What's the REAL secret to lose weight? tried so many things

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 7:21 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

I've always exercised and eaten healthfully and as I aged, I became average rather than thin. Our bodies do change over time. I lost 40 lbs in the past two years by being pre diabetic and having high cholesterol and working with a nutritionist. Basically giving up most carbs but emphasizing fiber,protein and healthy fat.

It's not always fun let me tell you. Lots of protein and salads and roasted vegetables.

I eat very limited carbs. For example, today my carbs were a cup of berries, 2 Tbsp oats, and half a sweet potato. The rest of what I ate was protein, veggies, and fat.

amother

↑ OP

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 7:26 pm

amother Brickred wrote:

This. I was repeatedly told by my gp that my thyroid was fine but turns out I have low t3. A tiny dose of t3 replacement made a huge difference to me.

Also if you have pcos you likely have adrenal/cortisol issues and that can definitely make people hold on to weight. I'm not sure what you mean when you say pcos is in remission but usually pcos comes with gut inflammation, insulin resistance and excess androgens

Please tell me more. How did t3 replacement make a huge difference to you?
Yes, I likely have all those issues. What do I do? Where do I start?

amother

↑ Catmint ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 8:09 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

Are you also using medication?

↑ BmoreBubby ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 8:30 pm

amother OP wrote:

Please?? Can anyone tell me?
I'm not willing to go on medication at this point.
I've totally revamped my lifestyle. I eat very clean, only eat in a ten hour window, brisk walking regularly, once or twice a week yoga or low stress weighted workout, drink plenty of water, low carb.
I'm not looking to do anything extreme like keto or IF. I believe in living a balanced lifestyle. I believe there must be an imbalance somewhere. I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and pcos, both of which seem to be in remission at this point bh. But the weight just won't budge.
I literally go crazy when I hear people say they cut out flour and sugar and dropped tons of weight. I've eliminated those things years ago and nothing doing. I'm so frustrated, this literally makes me cry.
Can anyone please please help me? What's the magic secret??

I feel your pain and have been there, and here's what I have learned are essential:

1. You have to count calories. You can either do it precisely or with a system that enables you to estimate, but you absolutely must count calories. Or pay someone (an RD) to give you a meal plan, which is essentially the same thing. You are not losing weight because you are not running a calorie deficit. And the only way to know is if you also estimate your daily calorie burn. On Amazon there is a book (not expensive) called Diet and Fitness Journal which I used to lose 30 lbs. This works. Or you can get a Torah-based approach that does essentially the same thing in the book Body & Soul. Either counting calories in/out way, is about holding your self acCOUNTable which is a very Torahdik thing to do!

2. You have to count calories.

3. Did I mention counting calories?

Good luck!!! You can do this!!!!

amother

↑ Bone ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 8:44 pm

readreread wrote:

What are your portion sizes like? I would weigh out your food and make sure you are eating the correct amount. Also I see a lot of people think they are eating "healthy" by having a salad, but then you look at the salad and there's a whole chicken breast on it, croutons, tons of fatty dressing, etc. My doctor does not even think that eating any kind of meat is healthy - he suggests plant-based proteins instead.

That said, it sounds like you're miserable eating as restricted of a diet as you are. Have you looked into intuitive eating? It's okay to indulge sometimes. Your happiness is most important. Mental health is health, too.

Coming from someone who has watched her diet her whole life and is very well-read on the topic......

What in the world is wrong with a whole chicken breast? That's a very normal healthy protein.
And while I would definitely skip the croutons, honestly a healthy fat such as a dressing like olive oil or avocado oil is highly recommended, especially if doing low carb.

shanie5 ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 10:40 pm

Insulin is the fat storing hormone. When you eat foods that raise your insulin, you store what you eat as fat and don't use it for energy. Then you are hungry again and are likely to crave sugary foods because they are fast soueces of energy. And the cycle continues.
Breaking the sugar and carb addiction helps. Proteins and fats don't raise insulin, causing your body to use the food you eat as energy. And if you have energy, you are not hungry and looking for energy thru more food. Carbs and sugar raise insulin. And cause you to store fat.

I have heard that getting a CGM (continuos glucose monitor) can help you figure out which foods trigger your insulin more than others. For some people rice will raise their blood sugar (and then their insulin), but ice cream not so much. And vice versa. So knowing what triggers YOU would be helpful information.

↑ shanie5 ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 10:45 pm

amother OP wrote:

I have gone to nutritionists and done weight watchers.
I'm not miserable eating healthy food, I'm miserable eating healthy food and gaining weight.

I don't really feel comfortable doing if or keto, everyone I know who did it gained the weight back when they stopped doing it.

I haven't checked my fasting insulin recently, I wonder if that's the issue. Can fasting insulin be high even when fasting glucose was good? My thyroid was well within the optimal range.

I'm not eating too many calories a day (used to weigh my food) and I'm careful to only eat my carbs with protein and healthy fat so it doesn't spike my blood sugar levels. I don't think eating 1000 calories a day is the answer.

I do have a lot of stress and too little sleep. I don't know if that can be making my body not let go of weight. But I feel like most people who would eat what I eat in a day, would lose weight pretty rapidly.

Re the bolded. To lose weight and MAINTAIN the weight loss means changing your eating habits for life, not temporarily. That doesn't mean you can never have a treat occassionally, but if you go back to eating what made you fat in the first place......
Also, if you can get rid of the sugar addiction, you palate will change and you won't enjoy the foods you used to crave.But that means NO SWEETENERS at all. Using a sugar substitute will not remove the sugar addiction.

SheviL ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 10:58 pm

I'll be brave & write under my name.
I just lost 20lb in 6 weeks!
yep! 6 weeks!
I won't lie. it's HARD!! I really want this so I'll do whatever it takes!
I'm doing the Dalia Lilloi program .
no carbs.
no sugar
no dairy.
DETOX.
after 8 weeks I'll slowly introduce myself to more foods & be careful not to gain it all back.
I excersize 20 min a day. drink lots of water. don't eat after 7. & don't start eating be4 I'm hungry.
BH my life has changed.
I hope for u that ull find what works best for you. & feel good about urself.

amother

↑ Catmint

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 11:43 pm

SheviL wrote:

What do you eat?
Can you give a sample menu for one day?

nylon

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 12:09 am

Honestly -- and I mean this gently and nicely -- with PCOS and hypothyroidism you have a stacked deck. The insulin resistance and metabolic changes work against you. I never lost weight until I went on Mounjaro (I have T2D as a result of my PCOS). I know you said you didn't want to do medication, but it may be better to know this rather than bang your head against a brick wall and make yourself miserable.

The problem with calorie counting is that especially in people with metabolic issues, your expenditure can adjust too. It may be that the amount you need to eat to trigger weight loss through calorie counting is particularly low, which is difficult to sustain.

dak11

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 12:14 am

Here's what works for me. Whole foods plant based, and optimize calories for high protien and fiber, that's what will keep you full. The goal is to eat less calories while feeling full so you won't overeat. Also drink lots of water. I always look at fiber and protien to calorie ratio, the higher the better. I eat lots of carbs, mainly whole grains, beans and fruit and veggies, I add small amounts of fish and lean chicken to upp the protien. Here's an experiment you can try, eat 1/2 cup of shelled edemame and a half a can of tuna, this has 8 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein and a total of 150 calories. Check how long it takes for you to feel hungry again after this meal, then eat a bag of potato chips also 150 calories and check when you are hungry again, you will feel hungry much quicker after the potato chips than the edemame and tuna but both have the same amount of calories.

amother

↑ Butterscotch

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 12:31 am

amother OP wrote:

Did you also eat 1000 calories on Shabbos?

amother

Lime ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 9:19 am

amother OP wrote:

Went through struggle for years, I feel your frustration.

I've lost approximately 30 lbs very slowly on and off over the past 1.5 years and bh kept it off and continue to lose.

Like everyone has mentioned, you MUST count calories. I generally watch my carbs b/c I love carbs and will eat too much if I don't.

I exercise regularly and have all my life. One major change I made was adding heavy weight lifting to my routine (3 times per week). THIS for me was the game changer. It is so incredibly good for you, for weight loss, and more importantly as we age, muscle and bone health. I wish I had started earlier. Please look into this, it will change your life. You may not lose as quickly b/c muscle does add weight, but you will look and more importantly FEEL great.

I also do cardio which is great for your heart and lungs. I do not take it easy, I always push a little hard, get a heart rate monitor and start tracking how hard you are really working out. Chest straps work best. Cardio outside is also great for my mental health.

As far as diet. I basically eat very boring and what works for me. Eggs, Fish, Chicken on repeat, each and every day. Sometimes I will make myself Burgers, and if I know I am going to be doing a long cardio workout (over 1 hour), I will make sure to eat some extra carbs. Some good onion rolls, I absolutely love bread and I will save my bread meals for b/f a long cardio session.

I hope this helps. Start slowly, track everything, calories, workouts, your moods, etc.

Base things on how you FEEL, not just the number on the scale.

amother

↑ Bone ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 1:03 pm

amother Lime wrote:

How long would you say to do weight lifting for a beginner?
And where do you see the difference? All over?

amother

↑ Bone ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 1:16 pm

To answer the title of your post:

There is no one secret, different body types have different things that work for them.

You need to find what works for you, or the combination of things that work for you.

I have pcos and have tried so many different diets.

I gain weight eating what others lose weight on.
The only thing that works for me is intermittent fasting and no carbs. or barely any carbs.

It's not easy, but otherwise I'm gaining, not just staying the same.

farm

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 2:01 pm

amother Lime wrote:

Lime, can you advise how someone goes from zero to comfortable incorporating weight lifting to their exercise routine a few times per week?