Weight Loss Strageties

0atmeel

One of my goals is to lose weight. I am tracking my calories again, and trying to get 10k steps per day. I want to lose around 20-30 lbs. I am 45 and weigh 205. What are some of your strageties that helped you lose weight? How often did you hop on the scale?

xbowhunter

Male age 55
Height 5'7'
My starting weight on Aug 31 2023 was 181. 30lbs overweight.
Goal weight 150lbs.
Hit my goal weight end of October 2023.
Current weight 145lbs to 150lbs.
Counted calories keeping it to around 1500 calories per day. Walked the dog 4 to 5 times per week about 30min each. Nothing crazy exercise wise.

For me watching my calorie intake is what worked for me and it's allowing me to maintain today.

NCGOALIEMOM

I weigh in grams every morsel that goes in my mouth and log it so there is zero guesswork on what my intake is. I weigh everything because I learned that measuring isn’t accurate. My vegan butter was a great example. It said a serving was 1 tablespoon or 32 grams (I don’t remember the exact number of grams just using that number as an example) and is 120 calories. For years I measured it out in a tablespoon. One day I decided to put it into the tablespoon on the scale and weigh the grams. 32 grams was slightly more than 1/2 tbsp!! So for years, I was essentially eating double the calories! Manufactures aren’t always accurate on weight vs measurement and all of their calories are based off of the weight.

ddsb1111

NCGOALIEMOM wrote: »

I weigh in grams every morsel that goes in my mouth and log it so there is zero guesswork on what my intake is. I weigh everything because I learned that measuring isn’t accurate. My vegan butter was a great example. It said a serving was 1 tablespoon or 32 grams (I don’t remember the exact number of grams just using that number as an example) and is 120 calories. For years I measured it out in a tablespoon. One day I decided to put it into the tablespoon on the scale and weigh the grams. 32 grams was slightly more than 1/2 tbsp!! So for years, I was essentially eating double the calories! Manufactures aren’t always accurate on weight vs measurement and all of their calories are based off of the weight.

I’m so happy you wrote this. In the last post you said CICO doesn’t work, but the problem is usually the case you described, people are eating more than they think. Fix the human logging error and you’ll see CICO works every time because it’s not a weight loss strategy, it’s the laws of physics. Honestly, well done changing strategies from measuring to weighing! Good luck to you.

sortiz1965

I've lost 85 lbs over the last year and a half. Three strategies that worked for me:
- I checked my testosterone level and it was low, so I get weekly injections (I'm 58, btw).
- I used Weight Watchers for tracking.
- Bought a Peloton treadmill (the smaller one) and used it religiously.

The Peloton is truly a wonderful eco-system, with tons of classes. For cardio I do primarily hikes and power walks, 20 - 30 minutes. I also do free weights (25 lbs dumbells) and a number of core exercises, including an ab wheel. As my strength and muscle mass have increased, I recently bought a 20 lb vest to wear as I do weights and core. Really adds another level to a workout.

I started using the Apple Watch for tracking activity, then switched to a Wahoo arm band but now use a Garmin vivoactive 5 watch, which is fantastic.

I am considering switching from WW to MFP, so tracking with both for now.

Corina1143

I found ways to eat what I like, lower calories in a way I liked and could live with for the rest of my life.

Easy example. Fried chicken with EITHER mashed potatoes and gravy OR fried okra OR cornbread. Not all 3 at one meal. Add a salad, no dressing, or green beans, or broccoli, or all 3. And not every day--occasionally. Baked chicken is good, too.

spiriteagle99

Avoiding eating out can make a big difference in losing weight and keeping it off. I still go out, but a lot less often and I pay attention to what I am ordering and the calories listed on menus.

I lost 55 lbs. about 12 years ago and have maintained that loss, largely by being very active. I do it partly for weight reasons, partly for health reasons, but mostly for my mental health. I find I am much happier if I get regular exercise. I have a dog who needs his daily walks and I became a runner. My mood is always better after a good run or other exercise session. It makes it easy to stay motivated when I see the difference in the way I feel. Being retired, I have time to focus on the things that make me happy, like running and walking.

AnnPT77

Some of my general strategies:

* Figure out ways to make a sensibly moderate calorie deficit easier to live with, rather than trying to lose weight fast.
* Find and practice ways to change my routine habits (eating and activity patterns) that I felt I could continue forever to stay at a healthy weight long term.

I think too many people treat weight loss as a quick project with an end date, after which things go back to normal.

I think too many people choose trendy diets or exercises - maybe extreme ones - rather than looking for choices they can live with long term.

I think too many people believe myths, like one always has to "eat clean" or never eat treats, or that moderate exercise isn't helpful, etc.

I think too many people expect big, quick, consistent results. That isn't how it works in real life, so they often get discouraged and give up.

I weigh myself every morning, after bathroom, before eating/drinking anything, in the same state of (un-)dress every time. It's just data, my body's momentary relationship with gravity, not a measure of my worth as a human being. I'd actually begun doing that years before I committed to lose weight, because I'm a data geek. When I did start calorie counting, I was grateful for the knowledge I'd gained from that about my own personal body's weight fluctuations.

Daily weighing isn't for everyone, though. If it leads to anxiety or obsession, that's a negative.

0atmeel

xbowhunter wrote: »

Male age 55
Height 5'7'
My starting weight on Aug 31 2023 was 181. 30lbs overweight.
Goal weight 150lbs.
Hit my goal weight end of October 2023.
Current weight 145lbs to 150lbs.
Counted calories keeping it to around 1500 calories per day. Walked the dog 4 to 5 times per week about 30min each. Nothing crazy exercise wise.

For me watching my calorie intake is what worked for me and it's allowing me to maintain today.

Good to know and a great starting point for myself. This is attainable.

lisakatz2

I'm currently losing weight tracking my calories and macros and going for a brisk walk for at least a half hour every day (usually an hour). I factor in sweets if I want them, but because I pumped up my protein and fat I crave sweets a lot less. So far I've lost 5 pounds a one and a half inches off my waist. I'm 61, five foot four inches and currently weigh 195. So far I've been losing one pound a week.

xbowhunter

lisakatz2 wrote: »

I'm currently losing weight tracking my calories and macros and going for a brisk walk for at least a half hour every day (usually an hour). I factor in sweets if I want them, but because I pumped up my protein and fat I crave sweets a lot less. So far I've lost 5 pounds a one and a half inches off my waist. I'm 61, five foot four inches and currently weigh 195. So far I've been losing one pound a week.

Excellent progress!

lisakatz2

xbowhunter wrote: »

lisakatz2 wrote: »

I'm currently losing weight tracking my calories and macros and going for a brisk walk for at least a half hour every day (usually an hour). I factor in sweets if I want them, but because I pumped up my protein and fat I crave sweets a lot less. So far I've lost 5 pounds a one and a half inches off my waist. I'm 61, five foot four inches and currently weigh 195. So far I've been losing one pound a week.

Excellent progress!

Thank you so much, bowhunter! I am so excited about this journey! 190, here I come!

neanderthin

I lost 65 lbs with a low carb and ketogenic diet after a few years of finally realizing the problem I had was with sugar, and until I got rid of pretty much all sugar and sweeteners nothing else worked and not from the lack of trying.

westrich20940

I lost ~25lbs by --- tracking my calories (prioritized hitting protein goal - didn't mind being over on anything. Very often over on fat lol). I calculated my TDEE (and used Sedentary as my activity level just bc I have a desk job and I planned and did log my intentional exercise also on MFP). I just calculated my TDEE and then chose a calorie goal less than that and above my BMR --- as a short/sedentary person I didn't have much wiggle room.

Activities of choice: running and hiking --- at first I used a Polar HRM (chest strap with wrist watch) to use as one source of calorie burn data, used my RunKeeper app as another and honestly just manually chose a calorie burn between the two. Then I just moved to just logging the calorie burn from my RunKeeper app bc it was usually a bit less so it just gave me a bit of room for error. Bc nothing that we log is gonna be exactly perfect.

I was consistent - definitely prioritized cooking at home and prioritized eating my calories in the day - even if I didn't 'feel' hungry.

As I lost weight and my mileage increase --- I did eventually just switch to calculating my TDEE and included my general physical activity (I was likely somewhere at the lower end of 'moderately active' then) and just ate that.

Biggest thing for me IMO was that I learned what emotional eating was and what real hunger was and decided to actually listen when my body was telling me to feed it. So now, even though I'm less active due to all kinds of reasons (normal - sick, injured, holidays, seasonal sads, then maybe didn't get back to the typical level of activity) -- and have gained a bit....I still seem to stay within a 10 or so lb range ---