What has worked best for you?

PaleoIsPossible

Hey everyone!

I'm just wondering - if you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to lose weight, what would it be? I'm curious as to what little tips and tricks are working for everyone else out there.

Thanks! :]

MDVOID

Hello

One would be to find foods that are healthier but that you like, if you dont like what you eat then there are problems, its about making the changes for good.

The second thing is to keep going on even if it there are a little bumps on the road, in time you'll be used to exercising regulary and to eat healthier.

John8188

I have been keeping track of everything and using my iPod and it has helped me so much. But if you are working out and don't lose alot of weight in a week dont get discouraged. Sometimes you gain muscle.

cynthiaj777

Honestly, it is eating between 900-1100 calories. I never eat the same amount every day (because it isn't possible but) because it doesn't put your body into a routine. Also, if I work out, I don't eat my workout calories.

I've found eating all 1200 calories makes the weight loss way faster. Eating under the recommended calories (normally 1200 a day for most people), makes me lose over a pound a week sometimes up to 2 lbs a week. Eating all 1200 calories I'll lose maybe a pound a week, but sometimes a little less than a pound a week.

I've lost almost 20 lbs since mid June. It works for me.

StacySkinny

Honestly the easiest thing you can do to lose weight is also the most frustrating and boring - log everything. Log every calorie that you eat and log your physical activity. It's insanely boring but will help you to lose weight if you're honest with yourself and keep accurate records.

RominaSullivan

I LOVE to eat!! so just thinking that when I work out I can eat more and still stay under my calories motivates me to get my butt to the gym!!! Also, like someone mentioned before, it's important to find yummy healthier foods.

Some people disagree with this but I feel it's worked for me: I let myself indulge in some delicious bad food once in a while (not very often and in much more moderation), because I've found that if I deny myself things "forever" I just feel frustrated and makes me want to quit all together. I'm learning to keep a balance so I can permanently be healthy: physically and mentally! I don't mind if some weeks I don't lose as much because of this. I'm not in a hurry to lose the weight and I rather stay happy :-)

Oh yeah.. and I log EVERYTHING, the good and bad every day.. it helps me to stay on top of things and figure out if it was even worth it to indulge. Most times realizing how many calories some of my indulgences have makes me not even crave them anymore. I hate to see those red numbers.

StacySkinny

Some people disagree with this but I feel it's worked for me: I let myself indulge in some delicious bad food once in a while (not very often and in much more moderation), because I've found that if I deny myself things "forever" I just feel frustrated and makes me want to quit all together.

I totally agree! For me it's totally ok to indulge every once in a while. Like you, if I think that I CAN'T have something then it makes me want it even more and makes me want to give up. But if I let myself have something that I want, but only in MUCH smaller amounts I can still budget it into my daily calories and still feel like I'm not depriving myself. To me, feeling deprived is the fast track to getting frustrated and giving up.

millerll

I'm glad you started this thread, as I've been meaning to address a similar topic for a while now. This post will be long and harsh. Faint of heart turn away. I see so many people on this site wondering why their efforts aren't paying off. When I review their logs, I see a lot of the following:

Not following the guidelines set out on this site. If you're not going to do what the site tells you, why bother? Granted, some people end up having to deviate a little to suit their own body types, but that's usually after they've been here for a while and had some time to figure out their own metabolisms. People seem to want overnight results, and after a week they're ready to give up. I believe it takes at least 2-3 weeks before you can say it's not working, more if you've just started. If you have a 100 cal breakfast, a 100 cal lunch, and a 900 cal dinner, that's not following the plan.

Second, people think they can go on eating the same crap they've always eaten as long as they hit their calorie goal. Um, no. You have to balance ALL the nutrients, not just calories. Just because you can make a Burger King lunch fit in your calories doesn't mean it's a good choice nutritionally. For the same amount of calories, you could have a decent serving of lean protein, some good veggies and fruit. Much more filling and better for you. I say it all the time: cut out the processed food and white carbs. No good will come of eating that stuff. Once in a great while is OK, but not every day. Just because you have calories left over every day doesn't mean you can fill those calories with ice cream. Maybe you should evaluate what you're eating the rest of the day and use those calories for something nutritious.

Thirty minutes of light screwing around on the elliptical 3 times a week is not going to cut it. You need higher intensity to get a benefit, and more often, and you need to add strength training to your routine for real results. Yes, you can lose weight on diet alone, but it takes a lot longer, is harder, and in the end you're just soft and thinner. Is that really your goal? Why not use your exercise time to get some real benefits, both in terms of strength and cardio? Some people just don't want to put in the time or effort. "It's too hard." Well, yes, it is. Welcome to the real world. It does get easier, however, if you stick with it.

"How can I stop eating ______." Ice cream, sugar, wine, whatever. Fill in the blank here. Um, just don't put it in your mouth. Don't buy it and you won't eat it. And if you do eat it, don't come on here whining about it. Own it, admit your mistakes, and vow to do better next time. It's all about accountabiity. Changing your life requires discipline. Discipline is learned over time, and often involves a lot of falls off the horse. You have to decide how badly you really want this and act accordingly.

I know this had been a bit of a slap in the face, and I sound like a smug know-it-all. I also make plenty of mistakes, and I've had to give myself a mental smack once in a while over the last few months. I also know that the demands of family and work make this whole process that much harder. Many people on this site have found ways to make it work. Emulate them. Have self-control, no matter how much it sucks. Admit your mistakes, own them and make them your own. Then fix them. You CAN do this. You WILL do this. That is all.

metizzy2

It's simple! Just burn more calories than you consume! Exercise and eat a balanced diet.

metizzy2

Some people disagree with this but I feel it's worked for me: I let myself indulge in some delicious bad food once in a while (not very often and in much more moderation), because I've found that if I deny myself things "forever" I just feel frustrated and makes me want to quit all together.

I totally agree! For me it's totally ok to indulge every once in a while. Like you, if I think that I CAN'T have something then it makes me want it even more and makes me want to give up. But if I let myself have something that I want, but only in MUCH smaller amounts I can still budget it into my daily calories and still feel like I'm not depriving myself. To me, feeling deprived is the fast track to getting frustrated and giving up.

I wish I could induldge. A little just doesn't do it for me, so I just avoid it all together. The longer I avoid the bad food, the less tempted I am to eat it.

AnnaPixie

Honesty, Consistency and Patience would sum it up, I think

weaklink109

Learning that all artificial sweeteners, including Splenda, cause me to crave carbs was an important step in maintaining my sanity and keeping the scale going in the right direction. This may not be true for some people, and for many others who are torturing themselves with carb cravings, figuring this out for themselves could make the process of weight loss a LOT easier.

If anyone thinks they fall in this category, try an experiment. Eliminate all artificially sweetened foods from your diet, that includes the packets of pink, blue, and yellow (I know Splenda is made from sugar-BUT in order to process it, they use chlorine, so it is no more "natural" than any of the others.)

There is one sweetener I do use, since it is plant-based. I use "Truvia" a brand name of Stevia sweetener, available in most grocery stores now.

After your week is up, see how your cravings are. If you still aren't convinced, re-introduce artificial sweetener into your diet for a day and see what happens later that day or the next day. It can be an eye-opening (and mouth closing) experience!!!

canstey

Ignore everything about speeding up/increasing metabolism and ignore everything about slowing it down (starvation mode and its ilk). Nearly everything about changing metabolism is either completely false, extreme exaggeration, or the wrong explanation of what is really going on with your body. Simply count your calories (and eat more natural and nutritious food, limiting processed food) and maintain your desired deficit. Everything else is a distraction and doesn't amount to a hill of beans difference in the end.