dude that's awesome! thank you for your detailed explanations, we have a very similar way of approaching things. I also love the idea of keeping your mind busy with something creative, it's also making your life so much more interesting than being a spectator in front of a TV, a computer or a smartphone screen.

proud of you man :D

I've picked up sewing (making a fursuit right now, it's a project that will take me a full year), it's very soothing and i can do it while speaking with my friends in voice chat, i even put the camera on so they can see what i do, it's actually great to upkeep my friendships :D

i lost 20 lbs since the start of the year, and food-wise i did three things:

no snacking, i stick to 3 meals: a small breakfast (i work at the computer so i don't need heaps of food in the morning), hot cooked dish for lunch, and small dinner (a few slices of bread with ham/cheese...) and eat SLOWLY, lots of chewing, it helps limiting the intakes.
no sugary or sugar-free beverages: even with aspartam/acesulfam-K/stevia (etc) your body generates insulin to process what is perceived as sugar, this lowers your blood sugar and induces cravings. I drink water, unsweetened black coffee and unsweetened tea, that's it, no exceptions.
i stopped feeling obligated to empty the plate, and never take a refill. whenever i feel full, my leftovers go into the fridge, nothing is thrown away.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 2 points 2 days ago

Thanks for the kind words. You've adopted a very similar program as I did. It's a LOT easier to train yourself to eat in moderation than stick to some diet, and you get to eat pretty much anything you want.

I forgot to mention unsweetened ice tea, so I'm glad you reminded me. That's another one of my favorite beverages. I've never liked the taste of sweet tea. My family grew up drinking it without sugar, and that's the way it tastes right to me. Ice water is still me favorite beverage.