You lost weight & have maintained it. Did you focus on healthier foods or just restrict calories????

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  • NVintage
    NVintage Posts: 1,463 Member
    I messed up my stomach taking anti inflammatory medicines, and now trying no added sugars, just low fat lactose free dairy, and less gluten until my stomach gets better. I'm not enjoying it at all! I think it takes a lot of skill to make a healthy diet taste as good as an unhealthy one...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,023 Member
    I've always been active. I just had to eat smaller portions since I already ate a good mixture of good/high calorie foods and "junk food".

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  • NVintage
    NVintage Posts: 1,463 Member
    I think it's good if a bit of junk food here and there helps you adhere to healthy foods 80-90% of the time. As long as a once a month $5 Pizza Hut pizza won't turn into a once a week $5 pizza, and then an every other day pizza treat!:D
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    I replied earlier in the thread but this reply made me think of what is probably, actually, the biggest change in my diet:

    It has improved, but it has improved largely in terms of the fact that I used to eat a lot more 'junk' because it was convenient, rather than I particularly loved it. I STILL do the unhealthy stuff, but now that it is less frequent and in smaller quantities I am more likely to save it for what I really want and really, really like.

    I'm not going to the grocery store to get the brownie I mentioned in my previous post. It's not worth it. If I really want a brownie I'm going to the bakery and getting the really good one. It is more expensive both in money and calories, but since I'm not buying the kinda crappy one and eating three of them the overall cost (calories and money) is less, and the enjoyment is higher. It also means 'brownie' is a lower percentage of my overall diet.

    Or I buy the low cal ice creams and bars, but I only use them to throw/blend into my coffee. If I'm gonna eat ice cream I'm still getting the premium stuff. Just... not as often.
  • Olafiina
    Olafiina Posts: 14 Member
    I genuinely enjoy "healthy" food, I'll often choose to have carrot soup instead of chips just because I love it. But I'm not going to feel guilty for having ice cream several nights out of the week either since I know it fits into my day calorie wise as well. Basically I just go with what I like and fit in "fun" stuff with the aim of 1600-1800 calories on average, It's good enough I suppose.
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  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,043 Member
    A combination of diet and portion control. I still have my daily soda, just 12oz instead of 20oz, or two cookies instead of four. If I'm still hungry, that's where my diet change kicks in; thanks to my wife's insistence, I have added vegetables into my regimen, at first to be a "good role model for the kids" and later when I realized I actually have begun to enjoy the taste more as an adult than I did as a kid.

    In summary: same treats as before (just half sized), add vegetables. Other than that, I only have two daily dietary goals: eat enough protein, and overall calories at or below maintenance total. Otherwise I allow myself to eat whatever...pizza, fried chicken, hamburgers, etc. Just not typically the same day, as it's hard to meet calorie and protein goals if I do.
  • NVintage
    NVintage Posts: 1,463 Member
    edited June 2021
    I've been losing weight, (the last 5 pounds) without even trying since starting a gluten free experiment for my stomach issues. (I think I messed it up taking some anti-inflammatory pills). I wouldn't advise it if you're able to eat wheat with no problem because bread is high in fiber and usually fortified with iron and folic acid, etc. However, if there is any intolerance it can really help! I'm just going to keep limiting gluten for a month or so and then slowly try incorporating it back into my diet a little.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,008 Member
    NVintage wrote: »
    I know exercise is a huge part of maintaining weight loss, but how have you had to change your diet? Do you eat less the same foods or did you focus on eating healthier, more nutritious foods?

    Both...
  • dwayneb2020
    dwayneb2020 Posts: 18 Member
    edited July 2021
    Yes it's routine and boring but have always been an advocate of moderation in everything. I just make sure I have a diet that is varied and includes a fair share of fresh vegetables and fruits. Moderate portions. But also a fair share of carbs, and a modest number of sugary treats. Eat out (or takeout) one meal a week or so.

    I tracked calories for so long (years) here on FitnessPal during weight loss that I can estimate the calories of any meal without looking anything up or logging. Every once in awhile I will tally the actual calories and it's always 1800 - 2000, and that intake has maintained weight for a couple of years now.
  • mjglantz
    mjglantz Posts: 508 Member
    Over the time I was losing weight my diet changed (not on a diet...just changed the way I eat) to focus on more of a plant-based way of eating. Now I eat pretty much the way I have for over 7 years which is pretty healthy for about 80% of my meals/snacks. Except for some health reasons, no food is off limits although many are moderated. Still track my food every day because it works; basically second nature now.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I always ate healthy. I snacked in smaller portions. I upped my daily exercise.
  • greylover31
    greylover31 Posts: 2 Member
    For me, nothing is off limits. It’s about portion control and calorie restriction when necessary. I have come to love many vegetarian meals and eat lots of fruit! Caloric density is a measure I try to use which I learned during my year using Noom. I definitely treat myself WAY less than I used to but don’t remove any food I love just because it’s not “healthy”. I do not exercise obsessively. Walking as many steps as possible each day is my focus.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    to me these go hand in hand because if i don’t focus on healthy foods, my calorie allotment is used up more quickly each day. so i keep counting calories just upping to maintenance
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    Oh, hey, I am now maintaining it rather than still trying to lose a bit more. That's going well and, yeah, my diet is better than obese, but I'm sitting here eating a chocolate chip cookie today and ate cheese cake yesterday and Arby's Tuesday so I'd say definitely just calories for me.

  • 7sorok
    7sorok Posts: 112 Member
    I've been always eating healthy during the day, but evenings - that's another story. I'm a sweets addict and like any other addict have to use my willpower to stay away from them. I can't eat 1 healthy sweet snack in the evening (cakes, cookies, candies) - I will eat them all. So I have to stay away from them completely. But, I have my own snacks that are very satisfying for me - a piece of dark chocolate and a toasted carb balance tortilla every evening. I can have this every evening for month at the time and not get sick of it, but like every addict I go into binging faze once in a while and then, I'm putting on pounds.

    BTW, I keep my intake at 1200 cal - can't have more - I'm very short. Right now I'm coming off my binging, thank G-d, and I feel great and positive.
  • azuki
    azuki Posts: 38 Member
    edited August 2021
    i just eat whatever i want to eat at 1800 range (leaning more on non processed foods) no exercise unless i feel like it. been doing this for yrs, still 111lb 7%bf 5’4’’. dugg burger is amazing btw

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