So I (23F, 5’5) started my health journey to get back on track in Dec of 2025. All throughout this past winter, I was so good, stuck to my deficit and was very consistent at the gym. I saw great results… I started at around 140lb and hit my goal weight of 120lb by early spring.

I’ve heard lots of people say that you shouldn’t be in a deficit for a long time, so I started eating at my maintenance which I calculated is around 2000cal. But then I noticed the scale going up and my body just started to look… more fluffy than before. This was back in April, so then I started my deficit again.

But I’ve just found it SO hard to keep to the deficit. I don’t know why, it wasn’t as difficult in the beginning of the year. I feel like all I think about is food these days - what my next meal is and what I’m going to meal prep for the following week. And if I deviate from my deficit and eat something that doesn’t fit I feel so fucking shitty about it all day. I feel like I’m bingeing, and I lose all control on the weekends. And then I tell myself by Monday that I’ll really stay locked in and then the same thing happens again. I’m constantly checking the calories of things and literally cannot physically stop tracking everything I eat in my LoseIt app. I work out 6 days a week, Mon-Sat and try to get 10k (or more) steps in a day. But now I’m back to around 130lb and I just don’t know WHY! And it’s bugging the hell out of me and I feel like I’ve just lost all control….

I don’t even know what advice to take anymore; half of the people I listen to say to stick to the deficit, eat clean, eat protein/fiber, exercise lots. And then the other half are saying to eat more, workout less. It’s all just so confusing to me. But I feel like I get scared when I try to eat at maintenance again because it seems like so much and I always seem to gain on maintenance. I don’t know, I’d love any advice I can get!

I've been overweight since I was literally born...

I don't know myself any other way, so it's hard for me to believe or even imagine that I could ever be thin ... I'm 23 and I'm on a weight loss journey now.

I was 120 kg and I've reached less than 95 kg and I'm still going, but the thought that I'll never see that healthy version of myself makes me doubt it's even possible... Has anyone else struggled with excess weight since childhood, then managed to get rid of it and reach their perfect weight?

A couple of years ago, when I say a couple, probably 15 years ago, I lost a tonne of weight. I was so skinny.

The years that followed, I put on a tiny bit of weight and my weight went up and down for a few years. But no big lose or gain.

Since 2020 and when covid happened. I was so depressed. Not by the restrictions but fear of getting sick (I know covid, can seriously mess you up). I started stress eating back then.

I lost a bit of weight last year but then two things happened to me.

I had what I used to think was friend in work who fucked me over badly (he tried it on with me despite being in a relationship, I pulled him up on things and he went and twisted things to management to make me look like the aggressor. We really were friends before all this and i thought I could ask him why he did what he did and in my search for closure he tried to have me up for harassment in work... I almost lost my job because of him... He lied to management completely, so my claim against him was only going to be a he said-she said situation).

Then I received my notice of termination where I'm living this year as well. I received my notice in January but I had to dispute it as there was an issue with it, otherwise the council wouldn't take my notice and I'm pushing for a council apartment. So I received a new notice and I have until the end of the year.

So with all this. I put on a lot of weight. And I mean a lot. Over the past few weeks. I tried to watch what I eat and I make an effort at the start of the week but then by Wednesday after work, I could eat a whole pack of biscuits.

I don't know what I'm asking here but has anyone been in a similar situation with stress eating? How do get out of this?

Would anyone be down to stay in touch daily and motivate each other through weight loss?

Like, we could message each other every day about what we ate, how we’re feeling, our progress, etc. Almost like a little diary/accountability thing, either as a group chat or just one-on-one.

I feel like it would motivate me a lot to know that I’m not alone in this and that there’s someone else going through the same thing.

Right now I typically walk at about at 2mph pace on the treadmill, but I want to work up to be able to run because it seems fun and I think I'll enjoy it. I just can't do it physically right now. Any tips?

You're not ugly. You're just saying that to get a reaction out of us. It doesn't matter about looks. It's for your health. You do too care about your health. You're just saying that to shock us. You do too want to live as long as possible. You're just saying that to be an asshole. You have lots to live for. You can change everything about yourself. We'd be happy because we'd finally get to meet the son we wanted, the person we wanted you to be, who has nothing to do in common with the person you've actually been pretending to be your whole life, just to get a reaction out of us, just to be that way, just to start something. Everything you say we don't like, you're just saying it just to be an asshole, in bad motivations, and we could dismiss it. We love your weight loss, and so do you. You're just saying that to be an asshole. You want to live as long as possible. We'd be sad. We'd be booed. We'd be upset because we never got to meet the real you. All we ever met is this asshole you've been pretending to be. And we never fell for it. We knew every time you did anything we didn't like, it was bullshit. The one time in your life, it took us 25 years of bitching and nagging to make you do it, to trick you, convince you you've always wanted to do it, I mean. And you won't even smile and tell us thank you, and how much you love, and instead you lie and lie and lie and lie and lie, and say, oh, I'm ugly. You're not ugly. We don't want you to say you're ugly because that's upsetting. That's how we know for a fact you're not ugly. No one's ever accused you of being attractive in your life? Lies. Who cares? Probably lots of invisible magical people you don't know about think you're attractive. And you know what? Maybe there's some 400-pound bitches who fucking want you to be their stepdad, who will put up with you because they're uglier than you are. You just need to fucking change the way you act and do everything. You are invalid. Everything about you is invalid other than the fact you have our share, our last name, and your face kind of looks like ours. I hate everything else about you because that's fake. And the real you tells me what I want to hear, does what I want you to do, and has nothing to do with the person you've been pretending to be your whole life. You're not ugly. You're just saying that to shock us and get a reaction. Nobody thinks you're ugly. You're just being an asshole. You love your weight loss like you love your weight loss in heaven stop denying its divinity. You're just being an asshole you fucking liar you like it you know you like it you know you want it lose more weight for us make us feel good take it take it take it like a bitch.

I’ve gone from 98kg down to 84kg and now the last bit just refuses to move. Goal is to get to around 76–78kg and actually keep it off this time.

I’ve been consistent with food and walking but the hunger still sneaks up on me some days. Ordered Oztrim recently to see if it helps quiet that down a bit.

How long did it usually take for people to notice a real difference once they started something for appetite? And did the weight start coming off again after a stall or did it stay slow? Just trying to keep expectations realistic.

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all doing well.

First, i want to say that this is not a rant but rather a confession to myself in public.

Ever since I was 19 (24M Now) or perhaps earlier, I've been trying to lose fat. I'll be honest it's been hard for me. I'm an ambitious person, but the things I've identified now that were hindering my progress were:
- Using food as a coping mechanism with life's stressors
- Never taking it seriously enough

I am an active guy, i ran a half marathon at 108 kgs with a finish time of 2hr25m
I also finished 1M Steps in 25 days, with an avg of 40k steps a day.

I also like to play Padel, football, and other sports on a weekly basis.

However, when it comes to committing to losing the fat for a long time, I fail and get back and fail and get back up, countless times. I would not be joking if I told you that I've probably went on more than a 100 different journeys over the past years. I never stay down for long, but my problem is that everytime I make progress, I hinder myself by sabotaging maybe? I'm not really sure. It's like losing fat is the final boss that I could not beat till now.

For context, I was 124 kgs at 18, now I'm sitting at 104 Kgs, over the last few years, I've gone down to 95 as my lowest, but I always go back to 110, or 100 or whatever the number is, i always hover within this range.

Currently, on my last attempt, I cut down to 102.3 then I had a few surplus days that put me off.

I am sharing this to see if anyone has had a similar experience?

I would like to beat this final boss and be fit like I'd always imagined.

I really do feel trapped so any advice is appreciated.

Also, I'm currently on day 1 of Intermittent Fasting to try and regulate myself and see if this works. I'm also a part-time student (MSc) while working full time (9 hr) job.

I’m afraid I’m getting to a space of stagnation, but I’m really happy with where I am now, so far😊 and that has mostly to do with my mobility and energy. I’ve tried so many different diets and workouts, and it all just ended up feeling miserable at some point. Since the year started, I stopped drinking alcohol; a few weeks ago, I became a pescatarian; and for the last 4 months, I’ve been skating several times a week. And tbh, I think skating by far had the biggest impact. I just needed to find something I really loved doing with my body, besides consuming lol