Anyone not using weight loss surgery or stimulants?

Extra86

New here! People keep writing about their surgery or medications they are taking that helped them lose weight. My Dr. won't perscribe me any medication to lose weight because of high blood pressure. He also said I have to be over 100 lbs. over to be considered for surgery. But according to some charts I am pretty close. Any advice?

JenniferIsLosingIt

It sounds so simple but move a littlemore eat alittle less. I have been at this for a year and have lost 114 pounds. Its not easy. I have to wake up everyday and decide that I want to a little better than the day before. If you screw up and have a bad day make the next day your day to shine. Look at the diaries of some of the success stories you see on here, make friends with like minded goals. You can totally do this!

MinimalistShoeAddict

jenjay8045 wrote: »

move a littlemore eat alittle less.)

+1

DanZiehm

I'm a perfect example of somebody who did this the old fashioned way... no surgery and no drugs. I've lost 110 pounds in approximately 11 months. I also have severe degenerative arthritis which makes my exercise choices very limited. I watch what I eat and I swim 60 minutes a day, 6 days a week. I've posted a success story here today... take a look at it and let me know if you have any questions about what I did.

shadow2soul

My advice:

• Set up your MFP Profile with the correct activity level for your day to day activities (do not include workouts)
• Select a reasonable weight loss goal per week.
• Eat the your MFP Goal on days you don't workout
• When you do workout, eat your MFP Goal + 50% of the calories burned through exercise (your deficit is set for you to lose weight without working out, so on days you do you can eat more and still lose weight)
• Use a food scale when you make your food at home. It's not a must, but it does help you to be a little bit more accurate than measuring cups would. You also can't trust single serve stuff to actually be a single serving (sometimes it's a bit more and sometimes a bit less).

<-The only surgery I've ever had is 2 c-sections. The only pills I take are my multivitamin.

kami3006

A food scale and honest food diary are the best supplements for weight loss. Seriously!!

luluinca

I've been here over 1 1/2 years and honestly, most of us just lose the old fashioned way............burn more calories than we eat. Just follow MFP's guidelines, make sure your diary is accurate by using a digital scale and enter every bit of food, drinks, condiments etc that you eat. If you want a few more calories to play with add some exercise...............it's good for your health anyway.

If you can find a nice group of friends with the same or similar goals, do that for a little extra support. Read the forums and soak up as much good information as possible..............do all that and it will work!!!

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Here's my take: A lot of us have lost weight without surgery or weight loss medications. It seems difficult at first. It seems difficult when you have plateaus. It seems difficult when you spend every available minute trying to lose weight and it just won't come off. You know why?! It's because it is difficult.

I will acknowledge that some people have a different degree of difficulty than other people. I'm one of those that has it more difficult than almost everyone because of some medical issues (after 3 1/2 months of trying to lose weight, I nearly died because I was losing too quickly... and too quickly for my medical issues is a low rate of loss for some MFP users).

When you think it isn't working, just keep doing what you know should work. Plateaus might last for several months and then result in a whoosh so if you know what you are doing should be working, don't give up. It will get easier over time. Just be persistant until it does.

tomatoey

Most of us do it the old-fashioned way. Look, even if you had the surgery, you'd still have to monitor your intake in the way we do - even more strictly, and you'd risk the many side effects people who've had the surgery deal with.

Drugs are only temporary, can't rely on those forever, you'd have to maintain, again using calorie counting, or else gain everything back.

Really the most effective way to do it is to learn how to change your eating habits. Tons of info on these boards. You can do it! Look at the Success Stories forum for inspiration.

Haha, oh snap, that's this forum. Dig around!

MakePeasNotWar

I think most of the people here are losing/have lost their weight without surgery or stimulants (coffee excepted)

Check out this thread:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants#latest

Also, starting your own question threads (like you just did) will be a great way to get specific advice on anything you need.

There are several different approaches to weight loss - as long as you end up taking in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. I prefer to add in low calorie density foods like veggies and high fibre fruits first so I can reduce my overall calories with the same volume of food I am used to, but a lot of successful people here start with portion control and eat the same diet they have been, just in smaller quantity. Different approaches work for different people; its a question of using trial and error until you find the one that works for you.

Good luck with it!

TheVirgoddess

Yes, I've lost 78.4 pounds by counting calories and moving more. It can absolutely be done.

burtonvdp

Honestly I've seen too many people gain their weight back after surgery and have additional problems to boot. Even after surgery (at least the ones i have seen) you still have to watch what you eat for the rest of your life. So you might as well just go straight to watching what you eat. There are plenty of people here that needed to lose more than 100lbs and did it without pills or surgery. IMHO start a calorie diet that fits your lifestyle. For example I eat fast food a few times a week. When I do I just pick places and things on the menu that fit my calorie limit for the day.... Is it the best way? No, but is it better than not doing it? Hell yes! If you can do any exercise, add that into your routine as well! I have some lower back problems so I'm using a recumbent bike and machines for my weight lifting.

Biggest thing of all give it time and track you size not weight (Especially if you work out)!

susansmoaks

I lost over 100 pounds by counting calories and moving more. You don't need pills or surgery. You just need to burn more calories than you eat. It's not easy but you can do it.

jaga13

shadow2soul wrote: »

<-The only surgery I've ever had is 2 c-sections. The only pills I take are my multivitamin.

+1

Extra86

Thank you to everyone who responded! I am going to follow all of the great advice and just keep

hmm33502

Even with weight loss surgery, you still have to eat less and move more. When you stop, you gain...trust me! WLS is not something that I would have done if I had gained control before 327 lbs. Every day, I am careful and thoughtful about my eating and I move as much as possible. You can do this without WLS and won't have any of the medical side effects that go with it! Good luck to you, but it's more about determination than luck.

jlwright1980

I've heard so many stories about weight loss supplements, but I refuse to take them because I want to lose weight the honest way. Counting calories is by far my most successful tool when losing weight. It's a lot of work and when I don't do it that's when the weight creeps back on. Now I'm back on the bus getting back on track. Even though I exercise regularly I still was eating more than I should have and not as healthy and I knew it. Keep positive and keep moving.

besaro

100 pounds lost using food and exercise.

wizzybeth

In January I had about 100-105 lbs to lose. I've lost 32 lbs. so far since the end of January 2015. I am going strictly by calorie control and exercise, period. Even the exercise is haphazard. I exercise so I can eat more, lol

Need2Exerc1se

jenjay8045 wrote: »

It sounds so simple but move a littlemore eat alittle less. I have been at this for a year and have lost 114 pounds. Its not easy. I have to wake up everyday and decide that I want to a little better than the day before. If you screw up and have a bad day make the next day your day to shine. Look at the diaries of some of the success stories you see on here, make friends with like minded goals. You can totally do this!

I love this response! Great advice.

isulo_kura

Lost 130 odd pounds by eating less than I burn

BigMech

I lost 260lbs total without surgery or drugs. It took me about 2 years of eating less and moving more. I ate 3 meals a day, no snacking, and worked out at the gym 4-5 days a week.

I have now maintained that loss for 3 years while working on adding lean muscle mass.

I would start by tracking what you eat now, and then start reducing that amount till you start losing weight. Tracking can be tough at first, but it takes me less than 5 minutes a day now, which is more than worth it!

LiftAllThePizzas

RyaJen wrote: »

New here! People keep writing about their surgery or medications they are taking that helped them lose weight. My Dr. won't perscribe me any medication to lose weight because of high blood pressure. He also said I have to be over 100 lbs. over to be considered for surgery. But according to some charts I am pretty close. Any advice?

If you want to weigh 100 lbs less than you do, you need to live the lifestyle of a person who weighs 100 lbs less than you do. Not just for a few weeks or months, but for however long you actually wish to stay at that weight. I don't see how anyone can expect pills or surgery to accomplish that for you.

mukbjl

I went from 360 to now at 238 the right way no surgery or pills over the course of the last 10 months. I am now dropping about 1lb a week now that i am really working on building/maintining muscle while i do the weight loss.
Just exercise in eating like everyone else has said will really get you to were you need to be. You need to make sure that you are mentally ready to change and jumping into pills or a surgery will not help get you into the right mental state it can really lead yourself down worse than when you started.
That really is the best way to go about it. The best thing i bought was a scale and i use that all the time. If i really feel like monitoring close i count the weight of everything or i can now just eyeball for the most part.

If you have any questions i am more than willing to help give any information that i have learned thus far.

dolliesdaughter

I lost 100+ all natural, following Weight Watchers. Maintaining with MFP. It was slow and steady. I also worked out daily. In the beginning, back in 2011 I could barely do 15 minutes. May 3, 2015, I ran a half marathon. You can do it.

SuggaD

Eat less and find an activity you love. Went from a size 14-16 to 0-2 doing just that.

mistikal13

I lost all my weight the old fashioned way. Just eat less and move more.

radiosilents

I have 230 pounds total to lose, and it's almost a year to the day that I joined MFP and have lost 85 so far. No surgery, no pills. It's a long road but you can do it the natural way. Patience and diligence.

ashrinkingqueen

I have lost 31.6 pounds. I still have another 119 to lose, but I am doing it without pills or surgery. Just eating clean and working out! Good Luck to you!

chatterbox3110

I've lost 130lbs without any meds or WLS. I'm waiting for an op and have been asked to lose another 56lbs, and NOW they offer me a gastric band. I've declined it as I got myself into this situation without help, so I'm getting out of it without help. That way I know I can finally feel proud of myself for achieving something I never thought I could do.

It's not been an easy road, but diet and exercise, even just regular walking, will achieve the goal.

Good luck on your journey

LiftAndBalance

Lost around 80 lbs a few years back with counting calories (weighing everything on a digital food scale) and moving more (not mandatory for weightloss but highly beneficial, start out slow). Maintained that, after a while without logging my food anymore. Now back to lose a bit more and 'tone' (body recomposition).

Be aware that it will take time—you didn't gain it in a day, you won't lose it in a day. Also, weight loss isn't linear so don't be discouraged if your weight fluctuates.

I'll leave you a few helpful posts to start out:
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1

community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1