What has worked best for you?
marekdds
Posts: 2,233 Member
I thought this would be a good topic. Since we are all reasonably mature individuals here, (no snarky comments), it would be nice to hear everyone's approach to weight loss. At this point in our lives, we know fad diets don't work. We are all different in some ways with different abilities, different lifestyles. How are you making it work? I personally had to accept that exercise was a requirement, not an option, as was cutting back on the sugary crap that I used to eat. I am not a gym rat, never will be. I still eat goodies, just not the entire batch of cookies. I decided I wouldn't do anything I couldn't sustain forever. I avoid trigger foods, most of the time. Some days I have to make myself exercise. All in all, I am healthier and happier and that is better than fat any day. So, moderation in all thing works for me. What about you?
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I am the queen of yo-yo dieting. Since I came to MFP it's been a huge revelation that all I really need to do is watch calories in/calories out. That said, I still believe it's beneficial to limit grain-based carbs (limit, not eliminate) in favor of fresh veggies, fruit and nuts. Also to limit high-fat dairy, like cheese.
I love working out both in the gym and outdoors. My big fear is an injury that will sideline me and make it really hard to meet my calorie goals. I'm nursing a sore achilles tendon right now.0 -
The single most important thing I've done that I think has kept me on track is pre-logging my daily meals. We don't eat out much, I do most of the cooking and we work from home so it's very easy for me to know what we'll be eating every day. That's not to say it doesn't change occasionally but in general if it's written down I'll do it.
Exercise has also become very important to me. I really miss it if I can't fit it in when I want and so....as long as I remain healthy enough to exercise I hope to continue. I've had a couple of injuries and have managed to work around them so far and I'm being careful, while at the same time challenging myself. I give having a trainer a lot of the credit for my enthusiasm and dedication.0 -
I have tried just about every diet in my younger years and now know they don't work in the long term. I have been on WW for years and feel it is a good plan but I find myself eating too many goodies to get the points in. So, now I have decided to count calories, meSure and weigh foods and drink my water. I gave up diet sodas a year ago but might have one every so often. I want to learn how to eat healthy, limit the bread carbs and eat more fruits and veggies. Also realize I have been eating too much protein, red meats especially so concentrating on more fish and chicken. I know I can never eat like I used too. I am trying to lose 30 pounds I have put back on in the last year. Taking it one day at a time.0
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Simplicity makes this different from "diets" I've done in the past. Now that I've been on MFP for a while, logging is simple, I eat only things I really like. For exercise, I stick to things I enjoy doing, hiking, gardening, golf, basketball, weights, household projects, fishing, boxing, and I constantly mix it up so I don't get bored. It makes me know I can keep it up.0
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I am the queen of planning. 90% of the time my breakfast and lunch are pre-logged and I log dinner before I eat it. If I am going out I google the restaurant and do best estimates for ones w/o websites. I don't eat a lot of "white" carbs. I eat lots of fruit and veg, legumes, whole grains, (even though I limit them some), fish, very little red meat and not a lot of the white meats, (certainly less than I used to eat.) My biggest problem is being near bakery of any kind and chocolate. I often say this takes patience, planning and perseverance.0
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Small steps. Taking the time to build good habits and break bad ones. Realizing that this is not a diet, but a lifestyle.0
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Well, I'm one of those terrible people who is going to fail miserably because I actually went to a barriatric physician and got diet pills to start me out. He put me on a 1200 calorie diet, his staff pointed me to MFP and I've been using it to log ever since. I stopped taking the pills six months ago, and I'm still losing weight but not as quickly although I think that's more because I'm not as strict with my diet anymore as I was at first, which pretty much happens to a lot of people whether they take the pills or not. I think what I HAVE done differently this time is accept that I will be logging in my food diary for the rest of my "thin" life unless I don't want to have a thin life anymore! I started doing more cooking of whole foods before I started this way of eating but I'm more insistent about it now than I was then. I guess it really was a process, I started eating more fresh food, stopped buying pizza every week(!), and stay quite a bit more conscious when I eat out about my choices. As in, no longer do I eat a ton of the bread they offer not because I think it's so bad for me but because I just don't like it enough to waste the calories on it. I'll save them for dessert thank you very much! I really have learned to like quite a few different vegetables that I never thought I'd like, as well as much of the time, I don't have something starchy with my dinner, a protein and vege is generally enough. After dinner my go to dessert is angel food cake with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and fresh berries. I mix strawberries, black berries, raspberries and blueberries all together in a bowl with a very small amount of sugar and that seems to satisfy my sweet tooth without making me feel like I need more more more and it does have some healthy qualities to it!0
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What works best for me is definitely a no bread paleo style diet. I am definitely not a fanatic and I cheat ALL the time, drink wine, eat oats and dairy and am basically not the golden girl when it comes to waving the paleo flag. But I find if I eat as close to nature as possible both my wealth and my health improve.
But here lies the problem - I don't follow it closely enough. Life gets in the way. Friends drop in or invite you to dinner and serve garlic bread or go to all the trouble of making an amazing desert. My husband is on long service leave at the moment and is a Type 1 diabetic who is extremely thin and eats all the time. Currently, it is 9am and he is having toast and jam and the smell is amazing.
C'mon will power, kick in!!!!
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Lee a, I understand. I try to do mostly whole foods, but as you say life gets in the way.0
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Trying to keep it simple. The fewer the gimmicks the better, for me. Calorie counting, exercise.0
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I'm pretty careful to fill up on healthy foods. If I'm still hungry after that, then I eat healthy snacks. Everything has calories of course.0
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I'm sure this isn't the "right" way to do it, but I set my daily calorie limit, and stick to it, regardless. If I am going to eat out or want to be able to have a drink or dessert, I cut calories earlier in the day to save those calories. And I never "eat back" my exercise calories, even if I walk 9 miles or spend the whole day doing yard work.0
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To be very honest, I have yet to find something other than MFP that has worked for me. I am not big on exercise but I have been attempting to do it a bit more when I find the time. Time and I just haven't been friends as of late. All of May and June have been busy with graduations and work. But I am attempting to do something.
I am still very much an emotional eater. I know it's horrible but when I'm stressed I want to eat something and it's not always something good for me.
In addition, I'm starting to go through the change of life and any women out there who has gone through it or is going through it can understand, this is a very difficult time.
I'm not making excuses, I just need help.0 -
Have tried every ding dong diet out there. But what I am doing on mfp is working best. Counting calories and moving more. Pretty old fashioned and not as shiny as the gimmicky diets but I fully expect to succeed in reaching my goal and keeping the weight off. There is support in our group and good info, too. I think the combination of basic CICO, exercise and group support is unbeatable. I don't do cheat days or meals. I work things into my calorie count. Some days I DO go over, last week was tough, but I manage to stay in deficit. The weight is not coming off as fast as I want but I am having 'change of life' issues so that may be playing a part. .But I will succeed, even if I miss my deadline.0
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Not cheating
Just that simple. I have a maximum calorie amount for maintenance that I may peak at on very hard lifting days. I can take a day to rest from exercise and weight loss, but it is close to maintenance calorie level. I will have to do that someday!
Low carb in the form of no sugary stuff. I'm too old for that now.
I will watch the grand kids eat cookies and run circles though !0 -
I'm sure this isn't the "right" way to do it, but I set my daily calorie limit, and stick to it, regardless. If I am going to eat out or want to be able to have a drink or dessert, I cut calories earlier in the day to save those calories. And I never "eat back" my exercise calories, even if I walk 9 miles or spend the whole day doing yard work.
There isn't necessarily a 'right' way, it depends on what works for you. I happen to do the exact same thing. Some choose to eat back some or all of their exercise calories. It depends on whether you want to vary your daily intake. I keep my exercise very consistent and just build in the extra to my daily intake. Cheat days is another variable. I don't do them because I feel like I'm stepping backards, but many others do. As long as it works for you, that is all that really matters. There should be as many different plans are there are personality types.0 -
For the gals going through menopause, I just wanted to mention that it isn't necessarily the metabolism killer we've been led to believe. I put on a ton of weight right before menopause, and when I decided to start MFP, I expected to fight off every ounce. As long as I don't cheat and log everything, it comes off steadily and much quicker than I expected. I was very fortunate and missed out on the mood swings and hot flashes, but my hormone levels still dropped and didn't interfer with my weight loss. If anything, I think it has been easier than when I tried to diet when I was younger. The biggest difference I see is how much harder it is to lose from my stomach and waist...but I figure that is something I can work on.0
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yes find it harder to shift weight from my waist cant remember last having one0
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The waist is the last spot for the weight to go with most people. I had a 26 inch in high school (I was never thin), been as high as 36 (maybe more, who measures when they are that fat). I now Have a 26 again and weigh less than I did in high school. Yes my metabolism is slower now in my sixties, but I just have to deal with it. Menopause wasn't fun, but again, just had to deal with it. Emo eater here, had to deal with it. Bottom line they were my excuses and when I stopped allowing excuses, ate well and started moving, I lost weight.0
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I have to admit it that ... the workout teachers that push me? Get results. A sweet, fun Spin teacher doesn't get the same good results.0
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I'm sure this isn't the "right" way to do it, but I set my daily calorie limit, and stick to it, regardless. If I am going to eat out or want to be able to have a drink or dessert, I cut calories earlier in the day to saveFor the gals going through menopause, I just wanted to mention that it isn't necessarily the metabolism killer we've been led to believe. I put on a ton of weight right before menopause, and when I decided to start MFP, I expected to fight off every ounce. As long as I don't cheat and log everything, it comes off steadily and much quicker than I expected. I was very fortunate and missed out on the mood swings and hot flashes, but my hormone levels still dropped and didn't interfer with my weight loss. If anything, I think it has been easier than when I tried to diet when I was younger. The biggest difference I see is how much harder it is to lose from my stomach and waist...but I figure that is something I can work on.
That's my story too. And after a happy period of successfuI weight loss I am just beginning menopause and it's like everything has ground to a halt. I am especially annoyed at my efforts getting belly fat to go. I am just plugging away. because of an earlier stroke I can't use any HRT products. The occasional hot flash and only one burst of homicidal rage so far. We shall see. Waiting for test results to tell me where my hormones stand, etc. But if menopause thinks it's going to beat me, it has another think coming.0 -
What works best for me is definitely a no bread paleo style diet. I am definitely not a fanatic and I cheat ALL the time, drink wine, eat oats and dairy and am basically not the golden girl when it comes to waving the paleo flag. But I find if I eat as close to nature as possible both my wealth and my health improve.
But here lies the problem - I don't follow it closely enough. Life gets in the way. Friends drop in or invite you to dinner and serve garlic bread or go to all the trouble of making an amazing desert. My husband is on long service leave at the moment and is a Type 1 diabetic who is extremely thin and eats all the time. Currently, it is 9am and he is having toast and jam and the smell is amazing.
C'mon will power, kick in!!!!
U sound like me.. Life & people ( friends ) calling in or inviting u to dinner
Let's get this will power on the bag
We Can do this0 -
The waist is the last spot for the weight to go with most people. I had a 26 inch in high school (I was never thin), been as high as 36 (maybe more, who measures when they are that fat). I now Have a 26 again and weigh less than I did in high school. Yes my metabolism is slower now in my sixties, but I just have to deal with it. Menopause wasn't fun, but again, just had to deal with it. Emo eater here, had to deal with it. Bottom line they were my excuses and when I stopped allowing excuses, ate well and started moving, I lost weight.
Wow size 26 waist.. Fabulous achievement! I'm a size 34" I've got a bit of catch on up to do
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Thanks BBee! Never thought I would see that again. just goes to show, it can be done!0
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A 26" waist. Wow! I might have had one in high school too. I don't remember. Still, congratulations! Must be so amazing to be in better shape than you were in high school!0
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Thanks Nikki!0
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Hee hee, what was the question? Oh, yeah, what worked for me. Counting calories and exercise! I found tons of new recipes that actually taste good here on the Hello Healthy blog and the daily emails. Been having fun "skinnifying" old recipes. Also skinnytaste.com. My all time favorite has to be the 37 calorie brownies (!) from Broma Bakery. (You can google them for the recipe) OMG, they are killer - more cocoa flavored than the traditional chocolate that needs to be melted. I don't know about my waist size (kudos to marekdds!), but I weigh just a few pounds more than I did in high school all those years ago.0
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What worked for me was/is attitude. I'll be 51 in September and I can still easily hop in and out of the back of my pickup truck.
I was diagnosed type 2 diabetes 4 1/2 years ago. Didn't start taking it seriously until late last year (November ). Also high cholesterol. My Dr wanted to start me on Lipidor. I refused and said I'll lower it myself.
In Januaryof this year, I was down from 216 in November, to 193lbs. My A1c was 7.0 and my cholesterol was 4.28.
In June, I was down to 180.5, my A1c dropped to 5.8 and my cholesterol dropped to 2.01.
My dietician said those results were phenomenal for just 6 months.
I actually started MFP in late January (I think) and that's what kept me on track.
I still haven't been able to break into the 170's yet, but I know it will happen if I just keep eating healthy. After all, it took me 50 years to get that fat, and less than a year to turn things around health wise.
I'm aiming for another 10-15lbs weight loss and then any weight gain will be muscle from lifting.0 -
For the most part I had been eating healthy, or at least trying too. But little to no exercise. And with the whole middle age and hormonal changes etc I was gaining weight, not losing.
I now log my food and walk 10-12 miles a week. I have also cut way back on sugar, and white carbs due to high sugar and triglyceride levels. I am now losing. I am hoping my levels are coming down too....it will be awhile before I am tested again.0 -
marekdds, congratulations on your success! I also had a small waist in high school (24") and had a flat stomach until about 5-6 years ago, and then I face-planted into middle age! Now I have a 32" waist and I hate it...I won't even let my husband see me naked because I'm embarrassed about my stomach!
I'm a newbie to MFP (3 days) but I already realize I've got to focus on making better food choices and I have to get more active!!0
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