Struggling with weight gain: How to manage unwanted weight?

@kbszeljko
I can’t recommend this app enough:https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...d=com.wsl.noom
It was a total game-changer for me. I dropped 11 kg in just six weeks by strictly managing my calorie intake, tracking everything I ate, and staying active with a step counter. You just plug in your target weight, and the app does all the heavy lifting by calculating your specific caloric needs automatically.
About ten days in, I cut out almost all carbs, sticking mostly to fruits and veggies—though I kept some legumes in there—and only eating bran when I needed grains.
The reality is, you’ll probably realize how much of a sugar addict you actually are. Those first ten days can be brutal with cravings, but it’s honestly incredible how much better you feel once you ditch the refined sugars. Your energy levels skyrocket and your mental clarity just sharpens up significantly.
When those cravings hit, having a Slim Jim on hand really helped pull me through, so they definitely serve a purpose there.
Good luck to your wife. 🙂

Angela Wright said:@kbszeljko
I highly recommend this app:https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...d=com.wsl.noom
It really helped me drop 24 pounds in about a month and a half by managing my calorie intake, tracking what I eat, and using the step counter. You just plug in your weight and your goal, and the app sets up a calorie deficit for you.
I pretty much stopped eating carbs, except for fruit and vegetables (minus legumes), and only had bran for grains.
You’ll probably realize how dependent you are on carbs, and I guess those first 10 days can be rough with cravings, but it’s incredible how much better, more energetic, and mentally clear you feel once you cut out refined sugars.
A Slim Jim helped me get through the cravings; it was actually quite helpful in that sense.
Good luck to your wife. 🙂

Hey there, I just skimmed the post—did you say 24 pounds in a month and a half????
First off, losing weight that rapidly isn't medically considered normal or healthy. If you haven't fundamentally changed your diet and started exercising or being physically active, I guess it's just a matter of time before the yo-yo effect kicks in and the weight comes right back.
Speaking from experience, I gained 30 pounds due to some hormonal issues that I had to lose urgently. Once my thyroid medication finally kicked in and my hormones stabilized, I went through three different nutritionists until I found one who designed a meal plan tailored to my specific lifestyle—mainly because I'm not exactly a gourmet chef. We had to adjust everything to ensure I got enough protein, carbs, and healthy fats distributed correctly.
Products like Amway, Slim Jim, and things like that are honestly just a waste of money. You really need to split your meals into smaller portions, stay within your caloric needs, and most importantly, stay active.
In my opinion, healthy, medical-grade weight loss should be between 4 and 9 pounds per month at most.

For context, from January to September last year, I worked out four times a week at the gym following a program focused on cardio and HIIT training. Without any dieting—just eating right—I lost those 30 pounds over 8 months, which is roughly 4 pounds a month on average.
Right now, my body fat is a bit over 25%, whereas if you wanted visible abs, you'd likely need to be under 10%.

To be fair, I did cut out soda, sweets, deli meats, processed snacks, and things like that. I stuck to whole grain bread, maybe 100-150 grams a day. I also used low-fat milk.
My diet mostly consisted of proteins like tuna, fish, and chicken, along with brown rice and pasta, but all in very specific portions. I had a few snacks of fruit, keeping in mind that an apple is roughly 40-60 calories.
You can find plenty of nutritional charts online that list calories for almost any food or ingredient.

Regardless, losing 24 pounds is great for now, but I wonder how long it will last unless you change your actual lifestyle. It shouldn't be about going on a "diet," but rather learning how to eat healthily—which, by the way, is usually much more expensive than just eating normally.

Best,

amberorca40 said:Hey, I just skimmed your post—are you seriously claiming you dropped 24 pounds in a month and a half?
First off, losing weight that fast isn't medically sound or healthy. Unless you’ve completely overhauled your diet from the ground up and started hitting the gym or getting active, you’re just setting yourself up for the inevitable yo-yo effect where the weight comes right back.
I’m speaking from experience here. Because of some hormonal issues, I packed on 30 pounds that I had to shed fast. Once my thyroid medication finally kicked in and my hormones leveled out, I went through three different nutritionists before finding one who actually built a meal plan around my reality—specifically, the fact that I’m a terrible cook. We had to tailor everything to ensure I was getting enough protein, carbs, and healthy fats distributed correctly.
Buying stuff like Amway or Slim Jim is a total waste of money. You need to split your meals into smaller portions, stay within your caloric needs, and most importantly, get moving physically.
A medically safe and sustainable weight loss rate is between 2 and 4 pounds per month, max.

For context, from January to September last year, I hit the gym four times a week following a program focused heavily on cardio and HIIT. No fad diets involved—just proper nutrition. I lost those 30 pounds over 8 months, averaging just under 4 pounds a month.
Right now, my body fat is sitting slightly above 25%. To actually see abs, you'd need to be under 10%.

What I did cut out were sodas, sweets, deli meats, sausages, and junk food. I stuck to whole grain bread, limiting myself to about 100-150 grams a day. For milk, I went with the 0.5% fat version.
My diet was mostly protein—tuna, fish, chicken—along with brown rice and pasta, all measured out strictly. I had a few fruit snacks in between, keeping in mind that an average piece of fruit is roughly 40 calories.
You can find calorie and nutritional charts online for pretty much any food or ingredient.

Look, losing 11 pounds right now feels great, but let me ask you: how long is this going to last if you don't change your actual lifestyle? It shouldn't be about "going on a diet"; it's about learning how to eat healthily. And by the way, eating clean is significantly more expensive than standard grocery shopping.

Later

Since I kept my original post very brief, you've totally misinterpreted how I achieved my results.
The truth is, I was on 1200 calories, tailored specifically to my height with nutrients carefully balanced, paired with a daily goal of 10,000 steps. That’s what led to the weight loss.
As for the Slim Jim, I never claimed I lost weight because of it; it just helped manage my cravings when I needed something sweet. Plus, since it's made of fiber like psyllium (which I tried first, but found too bland), it swells in water and helps you feel full.
A huge chunk of what I lost was actually water weight—probably at least 10 pounds.
Basically, after two weeks on this regimen, I felt significantly better both physically (my sacroiliitis cleared up) and mentally, which is a massive factor in staying motivated to make the changes you're talking about.
I lost the weight in July. It's now October, and I haven't gained a single pound back. I am extremely mindful of what and how much I eat, and the app I recommended actually helped reprogram my mindset regarding meal planning. I still use my pedometer every single day.😉The root of my issues was an addiction to carbs, which I’ve managed to get under control—at least for now—and I'm sticking to it.
Regardless, when you're dealing with serious weight struggles and losing pounds the wrong way, I actually think it's a decent starting point; the health risks of rapid weight loss are far less threatening than carrying around every extra pound. Of course, that's assuming we play this smart moving forward and avoid that dreaded yo-yo effect.
To wrap up what Body Halleck was getting at: it really just boils down to simple math. Reducing your calorie intake relative to what you burn is the only logical way to go.
Check out the app; it'll make my whole concept much easier to grasp 😉