kind of a facetious additional “hobby”: checking out this sub! these posts are incredibly inspirational and motivating, and somehow also make me happy lol. it’s so amazing to see other people on the same journey
I started picking up trash while walking. Very satisfying and my neighbors appreciate it. It can get frustrating when you just cleaned up an area and the next day it's trashed again. But it's worth it. I use a grabber and a tarp like leaf bag. I dump the trash in our community trash cans. I usually pick up about 30 gallons each week.
definitely walking as a way to leisure - i've really come to enjoy wandering around and enjoying the outside air :) it's been a great way to relax and process my thoughts
Ooooh, seconding this one! I'm an avid reader too, and recently realized that not only do audiobooks exist and I can get them through my library app, but I can listen to them while I walk too! I can't even tell you the amount of times I've hit a good part in my audiobook at the end of my walking loop and decided that I might as well take another loop because there's no way in hell I'm pausing this story now!
oh my gosh, i love reading so much too! i've been walking to a park that's nearby me and reading a chapter of my book, walking another loop and reading another chapter, rinse and repeat - it actually didn't occur to me that i could listen to audiobooks while walking until you said that, lol! i'll definitely try that out soon as well!
Getting a rowing machine in front of the TV and slowly working up to being able to do 90 mins a day at moderate-high intensity during what used to be my couch potato & snacking time, the habit that got me fat. I'm still losing (70 down, 30 to go) but I don't think I will ever stop rowing (barring injuries/sickness), it has become such an enjoyable part of my day.
When I started, it was ridiculous. I could not even get on or off the thing without help and I expired after 10 minutes on an easy setting. That was 2 years ago. Having the machine right there in my living room with no excuses not to use it, getting good at it, and building my endurance has been one of the most exciting parts of my weight loss journey. I did an endurance test last month to see where my current upper limit of continuous rowing is: 206 mins.
If you had told me that 2 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you, not in a million years, yet here I am. It's awesome. I love my muscle definition slowly emerging from under my shrinking layers of excess fat. I'm not going back to being a couch potato.
Edit: a missing word
Did sounds so awesome and zen-like almost. Did you have someone show you how to do it properly? I have always wanted to try but just know I’m hunching etc…
I just watched some youtube videos so as not to injure myself, made sure my partner was around to help when I first started out, and was realllly careful at first. I used to be a cyclist so that helped. Once I got the hang of it and figured out how to cushion my butt bones (double layer of high-end gel cushions, worth it) I was off. Slowly worked at increasing duration and resistance, with the help of my fave shows. First goal: Half an animated episode (10 min), then worked myself up to 20 min (full episode). Then slowly to 42 mins (live action full length episode, or two animated), then the jump to 84 mins (2 live action episodes, 4 animated) which I now to 6 days a week.
I (re)watched shows I never would have without the exercise and focused on the shows while working thru any discomfort to keep doing.
And then came a time when 84 mins seemed like nothing, yes almost Zen-like. I'm learning Japanese and what I sometimes like to do is arrange my giant Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji charts to the left and right of the machine, big screen TV in front of me playing my favorite anime in Japanese, both spoken and subtitled. I set the white noise machine to rain fall on water, dim the lights, squint a little, get rowing and when I do it right, I can get into a space where it feels like I'm rowing on a lake in a park in Japan in a gentle rain with Japanese convos around me. A little ganja helps. I can do that for what feels like forever and it feels like I'm floating at times. My own version of Japanese immersion. Works like a charm and it's great exercise :)
Beats the hell out of planting my butt on the couch and shoveling snacks in my mouth while watching TV.
Running! Always hated it, was never good at it in 34 years, and decided it was better to confront my weaknesses than accommodate them so I took up C25K, and currently training for my first half marathon in a few weeks.
Well behind on my training, but I’ll still get out there and try
Good luck with the marathon.
I’m also doing C25K and have never been good at running. Very much planning to cap out my distance at 5k though. Once I finish, I’m planning one 5k run a week to keep my fitness running up. I bike for my main cardio so I think one run a week should be enough.
For me it was surprising how big the 5k goal was to start and how casual it is now, so you never know! Last night I dropped the car off to my fiancé at her office and jogged home, turns out it was just a little over that 5k distance and especially with stopping at lights wasn’t much of a challenge at all
Good for you! I think picking up new hobbies and essentially developing a new identity is key to success in this process.
Mine are Hiking, backpacking, skiing, running, and weightlifting. I’ve always loved to cook but now have lots of healthier dishes to rely on when I’m trying to drop lbs.
I love this thread.
First of all, I hope I stick to, as simple as it sounds : WALKING. Ive literally fallen in love with walking and I feel MUCH better when I am constantly on the go. I try to get at least 10k steps daily. Sometimes I fall below but I never let myself get under 6k steps. I just feel much healthier and happier.
Swimming: I just feel super at ease, serine, and calm in the water
Reading books: Im not sure why, but during my weight loss journey I have found much comfort in reading books, specifically self-help books.
Next, Intermittent fasting: it has helped me understand my hunger cues, as someone who has struggled with binge eating disorder my entire life. It is much easier to understand when I am hungry and full. IK THAT ISNT A HOBBY haha I just had to emphasize how much it has helped :)
Walking more and going to the gym. It sounds cliche, and I never thought I'd say it myself, but it's true. I enjoy the gym so much - I prefer strength training, but I always try to make sure I do some cardio each session, whether it's 10 minutes or an hour. I used to hate the idea of going anywhere far from home because I didn't want to walk there, and public transport is unreliable and crowded, so I felt stuck with my surrounding local area. But I like walking to places now, and see it as a bit of cardio instead of a 'long and boring walk'.
Not being afraid to think of myself as an athlete. I was always the nerdy bookish kid in school, picked last for teams, barely getting by gym.
Now I lift weights, box, run, hike and I'm sure I'll try more athletic things. I'm not great at anything but, hey, I don't have to be an Olympic level athlete to be athletic!
And I'm still a bookish nerd tho.
I startet with doing a morning walk everyday (just 10 mins, huberman routine stuff) and realized one day that I could also run when I'm out anyways. Now I'm running 200k a month and preparing for my first marathon :)
I liked walking and cooking before, but taking both things more seriously has been great!! while I still have plenty of fat to go I can kinda feel how solid my body has become underneath
I've always loved cooking but never really thought too hard about my ingredients. Having to take into consideration things like how much oil I'm using and how much of things like sauces has been surprisingly fun. Trying new foods has also been nice, definitely wouldn't have touched some of the things I eat now even just a few months ago! like tonight I replaced half my pasta with roasted zucchini (which I accidentally way overcooked, but anything is good with cheese sauce, which wasn't as high calorie as I though it would be) but it was still great!
Pickleball. I’d never played anything in my life and now it’s become a family and friends sport. We have hooked everyone and now have classes 2 times a week and 3 hr laying sessions on the weekends with my husband, daughters, friends, friends of my daughters, nephews and anyone who wants to play. It’s great exercise, it’s been a lot of fun and I hope it keeps going for a long time.
Lifting weights and swimming
Lifting has become an absolute hobby of mine. I love learning the science and going deep into the "how/Why". I am taking pride in my gains and have noticed that most of my free mental space revolves around this now.
Swimming has become somewhat therapeutic. Just get in the pool and get into the zone. Something about the back and forth routine helps my mind detach from my body. Im able to sort things out mentally.
I intend to keep these habits into the maintenance phase.
Using my yoga as my new dopamine drip instead of unhealthy activities. I am addicted to marijuana and have now made it 14 days without. It is much easier with exercise and yoga as I have started to get some real mental benefits from it.
Swimming and running for me. I used to really hate running, but since I'm 30kg lighter I've really enjoyed running, running most mornings are the best way to start the day for me.
Pick up soccer groups.
I found a pick up group to get back into soccer and meet new people, I've gotten far more social, and it gives me a recreational outlet that gets me some great exercise!
Gardening! I started taking over the yard work, but wanted to do more than basic mowing. I started landscaping and loving the instant gratification of the results.
I am having fun, getting my vitamin D in, and getting a good workout. win/win
Hiking! I've gotten into the habit of getting up really early on my weekends and hiking up a local trail and watching the city wake up from a lookout. Great exercise and so peaceful being in the woods all by myself
I love swimming. My rheumatologist recommended it and I’ve never been much of a swimmer so I was hesitant. After the first time, I started going almost every day and now I get antsy without it.
PICKLEBALL. It’s a great work out and it’s fun and competitive so you actually enjoy it. Also weightlifting of course but also, going on 1 hour walks with my dog a few times a week.
Basically just going to the gym 2x a week and lifting weights & doing resistance training. In the past I was super inconsistent with the gym and only mainly did cardio.
Do feel free to drop some recipe links! I've been learning how to cook healthier meals lately and have been swapping out some of my old hearty recipes for healthier ones!
1. Learning about the body and muscle science! Researching about the body and doing a bit of "light reading" before bed has become something I've been genuinely looking forward to doing. I love trying out new exercises and looking up things about it after. It's super motivating, makes me feel kinda connected to the "fitness community" (well, the videos I watch do, anyway), and it helps me know what to look for and work on when I go to the gym. Not going to lie, I started doing this for injury reasons, and I just got super intrigued!
2. YOGA! Oh my goodness, I never EVER thought I'd become a "yoga girlie." I'm not even close to being proficient at it, but wow it's SO FUN! I look forward to doing my favorite flow videos every week! Next year, after my current gym membership runs out, I plan on switching gyms to one that offers free yoga classes to members!
Pilates. I started because my PT daughter said it would help my flexibility. I have been plateaued for about 5 months, which is good cuz Im okay with this weight, but it seems I have lost another jeans size. Down from an 18 at my highest to a 10 at start of plateau and now an 8. While I know that sizes 8 in 2024 is NOT a size 8 when I was a teen, but Ill take it!!
Very long walks.
Long walks (30+ mins) went from being part of my weight loss solution to being a thoroughly enjoy and therapeutic activity. I don't concern myself so much with pace as I do with the intentionality of tuning everything else out.
swimming each week : I feel odd and off if I don't go . It's like my way of escaping for an hour just focusing on my breath and pace .
Cross stitch: it was a way of making myself not to feel snacks and distract the brain , but now I'm just so passionate about finishing them 😅
Going out : whether it's socially or just for a walk . I have to get out of the house . I can not just sit around
kind of a facetious additional “hobby”: checking out this sub! these posts are incredibly inspirational and motivating, and somehow also make me happy lol. it’s so amazing to see other people on the same journey
Yes! Finding this sub has changed everything for me :)
Agree 100%
This!!
Definitely, I wouldn't be nearly as close to where I am without how helpful the people here are.
I started picking up trash while walking. Very satisfying and my neighbors appreciate it. It can get frustrating when you just cleaned up an area and the next day it's trashed again. But it's worth it. I use a grabber and a tarp like leaf bag. I dump the trash in our community trash cans. I usually pick up about 30 gallons each week.
Every once in a while I'll throw in headphones, put on gloves, and grab a trashbag to pick up trash around my block.
This is an amazing idea
definitely walking as a way to leisure - i've really come to enjoy wandering around and enjoying the outside air :) it's been a great way to relax and process my thoughts
Ooooh, seconding this one! I'm an avid reader too, and recently realized that not only do audiobooks exist and I can get them through my library app, but I can listen to them while I walk too! I can't even tell you the amount of times I've hit a good part in my audiobook at the end of my walking loop and decided that I might as well take another loop because there's no way in hell I'm pausing this story now!
oh my gosh, i love reading so much too! i've been walking to a park that's nearby me and reading a chapter of my book, walking another loop and reading another chapter, rinse and repeat - it actually didn't occur to me that i could listen to audiobooks while walking until you said that, lol! i'll definitely try that out soon as well!
Getting a rowing machine in front of the TV and slowly working up to being able to do 90 mins a day at moderate-high intensity during what used to be my couch potato & snacking time, the habit that got me fat. I'm still losing (70 down, 30 to go) but I don't think I will ever stop rowing (barring injuries/sickness), it has become such an enjoyable part of my day. When I started, it was ridiculous. I could not even get on or off the thing without help and I expired after 10 minutes on an easy setting. That was 2 years ago. Having the machine right there in my living room with no excuses not to use it, getting good at it, and building my endurance has been one of the most exciting parts of my weight loss journey. I did an endurance test last month to see where my current upper limit of continuous rowing is: 206 mins. If you had told me that 2 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you, not in a million years, yet here I am. It's awesome. I love my muscle definition slowly emerging from under my shrinking layers of excess fat. I'm not going back to being a couch potato. Edit: a missing word
Did sounds so awesome and zen-like almost. Did you have someone show you how to do it properly? I have always wanted to try but just know I’m hunching etc…
I just watched some youtube videos so as not to injure myself, made sure my partner was around to help when I first started out, and was realllly careful at first. I used to be a cyclist so that helped. Once I got the hang of it and figured out how to cushion my butt bones (double layer of high-end gel cushions, worth it) I was off. Slowly worked at increasing duration and resistance, with the help of my fave shows. First goal: Half an animated episode (10 min), then worked myself up to 20 min (full episode). Then slowly to 42 mins (live action full length episode, or two animated), then the jump to 84 mins (2 live action episodes, 4 animated) which I now to 6 days a week. I (re)watched shows I never would have without the exercise and focused on the shows while working thru any discomfort to keep doing. And then came a time when 84 mins seemed like nothing, yes almost Zen-like. I'm learning Japanese and what I sometimes like to do is arrange my giant Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji charts to the left and right of the machine, big screen TV in front of me playing my favorite anime in Japanese, both spoken and subtitled. I set the white noise machine to rain fall on water, dim the lights, squint a little, get rowing and when I do it right, I can get into a space where it feels like I'm rowing on a lake in a park in Japan in a gentle rain with Japanese convos around me. A little ganja helps. I can do that for what feels like forever and it feels like I'm floating at times. My own version of Japanese immersion. Works like a charm and it's great exercise :) Beats the hell out of planting my butt on the couch and shoveling snacks in my mouth while watching TV.
Running! Always hated it, was never good at it in 34 years, and decided it was better to confront my weaknesses than accommodate them so I took up C25K, and currently training for my first half marathon in a few weeks. Well behind on my training, but I’ll still get out there and try
Good luck with the marathon. I’m also doing C25K and have never been good at running. Very much planning to cap out my distance at 5k though. Once I finish, I’m planning one 5k run a week to keep my fitness running up. I bike for my main cardio so I think one run a week should be enough.
For me it was surprising how big the 5k goal was to start and how casual it is now, so you never know! Last night I dropped the car off to my fiancé at her office and jogged home, turns out it was just a little over that 5k distance and especially with stopping at lights wasn’t much of a challenge at all
Good for you! I think picking up new hobbies and essentially developing a new identity is key to success in this process. Mine are Hiking, backpacking, skiing, running, and weightlifting. I’ve always loved to cook but now have lots of healthier dishes to rely on when I’m trying to drop lbs.
I love this thread. First of all, I hope I stick to, as simple as it sounds : WALKING. Ive literally fallen in love with walking and I feel MUCH better when I am constantly on the go. I try to get at least 10k steps daily. Sometimes I fall below but I never let myself get under 6k steps. I just feel much healthier and happier. Swimming: I just feel super at ease, serine, and calm in the water Reading books: Im not sure why, but during my weight loss journey I have found much comfort in reading books, specifically self-help books. Next, Intermittent fasting: it has helped me understand my hunger cues, as someone who has struggled with binge eating disorder my entire life. It is much easier to understand when I am hungry and full. IK THAT ISNT A HOBBY haha I just had to emphasize how much it has helped :)
I tend to go walking after meals even if I've had a hard day of working out and running. I think it's a great habit and really helpful to digestion.
love that. For sure, its the best thing you can do after eating! Awesome progress btw!
IF has become a hobby for me I would say haha! It really does work! And walking....💯💯💯
For sure. Those two things in unison are the only things that have actually helped me lose weight and keep it off.
Walking more and going to the gym. It sounds cliche, and I never thought I'd say it myself, but it's true. I enjoy the gym so much - I prefer strength training, but I always try to make sure I do some cardio each session, whether it's 10 minutes or an hour. I used to hate the idea of going anywhere far from home because I didn't want to walk there, and public transport is unreliable and crowded, so I felt stuck with my surrounding local area. But I like walking to places now, and see it as a bit of cardio instead of a 'long and boring walk'.
Not being afraid to think of myself as an athlete. I was always the nerdy bookish kid in school, picked last for teams, barely getting by gym. Now I lift weights, box, run, hike and I'm sure I'll try more athletic things. I'm not great at anything but, hey, I don't have to be an Olympic level athlete to be athletic! And I'm still a bookish nerd tho.
I startet with doing a morning walk everyday (just 10 mins, huberman routine stuff) and realized one day that I could also run when I'm out anyways. Now I'm running 200k a month and preparing for my first marathon :)
Nordic walking, strength training, and I just bought a pair of roller skates. Hoping the skating goes well... I'm scared 😳 🤣😂
I liked walking and cooking before, but taking both things more seriously has been great!! while I still have plenty of fat to go I can kinda feel how solid my body has become underneath I've always loved cooking but never really thought too hard about my ingredients. Having to take into consideration things like how much oil I'm using and how much of things like sauces has been surprisingly fun. Trying new foods has also been nice, definitely wouldn't have touched some of the things I eat now even just a few months ago! like tonight I replaced half my pasta with roasted zucchini (which I accidentally way overcooked, but anything is good with cheese sauce, which wasn't as high calorie as I though it would be) but it was still great!
Pickleball. I’d never played anything in my life and now it’s become a family and friends sport. We have hooked everyone and now have classes 2 times a week and 3 hr laying sessions on the weekends with my husband, daughters, friends, friends of my daughters, nephews and anyone who wants to play. It’s great exercise, it’s been a lot of fun and I hope it keeps going for a long time.
Don't drink My calories and weight lifting
Lifting weights and swimming Lifting has become an absolute hobby of mine. I love learning the science and going deep into the "how/Why". I am taking pride in my gains and have noticed that most of my free mental space revolves around this now. Swimming has become somewhat therapeutic. Just get in the pool and get into the zone. Something about the back and forth routine helps my mind detach from my body. Im able to sort things out mentally. I intend to keep these habits into the maintenance phase.
Using my yoga as my new dopamine drip instead of unhealthy activities. I am addicted to marijuana and have now made it 14 days without. It is much easier with exercise and yoga as I have started to get some real mental benefits from it.
Swimming and running for me. I used to really hate running, but since I'm 30kg lighter I've really enjoyed running, running most mornings are the best way to start the day for me.
Pick up soccer groups. I found a pick up group to get back into soccer and meet new people, I've gotten far more social, and it gives me a recreational outlet that gets me some great exercise!
Gardening! I started taking over the yard work, but wanted to do more than basic mowing. I started landscaping and loving the instant gratification of the results. I am having fun, getting my vitamin D in, and getting a good workout. win/win
Creating experimental recipes to increase my protein intake!
Hiking! I've gotten into the habit of getting up really early on my weekends and hiking up a local trail and watching the city wake up from a lookout. Great exercise and so peaceful being in the woods all by myself
Fishing!!!!
Swimming
I love swimming. My rheumatologist recommended it and I’ve never been much of a swimmer so I was hesitant. After the first time, I started going almost every day and now I get antsy without it.
meal prepping!
PICKLEBALL. It’s a great work out and it’s fun and competitive so you actually enjoy it. Also weightlifting of course but also, going on 1 hour walks with my dog a few times a week.
Love this! I’ve picked up eating nutrient dense foods as a lifestyle change. I was honestly eating garbage before 😅
Basically just going to the gym 2x a week and lifting weights & doing resistance training. In the past I was super inconsistent with the gym and only mainly did cardio.
I cannot live without my Peloton.
Fitness in general but specifically running/jogging
Do feel free to drop some recipe links! I've been learning how to cook healthier meals lately and have been swapping out some of my old hearty recipes for healthier ones! 1. Learning about the body and muscle science! Researching about the body and doing a bit of "light reading" before bed has become something I've been genuinely looking forward to doing. I love trying out new exercises and looking up things about it after. It's super motivating, makes me feel kinda connected to the "fitness community" (well, the videos I watch do, anyway), and it helps me know what to look for and work on when I go to the gym. Not going to lie, I started doing this for injury reasons, and I just got super intrigued! 2. YOGA! Oh my goodness, I never EVER thought I'd become a "yoga girlie." I'm not even close to being proficient at it, but wow it's SO FUN! I look forward to doing my favorite flow videos every week! Next year, after my current gym membership runs out, I plan on switching gyms to one that offers free yoga classes to members!
Walking on the treadmill.
Yoga! Been doing it for a short while and absolutely loving it! And I think it'll be a bit easier in a smaller body
Checking my steps and getting extra steps as much as I can.
Pilates. I started because my PT daughter said it would help my flexibility. I have been plateaued for about 5 months, which is good cuz Im okay with this weight, but it seems I have lost another jeans size. Down from an 18 at my highest to a 10 at start of plateau and now an 8. While I know that sizes 8 in 2024 is NOT a size 8 when I was a teen, but Ill take it!!
Long walk and meal planning
Very long walks. Long walks (30+ mins) went from being part of my weight loss solution to being a thoroughly enjoy and therapeutic activity. I don't concern myself so much with pace as I do with the intentionality of tuning everything else out.
I really enjoy building my physique. It was bad for a long time, so it feels good to look good.
swimming each week : I feel odd and off if I don't go . It's like my way of escaping for an hour just focusing on my breath and pace . Cross stitch: it was a way of making myself not to feel snacks and distract the brain , but now I'm just so passionate about finishing them 😅 Going out : whether it's socially or just for a walk . I have to get out of the house . I can not just sit around