Slowly but surely-want to know what others are doing

cjiggetts

Hi everyone, I want to know if everyone else on here is strictly counting their calories and exercising to lose weight? I would like to lose 2 lbs a week but on the site that means 1200 cal/day and that is very hard to do. So I changed it to 1 pound a week and it gives me around 1310 cal/day which is easier to do. I have been consistently tracking since beginning of June but fell off a bit so gained weight and now I am losing again once I started exercising more.

My question to everyone is how are you guys losing weight? Is it strictly counting calories? Or is it the foods your eating?

Any advice you can give is appreciated. No negative responses PLEASE. Thanks Everyone for the awesome support!

VeganGal84

When I first started losing the weight (this time around, the LAST time!), all I cared about was the calories (the Points, really, because I was on Weight Watchers). And I lost weight just fine.

But when I started to focus more on healthy foods (and for me, that meant cutting out meat and dairy, too, but that may not be the case for you) I lost weight more consistently plus I feel a lot better inside and out.

I believe strongly in "everything in moderation" and I try to keep 80% of my food healthy and whole.

That's what works for me!

LongMom

I'm definately more aware of the foods I'm eating - and they make a difference! Sodium has go to be one of the worst culprits. I've been counting calories on this site for a year and a half and slowly I have eliminated most processed foods.

SarahLovesCheesecake

My question to everyone is how are you guys losing weight? Is it strictly counting calories? Or is it the foods your eating?

Any advice you can give is appreciated. No negative responses PLEASE.

Both....

Tracey_Smith

I eat loads of fruit and slow release carbs, mainly because I exercise quite a bit. I lose weight quicker with protein and I'm trying to shift to a higher protein plan. At the end of the day, i know that if I eat only my allowed calories the weight will come off, I've not hit any plateau yet, but then again I'm rarely still long enough lol x

Chocmom24

I'm doing a combination of both. I'm sure you can lose weight by calorie counting alone, but you will maximize your results by doing both. I think of it like a savings account. Exercising and eating smart allows me to "spend"/eat more freely. If I only count calories I look at it more like living paycheck to paycheck. Not as much wiggle room.

farmgirlsuz

When I first started in January, I decided I wasn't going to eliminate anything from my food choices. I told myself I could have anything i wanted but only in moderation and definitely not everyday. I don't "reward" myself but rather if I want something, I eat about 1/2 of what I used to eat. Portion control was and still is a HUGE issue for me.
I have also eliminated almost all fried foods, and I try to incorporate as much food in its "natural" state as possible.
I used to HATE exercising too, and now I feel yucky if i don't do something almost everyday to get my heart pumping. I really can feel the adrenaline rush hours after the gym, and I LOVE it!

marjen002

I watch my calories and my carbs (I try not to have complex carbs after 5pm). Some weeks I'll only lose 1/2 a pound others, like this week, I'll lose 2 pounds. On average I have lost about 6 lbs this month, but I do notice the rate in which I'm losing is slowing down overall. I'm on 1300 calories right now and I generally zig-zag (go under some days, over some days, or stay right on the mark). I also have my food goals set at 40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein. I have lost a total of 15.5 pounds since June 1st!

16mixingbowls

Some days I really really want some ice cream. So I'll plug it in my MFP food log and then measure it out and eat it. But then I have barely any calories left for the rest of the day. So as much as I just want to eat whatever I want and just stay within my calorie range, I then end up really really hungry. So instead now I spend a lot of time choosing things that will make me full AND let me stay in my calorie range. This does take some time getting used to what foods will allow me to do this. Some meals are not so great, but I learn from that and choose something else next time.

For example:

These yummy sausages my boyfriend eats at dinner have 350 calories each. I could have one, but then I'd want more. I'd rather have a lot more grilled chicken than one puny sausage. So I had the sausage the first time, but now I grill up a piece of chicken on the George Foreman grill next to my BF's sausage. And then, I also grill some sliced onions and mushrooms, and at the end of the meal, I've come in with less calories total than the one sausage.

Also, I love sugar. I made the switch from ice cream after dinner to yogurt. But then I took it a step further and switched to plain yogurt with some berries (frozen and microwaved for 30 sec) on top. Half the calories and way less sugar than the presweetened yogurt. Now, I eat my yogurt and enjoy every bite, knowing it's such a good choice for me.

Slowly and surely, I'm learning how to eat in order to satisfy my cravings and also satisfy my weight goals. Good luck!!!!

skateboardstef

I am counting calories and eating healthier. I make sure to get at least five servings of fruits and veggies everyday. Veggies, beans and whole grains will give you a lot of volume and fill you up with not many calories. For example, for the amount of calories in a 100 calorie cookie I can eat about 50 baby carrots for the same amount of calories! Plus, when you consume nutritious foods you are nurturing your body and making it work more efficiently! If you are eating a diet rich in these healthy foods you should be full and satisfied and at a lower daily calorie amount.

AllieB

I am watching my calories and exercising. I also am giving myself a goal once a week to accomplish stick to then add another. One of my goals is to try to have one carb a day, stick more with the veggies than carbs. It leaves you more calories to work with at dinner or lunch if you chose. I also am a big drinker so I am trying not to drink during the week and just keep it to the weekends. Another good goal is to tey to get your 8 glasses of water in each day it really does help!

jen_s_perez

Farmgirlsuz.... how long has it taken you to take your weight off? It looks like you are trying to loose the same amount of weight as I am (and started at almost the same wieght as me!). Would love to hear from you.

jennfisher13

I have just started using myfitness pal so it looks as though I have not lost any weight... Please understand I have. As far as how you eat. I am on the 2 pounds a week goal. That gives me 1280 calories daily. I eat every 2 hours in "small portions". It is the whole in moderation rule... I know that some struggle with this so I don't know if it will work for you. But in theory if your body always has something to work on burning it gives your metabolism a boost. An example of my daily eating plan. I have 2 servings of cheerios with one cup of skim milk in the morning usually around 7 and a cup of coffee. At 9 I eat a snack, 1 serving of something like yogurt or ricecakes. Something a little sweet and tasty. My snacks are usually around the 100 calorie range. Continue this way all day something small every couple of hours. A typical lunch for me is a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with light mayo. That usually adds up to around 280 calories. I have dinner at 5 and eat 2 or 3 servings of veggies and 1 serving of meat and a starch product. I enjoy my last snack at 7 and will not eat again til the AM. I have done this before and lost 30 pounds in 3 months. I maintained this diet for 2 years after bumping my calories up to a maintenance level. And then I fell off the wagon of healthy eating due to a stressful job and not MAKING the time to pack my lunches. Best of luck in finding what works for YOU!

Mommyof3texans

I initially started on 1200 calories but found that it wasn't enough so I moved to 1300 and with running 3-4x a week (C25K) I began losing regularly. I do pay attention to what I eat, not just calories. Sodium is big for me so I keep that as low as possible. I also try to eat healthier foods most of the time.

jen_s_perez

I just had to share... I have lost 2 inches off my waist and hips in the last 9 days... have been hitting the gym 5 days a week for about 30min each day - then the 30DS and adding some of the 6W6P


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

SW: 214
CW: 198
GW: 160

melsinct

I strictly count calories and do a nice brisk walk daily (1-2 miles). That's it. Mind you I have always eaten fairly healthy, so what I ate didn't change as much as the quantity. I started off setting MFP with an aggressive loss of 1-2 pounds/week, wasn't eating enough, and sent myself into a long plateau. Learn from my mistake- slow weight loss is still weight loss and you will be less likely to fail. I currently have MFP set at a 0.5 pound/week loss and am steadily losing slowly by eating 1600-1700 calories/day.

fightingiris

I'm doing South Beach. South Beach, in phase 2, IMO is just a healthy way to eat. Lean meats, healthy unprocessed carbs likes fruits, vegetables and whole grains,dairy and healthy fats. Plus I'm not starving like I've been on some other diets. I've got high cholestrol and need a way I can eat for life to try and prevent heart disease and stroke so this is what I'm doing. I've even stopped putting all the focus on the scale because that has been a detriment to me and am just focusing on health. Hopefully I will slim down some and look better too! This is my third go around with South Beach, not counting all the exercise and calorie counting, but I'm looking at it differently this time.

fightingiris

I just had to share... I have lost 2 inches off my waist and hips in the last 9 days... have been hitting the gym 5 days a week for about 30min each day - then the 30DS and adding some of the 6W6P


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

SW: 214
CW: 198
GW: 160

Great job!!!