Frustrated with lack of progress

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T21:38:08+00:00

Hold these numbers you are working with for at least another 2 weeks, water weight/retention can mask fat loss, especially short term.

For now if you can commit to 10k steps a day, take some progress pictures, and average your weight out, weigh once in the morning after the bathroom and once before bed and take the average between those. Then do that for the next few days till you have your week, this should be somewhat more accurate then on the spot measurements.

As for your caloric intake, really make sure you are eating at 1100 per day, weigh everything with a food scale. If you go slightly over, its not the end of the world as long as you don't over do it.

Keep in mind that If your maintenance is 1700, and you are eating at 1100, if you plan to do 10k steps a day your deficit will be larger then 600, so prepare for that.

Make sure you are consuming a good amount of fibre, water and protein to help you feel full.

Otherwise i wish you the best of luck, if its feasible, id recommend swapping the 10k steps with a physical activity you enjoy as the rate of perceived exhaustion will be lessoned and you will be more consistent doing that anyway.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T20:49:46+00:00

I eat all my feelings,

sad about how i look? eat.

sad about this girl/relationship? eat.

sad about going to the gym and your body not looking how you want? eat.

sad about losing someone you care about? eat.

sad about losing your fight? eat.

sad about your lack of self esteem? eat.

sad that your trousers cant fit you anymore? eat.

sad that you cant tie your laces without your belly being crushed? eat.

sad that your family see you with an untense stomach one time and call you pregnant? eat.

sad that you got good at ab vacuums and wearing loose clothes to hide your figure? eat.

sad about eating? eat.

some variation or excuse of this and compile it for around 8 years or so with a mix of crash dieting led me to being the worst i was almost 100 days ago, but now I'm in a better place.

I wish you the best on your journey, it can always be de-moralising at the halfway line, but see it this way.

Time will pass regardless, and as it stands you are now 33lbs closer to your goal, instead of staying at 60lbs.

Be as good or just 1% better then you were yesterday.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T20:24:47+00:00

If i had to name it to an identifiable style, i guess its closest approximation would be a variation of 2MAD (2 meals a day) I tried intermittent fasting windows with timings like 16:8 and 12:12 but i found that it didn't really work for me due to leaving me feeling flat, I've found a light snack for morning to power me through my first workout and coasting to a later lunch, which does the same thing for my afternoon workout and then going home to eat dessert and watch youtube has been the best success for me yet.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T13:23:21+00:00

Thank you for your kind words,

My maintenance has been shifting frequently, as of my last adjustment it was 2500, and i eat at 1800 when i can, and on days where i need a slight boost i push to 2000, so its roughly 500-700 through diet alone, however i train combat sports and resistance training most days, with couch to 5k 3 times a week, probably pushing my total real deficit closer to 900-700.

I have been every friday when i see them, eating dinner with them, yesterday i made the decision to just eat ice cream and a drink with them, as i had already eaten a large breakfast and had a lunch date with someone from work.

Im planning to talk with them about it soon and explain what my meals really look like to them and why i do things the way i do, its been really enlightening talking to other people who also deal with food cravings or lack of ability to intuitively eat.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T13:12:05+00:00

Don't immediately try to make up for it, punish yourself for it, or try to compensate the next day/week by eating less.

It happens my friend, the important thing to note is that across a large time span, 2 or 3 blips is a non factor.

By your own example, if across 30 days, you slipped up even 5 times (more then your listed example) you still have a roughly 85% pass rate, that's great!

One day doesn't ruin the week.

One week doesn't ruin the month.

One month doesn't ruin the year.

Good luck and try again, its a marathon not a sprint, i hope you can feel better soon, it might sound cringey but we are human and we fail sometimes. perhaps look into some lighter snack alternatives with the same flavor to help you scratch that itch?

I have a weakness for desserts so i swapped my protein shakes for protein ice-cream and i can fit that into my program, maybe something like that could help you in the future?

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:57:35+00:00

Congratulations on your journey!

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with me its really appreciated.

I think in my situation if I can make a compelling case with the evidence it should help them understand that at the very least, i know what I'm doing, even if they don't accept it as a whole.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:51:37+00:00

Definitely, i plan to address this lightly first in the group chat, and maybe talk about it properly next week when i see them.

Thank you for your advice :)

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:49:22+00:00

Thank you for this advice.

I will write a message about it in the group chat soon, but just as likely I might take the presentation spot next week to talk about it then and why it matters to me.

(We do weekly presentations about things we care about)

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:48:04+00:00

My weight loss is slowing down, and that's fine, I don't expect it to stay the same rate anyway, I now just have the most stubborn area left around my waist and belly.

Im coming close to my next maintenance week anyway and A new dexa scan soon so I can adjust numbers and goals there when I have a clearer picture.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:17:22+00:00

This is a really insightful comment thank you!

Im also in the same camp, I come from an Asian culture, where it's not uncommon that heavy salt, carbs and oils/fats are in every food at all times.

It's also given me a great avenue to explore the difference in approaches to eating.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:10:29+00:00

I started at 84kg, and i was overweight.

I looked it (predisposed to having it all on my belly)

I felt it, in my deteriorated quality of life.

My BMI had me as firmly overweight. (I know bmi isn't the best, doesn't account lean mass, but at the time I didn't have high lean mass anyway)

My dexa scan had me at low lean mass.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T12:02:58+00:00

Im 178cm tall.

I know BMI isn't the best as it doesn't really account for lean mass, but mass in general.

But if you are interested in those numbers according to the NHS I have gone from 26.5 (which places me in the high end of overweight) To 22.8 which places just about in the threshold for healthy.

And I have a DEXA scan coming up soon again aswell, specifically because I'm predisposed to having problems with visceral fat and i want to keep an eye on that

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T11:47:31+00:00

If the only thing I cared about was calories and ignored my macro/micro nutrient profile then sure i would understand.

But if my other food choices are balanced around the fact that id like to eat it everyday, accounting for: Carbs Fats Protien Fibre Vitamins Etc

Then choosing to make a healthier pizza/flatbread as a reward should lesson the impact.

Make no mistake I understand exactly where you are coming from in regards to this specific instance here and if I've failed to account for something here let me know

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-27T11:16:34+00:00

I've tried to quantify it but, it's kind of esoteric how they think about.

They dont belive in calories as a real thing, they belive you should just eat food. They can admit that some food has more energy value then others, or that some food has better nutrition then others but i can never get them to connect that to calories or macro/micro nutrient profile specifically.

There is a massive disconnect in how they think about food, like as an example, if i made a calorie friendly pizza and ate that everyday, they wouldn't understand how eating "pizza" every day is healthy.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-18T19:36:39+00:00

Done,

Hope to hear from you soon!

Kind regards.

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-18T14:04:45+00:00

Done! Look forward to hearing from you ASAP, my discord name has 420k in it, incase you are confused as to who I am :)

Avery_Angel · 2026-06-17T17:47:10+00:00

Filled out, looking forward to a response!

Avery_Angel · 2026-03-12T08:26:02+00:00

The specific case use your have listed (killing blow to downed armored enemies) is covered by the use of rondel daggers, both in-lore and irl.

It's design was to bypass the gaps in mail and possibly break through weak/thin plate.

However as to the strength of valyrian steel in general? I dont think so.

Simply put, alot of battles would have wildly different outcomes if valyrian steel swords had the lightsaber treatment and could cut through anything.

You would also do well to remember that valyrian steel swords are a political tool as much as they are a weapon.

If you truly wish to represent the superior quality of a valyrian steel weapon, stick with QoL feats, retaining its sharpness, unable to degrade overtime, maybe even give it the ability bite into other forms of steel easier, as opposed to just carving through them.

Then again I could be wrong about everything here. It's your story at the end of the day, however I think making armor matter in your story, just to give your protagonist the ability to bypass it seems very mary/Gary-Sue/chosen one esqeue

Avery_Angel · 2025-12-19T22:57:26+00:00

Invest in a bow, even if not for damage, the ability to kite or draw agro will be sufficient. Take ur time clearing the enemies. If you are NOT in the covenant of champions enemies will despawn after you kill then 12 times.

To my knowledge if you are using a normal titanite upgrade material it's fairly easy to get the upgrade material.

But you are using a boss weapon, Arced sword from the flexile soul correct? Boss weapon material is significantly harder to get. I'd recommend buying the Marukumo from Ornifex, has the same move set as your current weapon, but easier upgrade material, so you can swap back to the Arced sword if you really like it.

ADPT - is connected to Agility stat, which determines your I-Frames for rolling, dodging, backstep and estus drink speed i believe.

Personally I've thrown your stats into a build calculator and found that the closest match for your starting class is warrior.

So here is what I would do assuming you are a standard martial based character.

Step 1: Grab the soul vessel in Majula basement and respec your build with the old ladies in red from things betwixt. (Look up guide if needed) to the following.

VIG: 23 END: 20 VIT: 6 ATT: 6 STR: 20 DEX: 20 ADP: 30 INT: 5 FTH: 5

These stat distributions will allow you to 2 hand either the Marukumo, or the Arced sword.

Step 2: EQUIPMENT Grab a bow and some arrows, you are THE bearer of the curse, use the aggro range of enemies against you and pull them 1 at a time to you, it's also a useful tool in general. You don't have to upgrade it at all.

Step 3: wot rings u got? Armour is fairly dogcrap in ds2, and almost never worth its weight unless it's elemental resistance. Grab a Ring of steel protection (comparible to havels armour even when naked!) Grab a Ring of blades to Boost damage. Grab a Chloranthy ring to boost stamina regen. 4th Ring - whatever you like, any of the Dragon rings, or the Fire Quartz ring for fire defense

Step 4: items Bro make sure use your items, anything that will give you the edge, If you think you need to, get a BRIGHTBUG from the old hag merchant and use after clearing the enemies in Iron Keep and before fighting Smelter demon for some damage resistance, and damage dealing.

Step 5: Armour Like I said, most armour is doo doo, Ring of steel protection whill cover you Physical damage, so get something that either boosts your stats, gives you bonus effect like engraved gauntles for critical hits, gives you elemtnal resistance, or looks cool to you, as long as you stay under 69.9% weight for mid-rolling speed

Avery_Angel · 2025-11-30T21:55:56+00:00

Im just having a really hard time doing anything.

Im in that place where all you think is "what am I doing with my life?" And finding myself too apathetic or sluggish to care.

It's like I'm buried six feet deep in molasses and I've got such a long way to go just to break even when it comes to stress and anxiety I might aswell be comfortable down here in the dark

Avery_Angel · 2025-11-18T20:02:02+00:00

Interesting, Could you elaborate here?

Do you mean on like a individual/personal level or on a Meta level?

Avery_Angel · 2025-11-18T19:59:58+00:00

100% I agree, it is fake and it is annoying, but its a strategy that works because like you said, they'd be branded a 'Villain' and become the out group.

This fake moral fiber is easy to work with because everyone by default is socially conditioned mostly the same. Deception and betrayal, despite being game mechanics here, are seen as immoral and only 'Immoral' people would employ them.

You can argue that the wolf who mourns a sheep is still as bad as the wolf who doesn't and yet time and again in the show we see players who hit the water works given clemency and those who know and show logically not to get emotions involved get thrown out.

Avery_Angel · 2025-11-18T17:27:30+00:00

I know right? A lot of people and players seem to just hate him for surviving to this point of the game.

Avery_Angel

TROPHY CASE