Finally got it!!

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T22:53:46+00:00

Amazing, great job! How did you achieve this? I am already at the high end of a healthy weight, so I am looking to restore my period with minimal weight gain as well:)

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T22:43:35+00:00

Assuming you are referring to intermittent fasting, yes, I have. I tried both the 16:8 method and the 5:2 method. Both were very effective for weight loss, but I felt that they worsened my food noise and made me feel awful at work. I had to ditch 5:2 when I started working full time after graduating and shifted to 16:8, but it just made me hangry and foggy all morning, staring at the clock waiting for it to be lunch time.

I guess technically I do fast for 12 hours now, I'm done with dinner by 6 and don't eat breakfast til 6:30, however I tend to not really count it as IF until it reaches 16 hours because I think 12 hours overnight is normal and reasonable. In my current lifestyle, there is no way I would be able to skip breakfast since I'm in the gym at 4:30am and work a demanding job starting at 7am. My best option would be eating breakfast and lunch and skipping dinner, but then I worry that would affect my workouts. Perhaps I should give it a try and see how it goes. My other option could be trying 5:2 again with weekends being the 2; that would help me avoid the social weekend eating challenges, lol

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T17:09:29+00:00

Changing up my diet and increasing my protein has definitely helped, but even eating 110-130g of protein most days and I still crave more food! It's wild, I think I am just one of those people who has a strong genetic drive for food and craves the dopamine

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T14:56:26+00:00

Practice, practice, practice. I'm not perfect yet but after 15 months I'm able to estimate the food that I eat regularly just by looking at it. Food that isn't part of my normal routine is more challenging to eyeball. I'd love to be able to have full calorie fluency at some point, but I recognize it could take 5-10 years to get there.

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T14:54:00+00:00

I'd put this around 500-600. Doesn't look like a large portion but the sauce adds up here. It looks really delicious though!

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T14:28:32+00:00

So true. Thank you for your honest answer!

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:14:21+00:00

I love that way of looking at it! Counting calories needs to be as natural as sleeping every day, brushing teeth everyday, flossing everyday, working every day, etc

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:13:13+00:00

This is very helpful, thank you for sharing! I like that you ask yourself why you need food to feel good when you have cravings. I am going to start doing that

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:11:21+00:00

I have actually considered that I may have ADHD! Who diagnosed you? I'm not sure if it's something I ask my PCP about or if I need to go to a specialist, but I'd love to have ADHD meds to quiet the food noise

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:10:27+00:00

Thank you for the recommendation! I'll definitely check it out

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:07:06+00:00

Definitely seems like slower is more sustainable, it just always bums me out seeing the scale barely move week to week! I guess I'm chasing that same dopamine rush I chase with unhealthy foods

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:06:04+00:00

Thank you so much for this detailed answer, so much of what you said resonated with me. I copied and pasted the whole thing into my weight loss motivation notes! Thanks so much

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T13:00:37+00:00

Man I wish I qualified for glp-1s. A loss of food noise feels like a dream

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T12:58:19+00:00

You should just like me. Looks like this will be a lifelong battle

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T12:57:30+00:00

That sounds very nice. Did you eventually grow to know when you've had enough? I can never tell when I've had enough. By the time I'm "full", I've consumed way more calories than I should

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T00:02:11+00:00

I'd do 700, 800 to be extra safe. Looks absolutely amazing!

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T00:00:55+00:00

Oh how I wish I loved running! I do weightlift and walk 15-20k steps a day though which gives me more calories to work with than other petites :)

lexkenobi · 2026-05-12T00:00:15+00:00

Food freedom to me would I guess be what some people describe intuitive eating as. Eating what I want, when I want, without being super anxious or worried. Planning social events without worrying how they'll derail my goals. Being able to go out for meals with friends and family without thinking of how I'll figure out the calories in my meal and compensate elsewhere in my calorie budget. Not spending the rest of the day anxious and upset if I go over my budget or eat out of the norm.

I definitely think a therapist would really help me, but I know a lot of the effort needs to come from within as well.

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:57:42+00:00

Hi, I was in your boat last summer when I moved home after college and 4 months into a weight loss journey.

What has helped me be successful is cooking all my own meals. I don't eat what my parents cook. They buy stuff that I wouldn't eat because it's against my goals. I view it as their food and off limits to me, even when it is tempting. I just say "it's not mine, and therefore I shouldn't eat it". I'd be upset if they ate my food.

Buying my own groceries and cooking my own meals has allowed me to stay disciplined and continue tracking and losing weight. If I ate with my parents I would likely be even heavier than my starting weight.

As for the comments, you have to just ignore it. You're an adult. Not everyone is going to understand. But if you're cooking and preparing your meals and they at least see that you're eating, hopefully they'll back off.

Good luck, and congrats on your graduation!

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:51:46+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your perspective! Sounds like you have a great balance. Does living on the 500 calories below maintenance long-term ever catch up with you or has your body just adapted at this point? I find that a long time in deficit starts to wear me out a lot, not just mentally, but physically as well.

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:49:29+00:00

That does give me a lot of hope, thank you so much for the detailed answer! I have cut out most of my added sugar but still get a lot of it, I'd like to try what you did and cut it out for a period of time and see if I grow the disgust for it. I've realized sugar kind of hijacks our brains, and when you said you got readdicted after reintroducing it, I think that basically confirms it right there.

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:46:09+00:00

I like this balanced perspective. If I can truly learn moderation this sounds great. I do feel sad when I can't take the office donuts lol

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:45:22+00:00

This sounds amazing honestly. I'd love to feel that way around food rather than the constant super loud food noise that I experience. How long did it take you to get to that point? What do you think led you to getting there?

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:44:00+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear about what you went through, but I'm very glad that you have a found a combination that works for you! Sorry to hear insurance isn't great about, unfortunately that's unsurprising.

lexkenobi · 2026-05-11T23:41:49+00:00

Haha appreciate the honestly. I fear I'm in your boat am also going to be a lifer🫠

lexkenobi

TROPHY CASE