Hi! I just joined to get some extra motivation, as I'm really trying to shift my lifestyle for good. I've lost weight before, but it always seems to come back worse. I live in a family where I am constantly being picked on for my weight. My dad has some sort of eating disorder, and I grew up praised for starving myself. I never ate unless I was alone, and after a day of not eating, that usually meant a binge. Now that I've come to terms with the fact that he's verbally abusive, I've begun eating normally, but my weight hasn't gone anywhere. Not up much, but not down either. My hope is that this will help me stick to a sustainable plan.
- What is your current height and weight? 5'8 and 175
- If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be? 140-145
- At what weight would you like to be at four months from now? 160-ish?
- Why do you want to lose weight? I want to better my strength-to-weight ratio for rowing as well as be able to wear, like, shorts without being ridiculed
- Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event? No
- What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals? My history in going too far with calorie restriction and binging
- Why do you think that you now have a weight problem? I've never been a thin girl but I was raised with a healthy lifestyle. I know genetics isn't an excuse, so I'm just going to say mindlessness.
- What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight? I began rowing around 5 months ago and although I haven't lost weight in and of itself, I have gained a lot of muscle and maintained my weight. To be a better rower, I want to stick to the best plan possible.
- Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight? Nothing aside from literal starvation diets
- Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back? I began feeling extremely fatigued, my hair fell out, I fainted regularly, and developed anemia and dangerously low blood pressure that I still have.
- What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work? I have been told by doctors that due to my issues, I should eat a low-carb, high-fat, high-sodium diet. For me, this wasn't practical as I hate "fatty" foods and literally felt sick all the time. I wasn't allowed any fruit either which drove me bananas (no pun intended)
- Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time? I have used cronometer in the past, but seeing the numbers scared me into only eating ~500 calories a day.
- Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook? This is part of the problem because I'm scared to eat in my house. When I do eat at home, it has to be something I can eat quietly. I can usually also get away with riced cauliflower and soup so I eat those a lot. The problem is when I'm alone as I'll mindlessly eat a pint of ice cream or a quesadilla.
- How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go? Every day- I drink a lot of coffee as it helps with my ADHD, but I'm trying to stay away from lattes and sweetened things now and sticking to plain iced coffee and tea. I eat acai bowls, sushi, and thai a lot but that's about it.
- What are your three favorite foods? Sticky rice, gummies, and sushi (i'm a major texture person)
- What are your three favorite restaurants? Basically any vegan restaurant
- What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food? Monitor how much I'm eating, stick to a consistent plan, and not go overboard
- If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different? I'd be able to wear whatever I wanted without being shot down. I'd be able to work out without burning up in pants and a t-shirt. And I'd be healthier and a better rower.
- Do you eat when you are not hungry? Usually no, but sometimes when I'm home alone for long periods of time I can't stop.
- Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)? Yes, it's a problem, but it's getting better
- Do you hide your food or eat in secret? I feel like a have to- I literally have peanuts and freeze dried strawberries stocked in my bedroom because of the fear of food in my house. Almost everything gets thrown out if it doesn't meet crazy health standards- things like bananas are considered unhealthy in my house.
- Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed? Well, I AM depressed, but I take meds so it doesn't really affect me anymore. When I was at my lowest in regards to mental health/self harm, my weight was at its highest.
- Do you eat as a reward? I get paranoid if I eat at night without working out, so I guess so.
- Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer? Yeah.. that's a big one.
- What do you normally eat for a meal? I'm terrible at sticking to meals. Some days I'll eat one or two times and others I'll be grazing all day. In general I drink a lot of smoothies and I probably eat way too much rice haha.
- What type of snacks do you eat? I'm constantly drinking coffee... like, my cup is always with me and I'm refilling it throughout the day. As far as food snacks go, usually fruit or yogurt and I used to eat bars but then they became a binge food.
- In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing? Since it's off season, I run anywhere from 1-3 miles and lift for one muscle group every day. I'm trying to increase my performance more than anything, so working out is actually pretty fun. It's my me time.
- Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home? I live on a hill so I usually just run around there, looking for new routes. I have a treadmill, a rack and barbells/dumbbells/resistance bands etc at home so I usually do it by myself in my garage where everything is.
- What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise? I really like squats/deadlifts because I have a strong lower body, but I also really enjoy any long-distance running, swimming, rowing etc, so long as it's outdoors. I hate HIIT type cardio as well as erging and treadmills with a burning passion.
- What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals? I'd like to focus on the fitness aspect as a gauge as it tends to bring more immediate results- the weight loss will allow me to really see the improvements I'm making.
- Do you have rewards for certain goals? Should I?
