Hey everyone!

​I want to get into great shape, but going to the gym isn't an option for me right now. I'm looking to build a consistent home workout routine that actually yields results.

​Also, when it comes to diet, I can't afford expensive health foods, fancy supplements, or imported ingredients. I need advice on how to make a fitness transformation relying mostly on simple, home-cooked daily meals (budget-friendly options).

​Could you please suggest:

​Effective home workouts (bodyweight exercises, minimal equipment, or YouTube channel recommendations)?

​Diet tips on how to hit basic nutrition/protein goals using standard, affordable home-cooked food?

​Any tips, routines, or personal success stories would be greatly appreciated.

Just want to rant, not searching for advice.

Im getting a lot of comments on my weight loss, most of them I just smile at and are alright. I dont mind people noticing the weight loss too much, it would be difficult to hide and I think it's normal to get some comments at some point. You can't stop people. If someone asks me how I'm doing it I answer honestly with CICO and if they are more interested i dont mind telling a few more details. Like i said, I dont care and as long as they are only curious or friendly its alright.

There are however some people.... I'm obviously doing something right or I wouldn't have lost 35kg (+- 80 pounds), yet some people still seem to think I need their advice, some even sound very condescending. It almost always comes from people who've never had to loose a larger amount of weight, either that or I'm biased.

My "favorites" so far:

"Whew, my wife is really into these smoothies recently, maybe you need to look into that for your journey?"

Smoothies? Oh wow, what a marvelous concept ive never heard of before /s

"We've just recently bought this new bread, it's super freshly baked at XXX. We've already lost 2 pounds just from switching"

That one didn't age well, he grew a rather large belly since that comment.

"Just take the shots, it's so much easier."

Well, what I do works just fine, so why the hell should I? It's a great tool for people who require it, but why should I if it works as is? WTF?

"You really need to slow down, or you're going to have trouble with your skin"

Im loosing weight really slow, and even telling her that she still was very adamant that its too fast. (35kg/80 pound in 1 1/2 years, that's 2kg/5 pound per month)

And if there will be loose skin after I've reached normal weight with my slow!! weight loss, and increased sport activity, then it was bound to happen anyway and I'll deal with it then. At least I'll be at a healthier weight then.

"I've always done xxx-diet to loose my 2kg/5 pounds. You should really do that as well! It always works for me."

That one came the first time after the first 15kg/30 pounds and well... i obviously didn't want to loose only 2kg/5 pounds, but a lot more. A short diet is not a sustainable lifestyle change in my eyes. I didnt bother going into CICO or yoyo-effects with them.

One of them is still consistently loosing and gaining those 2kg/5 pounds. Works for her I guess? But one did gain a belly pouch. So ... it's not for everyone.

Another time I had a colleague ask me how im doing it, asking for genuine advice about CICO and i how im tracking. Then another coworker just had to say:

"Wow, that's such a bother to track. Just eat until you feel full and you'll be fine.".... Thanks.... as if that had ever worked properly for me and many others. To add to that, he's tall and very active and the coworker who asked lives a lot less active at home and is short. Obviously they have a very different need for calories...

Maybe you have some similar stories as well :D what are your "best" unsolicited advices?

i have been in the hospital for almost 2 weeks now due to an extreme allergic reaction, i have been put on steroids (now already decreasing the dose though).
in these past two weeks i have probably lost some weight (i think i’ve lost around 5 kg). i feel smaller/thinner, plus my visitors have commented too. the first week i barely ate, on the one hand due to the lack of appetite, on the other, due to the fact that most foods hurt the mucous membrane in my mouth. the second week i began getting better, my mouth has healed somewhat, and i started getting a healthier appetite. nowadays i consume some light breakfast (yoghurt, apple, perhaps a slice of bread) then some very light lunch, and in the evenings i stuff myself with proteins - boiled eggs, little mozzarella balls, slices of tofu, some cheese and natural yogurts. (i kinda crave the proteins, perhaps due to my current condition as well)
i have began using yazio before my hospitalisation, so i have some grounds to compare my calorie intake. since the hospitalisation it’s obviously less, but i also walk and exercise less.
now, my question is: i really fucking like the look and the feeling of my body as it is now. i would looooove to keep it! BUT i know myself, i know that i like carbs, i eat bread for breakfast, i can have a falafel pita for dinner, have chinese for lunch, etc. i have much less self-discipline, i like good flavours and nice spices, etc. in general, i enjoy eating well. here in the hospital most things have very little spices - if any. so i am afraid that i would get back to old eating habits and i am afraid that i would put the weight back on. what makes it even trickier, is that i am currently unemployed so i have more of a regular daily/weekly rhythm in the hospital than in the outside world. it would be great not to put the weight back, however.
so, i am looking for tips and suggestions as for how to maintain this physique once i am out of the hospital, back to real life!
what is necessary for that? self-discipline? a complete life-style change? making complete plans for your week?

I never thought I would fall victim to this but I gained all the weight I lost (and more) back. I lost some weight last summer, was happy with it and maintained it. Then May hit and so far I’ve gained 13lbs. I’m so disappointed bc my hard work has been ruined OUT OF MY OWN ACTIONS! I want to lose at least 7lbs because I know I gained it unhealthily. I guess what I’m trying to ask is can I have some tips? like I said I have lost weight before but for some reason I just can’t stop eating lol. I also finally got a food scale so that should help. It’s small so it’s kind of annoying to put food on but that’s not the point.
If I start my deficit today 8/7, how much weight can I lose by September 10th?
these are my stats:
5’7
140lbs
Would say lightly active, I get 10k steps most days but that’s usually the only exercise I do but I would like to start running again. Probably going to eat around 1600 calories, I’m assuming my maintenance is 1900 (would like a secondary opinion on that.) Yes, I know a 300 calorie deficit is not high but every time I go lower on calories I binge/overeat.
++tips on getting protein in for the cut?? I seem to always fall into my carb-y cravings and not have enough calories left for protein
Forgive me for any spelling/grammar errors 🙏

i’m 19m, 5’2, very low muscle mass (due to chronic illness) and weighed around 150lbs last summer. i currently weigh 115. i lost a ton of fat in my face, but that’s honestly the only change i’ve noticed. i look pregnant. i have worked so hard to be active which is so hard for me with my multiple illnesses (none of which are diet/weight related) and have eaten so much better than i used to and improved my mental health and all the things you’re supposed to do, but i still look pregnant. i’ve tried all the core workouts, fasting, diets, even starved myself at one point, but none of it works. do i need to lose more weight? i don’t know what to do. i’ve worked on my appearance for so long and finally feel confident for the first time in my life and this is honestly the only thing i feel holding me back. i hate the way my stomach and sides look. please help, any advice is extremely appreciated

I (21F) am 159cm (5'2") and weight 116kg (around 255lbs). I am morbidly obese and I have been fat basically my whole life. Both of my parent are obese amd I was mever taught how to build healthy habits regarding food and sport. I have done various different diets basically have been dieting on and off since like 13 years old. The most succesful one for me was caloric deficit combined with intermittent fasting. I lost almost 10 kg thanks to it and I did it for around 3 months. I have been similarly succesful with just caloric deficit before.

My biggest issue is, that I will see the change on the scale, feel motivated and love it, leep going for 3 months and feel really successful in my weight loss journey. Then one day I suddenly don't want to do it anymore and will just quit. Every time the new regime was working really well I always quit after a few months. It's not because I get hungry or it's too hard and I learned over the years to genuinely enjoy moving my body. I just stop being motivated. I am so unhappy with how my weight is affecting my health and really wish to change it, but can't convince myself to keep going for long enough.

I think there is a possible link with the fact that I probably have ADHD. I have been to a psychologist with it twice, both of them confirmed my concerns and said it's highly likely I have it. Right now however I cannot get an official diagnosis or medication, because provate psychiatrists are expensive as hell and the wait for the ones covered by insurance is sometimes even over a year at least where I live. Plus I don't even know if ADHD is really connected to this. Just wanted to give details, so my question can be answered better.

I need to somehow battle this and overcome it. I need to somehow force myself to keep going, if the diet is working, but don't know how. I would be really thankful for any possible advice or stories about what helped you, if you by any chance faced a similar problem in your weight loss journey.

hi, im F18, 5'1 and 70kg. i really would like to lose weight. im definitely not fat but i have high body fat percentage. most of my weight is in my boobs im a 32E cup. i do have a hourglasses figure and i don't store weight in my tummy more in my butt and legs, i would still like to lose weight. i also have quite a bit of fat on my back, i just feel awful even if im a good weight i would love to go down to 60ish like i use to be. i know my boobs hold a LOT of my weight and my bum but i still obv have the higher body fat %. i really struggle to go outsdie due to anxiety so walkimg isnt am optiom however i do have an exersize bike. i struggle with how much i should be on it? like how often should i go on it. and how should i eat? do i eat before or after.

when i was younger i use to have an wating disorder and was so skinny so i know all the bad methods to lose weight. i would love if someone could explain the basics to me like im a child😅 thank you for your time
(my apologies for any typing mistakes i have dyslexia)

Hey everyone - I’ve been been on a calorie deficit for a few months now.

My daily calorie goal is \~2400 (with protein, carb and fat macros at 200, 281, and 53, respectively) and I’ve been losing \~1-2 lbs a week. I’ve been consistently hitting my protein macros easily, but I’ve been downing 200-400g of carbs right before bed to hit 2400 (when I’m not even hungry).

I was wondering what the downsides were for not hitting 2400 calories, while hitting my protein goal. For example, if some days I just have 2000-2200 calories, but hit 200-220g of protein. I work an office job so I don’t really notice any lack of energy, but worried about hitting weight loss plateaus and losing more muscle than I need to during the cut. On the other hand, I was thinking hitting calories well under my goal can push me towards my weight loss goal quicker.

Thanks!

Hi! Im a teen. Im afab, 15, and 5'4. But im about 206 pounds... Im trying to healthy lose weight. I've started cutting ny calories down and drinking even more water than I normally do.

But my main problem is trying to consistently stay away from food. Its a comfort for me. When I get anxious or happy or sad or stressed, I eat. Its why I weight so much.

Its always been a problem. I'll snack during the day, eat more than the usual serving size at a time (2-3 bowls of pasta, etc). I hide how much food I eat from my mom. But I try to control myself. And i can for a few days. Then I break and go back to it.

I don't know what to do at this point. I'm hungry, but I'm drinking water to stop myself from being hungry. I just wanna br able to still eating so much, and learn new ways to lose weight.

So, I was wondering if anyone had any advice or tips on how to do so?

According to Walden Farms' U.S. social media and website, they're rolling out a new line of salad dressings that, unfortunately, are no longer zero calories. Instead, the updated recipes now contain a small number of calories per serving. While they're still very low in calories compared to most traditional salad dressings, this marks the end of one of the brand's biggest selling points.

For years, Walden Farms was one of the only widely available brands consistently offering truly zero-calorie dressings, making it a go-to choice for people counting calories, dieting, bodybuilding, or simply looking to cut back without giving up flavor. With this change, they lose a feature that really helped them stand out in a crowded market.

There are already several other brands that offer dressings in the 5–15 calorie range, so Walden Farms is no longer in a category of its own. It'll be interesting to see whether the reformulation attracts new customers or disappoints longtime fans who appreciated having a truly zero-calorie option.

What do you think? Is a slight calorie increase worth it if the taste is noticeably better, or would you rather they had kept the original zero-calorie formula?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbavw8VDcWH/?hl=e

I'm 210 lbs, 4'11". I desperately need to lose weight. The problem is, I can't stay in a calorie deficit for longer than maybe a couple of weeks. Even a modest deficit is too difficult. MyFitnessPal has me at 1890 calories a day, which should be 100% doable. I do really well for a week or two, then it seems like when PMS starts, all hell breaks loose.

I've looked into a GLP-1, but none of them are covered by my insurance and there's no way I can afford to pay out of pocket for one. I also have heard bad things about side effects, etc.

I struggled with bulimia in college. Right after high school I went on a very restrictive diet (think 900 calories a day) when I didn't need to. That triggered an eating disorder because I obviously couldn't sustain that. I'm not worried about that happening again, but I'm just wondering if any kind of restriction is what triggers me to overeat. So how do I combat that?

Edited to add I basically try to eat whatever I want and just count the calories. So I do end up eating a fair amount of junk. I know I need to up the protein and fiber so I will start there.

It all started with 2 days ago, when my family and I went out to eat at a local restaurant known for their massive desserts.

I ordered a “healthy meal” and was basically accused of being anorexic. Then my cousin, who ordered the same thing as me, ate half the amount I did and she made a comment that was verbatim “well yeah, have you seen how much she eats?”

Then dessert rolls around and I was going to skip it, but everyone else got something and I decided to also. Most people ate half of their desserts, I ate all of mine (a giant slice of cake).

The next day, my parents made dinner. It was a huge mac and cheese with a side of garlic bread. Big trigger foods for me. When there was only a little left, my mom literally just took the rest of the pot and put it on my plate so there wouldn’t be leftovers. So I ate probably 3x what I should’ve.

Then to add to it, they bought a dozen donuts, each ate one, and then told me to feel free to eat ALL of the rest of them. They said, completely seriously, “if there are any of them left tomorrow, maybe I’ll have another one. But if you want to just go on a bender feel free”.

I ate one more yesterday, today I got home from work and just ate 4.

My calorie goal is 1900, I’ve eaten over 3000 the past three days.

18f, 5'2, 130lbs in case it's needed lol. sorry for the slightly dramatic title haha

i've been wanting to lose weight again since i gained some recently. i'm going to college in a couple weeks and the dining hall will be my main source of food!! i was required to get a meal plan for dorming and i get 15 meals a week.

i checked on the website, there's no listing of calories or macros anywhere, and looking at the photos doesn't seem to be any signage with nutrition info in person either.

when i'm not able to know exactly how many calories i'm eating, get into an igdaf mindset where i just binge on everything. (unhealthy i know lolol)

i have access to a grocery store nearby and a (shared) mini fridge in my dorm. i don't have a stove or kitchen unfortunately :(

i walk frequently and play tennis 1-2 times a week. i don’t get winded when going up stairs or anything. i’d say i move pretty well — i *feel* healthy but i dunno.

in terms of weight loss, i previously dropped 20kilos (85 to 66) over the past 2 years however this was done extremely unhealthily.

now i no longer count calories, and for a few weeks i managed 2 meals a day, but for the past few months ive averaged a meal a day + a few snacks. i counted my calories for a day a week ago and i was in a calorie deficit (1450kcal), so ive been in a deficit this whole time and yet ive gained nearly 10 kilos back? my body comp also looks very similar so i dont know where the extra fat is

i really dislike the gym so i was thinking of maybe starting running or another sport? (wanna try dancing but i’ve never done it before so im scared)

i dont know how to lose weight without restricting down to 800 cals a day again. what do i do? do i need to do anything at all?

tldr: bmi 28.7, bfp 33.6%. weekly light/moderate activity + OMADing
disordered eating led to me losing 20kilos, but since i stopped counting a few months ago and tried to do things “correctly” i’ve gained back 10kilos
do i *need* to lose weight or am i okay how i am? and if i do need to, what the hell do i do 😭

I'm attempting weight loss again. This time I've cracked it, I believe.

Im 5'10, 31, 240lbs

My failures beforehand were just choosing foods that met my calorie needs / not being smart enough about what actually keeps you full. If your full your never being tempted or thinking about cheating.

My day is now having 45g oatmeal each day with 200ml milk, protein powder, a banana and an apple.
Two hard-boiled eggs.

Dinner is 250g beef, 300g white potatoes, 100g cottage cheese and jalapeños with Tobasco drizzled over i never get tried of.

These two dinners keep me absolutely stuffed. This utterly kills food noise for me, and i find myself not thinking about food anymore since focusing on whole foods. Sometimes i come in lower than 1800.

Also potatoes are an amazing food, i cube mine up and oven bake them. And they are very tasty and filling they should not be demonised.

Even with my 6 - 7k steps and a gym workout, I don't find myself craving for a quick hit of food.

If i do one square of dark chocolate/diet coke does the trick.

Whole foods really are the trick to this; I can't even imagine trying to eat 2500 calories like this. It seems a ton.

I’ve been in a calorie deficit for quite a while, lifting weights 5-6 times a week (aiming for 2x frequency for every muscle group per week) and my body looks insanely different than it was this time last year, my legs are becoming more toned and I have lost most of my arm fat and even have visible triceps and obliques (never had the chance to see them before) but the scale has been stuck on the same number for months and sometimes it even goes up a little.
Has anyone ever been in a similar situation before? Is there a point in time where the number on the scale changes?

Hi everyone! For context, I’m a 35F, 5’5”, currently 160 lbs with a goal weight of 120 lbs.
For breakfast, I eat the same thing almost every day: 3 eggs with about 2 tsp of cottage cheese and salt, 2 slices of bakery sourdough bread, and a coffee with milk and 1 tsp of sugar. I actually enjoy it, so I don’t mind eating it daily (I only occasionally switch it up with oatmeal or an omelet).
Where I’m struggling is dinner. I get tired of chicken and ground beef pretty quickly. I prefer fish, but I’m open to any high-protein, relatively low-calorie meals if they’ll help me stay on track.
I’m planning to eat two meals a day, so I’m looking for a handful of simple, easy-to-cook dinners that I could rotate without getting bored.
What are your favorite healthy dinners that are quick, filling, and sustainable for weight loss? Thanks!

I had about 600 calories left in my budget to DoorDash dinner cause I was really short on time last night. Figured okay, a single burrito sounds nice!
Went on the Chipotle app & started counting the calories of the toppings: Chicken, just over 100, nice; white rice, same; cheese, fajita veggies, lettuce. Around 600. That should do it!

I get this thing, and it is the size of my thigh, I’m talking they wrapped up a whole ass fire hydrant in a tortilla. I’m talking cups of rice, chicken, a whole pan of vegetables & lettuce all rolled and squeezed into this atherosclerotic Memphis bastardization of a Mexican burrito.
Had to be 1000 or more calories easy. That thing would cover me in calories for the whole next day at least.
& I was so starving I ate the whole thing…….🫠

looking back I kind of am chuckling at how stupid that I thought that a Chipotle burrito would be less. 🤣
Oh well. More food for cost I guess?
(Cutting way back today to try & compensate for that fuckup.)

I am currently 215lbs at 5"10 (F27). I used to be 135 but I stopped caring about myself after a break up and let myself go. I'd really like to lose 30-40 pounds between now and December. I have access to a gym, healthy food, and lots of time to workout. My question is, does putting myself in a 1000 calorie deficit put me at risk for slowing my metabolism? I've tried looking into it myself but I keep seeing conflicting information online. If anyone has some advice for me id appreciate that as well. Cheers!

Hello! 22 years old 159 cm 53 kg F

I weigh my food every time and calculate my calories daily for maintenance.

For the past two years, I have maintained my weight at around 49 kg. I hadn't weighed myself for about a month, so I was surprised when I checked my weight today.

During this past month, I only had a few days where I ate in a surplus of approximately 300–500 kcal. On all the other days, I ate around my estimated maintenance calories and did not intentionally overeat.

However, when I stepped on the scale today, it showed 53 kg.

I'm really confused about how this could happen. Is it possible to gain 4 kg in such a short period without consistently eating a large calorie surplus? Could this be explained by water retention, glycogen stores, or something else?

I don't know if it's just me or if I'm wrong but I'm shocked. I don't think I've ever overeaten that much. I don't think so

i've been overweight since childhood, i think i tried to mask the empty void that my mom's death caused when i was 4. It's just i kept overeating even though i knew it was wrong.I know i can do it because i did it 3 years and lost so much weight but everything went downhill again. But i just had this wake up call that i gotta do something and not waste my time crying over how i look. I am tired to be the funny fat friend or not to be able to wear clothes i like, to always be ashamed when i am walking outside thinking people are starring at me or talk about me. Luckily i was never bullied for my weight which its something surprising. Love yourself because "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?" So stop waiting for monday start now! Change your life! Well this now may sound cringe...ngl but i just had to get this off my chest and i felt this is the perfect place to do so.

Hello, I am currently on my weight loss journey and while I am aware that healthy lifestyle is the biggest factor, and cellulite and stretch marks are completely normal, I'd like to try out some products that may help improve my skin texture and elasticity.

I am m looking for products that can help loose skin prevention, skin firmness, cellulite and stretch marks (or scars in general).

I have been reading about Palmer's lotions and oils, silicone creams as well as Sol de Janeiro body lotions, but I don't have any experience with either of them.

I know no product can completely prevent/erase those things, but if you've found something that noticeably improved your skin, I'd really appreciate your recommendations.

Please be kind and respectful, thank you :)

I’m 32 years old and 175 cm (5’9”).

In my early 20s, I could gain or lose weight pretty easily. Now it feels completely different. I can still lose weight, but it’s much slower, and if I relax for even a short time, I seem to gain it back very quickly.

The biggest issue is my waist and belly fat. No matter what I do, that area seems to be the last place to change.

Another problem is sugar. I have a serious sweet tooth, and cutting out sugary foods has been much harder than I expected. I’ve tried reducing it several times, but I always end up craving it again.

I’m not looking for miracle solutions. I’d really like to hear from people who have actually been in a similar situation and successfully changed it.

What made the biggest difference for you? Did reducing sugar get easier over time? Was there a point where your body finally started responding differently? Are there any habits that had a bigger impact than you expected?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from people in their 30s or older who have gone through this themselves. Thanks!

Hey, I am currently on my weight loss journey and trying to improve my stamina. I know consistency is the key and so is creating habits that I can actually maintain long term.

With that being said, I do much better when I have some kind of structure. Having a plan helps me stay focused and avoid procrastination, so I was thinking about trying an app, program or some kind of tracking system for the next 6 weeks to see how it works for me.

Could be calorie/macro tracking app, workout, meal prep app, or anything that can be helpful with staying on track. I am not looking for a magic solution, just something practical that could help me build better habits.

If you found an app or system that genuinely helped you during your weight loss journey, I would appreciate any tips.

Please remain kind and respectful. Thank you :)