How did you FINALLY lose weight after months of failure?

Miggy52

bump...I need have this around to read as well....lots of good suggestions..and motivation...my scales dont seeem to be moving but clothes are fitting a little loser...

jem728

bump

stevenleagle

I have yoyo'd in weight over the years. For me I always had a mental block when I reached a certain weight. As soon as I reached that number (even though way off my goal weight) I thought I was ok and slowly slipped into bad eating habits - the plateau became longer and longer until I simply gave up. Back up went the weight (plus some). I am NOT yet past that number but, though have seen a few plateaus, I feel that things are going to be different this time around. One word: tenacity. Or if you like: three words: not giving up! I'm mentally challenging that scale to a duel. If it's nice I'm gonna smile. If it's not I'm gonna be stubborn. I'm going to win this time! It's all mental!

dannylives

Ya'll are pretty dedicated. I admire that. Hopefully it will rub off on me because I hate to log food. I will try!

cschu544

I have the same problem you do. For me though, I can work out for weeks and weeks and lose maybe 1 pound. What really worked for me was to just kick it up a notch. I started going to the gym another day a week and I included zumba, I started losing steadily after I changed my work out.

Another thing that helps me, and I didn't think it would until someone told me to try it was to zig zag the calories. I eat a LOT of protein one or two days a week and blow my calories really high, then stick to my normal diet the rest of the week (and continue to work out) and that helped me shed 3 lbs in a week.

The last thing that really impacts me, personally, is my water intake. If I do not drink my water goal every week, I won't see a change in my weight. It's really mega super important that I make sure I maintain that.

I'm probably not very helpful, but who knows! Just keep changing your work-outs, enroll in something new that will challenge you, and stay within your calorie limits. Best of luck

Greenwellj

I had to cut almost all grains. Eat raw foods. Add a high quality protien shake. Makes a big difference!

ShannanLaNae

bump

emariec78

I have found over many years of slowly losing weight that I have had to make some type of serious change about every 10 lbs to continue to lose weight. My first change was switching to diet foods-lean pockets instead of pizza, healthy choice lunches and that sort of thing. That dropped about 10 lbs and then I was stuck for months. After that I started going to the gym a few times a week consistenly, about another 10 lbs off but then I was once again stuck. My third major thing was deciding to kick pre-packaged foods and start eating real, healthy foods. I made salads for lunch and my freezer was pretty much empty except for frozen veggies. Further changes in my diet have been what got me through the next 20 or so. Eating more protien, continuing to get rid of processed foods and all that fun stuff. Then my weight had been pretty much the same for about a year until I found MFP, as soon as I started really tracking my food on here I lost 10 lbs. Now I'm stuck again and have been for a couple months, but having the ability to really see what I've been doing through the logs makes it easier to figure out why. I feel like I have my diet pretty set at this point, so as of yesterday I'm trying a new workout plan to see if that helps.

Also, I think my approach has always been to make a lifestyle change and I think that's helped me stick with what I've been doing. Even when I wasn't losing I also wasn't gaining back so I always felt like I what I had done was good and it was just a matter of figuring out how to do better.

ahavoc

I've been plateauing for a few weeks, but finally lost 1/2 a pound this last week. I upped my cardio from 35 minutes to 45 minutes. A trainer at my gym said that you don't really start burning fat until 30 minutes into the workout, so that should help. Then I switched up my training. Instead of trying to fit in cardio and weights in one day and as I have a life and have to work and take care of my family I've changed my plan to this. Saturday and Sunday, full workout, 45 minutes of cardio and on Saturday lower body, Sunday upper body. Monday rest. Tuesday 45 min cardio. Wed upper and lower body weight training, Thursday 45 min cardio, Friday rest. Repeat.

I've also taken a good look at my calories. If I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds a week MFP said I had to eat 1210 calories a week. If I changed it to 2 pounds a week, MFP would only go to 1200 because it won't let you go below. So I reset my goal to 1 pound a week, which lets me eat a whopping 1390 calories. Add in my exercise calories and that's a lot of food, but, I'm going to try to keep myself up around 1300 calories. It gives me room to breathe. High protein, low carbs, lots of veggies, keeping it clean. And I measure and weigh everything, I never guess.

It's only been a week, but the scale did move that 1/2 pound, so I'll see how it goes. Cheers!

pinkgigi

I kind of burn out after about 7-10 kgs lost and have to recommit, or little bits and pieces slip into my diet and I either stall or start to go up again.

So, a few months ago I decided to make my weight loss a project, that was 'hot for my 50th', I managed to lose 5 kgs for my birthday party. Part of it was getting a personal trainer, who weighs me every 2 weeks, I know for me I need that accountability. the day after my birthday I started my new project 'slim for summer', and I know what weight I want to be by Christmas.

It sounds to me like you are a little bored and need to mix it up a little. Try something new, prepare a plan. Good luck, I think everyone's been there, there is not a 'one size fits all', know yourself and what would help and go for it!!!

GG

azzacca

I lost 10 pounds in about 2 months, then didn't really work at losing weight for 3 months but managed to maintain that loss. I then joined a team weight loss program at Lifetime Fitness and lost another 10 pounds. I improved my eating quite a bit, and worked hard. Too hard. We had measured my anaerobic threshhold too high and was working out at too high a heart rate so I didn't lose as much as I could have. I switched to a team fitness (combining weight lifting and cardio) and didn't lose any weight (gained 4 pounds) but lost 3% body fat in 8 weeks. Now that I'm in the correct heart rate zones and followed my trainers advice to cut my "sweet treats" to one per day, I'm down 5 pounds in 2 weeks. My trainer rocks because she knows I like sugar, and haven't been able to cut it out. She understands people are human and have weaknesses and she works with that, rather than telling me I have to be perfect all the time.

cmriverside

Ya'll are pretty dedicated. I admire that. Hopefully it will rub off on me because I hate to log food. I will try!

OP, no one hates logging food more than I do. I've been on MFP - on and off - since 2007. Every once in a while I think, "Pssh- I got this."
That's when I've been at a good weight and logging faithfully for months. But each time I think I got it, I gain 10-15 pounds and have to go back to the logging.

I finally realized that I can log my food in under three minutes per meal. I know the database and how to use it. It's not the logging, it's getting sucked into the forums :laugh:

oops..........

dannylives

Thank you!

HeatherR930

I lost weight sophomore year of high school. I got down to 150 & felt pretty good, but it took no time to gain it back because I didn't make a lifestyle change, & I didn't WANT it more than I wanted to eat whatever I wanted.

I've started diets several times since then, but it was the same thing...I didn't want it enough to make the sacrifices necessary. I loved eating out!

I finally want it bad. I am tired of being the chunky one & I finally am okay with not being able to just eat whatever I want for the rest of my life. It was hard at first. I was used to eating out all the time & ordering whatever I wanted. Once my body stopped being used to this, it stopped craving the bad foods.

I also needed to find a workout that was fun. I lose interest in the treadmill, elliptical, etc after awhile. It goes by so slowly & is so boring! But I found zumba, got addicted, & look forward to getting my workouts now. It is a blast & it's working great for me.

The other thing was I needed a tool to help me keep track of what I ate. Guessing in your head what you can eat & what you have left is not effective. This is where mfp came in!

So, my motivations are my absolute desire to lose weight far exceeding my love of food, zumba, & mfp!! You've gotta want it more than the food & find the control, then find the tools to help you succeed! Good luck!

bmqbonnie

I was at a plateau for a good two years, always stuck at 155 give or take 5 lbs after losing 30 lbs from my high weight. I joined MFP and the plateau continued for a while. But once I started logging EVERYTHING, getting more involved in the community, and joining a couple challenges I broke through it.

Actually, the catalyst was getting dumped by my fiance. Kinda fell right off after that. At first I didn't make major changes so I guess the stress jump started things but the other stuff kept it going.

ambermichon

I worked out like a dog (6 days a week cardio and weights) and lost inches but no lbs for almost a year (after an initial loss). That was until I started really monitoring what I was eating. I had no idea how many cals were in some "healthy" things I was eating. Upon joining MFP and logging I started losing. Also I eat back my exercise cals and am still losing. I have 9 lbs to go to my goal weight!!!

Speedy89

Only thing that really worked for me was going vegetarian...did that back in January. The moment I started seeing pounds come off, I completely changed my lifestyle.

I was 165 pounds in January...then I started working out and eating right, joined MFP shortly after. By July, I had lost 40 pounds, gained a good amount of muscle, and I've never felt better.

Ran 20 miles in 2hr:42m:03s on Saturday...running a marathon in 2 weeks...very excited to cross that finish line.

brit49

Bump!!

ninerbuff

One thing I've found with clients who went through this it that they weren't as CONSISTENT as they thought they really were. Start there.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

smantha32

Honestly when I'm not losing it's because I'm slacking off.
I'm not going to work out, or I'm consistently eating over my calories.

When I do what I'm supposed to be doing I almost always lose. Unless it's that TOM and then I'll lose the week after.

NuevaNatalia

This is my situation right now.

grau62000ameze

this sound s like me rgiht now.d scale isnt shifting (but clothes getting loose a bit)and doctor says my BP is fine...i think i need to check with u for mor advice,thanks

grau62000ameze

bump...I need have this around to read as well....lots of good suggestions..and motivation...my scales dont seeem to be moving but clothes are fitting a little loser...

55in13

I made it important. My life pretty much revolved around it until I got it under control. The elephant in the living room is this - over 90% of us will begin to lose weight if we stick to a diet and exercise program faithfully.

SabrinaLC

I quit taking advice from people on MFP
and ta da! I'm losing weight again

Anna800

Losing weight is 80% diet. If you haven't lost any weight after exercising 5x a week, you need to take a good look at your food diary here, it will tell you what's not working for you.

hedgiie

i'm interested to know too,

jbbrannon

My husband was dieting and exercising with me!!

JDBLY11

You all are so impressive in persevering in your weight loss. I don't think I could go a month or six weeks with no weight loss and keep going. I get upset when I go a week with no weight loss.

JDBLY11

Honestly when I'm not losing it's because I'm slacking off.
I'm not going to work out, or I'm consistently eating over my calories.

When I do what I'm supposed to be doing I almost always lose. Unless it's that TOM and then I'll lose the week after.

That's how I am so far, except I have no weight gain during TOM. I usually lose just fine. If I eat back all that I burn off exercising I won't lose either, but I don't have a heart rate monitor that calculates calories.