Write just 1 tip which triggered your weight loss.

Unicornsandlove

What was the 1 thing which started your weight loss or helped you in losing weight?

I started losing more weight when I stopped having tea with milk and sugar rather than I take black coffee now.Those 3cups of tea would be around 400calories and without them I'm losing weight much faster than before.Duhhhh

rosebarnalice

When I logged honestly. When I don't log, I lie to myself about how much I eat

Erachma

Exercising: the only way to keep your metabolism going in a restrictive diet.

MaltedTea

My doctor threatened me with cholesterol meds 😳

richardgavel

What specifically started this round of loss? Ironically it was Covid. The need to avoid cabin fever got me walking on a daily basis and one walk turned into two turned into longer walks and tracking calories again.

Unicornsandlove

richardgavel wrote: »

What specifically started this round of loss? Ironically it was Covid. The need to avoid cabin fever got me walking on a daily basis and one walk turned into two turned into longer walks and tracking calories again.

Walks are definitely addictive.I started with one then I started going out twice and now I just walk inside my house all the time to complete my steps on fitbit.

Frodobaggins29

Low carbs, like really low and sugar free life style

Speakeasy76

rosebarnalice wrote: »

When I logged honestly. When I don't log, I lie to myself about how much I eat

Same. I tend to mindlessly snack, so just by tracking alone I became a more mindful eater.

AnnPT77

It's a stupid answer, but eating fewer calories (initially without counting them, just spitballing, for the first 28 pounds), triggered by looming health concerns (doctor threatening statins, cholesterol not dropping other ways, was the last straw).

Strudders67

My trigger was being diagnosed as diabetic type 2, three years ago this week. I was shocked. However, I was adamant that I didn't want medication and would sort myself out via diet - my GP gave me 6 months to prove I could lower my blood sugar number myself, otherwise I was going on to tablets. I knew I had to be serious about losing weight, instead of half-hearted attempts followed by resuming my previous eating patterns.

As to what helped - smaller portions. I've stuck to eating things I like, otherwise I'd be far more likely to give up. But I reduced portion sizes of calorie (and carb)-laden things like potatoes, pasta and rice and, instead, load my plate with more veg instead. Tracking everything I ate, honestly, on MFP was also key - it helped me keep tabs on my carbs as well as my calories. Losing weight whilst still enjoying my meals was a revelation - no need to deprive myself of entire food groups.

My blood sugar number has come down at each subsequent blood test and I'm now back to normal levels (not even in the pre-diabetes range) so I've never taken medication - and it's up to me to make sure I stay that way. Although I've lost a bit more since, I reached my target weight last March. In the interim two years, I learned what a proper portion size is for me as well as what keeps me away from the snacks cupboard and what doesn't.

Beautyofdreams

Last March when Covid lockdowns were beginning, I was so unhappy about many things in my life. I made a list of what I could not change and what I could change. I realized that I could control my weight.

I made weight loss a game with the rules being to log all food and exercise. I would actively seek solutions to keep me within calorie budget when eating out, eating with friends or not being able to go to a gym. Mini goals were set and non food rewards are given when I achieve a milestone. It keeps weight loss and increasing fitness or learning new skills fun .

riffraff2112

When I stopped mindlessly snacking. If I am hungry, I make a plate and sit down and eat it. No more just grabbing handfuls of whatever I find in the pantry.

DiscusTank5

Seeing 232 on the scale.

rosiekin

My trigger was dangerously high cholesterol, almost getting stuck in the bath and daily problems getting out of bed and walking downstairs after I had managed up.
I put my success this time down to my decision to cut out biscuits/cakes, sweets/chocolate and icecream. The result is 6 years plus in maintence and nearly 7 stone lighter.

Jruzer

Eating exercise calories

Luke_rabbit

I guess it was developing GERD. Silver lining. It hurt so much to eat that I didn't eat much. Then all the GERD rules helped, especially no food after dinner. Since my weight was already dropping, I figured it was a good time to get back down into all the XS/S/size 4 clothes that were put away. MFP made it easier than ever before to drop 20+ pounds, though!

huango

Not snacking at night is helping me lose weight.
I'm on day 24 of no LNS late night snacking.

It used to be a BAD problem.
1. I would seriously be eating my last bite of my dinner and am immediately thinking about what snack I would eat next.
2. Sometimes my day would be perfect in terms of number of calories and my macros, but as soon as it's late night, I start snacking like some alien took over my brain, eating 50-500 calories.

7rainbow

A couple things did, I was unhappy with my weight gain for a long time but what really kicked my butt to actually put the work in was not fitting in my favourite skirts. I love my clothing and my skirts are typically bought from unique little shops, there is no going back to buy a bigger size. I was distrot and decided enough was enough... I'm getting back in those clothes again!

autumnblade75

Spite. A friend joined MFP but only wanted the sort of encouragement you'd give a puppy who performed a trick. Her husband felt that informing her of the dangers of an overly-aggressive deficit was "mean and unhelpful" and added that I didn't have the physique of anyone who knew anything about losing weight, so I should butt out.

Since then, I've been doing fantastic with my weight loss efforts, and she keeps posting memes about how fat she is. He unfriended me.

It might not last. I don't really care about visible abs, and who knows whether both of us will survive the pandemic so that I might eventually rub either of their faces in it? Meanwhile, all the bad vibes feel very on-brand for 2020. What else was I doing with my time, anyway?

Wouldn't recommend it, even though it's working for me.

sijomial

The trigger was not being able to eat for a few days due to illness and not surprisingly I lost a bit of weight. That made me do some serious self-reflection.

The main thing was throwing away the excuse that it wasn't my fault I got fat and replacing it with the thought that is was totally my responsibility how much I ate. Instead of passive acceptance of my situation it changed into a series of active choices big and small.

Once you get your head straight the rest comes down to selecting methods to change your calorie balance using your particular strengths and mitigating your weaknesses.

LunaTheFatCat

rosebarnalice wrote: »

When I logged honestly. When I don't log, I lie to myself about how much I eat

This. 100%. Gaining awareness of the effects of some little chocolate biscuits versus a large plate of veg. I suppose I kinda knew already, but seeing it in numbers really opened my eyes.

LivingtheLeanDream

Logging calories - it was a game changer!

brittanystebbins95

When my ex boyfriend of 6 years cheated on and left me for my best friend of 10 years.
It had nothing to do with my weight, though. She was heavier than I was.

I came out a winner, though. I'm happier now than I've ever been. They did me a huge favor.

quiltngrandma45

I stopped eating breakfast, we don't get up till late so first meal of the day is lunch. That started the process . I only loss 4 lb so far but I have more energy and most important I feel good about myself.

SnifterPug

Switching from drinking lager to other alcoholic drinks (e.g. gin and diet tonic). That happened by accident on a cruise when I was tempted by the cocktails and drank no lager for the whole two weeks. I put on way less weight than I expected and deserved and I have not drunk a drop (of lager) since. The other big trigger was finding an exercise activity I enjoyed and thus finding a love of exercise. This made me want to lose weight so I could do more in the gym rather than just wanting to lose weight because I thought I ought to.

Lietchi

What actually triggered my weight loss? Being bombarded by Noom ads on Facebook. Not sure why I decided to actually start a trial there, since I was convinced weight loss wasn't possible - perhaps the approach that sounded different?
I ended the trial prematurely since I didn't enjoy the personal coaching side of it and looked for an alternative food logging app. I had zero confidence in the approach (yet again, not sure why I did it if I didn't believe it could work). But here we are 18 months later and I've lost 55lbs so far and now aiming to lose only some 'vanity lbs' after successfully going from obese (BMI 34) to borderline overweight. at the moment.

Tips for succesful weight loss: I intentionally chose a slow weight loss rate: I wasn't in a particular hurry and I was worried about loose skin. But choosing a slow rate of loss gave me a calorie goal that was very easy to follow (and I always ate back my calorie adjustments my step counter/fitness tracker gave me, so even more calories to consume).
Being very level-headed about weight fluctuations also helped a lot: I simply log them daily and look at the long term trend.
And also: I allow myself to eat anything I want, no foods are forbidden. Within my calorie goal, but also above my calorie goal sometimes: if I've banked calories, or for special occasions or simply because. I realise it might set me back a few days, but that's a consideration I make before deciding to eat more (pros and cons).

durhammfp

Seeing by fasting blood glucose slide over into pre-diabetic territory while watching my dad die of Alzheimer's disease, and then adding up all the people in my family who are diabetic (over half) and realizing how many end up with dementia (almost all of the diabetics...)

amoangelus

Stop skipping meals.

I never eat breakfast and somewhere along the way I stopped eating Lunch too and gaining weight. By adding lunch back in, I started loosing the weight because I felt more full for longer.

heybales

Pants being tight & finally having the time and past an injury to exercise again - and realized I couldn't do much at that weight without tearing the body up pretty quick (running & biking).
So started out the exercise slow and careful while losing the weight, getting back to point that allowed it to be more enjoyable as weight was lost.

The exercise did allow me to eat more so it didn't feel nearly as restrictive as the non-workout days did, with that knowledge the weekend workout would allow some treats, so always something to look forward to.

_Tristan_

I stopped drinking soda years ago and although I have one every once in a while that was the best decision.

425Recess

Moving frequently - I believe that getting up and taking short walks increases my metabolism and it seems to work. I can do that even in very busy days. But tracking to keep my focus is very important for me too.