morganstuart's Journal, 27 August 2021

Saw some of your previous posts...have some suggestions. Morning coffee 8oz with 4tbsp half and half or heavy cream, a tbsp of stevia and a tbsp of coconut oil...stir well before each sip. Breakfast two eggs cooked in a little butter and two pieces of bacon or sausage. Lunch 2 cups lettuce with 2 tbsp of low carb dressing, 6 slices of ham or turkey or roast beef. Dinner a 4oz salmon fillet or 4oz chicken thigh or 4oz beef patty with broccoli or cauliflower. Add butter and salt! Snacks, celery or carrots dipped in mini guacamole cups, 1/4 cup salted nuts like walnuts or pecans, one ounce of cheese...mozzarella, Gouda, pepper jack, cheddar all good. Drink a 12oz glass of water after everything you eat. My two cents. I’m not a doctor. Consult a physician if diabetes is involved. Good luck! 

And yes measure EVERYTHING. If I eat one little pretzel I count it. 

According to the CDC BMI calculator, a normal weight range for your height would be from 108 to 145 lbs. 

My suggestion to you is to delay making a final decision on a goal weight but instead set smaller goals that are attainable in a reasonable amount of time. You obviously have a lot to loose and looking too far into the future can be disheartening . Maybe work in 25 lb increments and concentrating on not only lbs lost but things you have learned about better eating habits, improvement in any laboratory tests like BS, cholesterol, improvement in any blood pressure issue, changes in how your clothes fit, your ability to move around more easily. As you loose the pounds you can begin to think about a weight that feels right for you and that is both attainable and sustainable. You have been around FS for a while now, reading and commenting on people’s entries so I thing you see what others are doing, struggling with and achieving. If you need a better plan for yourself is there a way you can get help from a dietician through your doctor or medical plan.? Be diligent and keep working at this. 

I agree with Kenna 

I think losing weight is a total lifestyle change… mentally and physically. One day and and meal at a time… eventually you find foods you enjoy and sustain for the long term…(dieting or eating healthy is a lot of trial and error finding recipes that are high in protein and low in calories…that you love…) for me I have found 15-20 meals that I love to eat and I just rotate through them. I know the cal and macros for them so I can hit my goals…. And when I have calories to spare I will eat whatever I want or drink beer or whatever makes me happy and healthy 

Get to 250 and reask the question - bet you won’t need to because your body will have started giving feedback of how happy it is with foods that make it sing. Like Mightymurse says it takes awhile to discover new things to eat. Initially for me it was egg whites, whey protein, sf jello and green peas. Now I’ve shifted to fish and greens. But you live in your body. Discovering a path that satisfies your body and mind is what matters. The scale doesn’t lead rather it documents learning about you. You are uniquely you and worthy of this adventure. 

This will give you a better idea of what a healthy weight range for your height is: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm It's all about health and risk management. Keep in mind that many people of non-European descent actually need to keep their BMI below 22.5 because otherwise their risk of chronic disease goes up significantly.  

It's not really anyone's opinion of what you should weigh that matters. It's about the risk you're willing to accept given the research on humans of of your height at different weights, adjusted for your own heritage/genetic predispositions. I'd say a doctor or competent nurse is a better person to ask about a recommended weight range. 

Baby steps! One day at a time. Make small goals and don’t be hard on yourself. You can always set a new goal. It’s not easy trying to figure out what works best. You will get there! Wish you the best! 

Seek to manage the body-fat percentage rather than weight on the scale. And increase muscle mass, too. 

You are right LC, especial Asian but also African Americans and Hispanics. 

120 or less 

What 🥜??? i was 124 lbs as an very active dancer. Weight can be higher with solid muscle. A final maintence weight is not one height weight number - many other factors. If I had not been fat shamed at 132, I still think I would have been around that range but instead I start strange eating patterns, quit the exercise I loved etc. Please listen to your body. This isn’t a race or a number, it is seeking a healthier lifestyle. We are here for you. Even if you maintain at your precovid level I am proud that you are trying. P.S. you are beautiful at the moment that you read this and over time you will reveal to the world the person inside you. 🤝 We can do this. 

See how you feel at 180. I think for me goal is a mind body thing. When I am comfortable in my own skin I know I am at or near goal. I think it’s a good goal. 

I also have set a target weight. But I never think of it. I prefer to take care of habits. Both dieting and activities. Healthy habits as possible they can be in this world we live. Not too much self pressing but also not too much comfort food. Life long practice of moderation, forgiveness and awareness. As long as I follow those principles, both fat and overall weight loss, come easily and sustainable. I think for a person like me who has been obese and morbidly obese all my adult life, aiming for a weight target is a luxury. Find your own way to a sustainable weight loss and, trust me, you will forget about the target weight. You will get there, whatever this may be. 

Kenna, it's true, especially South and South-East Asians. Diabetes is common at even "low" "healthy" BMIs of 23 because of a high body fat percentage and a lot of it being visceral. People should go to their bloodwork and not think they are safe just because their BMI is normal or they subjectively think they look fine. Just the facts. 

Even a small (5-10% of current body weight) weight loss will result in positive changes to your blood markers. So even if you set a goal that seems far off, it doesn't matter if you are making progress. What people said about focusing on improving your health and doing it in increments is good. 

Just stick in a reasonable goal. The goal is not set in concrete and you can always change it.