How did YOU lose weight?

Oh FFS! enough with the copy paste job of the wall of text. At least do the OP the courtesy of actually answering the question rather than over-loading the page with the same ad nausea non relevant information.

:flowerforyou:

I started off with 1,200 calories and cardio, like most people. I lost weight, but was really unhappy with my body composition (bye bye muscles).

The most important thing I did was learn from the community on MFP. I listened to the veterans of awesomeness. They inspired me to eat more, and lift heavy... and surprise! In spite of my paralyzing fears of gaining weight, my body followed the laws of physics and I lost a few more pounds, and a LOT more inches, and I can see the faint outline of abs on my tummy now. Also, I can punch harder. It's neat-o.

Biggest lessons: lift heavy, do your research, face your fears, learn from the community instead of fighting "But this works for me!" so vehemently. I never fought out loud, but I felt that way on the inside.

I spent a miserable 6 or 7 months on 1200 calories a day and a lot of cardio exercise.

Then, about August I switched to IPOaRM and am eating about 1500-1600 calories a day
Trying to get at least 25% calories from protein, trying to keep my muscle as I lose the last few lbs slowly
Lifting weights 2-3x a week
Dancing about 3 days a week (maybe 5 hrs)
I log every single thing. Even when I'm way over

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 ate 100% lean poultry, no red meat except on cheat days, low fat fish (the last few months i've been eating salmon, but it's full of good fats). Low or 0%fat cheese, skim milk (or soy milk). Lots and lots of veggies.
I've always been hooked on coke or any sugary drink so i replaced it with diet coke (yes i know,i should drink only water, i'm trying hard to change this habit). Lots of fruits (low sugar ones, one banana per week until lately, when i discovered i can eat more than one per week and keep the same weightloss rate)

I eat fish at least 3 times a week, chicken at least 3 times a week and red meat only once per week as I already mentioned (i have high cholesterol levels, so I have to be strict about this)
I also eat two eggs per week maximum (i was told not to exceed one egg per week but i can't stay away from it for so long)

I only use olive oil for cooking, and sunflower oil for salads. One tbsp for cooking and one tbsp for salads per meal maximum. I don't have any other kinds of fat (except those things that already have fat in their composition, but as i said, i choose the low fat version).

When i eat bad, i make it one portion, i never binge eat. I have always set a day per week for eating bad, usually on saturdays because i go out with my husband. But if you can do this on a day when you workout a lot then it gets better because you burn it all off on the same day (or should i say, you burn an equal amount of calories, because you're still digesting what you ate).

Lately since i've been working out so hard, i've been making it two cheat days per week. Depending on what you eat and what you burn, you can do even more cheat days per week, it's trial and error.

At the beginning i was losing a lot of weight per month, i had on my mind the ridiculous thought every beginner dieter has, the "to lose weight you have to eat little". i never felt hungry but my calorie deficit was very high and i didn't know it until i bought a scale and started counting calories and proteins. So now i'm eating more than ever.

As for exercise,i've been going to the gym 5 days per week. I started with a basic program, and started exercising harder and challenging myself as my weight started going down and my fitness started improving. I have always done both cardio and strength training. Usually 60 minutes cardio, and i was given a 5 days a week strength training program that targeted one area per day,now i do a full body program three times per week.

What to do at the gym depends on what your body is capable of. If you're truly overweight you don't have to start with heavy exercising, and a little effort goes a long way, but once you progress you need to adapt the program and make it more challenging.
Also,you need to make it fun so it's good to try new things and different ways to reach the same fitness goals so that the boredom doesn't spoil the exercise.

I now eat more than ever, and i fill my stomach again with a lot of food,but it's nutritious stuff. I thought that the nearer i got to my goal the less i would have to eat,and it's not exactly that way. I have to eat less calories if i want to lose because I weigh less,but i have to fill my plate more because i work out a lot more (not because i need to,but becaue i love it!), and i burn almost as many calories as i did at the beginning.

So, summing it all up, i had to change my habits (didn't happen overnight), and i had to have lots of patience but i lost weight by learning how to eat and live healthily. I became a better cook, so I don't miss junk food so much anymore.

And my love for food didn't have to die. It's exactly the opposite, i find myself thinking about food even more often,but in a good way. I am always trying to find new ways to cook and to make my food more enjoyable.

I'm almost at my goal weight now, and i lost 42 kg (92 pounds) in a year and a half. I plateaued once for more than two months.

Keeping track of my progress has always been key,but i had to stay away from the mfp app when i was stuck in the plateau,since i was getting quite obsessed trying to find out what i was doing wrong.

I pick up heavy stuff. I put it down, and then I repeat. When I'm tired of that, I go run for a while. I eat 1700-2000 calories a day. My weight loss is slower than some people have patience for, but I can pick up some really heavy stuff now. Like my teenager (which I do sometimes to show him whose boss).

Food - lots of protein sources. I have to really focus on making sure I get enough veggies some days. I know I'm eating healthy when my trips to the grocery store do not involve going down an aisle.

I dropped 22 pounds from September to November (204-182) by cutting fastfood, carbonated beverages (sodium), cheese, eggs, milk, and deli meats. Half of my diet is raw fruits and vegetables.
I exercise five nights a week, spending two at the gym on an elliptical and the other three doing doing a brisk, hour long walk.

I don't actually log calories. There's a lot of taboo about going rogue on the calorie counter. It's a very great tool and you will lose weight by logging calories. I just stopped because I would always use it to try and get away with drinking a coke and still being in a deficit, but in reality all of the excess sugar and fat was messing up my digestion and metabolism. All I can say about the counter is I'm not you, so you should do whatever you think will help you the most.

I have been eating the same food just small portins and no eating after 6pm, and I walk every chance I get instead of forcing myself to do exersize I know that I hate.

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

Short and sweet lol - dont need spiels and spiels to get ones point across...just saying.

What is the 1200 calorie trap?

Believing that you need to eat only 1200 calories a day to look good. A lot of us learned our lessons, began eating 1600-2000, started lifting weights, & now we're at or are reaching our goals so quickly that we can't believe our eyes. You're new to MFP, so take this as your first lesson & use it to guide you in your goals. :flowerforyou:

i do what works for me, which is eat a balance diet, being mindful of everything that i put in my mouth...

i exercise for at least an hour 6 days a week, a combination of strength training and cardiovascular workouts...

ive found that you do not need to be perfect to get results, you just have to be honest and never quit, even if you have a bad day or even an entire month...

for me this is as much mental as it is physical...i have had to get my head right at the same time as my body, both are a work in progress...

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?

What did I eat?, pretty much anything I wanted, the only thing I avoide (still) is cheese and pizza, I didnt stop eating a specific thing, I still eat goodies, still drink soda... its all about moderation.. at least for me. Of course Im eating more healthy stuff now, such as veggies or fruits. I ve added lots of yummy/ healthy things that I didnt even consider before.

Did I workout?, hell yes I did / DO. I started this new lifestyle on january 2012, and started exercising in march, Im addicted now. I walk a lot, do zumba, taebo, pretty much any good cardio DVD I find ( I dont go to the gym, I do it at home).. And soon Ill start p90x.. for some tonification and muscle.

Im still losing weight (going for my last 10), so im still eating 1200 calories a day, I dont eat exercise calories back. I will once I reach my goal and I wanna maintain.

What works best for me when I can stick to it is low carb with heavy lifting and some cardio.
2000 cals a day low cal or 3000 a day low carb works about the same for me.

I fell into the 1200 calorie trap.
lol
seriously I did, but lost alot of muscle, got headaches, no energy, sleepless, hair thinned out etc.....

That happened to me too. Thank goodness I'm out of that now!!!

And to the OP - I am not just losing weight, but I'm changing my lifestyle and how I think. It has been and continues to be a road that is leading me to change (for the better) not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

I did it without any gimmicks, diet fads, pills, or whatever else is going on these days. I did it with just me...and having my MFP pals has also helped me push myself more.

As the others have said - learning to eat smarter, being more conscious of my choices, logging before I eat (which has helped me with overeating, learning portion control, and stopping me from stress/bored/emotional eating), and getting off my butt and exercising

I started losing weight by first literally cutting my portions in half. If I got a burger for lunch I would cut it in half and save the other piece for dinner. But after I found MFP, I started just logging everything for 2 weeks without any modification. Once I saw what my food choices were horrible I started switching to healthier meals. Most important thing i learned here is that and appropriate calorie deficit = fat loss. Exercise isn't needed but it sure helps.
Find a balance but it's about life change not a diet.

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!