Post your progress from the last week. This is a place to help keep you on track, and to share non scale victories. And I'm doing this to try and keep myself accountable :)

Hello everyone! I wanted to start meal prepping this month for lunch. I'm trying to cut down on my sodium, and I found my deli sandwiches are a big source of that. This weekend I'll be trying to make a sandwich from shredded chicken. At the moment I'll be using this recipe: https://livesimply.me/prep-day-how-to-make-easy-crock-pot-shredded-chicken-using-a-whole-chicken/

If anyone has any meal prep ideas for lunch, please share! I am tired of cooking everyday, I want thr convenience of a quick microwave meal without all the salt and extra stuff.

I'm restarting after gaining back from a big loss that finished at the beginning of last year. Last time I did lots of walking and then bicycling. I'm struggling a bit getting more active this time. I think my biggest problem is that I want to go at the same level that I was going when I stopped and I need to slow down a bit and build back up to that.

What are you doing to get more active? Any exercise programs, youtube workouts, or other resources you've use that you enjoyed? Are there any exercise or active hobby lemmy communities that would pair well with this community?

SW: 209 lb - CW: 191 About five months ago my doctor put me on semgultide because I’ve spent years at pre-diabetes and was struggling to lose weight even with regular exercise. I have not found this drug to be a magic pill - I still need to track my CICO daily and exercise.

I pushed to stay on the lowest dose till I hit a two month plateau because I am leery of relying on just the medication to manage my diet. I am well aware of most people’s experiences with getting off the drug and gaining weight again, so I am trying to treat this like a push in the right direction but not a long term solution.

Anyhow I’m also just posting cause I forgot I subscribed to this group and I also want to see it active. If you’re in the US - happy Labor Day! I hope you’re off work today.

Hi everyone,

I'm on a long delayed (re-weight loss journey) about 10 years ago I lost 115 lbs and kept it off until the last year or two where it's kept back up and now I found myself at 240lbs (previous high was 294). So anywho, I'm on day 4 tracking calories again and I was disappointed this community is inactive. I went back to Reddit for the first time in over a year and the reddit app is so bad. Ads everywhere.

So anywho, if anyone is interested maybe we can restart this community or start a new one if the mod here is gone. If anyone is interested let's share or stories, successes, tips and failures.

Edit: so cool to see all the comments! Thanks y'all.

I have a milk problem

Counting calories with a food scale is eye opening. That bit of milk in coffee was actually about 80ml on average and I guess on certain days I might have drank about 300ml in milk. I guess I will switch to drinking my coffee black now.

Overall I think I am someone who is drawn to milk, some people may have sugar cravings, for me it’s hard to resist milk. (Fermented dairy like yogurt or quark is totally different for me, it doesn’t trigger the same reactions).

TLDR; I have struggled with my body all my life, this podcast has opened my eyes on fat phobia, and the role and responsibilities of society in my mental wellbeing regarding my own body.

---

I've not always been fat, but for as long as I can remember I have always felt fat and been told to watch my weight.

Looking back at photos of me in highschool and even middle school, I think I looked skinny. I do not understand now how people, family, friends, strangers... Could have felt the need to tell me to watch what I eat. And yet, it happened. A lot.

I have tried many diets, some outright dangerous, and not been able to keep the weight off. I have worked out, sometimes to the point of vomiting, and not lost significant weight. I have long felt it was my fault, and that I don't have enough self control or character to just lose weight and keep it off.

The podcast "Maintenance phase" has helped me realize I may not be the (only) responsible party of my fatness. At first I was doubious of its hosts - a very entertaining duo of a self proclaimed "fat lady" and "skinny gay dude" - and I thought they were just glorifying obesity and excusing fat people by accusing the establishment, the corporations and society of bullying and fat shaming. But their pieces are actually very well researched and beautifully articulated. They don't excuse fatness, they don't glorify obesity. What they are saying, is: "stop treating fat people like second class citizens".

I am slowly starting to realize I have been mistreated for my weight and accepted this as deserved and normal. I have often thought "it's my fault" and felt ashamed when people gave me unsolicited advice about losing weight, or said mean things about my body. This is not right. I should not feel shame for being mistreated by others, and the podcast "Maintenance phase" has helped me realize that.

I am sharing the podcast here, with you, my fellow fat people, because I believe it is important for you to accept yourself and realize when society is trying to make you feel inadequate. I am not telling you not to lose weight, that is entirely up to you. I am asking you to take a long hard look at how society is treating you, so you can leave the negativity behind and work on healing yourself mentally before taking on the immense challenge that is changing your body size (if that is still a thing you feel you need to do).

I hope this helps at least one person here to feel less hopeless and shitty about themselves.

Much love!

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5JOZkVLc0Yceq3dy5RshPz

YouTube link: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cRz-d9rt94g&si=Um2XWSrAuTk6n_n5

-- Edit: I want to note that I am guilty of anti-fat bias as wel... Whilst being fat. So I need to work on my issues with other fat people as much as any skinny person does.

I just recently occured to me that could use the formula used to calculate one's TDEE backwards. here me out.

Current TDEE is estimated at 2320 using this formula:

tdee = tdee_factor * (66 + 13.7 * weight_kg + 5 * height_cm - 6.8 * age_years)

If I would eat 2000 consistently, what weight could I expect to have? solving the above equation for weight_kg and using my data, I arrive at 92 kg.

If I would eat 1800 consistently, what weight could I expect to have? solving the above equation for weight_kg and using my data, I arrive at 80 kg.

My takeaway here is: today's deficit can be tomorrow's maintenance weight.

And me being overweight currently is actually me eating way more than what my body needs consistently for years.

Title :/

I made a new year's resolution this year to lose weight. I started at 265 at the beginning of the year. I have been making a lot of changes to my lifestyle, and I've been working really hard and very slowly losing weight. I am at 246 today, and I feel like my progress isn't good enough. I spent 10 months really trying, and for what? Not even twenty pounds? I don't really feel or look a lot different. I put in so much work and I feel really discouraged from continuing. How do you keep going? I feel like I'll never get to a healthy weight.

So i ordered jeans with width 36 to see if I can go a size lower. Turns out W36 fits a bit tight but it fits and then I realize I am currently wearing W40 jeans, since they come in increments of two I am just two sizes down.

Wohoo

This is my first time posting here, so I'll give a bit of background,

Start Weight: 303 lbs/137kg Goal Weight: 220 lbs/100kg

Height: 6'4"/193cm

My whole family decided more or less together to get our shit together and start being healthy, my brother was the first, and he's almost 40lbs down now, then my parents joined him, then my wife, and finally I got off my butt and joined them

My routine has changed a lot from the start, but where it sits now is this

Workout Sun-Thurs - alternating gym days and running 5km - at the gym I do 35 mins on the stair stepper doing interval training, basically just doing the highest level I can manage without cheating, currently at 100 stories in those 35mins, then weight training afterwards. My 5k times are currently clocking in around 40mins, I'll be running an actual 5k next month and my hope is to get down to 35mins by then, but we'll see!

Nutrition - On a typical day I aim for around 2k calories with a macro ratio of 40% protein and 30% carbs and fat. I often miss my protein goals, but I do my best - my main concern at this stage is weight loss, so I pay more attention to the calories than the macros. On my rest days I bump up to 3k calories, which is just a bit below my TDEE. To help manage my calorie intake, I've been using Huel's Hot & Ready meals pretty much every day for lunch, mixing in Costco rotisserie chicken breasts for extra protein/flavor. It helps to have my lunch be low calorie and consistent because I enjoy having a big dinner. I also have two scoops of Whey after every workout with 2 scoops of creatine for muscle growth.

The first 15 pounds shed off really quickly, in the first few weeks, but from there I hit a bit of a plateau hovering between 15-20lbs, I was finally able to break the plateau by introducing refeed days - which I originally left out because I figured CICO was all that matters and that refeed days were just working against myself, but it turns out they help a lot as long as your long term calorie intake is still a deficit.

Right now my main focus is to drop pounds until I get to around 220, then I plan to focus mainly on building muscle and lowering my body fat % while more-or-less maintaining weight

Still a long ways to go, but I'm further along than I dared hope I would be at this stage!

Starting from June 6th I have now lost 7 kg on the scale.

I had a week-long staycation while relatives visited recently, and weate out several times. I gained a couple of pounds. As of this morning, I have officially lost it all and am down to 152lbs.

Starting from June 6th I have now lost 5kg on the scale. And this after a 3 week vacation where I wasn’t able to weigh most foods and instead tried to moderate consumptions.

My strategy was to opt for salads when eating out, we had a rental apartment with a mini kitchen and there I prepared instant soup in e evening and broccoli’s cauliflower every other day.

I also indulged into cheese (directly from the cheese dairy three houses up the street), had some ice cream (not every day), and occasionally an Aperol Spritz.

This drug looks really interesting. I hear lots of people have success reducing their appetite with it. I was wondering if anybody had experiences to share?

I'm already doing keto but I'm wondering if this could just be an enhancer

It's the weekend, and I have to cook for myself (heh).

What are your favorite keto receipies?

I've been been making lots of scrambled eggs and bacon, but I want some variety. I'm looking for inspiration

I'm doing strict keto, I've lost 5kg (whoo). The recommendations seem to be to take 1g of salt in the morning, and 1g in the afternoon.

I know when its very low - Headache, or feeling tired.

How do I know if I'm getting enough salt?

My first post about this was here. I and others got together and created the Quick Start Guide currently on Reddit. We need a Lemmy version, so this is my attempt at this blending ideas from the two. Suggestions welcome.

NOTE: This guide is meant for adults who have completed puberty years ago. Teenagers should start with their doctors, as they have additional considerations not included in this guide.

Our habits are our destiny.

Since our current habits led to being overweight, and our habits in the future will maintain our desired weight, this needs to be a gradual effort to change habits. It's not a quick "diet" or a complete shift to a new way of living. Instead, it's about fine-tuning and modifying what we currently eat. We can lose weight and maintain it by adjusting our favorite foods, flavors, and the way we usually do things. By personalizing the approach, we're more likely to stick with it and successfully make these habit changes.

How to get Started Losing Weight

To lose weight, your body needs to burn more calories than it gets from the food you eat. When this happens, you'll gradually lose weight over time. This idea is often talked about using the term "Calories in, Calories out," or CICO. The part of the equation that deals with the food you eat, which is the "Calories In" side, is the one you can control the most. It's the most important focus when you're trying to lose weight.

This guide is a simple way to get started with weight loss.

The Plan

Perfect is never required.

Don't procrastinate for the ideal moment to begin because it might never arrive. Don't assume you'll feel more driven tomorrow, as motivation will always be inconsistent. Waiting until you have all the answers is also a trap, as that day might not show up either. You don't have to find the flawless diet or exercise routine. Start now and adapt as you move forward.

Download a calorie tracking app. Any of these will do:

• Cronometer
• FitBit
• Lifesum
• LoseIt!
• Macrofactor
• MyFitnesspal
• MyNetDiary
• Nutritionix Track
• Yazio

• Enter your current stats as part of the sign-up process
• Choose conservatively for normal daily activities (If you exercise, you can add it in separately for more accuracy. Do this conservatively, too.)
• For the first week, set your goal to Maintain my Current Weight. Your goal for this first week is just to get in the habit of logging.

Week 1: Commit to Logging Your Food

For this week, just write down what you eat every day. Don't worry about calories yet. Get used to it: check food labels, actually weigh and measure your food and drinks, and keep track of how many calories you're having using a calorie tracker.

Buy and use a digital kitchen food scale and good measuring cups to measure portions, at least for the first couple months of counting. You can also use your hand to estimate portion sizes as well as common objects. You will be calibrating your eyes to do this more quickly later, but for several weeks use these tools as often as you are able.

Starting this week, make sure to log your activities every day, and expect frustrations. These first weeks are hardest. Life has its twists and turns, and plans can shift. Remember, it's completely fine, and it is not happening so fast we can't adapt! Just keep track of things. As long as you're keeping a record, you're still in the game. Even if you're dealing with a crisis, the moment you log your next meal, you're right back on track. Don't worry about the high or low totals occasionally, steering towards our right habits are more important. Don't give up. Your log is a tool, not a critic. The aim isn't a flawless log; it's about having the details that will help you understand and manage your longer-term eating and weight.

[Further Reading: Studies Show that Logging Helps Lose Weight]

Week 2: Setting our weight-loss goal rate

Now that you are used to logging, you can start focusing on a calorie goal. Enter at most -1 lb/week or -500g/week weight loss into the tracker, and it will provide you with a calorie goal.

During this week, aim to stay within 100 calories of this target, but don't stress if you occasionally go a bit above or below. The goal is to balance it out over time. In the upcoming weeks, you'll gradually make progress towards reaching this goal.

If you haven't already, take progress pictures of yourself, and start recording your weight every day. Remember that your weight will fluctuate quite a bit day to day, so enter your weight into your calorie tracker to see the long term trend.

Week 3 and beyond: Small, doable improvements

To make weight loss last, your strategy should be something you can keep up with over time. It's better to make small, steady adjustments that help you form healthier eating habits. While making big changes might bring quick scale results initially, it doesn't make habit changes nor fit your long-term life. Temporary measures only have temporary results. Stick with YOUR life and tuning YOUR habits.

Tip: Subtract by adding

It is easier to replace things than to eliminate them. A few examples:

• Aim to take a 20-minute walk on a few days this week. Grow this slowly.
• Swap out your usual nightly snack of chips for either air-popped popcorn or an apple.
• Choose a vegetable as a replacement for one of the sides during dinner.
• When visiting a restaurant, preview the menu online and opt for a healthier menu choice.

Use your logs from the previous couple of weeks to see where you can make small changes to get closer to your calorie goal. Look for the "low-hanging fruit" that give you more calories for smaller changes.

Only you can lose this weight, but you are not alone

Lean on the community for advice and support, and give some support of your own. It feels less alone when we do this together.

How to Stick with It

Make the good choices the easy choices

Losing weight requires self-control, yet it's best if you don't have to rely on it too much. Make sure you always have healthy, low-calorie, and filling foods ready to go. Some examples include apples, oranges, berries, cut-up vegetable snacks and light popcorn. Keep these foods easily accessible at the front of your fridge. Avoid buying big packages of unhealthy snacks. If you want something less healthy, just buy a small portion from a convenience store. It's easier to use self-control once while shopping than to resist temptations throughout the week at home.

You don't have to go hungry

You should eat the calories you're aiming for without feeling hungry all the time. When you're not hungry, it's easier to make smart choices. If you have to go slower in your progress, that's okay; it's better to go slow than to quit. Eating more satisfying foods can help, like those with more fat, protein, and fiber. Foods with simple sugars are less satisfying and might even make you want to eat more.

While both are natural forces, cravings and hunger are different. We should always eat enough, so if it makes sense that we are actually needing food, we should eat. To identify if you are craving, think about if you would eat an apple or other healthy vegetable. If not, it is a craving. Sometimes it's still the right answer to feed the craving, but it may not need a full meal or a large serving.

Plan Ahead, but Variety is Important

We get our nutritional coverage by varying our food daily. Many of us have a simple go-to meal, but the other meals in our day are varied. This makes sure we get our essential minerals and vitamins, fatty acids and enzymes.

When Things Go Wrong

Keep tracking through the skid. Everything else is rather optional and opportunistic, but if we're tracking, then we haven't quit. Most important is not quitting.

I have had one successful weight loss episode where I lost around 5 kg (11 lbs) in the lockdown around 2020. But after that I had to go back to school, do the daily stuff and now I feel I have gained a bit back (around ~ 2kg-3kg) but I just can't manage the time to jog in the morning since I have to get up early, run then go to school and comeback to studying. This fucks up my sleep schedule pretty bad. What do you think I should do to manage this? I Sleep at around 11 pm, could make it to 10 if I stopped fucking around on the internnet that late.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/3286611

> I lost almost 50 pounds by calorie counting back in 2015, then stopped counting and spent the next six years slowly putting it all back on. I've used Libra to track my weight, and you can see the half-hearted attempts over the years to halt that upward progress. > > I've been sick of being overweight, of feeling sluggish and unattractive, and of having a hard time doing things l love like hiking and rock climbing. I stress eat a lot, and not to jinx things, but I've finally reduced the stressors in my life where I'm feeling really good about this latest weight loss spree. > > Fingers crossed I'll be posting here sometime in the new year about having hit my goal weight! > > [Image description: a line graph with the x-axis from 2014 to 2023, and the y-axis from 108 to 160lbs, the charted line showing a steep drop, and a jagged climb, with the last couple years hovering over an "overweight" demarcation.]

World’s largest study shows the more you walk, the lower your risk of death, even if you walk fewer than 5,000 steps

This is a 13 to 14 minute TEDx Talk by Ocean Robbins, a grandson of the Baskin-Robbins family, arguably the biggest names in ice cream.

Quote: What if we ask, not "What do we want NOW?" but "What do we want MOST?" -- Ocean Robbins from Eating Your Way to Happiness | Ocean Robbins | TEDxAlexanderPark

Edit: TEDx

For context, I'm 35/M/5'11": Wanted to share without dropping my whole life story....sorry there's no before/after, but I'm not done yet! I can just taste my ticket to the century club, and it tastes like almonds and monkfruit powder!

Hit 299 today. Knew it was coming but it was such a morale boost anyway! Have been on the journey for just under two years, but accelerated progress after an off-the-charts A1C and liver enzyme result: The visceral fat around my organs was hobbling my ability to produce insulin, and the weight and excess tissue around my neck and chest was giving me sleep apnea, making it even harder to lose weight and have steady blood sugar levels. I was also in near constant back and joint pain and would regularly be exhausted by everyday tasks.

Since March I've lost 55lbs, using low carb* and Metformin ER, along with daily walking. That makes 85lbs since last year, and I finally feel like I can make it stick.

Fringe benefits!

-sleeping much better, waking up more rested and not anxious.

-Not constantly sweating at work while doing almost nothing.

-not uncomfortable to the point of exhaustion by prolonged standing, walking, hot afternoons, or nights out with friends.

-free of several weight-and-nutrition related maladies: random leg cramps, knee and foot pain, acid reflux, swollen digits.

-no longer intimidated by stairs or restaurant booths.

Unexpected side effects!

-body image issues magnified like a second round of puberty: my body is changing faster than my perception of it, so the mirror is, for now, unpleasant. I feel like a melting candle!

-posture is actually worse than before. Weight isn't being shed evenly, so my gait is all wrong now.

-to-the-gram food tracking is its own source of stress, causes meal planning to consume a lot of time and effort, while reducing flexibility. Higher protein and dietary fat requirements also expensive compared to a majority-carb diet.

-recipe book is a mess (was already a home cook with a drastically different set of cooking habits) and dining out can be a chore

-clothes. Just...man...clothes you guys wtf

I've got a ways to go, trying to reach 225 or so, so I'm not sweating the discomfort too much. I wish I was happier with how I look, but I know that will pay off when I hit a goal and stay there. I can't pretend this journey isn't up-ending my life compared to the ease of ignoring my health from day to day, but I'm starting to see real tangible benefits, and that's made a huge difference in my dedication to the task. Thanks for reading and for all the positivity and helpful conversation over the years!

*[for those interested: under 100 grams/day for the first 90 days with NO starches or other than vegetables, now around 125 carbs and reintroduced rice, wheat, potatoes, fruits in sensible amounts. Virtually no soda, candy, syrups, etc. Gave up the stuff that was easiest for me, and carefully portioning or finding healthier versions of the stuff I couldn't do without]

feel free to add your story / check in in the comments below

Weight has been stagnant for the last week or so. The immediate connection is of course that I stopped tracking calories for various reasons. I have sticked to general recommendations of my dietician with regards to portion control and I credit this with the fact that I did not gain weight.

Today I had to take care of a sick child at home, so now (~8pm) I am really tired, but still I think I can pat my back for eating 3 moderate meals (breakfast was 60g of oat flakes with yoghurt, for lunch Austrian cheese with full-grain bread I baked today, dinner was Pizza (!), with crust prepared from 100g of flour and mushroom topping).

I am a bit in this weird situation that I need to strengthen my back as past yoyo dieting has somewhat atrophied the muscles of the core, while I also should lose weight now as a lot of things in life are now in a place where I think sustainable weight loss is now a possibility.

So I am working out for a healthy mind (and to hopefully prevent further losing of muscle) while at the same time I am a bit worried of hurting myself in the process / messing up regeneration at a deficit.****

Making steady progress thanks to hiking. I go about 5 miles with a 800ft elevation gain 6 days a week. I will admit it is tough, but it seems to be working. The first month was rough, but July yielded better results. Yesterday was wild since I suddenly dropped 2lbs.

I know there is a pattern to the seemingly random drops, but I love the surprises.

!

!

Hello to my friends who are winning at losing!

So what's your story?

Are you just starting? Are you in the middle of your journey? Are you taking a pause? Are you in the final rounds? Have you been keeping it off for a while?

Is this strictly a fat loss effort or are you working on fitness too? Any other self-improvement things going on right now?

Are you doing this just with behavioral modification? Are you being assisted with some of the latest medications or surgeries available to us now?

Let's get to know each other!

I am a picky eater, have been a picky eater all my life. I managed during my late teenage years and early twenties to acquire a taste for vegetables (and I am grateful that I did), but fruits (apple, grape, etc) are still a problem for me.

I have identified however, that I like

• Mango
• oranges
• lemons

Now I wonder what fruit I could "try" next. Preferably I would not start with Apples and Bananas (as a kid it was constantly suggested I should eat apple/bananas that I don't have the best memories in this regard, I think these will be tougher fruits to start with).

Why am I asking this? Ultimately I want to balance out my diet more and potentially get into a position where I can opt for fruit over chocolate if I want to have something sweet.

This was passed out at my TOPS meeting ...

***

Just for Today

Just for today - I will stay on my diet. Just for today - I will write down everything I eat. Just for today - I will count calories and measure my food. Just for today - I will busy myself during my difficult times. Just for today - I will take the time to think about what I do before I do it. Just for today - I will be in control of the emotions that send me into the kitchen time and time again, searching for something that isn't there. Just for today - I will act like the intelligent person that I am, realizing that I am not perfect and that I can fail without the world coming to an end. AND IF I FAIL?. . . . . Well, just for today I will pickup the pieces and try again.

TOPS NEWS, June 1981

***

Hope it helps someone... if even just for today.

Got a question? We've got answers!

Do you have question but don't want to make a whole post? That's fine. Ask right here! What is on your mind? Everyone is welcome to ask questions or provide answers. No question is too minor or small.

Include your stats if appropriate/relevant

Don't forget to comment and interact with other posters here, let's keep the good vibes going!

We enjoy the Voila! Three Cheese Chicken from Birds Eye $6.49 But we add our own additional frozen vegetables (plain, 1 pound, Italian blend) and cubed boneless skinless chicken (marinated for a day, then cooked and cubed) to make it come out to about $2.25 per serving (4) and about 300 Calories.

For $2.50 in the added ingredients, double the yield and improves the carbs, sodium, and protein. The calories are virtually identical.

The 21 ounce Birds-Eye package says that it serves three, but in practice we find that it serves two. Add your own generic frozen veggies and cubed cooked chicken and you serve four.

• Original half-package nutrition

• Stretched-recipe nutrition

• Recipe

This article gives a history of how our food environment changed in recent decades, just as our waistlines started to increase.

Scale victory: 4kg lost. I am pretty happy, also I actually didn't get to swim in the last few days and the last times the scale dropped, it was after a >1000kcal workout or so.

My main method of weight loss is calorie counting, but I am also working with a registered dietician on learning again to feel my satiety

Got a question? We've got answers!

Do you have question but don't want to make a whole post? That's fine. Ask right here! What is on your mind? Everyone is welcome to ask questions or provide answers. No question is too minor or small.

Include your stats if appropriate/relevant

Don't forget to comment and interact with other posters here, let's keep the good vibes going!

This is an excellent article highlighting both sides of the divide...

• on one side, the classical Physical Activity Level view that we can add up exercise calories from the Compendium Of Exercise Activities in the same way as we add up calories in; and
• on the other, observations and some controlled studies that show that exercise calories eventually settle down to be in a relatively constrained range, or at least far diminished from what the caloric estimates of the activity say that they should be

Starting from 298 lb, about 135 kg, I walked for exercise and when MyFitnessPal awarded calories for that exercise, I ate them. Despite eating them, I lost weight at the predicted range and sometimes better than the predicted rate in MFP profile.

But after 9 months, it was apparent that all of that walking was paying off less and less. In part, it made sense, because I was walking around a much smaller body by then (having lost 105 lb or about 45 kg). But now, 9 years later, my exercise which has remained active moves the needle slightly. My present day TDEE and my calculated TDEE for a sedentary body with my stats are very nearly the same.

Of course, moving around burns more calories than not moving at all. The constrained model does not argue that. It's simply indicates that there are compensatory shifts in energy that result in a overall calorie output that is far less than we think it ought to be based on our calculators and our fitness watches.

None of this should be interpreted to say that we should not exercise for our body's fitness and health. And like I said up top, it did help me during the weight loss phase as far as I could tell. We certainly cannot diet our body strong, and exercise can even function as an appetite suppressant. Many of us have already been looking at these exercise calories reported by our wearables with some huge grain of salt. This article explains why.

I don't mean to post this often, but today was fun. I finished my 5 mile hike much faster, so I took a look back at the first time I attempted it this year back in June.

!

Not great, but it was the first time in awhile that I did it. Fast forward to today.

!

I shaved off 20 minutes and my average pace is 5 minutes faster. While I might not be losing much my body is certainly getting faster, stronger, and hiking is getting easier.

So don't look at just the scale because it can be deceptive. Find something that brings you joy and go do it.

Back in 2021 I started hiking because I stopped going to the gym because COVID, and it worked pretty well for me. Then winter hit and I had to stop because of lack of light in the morning and it was getting dangerous.

Last year I switched jobs and we moved just as I got back into hiking. Anyway, I started back up in June because I hit a high of 270 lbs. Well I am attempting to hike 100 miles this month and I am already at about 55. I am on track to hit 30 miles just this week. To be more specific, my goal this week is to hike a 5.1 mile loop 6 days. When I started I was hiking a 2.5 mile loop mostly.

On the weight side, I was pretty stable around 268lbs for most of June, and last week I stayed under 268lbs. Granted it is only Tuesday, but I've stayed under 267 so far, and today I weighed in at 265.2

Obviously it's not much but I am feeling better, I'm hiking faster, and I am not bouncing back up to 268+. I can't wait to see what next week is like.