What do most people do?

stevwil41

I'm a tall guy so the 1200 calorie thing wouldn't work for me. As for my settings I step down as I get closer to my goal. I started at 2 lbs/week and then when I got to about 25 above my goal I dropped it to 1.5/week. At 15 lbs to go I dropped it to 1/week.

I'm basically training myself to eat healthier so that when I achieve my goal I can stay there. I've been either losing or gaining (mostly gaining) weight my entire adult life. I need to learn how to maintain:)

NaomiWhite77

Hi this is long, but I hope it helps. I eat 1200 cals most days.
One of my new MFP friends asked for some tips, so I typed this up. For the people we don't know me personally, I am not a professional and don’t want to claim to know what everyone needs to do This is what worked for me:
-Do something every day, walk, hike, bike, jog in place, run up and down the stairs
o When I started I didn’t eat back the workout cals unless I burned more the 200 or so
-Bread has a large amount of calories so, we found Joseph’s Lavash wraps and pockets!! They are amazing and heart healthy
-I try not to drink my cals other then the two cups of coffee a day (can’t give up my coffee)
-Never feel deprived, if you what pizza, fried seafood, french fries, ice cream WORK it off. On these days we’d go on a hike or bike ride to burn cald
-I have skinny cow ice cream just about EVERY night lol -I eat lots of fruit and veggies, cucumbers are very low in cals and give you a crunch
-Lately I have been drinking lots of sparkling water w/o sodium (p.s. if you look at my dairy, I never log water but I do drink it)
-Olive oil Mayo is 45 cal per tbsl instead of 100
-For salad dressing if I am running low on cals I take the good seasons Italian seasoning and add water and vinegar not oil, it almost free like 15 cal and so good
-Apples, pears, grapes, watermelon, berries
-Oscar Mayer lunch meat 6 slices for 50 cals
-Chobani greek yogurt w/ a little bit of Aurora natural granola holds my from 8 am to 11:30 am
-I do take vitamins, but can’t prove if they help weight loss of not. I take for overall health.
-During the week breakfast and lunch tend to be the same thing, this gives me more flexibility for snacks and dinner
-Dinner, chicken, pork, lean lean meats and I grill a lot -DON’T LOOK AT IT AS A DIET… it’s a LIFE change Okay, I think that’s the main stuff.. Did I mention that I LOVE food it's all a balance and I am finally learning how that balance should look.. Good luck ALL.. it does work.

1953Judith

I'm on the older side,58, and take meds that are not conducive to weight loss. My aim is to lose 1 lb a month. I have been successful for five years (one year off because the drs. wanted me to maintain while on chemo and getting radiation). Since joining MFP in April, I have set a goal of 1/2 lb a week. I have lost 22 lbs. I have a total of 22 more lbs to lose.

MFP gives me 1480 calories as a base. I do best when I conservatively estimate my calories and eat back my exercise calories.

Jenninedinburgh

Wow - some GREAT tips on here. Thank you ALL! I am SO motivated. I think today I will go and buy a George Foreman grill - the message I keep getting from so many of you is the grilled meats thing + exercise. The other clear message I am getting is to go organic...thanks again!