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Which weight loss method is the most successful?
Replies
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I've been on quite a few 'diets' they failed.
What has worked for me is counting calories and playing around with macros and meal times so I feel satiated.
Also drumming into my head that it's a lifestyle not a temporary fix.
Something I can maintain and enjoy - being hungry and missing out on life because I'm dieting doesn't work.
I log it and move on.1 -
Habit, it is just another item on the daily to do list. Depending on how it is important to you.
First is defining what your fitness, health goal is and how your going to get there. What this looks like in practice.
Prepare food in advance everyday to ensure it falls within calorie allowance. Etc.
The doing tasks can become tedious, boring overtime. How do we keep meal prep and calorie counting fun and exciting? (Now that's a personality thing) 🤦🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️ maybe that's the thing..... calorie count andcmeal prep to suit your personality might = success....0 -
With so many different types of diets I would say the biggest key to success is you. If you are able to eat what you actually enjoy, maintain a calorie deficit and stay active your more apt to be successful.2
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Dirty Keto has been the most useful for me.
Turns out that making sure I had the right amount of healthy fat, protein and fiber was what my body needed to keep me from eating when I thought I wanted to.
IF has helped a lot to with reducing bloating, inflammation and pain which in turn has made my workouts better.2 -
Thanks for all the comments from everyone, it's good to hear all your opinions.
Next up is something that is likely to be controversial - in a recent study the "best diet" as they say is...
Vegan
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/1606711/Weight-loss-best-diet-vegan-plant-based-how-to-lose-weight-fast-study0 -
I don't have time to read an article right now, but the title (as parsed in the link) says "lose weight fast," which I think most of us here agree isn't optimal?6
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If losing weight fast is the success criteria then surely a concentration camp diet would be the "best"?
It's a sad reflection on dieting culture that results over a short period of time are defined as best.5 -
Thanks for all the comments from everyone, it's good to hear all your opinions.
Next up is something that is likely to be controversial - in a recent study the "best diet" as they say is...
Vegan
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/1606711/Weight-loss-best-diet-vegan-plant-based-how-to-lose-weight-fast-study
You asked what we think is most successful, not which diet has you lose the fastest. I see a lot of newbs on here thinking to lose fast. Those of us that have been around here a while know that's doomed to failure--yo-yoing and binging, if not an ED. I consul patience and going slow. It's not exciting and not click-bait, but tends to work long term.
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Lol, actually just commit a heinous crime and go to jail for awhile. Almost guaranteed weight loss.If losing weight fast is the success criteria then surely a concentration camp diet would be the "best"?
It's a sad reflection on dieting culture that results over a short period of time are defined as best.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Thanks for all the comments from everyone, it's good to hear all your opinions.
Next up is something that is likely to be controversial - in a recent study the "best diet" as they say is...
Vegan
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/1606711/Weight-loss-best-diet-vegan-plant-based-how-to-lose-weight-fast-study
Oh, good grief.
Back on page 1, I recommended the U.S. News and World Report comparison of diets article, for those who find they must pursue this "best diet" nonsense, as more sensible than average of its type.
This article from Express UK is about averagely sensible for its type, which is to say not very sensible at all.
Partly that's because of what others said above. If speed is the only criterion, amputating one's least favored limb is quicker (bring a tourniquet), and will last longer.
Partly that's because, well, there are obese vegans in the world, so something smells fish-substitute-y here. (I was an obese vegetarian myself, for decades. Now I'm a thin vegetarian. Almost as if eating mostly plants isn't magic, and it actually requires portion control, eh?)
Some people, when they dramatically increase plant food intake, will automagically lose weight, because the plant based eating style is more sating on lower calories than their previous eating style.
High likelihood that the effect won't last long term: Portion creep will happen eventually, or they'll crave their old way of eating and slip back to those habits. (The latter outcome is common with any force-fit revolutionary change in eating style: eating in a less personally pleasant eating style takes "will power" and "motivation". Those don't last forever, and successful weight management requires forever.)
On top of that, pedantically speaking, "vegan" isn't a "diet". It's more comprehensive, encompassing choices in all life areas that minimize animal harm to the extent practical. The eating style alone, without the ethical frame, is more accurately called "fully plant based" or some similar term. Veganism for sure isn't a "diet" in the sense of "designed to achieve weight loss".
I didn't look for the underlying study. I don't necessarily question methodology in this case, more motivation. There are vegan advocacy organizations (not to mention vegan-products promoters) that foster this sort of thing as advocacy marketing, to persuade others who might be less morally inclined to it, to adopt vegan practices, or to buy their faux meats.
Making converts is a virtuous way of further reducing animal harm, and they've convinced themselves that fully plant based eating inherently improves health, too. If all that's true, evangelizing and making new converts is high moral imperative, a way of doing good in the world, a duty, even. 🙄🤷♀️8 -
noom is just a fancier version of MFP.
I personally think MFP (or other calorie counting app) is the most straight forward but I recognize it's not for everyone
I think it can be really unhealthy (mentally) for a lot of people.
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I've said it before and I'll keep saying it, IMO the best diet is really good therapy.
Weight loss is all about behaviour, and really effective therapy is great for permanently modifying behaviour. Also, eating is a profoundly emotional experience, and maladaptive eating patterns typically have an emotional maladaptation basis: stress, comfort, lack of motivation, family of origin eating patterns, etc.
If someone has a really healthy relationship with food, eating, and their body, then eating for health becomes pretty easy, no complicated rules required.3 -
Here's some research into intermittent fasting (well, kinda fasting since you are allowed some food on the two consecutive days per week vs fasting (again, with food) for one day per week). The people who have two fasting days have an increased intake for the other 5 days a week so the average intake is the same for both groups.
The group doing two days/week of reduced intake (roughly 1/3 normal intake) had an average loss of 7.1 kg vs 4.6 kg , which is a 7.1% vs 5.2% reduction in weight. The study was for 4 weeks.
So if you can handle two consecutive days of eating 1/3 of your normal intake you might want to try this and get a 36% boost in weight loss. I wonder what effect adding vegan would have as well.
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-022-00790-00 -
Just do it. That’s it. Same for quitting smoking. Face reality. Do the work. Intermittent fasting, keto, vegan, noom, mfp — doesn’t matter what tools you use, you just have to commit to your health. It’s really, really hard. You have to focus on it, develop good habits. Forgive yourself for failing, keep trying. MFP is a really useful FREE tool to help folks stay focused, aware, motivated, but it comes down to you choosing every day to be as healthy as you can in ways that are doable and sustainable.3
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The most successful is the one you stick to and that’s different for everyone
Myself it’s following weekly deficits so I can enjoy my weekends. Also I just naturally eat 16:82 -
Define successful? Is it just to reach a goal weight? IMO, successful would be to lose and STAY there. But so many reach goals then regain. So is that considered a successful method or temporary fix?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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the one that works for you1
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My vote is for my two weight loss programs.
The first weight loss program is called summer. This is the most wonderful time of the year for losing weight, because it brings a smaller appetite AND more chances to exercise. Maintaining a calorie deficit is so easy.
The second weight loss program is called the No Junk Food Diet. I've been on this program for over 2 years. It consists of ditching the junk foods and restaurant foods and eating only real foods instead. Yes, I've increased the quantity and variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and probiotic foods in my diet. My motivation wasn't my weight, my figure, or my blood cholesterol. Instead, I need all the immune system support and anti-inflammatory support I can get.
My No Junk Food Diet works wonders at enhancing summer weight loss AND reducing winter weight gain. Getting back to what I weighed in March 2020 would require gaining 30 pounds. Even at my peak weights of the early spring of this year and last year, I was still nearly 20 pounds short of my pre-pandemic weight.0 -
Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
I did my best to log what I ate and burned and stay within my calorie goal.
As been said repeatedly, the best method is the one you can stick with.
(And not put you in the hospital in the meantime.)
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Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?0 -
BuellerFerrisBueller wrote: »Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?
Your personal experiences and circumstances do not apply to everyone.
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BuellerFerrisBueller wrote: »Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?
If it's too cold or windy or rainy, I have an inside. I have exercise dvds or some people use youtube or belong to gyms. Just because I can't get outside to walk doesn't mean I have to sit on my *kitten* and do nothing.
I also don't have to deal with icy streets or anything so I can just put on a warm jacket.
Are you looking to not gain weight during the winter? Since you don't log and you're exercising less, you also have to eat less.
Also, you said something a bit concerning. You literally said restaurant food wasn't real which is just...an unhealthy attitude in itself. I'm sure you've saved a lot of money not going to restsurants but wth do you think they're serving you?
Even McDonald's has salads! 😀
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SuzySunshine99 wrote: »BuellerFerrisBueller wrote: »Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?
Your personal experiences and circumstances do not apply to everyone.
Not to mention, THIS. 3 -
BuellerFerrisBueller wrote: »Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?
As has been mentioned, your personal experiences and circumstances don't apply to everyone.
Weather varies according to location.
And exercise choices vary too.
20 degrees F is pretty rare here. And I'd rather do my walks and hikes when it's cold than when it's 80+ degrees.
Most of my exercise is indoors anyway. And again, I much prefer the colder weather than hotter. My treadmill runs are a lot less pleasant now than in winter, even in my relatively cooler garage.
As for appetite, weather obviously influences you a different way than it does me. The weather influences the types of foods I eat, but not my really my appetite. Only heat waves take away my appetite a little, which is only a small part of summer.2 -
During lockdown it was around 0C and I worked out outside. You get used to it and 5 min into the workout I was sweating and had to take off my sweater.
The other day it was 30C and while there were fans cooling the gym down, I was a sweaty mess 5 min in. I had to take ofr my shirt and even in tiny leggingshorts and a sportsbra I was dying to take stuff off because I wasn't cooling down.
My winter workout ended up more intense and effective. When lockdown was lifted it was 15-20C inside the gym so perfectly pleasant temps to work out in.
As for food, my appetite is as cyclical in winter as it is in summer. I have seen no difference while logging. And because Christmas and other holidays are no big deal, the meals fit just as nicely into my calorie allotment as summer meals do. I never gained more weight during winter than summer. I gained more weight whenever I stopped exercising and/or my mental health took a hit, which often coincide.
Best diet for me was to up my fruit intake to a normal level, which helped me crave sweets less. Exercise did the rest.3 -
BuellerFerrisBueller wrote: »Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?
As has been mentioned, your personal experiences and circumstances don't apply to everyone.
Weather varies according to location.
And exercise choices vary too.
20 degrees F is pretty rare here. And I'd rather do my walks and hikes when it's cold than when it's 80+ degrees.
Most of my exercise is indoors anyway. And again, I much prefer the colder weather than hotter. My treadmill runs are a lot less pleasant now than in winter, even in my relatively cooler garage.
As for appetite, weather obviously influences you a different way than it does me. The weather influences the types of foods I eat, but not my really my appetite. Only heat waves take away my appetite a little, which is only a small part of summer.
Bueller said "20 below" which I bet is even rarer than 20 degrees F
Since I moved back to Massachusetts from South Florida 11 years ago, I can't recall a daytime temp in the negative.
I was once a little chilly walking at 17 degrees F, and that was my own fault for not dressing properly.
The high was 91 degrees here today and I was really limited in my ability to be outside as the heat made me nauseous - and that was when it was still in the 80s.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »BuellerFerrisBueller wrote: »Sometimes I really miss the disagree button.
I did the complete opposite of @BuellerFerrisBueller. I tried to stay in a deficit through all the seasons, didn't exercise any less or more depending on said season, and definitely didn't give up "junk" food.
How do you get as much exercise when it's 20 below as you do when it's 80 above? And how can enough food for 80-degree weather be enough food when it's 20 below?
As has been mentioned, your personal experiences and circumstances don't apply to everyone.
Weather varies according to location.
And exercise choices vary too.
20 degrees F is pretty rare here.
Bueller said "20 below" which I bet is even rarer than 20 degrees F
Oops, my brain probably skipped that part since that really doesn't happen here, last time it was that cold was probably the Little Ice Age 😁
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Thanks for all the comments from everyone, it's good to hear all your opinions.
Next up is something that is likely to be controversial - in a recent study the "best diet" as they say is...
Vegan
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/1606711/Weight-loss-best-diet-vegan-plant-based-how-to-lose-weight-fast-study
FWIW I spent a lot of time with dozens if not hundreds of vegans during my three years living in yoga communities. We talked about veganism a lot. They were all ethical vegans - not a single one was vegan in order to lose weight.0 -
Ferris, you're funny. I've enjoyed it. I see.
I was born for colder weather. I simply take it back outside, 12 months out of the year.1 -
I'm in southern california and the coldest it gets at night is maybe around 30 degrees F?
But, yeah, my cheapo knock off down jacket from Walmart does a good job of keeping me warm. Securing the hood part sucks tho.
The only things that truly keep me from my usual walks outside are if it's raining hard or it's reeeeeeeeeally windy out. And even then...
I have a balance problem so sometimes need to stop, get my bearings, and then move on.
Or when I had severe abdominal pains. Walking on concrete was a nono and again, even then, I went so stir crazy being in my apt for so long, I still took a very slow 20 min walk to go get my nightly diet coke.0
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