Anyone feel like their weight loss is effortless?

Need2Exerc1se

Effortless. Hmm, I'm not sure. It's not as effortless as gaining, that's for sure.

evarga12

I think about it more as habit that I have grown accustomed too & I think it's pretty fun to do! For me M-F (day to day) are pretty much the same & on weekends I get a bit more creative .

Some tips that have helped me woul be:

Never using the "Search" function from MFP. I like to input the information manually - 85% the information MFP is either off or just completly wrong.

Inputting the foods in MFP during the day prior has helped me keep on track.

M-F foods - if the foods/liquids need to be weighed I do so the night before.

I feel grilling meat (Ground beef, steak & or chicken) on saturdays/sundays for the next 3-5 days makes the week's protein source easy to grab when on the go.

Having Potato or sweat potato on deck. This is an easy carb source. You can just get a moist napkin and wrap the potato around and cooked for like 3-5 mins. If I am planning on having potato that day I like to weigh it out a day before & work my carbs around that since the grams are not always the same.

May not be the most cost efficient but I like to keep Ben's Ready rice or Veetee Rice in the office. All you have to do it cut the top and throw it in the microwave. It's quick and easy & I dont weigh it out.

Keeping Oatmeal single packages in the office & at home - It's a quick and easy carb/protein source.

Weekends - I try eat freshly made food during the weekend and generally track in the AM. This helps me know what I should eat.

If I am planning on eating out I like to enter the estimated macros in MFP the day prior and then work my other macro intake around that.

It may seem like a lot of work but it may only take like 10-15mins or less a day once you get it down.

I would like to hear what others like to do!

Kitship

amymrls wrote: »

I wish it was.... Only at first is it effortless

This. Sigh.

999tigger

Weight gain is pretty effortless, weight loss isnt, but its straightforward if you have the mindset and discipline to be consistent. So far. To start saying effortless runs the risk of becoming complacent and also I know many people find it incredibly hard for various reasons.

Big respect for those who have a lot to lose 150lbs+ etc and are on their journey. Stick at it, people do manage it.

holyfenix

Lol at all the people commenting on how their weightless isn't effortless. Yes we know weight loss can be very difficult for some.

As for myself, losing weight or more importantly fat is easy. I don't put unrealistic goals on my self and still shed a lb a week or more when I want to lose weight.... Now gaining muscle without a whole lot of fat is a completely different story. Ectomorph it's a blessing and a curse.

rybo

At this point yes it is completely effortless. Getting here wasn't really that hard, but it took desire and common sense. The path I chose may not work for everyone, but it worked for me.

esjones12

In order for it to feel effortless you need to make it a real routine. That means weeks of commitment. After two and a half years of slowly changing my lifestyle, I act and look and feel completely different than I used to. I actually exercise and eat healthy foods because I WANT to, not because I have to. You just can't quit.

amehh91

It has definitely felt pretty effortless so far and I am nearly halfway.
For me it has to be meal planning (a resolution I started at the beginning of 2014 to cut down my weekly food budget) and then pre logging the ingredients before I eat, even if the weights aren't quite exact yet (I do update these when I actually eat though!) to get an idea of what the meal/day looks like and change it up if necessary.

dawn0293

It was at first but as my weight has gone down, so has the ease of the pounds being shed. These last few pounds are going to be a pain, I think. Oh well, I'm up for the challenge.

icrushit

Wish it was effortless too, but these seem to be the hard yards. At first it was effortless though

ljones27uk

for me, ensuring i eat protein has helped no end.. ive rarely felt hungry depsite cutting my calories from c. 3000 to around 1400 a day.. proteins been key for me, plus more exercise :-)

DeterminedFee201426

segacs wrote: »

Mine is working treats into my meal plan.

I love chocolate. I don't want to give it up. So instead of unrealistically cutting it out altogether (which would lead to cheats and chocolate binges), I work small amounts of it into my plan. I give myself permission to eat what's in the meal plan, and I don't feel guilty about it. And consequently, I'm not tempted to cheat.

me too

zenner22

I have a ton to lose and have yo yo dieted for years. While this time is not effortless it does feel distinctly easier than diets I've done in the past. I've lost 33lbs in 3 months (again I have much to lose, so I'm sure the weight loss rate will slow down.) Here are the habits I've started that I believe I can maintain for the long term and that have helped me:

- look at my calorie goal as a weekly, not daily goal. That way if I go 500 over one day I have no guilt, I just cut 500 the next day or over the course of the week.
- Frozen bagged spinach. I basically put this in everything. Yummy and very filling.
- Wearing and activity bracelet (I have the Jawbone Up, but it doesn't matter which one you get) and making an effort to get 10,000 steps a day
- Freeze dried fruit. Very low in calorie and it takes care of my craving for sweet and/or crunchy
- Not eating at set times of day. I don't eat breakfast until I'm hungry. I don't eat lunch just because I'm on a lunch break. I eat when I'm hungry.
- Not being afraid of hunger. All my other diets had hints for how to avoid hunger. I think this was very damaging to me in regards to being able to recognize hunger cues. These days I love it when my stomach growls. I drink some water and if I still feel hungry 15 minutes later I eat.
- Protein shakes. Aspartame free. These are one of the only ways I effectively get my protein needs met.
- Chia seed pudding. So easy to make and very filling.
- MFP logging. Keeps me honest with myself.
- Prepackaged salads from the grocery store. This is the first diet that has actually saved me money. I still cook a lot and eat out once a week, but I often eat the $3 (280 calories) salads from my local store.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my hints. I love reading other people's tips and tricks. Good luck everyone!!

dopeysmelly

After I figured out how to plan my meals to fit my calorie and macro targets, it was pretty easy and became routine.

My main "weapon" was pre-logging. I still do it. It helps with planning my meals and grocery shopping in general.

dbanks80

zenner22 wrote: »

I have a ton to lose and have yo yo dieted for years. While this time is not effortless it does feel distinctly easier than diets I've done in the past. I've lost 33lbs in 3 months (again I have much to lose, so I'm sure the weight loss rate will slow down.) Here are the habits I've started that I believe I can maintain for the long term and that have helped me:

- look at my calorie goal as a weekly, not daily goal. That way if I go 500 over one day I have no guilt, I just cut 500 the next day or over the course of the week.
- Frozen bagged spinach. I basically put this in everything. Yummy and very filling.
- Wearing and activity bracelet (I have the Jawbone Up, but it doesn't matter which one you get) and making an effort to get 10,000 steps a day
- Freeze dried fruit. Very low in calorie and it takes care of my craving for sweet and/or crunchy
- Not eating at set times of day. I don't eat breakfast until I'm hungry. I don't eat lunch just because I'm on a lunch break. I eat when I'm hungry.
- Not being afraid of hunger. All my other diets had hints for how to avoid hunger. I think this was very damaging to me in regards to being able to recognize hunger cues. These days I love it when my stomach growls. I drink some water and if I still feel hungry 15 minutes later I eat.
- Protein shakes. Aspartame free. These are one of the only ways I effectively get my protein needs met.
- Chia seed pudding. So easy to make and very filling.
- MFP logging. Keeps me honest with myself.
- Prepackaged salads from the grocery store. This is the first diet that has actually saved me money. I still cook a lot and eat out once a week, but I often eat the $3 (280 calories) salads from my local store.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my hints. I love reading other people's tips and tricks. Good luck everyone!!

That sounds very sustainable for a lifetime. Good for you.

Carlos_421

I've adjusted my lifestyle to the point that maintenance is pretty effortless. Weight loss, however, is a solid, concerted effort for every single pound.

harmar21

definitely not (especially since I want to lose weight as well as be healthy). I had to completely overhaul my diet, add exercise, and learn a lot. It has taken an incredible amount of willpower to not slip up, more willpower than I thought I ever had. Every day I am still tempted by foods that I no longer eat.

What would be effortless is would be grabbing that empty calorie donut the boss brought in, instead of letting it sit in the middle of the table taunting me with its beautiful chocolate glazed surface.

Nightfall_30

It became effortless when I stopped trying to lose weight "fast" and started eating healthy. 1500 kcal of healthy food fills you up much more easily than 2500 kcal of unhealthy food!

KylaDenay

I don't see how it can be effortless. Any way though switch up the title. Doesn't match the actual point of what you want this thread to be.

TopazCutie

KylaDenay wrote: »

I don't see how it can be effortless. Any way though switch up the title. Doesn't match the actual point of what you want this thread to be.

As someone above has said, In order for it to feel effortless you need to make it a real routine. Multiple people have said it feels effortless. FEELS. Thanks for coming out though

WhatMeRunning

It's only effortless for periods of time. Long term, things must adapt, either physically or just with life in general, making it harder. Now that I am down to the last 30-40 pounds, it is a lot harder, and I don't expect it to be as easy as before ever again. It's not stopping me though, but it does slow me down.

makeupandthings

Well, not effortless, but this helps me making it easier and part of my habits / routine: every week I have a veg box delivered at home and spend a couple of hours planning the week's menu around the veggies I got. I select the recipes and then only buy the extra ingredients I need for those recipes, that way I don't have extra food around, less temptation and can't diverge from the planned menu.

freechewy

No it is not, not for me.

flatlndr

My first 100 lbs was effortless, because my mindset had completely changed, such that including exercise and balanced nutrition became second nature. I've been on maintenance for since 1st Oct, and plan to carry through to the end of the year. Not sure if the getting the last 10 off, starting 1st Jan, will be as "easy".

hamoncan

Not effortless. It took time to develop a routine and new habits, but once you get some momentum and good feedback going it gets easier.

Considering the benefits, the effort/cost is ridiculously easy, especially for the average guy who still can eat a fair bit while getting down to a healthier weight. It seems like it's more of a battle for women who have to cut back to daily calories which seems quite low compared to what everyone around you takes in. It kind of galls my SO what I still eat for dinner while losing weight far far more easily than her.

cincysweetheart

I wouldn't say effortless… there has been a hell of a lot of effort! But neither has it been as hard as I thought it would be. The way I currently feel… I could go on forever like this. Establishing a routine is a BIG help for me as I'm such a creature of habit. Also, I don't put any restrictions on foods that I can't eat. Knowing that I can eat something if I want it… makes it so much less likely that I will. (It's a control issue for me!)

middlehaitch

Over the past 80 days it has been.
I 'accidentally' lost 6lb by adding an extra couple of hours to my weekly exercise routine without upping my maintenance calorie intake.

This means I will have a very happy Christmas, and up my calories by 200 a day in the new year.

My initial weight loss of 30lb was not as easy.
Cheers, h.

msf74

Getting back into the habit of leading a healthy lifestyle took a hell of a lot of time, experimentation and effort.

Now it's a habit (and an enjoyable one) not so much...

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I remember thinking how easy it was when I figured out the calorie deficit thing. It seemed effortless at the time. I lost 45 lbs with no trouble and didn't even have any issues with the dreaded last 10 lbs.

Since then I've tried to go back to a deficit a couple of times (I'm at a healthy weight I just thought I wanted more muscle definition) and I found it much more difficult. I'm much more prone to fatigue now even which a tiny deficit. At this point I've decided I'm not willing to do what it would take to lose more.

Alluminati

No. Never. It takes effort for me every day.