Can I really lose six inches or more off my waist?

[Anonymous]

Yes, you CAN. You need a solid self-discipline and a blooming sense of humor to keep you motivated.
Ditching processed “foods” (including the boxed gluten-free stuff that is full of sugar) is a must.

[Anonymous]

Yes op, you can do it. Absolutely!

[Anonymous]

You have motivated me too, OP! I’m in a similar boat only a horribly picky eater. I just don’t like much so making diet changes is particularly hard. Basically everything suggested so far I don’t eat. Yes, I’ve tried to force myself…for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you everyone for the advice and encouragement! Regarding diet, I don’t want to be a denier but I eat pretty nutritiously already (lean meats, lots of veggies). I do drink a few times a week, and sweets are my weak spot. Definitely cutting those out! Also reducing my caffeine intake in the afternoon (I drink two cups of coffee in the morning and a cup of black tea in afternoon) and trying to go to bed earlier to get better (and more) sleep.

I’m still a little skeptical reducing my calories under 1800 right now. I was so hungry last night, even after “clean” eating. I hope whoever said you adjust (and hope that means I won’t feel hungry!).

You can get fat eating too much of “clean” foods too OP. You’re eating too much even if you’re eating nutrient dense.

No one got fat eating vegetables and lean protein. It's processed "healthy" snacks which do us in. Alcohol, snacks, sweets and chips cannot be part of a clean diet. Those are dirty calories which make and keep us fat.

If it has calories and you eat too much of it, you will gain weight. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in.

[Anonymous]

It is normal to be hungry in a deficit. You need to find strategies to deal with it. I am normally hungriest in the evening so I save a good chunk of my calories for late in the day. I have a small breakfast, small lunch, a pre workout snack before exercising in the afternoon and then a satisfying dinner. I am usually more busy/distracted and less hungry in the morning so this works well for me. I also drink plenty of zero calorie liquids and all my meals are very high in protein. I still get hungry but in a calorie deficit that is just what will happen.

[Anonymous]

Gum

[Anonymous]

Stop referring to your stomach as a "belly." It sounds juvenile.

[Anonymous]

My personal experience is that cutting processed foods is THE game changer. I thought it was bs and too good to be true, then I did it (not 100% but like 85-90%) and lost 10 pounds easily. I can't belive it. Luckily, I love veggies and cottage cheese and stuff like that. I do still eat processed food sometimes, but it's a lot less and it's things like 5 ingredient vanilla ice cream and a few pieces milk chocolate or gummy candy or a single serving of cheetos. I also found my palette reset and that's all I want.

Try it!

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I had a successful weekend of planning meals ahead (used AI, so helpful!) and tracking my calories and macros. I wasn’t hungry at all. I walked several miles each day and did weights. Food is prepped for work (overnight oats, salad, yogurt) at the office today and I’m looking forward to a midday walk.

One thing I’m trying NOT to do is to obsess and burn out. I think that’s been my downfall in the past. Planning meals and snacks ahead of time I think will be really beneficial.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement! I feel like I can do this! I will report back after a week (because I still need the accountability).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop referring to your stomach as a "belly." It sounds juvenile.

Get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I had a successful weekend of planning meals ahead (used AI, so helpful!) and tracking my calories and macros. I wasn’t hungry at all. I walked several miles each day and did weights. Food is prepped for work (overnight oats, salad, yogurt) at the office today and I’m looking forward to a midday walk.

One thing I’m trying NOT to do is to obsess and burn out. I think that’s been my downfall in the past. Planning meals and snacks ahead of time I think will be really beneficial.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement! I feel like I can do this! I will report back after a week (because I still need the accountability).

That sounds like a great start!

[Anonymous]

That’s awesome, OP! If you don’t mind, please post some of your meals and snacks to encourage the rest of us to

My favorite late afternoon at work snack of late has been lowfat cottage cheese, with ebtb seasoning and chopped cucumbers on top, and a few bagel chips. I bought little snack containers on amazon and prep a few days’ worth of work snacks at a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s awesome, OP! If you don’t mind, please post some of your meals and snacks to encourage the rest of us to

My favorite late afternoon at work snack of late has been lowfat cottage cheese, with ebtb seasoning and chopped cucumbers on top, and a few bagel chips. I bought little snack containers on amazon and prep a few days’ worth of work snacks at a time.

That sounds like a really delicious snack! This week I have been eating Siggi's skyr and having spinach and fruit protein shakes (spinach, fruit, unflavored protein powder, almond milk), and leftover charoset (chopped apples and walnuts) and matzah (Happy Passover) for snacks. I need to build up my repository of snacks so I don't get bored, but it's been fine so far.

The two things I think I have found most helpful to keep my on track this week are:
1. Batch cooking two proteins. I grilled chicken over the weekend, and have used it in salads every day this week and two dinners (one on it's own the night it cooked with a side of veggies and sourdough) and one dinner was leftover chicken over quinoa and roasted veggies. I also cooked a big batch of turkey meatballs last night which I am having over leftover quinoa and roasted veggies for lunch today and might use in greek pita pockets for dinner tomorrow. It's helped me take guesswork out of putting together meals, which helps me not pick up door dash and order something that won't fit my calories/macros.

2. Tracking food by planning out either dinner or lunch (or both) ahead of time (at least by the night before). Doing this has allowed me to fill in any calorie/macro gaps or know what to leave out in other meals (for example, using less olive oil in my salad dressing when my fat grams are too high).

I welcome ideas on other batch cooking protein/meal ideas for future weeks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s awesome, OP! If you don’t mind, please post some of your meals and snacks to encourage the rest of us to

My favorite late afternoon at work snack of late has been lowfat cottage cheese, with ebtb seasoning and chopped cucumbers on top, and a few bagel chips. I bought little snack containers on amazon and prep a few days’ worth of work snacks at a time.

That sounds like a really delicious snack! This week I have been eating Siggi's skyr and having spinach and fruit protein shakes (spinach, fruit, unflavored protein powder, almond milk), and leftover charoset (chopped apples and walnuts) and matzah (Happy Passover) for snacks. I need to build up my repository of snacks so I don't get bored, but it's been fine so far.

The two things I think I have found most helpful to keep my on track this week are:
1. Batch cooking two proteins. I grilled chicken over the weekend, and have used it in salads every day this week and two dinners (one on it's own the night it cooked with a side of veggies and sourdough) and one dinner was leftover chicken over quinoa and roasted veggies. I also cooked a big batch of turkey meatballs last night which I am having over leftover quinoa and roasted veggies for lunch today and might use in greek pita pockets for dinner tomorrow. It's helped me take guesswork out of putting together meals, which helps me not pick up door dash and order something that won't fit my calories/macros.

2. Tracking food by planning out either dinner or lunch (or both) ahead of time (at least by the night before). Doing this has allowed me to fill in any calorie/macro gaps or know what to leave out in other meals (for example, using less olive oil in my salad dressing when my fat grams are too high).

I welcome ideas on other batch cooking protein/meal ideas for future weeks!

Oven baked frittata was my favorite this week. I used one egg white carton and two whole eggs. I added some cherry tomatoes, spinach and fat free cheddar cheese and seasoned it with salt, pepper and thyme. Super easy to make and it was enough for lunch and dinner. I had it with a side of ratatouille made of zucchini, eggplant and canned San Marzano tomatoes.

Another super easy and super high in protein and super low in calories is shrimp salad with cucumber. I cut up one cucumber and mixed it with a bag of frozen pre-cooked shrimp (which I thawed first). For dressing I used fat free greek yoghurt mixed in with dill, chives, little bit of garlic, salt and pepper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop referring to your stomach as a "belly." It sounds juvenile.

Drop the mean girl attitude, it makes you sound like a middle schooler