But what did you really do to lose weight?

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  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
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    Counted calories. If I want to eat a lot and tell the calories to screw off I still do it up to my maintenance calories only. I workout once a day for sure and sometimes twice if I do yoga or a walk in my day somewhere. I pack food, I bring runners on day trips and overnight trips, I log EVERYTHING. Calorie counting works, not starving myself at 1200 calories, not living on shakes a la slim fast style, and not beating myself up. I am 8lbs from goal as of today. It has taken me a long time to finally get all my ducks in a row but once I quit googling "how to lose 20lbs fast" and just followed the process, surprisingly, it worked!!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Exercised 6/7 days a week (lots of walks, some strength training, some spinning, some treadmill, some group classes, some home videos...). Figured out my TDEE and cut 20%. Tracked my calories to stay as close to 40 carb 30 fat 30 protein as possible (weighing everything), and tried to stay under my goal as much as possible, no clean eating or any of that garbage.. just watching calories and protein pretty much.
  • vivelajackie
    vivelajackie Posts: 321 Member
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    I counted calories. Sure, the gym is nice and GOOD for maintaining cardiovascular health, but you aren't really going to run off a poor diet in the gym. It's not really the type of existence you'd want, anyway. You have all these sources for awesome recipes and a FREE calorie counting tool. The argument that healthy eating is boring is increasingly weaker, and that's how it should be.

    I weigh things out. I've also had a job where I walk 13+ miles a day, which helps in being on the move. We do meal prep here so neither of us has to focus too much on meals during the work week. Despite what I said about the gym I do that as well. Not so much cardio-centric anymore. I do weight training... using that term loosely haha
  • larali1980
    larali1980 Posts: 162 Member
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    I lost 20 pounds last year. I used MFP a bit, but I also was on a weight-loss program which just meant that I had to control my eating habits and check in with them once a week. I should have lost more (I only lost 10 pounds on that program.) The rest of the weight I lost when I went off my medication. I still need to lose 40-50 pounds.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    daross16 wrote: »

    So tl;dr: What, in reasonable detail, did you do to lose weight?

    I ate less and moved more.

    58841349.png

    Reasonable detail:
    • I plugged my height, weight, age into MFP
    • I chose 1 lb a week loss goal
    • I weighed, measured, and logged all my foods
    • I paid attention to my macronutrients, aiming for close to the targets each day but especially making sure I got my protein in
    • I did not cut out anything
    • I started walking most days
    • I started a water aerobics class
    • A year later I started swimming laps.
    • I still do all of these and plan to for the last 25 lb I need to lose
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I'm a dude but here goes:

    I went to iifym.com and and used their online calculator to determine my average daily TDEE (total daily energy expenditure, the total amount of calories I burn on average) and subtracted 500 from that. That is my calorie goal.

    I weigh every single thing that goes in my mouth (I use measuring cups only for liquids) and I log it.
    I'm deliberate in my eating and make sure that I work delicious things I enjoy eating (actually, if I don't enjoy eating it, I don't).

    From there, I make sure I get enough fat (about .4 grams per pound of body weight) so that my hormone, skin, hair and joint health are properly supported.
    I also make sure I get lots of protein (at least .8 grams per pound of body weight but aiming for 1 gram per pound) because 1) I like it 2) it helps to preserve muscle mass while eating in a deficit and 3) I am engaged in a heavy lifting program and need the protein to support workouts and recovery.

    As for exercise, I do lift weights as I mentioned. However, this is not a real factor in the speed of my weight loss because I am eating more calories as a result (more exercise means higher TDEE which means I eat more so I'm losing weight at the same rate).
    It is a factor in making sure I retain as much muscle as possible while losing weight so that most of the weight lost is actually fat (many don't know that when you lose weight, you lose a certain amount of muscle along with the fat).
    I mainly lift so that I can get stronger, not to help weight loss.

    I don't do any cardio at the moment although I do plan to start training for another 5k (which will raise my TDEE so eating more food again and not speeding weight loss) just so that I'm in shape to run moderate distances in case of zombies. And because my dog prefers running to walking.

    That's all there is to it. I know how many calories I burn in an average day and eat fewer than that (making sure I'm totally accurate in my food log). From there, I eat for my other goals of health and strength by getting enough fat and protein.
    Because I eat fewer calories than I burn, I lose weight.


    ETA just kidding. I really just drink a lot of lemon water and sleep in a belly band and the fat just melts right off.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm a dude but here goes:

    I went to iifym.com and and used their online calculator to determine my average daily TDEE (total daily energy expenditure, the total amount of calories I burn on average) and subtracted 500 from that. That is my calorie goal.

    I weigh every single thing that goes in my mouth (I use measuring cups only for liquids) and I log it.
    I'm deliberate in my eating and make sure that I work delicious things I enjoy eating (actually, if I don't enjoy eating it, I don't).

    From there, I make sure I get enough fat (about .4 grams per pound of body weight) so that my hormone, skin, hair and joint health are properly supported.
    I also make sure I get lots of protein (at least .8 grams per pound of body weight but aiming for 1 gram per pound) because 1) I like it 2) it helps to preserve muscle mass while eating in a deficit and 3) I am engaged in a heavy lifting program and need the protein to support workouts and recovery.

    As for exercise, I do lift weights as I mentioned. However, this is not a real factor in the speed of my weight loss because I am eating more calories as a result (more exercise means higher TDEE which means I eat more so I'm losing weight at the same rate).
    It is a factor in making sure I retain as much muscle as possible while losing weight so that most of the weight lost is actually fat (many don't know that when you lose weight, you lose a certain amount of muscle along with the fat).
    I mainly lift so that I can get stronger, not to help weight loss.

    I don't do any cardio at the moment although I do plan to start training for another 5k (which will raise my TDEE so eating more food again and not speeding weight loss) just so that I'm in shape to run moderate distances in case of zombies. And because my dog prefers running to walking.

    That's all there is to it. I know how many calories I burn in an average day and eat fewer than that (making sure I'm totally accurate in my food log). From there, I eat for my other goals of health and strength by getting enough fat and protein.
    Because I eat fewer calories than I burn, I lose weight.


    ETA just kidding. I really just drink a lot of lemon water and sleep in a belly band and the fat just melts right off.

    I really love your snarky-ness. And in case of the Zombi-lypse, you might want to start your cardio training like...now.
  • larali1980
    larali1980 Posts: 162 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »

    ETA just kidding. I really just drink a lot of lemon water and sleep in a belly band and the fat just melts right off.

    LOL!! But don't forget to take your green tea capsules!
  • daross16
    daross16 Posts: 107 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm a dude but here goes:

    I went to iifym.com and and used their online calculator to determine my average daily TDEE (total daily energy expenditure, the total amount of calories I burn on average) and subtracted 500 from that. That is my calorie goal.
    I appreciate when people put what acronyms mean next to the acronym. Even though I have google but still!
  • alohajls
    alohajls Posts: 55 Member
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    I have lost 57 pounds since August 3 2015. I have at least 65 (maybe 85?) more pounds to lose. I try not to think about that too much, it seems inconceivable (in Princess Bride voice)!

    I went to my doctor and a registered dietitian to make sure I was healthy and not doing anything crazy.

    I eat a lot less than I used to, about 1250 calories a day, which is a big deficit, but I have wiggled it enough to make it very doable for me (protein and fiber are my friends). Everything gets weighed and logged, and I pre-log my days the night before. I travel a fair bit and sometimes I go up to 1500, sometimes 1800, but I mainly cook at home, so I am most often at 1250. This means I no longer eat a cake a day. Or a pie. Or a big container of ice cream. I still have sweets, but not in mass quantities the way I used to. My macros have settled into 40-30-30, which I find satisfying.

    I move a little more than I used to. I loathe the gym, but I have committed to doing 35 minutes of cardio 3 times a week (recumbent bike). Yes, I could/should probably do more, but I actually *do* this, so I'm sticking with it for now. I was lifting weights a bit, but aggravated a rotator cuff injury and now go to PT regularly, so weights are sidelined for a while. Maybe the day will come when I don't hate the gym as much (again, inconceivable)...we will see.

    I learned not to freak out when the scale does not move the way I think it should. I weigh myself most days and use weightgrapher.com to track.

    Persistence and consistency. What I am doing doesn't seem awful and torturous, so sticking with it seems very doable for the foreseeable future.
  • daross16
    daross16 Posts: 107 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm a dude but here goes:


    ETA just kidding. I really just drink a lot of lemon water and sleep in a belly band and the fat just melts right off.

    I couldn't imagine sleeping in something like that. My room goes from being frosty hell to fire hell all the time and I feel like I'd just wake up all gross an hot and uncomfortable
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    What exactly....IS....a belly band, anyway? Sounds horrendous.
  • daross16
    daross16 Posts: 107 Member
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    projectsix wrote: »
    Starved myself consistently, aimed for a protein goal, lifted in the gym consistently, did cardio consistently. Lost 100+ lbs, got fit.

    tumblr_nrnfklv4km1qkejxno1_500.gif
  • KathyApplebaum
    KathyApplebaum Posts: 188 Member
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    Exercise: run 4 miles 2-3x / week, bike 40-80 miles a week, lift heavy 2x / week

    Eating: cut out McD's fries, cut out candy bars, ate more veggies as snacks. Logged everything.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    larali1980 wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »

    ETA just kidding. I really just drink a lot of lemon water and sleep in a belly band and the fat just melts right off.

    LOL!! But don't forget to take your green tea capsules!

    Awe man!! I hope I don't plateau!!!
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    daross16 wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm a dude but here goes:


    ETA just kidding. I really just drink a lot of lemon water and sleep in a belly band and the fat just melts right off.

    I couldn't imagine sleeping in something like that. My room goes from being frosty hell to fire hell all the time and I feel like I'd just wake up all gross an hot and uncomfortable

    My rugged inherent manliness would never allow me to wrap such a contraption around my belly. Too much like a girdle.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    tara_means_star wrote: »
    What exactly....IS....a belly band, anyway? Sounds horrendous.

    Some bogus thing you wrap around your middle to melt the fat right off your belly.
    Three easy payments of 19.95.
  • daross16
    daross16 Posts: 107 Member
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    Okay getting off track
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    tara_means_star wrote: »
    What exactly....IS....a belly band, anyway? Sounds horrendous.

    Some bogus thing you wrap around your middle to melt the fat right off your belly.
    Three easy payments of 19.95.

    There is no way I'd be able to sleep in that. The things they come up with....sheesh.
  • mizzmercury
    mizzmercury Posts: 30 Member
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    I've lost 16 pounds since November by tracking all of my calories (in & out), eliminating the unnecessary liquid calories (soda, etc) from my diet, going to the gym 3-5 times a week (1 hour on treadmill doing intervals), weight training 2-3 days a week, and on the days when I go to the gym I usually do a YouTube video (usually either a total body workout or a video that is targeted at one specific area) or Daily Burn workout at home as well.

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