Related Posts
Fishes, need your honest advise - I have 40 days left with Notice period and no job in hand due only 4-5 months of relevant experience and total yoe- 3.10 years. Is there any chance I will get the job in next 40 days due to immediate joiner? Or give me referral please
Skills: ReactJs
Tata Consultancy Accenture Infosys ZS Associates
Break even for $2. Well worth the pour!
Additional Posts in Women In Consulting
New to Fishbowl?
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Chief
Think of food as fuel and nutrients for your body versus something you need to restrict - if you’re increasing workouts, even just walking, your body is more active and needs food to power it more.. if you give it less than what it needs, it will start holding on to the scraps you give it
Chief
Great! I would recommend then tracking your macros if you’re not already to make sure your calories are in balance and appropriate for the amount of walking/exercise you’re doing)
As someone who is also petite (5’2”) I’ve found that drinking a lot of water helps with the water weight, which is the first 5 lbs anyways. I drink about a gallon a day. This helps your body let go of your water weight since you’re consistently hydrating.
I’ve cut back on refined carbs (added sugar, white flour, etc) and take a multivitamin if my calorie intake drops below 1k calories. At our height and size, the low calorie count is not as much of a concern because smaller bodies just require less fuel.
You’ve said you hate doing other workouts but science backs lifting heavy weights as the best form of exercise. Maybe try supplementing your routine with weight lifting to help you maintain muscle mass, which increases your overall metabolism.
Make sure you’re patient with yourself and stay consistent! I’ve gone from 135 lbs to 115 lbs over the past ~4 months and still trying to lose another 5-10 lbs by summer time. Good luck!
Thanks for the interest and glad we are all on the same journey! I’ve been doing all of the above and using a food journal.
The first month I only focused on clean eating, getting rid of refined carbs and cutting out alcohol. I’m already a pescatarian but have a big sweet tooth so that’s been hard to work through. I eat ~1000-1150 calories daily and track every bit of food incl. cooking oil, drinks, and condiments. I work a treat into my diet every week like one ice cream or an indulgent takeout meal without going over my calorie limit by more than 20%.
In terms of workouts, in the second month I started doing 30-40 mins of weights and HIIT at home 3-4 times a week. If you’re not familiar, I’d suggest using workouts by Chloe Ting or Kayla Itsines as starting points. I also try to get in at least 5-8k steps everyday. I don’t leave the house much these days so this is attainable for me.
Overall, diet and consistency are really the main drivers for my weight loss. Having a plan and sticking to it are the most important things. I hit plateaus often (after first 10 lbs) and used to give up but this time I’ve stayed committed despite not seeing the scale go down and that’s how I lost my next 10 lbs from 125 to 115 today.
I’m still continuing on my weight loss journey but have found all these things to work best for me. Every body is different so take what works for you and leave the rest. Also remember to go easy on your body if you’re frustrated and forgive yourself when you slip up. This is why I love to work in treats so that I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself.
Rising Star
OP, firstly, you're eating really little!! Please make sure you don't starve yourself, I've gone that route and it does not end well.
To your point, it sounds like it's been a week since it stopped dropping? Weight loss is not consistent (as in the number on the scale doesn't steadily drop). There are so many other factors besides fat loss that affect the scale. Water weight like bloating, your period, etc.
It's best not to let this deter you and look more over the further long term.
Rising Star
This!! You are not eating enough food! You are being more active and eating less. Plus I know you hate working out but it really would probably help you a lot
Don’t weigh yourself every day; fluctuations are normal. Don’t go below 1200 Cal a day and be patient. Below 1000 needs monitoring by healthcare professional
Pro
U need throw in a high calorie day every once in awhile so ur body doesn't think its going thru a famine. High calorie doesn't mean go eat a ton of donuts. Eat 2500-3000 and u will see the weight go down. I do this when i see my weightloss plateau. I'll go eat a huge steak and the next day im still the same weight, then a week later I'll see the number go down.
Seconding all of this + some science, the body is really good at protecting itself and if it feels like it needs to go into survival mode, it’ll start pulling from other functions / resources in your body (menstrual cycle and bone density are commonly affected in women) so enjoy that fried chicken OP 😋 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/refeed-day#how-it-works
I am about your size. I do as much low carb as possible - avoid breads, rice, potatoes, etc - but don’t restrict otherwise. Same goes for sugar. I call it “keto light”. That said, I definitely will have my pizza/pasta/dessert days. I will recommend exercising a bit more. There are so many lower impact options if you say you don’t like to work out. Workouts such as barre, yoga, solidcore - in addition to the walking - could be great for you. It’s unlikely that you’ll tone up just by walking without any sort of exercise.
You might be generating muscle - weight is less important, did you measure inches of your waist, thighs etc?
Focus on how you feel 🤗 congrats on making this lifestyle change !
1/2 inch in a month is not bad at all :)
I agree with others that you should track your calories out, as well as in - ensure you are not going below 1200 (not healthy for your heart!)
Understand you don’t like exercise but that is the safe and healthy way to do things. Try Kayla Itsine’s BBG - it starts really basic and you can do it at home.
Rather than focus on the fat pockets, focus on how you feel and the concept of healthy lifestyle
Anything under 1400 calories a day is dangerously low for an adult. You are damaging your metabolism by under-eating which will cause you to have a “skinny fat” look over time (not toned and I doubt your stomach will slim since it’ll want to hold onto all fo the fat on your body). Look up Bodies By Rachel on insta and look at some of their posts. Not trying to sell the workout/ diet programs, but the BBR community has helped my relationship with food and exercise so much over the past year and I’ve met women from around the world who have similar mindsets that are great support. Not to mention I look the best I have in my entire life and I’m almost 26.
I eat a homemade vegetarian diet as well. I find the lentils, kidney beans etc. are not enough protein. I add a protein smoothie everyday to meet the required amount. Protein helps rebuild muscle which in turn improves metabolism. Metabolism naturally declines as we age and it essentially means we gain the pounds faster than we lose them. Two years ago (at 29) I started increasing about a half pound every month with absolutely no change in my lifestyle. Packed on 20lbs but was able to catch a thyroid issue and a vitamin D deficiency. It points to the lack of healthy fats in my diet as well. Homemade vegetarian diets tend to be high on carbs and low on fibre, proteins and healthy fats if not deliberately designed to be balanced. Supplements also help. A daily multivitamin is great to add in! I’m now back to my normal weight pre my hypothyroid diagnosis. But it took a good 1.5 years.
i would recommend calories in calories out which
means if you walk more/as much as you do now, you do need to eat more, even if your goal is weight loss. your goal should be to feel satiated at your calorie count, not remain hungry and uncomfortable. even when you use calorie counting apps, they increase your calorie budget with exercise+steps. try to figure your target calorie count for weight loss and stay around that amount. i weigh like 20 pounds more than you, want to lose 10, and my target is 1370 but increases with steps+exercise.
Weight train!
Rising Star
Don’t restrict calories to under 1200/day. You’re putting your body into starvation mode. High-quality, lean protein, lots of non-starchy veggies, small amounts of high-fiber complex carbs, and small amounts of healthy fats around 1200-1300 calories per day, along with strength training and some cardio most days of the week will get you where you want to be...but keep in mind that 115 at 5’1” is a healthy weight!!
unfortunately, it’s really hard to spot reduce fat. some ppl are genetically pre-disposed to put on fat in particular areas first (could be thighs, back, stomach etc). i’ve had the most success shaving fat off through HIIT workouts and resistance training, but it can be whatever “calorie out” method you prefer with the amount of time/energy you’re willing to expend
Also be aware that depending on your age, it may just be natural weight gain! I've gained 20lbs since graduating two years ago and I'm the healthiest I've ever been.
My personal tips: don't bother with counting calories, as long as you're cooking fresh and at home, eat as much as your body needs! Sometimes that's more than usual, sometimes that's less, but I've found this is easier than constantly tracking numbers. Weight fluctuation is totally normal! Switch your weigh-ins to once a week, that way it's harder to worry about your normal daily fluctuations. I know you're not a fan of workouts, but if you can incorporate a little bit of weights, or one hour of yoga a day, that will do wonders for your core!
Yeah, I am finding it much easier to put on weight now (at 29) than when I was 25. Back then I could eat all I want and still be slim.
Try to eat every 2-3 hours. That’s 3 meals and 2 snacks. Make them light and monitor the amount of carb and proteins each meal. Hummus. Oatmeal. Half a cup of rice and half. Cup of protein. Carte Blanche with veggies. I’m also your height. Don’t eat under 800 a day. Eat around 1400 and make it sustainable to do for at least 8 weeks.
And it’s not the weight I mind but more the fistfuls of fat I can grab in my tummy area or not being able to fit into my old clothes anymore.
Your body is holding onto all the fat it can because you’re not eating enough. Please do some research on this or talk to a professional.
To everyone saying don’t starve yourself- I am really not! I love food and I have been always more guilty of gluttony than anything else. It’s just that I have switched to homemade food where I don’t deep fry stuff and having a side salad with every meal along with portion control. I definitely eat if I feel hungry but I am not feeling hungry. Also, I am really small and we don’t need as many calories as taller people.
OP, when you start eating less, your body goes into energy saving mode and your metabolic rate drops too and so you don't feel hungry anymore. You kinda have to start eating more of the right stuff to kickstart your metabolism so you burn more calories
Keeps consistently going back up(0.5lbs/day, 1lb/day, etc). These changes are small but they are adding up. What am I doing wrong? I don’t do any other kinds of workout (I really hate them).