How did YOU lose weight?

clouxles · January 2013

Always worked out harder some days than others but lifestyle beer and not understanding how much I should or could eat (calorie wise) not necessarily quality wise.

I went on a diet... I read a lot about the "Ideal Protein Diet" Liked the science behind it.

Lost 50 pounds in 12 weeks.... been a year so far so good...

I feel better - have more energy and look a tad better than Santa ( I have not weighed what I do now since I was 19)

Now I eat\drink within my limits and this site is awesome for maintenance

I say no a lot more than I used to also...

MissJanet55 · January 2013

It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

Thanks for your excellent and thoughtful post. A lot of it resonated with me, but especially this. I am learning that being a little hungry is not the end of the world. TOO hungry is a problem, but a little is okay. I am also learning to stop eating before I'm full, and I find 20 minutes later I do feel full (just not uncomfortably full).

I think we are so prone to being comfortable, and running from every uncomfortable feeling we have, that losing weight is really hard. Because it entails moments of discomfort, whether it's not being as full as we like or exercising when we're not used it it.

Yeller_Sensation · January 2013

1. Ate much more protein.
2. Ate far fewer refined carbs.
3. Ate more complex carbs.
4. Cardio six mornings a week.
5. Strength training three afternoons a week.

dharmony1 · January 2013

I have lost weight by following the old line wisdom of diet and exercise or what I consider a powerful combination of "won't power" with "will power." From Day 1 I have used this program and logged 98% of what I have eaten, whether at home or away. I began walking routes in my neighborhood. Then when the weather and shortened days began to work against me I joined a gym .

My appetite has decreased so that I can eat smaller portions and feel satisfied. My physical stamina has increased (and some arthritis pain has decreased). I look forward to my gym time. As of today I have a 13 day streak going of getting there every day.

I am within two pounds of my initial 50 pound goal after four months. With that achieved I will began adding strength training to my regimen and work on dropping another 25 for a 75 pound total loss.

I have had lots of support and encouragement from friends where I am a volunteer. I even received a 500 calorie dinner cookbook from two of them as a Christmas gift (EatingWell.com book). Support, encouragement and now lots of compliments provide the motivation to keep going. It's also been fun rediscovering the wardrobe I have not been able to wear for years. It's also fun to go shopping for new jeans or a new belt and continue to downsize.

Short answer is diet, exercise and support of friends.

Garce083 · May 2013

What is the 1200 calorie trap?

AnJulNZ · May 2013

What is the 1200 calorie trap?

Can someone who knows please answer this? I don't know what it is either.

Sparlingo · May 2013

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?

Still a work in progress, but I'm a 5'0" gal doing:

- 1300 calories + at least some exercise calories (how many dependent on hunger)
- focus on hitting 85 grams of protein a day (difficult for me -- but it's my 1 gram per pound of lean body weight)
- Zumba 3x per week
- Weight lifting class 2x per week

UltimateMedu · May 2013

In 2009 I went to visit the Middle east to see my family, and to be honest I didn't realize I was losing weight but I ended up losing 15-20 pounds in a month and a half. I didn't have any scales there and checked my weight the day I came back. Instead of the 3 meals a day I do here, I had 4 meals (8am, 12am, 3pm, and 8pm, - roughly and a bunch of fruits at about 9pm). I also had more exercise there than I did at home. Over there I was walking everyday, for hours at some times (shopping, or climbing mountains for fun - the mountains are nice haha). It was the best time of my life considering it was my first vacation. I was perfectly healthy, didn't get sick at all, and I had meals which weren't too little and weren't too much. I was 145-150lbs back then, and am currently 126 pounds, still trying to reach about 118.

Angiebabe2 · May 2013

Hello

I watch my calories and log every day. I try and pack in as much nutrition as possible so nothing is wasted and am constantly trying to refine and upgrade the quality of what i eat cos damn it it has to be good - a bit like me in the past trying to sqeeze a lot into a smaller pair of jeans! But it is interesting and fun and as I suffer from an autoimmune i have the added bonus of attacking an illness with my diet as well as losing weight. Just had my bloods done again and it has really paid off I am cholesterol queen with an amazing hdl ratio. I would recommend getting an fbc when you start so you can also watch the progress within as well as the scale and the tape measure. I do exercise as much as my muscles will allow but walk most days and do a lot of strength exercises set by physio but the most important adpect of the exercise for me is the old serotonin boost it leaves you feeling great.

And to the person asking about the old 1200 trap there are a lot of active threads on this so try one of those or stay with us lovely folks this thread is way more real and interesting and friendly.

Oh and just keep at it day in day out and those pounds suddenly start adding up to a big difference never thought i would be at it for seven months and 68 down