My Success story, and advice for weight loss

Alisha_countrymama

I pretty much agree with the OP. But, I will say that eating organic healthy foods can make you fat. Fat can make you fat. I live on a farm. 90% (at least) of the fruit an vegetables I eat are organic home-grown. Most of the meat I eat is wild game or home raised chickens.

I still got fat. These homegrown foods are delicious and healthy, but they still have calories.

Or maybe it was the beer and wine.

Or perhapse grains?

Alisha_countrymama

Hi OP - great post and well done! I am doing similar. I have cut out all junk and lost 17lb, but more importantly, my awful arthritis is all but gone, no heartburn, bouncing with energy now whereas before my husband had to help me up the stairs every night.

Yes its not just about losing weight. Its also about healing.

Alisha_countrymama

I tried to out-exercise a bad diet and gained 10 pounds of fat over an 8-month period of establishing an awesome workout routine. My body feels strong, but you can't see those beautiful muscles because double chili-dog lunches will sabotage all of your efforts. I learned this the hard way. You can't outrun Taco Bell.

Using your advice and inspiration to turn my diet around and look as strong as I feel.

Your post made me smile

Alisha_countrymama

Well done you seem to have a firm grasp on the concept of fitness, and I nearly completely agree!

Junk calories are empty calories. They provide no nutritional value and should be avoided. Although an indulgence every blue moon is perfectly fine. And not eating junk doesn't mean not eating (4example) pizza. Pizza can be healthy, if made right. There's almost always a healthy alternative to the junk we love.

That and diets don't exists in the way people use the term. A diet is simply what you eat, healthy or not. The trick to losing weight is to change your diet to a healthier one, that includes less calories than what you burn. No matter age nor height, eating 3,000 cal is a diet, eating 500 cal is a diet. What you eat, no matter what, is your diet. That's where the "lifestyle" word comes into play.

As far as the organic thing goes, it's opinion. I would rather eat organic. But I have no proof or argument against non-organic foods.

^^^^:happy: :drinker:

♥ Also OP.... awesome job and fantastic post... love hearing the truth!!! This works best for myself as well:flowerforyou:

Hi OP - great post and well done! I am doing similar. I have cut out all junk and lost 17lb, but more importantly, my awful arthritis is all but gone, no heartburn, bouncing with energy now whereas before my husband had to help me up the stairs every night.

What a great post.... really glad you shared, it gives me strength because I know exactly what you're saying... stopping the junk food drops the weight for me, reduces inflammation in my body (specifically for me knee joints were the worst!) and just gives me a general all around good feeling of wellness. Far more energy, clearer thinking....the list goes on.

I just can't tell you how exited I am for you to have so much less pain and far more freedom all because you've changed the types of foods you're eating. Or should I say you now 'eat food' rather than chemicals and processed junk.

I really don't know how ppl that share that they eat ice cream every night, a box of pop tarts for breakfast and McDonald's for dinner.... I'd be a heap on the floor with all the sodium and sugar.

My workouts go so much better when the food I pick is 'real food'.:flowerforyou:

Everyone has to chose for themselves, and for you and me amd many others, those processed junk foods dont work for me. They make me sick, hurt, and effect , my mood and ability to control cravings. Its not worth it. I want to feel good.

squatsanddeadlift

Love holier than thou folk

I try the paleo, I try the low-carb, I always end up back where I started. This time I am hitting 2000 calories, 120g protein and 70g of fat. I think its about not freaking yourself out. You can't just "you need to do this" at people. They need to learn for themselves via trial and error. Also tbh there is nothing more boring that cutting out everything you like

But whatever works for you, just dont assume its the only way/correct way etc etc

sullus

I just wanted to clarify my point about organic, if all you have access to is conventionally grown veg, its better than eating junk. But conventionally grown are often sprayed with toxic pesticides that the govt wants us to think are safe. Just like they want us to think the chemicals and other toxic ingredients they use in processed foods are safe. But there not, and frankly some of us dont care, or at least dont know. We are so addicted to them, that it doesnt matter. Even if they are making us chronicly ill, doctors will never tell you its the food your eating thats making you sick.

Chemical pesticides and fertilizers *are* used on organic produce. Sometimes in higher or more dangerous quantities because they are less effective.

Need2Exerc1se

I just wanted to clarify my point about organic, if all you have access to is conventionally grown veg, its better than eating junk. But conventionally grown are often sprayed with toxic pesticides that the govt wants us to think are safe. Just like they want us to think the chemicals and other toxic ingredients they use in processed foods are safe. But there not, and frankly some of us dont care, or at least dont know. We are so addicted to them, that it doesnt matter. Even if they are making us chronicly ill, doctors will never tell you its the food your eating thats making you sick.

Chemical pesticides and fertilizers *are* used on organic produce. Sometimes in higher or more dangerous quantities because they are less effective.

What is your source for this? Obvoiusly, chemical pesticides and fertilizers are used, since everything is made up of chemicals, whether natural or synthetic. But what is your source for those used on organic being more dangerous?

jeffpettis

My biggest piece of advice, take it or leave it. Is this. Diets don't work! You have to make a change for life. You will have to eat this way for the rest of your life, and until you come to terms with that you won't succeed. You have to change your mind set from "I can't have that" to "I can have that but I don't want it"

Stop being obsessed with restricting calories.

The biggest lie you can tell you self is this : Everything in moderation is fine.
NO!

Junk food is junk food and should be avoided. Junk food is high in calories and has little to no nutritional value, and leaves your body starving for nutrition.

Eat Whole Real Natural food. Grow up put your big girl/boy pants on. Eat vegetables. You may hate it at first. But your tastes WILL change. You have to heal your unhealthy relationship with food.

Stop saying eating healthy is to expensive, have you priced having cancer lately?
If you can't afford Organic, do your best buy it when you can. Buy local, go to farmers markets. Do a little research.
OR better yet grow your own. It's amazing what you can grow even in a little bit of dirt on a patio, or in pots!

You will lose weight, and experience an overall improvement of health issues you may have. When your body heals it heals completely!

Get away from Sugar! Artificial sugar, real sugar any kind of sugar. It's killing you.[b/] We consume way to much sugar. 2-3x as much as we consumed 100 years ago. (in some people even more than that)

[b/]Fat does not make you fat! - Sugar does! We live in a fat phobic society. Do some research and find out what's really making you fat. Carbohydrates from processed crap, and sugar.

You can't out exercise a bad diet, and until you get your eating under control you will never be successful!! Processed foods are full of chemicals, like MSG. These foods are designed to make you crave them! They create these foods in labs, to make people want them, so they will continue to buy them. They don't care about your health.

I have lost over 140lbs, and kept it off for 4 years. I may not be a doctor or a nutritionist, but I have read and read and read and trial and error of my own journey. and these are the basics of what I feel will help anyone be successful at losing weight. I won't reply back to arguments. This is just my own thoughts on weight loss.

First of all, congratulations on your 144 pound loss.

Having said that there are a few things that are simply not correct with your post. (I didn't read all the comments so I'm sure someone else has beat me to this.)

First, I agree this is a lifestyle change but saying you "can't" have something is setting yourself up for failure. You can have anything as long as it fits in your calories. This one goes right along with the next one because all those things that you "can't" have are absolutely fine BECAUSE of moderation.

I agree with you that we probably eat too much sugar in most of our diets but the sugar is not the "cause" of fat gain the extra calories consumed because of the sugar is the cause. This goes back to the moderation thing... And I'm pretty sure that sugar never killed anyone... :huh:

Last, you are correct fat does not make you fat, but sugar and carbs don't either. Once again, too many calories makes you fat no matter where they come from. Perhaps you are the one who should do a little more research into all of this.

Again congratulations on such a huge weight loss effort. :drinker:

JuicylucyDavis

Blanced diet for the win. I have cut out all junk foods and am doing the ethosien diet 20 lbs lost in 4 weeks and i feel great!!

Need2Exerc1se

I pretty much agree with the OP. But, I will say that eating organic healthy foods can make you fat. Fat can make you fat. I live on a farm. 90% (at least) of the fruit an vegetables I eat are organic home-grown. Most of the meat I eat is wild game or home raised chickens.

I still got fat. These homegrown foods are delicious and healthy, but they still have calories.

Or maybe it was the beer and wine.

Or perhapse grains?

Grains? I don't really eat a lot of grains, mostly because I don't grow them. But why would grains make me fat more than other foods?

sullus

I just wanted to clarify my point about organic, if all you have access to is conventionally grown veg, its better than eating junk. But conventionally grown are often sprayed with toxic pesticides that the govt wants us to think are safe. Just like they want us to think the chemicals and other toxic ingredients they use in processed foods are safe. But there not, and frankly some of us dont care, or at least dont know. We are so addicted to them, that it doesnt matter. Even if they are making us chronicly ill, doctors will never tell you its the food your eating thats making you sick.

Chemical pesticides and fertilizers *are* used on organic produce. Sometimes in higher or more dangerous quantities because they are less effective.

What is your source for this? Obvoiusly, chemical pesticides and fertilizers are used, since everything is made up of chemicals, whether natural or synthetic. But what is your source for those used on organic being more dangerous?

Start here, and make sure to read their references: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/2011/07/18/mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/

Willoughby18

Junk food is junk food and should be avoided. Junk food is high in calories and has little to no nutritional value, and leaves your body starving for nutrition.

If eaten in moderation, it's fine.
The person won't "starve for nutrition" if their intake is otherwise healthy & they have a serving of potato chips or ice cream.
If you don't have the self-control to handle eating in moderation, then yes, you have to completely avoid certain foods.
That's really sad.

yes and no, my opinion, i think people use the term "moderation" very liberally.
its hard to determine how you specifically view the word....
junk food should not be eaten every single day in small amounts.
maybe one soda a month or a serving of chips a week. not a little bit every day.
its called junk food for a reason.
no you won't nutritionally starve from it BUT you certainly wont gain anything either
and i'm much better off fueling my body with what it needs, not what it wants (craves) because she's right.

you don't fill a diesel truck with gasoline, and they run much cleaner on biodiesel.

If it fits your macros then I don't see any harm in having a small treat daily. I end every day with a small piece of chocolate, and I still lose weight. It personally helps me stay on track - and keep my sanity. This is the lifestyle I choose.

Life is too short to forgo the things you enjoy!

troutrouter

Humanely raise an animal to slaughter it for food? A bit oxymoron don't you think. It cracks me up when people use terms like organic, free range, or humanely raised. I guess it gives them a sense of superiority over us regular folks. Eat what you want as long as you are in a caloric deficit to lose weight. Eat low calorie nutrient dense foods and exercise to be healthy. This isn't rocket science.

ukaryote

My biggest piece of advice, take it or leave it. Is this. Diets don't work! You have to make a change for life. You will have to eat this way for the rest of your life, and until you come to terms with that you won't succeed. You have to change your mind set from "I can't have that" to "I can have that but I don't want it"

^This

The OP stated the rest is not the biggest piece of advice. If we take the chunk above, we have it nailed.
Much congratulations on your success!

MegE_N

I will say that whenever I go out to the country (my fiance's family has a house out there) where we get our milk from the dairy, our veggies from the farm, and our meat from the local butcher, I BLOW my calorie intake. It's so good, so fresh, so fattening! I feel really healthy, but a healthy calorie is still a calorie.

I think the important message here is that those of us who are trying to lose weight are eating less calories. Because of that, we need to make sure those calories go toward healthier ends. Empty calories are a waste of calories. For those that want to be healthy (which I think we can all agree is more than just being thin) this needs to be taken into account.

That being said I love hot wings. I will be blowing 800 of my 1200 calories on hot wings at some point this weekend.

It will be glorious.

Need2Exerc1se

I just wanted to clarify my point about organic, if all you have access to is conventionally grown veg, its better than eating junk. But conventionally grown are often sprayed with toxic pesticides that the govt wants us to think are safe. Just like they want us to think the chemicals and other toxic ingredients they use in processed foods are safe. But there not, and frankly some of us dont care, or at least dont know. We are so addicted to them, that it doesnt matter. Even if they are making us chronicly ill, doctors will never tell you its the food your eating thats making you sick.

Chemical pesticides and fertilizers *are* used on organic produce. Sometimes in higher or more dangerous quantities because they are less effective.

What is your source for this? Obvoiusly, chemical pesticides and fertilizers are used, since everything is made up of chemicals, whether natural or synthetic. But what is your source for those used on organic being more dangerous?

Start here, and make sure to read their references: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/2011/07/18/mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/

Interesting article. I am always surprised that people think grocery store organic produce is pesticide free. But then I work with a lady who thought organic meant "home grown", even if the home grown had something like Sevin all over it.

There are a few misleading statements in that article, though. For one, some of the e coli outbreaks tied to organic produce were traced back to runoff from flooding at neighboring farms where animals were grown. Yet, this article blames organic farms for using manure. Manure that has been aged for 2 years should be e coli free. I doubt many commercial organic farms are using fresh manure.

And certainly organic pesticides can be just as dangerous to humans as synthetic. I'm not familiar with the one they went on and on about, but things commonly used on non-commercial farms come with some pretty scary warnings. The difference though is that many will naturally break down in day or two once exposed to water.

Honestly, I don't know much about commercial organic farming, except that it is regulated by the USDA and FDA, which IMO makes it pretty suspect. I do whole-heartedly agree with the article that if you really want to know how your food was grown you need to talk to the farmer, and hope they are honest. Or grow your own.

casmithis

I have sutomach issues so I try to eat clean. I don't process, processed food. But when I went clean I dropped 16 pounds in 2 months. And I also feel, sleep, work better now that I'm eating less junk. Just me!!!

lilredred1956

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/organic-food-is-natural-worth-the-extra-cost. The above is about organic food

auddii

I just wanted to clarify my point about organic, if all you have access to is conventionally grown veg, its better than eating junk. But conventionally grown are often sprayed with toxic pesticides that the govt wants us to think are safe. Just like they want us to think the chemicals and other toxic ingredients they use in processed foods are safe. But there not, and frankly some of us dont care, or at least dont know. We are so addicted to them, that it doesnt matter. Even if they are making us chronicly ill, doctors will never tell you its the food your eating thats making you sick.

I don't think organic means what you think it means. Pesticides are still used on organic vegetables. I also don't agree about the sugar, and I try to work in treats on most days when I have room in my calories.

However, congrats on your success and finding what works for you. The key is a calorie deficit, but how we go about creating that deficit, what keeps us fueled, and what keeps us satiated differs from person to person.

mswoodsy

So in before this goes bad.....lol!!

I heart Junk food ( I learned moderation so haven't eliminated anything from my diet ;-)

I haven't stopped eating anything either. So I guess the 31lbs I've lost aren't real. Boohoo.

Ok, hopefully i can respond to this without it turning into a big thing.
Obviously you lost 31lbs, how much of that is pure body fat, who knows....

let me break it down for you this way;

unfortunately most of us on here are or have been overweight. and we all know that different things work for different people. yes, you can eat junk food and lose weight. you can also starve yourself or take pills to lose weight. that doesn't make you HEALTHY.

lets say we have a bunch of people, all the same age/height/ideal weight who are all equally active. we split those people into two groups. One group eats only raw and natural foods. the other eats processed foods and swaps out some of their veggies for chips, water for pop, or yogurt for ice cream on a daily basis.

after a year we check on these people...
you seriously dont think you'd see a difference in those two groups? in muscle tone, body fat %? in their skin, hair, nails, teeth? in their arteries, bones, hearts, eyes, kidneys? in their blood pressure, blood sugar, digestive system? you dont think either group would be at a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc...? even just a small difference?

ok now go 2 years, you dont think everything would continue to get worse? and worse every year after that....?

and if you don't care about any of these things then youre on this site to be skinny, NOT HEALTHY. there is a huge difference.


seriously feel free to debate, i wont get offended! these are honest questions, i am in no way a professional...

mswoodsy

I feel really healthy, but a healthy calorie is still a calorie.

I think the important message here is that those of us who are trying to lose weight are eating less calories. Because of that, we need to make sure those calories go toward healthier ends. Empty calories are a waste of calories. For those that want to be healthy (which I think we can all agree is more than just being thin) this needs to be taken into account.

That being said I love hot wings. I will be blowing 800 of my 1200 calories on hot wings at some point this weekend.

It will be glorious.

hahaha i love this lol

Need2Exerc1se

So in before this goes bad.....lol!!

I heart Junk food ( I learned moderation so haven't eliminated anything from my diet ;-)

I haven't stopped eating anything either. So I guess the 31lbs I've lost aren't real. Boohoo.

Ok, hopefully i can respond to this without it turning into a big thing.
Obviously you lost 31lbs, how much of that is pure body fat, who knows....

let me break it down for you this way;

unfortunately most of us on here are or have been overweight. and we all know that different things work for different people. yes, you can eat junk food and lose weight. you can also starve yourself or take pills to lose weight. that doesn't make you HEALTHY.

lets say we have a bunch of people, all the same age/height/ideal weight who are all equally active. we split those people into two groups. One group eats only raw and natural foods. the other eats processed foods and swaps out some of their veggies for chips, water for pop, or yogurt for ice cream on a daily basis.

after a year we check on these people...
you seriously dont think you'd see a difference in those two groups? in muscle tone, body fat %? in their skin, hair, nails, teeth? in their arteries, bones, hearts, eyes, kidneys? in their blood pressure, blood sugar, digestive system? you dont think either group would be at a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc...? even just a small difference?

ok now go 2 years, you dont think everything would continue to get worse? and worse every year after that....?

and if you don't care about any of these things then youre on this site to be skinny, NOT HEALTHY. there is a huge difference.


seriously feel free to debate, i wont get offended! these are honest questions, i am in no way a professional...

With no other information than what you provided, I think it could go either way. Raw and natural doesn't guarantee balance. And, other lifestyle choices would be important. Exercise and stress management also very important to health.

socialone74

Wow!! You are awesome and congrats on the weight loss!! Even more impressive is the time you have kept it off.

What is not impressive are the negative responses you have received… Thank you for posting I appreciate it!

For the negative posters…. You are free to start your own threads about your own weight loss experiences and beliefs

squatsanddeadlift

Wow!! You are awesome and congrats on the weight loss!! Even more impressive is the time you have kept it off.

What is not impressive are the negative responses you have received… Thank you for posting I appreciate it!

For the negative posters…. You are free to start your own threads about your own weight loss experiences and beliefs

When does different beliefs and opinions = negative posters

The OP is a big girl. If she wants to post on a public forum more power to her, respect that others will have varying opinions in response

jc_0324

I pretty much agree with the OP. But, I will say that eating organic healthy foods can make you fat. Fat can make you fat. I live on a farm. 90% (at least) of the fruit an vegetables I eat are organic home-grown. Most of the meat I eat is wild game or home raised chickens.

I still got fat. These homegrown foods are delicious and healthy, but they still have calories.

Or maybe it was the beer and wine.

Or perhapse grains?

OP, you don't eat any grains?

SLHysell

You can't out exercise a bad diet, and until you get your eating under control you will never be successful!!

THIS!!

Exercise is important for so many reasons, but if you eat badly you'll cancel out all the good you did from your exercising!

Thank you for sharing all your advice and congrats on your weight loss!

Amen! It took me a year of long distance jogging on a 200lb frame...and two knee injuries, to finally come to terms with that.

jeffpettis

I pretty much agree with the OP. But, I will say that eating organic healthy foods can make you fat. Fat can make you fat. I live on a farm. 90% (at least) of the fruit an vegetables I eat are organic home-grown. Most of the meat I eat is wild game or home raised chickens.

I still got fat. These homegrown foods are delicious and healthy, but they still have calories.

Or maybe it was the beer and wine.

Or perhapse grains?

Grains? I don't really eat a lot of grains, mostly because I don't grow them. But why would grains make me fat more than other foods?

They won't...

Just like carbs and sugar don't "make" you fat, excess calories make you fat. ANYTHING will make you fat if you eat too much of it ,but no food in and of itself will make you fat, just a calorie surplus...

mswoodsy

So in before this goes bad.....lol!!

I heart Junk food ( I learned moderation so haven't eliminated anything from my diet ;-)

I haven't stopped eating anything either. So I guess the 31lbs I've lost aren't real. Boohoo.

Ok, hopefully i can respond to this without it turning into a big thing.
Obviously you lost 31lbs, how much of that is pure body fat, who knows....

let me break it down for you this way;

unfortunately most of us on here are or have been overweight. and we all know that different things work for different people. yes, you can eat junk food and lose weight. you can also starve yourself or take pills to lose weight. that doesn't make you HEALTHY.

lets say we have a bunch of people, all the same age/height/ideal weight who are all equally active. we split those people into two groups. One group eats only raw and natural foods. the other eats processed foods and swaps out some of their veggies for chips, water for pop, or yogurt for ice cream on a daily basis.

after a year we check on these people...
you seriously dont think you'd see a difference in those two groups? in muscle tone, body fat %? in their skin, hair, nails, teeth? in their arteries, bones, hearts, eyes, kidneys? in their blood pressure, blood sugar, digestive system? you dont think either group would be at a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc...? even just a small difference?

ok now go 2 years, you dont think everything would continue to get worse? and worse every year after that....?

and if you don't care about any of these things then youre on this site to be skinny, NOT HEALTHY. there is a huge difference.


seriously feel free to debate, i wont get offended! these are honest questions, i am in no way a professional...

With no other information than what you provided, I think it could go either way. Raw and natural doesn't guarantee balance. And, other lifestyle choices would be important. Exercise and stress management also very important to health.

all excellent points. i tried to make it pretty simple on purpose so everyone could understand it easily lol i did say they're all equally active but i certainly agree with stress management playing a big roll. For the sake of THIS specific debate; lets say instead of two groups its just two individuals who are basically the exact same person (habits and all) with the exception of how they eat....

honestly there is probably no black and white answer. everyones different. i just personally think that the one who eats healthier would, in turn, be healthier.

Asherah29

I'm going to go home, eat my horrible, processed cinnamon roll (with caramel and pecans) and laugh and laugh and laugh

Sabine_Stroehm

I'm going to go home, eat my honorably processed cinnamon roll (with caramel and pecans) and laugh and laugh and laugh

Thanks for sharing?:indifferent: