Fifty down (thirty-five to go). Progress pic, methods, advice.

https://imgur.com/a/NzdmuGF

Left photo is from roughly 2 years ago (probably 210 lbs [or higher] at that point). Right photo is from last week. I thought I looked fat-faced in every pic, but am actually shocked by this comparison. Body dysmorphia is a real thing - be careful.

About Me:

• 5'4", female. 32 (turning 33 in a few weeks).
• highest recorded weight was 220 lbs
• have tried to diet/exercise before, but always quit after a few weeks.
• overweight since about 10/11 years old, slow climb from overweight to obese (class II...)
• never really acknowledged that I was fat (denial...)
• emotional eater with history of binges
• started CICO in Oct/Nov of last year (and only maintained from December through New Years)

Methods:

• CICO - with calorie adjustments every 10-15 pounds.
• Intermittent Fasting - usually an 18/6 window when I did fast (which wasn't all days). did a few 24 hours fasts just for funzies (this was to help me get over my relationship with food and embrace hunger).
• tracked calories with myfitnesspal (very dedicated daily tracking until eating habits changed)
• tracked weight with Libra app.
• sometimes took breaks ("cheat meals") when I went out or to parties, but didn't make it like a special weekly treat - it was situational and I would try to make sure it was a day where I did IF
• no exercise until 40 lbs lost (though I did/do walk regularly)
• present exercise is three days a week of strength training (cardio hater)
• the only person I told I was losing weight was my man. I didn't feel the need to share this with anyone else, but eventually friends and family started to notice.
• didn't take many progress pics... kinda wish I had
• participated in the r/loseit team challenges.
• had to accept my fatness and forgive myself. this was kinda hard.
• had to learn that I didn't "deserve" food, and replaced my rewards with other forms of self care

Advice:

• just start. right now. not tomorrow, not next week, not after the company picnic or your friends bday party.... just start. there will always be an excuse, and even if you 'cheat' on those days, you're still creating an overall deficit.
• you can't outrun a bad diet. for realz. I do believe exercise is important, but in my prior attempts I truly think that trying to change my diet while also building an exercise habit was too much for me, and that's likely why I always quit.
• this was all a work in progress. I had no idea what I was doing, I just started and knew I needed to eat less. So I started counting calories, and learned some stuff along the way. I enjoyed IF because it helped me change my relationship with food and hunger.
• you're gonna mess up sometimes. know that that is okay.
• participating in the online challenges was helpful. I did not feel comfortable discussing this with my friends/family, so having access to an online community to chat with when I was happy with progress, or upset about plateaus, was invaluable.

tldr; cico and some IF, no exercise until 40 pounds dropped. emotional eater. wish I had taken more progress pics. face still looks fat to me, but comparing to an old photo is cray cray. you can do it.

Edited for typos.

submitted by /u/nicosine
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