Christian weight loss experiences

[Moonstone Eterni]

Sometimes I engage in self-deprecating humor about my weight. I’ll be with friends and make a joke about being too fat to go to the swimming pool, since I would have to wear a swim suit and be without a shirt. They laugh and say I’m not fat. And generally speaking, people don’t seem to think I’m fat—but I do. I feel self-conscious about it and want to lose weight.

I’ve been watching quite a few videos on YouTube about weight loss. These videos give very useful advice about dieting, what to do, what to avoid, etc. Some delve into the science of it and increase my understanding for how to lose weight.

I’ve learned plenty about shedding pounds, and what is left to do is have some discipline and practice a healthier lifestyle. It’s easier said that done, but doable nonetheless.

To help me get started and motivate me to lose weight (as well as other Christians reading this thread in the same situation), I want to hear testimonies of others who have lost a lot of weight. What was your experience? How long was your journey? What did you do and not do? Tell us all about your transformation; it will help inspire all readers who want to accomplish this as well. Thanks.

 

[Wynona]

Hopefully this will be me soon. I recently switched medications. The one I was on before made it really hard not to gain weight. For this past year, Ive only maintained.

But the healthy practices are there. I will let you know if it make a difference in the near future.

I also love youtube weight loss videos and articles. Ive learned a lot that way.

 

[Moonstone Eterni]

Hopefully this will be me soon. I recently switched medications. The one I was on before made it really hard not to gain weight. For this past year, Ive only maintained.

But the healthy practices are there. I will let you know if it make a difference in the near future.

I also love youtube weight loss videos and articles. Ive learned a lot that way.

One thing that I recently started doing was cutting out the energy drinks. I used to drink one or two each day, and they are generally bad for you. I also used to snack around the day in addition to eating meals, but now I’m cutting out the snacks and eating only at designated times. Little things like these add up little by little. Losing even three pounds seems like it takes forever, even with strategies like the ones I mentioned, but whole idea of weight loss is basically a lifestyle change that lasts for life.

 

[Wynona]

One thing that I recently started doing was cutting out the energy drinks. I used to drink one or two each day, and they are generally bad for you. I also used to snack around the day in addition to eating meals, but now I’m cutting out the snacks and eating only at designated times. Little things like these add up little by little. Losing even three pounds seems like it takes forever, even with strategies like the ones I mentioned, but whole idea of weight loss is basically a lifestyle change that lasts for life.

You are right. All the people who lose the weight say its a lifestyle change for life.

I have made some healthy switches too. I love carrots and hummus now instead of potato chips all the time. Instead of sugary treats, often Ill sub greek yogurt with berries in it.

I hate drinking my calories so I drink water only or water with lemon.

I try to watch my portions and really enjoy my food. I rarely eat out anymore. I also strength train three times a week.

I journal a lot and this helps with emotional eating.

I would say this took about a year to start doing all of this together.

We can do this!

Take progress photos and keep being inspired. It will happen in time.

 

[Wynona]

I can also relate to people not thinking Im fat. Im tall, so it doesn't show as much but I still understand the desire to lose weight anyway.

Growing up, I never had an issue so I just feel a bit big now.

 

[Cassandra]

For anyone who would love to do weight watchers, but cannot afford it, here is a great free app

Start Your Weight Loss Journey Today With Healthi

After answering a few questions (how much you weigh now, what you want to get to, ht, etc) The program will assign you a certain number of "bites" weight watchers uses points) and you track what you eat. It also has a scanner that you can use to see how many bites is in a product per serving by scanning the UPC code.

It also gives you 28 extra bites per week just in case you would like a little something extra per week.

I love sweets, and so I have sugar free puddings, and some delightful "candy" bars that Aldi makes called Elevation. the caramel nut ones are only 4 bites and are yummy, but I limit my self to 1 or 2 a week. Other companies sell these types of bars but are 2 times the price of Aldi. To me they taste like a real candy bar.

For things like scrambled eggs, it lists those as 6 bites. I do not know what they are putting in those eggs, but 2 scrambled eggs (with no milk) in a sprayed pan is 140 calories--not 6 bites. I would look for another item that is 2 bites and add that as the count for the scrambled eggs.

I use spray butter.( I cant believe it's not butter) I adore real butter (and bread) but the butter spray is pretty good.
I got some vege sausage (2 links are 0 bites)
I'm sure turkey sausage is low too. Wheat bread is 3--some of the softer breads are 2 slices for 3.
So I can make a good breakfast of toast ( 2 pieces) 2 scrambled eggs and 2 vege sausage links, and only use approx 5 bites. Ill have plenty left for the rest of the day.

I also buy fruity light Greek yogurts, not the reg Greek yogurts. Walmart sells for for about 2.50 here, and they are delicious!! 80 cal a serving. tastes like a rich cheesecake, or soft ice cream. 3 bite snack. Walmart also has 1% cottage cheese 2 bites for 1/2 cup. So you have plenty of snacking options.

You can have chips too but you are limited in the count.
For example, 21 Fritos are are 5 bites.


Anyway, you can try this thing. It's kinda fun scanning things at the store.

And you don't have to break the bank with buying a ton of special products

There is a pro plan available on the app, but you don't have to sign up for it, although it is tons cheaper than ww.

One of the pluses of these types of diets is that you can enjoy your food. Chewing food is an important part of satisfaction, eating wise. Its helps digestion, and helps make you feel less hungry. Shakes and powders would be very unsatisfying I would think.

 

[Moonstone Eterni]

You are right. All the people who lose the weight say its a lifestyle change for life.

I have made some healthy switches too. I love carrots and hummus now instead of potato chips all the time. Instead of sugary treats, often Ill sub greek yogurt with berries in it.

I hate drinking my calories so I drink water only or water with lemon.

I try to watch my portions and really enjoy my food. I rarely eat out anymore. I also strength train three times a week.

I journal a lot and this helps with emotional eating.

I would say this took about a year to start doing all of this together.

We can do this!

Take progress photos and keep being inspired. It will happen in time.

I’ve heard about meal replacements. It’s basically a shake that you mix with milk, and drinking it gives you the nutrition of a meal and the fullness sensation so you don’t eat more. The best part is they’re only 200 or so calories, so they’re good for weight loss.

I’ll have to pick some up at the supplement store today. After I try it, I’ll report back with my experience.

 

[liafailrock]

I lost 30 pounds without trying (I'm in my 60's) by simply cutting the carbs. I always ate well and took all sorts of supplements, so I was never really unhealthy, but human nature being what it is I stuffed my face with additional snacks. One day I took my own blood sugar and did not like what I saw. So that's what launched me off with these two premises:

1) Jesus did not stuff his face and otherwise go around fat, so to claim to follow Him and being fat is an embarrassment, actually, and...
2) Cut the carbs: my calorie % is only 30% carbs (most people are double or more), 30% proteins and 40% fats.

Most of my fats are animal based such as eggs, meat, cheese, butter, unflavored/unsweetened yogurt and the like. I tend to stay away from processed vegetable oils although virgin olive oil is very healthy. I use butter for my pans and also on my hot veggies.

So what foods? Dairy (except not a lot of milk, but rather half and half), meats except I don't eat biblically "unclean" meats like pork or shellfish, lots of nuts especially almonds, raw veggies and salads of all sorts and hot veggies at dinner. "Dessert" can be some fruit, yogurt and cream or the like. I stay away from all breads, munchy snacks, cakes, pies and candy. There is nothing wrong with grain if we have some like the bible characters but today's "Whole grain" is basically processed breads sweetened with corn sweetener, and maybe even genetically modified. In short, all the foods I tend to eat are natural and don't go through a factory somewhere.

So I eat what I want when I want and without trying I lost all that weight, but the real issue was the blood sugar.

I ordered myself some blood work: CBC, SMA-12, Urine analysis and Lipids and all were good to my satisfaction only like 3 weeks into the process. Fasting blood sugar was normal and what it always was in my younger days. So I saw there was potential and nothing was drastically out of spec.

This past winter I also ordered a vitamin D test. I was twice that which they say is good, but that's because in the winter I supplement a lot and in the summer spend hours and hours in the sun. The sun is better for getting vitamin D so I was concerned what happened over the winter when the sun is less than the 50 degree elevation it needs to be in order for the body to manufacture vitamin D from cholesterol.

I can go on and on about vitamin D, chronic conditions (including excess weight, diabetes, heart disease and the like) and how there are virtually no severe cases of COVID if a person's blood level was 30ng/dl (75 nano- mols/L). And that goes for colds and flu, too. The bad news is unless one spends time in the sun or supplements like crazy like I do, 75% of the population are below that level, so I guess they need drugs, shots, masks and other things to artificially make one healthier in the same manner a person can shellac up a wilting flower instead of nourishing it with simply water and good soil.

So you can all order blood work, too, and see where you stand to make sure there's no medical issues. However, doctors will shellac, er, I mean treat (LOL) conditions with medications instead of finding the root cause with nutrition. We all have to research things ourselves. Just the tip of the iceberg as to what I did.

 

[dev553344]

I tried intermittent fasting and it worked somewhat. I feel stressed now and not eating as much. I don't have a scale so I'll have to wait till I go to the doctors to check my weight.