How did YOU lose weight?

mareeee1234

bump!

PikaKnight

So many of you say strength training is the key. If I don't have a gym how can I do this? Thanks for your help!

There are exercises/workouts that don't require equipment. I'd probably do a google search to get videos and lists. Exercises like squats, lunges, and crunches.

My suggestion, though, is to invest in equipment and build your own "gym" at home, consider joining a gym, or check out the one at your apartment if you live in an apartment.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

When I first started losing, I walked between 10,000 and 30,000 steps a day. I didn't have a car, and the stroller became my car. I walked absolutely everywhere I went. 1.5 miles each way to my daughter's school, in a very hilly neighborhood while pushing a stroller. Grocery store almost 2 miles away, pushed groceries in a cooler bag, under the stroller, off the handles, etc. all the way home. I went for long walks of about 5 hours on weekends just for the heck of it to explore the city where we lived, kids in tow - oldest on a scooter and youngest in her stroller. The husband would drag me on 30 mile, 8-10 hour treks sometimes on weekends.

I didn't strength train at first, at least not in the traditional way, but if you've ever walked the streets in Tokyo, going a half a block uphill pushing a loaded down stroller can work up a sweat.

Regardless, I didn't lose all the weight because I ate way more than I needed. I am thankful that I pushed that damned stroller around for so long, though, because I think it kept me from losing even more muscle than I did when I got sick. I didn't start strength training until I got the all clear from my oncologist, and it is taking me forever to strengthen and reshape my body. In November 2011, I looked like a 50-year-old from the shoulders down. My skin and fat and muscle just hung off me. Now I look like I de-aged a couple decades through strength training and high intensity cardio.

caseydimples

WOW - I love reading all these success stories. So inspiring!

MoreBean13

So many of you say strength training is the key. If I don't have a gym how can I do this? Thanks for your help!

There are exercises/workouts that don't require equipment. I'd probably do a google search to get videos and lists. Exercises like squats, lunges, and crunches.

My suggestion, though, is to invest in equipment and build your own "gym" at home, consider joining a gym, or check out the one at your apartment if you live in an apartment.

The book "You are your own gym" is a really good bodyweight program- all set up for you like a proper strength program.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

So many of you say strength training is the key. If I don't have a gym how can I do this? Thanks for your help!

There are exercises/workouts that don't require equipment. I'd probably do a google search to get videos and lists. Exercises like squats, lunges, and crunches.

My suggestion, though, is to invest in equipment and build your own "gym" at home, consider joining a gym, or check out the one at your apartment if you live in an apartment.

The book "You are your own gym" is a really good bodyweight program- all set up for you like a proper strength program.

Thanks so much for mentioning this book. Also, for those with a home gym, this youtube FREE personal trainer is tremendous:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlFrVxHp8HU&feature=BFa&list=ULjjIxhdX7xjw

:drinker: LOVE this home gym personal trainer, and really love that it's FREE!

MelSimba

What's the '1200 calorie trap' ?

beautsarah

bump

dangerouscurvesNZ

Got off my *kitten* and started moving and quit eating junk!

LOVE THIS! SAME HERE!!!!

Same here - well still working on the junk bit but now it's 80/20 and exercise every day.

chubbygirl253

My calorie goal is set at 1700 but I work out a lot and eat back no more than 50% of my exercise calories, usually a bit less than half. Fitness has really been the key for me.

butterflylady86

Plain old changed the diet and started exercising. It is working great

ucsdyc

I set my calories goal at 1200. I dropped 25 lbs in a few months just changing my diet and started exercising. I feel so much better. At first you won't notice the difference and you will feel hungry, so the self control is very important. Cutting out carbs, junk foods to eating more fruits and vegetables will cut down the craving slowly.

RyanWilson1993

Cleaned my food habits up and worked out 3x a week

Shagi

I just closed my mouth????

jonesie84

What did you eat? Did you workout? Did you eat healthy or eat bad but just a certain amount of calories? Did you make muscle after? Do you plan on making muscle?

I love that you post this question because there are so many different answers. i've lost 52lb since January 2012. For the first 3 months i did no working out and just stopped drinking pop and eating fast food. I lost 15lb right off the bat. Then it was counting calories and exercising 5 days a week. HOWEVER, I dont eat as healthy as most people. I have two young kids who are picky eaters. So I make things they enjoy for dinner and if its not a healthy dinner, i eat a very small portion of that (enough to count calories). For example: they love spaghetti w/meatballs. So I would have 1 meatball, 1/2 sauce, and a very small portiong of pasta (maybe 1 ounce). My diet is flooded with fruits, yogurts, and diet shakes during the day though. I have 6lb to go to my first goal, then my plan is to just start toning and maybe i will drop a few more pounds in the process.

ValerieMartini2Olives

For the most part, I ate whatever I want within my caloric goal. I tried to make better choices, eating a lot of fruits and veggies, not eating foods with high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oil, and for a while, I ate little to no meat. I did a lot of exercising - going to the gym, walking, riding my bike, doing workout DVD's with a friend. I drank booze (but significantly less than I ever had) and had cheat days once or twice a week. And those never hindered my loss. I was doing very well and then I got pregnant. I'm just over 7 months and have only put on 12 pounds. After the baby comes, I plan to get seriously back into it.

SexyGorecki

Eat less move more! I lost my first 100 pounds just changing my eating portions and walking. I would walk every day. I started at a mile and as it got easier I increased the distance. I have lost a total of 130 pounds in 5 years... (always a work in progress) I have another 30 to go and it is a PAIN! It's very difficult to lose now. I lose and gain the same 10. So, I stopped the scale watching and just decided to call it a loss... haha I eat healthy and I work out 3-4 times a week. The scale will not distract or deter me from being the healthy me that I am! Some day the pounds may come off... but I can dead lift 200lbs! AND I can run a 5K! I am the healthiest me I have every been!

yowza101

I just don't over think it. I just try to eat healthier with more fruits and vegetables and cooking vegetables more healthier. I'm back to working out after a month of not being able to. This is my challenge for the next two weeks to get back to my routine which have been hard these past few days. But I know once I get back on my routine of working out, then I will do much better. Although I didn't work out, I still tracked my food which helped a lot.

I don't beat myself up if I go over my calories or ate something that I shouldn't have. I just make sure it's not a daily thing. I do drink a lot of water which is a great thing to do. I don't deprive myself. If there is something that I am craving, I wait a half hour and if I still want it I get it because if I don't, then I know I will overly indulge in it and eat more than what I started out wanting. I still eat fried chicken, etc...but not as often as I used to and not as much of it. I truly believe it's all in moderation. I try to plan fried foods though so I can make sure that I work out more or eat less during the day and put the calories more so for the meal that I will have it.

This is a lifestyle journey not a diet anymore. Just like all journeys, you have your ups and downs going through it. The key is not giving up on yourself just because you may have had a bad day or a few bad days of eating and not exercising. Just get back on the routine and take it from there.

laineybz

I work out and cut portions... just started counting calories..but I eat whatever I want.. I don't deprive myself of anything..

Almost exactly the same for me. I cut down rather than cut out. Am eating healthier food too and exercising more than i used too.

67lbs later, it hasn't harmed me.

vmarie74

bump/save

LennyInFlorida

Law of thermodynamics. I ate less for about 8 months and worked out more. Obviously it was more mental than that with dedication but that's what it boils down too. I didn't follow any macronutrient schedule, just did calories and recorded everything I ate with no cheating. It's not about will power as much as it was I was ready to change...

Garce083

So is it bad to be on a 1200 calorie diet according to MFP?

akilahleemarie

i cocktail waitress 28 hours a week (so i am blessed to have atleast 2,000 extra tdee calories burned a week), mon-friday I do HIIT on my exercise bike 30 mins (burns 300 cal a day/1500 a week) and mon-fri i eat 1200 calories a day. saturday and sunday i do not work or exercise and I eat 3,000 calories a day. I eat all the garbage i have been craving, and then when monday comes i am so ready to go back to healthy. I have 3 different 1200 calories menus that I made that i can choose from. it pretty much is a list of what i am going to eat for the day and i am VERY strict with it. i think what im doing is the perfect plan for someone who struggles with diet because they feel so deprived. when it does feel tough during the week it gets easy because you know you get to pig out on the weekend. but you must make sure you are counting the calories. getting a weekend break really makes you feel like you are only going to be on a diet for 5 days vs. 6 months.

TinGirl314

The only 'diet' I've been on is counting my calories and logging my foods. I log everything...the only exception is if I feel a strong urge to binge eat (restricting my calories makes me feel like I should be hungry and causes me to eat even when I'm not, food was restricted in my childhood.) To get the satisfaction of 'cheating' I will allow myself one thing that I don't log, under 200 calories. Chocolate covered bananas are my current staple sweet food. I've cut my calories down to about 1,500-1900 a day plus half of my workout calories. I only do half due to finding that a lot of the calorie counts are off. Here are some of my staple foods:



Egg whites, Peanuts, Walnuts, Celery, Peanut butter, Apples, bananas, fruit cups, jello pudding snacks (also a sweet tooth food), chicken breasts, whole grain rice, triscuts, and hummus (my substitute for chips and dip.)



I try my hardest not to go out to eat at all. It's SO expensive and there's way too much sodium in those foods. If I go out I'll go to subway and get a six inch spinach and egg white flat bread, or taco bell to get off their fresco menu. I also have diabetes and PCOS, so carb control is essential. I was really sad when I started this because I'm part Italian and I LOVE bread. I have managed to pretty much give up all white carbs (with the exception of a potato here and there... I need to learn to cook sweet potatoes!) I have also limited my red meat intake down to about twice a week or less. I have high triglycerides so this is very important for me too.

I try not to drink soda at all, most of the day is water (especially during a tough workout.) The exceptions are sparkling water and 4C sugarless packets at 5 calories each. I just got some that have caffeine in them, which helps me get my day started without my coffee and 300 calories of creamer. Water is SO important though....if you're eating a healthy diet you should be getting 25-30 grams of fiber. If you don't drink water while you do this, you're in for a world of discomfort. the body also needs water to flush fat away...get the most out of the work you do by helping yourself along.

Pulled all that from a blog post...because a couple people have asked. Your plan is going to be different of course because you have a different body/metabolism, ect. Best advice I can give is to go into your doctor's office and say 'I'm ready to lose this weight, tell me what foods react best in my body.

MuslimFitnessInstructor

got off my *kitten* and started working out.

I was tired of being tired , I was tired of being fat, I was tired of being sick, depressed etc.

I joined my fitness pal, got a gym membership and went. started doing every single class the gym offers and got moving. I work out 4hrs a day. I eat 1700-2000 calories a day or more, i drink 200 oz of water a day, I dont leave the gym unless I have burned a min of 1000 calories. and cause of my work plus training for a tri, I burn 1500 or more calories.

I JUST DONT GIVE UP. I KEEP TRYING AND TRYING.

SoontirFel

Ate less, ran more.

Gharley64

2 things...
-Dukan diet ( I still follow it, even after 1 year)
-exercise....lots of walking 7 jogging

skcardiog

Rode the bike 451 times in 365 days - 50 pds later - hello new me . . . weight goal achieved. Time to maintain.

Bobby__Clerici

I follow the MFP recommendations for steady, safe and lasting results.
Diet:
My diet is spread out over 6 meals per day...3000 or so total calories...30% protein, 40% Carb and 30% fat. I eat lean meats, fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and low fat dairy. I supplement vitamins, fiber and protein.
Exercise:
I exercise 2 hours per day.
My training consists of both cardio and resistance coupled with low level MMA and tennis competition.
All Is Possible

lizzybethclaire

I got rid of as much processed food as I could.
I log everything
1600 to 1800 Cals a day
Bike outdoors 10 miles 3x week
Strength and weight training 2x week.

Good luck. Everyone is different. Just be consistent and persistent.

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