What was your aha! moment? What prompted you to keep to the calorie deficit? I’ve been saying, “I’m going to lose my covid weight” for years. I can do it for a day, if that, and then fail. For those who work from home, there is an added bonus of good testimonials!
I want all of my favourite clothing to fit again! I want to pose for photos again; I know it’s foolish, but I never do because I despise the way I look. And I know my husband would never agree to this, but I believe he considers me less attractive today than when we first met, and I want him to feel proud of how his wife looks. Again, he claims that he finds me more beautiful than ever after having his children, but I personally call BS.
I eat once a day, which results in a calorie deficit. But as soon as I lost all appetites and was no longer hungry, I realised how simple this was.
To be honest, I have an addiction to successes and the illusion of success, which drives my determination. I think of it as failing myself and my future self, which makes me sad.
Weighing myself every day and realising how much difference it makes when I keep to the deficit versus when I cheat.
And, finally, learning how to eat satisfying meals within my deficit that make me feel satisfied rather than continually hurting.
You must realise that there will be an adjustment period during which you will need to break some food cravings and reduce your appetite slightly, but once that is done, the procedure will be much easier.
As someone who has experimented with calorie tracking and lost/gained weight, the only way I’ve been able to lose and maintain weight is by gradually improving my food and exercise habits over time.
I’ve lost 130 pounds since my greatest known weight (292 pounds), and I haven’t counted calories for 80 of them. I have a desk job and occasionally work from home. I follow a disciplined workout routine (booking my sessions in a way that works for me), and I plan/prepare my meals for the week. I don’t track calories, but I do keep a meal diary for a week every few weeks for data collection and improvement.
I noticed an odd noise while running and realised my arms were fluttering against my sides. I felt mortified and adjusted my diet the following day.
Oh, and if you do plain psyllium husk in the morning it will give your system something to keep it busy lol, but don’t do Metamucil. Metamucil contains a sweetener that stimulates desires for confectionery. The plain organic one from Target. It is… not good. I guess it’s like eating a magic book LOL, because it tastes like something out of Harry Potter. But, just do it 
minor gain in the self-control category.
Imagine how the food is created elsewhere.
Makes it easier to stick to fresh, organic things.
Hello fat and high protein for me. Lots of ghee-infused eggs, unprocessed meats in ghee or mustard oil, chia seeds, and frozen green vegetables like spinach and broccoli.
It works for me if I plan two meals. Basically, I divide my calorie intake across my planned meals. I get 1400 calories because I am short, therefore I eat 200 breakfast, 500 lunch, 200 snacks, and 500 dinners. I discovered that sticking to a meal budget is easier than trying not to go over for the day. I used to consume all of my calories by noon and then overeat for dinner. I don’t go above my budget for each meal anymore. However, I give myself a few additional calories on weekends. I also walk 6,000 steps and lift weights for 10 minutes.
Get used to going to bed a bit hungry. Try to sleep early to prevent making a mess at the end of the day. Become totally involved in an activity that keeps you from wanting to eat.
Avoid carbohydrates, particularly sugar and bread (!!!), as much as possible. Extreme blood sugar spikes followed by blood sugar lows set off multi-day binge eating episodes for me. If I stick to a low carb, high protein diet, I can maintain a calorie deficit for extended periods of time.
The worst thing I can do is consume sweets while hungry.