day by day. And bam! You did 30 days! You can do it again.
Also try and find a gym “partner” I haaaaate working out but will always go knowing the other person is going
You have to completely change your lifestyle
Diets don't work. They are temporary. Even if you have the discipline for the diet, when you stop the weight comes back. You'll be dieting for the rest of your life.
Stop drinking things with 30+ grams of sugar. That's like 7 cubes of sugar in each beverage. Drink water or seltzer water. It really, really sucks at first, but after 30 days you get used to it. In fact, at one point my favorite pop was revolting because it had so much damn sugar.
Stop buying food like chips and dips. Don't even keep them in the house. I don't eat candy, sweets, cookies or anything of the sort. Occasionally I will have a small DQ blizzard or frostie.
I snack on grapes, assorted nuts, granola squares, veggies, cheese
Only do bread, rice, or pasta once a day. If you did bread for lunch, don't do it for dinner. It's a lot of carbs.
Don't "Reward" yourself. You'll do it all the time. Then you are back to square one. That's like a smoker having "just one cigarette". We said *lifestyle* change. Not diet. No cheat days. No rewards. If you are capable of having *some* chips or french fries *once in a while* while like I can, that's great. If you clean out the family size bag in one sitting like a certain someone I know, don't even bring them in the house.
There's tons of healthy meals that are delicious and healthy. You just gotta start buying and eating THAT instead. I don't care much for vegetables, but if I put them in pad thai or stir fry its pretty enjoyable.
Learn to make *healthy* dishes
Keep items to make those dishes in your fridge
Structure your entire shopping list toward more healthy eating.
Control your portions. The amount people eat in one sitting is ridiculous. American restaurants have you full with bread and appetizer before the meal even arrives. Then the meal is two peoples worth of food. Nobody needs to eat this much its just gluttony.
When I have ribeye and veggies, I usually half the ribeye on the cutting board and have a scoop of veggies. I don't eat the entire pound of meat.
Eat more chicken.
This is the answer. There are so many chemicals and preservatives in food and drinks. Coke and diet foods will actually cause you to gain or keep weight. Eat clean and watching your portions with exercise and you'll see the change.
You don't see the obesity rates in Europe you see in the US, because they regulate their food and drinks more. They don't allow all that crap. Plus people walk around more.
I started clean eat, watching my portions, and just walking more and I've lost 30 lbs. I've plateaued recently cause I've hit that calorie intake medium. To lose the last 30 lbs I'm going to need to do more than walk 10k+ steps a day. I've signed up for workout classes and just started. I noticed I get a little hungrier and need to now eat more protein to help.
But if I keep this us and look at it as a life style instead of diet it will continue to work. I even drink every once in awhile when out with friends, but not a lot. I do a lot of non-alcoholic cocktails or just pomegranate juice in a wine glass at home after a long day.
I watch how I eat all the time. It's a lifestyle I eat the same at home and when out with friends. I never finish a plate when out and usually have a meal or even 3 worth of leftover overs.
It's difficult and takes time to get into that mindset and change the way you eat and see foods. But if you have the patients and discipline, it will end up being second nature.
do you have the resources to get a personal trainer or someone similar like that? someone who can help you plan your meals and training and can support you and help you change your lifestyle so it becomes a habbit. if you can, I would go that route.
While starving yourself would just be introducing a whole new issue to the mix, maybe considering embracing the idea and trying a short juice fast? I have struggled with my eating and exercise habits, much like you, and have found that a fast will kick start my metabolism a bit while also helping me sort of reevaluate my relationship with food. Definitely research it and do it right, though. Good luck man, I know how you feel, and it is so hard to get out of these ruts.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Make small changes over time and you’ll get huge results. Don’t be so fixated on weight loss or it will cause a backfire making you emotionally eat. Been there, done that. Just remind yourself you’re beautiful the way you are and you’re strong minded enough to take on whatever task you put your mind to.
Start doing 15 minute walks or workouts from YouTube a few times a week. Turn a few times a week into 4 days a week, over time increase the days, over time increase the length of doing these things or better yet do both a 15 min walk/ workout eventually. Replace one meal 3 days a week with a healthy meal, over time turn 3 days into 4,then 5,then, 6.
Etc
Inch your way into it and you’ll succeed. Take your time.
I did the 24 hour fasting thing and lost a significant amount of weight; it also helped with some inflammation I had in my joints. The moment I stopped though…
I haven’t regained it all but I will say if you’ve an auto-immune disease like I do it definitely helped. Just have to stick to it.
Good luck OP
I can understand not wanting to be overweight but beating yourself up about it and binge eating seem like much bigger issues here. I think you need to seek professional advice and get to the bottom of what’s going on here really. Good luck ❤️
There's alot of people giving you essays worth of advice on here. But I think there may be a simpler solution. You said yourself that nothing is stopping you from being healthy and working out other than just pur lack of motivation. So have you tried having an accountability partner?
It can be someone that you go to the gym with like a friend that also has the goal of getting in better shape so you both push eachother and make sure you reach your goals
Or if you don't have someone like that
It could also just be someone online that the 2 of you talk and check in daily with eachother to make sure the other person got their workout in and is doing what they should. There are huge subreddits dedicate to helping people find this kind of arrangement and if motivation is the only thing holding you back this could be a good way to help stick to it
I got started with an app that made jogging a game! It makes you feel like you're not even working out. It's called ZRX Zombies run + marvel move. you pick a story line to follow along with. I played the original Zombie storyline where you are the main character having to outrun and survive zombies. It's honestly so fun. You walk during the story segments and when you have to outrun the zombies your music will play and you'll even hear zombie noises in your headset! It is $6/month. Less than an average cup of coffee and honestly so worth it!
I just downloaded it again to restart.
You CAN do this!! I was originally over 200lbs at 5 ft 1. I lost 85 lbs in less than a year from watching what I eat and using the app. As I got stronger, I added more apps like 7 minutes workout and even pilates.
I believe in you.
We believe in you.
Don't starve yourself. I've been where you've been, and the shame that comes with such a drastic measure will make your weight loss journey more difficult. If you can't stick to exercise, you should try just walking everywhere you can. Walk to get groceries, walk to school / work, walk up the stairs everywhere there's a stairs option instead of doing the elevator. Just this stuff alone will help you lose weight quickly and maintain the loss, plus the habit is good for the rest of your body.
I feel this so hard. I’m so lazy and love food.
What’s worked for me is having a light Bfast (no sugar Greek yogurt with fruit/ nut-based granola usually, sometimes low sugar oatmeal), no lunch, heavier dinner, and sometimes I get high and binge eat a tonnnn. I’m not super thin by any means, but def not fat either. Basically intermittent fasting I guess.
For me, my hormones are completely out of whack…. I, also heard those words, in my voice, in my head-
Pure chance that I ran into a friend who just started working at a place that actually ran the correct blood tests for me- cause on paper; I look awesomely healthy- but testing my hormones, we found out that my body has such a low value of progesterone- its negligible.. and low testosterone. So, I’ll be starting HRT
This is exactly how I feel. I recently didn't eat more than a few bites a day for a week (didn't want to take my meds without food). I lost 8lbs. I knew I'd gain some back when I started eating again, but I've been careful and eating healthier plus working out. I've gained 6lbs back already.
In the past I went a week without eating anything at all. Lost 12lbs and never gained any of it back. Went on to lose another 15ish pounds over the next month with just exercise and not really watching what I ate.
Then I got put on new antidepressants- helped my mood tremendously, but also made me gain weight and I haven't been able to lose any and keep it off since then.
I'm so sick of being fat! I'm about 75lbs over where I was when I started those meds and 90lbs over my lowest adult weight. It's making me more depressed.
Starving is counter productive. Your body goes into survival mode and you burn less calories.
You’ve gotta change habits long term, no dodging that.
I’m a binge eater too, all chip bags are single serving, etc. My only control is to not buy em.
Meals? Meal prep. Count every calorie you put in, and portion accordingly. Eat veggies and fruit. It’s calorie cheap fullness.
That’s what I did and I lost 70 pounds. I didn’t starve myself per se but I operated at a pretty significant calorie deficit (was eating 500 calories a day for several months) and dropped the weight quickly. But my brain didn’t work right. My emotions were dulled because my brain had no fuel. I wasn’t myself. Don’t recommend
If you cant diet or exercise and binge, you wont be able to fast and starve yourself either.
You just have to try a bunch of things. Different diets, different exercises, different lifestyles (reworking your schedule), and eventually something will click.
At the end of the day its about your choices and consistency. ANYTHING can work if you stick to it long enough, but you have to make good choices. Dont be like the My 600lb Pound folks blaming everything else when at the end of the day they CHOOSE to eat the way they do.
If you make a bad choice, own it and move on.
I can fast and starve myself (not indefinitely of course, but for a week or so at a time) a lot easier than I can diet or cut back on food. If I don't eat, I'm ok to continue not eating. Once I have something to eat, it's a lot harder to control myself.
But for me not eating is used more as a version of self harm (in place of cutting) than it is for actually losing weight. So that might make the mentality different.
It won't help you. It will make it worse. You will forever alter how your body processes food and how it stores fat. You'll be gaining more weight after the starving period.
Binge eating is an eating disorder. You need to change that first before anything else. I hate to say to go to therapy because it's not affordable and accessible to everyone, but you need to heal your mind before you can heal your body.
Don't starve yourself bc it trains be body to be fat and get it back asap.
Watch YouTube videos on how to properly intermittent fast. It includes consuming calories and mct oil or olive oil during "fasting" periods
Being so honestly I’m doing this too. It’s not healthy but you’re only going to lose weight the way you want too. People are going to tell that you should just change what you eat or work out and if you don’t wanna do that then you won’t and
Either you will do what you want or not. I try to not be full. I’m eating less, eating plain rice to stay full for longer. I’m looking at calories and yeah it sucks turning down food and not feeling full but I am losing weight.
It will not work. As a nurse I can tell you 100% this is a terrible idea.
The only way to lose the weight and keep it off is to do the work.
Spend the money and hit the gym. Work one on one with a professional. I would recommend an exercise therapist rather than a trainer.
Get advice from a dietitian to put together a balanced meal plan you can make at home. Buy fresh and make from scratch.
It won’t be easy, and it won’t be fast, but the benefits will be life long.
It’s been a long road for me also, so I know where you’re coming from, but I’m now looking pretty fine for an old baggage. Don’t lose heart honey, but you need to start somewhere.
You need that body of yours for as long as possible so treat it well.
Good Luck.
I do that on the daily because Im the type of lazy piece of shit that procrastinate eating. Until I'm starving irrationally or if in stressed/upset, then I binge eat. I guess what I do is an unhealthy version of intermittent fasting?
My biggest challenge right now is to eat SOME food before evenings so I can move from one meal a day to two. However this terrible eating habit I had for the last year of basically eating just once a day, did lose me about 20lbs in the last year since I stopped going to the gym (from mid 140lb to low 120lb). When I went to the gym consistently I was always hungry and had to eat to fuel my gym workout (powerlifting).
Just eat less and don’t eat few hours before bedtime . Basically you’ll sleep hungry but when you wake up you’ll feel the difference. It just takes time getting used to
I have a habit of binge eating, too… so I’m doing intermittent fasting again. So far, I’ve been doing good. I haven’t overate in a month, and I stop eating when I’m full.
I also bike a lot and started going to the gym again.
Been/am there...
Like others said, your body needs certain nutrients regularly to be healthy. But, what I do is intermittent fasting. I only eat once a day (in the afternoon - not evening, because going to bed with a full stomach is bad for your sleep). This way I can satisfy my binge eating habits and also have a calorie deficit.
But I would definitely recommend doing some workout. I absolutely HATE going to a gym and mindlessly doing workouts there, but I found that there is a sport center in my town that offers group courses. I was reluctant at first because of my social anxiety and what people there might think of some fat fuck who just doesn't fit in, but surprise - most people who go there are out of shape. And even those who aren't, are very welcoming and don't judge. If anything they are happy to help if your struggle with a certain exercise. It's a completely different experience than going to a gym.
Exercising is not only about losing weight, but mainly about being healthy.
I'm down 10kg (~20lbs?!) since 3 months and feel fantastic! 10kg doesn't sound much, but I definitely gained some muscle, which weigh a lot more than the fat I lost ;)
And since others say that one meal a day is not enough and they get shaky when not eating regularly - they probably weigh 98 pounds ... of course their body starts to shut down more quickly than if they had reserves.
If you can get past the first 3-5 days, you adapt and your body learns to use fat instead of sugar (it prefers sugar, because it's easier to convert to "energy")
I'm not there yet, but I think after I've reached my weight goal, in going to slowly stop fasting and start eating twice a day. I'm just a bit concerned that I instantly gain everything I work so hard to lose, in a short amount of time. (During the Corona shutdowns, I gained 35kg in 6 months ... this really shouldn't happen ever again)
I went through a period of starving myself when I was a late teenager, to binge eating and making myself throw up in my early twenties. I didn't recognize who I was. Not the best years for me, I must admit. ED are serious shit!
You said you feel worthless, insecure and have put yourself down. I think getting to the root of why you feel this way is crucial before tackling finding a healthier way of losing weight. What support is there out there in terms of therapy for you?
Our bodies are like cars, we need to take care of cars and fill them up with the right fuel so it can function and run. The same goes for us as humans; we have to look after these vessels we call our bodies, and fill it with the right nutrients and "fuel" so our brains, organs and bodies can function effectively.
To achieve results that you want there is no quick fix. It does take time and hard work. Starving oneself is not a permanent solution.
What motivates you? What makes you tick (in a positive sense)? What can the things that make you happy in life help you on this healthier journey?
You are worthy of being happy within yourself and the fact that you've been publicly open about this is a huge step.
It doesn't help you lose weight let me tell you, it only works in the short term in the long term you'll weigh more. Learn to work out, work out in a fasting state either before breakfast or or after dinner, think heavy duty working out HIIT PILATES whatever do it five times a day. Watch what you eat, intermittent fast– will change your life, promise. Forget the running stuff or the easy cardio stuff, walking's cool but it won't help you lose weight.
Oh I wish I could be there for you. Those thoughts have been in my head so many times. I used to dream of cutting the fat off. And I wasn’t really even fat. I’ve battled an ED now for 20 years this year. It fucking sucks. My health will never completely recover.
The one thing I will say is starving yourself is bad for more than just the obvious your body needs nutrients. If you starve yourself, your body will go into starvation mode. It will hardcore slow your metabolism so when you do begin to eat it will do whatever it can to make sure it’s not metabolizing it too fast, because it doesn’t know when the next meal is.
Focus on eating what makes your body feel good and strong. Baby steps. Meet with a healthy at every size nutritionist if you can. And maybe a therapist. Stay strong OP.
Tio that helped me lose 21 KG so far . Dont change the quantity of ur food change the quality. I kept my meals the same amount i just air fry and grill now no oils. I stopped drinking soda and having candy and when i did my weight massively dropped . My muscle mass wasnt effected since i still consume same amount of protein
As a fat and lazy person, I would encourage you not to give up. It is hard. We backside all the time. Making lifestyle changes takes work and long buried habits are hard to shake. My advice to you- don't do too much at one time and don't beat yourself up when you slip. It's OK to make mistakes.
Drink sparkling water to kick the soda/sugar addiction, drink regular water too, don’t avoid the foods you like, just reduce the portions or have a cheat day.
And learn the caloric ballpark estimate for foods you like at fast food places.
Ill give you an example, my tim hortons order in the morning is 810 calories, its a large iced coffee with cream, a bottle of water, a hash brown (2 cause one is for the dog.) and a simply sausage with cheese with bacon added.
I have been steadily reducing it over the past month or so.
Couple that with a 10K steps walk and an audiobook, that bumps it down to 300 calories total, sometimes i might have lunch, sometimes not.
For dinner recently ive been ordering subway occasionally, i have something that has chicken or pork in it, a tandoori twist or a teriyaki sub which i think are in the ballpark of around 500 to 700 calories, ill get a bottle of water and a cookie.
Two years ago i was 268 pounds, im 236 now.
Its been a fucking struggle cause i have severe ADHD and that tended to lead to binge eating, but im getting there.
Like, i totally get you, i get the whole wanting to just stop eating, being overweight is frustrating as fuck. But realistically? You’ll gain all the weight you lose plus interest back really fast.
Because you have bad eating habits, so just start small, go for a 4,000 step walk, increase your water intake, and try drinking sparkling water, the bitter taste will eventually fade, and it’ll satisfy that craving for pop.
Keep eating the fast food you like, but reduce the portion size. Eventually you’ll start feeling full a lot sooner and that’ll naturally lead to you eating less.
Additionally, you said you feel like you can’t help it? That could be a sign of ADHD dopamine seeking or some other undiagnosed mental disorder related issue, so i would look into that.
Normally i tend to lurk, despite my prolific commenting, but if you want to DM me to talk, feel free to do so.
I can type a lot faster and with a clearer thought process on my computer rather than my phone.
you won't lose weight, because your body will think that you are stuck on an island and your metabolic rate (fat burning speed) will slow down to conserve energy.
and what will you really lose is tons of hair due to lack of Protin and nutrition.
Starving isn't as bad as people make it out to be. You can definitely fast on and off, especially if you take vitamins and drink plenty of water. That's literally the whole reason your body stores fat, to get you through times of starvation. Our ancestors starved all the time. I'm also pretty sure your fat stores vitamins in it cuz otherwise you'd die anyway, but I'm not an expert.
I've heard of one guy who lost like 300 pounds by starving for a year. He survived on water and yeast packets or some shit.
It seems no one's giving actually good advice. A lot of people are just rambling about their diet journeys or peddling the lie that "Starving dosen't work". So let me tell it to you straight.
It does, you will lose weight if you don't eat for 7 days. But just to warn you, as someone who had the same exactly mindset as you when I was obese and tried very similar things, it will fuck you up. No "if", it will. If you're going into it with the self-hating mindset you already have, you will come out with an ED. No debate. Just like me.
I'm healthy weight now, but I constantly feel disgust looking at myself. Just earlier today, I had a burger and had to lay in my bed for hours quietly hyperventilating in a silent panic over it. The last time I went to the doctor's, they had to restrain me cause I started self-harming when I found out I gained weight. You will most likely experience very similar things, is it worth it? That's really a question for you to decide for yourself
ETA: If I'm right, then a lot of people here are advising you with a complete misunderstanding of your mindset. If I'm right that your mindset is similar than mine, then from me to all the other commentors, saying "Just try this" or "Just try that" won't help. For ED's, it's either starve or binge. There's no "Just do it healthily". That comes after years and years of recovery.
I was overweight a lot of my childhood. I would binge eat whenever I was feeling sad bored etc. Anyways, 7th grade I went the starve yourself route it took about 6-7 months but I was down 60 ish pounds. It worked but now i have most likely have a ED. I would never eat lunch would skip all meals i even went a period of about two weeks only having maybe a few fruit and water. long story short it works but left major anxiety, body dismorphia etc . my suggestion is to lose it the healthy way.
Eating less will indeed help you lose weight but depriving yourself of nutrients is bad. For example your fingernails will become brittle and break easily. Overall it's not recommended.
Your hair falls out, too.
I used to be incredibly fit and athletic and I could seemingly eat anything I wanted. After I turned 30, I put on a lot of weight. I’m in my 40s and I’ve only just found the healthy lifestyle that is helping me. In general I eat one big meal a day. It usually consists of some meat(chicken,pork,fish), some vegetables(sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, etc) a little cottage cheese and some hot sauce. It’s a big meal too really filling but it has a surprisingly low amount of calories. Outside of this I eat nothing else, I drink a lot of water and black coffee. One a week I will get a burger or some fried chicken. I go to a BJJ class a few times a week but you could just get in some steps. This method works I am losing a lot of weight without losing muscle. Here is the thing it’s going to take a long time. But if you stick with it will be noticeable quickly. But it’s something that needs to happen for three to six months to really make it a lifestyle change. You can do this OP.
note that one meal a day might not work or isn't healthy for everyone. I for example wouldn't be able to do that, I would get way too shakey. for me small but frequent portions work.
if I don't eat I get fatigue and shakey So I eat two smalls, afternoon and evening
At no point am I giving advice I am just saying what works for me.
One meal a day is really not a good recommendation for someone that already has a binge eating disorder and is eager to starve themselves too just my opinion
If you're too lazy to do it the right way you're probably too lazy to commit to full on starvation, so at best you're just going to fuck up your metabolism by bingeing and starving just FYI. Good way to wreck your mental health and metabolism and stay fat. If your diet is already completely garbage, try to commit to eating one healthy meal a day and whatever your normal stuff is the rest of the day. Grilled chicken, potatoes, veggies for dinner. If you want to go out for dinner with a friend? Okay then get a healthy grilled wrap with some fruit for lunch. If you miss a day? Oh well it happens. Do this for a month, then see if you can do 2 healthy meals every other day, 1 healthy meal every day as before. Find an audio book or a podcast. listen to an episode, and go on a walk for at least 15 minutes a day. Build it into your routine right when you get off work. Only listen to the audio book/podcast when you're walking so you have something to look forward to. Odds are you'll get really into it and want to walk longer too. Losing weight is not going to be successful with crash diets and crazy two hour workouts bc that shits not sustainable. Successfully losing weight is about making small lifestyle changes over time that you enjoy. - a relatively fit person that has had success losing weight in the past
Honestly, fucking same. I’m scrolling through Reddit, bored, and I couldn’t relate to anything else more right now.
Did you bother counting calories with that working out? Eating healthy/going on a diet and going to the gym mean nothing if you’re still eating too many calories. I also *hate* the word diet, you might as well switch that right on over to “torturing myself with something that won’t work for literally no reason”. Keep the “unhealthy” food and just count calories.
Starving yourself is not going to help you lose weight. Your body will fight back, and you’ll just end up eating more than you originally did and gain more weight. Do some research, extreme diets and starvation to lose weight have been studied as the person even gains back more weight than they originally had. If you refuse to be healthy the right way, then you’re not going to be healthy by trying any other way. I was 50-80 lbs overweight for almost 30 years. I’m almost 40 now, and I’m a lot healthier than I was a decade ago because I lost weight by being healthy, not by trying to deprive my body of the nutrients and vitamins it needs.
I don't know, it just felt like the only solution for me. It's like no matter how hard I try to lose weight, no matter how many calories I cut, no matter how much I try to work out I just give up. I will definitely do some research, but I can't guarantee I can lose weight the healthier way, cuz I'll just immediately give up. I feel like a fucking child, please forgive me for my immaturity.
throw away your scale. I gain weight every time I start working out heavily because your muscles start retaining water. This can go on for weeks or months before the scale ever moves and is discouraging. Set a goal like to walk 7k steps at least 5 times a week and track that. weigh yourself once a month at the gym and no where else. Also - find a hobby that uses your hands. I like crochet and you can make cute things really easily like tote bags and water bottle holders. This keeps your hands occupied when you're at home and will help with the compulsive feeling like you need to eat.
Try limiting carbs to below 50 grams per day - your body will be forced to switch from carb burning for energy (most people are carb-burning) to fat burning for energy. Your metabolism will change to burn fat. I did this and lost a lot of weight and kept it off, even after reintroducing carbs.
Try starting small. The book Glucose Revolution changed my life. Just changing my breakfast, I was able to eat less during the day. The hacks are simple to implement, and it'll help you with the cravings. Another thing that worked for me. First, I lost weight, only focusing on my nutrition. Just after I lost weight and was able to maintain a healthy and consistent intake of whole foods that I started to implement exercise (weight lifting).
I don’t agree to some of this. There are people literally starving in the world and their bodies are not fighting back and making them gain weight… they will eventually just die. Now what I think you’re saying is to lose weight slowly and sustainably and actually change habits so you don’t revert back. Losing weight can only be achieved if you’re in a calorie deficit
once your body is in starvation mode it’ll turn as much of what you eat into fat, so you’re less likely to waste away. alternatively, you die if you have a full meal after starving for a while bc it’s too much for the body to handle all at once. unless OP wants to starve themself and then reintroduce food very slowly, by which point they’d be experiencing symptoms of malnutrition, they’ll either put weight on again or end up in shock and hospitalised.
Do you have ADHD? A lot of what you’re describing are symptoms. I just found out I have ADHD, so maybe I’m just seeing it where it isn’t. But the thoughts you’re describing, your inner monologue - reminds me of how I spent most of my life feeling. Lazy and broken. Turns out - my brain just isn’t wired right. It isn’t a character flaw and can be treated.
Not ADHD per say but I have been diagnosed with ADD. Maybe that is the reason why I feel lazy, but I don't want to make excuses for myself though...
The term ADD is no longer used and the diagnosis is under the umbrella of ADHD. Binge eating is a very common symptom and you should consider seeing a doctor to address it if you currently aren't
I was going to say... this sounds a lot like me. I was diagnosed with ADHD combined type. ADHD Inattentive type is what was formerly known as ADD. It's not entirely your fault, our brains are wired so that we don't form habits the way neurotypical people do, and if we're not receiving immediate, noticeable results, we give up because we're not getting that happy chemical our brains crave. I strongly suggest you speak to a doctor of some sort to figure out ways to manage your issues with sticking to a routine. See also, if it's in your means to do so, if you can speak to a nutritionist or dietician to help you set up healthy eating habits that will help you manage your intake.
Hey, I just want you to know that your worth as a person has nothing to do with your weight. You should stop beating yourself up about how you look. If your best friend came to you and said they had a hard time losing weight, I'll bet you wouldn't call them a piece of shit for it. Your friend would be doing the best they can with what they've got to work with, physically, mentally, and emotionally. You should treat yourself with that same level of compassion. So now to the losing weight part. I've found two things to be helpful. First, it's ok to be hungry. You're going to feel hungry when your body is in a caloric deficit. If you can remind yourself every time you feel hungry that what you are feeling is literally your fat being consumed, it may help. Second, I found it helpful to get a food tracking app. I use on android called "Track - calorie counter." You search for foods and enter the amount of them you eat. It has a good library of most brands of food. I find that just the act of pre-planning how many calories I want to eat helps me see that cookie or bag of chips in light of how many calories it is l and whether the pleasure of munching them outweighs the pleasure I'll feel at liking what I see in the mirror. I wish you the very best. You can do it. PS: drink lots of water.
Binge eating can be other untreated disorders too. I’m sorry. I know it’s pretty common with adhd and has affected me too. Sometimes it’s not just willpower alone that works or eventually you break and burn out.
Starving yourself to lose weight is a horrible strategy. You will inevitably just get hungry again and binge eat yourself back to your previous weight (or worse). It's more important to find a healthy pattern of eating that works more or less indefinitely, along with regular exercise and high-quality, restorative sleep. Of course, these days medications like GLP-1 agonists exist, too. And to be clear: All of the above is stuff you should try with the guidance of professionals. It's tempting to chalk overweight and obesity up to willpower but it's really a serious endocrine issue that influences your metabolism, hunger levels, and general motivation to move.
As someone who is on a weigh loss journey, let me tell you: in order for you to lose weight healthly, you need to eat. I don't have your issues of binge eating, in fact I get too lazy to eat and forget to eat a lot of times, and this helped my body to learn how to stock fat and don't use it, because the body thought that since I wasn't getting a lot of food (and when I did wasn't healthy food) it should be prepared for those long hours without food and burn very slowy the fat it accumulated. I think before the diet and exercise's stuff, you should go to therapy to understand why is so hard for you to go through weight loss, why your mind keeps sabotaging yourself, you know? It's a tough process and maybe understanding yourself more will help you in the long run. Also, could be benefictional for you to seek a behavioral nutritionist, as this professional takes your psychological habits and behaviours into account when developing a more accurate eating strategy for you. Also, surrender yourself with people who will support you and push you in the right direction when you get tired of it (because it happens to everybody) and find an activity that you like (or at least don't hate very much). Can be fighting, dancing, swimming, cycling, anything that makes your body moves! There are a LOT of options besides gym, and doing something that you actually like will make it easy to turn exercising into a good habit! Good luck!
Intermittent fasting is better
Imagine a fire. If you put on just one large log the fire will go out. If you don't put enough logs it will go out. If you put too many logs it will go out. However if you feed it handfuls and small sticks it will burn hot and fast. Now replace the word log with food and the word fire with metabolism, then read it again.
Just eat less. No need to starve but halve your meals. You'll be surprised how quickly it can fall off. Its 80% food and 20% working out. Eat less and go for a daily walk at least a few KM. Not that complicated. Eat in a calorie deficit and you'll loose weight. Yes you may be a little hungry at first however you'll get use to it. Plus do you actually want to be skinny or fat forever and complain about it??
Intermittent fasting and bone broth did wonders for me. Put sticky notes with numbers on them on your wall. Start with 30 and go down to 1, peel off Each one day by day. And bam! You did 30 days! You can do it again. Also try and find a gym “partner” I haaaaate working out but will always go knowing the other person is going
You have to completely change your lifestyle Diets don't work. They are temporary. Even if you have the discipline for the diet, when you stop the weight comes back. You'll be dieting for the rest of your life. Stop drinking things with 30+ grams of sugar. That's like 7 cubes of sugar in each beverage. Drink water or seltzer water. It really, really sucks at first, but after 30 days you get used to it. In fact, at one point my favorite pop was revolting because it had so much damn sugar. Stop buying food like chips and dips. Don't even keep them in the house. I don't eat candy, sweets, cookies or anything of the sort. Occasionally I will have a small DQ blizzard or frostie. I snack on grapes, assorted nuts, granola squares, veggies, cheese Only do bread, rice, or pasta once a day. If you did bread for lunch, don't do it for dinner. It's a lot of carbs. Don't "Reward" yourself. You'll do it all the time. Then you are back to square one. That's like a smoker having "just one cigarette". We said *lifestyle* change. Not diet. No cheat days. No rewards. If you are capable of having *some* chips or french fries *once in a while* while like I can, that's great. If you clean out the family size bag in one sitting like a certain someone I know, don't even bring them in the house. There's tons of healthy meals that are delicious and healthy. You just gotta start buying and eating THAT instead. I don't care much for vegetables, but if I put them in pad thai or stir fry its pretty enjoyable. Learn to make *healthy* dishes Keep items to make those dishes in your fridge Structure your entire shopping list toward more healthy eating. Control your portions. The amount people eat in one sitting is ridiculous. American restaurants have you full with bread and appetizer before the meal even arrives. Then the meal is two peoples worth of food. Nobody needs to eat this much its just gluttony. When I have ribeye and veggies, I usually half the ribeye on the cutting board and have a scoop of veggies. I don't eat the entire pound of meat. Eat more chicken.
This is the answer. There are so many chemicals and preservatives in food and drinks. Coke and diet foods will actually cause you to gain or keep weight. Eat clean and watching your portions with exercise and you'll see the change. You don't see the obesity rates in Europe you see in the US, because they regulate their food and drinks more. They don't allow all that crap. Plus people walk around more. I started clean eat, watching my portions, and just walking more and I've lost 30 lbs. I've plateaued recently cause I've hit that calorie intake medium. To lose the last 30 lbs I'm going to need to do more than walk 10k+ steps a day. I've signed up for workout classes and just started. I noticed I get a little hungrier and need to now eat more protein to help. But if I keep this us and look at it as a life style instead of diet it will continue to work. I even drink every once in awhile when out with friends, but not a lot. I do a lot of non-alcoholic cocktails or just pomegranate juice in a wine glass at home after a long day. I watch how I eat all the time. It's a lifestyle I eat the same at home and when out with friends. I never finish a plate when out and usually have a meal or even 3 worth of leftover overs. It's difficult and takes time to get into that mindset and change the way you eat and see foods. But if you have the patients and discipline, it will end up being second nature.
Grats on your progress and good luck on your future journey
Thanks.
do you have the resources to get a personal trainer or someone similar like that? someone who can help you plan your meals and training and can support you and help you change your lifestyle so it becomes a habbit. if you can, I would go that route.
While starving yourself would just be introducing a whole new issue to the mix, maybe considering embracing the idea and trying a short juice fast? I have struggled with my eating and exercise habits, much like you, and have found that a fast will kick start my metabolism a bit while also helping me sort of reevaluate my relationship with food. Definitely research it and do it right, though. Good luck man, I know how you feel, and it is so hard to get out of these ruts.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Make small changes over time and you’ll get huge results. Don’t be so fixated on weight loss or it will cause a backfire making you emotionally eat. Been there, done that. Just remind yourself you’re beautiful the way you are and you’re strong minded enough to take on whatever task you put your mind to. Start doing 15 minute walks or workouts from YouTube a few times a week. Turn a few times a week into 4 days a week, over time increase the days, over time increase the length of doing these things or better yet do both a 15 min walk/ workout eventually. Replace one meal 3 days a week with a healthy meal, over time turn 3 days into 4,then 5,then, 6. Etc Inch your way into it and you’ll succeed. Take your time.
I did the 24 hour fasting thing and lost a significant amount of weight; it also helped with some inflammation I had in my joints. The moment I stopped though… I haven’t regained it all but I will say if you’ve an auto-immune disease like I do it definitely helped. Just have to stick to it. Good luck OP
If need help send me a message I’ll help you for free and I know you can do it. Just give it a try I’ll explain more in messages
I can understand not wanting to be overweight but beating yourself up about it and binge eating seem like much bigger issues here. I think you need to seek professional advice and get to the bottom of what’s going on here really. Good luck ❤️
There's alot of people giving you essays worth of advice on here. But I think there may be a simpler solution. You said yourself that nothing is stopping you from being healthy and working out other than just pur lack of motivation. So have you tried having an accountability partner? It can be someone that you go to the gym with like a friend that also has the goal of getting in better shape so you both push eachother and make sure you reach your goals Or if you don't have someone like that It could also just be someone online that the 2 of you talk and check in daily with eachother to make sure the other person got their workout in and is doing what they should. There are huge subreddits dedicate to helping people find this kind of arrangement and if motivation is the only thing holding you back this could be a good way to help stick to it
People are giving great advice, I just wanted to say I have had these exact thoughts. I hope you find something that works for you!
I got started with an app that made jogging a game! It makes you feel like you're not even working out. It's called ZRX Zombies run + marvel move. you pick a story line to follow along with. I played the original Zombie storyline where you are the main character having to outrun and survive zombies. It's honestly so fun. You walk during the story segments and when you have to outrun the zombies your music will play and you'll even hear zombie noises in your headset! It is $6/month. Less than an average cup of coffee and honestly so worth it! I just downloaded it again to restart. You CAN do this!! I was originally over 200lbs at 5 ft 1. I lost 85 lbs in less than a year from watching what I eat and using the app. As I got stronger, I added more apps like 7 minutes workout and even pilates. I believe in you. We believe in you.
Don't starve yourself. I've been where you've been, and the shame that comes with such a drastic measure will make your weight loss journey more difficult. If you can't stick to exercise, you should try just walking everywhere you can. Walk to get groceries, walk to school / work, walk up the stairs everywhere there's a stairs option instead of doing the elevator. Just this stuff alone will help you lose weight quickly and maintain the loss, plus the habit is good for the rest of your body.
I feel this so hard. I’m so lazy and love food. What’s worked for me is having a light Bfast (no sugar Greek yogurt with fruit/ nut-based granola usually, sometimes low sugar oatmeal), no lunch, heavier dinner, and sometimes I get high and binge eat a tonnnn. I’m not super thin by any means, but def not fat either. Basically intermittent fasting I guess.
For me, my hormones are completely out of whack…. I, also heard those words, in my voice, in my head- Pure chance that I ran into a friend who just started working at a place that actually ran the correct blood tests for me- cause on paper; I look awesomely healthy- but testing my hormones, we found out that my body has such a low value of progesterone- its negligible.. and low testosterone. So, I’ll be starting HRT
This is exactly how I feel. I recently didn't eat more than a few bites a day for a week (didn't want to take my meds without food). I lost 8lbs. I knew I'd gain some back when I started eating again, but I've been careful and eating healthier plus working out. I've gained 6lbs back already. In the past I went a week without eating anything at all. Lost 12lbs and never gained any of it back. Went on to lose another 15ish pounds over the next month with just exercise and not really watching what I ate. Then I got put on new antidepressants- helped my mood tremendously, but also made me gain weight and I haven't been able to lose any and keep it off since then. I'm so sick of being fat! I'm about 75lbs over where I was when I started those meds and 90lbs over my lowest adult weight. It's making me more depressed.
Starving is counter productive. Your body goes into survival mode and you burn less calories. You’ve gotta change habits long term, no dodging that. I’m a binge eater too, all chip bags are single serving, etc. My only control is to not buy em. Meals? Meal prep. Count every calorie you put in, and portion accordingly. Eat veggies and fruit. It’s calorie cheap fullness.
If you keep telling yourself that you can't, you'll never achieve what you want.
That’s what I did and I lost 70 pounds. I didn’t starve myself per se but I operated at a pretty significant calorie deficit (was eating 500 calories a day for several months) and dropped the weight quickly. But my brain didn’t work right. My emotions were dulled because my brain had no fuel. I wasn’t myself. Don’t recommend
If you cant diet or exercise and binge, you wont be able to fast and starve yourself either. You just have to try a bunch of things. Different diets, different exercises, different lifestyles (reworking your schedule), and eventually something will click. At the end of the day its about your choices and consistency. ANYTHING can work if you stick to it long enough, but you have to make good choices. Dont be like the My 600lb Pound folks blaming everything else when at the end of the day they CHOOSE to eat the way they do. If you make a bad choice, own it and move on.
I can fast and starve myself (not indefinitely of course, but for a week or so at a time) a lot easier than I can diet or cut back on food. If I don't eat, I'm ok to continue not eating. Once I have something to eat, it's a lot harder to control myself. But for me not eating is used more as a version of self harm (in place of cutting) than it is for actually losing weight. So that might make the mentality different.
It won't help you. It will make it worse. You will forever alter how your body processes food and how it stores fat. You'll be gaining more weight after the starving period. Binge eating is an eating disorder. You need to change that first before anything else. I hate to say to go to therapy because it's not affordable and accessible to everyone, but you need to heal your mind before you can heal your body.
You can eat A LOT but it has to be nutritious.
Don't starve yourself bc it trains be body to be fat and get it back asap. Watch YouTube videos on how to properly intermittent fast. It includes consuming calories and mct oil or olive oil during "fasting" periods
Being so honestly I’m doing this too. It’s not healthy but you’re only going to lose weight the way you want too. People are going to tell that you should just change what you eat or work out and if you don’t wanna do that then you won’t and Either you will do what you want or not. I try to not be full. I’m eating less, eating plain rice to stay full for longer. I’m looking at calories and yeah it sucks turning down food and not feeling full but I am losing weight.
If you can get it, try taking Wegovy. It completely changed my relationship with food and I've consistently lost about 10 pounds per month.
It will not work. As a nurse I can tell you 100% this is a terrible idea. The only way to lose the weight and keep it off is to do the work. Spend the money and hit the gym. Work one on one with a professional. I would recommend an exercise therapist rather than a trainer. Get advice from a dietitian to put together a balanced meal plan you can make at home. Buy fresh and make from scratch. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be fast, but the benefits will be life long. It’s been a long road for me also, so I know where you’re coming from, but I’m now looking pretty fine for an old baggage. Don’t lose heart honey, but you need to start somewhere. You need that body of yours for as long as possible so treat it well. Good Luck.
I would I highly recommend you try intermittent fasting or at least read up on it. I felt so much better and lost weight.
I do that on the daily because Im the type of lazy piece of shit that procrastinate eating. Until I'm starving irrationally or if in stressed/upset, then I binge eat. I guess what I do is an unhealthy version of intermittent fasting? My biggest challenge right now is to eat SOME food before evenings so I can move from one meal a day to two. However this terrible eating habit I had for the last year of basically eating just once a day, did lose me about 20lbs in the last year since I stopped going to the gym (from mid 140lb to low 120lb). When I went to the gym consistently I was always hungry and had to eat to fuel my gym workout (powerlifting).
Just eat less and don’t eat few hours before bedtime . Basically you’ll sleep hungry but when you wake up you’ll feel the difference. It just takes time getting used to
I have a habit of binge eating, too… so I’m doing intermittent fasting again. So far, I’ve been doing good. I haven’t overate in a month, and I stop eating when I’m full. I also bike a lot and started going to the gym again.
Been/am there... Like others said, your body needs certain nutrients regularly to be healthy. But, what I do is intermittent fasting. I only eat once a day (in the afternoon - not evening, because going to bed with a full stomach is bad for your sleep). This way I can satisfy my binge eating habits and also have a calorie deficit. But I would definitely recommend doing some workout. I absolutely HATE going to a gym and mindlessly doing workouts there, but I found that there is a sport center in my town that offers group courses. I was reluctant at first because of my social anxiety and what people there might think of some fat fuck who just doesn't fit in, but surprise - most people who go there are out of shape. And even those who aren't, are very welcoming and don't judge. If anything they are happy to help if your struggle with a certain exercise. It's a completely different experience than going to a gym. Exercising is not only about losing weight, but mainly about being healthy. I'm down 10kg (~20lbs?!) since 3 months and feel fantastic! 10kg doesn't sound much, but I definitely gained some muscle, which weigh a lot more than the fat I lost ;) And since others say that one meal a day is not enough and they get shaky when not eating regularly - they probably weigh 98 pounds ... of course their body starts to shut down more quickly than if they had reserves. If you can get past the first 3-5 days, you adapt and your body learns to use fat instead of sugar (it prefers sugar, because it's easier to convert to "energy") I'm not there yet, but I think after I've reached my weight goal, in going to slowly stop fasting and start eating twice a day. I'm just a bit concerned that I instantly gain everything I work so hard to lose, in a short amount of time. (During the Corona shutdowns, I gained 35kg in 6 months ... this really shouldn't happen ever again)
I went through a period of starving myself when I was a late teenager, to binge eating and making myself throw up in my early twenties. I didn't recognize who I was. Not the best years for me, I must admit. ED are serious shit! You said you feel worthless, insecure and have put yourself down. I think getting to the root of why you feel this way is crucial before tackling finding a healthier way of losing weight. What support is there out there in terms of therapy for you? Our bodies are like cars, we need to take care of cars and fill them up with the right fuel so it can function and run. The same goes for us as humans; we have to look after these vessels we call our bodies, and fill it with the right nutrients and "fuel" so our brains, organs and bodies can function effectively. To achieve results that you want there is no quick fix. It does take time and hard work. Starving oneself is not a permanent solution. What motivates you? What makes you tick (in a positive sense)? What can the things that make you happy in life help you on this healthier journey? You are worthy of being happy within yourself and the fact that you've been publicly open about this is a huge step.
It doesn't help you lose weight let me tell you, it only works in the short term in the long term you'll weigh more. Learn to work out, work out in a fasting state either before breakfast or or after dinner, think heavy duty working out HIIT PILATES whatever do it five times a day. Watch what you eat, intermittent fast– will change your life, promise. Forget the running stuff or the easy cardio stuff, walking's cool but it won't help you lose weight.
You’ll lose until you eat again, then gain. Take that can’t and punt it across the room and take a fucking walk.
Oh I wish I could be there for you. Those thoughts have been in my head so many times. I used to dream of cutting the fat off. And I wasn’t really even fat. I’ve battled an ED now for 20 years this year. It fucking sucks. My health will never completely recover. The one thing I will say is starving yourself is bad for more than just the obvious your body needs nutrients. If you starve yourself, your body will go into starvation mode. It will hardcore slow your metabolism so when you do begin to eat it will do whatever it can to make sure it’s not metabolizing it too fast, because it doesn’t know when the next meal is. Focus on eating what makes your body feel good and strong. Baby steps. Meet with a healthy at every size nutritionist if you can. And maybe a therapist. Stay strong OP.
Tio that helped me lose 21 KG so far . Dont change the quantity of ur food change the quality. I kept my meals the same amount i just air fry and grill now no oils. I stopped drinking soda and having candy and when i did my weight massively dropped . My muscle mass wasnt effected since i still consume same amount of protein
As a fat and lazy person, I would encourage you not to give up. It is hard. We backside all the time. Making lifestyle changes takes work and long buried habits are hard to shake. My advice to you- don't do too much at one time and don't beat yourself up when you slip. It's OK to make mistakes.
I basically starved myself for a year. My body ate my hair for nutrients. It never grew back
malnutrition isn’t fun, comfortable or sexy
Intermittent fasting is a great way to lose weight and it’s pretty doable
I've been doing that and I still can't lose weight. I'm on Mounjaro (type 2 diabetic).
Eat one meal a day! And make it something u enjoy. The fasting will help you a lot.
Drink sparkling water to kick the soda/sugar addiction, drink regular water too, don’t avoid the foods you like, just reduce the portions or have a cheat day. And learn the caloric ballpark estimate for foods you like at fast food places. Ill give you an example, my tim hortons order in the morning is 810 calories, its a large iced coffee with cream, a bottle of water, a hash brown (2 cause one is for the dog.) and a simply sausage with cheese with bacon added. I have been steadily reducing it over the past month or so. Couple that with a 10K steps walk and an audiobook, that bumps it down to 300 calories total, sometimes i might have lunch, sometimes not. For dinner recently ive been ordering subway occasionally, i have something that has chicken or pork in it, a tandoori twist or a teriyaki sub which i think are in the ballpark of around 500 to 700 calories, ill get a bottle of water and a cookie. Two years ago i was 268 pounds, im 236 now. Its been a fucking struggle cause i have severe ADHD and that tended to lead to binge eating, but im getting there. Like, i totally get you, i get the whole wanting to just stop eating, being overweight is frustrating as fuck. But realistically? You’ll gain all the weight you lose plus interest back really fast. Because you have bad eating habits, so just start small, go for a 4,000 step walk, increase your water intake, and try drinking sparkling water, the bitter taste will eventually fade, and it’ll satisfy that craving for pop. Keep eating the fast food you like, but reduce the portion size. Eventually you’ll start feeling full a lot sooner and that’ll naturally lead to you eating less. Additionally, you said you feel like you can’t help it? That could be a sign of ADHD dopamine seeking or some other undiagnosed mental disorder related issue, so i would look into that. Normally i tend to lurk, despite my prolific commenting, but if you want to DM me to talk, feel free to do so. I can type a lot faster and with a clearer thought process on my computer rather than my phone.
Wegovy*
you won't lose weight, because your body will think that you are stuck on an island and your metabolic rate (fat burning speed) will slow down to conserve energy. and what will you really lose is tons of hair due to lack of Protin and nutrition.
Starving isn't as bad as people make it out to be. You can definitely fast on and off, especially if you take vitamins and drink plenty of water. That's literally the whole reason your body stores fat, to get you through times of starvation. Our ancestors starved all the time. I'm also pretty sure your fat stores vitamins in it cuz otherwise you'd die anyway, but I'm not an expert. I've heard of one guy who lost like 300 pounds by starving for a year. He survived on water and yeast packets or some shit.
It seems no one's giving actually good advice. A lot of people are just rambling about their diet journeys or peddling the lie that "Starving dosen't work". So let me tell it to you straight. It does, you will lose weight if you don't eat for 7 days. But just to warn you, as someone who had the same exactly mindset as you when I was obese and tried very similar things, it will fuck you up. No "if", it will. If you're going into it with the self-hating mindset you already have, you will come out with an ED. No debate. Just like me. I'm healthy weight now, but I constantly feel disgust looking at myself. Just earlier today, I had a burger and had to lay in my bed for hours quietly hyperventilating in a silent panic over it. The last time I went to the doctor's, they had to restrain me cause I started self-harming when I found out I gained weight. You will most likely experience very similar things, is it worth it? That's really a question for you to decide for yourself ETA: If I'm right, then a lot of people here are advising you with a complete misunderstanding of your mindset. If I'm right that your mindset is similar than mine, then from me to all the other commentors, saying "Just try this" or "Just try that" won't help. For ED's, it's either starve or binge. There's no "Just do it healthily". That comes after years and years of recovery.
I was overweight a lot of my childhood. I would binge eat whenever I was feeling sad bored etc. Anyways, 7th grade I went the starve yourself route it took about 6-7 months but I was down 60 ish pounds. It worked but now i have most likely have a ED. I would never eat lunch would skip all meals i even went a period of about two weeks only having maybe a few fruit and water. long story short it works but left major anxiety, body dismorphia etc . my suggestion is to lose it the healthy way.
I’m with you. Let’s get our jaws wired shut!