Does weight loss have to be miserable?

[Anonymous]

I'm the prior poster. I've also really been helped by using a sleep ring like Oura - I found that I crave food more when I'm not rested. I also used a continuous glucose monitor like Signos and Levels. Blood sugar spikes cause you to crave more.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you have to be miserable. If you follow something like the whole 30, there are tons and tons of delicious recipes - you don’t have to feel deprived and hungry all the time. But I will suggest that it is normal to get hungry near meal time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Up your lean protein so you are not hungry. Seriously, the bulk of your calories should be protein. Non fat greek yogurt, boneless skinless chicken, lean ground turkey or beef, tofu, etc. Add a bunch of veggies to your protein and that should keep you full.

You mean full fat Greek yogurt, right? That nonfat stuff isn't filling. And it should be plain, not flavored with anything. Sprinkle some berries or granola for flavor etc.

[Anonymous]

OP here: seeing this back in the recent threads section. As an update I’ve since lost about 8 pounds since joining Noom (just the free calorie counting version). I’m still hungry a lot of the time but less miserable compared to my first post. It gets easier I guess. I’ve found it help to not deprive myself of the foods I like, but just eat a lot less of them and have more healthy foods in the balance. Thanks all for the advice and encouragement.

[Anonymous]

Yes, kind of. Unless you get into serious IF and then you get feeling of high when you don't eat for a long time.
It is an amazing feeling of complete awareness and all senses aware to the 10th and you are super focused and not hungry at all.
But you have to get to that point at that takes about 48 hours of not eating at all. After that, you are not hungry at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, kind of. Unless you get into serious IF and then you get feeling of high when you don't eat for a long time.
It is an amazing feeling of complete awareness and all senses aware to the 10th and you are super focused and not hungry at all.
But you have to get to that point at that takes about 48 hours of not eating at all. After that, you are not hungry at all.

Wow do you do this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, kind of. Unless you get into serious IF and then you get feeling of high when you don't eat for a long time.
It is an amazing feeling of complete awareness and all senses aware to the 10th and you are super focused and not hungry at all.
But you have to get to that point at that takes about 48 hours of not eating at all. After that, you are not hungry at all.

Wow do you do this?

Some people have a genetic quirk that makes them feel this way when they are in a caloric deficit. They then feel an increased sense of anxiety when eating more. Many people with long-term, treatment resistant eating disorders probably have this quirk and I recommend avoiding finding out if you do. It's a dangerous hole to fall in and difficult to climb out once you are in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, kind of. Unless you get into serious IF and then you get feeling of high when you don't eat for a long time.
It is an amazing feeling of complete awareness and all senses aware to the 10th and you are super focused and not hungry at all.
But you have to get to that point at that takes about 48 hours of not eating at all. After that, you are not hungry at all.

Wow do you do this?

Some people have a genetic quirk that makes them feel this way when they are in a caloric deficit. They then feel an increased sense of anxiety when eating more. Many people with long-term, treatment resistant eating disorders probably have this quirk and I recommend avoiding finding out if you do. It's a dangerous hole to fall in and difficult to climb out once you are in.

No, has nothing to do with an eating disorders or is dangerous. Some people are just used to such fasts as we are orthodox Slavs and don’t put up with naming a disorder a practice that is practiced by professional doctors to treat immune system issues. Or we practice monk behaviours that you could never comprehend being from instant gratification culture.

[Anonymous]

I lost 20 pounds about 8 years ago and kept it off (until Covid & some dental work threw me off). I ended up settling 5 pounds heavier than my lowest, but it was good place for me. I agree with an above poster that you are doing too much all at once. Changes have to be sustainable and not unpleasant!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with PP. I’m down 12 pounds in about a month and a half based on strict, consistent calorie tracking (I weigh and log everything that goes in my mouth). I felt hungry for the first week, and now don’t.

There’s been research that shows that people are shockingly bad at estimating portions. Unless I weight what I’m eating, I will unconsciously eat more even though I think I’m eating less.

How many calories a day?

[Anonymous]

Dieting is easy if you are obese and would love to just be overweight.

Dieting is miserable if you are a healthy weight but you just want to lose weight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dieting is easy if you are obese and would love to just be overweight.

Dieting is miserable if you are a healthy weight but you just want to lose weight

How about for those of us that are just overweight and want to get to the "normal" BMI range?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Up your lean protein so you are not hungry. Seriously, the bulk of your calories should be protein. Non fat greek yogurt, boneless skinless chicken, lean ground turkey or beef, tofu, etc. Add a bunch of veggies to your protein and that should keep you full.

You mean full fat Greek yogurt, right? That nonfat stuff isn't filling. And it should be plain, not flavored with anything. Sprinkle some berries or granola for flavor etc.

NP. That is personal. I don't find full fat yogurt to be more filling. At nearly twice the calories as non fat, no way would I get full fat, then add on additional things to it making it even more caloric, since totally plain isn't palatable to me. I'd rather eat non fat and sprinkle with some nuts, chia seeds, and cinnamon, maybe a tiny honey drizzle. Now I have a snack with protein, fat, fiber, for the same if not less calories than plain boring full fat yogurt

[Anonymous]

I disagree with the general sentiment that you don't have to be miserable. Yes you do and will be miserable of you have more than 10 lbs to lose.

Habits and preferences are ingrained, and if you are overweight, you likely seek food for more than just fuel- to a larger extent than what would be normal.

So now to diet, you have to cut out all the things you previous reached for comfort, as well as reduce the quantity of nearly everything you are eating, plus cut out tons of things you enjoy. And be hungry a lot

No way around the misery. Think twice the next time you are 5 lbs up and think, eh, no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dieting is easy if you are obese and would love to just be overweight.

Dieting is miserable if you are a healthy weight but you just want to lose weight

How about for those of us that are just overweight and want to get to the "normal" BMI range?

Depends on your waist to hip ratio.