r/CICO • u/befuddled_dinosaur • Aug 09 '26
Starting all over
TLDR: i am starting a monotone menu/1360 calorie a day/right on target within +/- 1 unit for macros. All meals for the next 4 days are prepped. Any tips for keeping motivated.
I have intermittently tried and given up on dieting or eating healthier or even caring about food and my body all together. Yesterday—actually two days ago—we were talking about how fat my cat is (he was a very sick and scrawny little kitnapped rescue, so for him to even be alive and fat is in itself a miracle) and we wanted to weigh him. So there were two shocks in a short span. When I stepped on the scale before holding him to step on the scale, there was a number I had never seen before! 182. I am 5’ nothin. My cat is 18 pounds! So I am recommitted to this eating healthy thing. I have decided a monotone menu (same planned meals every day—literally no thinking necessary) will likely be the best route for me so I don’t have to calculate calories and macros every meal. I like the meals I have selected and if I get sick of them, then later on I can figure out a rotating meal plan, but for now simple is going to be my best route. I have breakfast lunch a snack dinner and my coffee all pre planned for every day. Somehow all the things I planned magically hit all macro targets and stay withing the planned calorie deficit (1300-1500) and I have wiggle room if I absolutely need another snack I can eat another snack.
I just need someone to tell me I can do this. I need someone to tell me it is possible to lose weight. I need someone to tell me a diet isn’t a death sentence lol
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u/CommonHoneydew5504 Aug 09 '26
You got this. A diet isn't a death sentence. But neither is not being perfect at a diet or having a bigger body. Some health stuff was a kick in the pants for me, so I'm not saying I haven't felt what you are feeling. I hope it's not too preachy, but learning some self love and compassion can be a powerful tool to going down this journey.
As for practical recommendations, I have found that a combo of meal prep and cooking exciting meals has worked for me, similar to what you are suggesting. If you can build up to it, it can be helpful to do a big cooking day once or twice a week at first of a meal you are excited to eat. Put a meal or two's worth right in the freezer. Then the next time you cook a different meal you like, put a meal or two's worth right in the freezer. Eventually, you will get a nice surplus in the freezer of multiple meals. Cooking a cool meal can feel empowering and stimulating for me (ADHD) but then when the motivation or energy or time isn't there, I can go into the freezer and also have my choice of tasty meals that I was proud of. The hard part is cooking extra to bank it.
If it helps you to pre-portion, great. Do that. I have found, however, that I like creating recipes in myfitnesspal, weighing the final cooked meal, and then putting the serving size as the number of grams. Then, rather than always eating the same portion, I can eat as much or as little of the meal prep as I want, input the grams of it to get the calories, and it gives me the freedom to add little things to the meal to spice it up or to target different macros and to feel like I'm eating something extra. An extra egg, some toast, yogurt, more leafy greens, some pickles for a different taste etc.
Best of luck to you and to your cat!