What's your secret!?

As many will say, there really aren't any secrets. If there was a magic little secret, somebody would get awfully rich selling it, that's for sure! Like others will say, count calories, log the calories, keep moving, determination, etc. I would agree 100%!

However, I do find it fascinating that many of us (including me), try several times to lose weight and for whatever reason, we lose motivation and the will to keep at it. And then one day (and over several months usually), something CLICKS! We don't lose our motivation, we keep at it and the weight DOES come off! I wonder why this is...

For me, this last time at the weight loss journey, these are the things that were different (and most likely kept me motivated and thus contributed to my weight loss):

1. I only work 4 days/week (instead of 5). I have Mondays off. I use this day to buy groceries, do some meal planning, cut up fruit, veggies and get in a good work-out! Also, I guess the guilt of bringing in 20% less money into the household made me feel like I should be doing SOMETHING constructive with my day off!

2. I didn't cut out any food 100%! Of course I'm eating WAY more of the healthy stuff and WAY less of the bad stuff but if I want a piece of pizza, some chocolates or a glass of wine, I fit them in my calorie bank.

3. I focused WAY more on the food and WAY less on the exercice! If I exercice 1-3 times a week, I'm ok with that and I don't beat myself up.

4. Compliments. Oh my goodness, those compliments go a long way! By the way, people notice your weight loss way more when you buy new clothes! Buy a few new pieces along the way even IF you're going to lose more weight. You'll feel better about yourself (being in a smaller size) and you'll actually want to keep going!

5. Don't focus too much on the end goal! Make small goals that aren't far from reach. For me, it was always about getting to the next "tens" (ex: when in the low 160s, focus on getting to the 150s).

6. Bring your lunch/snacks to work!! You'll also save $$ by doing this!

7. Try new recipes/foods... you WILL get bored of that salad or that bowl of cereal even if you love it now!

8. Keep your mind in the game. Read articles, success stories, etc!

9. Don't allow yourself to get too hungry or you'll make bad decisions!

10. I weighed myself daily.

i cut back drasticly on eating out. I make more home cooked meals. oh & doing cardio a few times a week. i love zumba.

1. Delay my first meal until I'm hungry.
2. Enjoy the calories I consume. I don't waste calories on "icky" or "marginal" foods/beverages just because they're there.
3. Plan for/Log in advance when I know what I'm having for dinner or going out and adjust other meals accordingly, so I can enjoy what I want and still meet my goals.
4. Burn more; eat more. Burn less; eat less.
5. Keep doing what I know works even when the scale doesn't move -- eventually it will catch up!!
6. Give away all of the clothes I shrink out of, so there's no going back.
7. Hang out with like-minded friends and share "success!"

Come on.... I know the only thing that really works is diet and exercise... but I am sure everyone has their little secrets/short cuts to success!

Do share.

(And feel free to add me :flowerforyou: )

Maddie

There aren't any short cuts if you want real results that last. The most effective weight loss is due to a lifestyle change...and that requires not just a change in food or in getting in exercise....it also requires you to change your mind/attitude. Requires you to educate yourself and create good habits. That takes time and there is nothing that you can do to "rush" or "short cut" it.

And it isn't a secret either. That's what is so great about it. No secrets, no money for some program...just determination, hard work, and the commitment to better yourself physically and mentally.

My secret? Not caring. If the scale goes up instead of down, meh. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Weight loss, like life, isn't a marathon. It's a dance. You just have to be sure you're taking more steps forward than back."
---Me (seriously)

20g carbs per day, natural calorie restriction and a lot of time. No planned cheat days, treated it like a lifestyle change. Mistakes were mistakes and I continued on that same day. I wish I could say there was more to it, but it worked wonders for me. Very little exercise, though I'm trying to include that more now as I near my goals.

Water!!!

One of my friends drunk way to much coke/sprite. So we took her 20oz used bottles and used them for water. It is amazing how psychological food cravings are some times. So now she always has her bottles on hand, but with water

Logging in all of my food. Many times we are not always aware of just how much we are eating everyday, and our food diary is the perfect way to show that, yup, the butter, and coke, and brownie you had do add up lol.

Make small goals. If you have to lose 60lbs. Do it in smaller 10lb goals at a time that way it does not seem so overwhelming.

Buy a pair of pants one size smaller then your current size. Make you first goal to fit into them. Once they do, plan a mall day/girls night out(or guys night out) and strut your stuff! I am guilty of doing this, but it feels so good doing it. Admit it, it makes you feel sexy to be a size smaller

Get a friend or support group. People who will nag you to get out of bed to do a morning work out and stop being lazy. That is what I love about this place. If I eat 6 donuts one day, some can be like "OMG girl you just ate a billion calories!" And the next day I only eat two, someone can be like "You go girl for starting to cut back the portions!"

Weight loss should not be a crazy crash diet. Or an extreme change. Take it slow at first. The first things I did was stop eating snacks before bed and going on a half hour walk everyday. Them upped it to one hour walks and no sweets after dinner. That was 1.5 years ago. Now, 60lbs later, I do so much more. I know have a calorie limit, go on bike rides, jog, and do work out programs at my gym three times a week. I still have 30lbs to go to reach my goal. But the best thing is that I know I will keep it all off vs gaining it all back after a crazy crash diet that leaves you starving.

Good Luck to everyone out there!

I eat less food

There are NO shortcuts!

However, one thing that has really helped me is my heart rate monitor. MFP does not give you an accurate calorie burn. Only way to be sure is a HRM.

Shhhhhh.... now don't tell anyone this magic formula.......



Ready?


Eat less. Move more.