Need to lose 120 pounds

Veggie63

They say there are only two types of people, winners and quitters. I need help from falling off plan. I enjoy going to the gym but my aerobic work is limited by a recent Achilles surgery. I can ride an upright bike. I will be TRYING an elliptical this week but first time in about a year since injury. I really enjoy weight lifting. I eat healthy just too much. Anyone else with a large amount to lose?

mandykat42

I have about 95 to lose, so I'm with you!

Veggie63

So what do you find the hardest about it? What have you found to help the most?

seska422

IMO, it's easiest to stick to a plan when it's as close as possible to your normal way of eating.

I've lost about 110 pounds without exercise. Exercise is great but, for weight loss, the most important thing is to consume fewer calories than your body uses.

Log everything for a couple of weeks to build up some data. You can then go back through to see where you could eat smaller portions and/or substitute calorie-dense foods with other foods that you also like.

Veggie63

Thank you for your opinion! I agree, long term success is having your plan resemble your normal way of eating. I need to be aware of portion sizes. Fortunately I like a lot of fresh vegetables, so at least I shouldn't starve to death HA HA. How long did it take you to lose 110 pounds without exercise? I am so impressed! Congratulations! So are you where you want to be now?

Good idea to log in (perhaps without too much pressure) for a couple of weeks then review.

Well, going to go home to log and avoid Halloween candy. Thank you again.

ronjsteele1

seska422 wrote: »

IMO, it's easiest to stick to a plan when it's as close as possible to your normal way of eating.

I've lost about 110 pounds without exercise. Exercise is great but, for weight loss, the most important thing is to consume fewer calories than your body uses.

Log everything for a couple of weeks to build up some data. You can then go back through to see where you could eat smaller portions and/or substitute calorie-dense foods with other foods that you also like.

Logging first is an excellent idea. I did this for 2 weeks without changing my eating at all. I didn't worry about calories, etc. I just wanted to see how much I was REALLY eating. After that two weeks I did exactly what Seska said would happen. I looked back, saw exactly how much I was eating, saw where I could make changes, and then got started on a deficit. In my opinion, it has been so much easier to follow by doing it this way instead of jumping right in at a deficit first. It has made my choices much more conscious and much easier. Good luck!

seska422

Veggie63 wrote: »

Thank you for your opinion! I agree, long term success is having your plan resemble your normal way of eating. I need to be aware of portion sizes. Fortunately I like a lot of fresh vegetables, so at least I shouldn't starve to death HA HA. How long did it take you to lose 110 pounds without exercise? I am so impressed! Congratulations! So are you where you want to be now?

Good idea to log in (perhaps without too much pressure) for a couple of weeks then review.

Well, going to go home to log and avoid Halloween candy. Thank you again.

You're welcome.

I started at 285 about 20 months ago.

As for my goal, I don't know yet where I'll end up weight-wise but I'm aiming for a BMI range of about 25-27 which would have a midpoint of 156 pounds. I'm in no hurry to reach a goal weight range since maintenance will just be what I'm doing now with a few hundred more calories in my budget. I'm going to need to keep doing what I'm doing if I want to keep the weight off. That's why it was important to find a workable long-term plan that didn't leave me feeling deprived.

Slow and steady will get you there.

WendyLaubach

120 lbs. is daunting, but you can absolutely do it. I've lost 95 here in just under a year. No heroic exercise, almost entirely a question of calorie budget. For me the secret has been absolutely consistently daily logging and staying under my budget; I resisted the urge to think I could bust the budget for this, that, or the other "special occasion." I didn't log what I was eating before to get a baseline, but that sounds like a good idea. I just started out eating mostly the same food, but in sharply reduced portions. Gradually I adjusted the sort of thing that seemed important enough to budget for, leaving out things that were too expensive calorie-wise for the amount of enjoyment I got out of them. Anything I really, really want, though, I find room in the budget for, somehow, though often in a miniature serving-size. It took me a while to get used to small serving sizes, but it's no longer very difficult. I don't get hungry any more, either. One more thing: especially at first, I found it essential to pre-log my meals, that is, planning before I even served my plate. That way I could cut out a dish or adjust portions so everything would fit, instead of finding out after the fact that I'd blown the budget, a real morale-bruiser. I do best when I plan a whole meal, serve it, and know that when I'm done with it, that's it until the next meal. I don't do well grazing and improvising and snacking.

jvcjim

As you can see you are not alone. i'm down ~109 from my highest, ~45 since i joined MFP there is are several groups for people wanting to lose 100+ but the only one i found to be in current use is community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/115768-losing-100-pounds-naturally-no-surgery

i still have a couple of hundred to go.

Skyblueyellow

I have about 90 lbs to lose. I really enjoy the elliptical and now do it 4 times a week for 30-35 minutes but when I started I did a lot less. I would start with 10 minutes and just increased and now I've increased that time within just 2 months. I also started going around 3.5-4 mph and now I go between 5 and 6 mph (usually around 5.5). I noticed just last week that even with the increased speed and duration I was having a hard time elevating my HR as much as I wanted so yesterday I started increasing the resistance.

My point is: take is slow. Aim for 10 minutes going 3.5 mph with no resistance and see how you feel. Increase gradually. And remember--exercise isn't required for weight loss. Do what feels right for you!

Only_Today

I have been losing and gaining weight my whole life. Highest was 267. I am now down 27.1 lbs and still have just under 100 to lose. I had gotten down about 60 and put most of it back again. Now on MFP and really like the tracker with goals for various nutrients.

Tracking is key for me to keep accountability. And I began weighing daily and graphing it so I can see trends and know that I am accountable for what I put in my mouth. I have never liked this but for me, for today, it's working.

Change one small thing at a time. Allow it to become a habit. Hang in there and for me the most important thing is don't give up. If you don't give up you don't have to start again. One day at a time!!