I’m currently a lump of chocolate and cheese, but once the new year hits, I’m determined to make 2026 the year I finally get back to a healthy weight (I’ve lost about 20 pounds, with about 80-100 to go). I’m pretty good about exercising regularly, but, as they say, abs are made in the kitchen. Those who have successfully lost weight, is there anything you particularly recommend for maintaining a calorie deficit to lose the weight, and then avoiding gaining it back later on?

  • ceenote
    8·
    2 days ago

    I just finished maintaining a calorie deficit for about 8 months and losing a little over 50 lbs, so here’s a few things I can think of:

    • when you make food, you’ll probably eat it all, so keep that in mind when you’re making it. Or, box some of it up for later and put it in the fridge before you start eating.
    • don’t keep much or any snack food around the house.
    • or, keeping a few small sweet snacks around can be good for handling it when your sweet tooth is bugging you. I kept fudgsicles in the freezer (40 calories) and sparkling flavored water (5 calories) for when I wanted something sweet.
    • working out 6 days a week was what I needed to make a habit out of it. I’d done 4 or 5 days a week in the past, but when I started doing 6 per week it only took like a month before I started feeling uncomfortable about not working out on my break day.
    • For keeping it off, I’m gonna try to keep on counting calories for a year but just setting my app to maintaining my weight. Meeting that calorie goal is super easy compared to what I was doing.