What are you doing

Though remember what works for someone won't work for someone else. Not all work outs are the same.

I too am just watching what i eat and counting calories i have started 30 day shred though too...its great!

I have 20 pounds to lose...

In the past, I had great success with a 10-15% fat/25-28%protein/the rest carbs, 1200-1400 calories a day and exercise. Lost 40 pounds and was able to maintain a healthy weight for 7 years. When I turned 40, eating processed food was just wearing me out. I started changing things little by little. Juicing, then trying new foods. Discovered that the Mediterranean Diet lifestyle is the healthiest in all of the world, it's close to God's people and that's what is working for me now. I'm going to lose 20 pounds by reducing my calories, eating rich, tasty, the most healthy and exercise.

I just really want to encourage people to get rid of all the processed foods ie. sugar, sweetners, and deli meats...they aren't good for you.

I hope the best for everyone out there!

Old fashioned way over here too with a focus on whole, fresh, lean foods.
I work out at least 4 days a week (weight training/cardio) and do something outside (rock climbing, hiking, biking) at least
one weekend day.

Weighing and measuring food is a great way to learn portion control - a kitchen scale & measuring cups are vital. I never had much luck popping a frozen meal in a microwave as a means to teach myself portion control. Mostly because a pre-portioned meal isn't the same as cooking an entire meal & portioning it out for myself. Though, my plan is to cook for life as opposed to
hitting the start button on the microwave. So, I had to figure out how to make it work for me.

I do Nutrisystem because i work from home and need help with portion control. I dont do any exercise other than walking right now because it causes a huge hunger spike for me and since I am keeping my cals under 1200 I am already cranky from lack of food. Just hit 22 lbs lost though and feeling great!

Please don't take offense to this, but that is way too low and unsustainable.

Everyone is on a diet; your diet is what you eat. Some people have good diets and some people have bad diets. When you decide to make the change from bad diet to good diet, it has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary thing. With that said, do you plan on only eating 1200 calories per day forever? If not, then the weight you lost will likely come back, plus some. Not to mention, since you are not exercising, much of your "weight loss" has likely been muscle loss. To lose fat, you should be eating a few hundred calories below maintenance and exercising (cardio + strength training).

Just my two cents.

No worries Greg, no offense taken. According to this site, in order to lose 2 lbs a week I need to eat 1200 cals a day (that might be because I am now only about 30 lbs more than I should be). And I dont sweat it if I go over that because my vegetable intake was high, only if its because I ate something stupid.

Once I reach goal weight, it wouldn't be 1200 cals a day anymore because that is what I need to do to lose weight, not maintain. Its all math. Once I hit that level then I will take a look at the proper calories to maintain. In addition, I dont formally work out (although in my 'normal' life I do, just not now while I am dieting) because current research and my experience says that the hunger spike after working out isnt worth it. I do, however, walk my dogs several times a day. I doubt I have lost much, if any, muscle. And on occassion I work out, I just am not doing it regularly right now and it isnt how I intend to lose weight. My weight loss plan is to eat the right foods in proper portions. Given that I am not losing more than I should be - 1 to 2 lbs a week, I am good with my approach. If you saw my food diary, you'd see that I eat quite normally. I just ensure that I use vegetables as my filler food.

But sincere thanks for your concern!

I do Nutrisystem because i work from home and need help with portion control. I dont do any exercise other than walking right now because it causes a huge hunger spike for me and since I am keeping my cals under 1200 I am already cranky from lack of food. Just hit 22 lbs lost though and feeling great!

Please don't take offense to this, but that is way too low and unsustainable.

Everyone is on a diet; your diet is what you eat. Some people have good diets and some people have bad diets. When you decide to make the change from bad diet to good diet, it has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary thing. With that said, do you plan on only eating 1200 calories per day forever? If not, then the weight you lost will likely come back, plus some. Not to mention, since you are not exercising, much of your "weight loss" has likely been muscle loss. To lose fat, you should be eating a few hundred calories below maintenance and exercising (cardio + strength training).

Just my two cents.

I agree excercise is very important for our bodies health as well! Eating the proper amount of healthy cals is as well...eating less cals than our body needs doesn't mean losing weight faster. It will sometimes mean getting stuck and the weight stops dropping off.

2 words I noticed that don't quite seem to go together are 'Cranky' and "feeling Great".... that confuses me..:laugh: Lack of sleep makes me cranky, lack of food means I need to eat more and make wise choices when I do. Feeling great is a feeling I get from making healthy choices and from many other things in life besides.

I wish you well.....even adding in several hundred cals will help you lose the cranky feeling and your body will be sooooooo HAPPY!:drinker:

oops, I responded to Greg and didnt see that you responded as well! But as I said there, that is actually the recommended calorie count from this site. Some days I hit it, others days I go over it, and if I go over it I try to have vegetables be the reason.

And I can see how the cranky/feeling great seems contradicting. I deal with impulsive eating and when I ignore that impulse I get cranky (and whine unrealistically to myself about 'lack of food'). However, when I am not in the throws of that emotion (like I was when I wrote that post), I actually feel great. And yes, exercise is great for overall health. I generally exercise regularly (3-5 times a week) however it just isnt what I am doing to lose weight. Plenty of evidence out there, including that from the AMA, that indicates that exercise is not the best method for losing weight and women, in particular, need to work out like an Olympic athlete to see any real results from working out. Its all about the food. I know myself and I'll use working out as an excuse to overeat. But once I get to my goal weight and able to add some calories back to my diet, I'll be back at the gym. And I live in Chicago and walk everywhere so no worries that I am just on my couch all day. I am losing in the recommended range (1 - 2 lbs a week) so I am comfortable with what I am doing.