What is the secret to your success?

debnu1

I have been wavering in my motivation as late :blushing: and so I have started checking out how everyone has lost there weight, reading the biggest loser success stories and any others I can find. So I want to ask all of you success stories on this site what is your secret. I will take all the information that you want to give me. You can rank them if you like, or what you think made the biggest difference. Was it the exercise, measuring portions, logging all of your food? Let me know your success and failure. I am looking forward to reading about the secrets to your success!! :bigsmile:

Thanks in advance.:flowerforyou:

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: desperation :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

I finally wanted to lose weight more than anything
*more than wanting to entertain myself with food
*more than I cared about anyone's opinion of me
*more than momentary comfort

I heard a successful weight loser say, "if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail"

---

for months I didn't go to bed at night until I had logged my food for the next day. I made a rule for myself that I would not eat anything that was not on the plan I made the night before. I did not accept any food offered to me not matter how benign (raw veggies) or how emotionally charged ("honey, I made these just for you") When there was a choice between doing something sedentary or something active, I always chose active (I don't knit, crochet, bead, etc as much anymore, now I walk or ride the stationery bike while I watch TV)

IF you are asking this question, then you are already on the way to finding the motivation that will work for you. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

AJCM

I lost all of my weight, using MFP, a couple of years ago now, and check in every now and then.

My success was thanks to tracking things on MFP, but really, MFP was just the "training wheels" that helped me to re-train myself, and my habits. Smaller portions, not eating at night, making activity a part of everyday life, and dropping the "all or nothing" attitude. It is a long road, and the weight doesn't come off over night. But for me, that used to mean just giving up. It is now a lifestyle, and I think that is the recurring theme of successful losers.

I read a study once that stuck with me... the people who fail on diets had one thing in common - the used the mentality of "I will start tomorrow" or "I will start Monday" and often engaged in "one last treat" or "one last big meal". The succesful losers (and these losers kept if off for at least 2 years in the study) had a mentality of, "I start right now".

I hope you find success in the new year!

Arlala555

OMG ! ::AJCM:: Your totally right on that study. For the past 4 or 5 years I have been saying to myself, family and friends over and over again. I'll start Monday, I'll start Monday. Monday comes I'd start and then by Wednesday or Thursday I'd start to fail. Then I again would say I'll start again on MONDAY. It was an evil continuous cycle. I noticed that route was failing for years. So I tried harder and say I'll start the first of the month and by the second week or so I'd start to fail again and then the next month would come same thing. That lasted like 15 or so months. Sometimes I would say I'll start tomorrow let me pig out today. By the time I was actually ready no one had the energy to help me or congratulate me if I start to see progress. This weight loss journey is only up to me. No one can ream the benefits but me. No one knows how my body will feel when I lose the weight. My only secret is believing in myself and knowledge to suceed. Without the two I think I will be hopeless. I lost 4 lbs already before MFP and the funny thing is I don't even remember the exact day I started all I did was right the number on a piece of paper with no date just my age. :happy:

itsmenatalie

I'm not sure how to rank these, but here are the things I think made a difference:
-tracking everything I ate and sticking to my calorie limit
-eating 1475 calories (my bmr) instead of the 1200 mfp recommended - I think I would have been way too hungry at 1200 and would have quit.
-quiting all soda - even diet soda
-massively decreasing the amount of fast food I ate (from like 8 times a week to 2 times a month)
-doing my official weigh in on Mondays so I felt accountable over the weekend.

Good Luck!

Arlala555

::itsmenatalie:: I know The MFP calories intake calculator seems a bit off to me. I had to adjust somethings too. I went on several other websites and they told me to have a few hundred more calories then the 1200 MFP had said.

debnu1

Thanks you guys, that is exactly what I have been looking for! This week I am going to start planning ahead and doing it today.

You are all so motivating! I will take any and all secrets to success that anybody has!

arewethereyet

Thank you for this thread Deb.

My success was based on:

Logging every morsal
Eating cleaner
Being aware of WHAT I was eating
Reading the labels
Eating every 3 hours
Eating protien/carbs/fat

Exercise 3-4 days a week for 40-60 minutes.

Thank you. I needed that. Simple to get back to reality.........(damn you Balsout Christmas Cake! )

debnu1

Thank you for this thread Deb.

My success was based on:

Logging every morsal
Eating cleaner
Being aware of WHAT I was eating
Reading the labels
Eating every 3 hours
Eating protien/carbs/fat

Exercise 3-4 days a week for 40-60 minutes.

Thank you. I needed that. Simple to get back to reality.........(damn you Balsout Christmas Cake! )

You are welcome, I want to gleam all the information I can from everyone, to make my journey that much easier... Maybe if I learn what worked for everyone else I can find what will work best for me! I am ready to break that 20 lb lost mark and make it 30!!

Tamishumate

Was it the exercise, measuring portions, logging all of your food? Let me know your success and failure. I am looking forward to reading about the secrets to your success!! :bigsmile:

Thanks in advance.:flowerforyou:

YES! IT WAS ALL OF THAT!! every single day, ( with the exercise 5 x a week) I logged every calorie I put in my mouth, even the ones I drank ( which so many people forget about) if I didnt know how many calories it was, I didnt eat it, period, there was no room for guessing games, not for me. I tracked every calorie I burned in the gym, ( and I only counted to ones that I burned in the gym, I never thought " I cleaned the house today, what kind of calories did I burn" ) I weighed myself every day ( I know , I know, not the best thing, but it keeps me on track and makes me think about what I may have put in my body the day before that made me gain a pound the next day, it really makes you understand how sodium intake affects your body, or that glass of wine, even if you had the calories for it) . It was knowing every single day that I was making a better Tami, for myself, and for my family.
Good luck !!

debnu1

Awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing! :flowerforyou:

murvine

Move more and eat the right foods,eat every two hours to keep( burring)and keep cal lower,as too your heart rate up for mim of 30 mints each day X 7 and weigh tranning two days a week .I have lost 60 lbs in 11mo"s.

debnu1

Thanks for sharing, and congratulations on the weight loss!! I have gotten some great ideas! :bigsmile:

MayLan

Hi Debnu,

These are the things that have helped me

-Wanting to lose the weight more than anything in the world; more than food; saying to myself: "Enough is enough"
-Logging in all my foods even on days when I cheat on my meals; i do this so that I am conscious of what I'm eating and I can then review what I have eaten and experiment on how many calories to eat, or how many carbs
-Going to bed by 9:00pm; with no excuses; so that I can wake up early to exercise. I say to myself, deciding to go to the gym starts at night when I decide at what time I'm headed to bed. Because if I wake up tired, I'm not going to exercise. I give myself the weekends off
-keeping foods that are "weaknesses" for me, because I tend to overindulge, "out of the house" I've already told my husband, no ice cream, no cakes, sweets. If there here, they are going in the garbage. I'm working too hard to lose weight, to have these temptations around
-Giving myself a day off the week to rest and eat what I want.
-Reading other people's success and picturing myself accomplishing that same success
-Doing all of the above, "one day at a time" and the rest will take care of itself.

rachi20024

Staying within my calories. I constantly move like when I'm on the computer I'm in a rocking chair (better than just sitting) and rocking. When I clean I blast music and DANCE like a mad women hopefully no ones looking but my son. It also makes me feel good all day. I also dedicate 30 minutes of time 3x a weekto exercise like a walk or a dvd. Oh and pilates I pilates. G-luck:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

debnu1

Thank you everyone, for other ideas you can visit this board, Tamtastic, looks awesome and has some great ideas!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/73722-success-to-hopefully-keep-you-going

arewethereyet

I lost all of my weight, using MFP, a couple of years ago now, and check in every now and then.

My success was thanks to tracking things on MFP, but really, MFP was just the "training wheels" that helped me to re-train myself, and my habits. Smaller portions, not eating at night, making activity a part of everyday life, and dropping the "all or nothing" attitude. It is a long road, and the weight doesn't come off over night. But for me, that used to mean just giving up. It is now a lifestyle, and I think that is the recurring theme of successful losers.

I read a study once that stuck with me... the people who fail on diets had one thing in common - the used the mentality of "I will start tomorrow" or "I will start Monday" and often engaged in "one last treat" or "one last big meal". The succesful losers (and these losers kept if off for at least 2 years in the study) had a mentality of, "I start right now".

I hope you find success in the new year!

Thanks for reminding me Amanda!! RIght now, this minute!!!

j_g4ever

Staying within my calories. I constantly move like when I'm on the computer I'm in a rocking chair (better than just sitting) and rocking. When I clean I blast music and DANCE like a mad women hopefully no ones looking but my son. It also makes me feel good all day. I also dedicate 30 minutes of time 3x a weekto exercise like a walk or a dvd. Oh and pilates I pilates. G-luck:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

I wish I could blast my music when I clean but I tend to get my power hour in at about 2am and I don't think that my hubby whom gets up at 4 am would like that :laugh: I just got a treadmill so I'm hoping with this change I can go to bed earlier. He keeps hinting that I should start going to bed earlier. I think he just wants some. :laugh:

miaangel345

Just keeping track of everything I eat and sticking to the 1500 calories MFP told me to eat. The more you loose the less you eat! When I first started a few months ago I was on 1600 and since I lost about 20 pounds my calories have decreased making it a bit harder to stay on track but luckily MFP is keeping me there!

msh0530

Really, my main attack on the problem has been portion control, logging, and thinking about what I am eating. I do a lot of advance planning. Here's to smart choices!

Tri_Dad

Great Thread- I see alot of reoccuring themes which just proves that the site works.

I can't explain why I was so serious about it this time. I just know that something clicked.

Things I learned-

-Logging food is SOOOOO important.
-Calories arent the only thing. You have to learn to eat things that are good for you and your body. If MFP says to eat 1400 calories a day it should NOT be 1400 calories worth of M&M's
-Dont rely on the scale for all your progress. Measure, measure and measure. Your body goes through alot of positive changes that don't involve weight.
-Find some sort of fitness activity to you love. Something you really enjoy doing. For me that is running and cycling.
-Get more active in general. Rather than sitting on the couch get out in the back yard and kick a soccer ball around with the kids.
-Never say "I messed up, I'll get back on track tommorow." Always get up on the very next oppurtunity. do NOT wait for tommorow when you can improve on today.
-Do it for yourself. This has to be for you. It's nice that those you love benefit, but if your motivation isnt at least a little bit selfish then your doing it for the wrong reasons.

That's what I have learned

:drinker:

AJCM

I lost all of my weight, using MFP, a couple of years ago now, and check in every now and then.

My success was thanks to tracking things on MFP, but really, MFP was just the "training wheels" that helped me to re-train myself, and my habits. Smaller portions, not eating at night, making activity a part of everyday life, and dropping the "all or nothing" attitude. It is a long road, and the weight doesn't come off over night. But for me, that used to mean just giving up. It is now a lifestyle, and I think that is the recurring theme of successful losers.

I read a study once that stuck with me... the people who fail on diets had one thing in common - the used the mentality of "I will start tomorrow" or "I will start Monday" and often engaged in "one last treat" or "one last big meal". The succesful losers (and these losers kept if off for at least 2 years in the study) had a mentality of, "I start right now".

I hope you find success in the new year!

Thanks for reminding me Amanda!! RIght now, this minute!!!

Hey Jeannie - hope you are well! Looks like you are maintaing well- love that muscle in your pic! The holidays have been an eating fest, but trying not to overdo it! I find once we've been down this journey, we know how hard it is to lose, so the cost-benefit of overeating becomes pretty clear!

Happy new year to you and everyone!
Amanda

Phoenix_Rising

First and foremost, I have no deadline on my weight loss. I am roughly 15 - 20 lbs from my goal weight. I'd LOVE to drop it all by tomorrow, I won't lie, but if it takes another year, I'm cool with that. Slow and steady. Patience. It's the biggest part of my long term weight loss goal. There will be set backs and there will be successes. It's a long road. The weight didn't come on over night, and the weight loss won't occur over night either.

Secondarily, I realized that no amount of exercise could negate the horrible foods I was eating. I realized portion control, calorie counting, was key to my weight loss. For various reasons, I stopped working out around June. I started gaining back the weight, and then due to other stressors, I lost the weight I'd gained back, getting back to where I was on my journey. Even though I was no longer working out, I have still been able to lose weight, thanks to calorie counting.

My motivation is looking back to where I use to be. At my highest, I was 240 lbs (5'4''). I couldn't breath after taking one flight of stairs. I couldn't keep up with my daughter when she was crawling. I was uncomfortable in my looks, in my clothes. I had high blood pressure, ulcer issues, asthma. I was taking 7 medications a day..... at 25 years old. I was miserable. Now, at 28 years old, I am free of those medical problems that plagued me (I have a rescue inhaler which rarely gets used, but no daily asthma meds). I can run around with my daughter. A week ago, I was able to play with my daughter in the snow, running up and down the hill we were sledding on without becoming short of breath or feeling taxed at the energy I was expending!! I am happy with my size and my clothes "fit right". I am so much happier and healthier, and plan to keep moving towards my goal... one small step at a time.

The secret to successful weight loss is committing to yourself. This is a long term goal, something that benefits you in so many various ways, while benefitting everyone else in your life. Make the commitment. Know there will be set backs, but take them in stride. Keep your eye on the goal. Anything is possible, so long as you decide you want it and nothing will stop you!!

debnu1

The secret to successful weight loss is committing to yourself. This is a long term goal, something that benefits you in so many various ways, while benefitting everyone else in your life. Make the commitment. Know there will be set backs, but take them in stride. Keep your eye on the goal. Anything is possible, so long as you decide you want it and nothing will stop you!!

Wow, I really needed to hear that!! Thanks so much for sharing your story--to everyone else to. I am so grateful I found this site because all of you have kept me going even when I wanted to quit! Thank you!:flowerforyou:

rachi20024

Staying within my calories. I constantly move like when I'm on the computer I'm in a rocking chair (better than just sitting) and rocking. When I clean I blast music and DANCE like a mad women hopefully no ones looking but my son. It also makes me feel good all day. I also dedicate 30 minutes of time 3x a weekto exercise like a walk or a dvd. Oh and pilates I pilates. G-luck:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

I wish I could blast my music when I clean but I tend to get my power hour in at about 2am and I don't think that my hubby whom gets up at 4 am would like that :laugh: I just got a treadmill so I'm hoping with this change I can go to bed earlier. He keeps hinting that I should start going to bed earlier. I think he just wants some. :laugh:

Start going to bed earlier IT is still exercise you and hubby would benefit:laugh: Ohh and use headphones blasting music wouldn't wake him then.:happy:

debnu1

I agree, you would both benefit from the exercise:laugh: I started going to bed earlier and getting up to exercise first thing in the morning, boy it feels good to do that! I felt better all day long. :bigsmile:

ilike2moveit

I have always been thin but for the first time in my life I was overweight-borderline obese- and didn't even care. Vanity is what motivated me in the past, but for the first time ever I was motivated by health. I read an article in Prevention magazine about a dr. who had brain cancer and did research on how foods can help heal our bodies. He listed cancer fighting foods and what they did to fuel our bodies. I decided that I was going to slowly change what I was eating so that I could make a lifestyle change and feed my body healthy foods. I started losing weight and feeling healthier than I had in a long time. The more weight I lost the more I was motivated to keep eating healthy.

chrissyh

Over the past year and a half this is what I've found...

Exercise - doesn't matter what time of day - just move....don't tell me you can't run - walk....don't tell me you don't have time when you can sit and watch a 30 minute citcom or hour drama on TV---if nothing else-do SOMETHING during the commercials - run up your stairs a few times, do crunches, jog in place--just get moving.

I've found I do have bad food days....BUT if I've exercised the damage is minimal...Ialso don't beat myself up over a bad choice...move on!

I always ask myself if something is truly worth it....like is this piece of kentucky derby pie worth an extra 45 minutes of running????? What's more important that goal I have or 5 minutes of chewing chocolate that will take 45 minutes to work off.....when you look at it in that perspective, kinda makes the choice easy....and if you really want to work for it!

I try to pre-plan my meals for the day so I can see what I have to eat for snacks. But on days I can't I take it one meal - one serving at a time-do I obsess about food (a friend told me I do) and I would say yes I do but obviously when I didn't what did that do for me?

I eat my exercise calories...when I didn't, I felt like crap....simply wasn't getting enough nutrition.

Set goals and let them be known....if I don't have a goal to reach I do not strive to work nearly as hard. I blog my goals, I post them on facebook, I post them on MFP - it keeps me accountable to do what I set out to do. Even with every workout I try to set a goal - burn 450 calories or run at 5.5 mph for X amount of time, run this distance....whatever - keeps me accountable to myself. Oh and when I run...I am so mean to myself it's like my second personality coming out - when I want to give up and I know I haven't gone the distance I set for myself..I start the smack talking....are you going to give up - why have you worked this hard to let 1 run beat you....you are stronger than this you pu$$y....yah - I really do insult myself (not out loud or people would REALLY think I've lost it). Point is - you need to be your own cheerleader....but by also setting goals publicly it's like you are letting someone else down in the process. Do remember to set your mini goals reasonably...I don't like set a goal to run 2 miles at 7mph--not happening.

As far as food goes, I do try to eat a variety of stuff but I am a creature of habit. It's hard for me to get my veggies in-I know it so I try to focus on being sure I have options at home so I'll eat them. LOG EVERYTHING! I still do.

DRINK WATER...it will help in so many ways...I am no nutritionist, just my experience....when I drink my water, I feel better, I eliminate better (#1 and #2), helps push fiber and soduim thru you....just do it....don't like it...well I didn't either but really let's be real there's no flavor why would you dislike it. It may not be the drink of choice - add lemons or something if you have to. I am addicted to hot water with lemon in the winter....sometimes with Stevia

Back to exercise.....when I've "DIETED" in years past (please note I no longer diet - I live it!) I didn't really exercise, kinda starved myself lost weight - looked ok but NOW I've lost more than ever and I am more tone then ever - I haven't weighed what I weigh now since I was like 19 and I didn't have the tone and form that I do know.

Don't ever beat yourself up - you HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD!!!!! Remind yourself of little accomplishments....I drank all my water today...this week I was under calories everyday or today I was under my calories...I said no to that pie - they are all victories and don't forget to recognize them. I actually have rewarded myself throughout the process....I've gotten a Heart Rate monitor, a weekend at the beach, new running shoes, an ipod shuffle.....all rewards for milestones.

ilike2moveit---I can relate to the cancer/obese issues....I was diagnosed with breast cancer 4 years ago and had absolutely NO other risk factors except the possibility of the link with obesity.

I could probably go on for pages more...this will have to do for now.

So here's to our health everyone! :drinker:

debnu1

I love the hot water and lemon idea, I was looking for something warm and comforting the other day--that would have done it! Thanks for sharing chrissy! BTW I would have read all your pages, bring it on! The more information the better IMHO!!:bigsmile:

smadag1

bump

SHBoss1673

secret to my success is knowledge.

-Research your body, log your numbers (calories, measurements, weight, body fat percentage, BMI, BMR, RHR, TDEE) and track all of them. Figure out what works for you and STICK TOO IT. No excuses!

-Learn about what good food is for you, and what bad food is.

-Know what is an acceptable goal for your situation.

-Don't expect too much too fast.

-Be HONEST with yourself.

-Make sure you're always pushing yourself at least a little. Never accept the status quo.

-Don't accept failures. If you have a bad day/week/month. Resolve yourself to change it and fix the issue.

-And most of all... FIGURE OUT what made you this way in the first place, and work towards fixing it.