Define binge?
Hello, Heather! I LOVE your podcasts and your seemingly infinite wisdom surrounding eating and weight loss (and weight maintenance!). Can you define bingeing? Sometimes I overeat (maybe 300 calories or 400 in a day) but I've often wondered if that is considered a binge? Is the definition different for different people? I'm nearly 60 years old, 5 feet and one half inch tall and weigh (as of today) 159.1 pounds. I'm staying around 1300 calories and am losing about 2-3 pounds per month. I would say I'm lightly active (walk about 1.5 miles per day most days). I haven't overeaten (binged?) as much since I've followed your paper pencil plan!
Should I still do the maintenance challenge?
Dear Heather, thank you as always for being one of the wisest, most sensible voices in the weight loss wilderness. All the materials you've made available through the Halfsizeme community have helped me so much over the past few years. My Mom passed away at the end of November and I put on 25 lbs, which brought me very close to my highest-ever weight again, 385 lbs. By the beginning of March, I had reined in the binge and dropped 13 lbs. I rejoined the Halfsizeme community and decided to join your May maintenance challenge. If I had stayed on track, I would have been somewhere in the 350s for the challenge, which is the most weight I can carry and still be truly mobile, feel clean after showering, fit comfortably in the car, etc. My problem is that a family conflict related to Mom's death derailed me again in March and I regained everything. Now I'm back on good habits and have relost 8 lbs. But that means by the time the challenge starts, I will still be in the 370s. I feel like the priority, now that I am back on track again with healthy habits, should be to get down to the 350s (probably by July) and then try to maintain for a month--but I will miss out on the challenge then. :( What is your advice? Could I audit the challenge so I know what to do when I'm ready? Or is it worth the risk and discomfort of staying at this weight so I don't miss out on this experience of learning to maintain with the group? Thanks in advance for your advice, Heather! Very much appreciated.
Muscle vs Fat loss
Hi Heather!! I am working to lose weight. While reducing calories, I look to maintain daily protein intake of 130g of protein. I’m 5’5 and eating average 1800 calories. I use a body scanner at my gym (InBody brand) and while my weight is dropping the analysis shows I’m losing muscle mass and percent body fat is going up. Do you think those scanners are just too inaccurate to give much consideration? I’m walking and working out and feel like my calories and protein are ok. I have only been at this for about 6wks. What do you think?
Loose Skin
Hi Heather. I am wondering if you have any suggestions or mindset, affirmations on how to come to terms with loose skin. How do you accept it? Have you had skin removal? I know that losing the weight and feeling healthier is worth more loose skin, but I am finding it hard to accept my body and skin removal surgery is not an option due to the cost. Thank you!