How did you lose weight?

strivingforjoy

How did you lose weight? How many calories did you eat? What foods did you eat? How much water did you drink? How much did you work-out? Did you work as well? How did you stay positive and motivated? How long did it take you? Why did you lose weight?

trogalicious

so.. in order:

calorie deficit.
how many calories I eat won't matter or work for you.
I ate food. real food.
I drank some water.
I worked out some.
it took a little while.
because I was fat.

JustSomeEm

so.. in order:

calorie deficit.
how many calories I eat won't matter or work for you.
I ate food. real food.
I drank some water.
I worked out some.
it took a little while.
because I was fat.

This!

Don't compare your journey to others. You are you, I am me, Trog is Trog. We're all different. Good luck.

tcicc009

I am good at losing weight, but also good at gaining weight (unfortunately). So a lot of yo-yo weight for me, but at least I have gotten good at losing it.

I am in my 40s and find that if I cut my fat grams down really low and eat a lot of carbs and a lot of protein, that I can lose about 2lbs a week and still eat about 1600-2000 calories a day, with just some very moderate exercise.

But I've found that intense exercise is COUNTERPRODUCTIVE to weight loss. If I exercise too hard, I get voracious appetite and I gain, rather than lose the lbs. Just something to consider although it could be different for different people. But I lose weight the best when I am just doing maybe 1 hour walks instead of 6 hour hikes in the mountains. Just keep it low intensity and an hour or two and seems to work best..at least for me.

trogalicious

so.. in order:

calorie deficit.
how many calories I eat won't matter or work for you.
I ate food. real food.
I drank some water.
I worked out some.
it took a little while.
because I was fat.

This!

Don't compare your journey to others. You are you, I am me, Trog is Trog. We're all different. Good luck.

.. agreed. We are all different. The only similarity is how to lose weight. Calorie deficit. There is no "I lose because I eat clean" or "I lose because I eat filthy" or even a "I lose because I only do spartan races."

There's a "I lose because I'm burning the appropriate amount of calories for me" though.. and that's the only one that matters.

SmartAlec03211988

How: Consumed less than I burned.
How many calories: ~1750 + exercise calories (so around ~2100 on exercise days)
What food I eat: Anything and everything I want.
Water: 75-150 ounces.
Worked out: 5 days per week, alternating between cardio and strength training
How to stay positive and motivated: Didn't set high expectations.
How long: 11 months.
Why: Because I was fat.

NaomiJFoster

I decided to try losing weight because it was giving me high blood pressure, and I was getting high blood-sugar readings, and I was beginning to lose some flexibility and energy levels.

I just did what MFP told me to do, lol. I entered my age and weight and activity level. I did change some of my settings for Carb/Fat/Protein goals. But then I just did that. I do exercise, and I do eat back my exercise calories.

I've lost 32 pounds in almost 1.5 years. Which is technically probably quite a lot slower than most people would want, and is slower than what I see from a lot of people on here. But considering that I didn't really expect much in the way of results anyway, I'm super happy with this.

My daily calorie goal is 1450 calories, and I have my macros set at 45% carb, 25% fat, 30% protein.

I do drink a lot of water. But that's mostly because I live in the desert and drinking a lot of water is just a way of life here. It's not something I started doing to help with weight management.

Staying positive and motivated? I don't really think about that. This is just sort of fun, plugging numbers in and seeing how to mix and match carbs/fats/proteins to make them come out to what I want. It's like finding the right piece of the puzzle, for me.

geebusuk

I've lost around 2lb/week by eating an average of around 1000 calories less than I burn.
I've eaten whatever I fancy providing it meets my calorie and macro goals.
At least .8g/lb of body weight for protein.
Pretty much never drink water on it's own. I drink squash, coke zero and other similar drinks when I'm thirsty.
I lift weights to help reduce muscle loss.
I also follow a 'leangains' approach where I eat more on weights days - but I wouldn't worry too much about that.

muzichick

Some general tips from me:

I try to choose protein over carbs for meals and snacks. I avoid pasta, rice, bread, and potatoes whenever possible (I have been slacking here in the last week, and my weight loss has really slowed down, so I need to kick myself in the behind, and get back on track). I have my protein target set at 35%, carbs at 35% and fat at 30%.

I try to eat clean, and cook food myself. I spent the last few days batch cooking for the freezer, so I have convenient and healthy meals to grab when I don't have time to cook. I focus on quality foods over quantity.

I swapped out salty chip snacks for salted almonds. They have crunch and salt, and for 20 almonds, it is only ~135 calories.

I try to pair protein and fibre at every meal and snack.

I eat low fat dairy, but only when it makes sense. I don't eat those 35 calorie yogurts, I eat 0% plain greek yoghurt. I eat fat reduced cheese as well (Mmmm).

I try not to eat more than one serving of anything at a sitting. I put one serving of things onto a plate/into a bowl, put everything away, and eat my serving. Very rarely do I actually wind up going back for a second serving.

I am also kind and forgiving with myself. I am not always going to be 100% compliant with my goals, but I aim for 90%. If I want something, I generally eat a small portion of it, track it, and move forward. If I completely deprive myself, I wind up going overboard, and eating too much the next time.

I pack easy snacks in my purse, so I always have something to eat. I keep a baggie of almonds, and a protein bar in my purse. I also took a piece of brie with me to the mall the other day, so I wouldn't be tempted by the cinnamon buns that they make.

I have a fitbit, and I am trying to get to 10,000 steps a day, but I consistently get to 5,000+

I have cut out alcohol, except for a few times a month.

When I think I am hungry, but I am not sure, I try to drink some water, and wait 20 minutes. Some of the time, I find that I wasn't really hungry. I try not to eat, if I am not hungry. On the flip side though, I try to eat about every 4-5 hours, because if I wait until I am starving, I don't make the best choices.

I don't drink diet pop, or juice very often, nor do I drink milk either.

I hope that helps

trogalicious

also: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

NaomiJFoster

Also....

And I go out for a large restaurant meal frequently. About once a week. I try to choose semi-wisely off the menu, but I don't dwell on it very much at all. I indulge. And I enjoy it. I also eat movie theater popcorn once a week. And the occasion birthday cupcake (I teach preschool, the kids' parents bring in treats for their birthdays...Who am I to decline to celebrate a small child's birthday with them?). I like special treats and meals. I will not cut them out. I've just learned to keep those things at a reasonable (for me) occurrence/rate, and I've adjusted portion sizes in other areas of my food intake. Balance. To me it's all about balance.

dakotababy

I eat primarily by eating less and moving more. My calorie goals variety while I was trying to figure things out. My lowest was 1300/day....and when I got fed up with my hair falling out and not losing weight, I increased my calories according to my Bodymedia Armband (which varies anywhere from 1800 calories on a lazy day to 2300 on a really good day). I eat EVERYTHING. I have not eliminated any foods from my diet. I typically eat breads, cheese, fruits, salads, meat, cereal, milk, pasta, yogurt...occasionally I will have pizza, fast food, chocolate, chips, popcorn. I rarely drink pop...though I often drink it when I go out for supper.

My water intake varies. I think I drink a lot more than I did when I first started...I honestly do not keep track. I always have water with me in a glass or water bottle at work. I guess about 3-4 bottles a day? I workout minimum 2x a week. I typically do cardio, because it is easier to do at home. I often do resistance through resistance bands/dumb bells. I do have a gym membership, though I find I do not use it as much as I could.

I stay positive by knowing that no matter what - as long as I keep going as much as possible...I will eventually lose all the weight. It is not a matter of "if" it is "when". I have been at this since June 2012 and have lost 62lbs. I dont recall what exactly triggered me to lose weight. My mom told me about MFP and I was essentially hooked.

CorlissaEats

I used an independent site to figure out my TDEE and BMR. I set my calorie goal to only 500 cal less than my TDEE and never ate less than my BMR. That got me down about 25 lbs.

The last 7lbs, my diary is set to my sedentary TDEE at 1930 calories. I try to eat less than that number but not by much. I exercise 2-4 times a week and dont eat back my calories unless the week comes to more than 4hrs of exercise. I dont feel guilty if I go over, after all I dont usually hit a number that is greater than my burn. My average burn is about 550 cals greater than my sedentary TDEE.

I eat what I want. I aim for over 100g of protein per day and try to keep my carbs around 200g. I could care less about my fat # because most of it comes from healthy fats. I am on a restricted diet due to food allergies which cuts a lot of crap naturally but if it doesnt contain an allergen then its free game within the macro framework.

I think knowing your TDEE and BMR is one of the most important things. If you have a functional metabolism you will lose weight as long as you consume less than you burn. There is also such a thing as eating too little. There is a sweet spot between your TDEE and BMR that will give you consistent long term results. I've lost 1lb/week on average for over 5 months by making sure I eat enough, being patient with the scale, and trying to be active 4 times a week. It lets me eat around 1800-2000 calories which allows for treats and extras which sustains you in the long term.

2nd most important thing: Pre-log your day. Knowing your intake plans allows you to adjust. If I want an afternoon snack or to go out for lunch with a co-worker, I can figure out how much I can cut from dinner to make it work within the goal. I never skip a meal, I just adjust portions.

I made changes to my lifestyle, I did not go on a diet. The things I do now are things I will continue once I have reached my goal weight.

I drink a 6 cup pot of tea each day because I struggle to drink enough water, no sweetener. And then I try to have at least 2 cups in the evening. I get a lot of water from food so 8c seems to be enough for my body.

I'm still working on losing weight, just past half way there now. I started this journey because my doctor suggested I try it to see if it lessened my symptoms. I work with him and a naturopath on my ongoing health issues and they think I am going about it in a healthy way.

cwolfman13

Well, I entered all of my stats and whatnot into this calculator called MFP...I selected a reasonable rate of weight loss and this calculator calculated a calorie goal for me. It's pretty cool because it kinda does all of this work for you, all you have to do is adhere to your calorie goal.

I also took the time to read the stickies and understand this tool...you see, it explains that exercise really isn't necessary for weight loss...in fact, your calorie goal is a deficit from your NON EXERCISE maintenance number so when you do exercise you get to eat a little more to account for that activity. Good thing to because just eating 1850 calories before exercise just wasn't cutting it...2200 or so after exercise was much more doable. I learned early on that it is best to just exercise for fitness and to set independent fitness goals.

I also ate all the foods...anything I wanted and just hit my calorie and macro goals. Cool thing about all of this is that it's really just 5th grade math.

Later on I switched to the TDEE method so that I just ate a consistent calorie allotment every day...it was just easier to incorporate my exercise into my activity level once I became consistent with it.

Velum_cado

How did you lose weight? - Eating sensibly, at a calorie deficit, and exercising.

How many calories did you eat? - Dunno, really.

What foods did you eat? - All the same foods I ate before, just less often.

How much water did you drink? - I haven't kept track. I mostly drink tea.

How much did you work-out? - 4-5 times a week.

Did you work as well? - Yes, either full time paid employment or full time student with classroom teaching and full days on placement.

How did you stay positive and motivated? - Weighing every 4-6 weeks, "cheating" on Saturdays and Sundays.

How long did it take you? - About 3 years.

Why did you lose weight? - I wanted to feel better, physically and mentally.

craftywitch_63

so.. in order:

calorie deficit.
how many calories I eat won't matter or work for you.
I ate food. real food.
I drank some water.
I worked out some.
it took a little while.
because I was fat.

Firehawk734

Hard work.

Count calories
Stay in a calorie deficit
Work out 6 days a week minimum, take a day off only when needed
Eat food from the earth (meat and veggies mainly, I stay away from most fruit because of the sugar content)
No supplements or drugs. I used to take protein drinks but quit about 2 yrs ago. I like eating my food more, feel fuller.

Protein/carb/fat breakdown was 50/30/20% for the first half of my loss, but I felt hungry alot which resulted in cheat days too much.
Changed to 40/25/35 and loved it more, right now on 40/30/30.

raindawg

This latest go around I lost 13lbs.

exercise 4 days per week
4lbs from doing the atkins induction for two weeks.
9 from doing calorie deficit tracking in MFP
1300 to 1400 daily goal.

In the past I'd always had success with atkins induction to the tune of 8 to 10 lbs over a two week period. This time it didn't seem to work as well. Going forward I'm committed to stopping the 10 lb yo yo cycle I seem to go through. I'm going to keep tracking with MFP while on maintenance.

Firehawk734

This latest go around I lost 13lbs.

exercise 4 days per week
4lbs from doing the atkins induction for two weeks.
9 from doing calorie deficit tracking in MFP
1300 to 1400 daily goal.

In the past I'd always had success with atkins induction to the tune of 8 to 10 lbs over a two week period. This time it didn't seem to work as well. Going forward I'm committed to stopping the 10 lb yo yo cycle I seem to go through. I'm going to keep tracking with MFP while on maintenance.

Keep up the good work bud!

pita7317

I lost weight by cutting calories/portion sizes by approx 50% pre MFP.

I eat whatever I want with the exception of potato chips. Have cut way back on carbs overall. 80-90 average a day.

Water. In the beginning 64ozs a day. Not that much now. Need to work on that.

I do not work out nor do I have a job. I play golf once a week, that is my exercise.

Every pound/inch lost keeps me motivated and comments from husband/friends.

It has taken several years but that is fine with me. I am not obsessed with losing fast, too stressful.

Why ? Simple. Did not like what I saw in the mirror and being in my 50's it's time to keep my weight where it should be for health reasons.

strivingforjoy

so.. in order:

calorie deficit.
how many calories I eat won't matter or work for you.
I ate food. real food.
I drank some water.
I worked out some.
it took a little while.
because I was fat.

This!

Don't compare your journey to others. You are you, I am me, Trog is Trog. We're all different. Good luck.

.. agreed. We are all different. The only similarity is how to lose weight. Calorie deficit. There is no "I lose because I eat clean" or "I lose because I eat filthy" or even a "I lose because I only do spartan races."

There's a "I lose because I'm burning the appropriate amount of calories for me" though.. and that's the only one that matters.

I never said anything about going for anybody elses diet plans, work-out plans or drinking how much water any other person drinks. I am 180 pounds and 5'5. I know how many calories I have to eat to lose weight, maintain weight and gain weight.. I know how much water I need for MY body.. I was asking because I was curious about everyone else's daily life.