Weight Management

[Monkey]

So I am in my 40’s and I’m trying to manage my weight. I lead a fairly modern lifestyle, gym 3-5 times a week (no less) sit most of the day for work, get an average of 4,000 steps a day (with a goal of 10,000 a day…working up to it lol.) Work keeps me seated at a desk or in a car for up to 11 hours a day so it’s a real challenge and non active jobs are very new to me. I count my calories, and I do not drink enough water (but now more than before cause snus).

I am down to about 210 lb or 95 kg (3,360 human eyeballs for the other Americans on here) from 265 lb (July 2021). Also don’t cheer, I’m shortish so technically I am still obese at this weight. Well…actually still obese. My scientific healthy weight calculated in 2024 is 160-170.

So I am still working at it but the real change came when I started counting calories and alternating “weight loss” and “maintenance” in cycles of about eight weeks. I’ll eat at a calorie deficit for eight weeks, constantly recalculating my maintenance calories to keep a consistent deficit, and then when the eight weeks are up I eat at the new maintenance calories for eight weeks. Boom, back to the deficit.

Do y’all have to do anything special to maintain your weight? I’ve always been a “fat kid” and never was less than 10 lb from my healthy weight. Do y’all count calories?

The only thing that gets me through the deficits is coffee and a diet soda every now and then. Mostly because I want to feel full on real food and not tank my weekly calories with junk food that isn’t satiating. The only rules to the food is no processed sugar on a deficit, the equivalent amount of processed sugar in one mini can of soda per week (26g or 236 bees for the Americans)

It’s working so far, but I’m worried about maintaining long term.

Thoughts?



Here’s the link to the weird units calculator. Not mine, no affiliation, I only visited on my phone so usual internet safety stuff is now in your hands…

https://www.omnicalculator.com/conversion/weird-units

[Premium Parrots]

I find the easiest way to lose weight is to hide my fork. Works for me.

[Monkey]

I find the easiest way to lose weight is to hide my fork. Works for me.

I’m an animal, I will eat with my hands…and I need them for…reasons.

[Link]

Wouldnt put too much stock in those weight charts, or those dietary charts either and will echo what PP said- moderation / portion size for getting to where you want to be. From what I have heard, American portions are way big compared to elsewhere. Not sure about that as when I was in Ireland back around the time Adams was bombing Dublin, I couldnt tell much of a difference really. Anyhow, what works best for me is what PP said, but moreso fasting. And after a fast, not go nuts and re-gain back. Congrats on the effort, it's especially tough if you have any old injuries that hampers movement. It is good you can "get to the gym".

[Monkey]

It’s tough. The gym is an hour of strength training compound lifts 3 days a week when doing heavy sets (maintenance calories), 5 days a week targeting specific muscle groups when doing light sets (deficit calories). The gym is great, really good relaxation for me.

Portions are the hard part. Meal prepping every weekend, but the progress is what keeps me going. When I hit that weight not sure what that looks like.

As for the target weight, that came out of my doctor ordering a DEXA scan for my BMI. It wasn’t good at all, and now that I’m at the poop or leave the commode age range it’s time to get the weight under control.

I’ve had mixed results from fasting, Link what is your fasting cycle like, or is it fasting in general?

[Link]

It’s tough. The gym is an hour of strength training compound lifts 3 days a week when doing heavy sets (maintenance calories), 5 days a week targeting specific muscle groups when doing light sets (deficit calories). The gym is great, really good relaxation for me.

Portions are the hard part. Meal prepping every weekend, but the progress is what keeps me going. When I hit that weight not sure what that looks like.

As for the target weight, that came out of my doctor ordering a DEXA scan for my BMI. It wasn’t good at all, and now that I’m at the poop or leave the commode age range it’s time to get the weight under control.

I’ve had mixed results from fasting, Link what is your fasting cycle like, or is it fasting in general?

Well, when Im an idiot and at times stuff my face like a goldfish, I can go an entire week without eating and right now as Im talking to you, I havent had anything in 5 days I think. Might sound weird, but I have noticed I have to be aware that snus may sometimes trigger what I think is hunger, but could really be mistaken for my meatsuit really wanting water instead.

[Monkey]

Might sound weird, but I have noticed I have to be aware that snus may sometimes trigger what I think is hunger, but could really be mistaken for my meatsuit really wanting water instead.

This is gold and an amazing point. I am terrible at recognizing thirst vs hunger.

I feel that. I think since coming back to snus after solely using nasal snuff my snacking has been cut right down. I don’t want to chew with snus in my mouth, and I’m not dumping my pris for some chips (even if they fit in my macros). I’ve only gotten really serious in the last six months, and I always fail at intuitive eating…I’ll just eat mindlessly all day if I don’t put a restraint on it. Next deficit cycle I’ll work in a fasting stretch to try it out again and see how I feel.

[Link]

Glad to hear the snus helps you not eat as much. And good luck on getting to wear you want to be. Seems it's easy to do that mindless eating if you got stuff around, I try not to keep much of anything in the cabinets as much as possible. Right now, I have zero. Nothing. LOL. Oh wait, honey, water and coffee if that counts.

Questions about the snuff stuff if you dont mind- can snuff be put between cheeck and gum like los snus? And can you taste the flavors I guess when it sits back in there after snorting it? Guess it disolves after 20 a certain time? My grandfather was a big snuff guy.

[Monkey]

As for snuff, American dry snuff was meant to be dipped, and there are some who still chew on a stick and dip it into the can to get snuff to stick to it using it as a way to get it in the mouth. I’ve “dipped” American dry snuff and it is pleasant, but super hard to manage at first, and I used a spoon to place it in my lower lip. I couldn’t imaging getting it in my top lip. Indian snuffs are dual use as well, but I rarely use them and stick to maybe 10-12 favorites to include English toasts, a selection of Toque flavors, F&T rappé, and medicated Poschl products. English and Indian menthols give me bad rebound congestion.

I have never dipped English snuff because the drip (when it hits the back of the throat) can be bitter. The nose does a good job of cleaning itself, but I do blow my nose throughout the day. A good blow in a steamy shower usually gets me right (and living in FL I take at minimum two showers a day because of sweat). Rarely I will use a neti pot, but usually only when I forget to drink water and am a touch dehydrated or if I’m sick and need a good flush out.

As for mindless eating, I’m the king baby. I can’t keep an empty pantry though, I have two teens and they eat like food is going to be discontinued.

[Chewbacca]

I have a metabolic disorder which is now treated with Metformin (prescribed “off-label”) Before it was treated my weight was bad especially when I smoked and struggled to get much exercise.

For the last 5 years since being on Metformin I don’t get as hungry. It’s weird if I forget to take it my stomach rumbles with hunger and then I take it and it stops. The good thing is food still tastes just as good.

[Monkey]

Chewbacca it’s good that you were able to figure it out. It’s hard and there’s so many variables to losing weight.

[mattias]

Glad to hear the snus helps you not eat as much.

I think it helps because it tricks your brain into thinking you're using candy all the time

[Monkey]

I think it helps because it tricks your brain into thinking you're using candy all the time

Sweet tobacco candy lol. Plus, I don’t wanna ruin a pris with snacks, and if I feel too full I don’t want a snus…but I want what’s in it so kinda win win there.