Another diet begins!

kelseyframe91

Hi. Thanks for clicking on my post. I'm 25 and done 2 major diets in my life. With both I got down to my ideal weight but all enthusiasm left me and went back to sqaure on with binge eating and little excersise. This time though I am determined to keep it off. Would love to hear some success stories or general chat and tips. Thanks

MelaniaTrump

Weight lost slowly is weight you can keep off for life
Drastic diets do not work for the long-haul.

SezxyStef

why not stop the diets and instead change your lifestyle where you can lose the weight and still eat the foods you love/want/crave and so when you are done losing weight you just increase the amount of food you are eating.

TeaBea

kelseyframe91 wrote: »

Hi. Thanks for clicking on my post. I'm 25 and done 2 major diets in my life. With both I got down to my ideal weight but all enthusiasm left me and went back to sqaure on with binge eating and little excersise. This time though I am determined to keep it off. Would love to hear some success stories or general chat and tips. Thanks

I've done this too. For me weight loss is hard, and maintenance is harder.

I didn't take maintenance seriously enough, it takes work. Find a balance with food and exercise. It shouldn't be drastic (as JanetYellen) pointed out. To keep the weight off we need to improve our habits for a lifetime.

For exercise find something you really like, keep looking until you find it. OR at least wear a pedometer (or fitness tracker) and aim to get "X" number of steps everyday. Staying active will give you some wiggle room for maintenance.

cross2bear

Hi kelseyframe91! I am at least double your age, so have had so much more time to learn from my mistakes! I have done pretty much every diet fad ever created in one form or another, but the ones that make me feel deprived, or restricted are the ones that end up being unsustainable, and I lose motivation because I cant see living a happy life with giving up some of the things that I love. So with Dukin and Atkins, there are limited carbs. With Weight Watchers, there was the public humiliation - and cost. Shakes, purges, fasts, pills, cleanses - only your wallet loses weight, with no significant effect. Honestly, the Calories In, Calories out makes the most sense to me logically, and I dont have to give anything up - I can still eat my mothers fabulous cheesecake as long as it fits in my calorie budget! Who Knew?!! I have also learned a great expression from visiting these boards and that is that you cant outrun a crappy diet. So this means that the most important aspect of losing weight is what you eat. Now, exercise is great for toning and muscles, but those of us who have disabilities can find even a walk causes difficulties, and I can attest to the fact that since October last year, I have not deliberately set out for a "walk" or picked up a weight. And yet, between living and eating, I have lost 63 pounds. I am over the moon. Really!!!

So here I am, a sedentary almost 60 year old woman, with a variety of health concerns, eating foods I enjoy and losing weight at a reasonable and satisfying rate of about 1.5 pounds per week, and I feel like I have finally found my key to successful eating.

I hope you find your eureka moment too, and that you can end an unhappy cycle of bingeing and dieting. You will learn lots from all the great folks here, and remember, they really do have your best interest in mind, and will be honest with you, so brace yourself!! Seriously, good, good advice and great folks - I am sure you will enjoy it!

Good luck!

ThunderZtorm

Don't do diets. Do permanent changes. You need to be able to sit after 3-4 weeks and say "I could do this the rest of my life, easily."

ReaderGirl3

SezxyStef wrote: »

why not stop the diets and instead change your lifestyle where you can lose the weight and still eat the foods you love/want/crave and so when you are done losing weight you just increase the amount of food you are eating.

This. Continue eating the foods you like-just eat less of them. Start accurately tracking your calorie intake, pay attention to portion sizes (use a food scale), and then stay within your calorie goal (MFP figures this out for you). That's all you need to do in order to lose the extra weight, and it's also a more sustainable method, for long term adherence

howekaren

I've gained and lost more that I care to think about, but I have managed to keep off about 50lbs (but could stand to lose another 50) for several years. Right now I'm overweight, but I'm living a pretty healthy lifestyle. I exercise at least 5 hrs/week, and in addition during the school year I play volleyball for 4 hrs/week. I eat a mainly nutritious diet of self-prepared (not cooked from boxes or restaurant) foods about 80% of the time. Weight loss is done in the kitchen, not in the gym. Health, however, is dependant on both food and exercise. Best advice: cook as many of your own meals as possible, track everything, keep your calories in less than your calories out, and find an activity you enjoy to get you moving as often as possible. Don't sweat the bad days, they'll happen. Just make sure that whatever you're doing, you can do of the rest of your life. The weight won't stay off if you return to the way you were eating before you lost it.

cathipa

Weight loss is temporary and fast weight loss is typically not sustainable. Weight maintenance is life long. I have found to lose I need to do something that I know is sustainable for life and I can adjust to my needs. Find what works for you and stick with it, but make it reasonable. Highly restrictive diets or avoiding certain macros is not something most people can do forever.

endlessfall16

OP, semantics aside, to succeed you can't get away from being more disciplined and doing some work with planning, management.

This isn't unlike working with money, credits.

Find your strength and weakness and use them. Work your eating habit into your lifestyle.


For example I am quite disciplined and somewhat can look a bit ahead. I don't want and won't change the fact that I like to eat out with family and friends. I don't like moderation or watching calories in those instances.

But I also know the fact that there are many "regular" meals next to these meals. I can create deficits with them. Easily.

My lifestyle (work, activities, habits) are contributive to fending off foods/snacking temptation.

Losing 25 lbs in nearly 3 months.

Ready2Rock206

Don't diet. You've already proven that doesn't work. Do something that lasts long term...

kelseyframe91

cross2bear wrote: »

Hi kelseyframe91! I am at least double your age, so have had so much more time to learn from my mistakes! I have done pretty much every diet fad ever created in one form or another, but the ones that make me feel deprived, or restricted are the ones that end up being unsustainable, and I lose motivation because I cant see living a happy life with giving up some of the things that I love. So with Dukin and Atkins, there are limited carbs. With Weight Watchers, there was the public humiliation - and cost. Shakes, purges, fasts, pills, cleanses - only your wallet loses weight, with no significant effect. Honestly, the Calories In, Calories out makes the most sense to me logically, and I dont have to give anything up - I can still eat my mothers fabulous cheesecake as long as it fits in my calorie budget! Who Knew?!! I have also learned a great expression from visiting these boards and that is that you cant outrun a crappy diet. So this means that the most important aspect of losing weight is what you eat. Now, exercise is great for toning and muscles, but those of us who have disabilities can find even a walk causes difficulties, and I can attest to the fact that since October last year, I have not deliberately set out for a "walk" or picked up a weight. And yet, between living and eating, I have lost 63 pounds. I am over the moon. Really!!!

So here I am, a sedentary almost 60 year old woman, with a variety of health concerns, eating foods I enjoy and losing weight at a reasonable and satisfying rate of about 1.5 pounds per week, and I feel like I have finally found my key to successful eating.

I hope you find your eureka moment too, and that you can end an unhappy cycle of bingeing and dieting. You will learn lots from all the great folks here, and remember, they really do have your best interest in mind, and will be honest with you, so brace yourself!! Seriously, good, good advice and great folks - I am sure you will enjoy it!

Good luck!

Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. Very encouraging for me to hear your advice. I'm focusing on WHY I'm losing weight and will think about that more when I reach my goal. And we'll done to yourself for your great achievement

kelseyframe91

cathipa wrote: »

Weight loss is temporary and fast weight loss is typically not sustainable. Weight maintenance is life long. I have found to lose I need to do something that I know is sustainable for life and I can adjust to my needs. Find what works for you and stick with it, but make it reasonable. Highly restrictive diets or avoiding certain macros is not something most people can do forever.

I think this is where my flaws lie. I crash diet for about 6 month to a year and can lose 3 to 4 stone in this time. Your so right to say that fast weight loss is not sustainable but hear I am hopefully 3rd time lucky. Thank you for your encouragement

flippy1234

SezxyStef wrote: »

why not stop the diets and instead change your lifestyle where you can lose the weight and still eat the foods you love/want/crave and so when you are done losing weight you just increase the amount of food you are eating.

Diets don't work. You need to make a lifestyle change that you can stick with. It has to be a forever thing. Not a 6 month to a year thing.