Whats been working for your weight loss

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  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
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    All you need to lose weight is a caloric deficit, which means to eat less calories than you burn. Here is what I'm doing and the weight has been falling off... I lose 2 pounds/week every week.

    1200 calories/day (I wouldn't recommend this for men though... it's too low)
    Do not eat back exercise calories.
    Have one day per week to eat at maintenance (1800-2000 calories)
    High protein (40% protein, 30% fat, 30% carbs)
    Mostly lean meats and veggies
    Intermittent fasting (Leangains approach but this is totally optional... it just makes the 1200 calories seem more filling)
    Strength training 3 times/week
    Cardio (low intensity like walking at 3.5mph 3 times/week)

    That's what I do and it WORKS, but so does a simple caloric deficit. You just have to find what you can consistently do for the long run.

    Good luck!


    ETA: I keep a close eye on my sodium intake so that I don't have weight fluctuations and I drink lots of water :)

    oopss sorry i messed up her quote,

    but yes !!!! LEANGAINS

    everything she said and that guy NDJ1979 said calorie deficit is the way to go.
    I follow the leangains protocol.

    goodluck!
  • Sherbog
    Sherbog Posts: 1,072 Member
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    I prioritize my time to spend it around supportive friends and family. I make a conscious choice to avoid people who try to sabotage my weight loss journey.

    Weigh, measure and record everything I eat. Exercise and record it every day.

    Stay with MFP!

    Shirley in Oregon
  • Grumbers
    Grumbers Posts: 111 Member
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    Some great info in here. Good luck/well done to all!

    :)
  • D_squareG
    D_squareG Posts: 361 Member
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    The one thing I want to add...

    It is incredibly tempting to sneak a little bit here and there, and not log it in the journal. Be really, really, REALLY honest with yourself about what you are eating. If you are embarrassed by what you are eating, then just close your food log; but be honest with *yourself*. If you get a month down the road, and aren't losing weight, you need that honest record to look at and see where your problem areas are. Having that real, honest information will help you fix the problems, and will get you back on track.

    This is the best advice. Log everything. Good, bad, ugly.
  • Dory_42
    Dory_42 Posts: 3,587 Member
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    What works best for me is to keep active. The more I exercise the healthier I eat and the easier it is to stick to my calorie goal (I aim for 1600 regardless of how much I burn). For me active means a variety of things that I enjoy which includes walking my dog at the beach, swimming (preferably in the ocean but as long as I am in the water I'm happy) and fencing. I add others (such as gym class or T25) because it helps me improve as a fencer.

    When I can't be active for whatever reason or I am just lazy I crave all sorts of calorie dense junk food but if I'm active then I generally want the healthy options with the odd treat here or there, which I allow but juggle calories to accommodate it. I also don't get as hungry so sticking to the goal is easier.
  • sue_langley
    sue_langley Posts: 63 Member
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    Clean eating seems to make a bigger difference on the scale, gives me the energy I need to work out, helps me eliminate, eventually eliminates cravings, makes me feel focused. I could gi on and on. Start small. Start with a smoothie in the morning. Blend 1 cup Costco organic spinach with 1 cup Costco frozen pineapple chunks. Sooo good and you will feel amazing.
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
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    Calorie deficit + walking
  • E_Brault
    E_Brault Posts: 362 Member
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    Hi Everyone,

    Today is my 2nd day at my attempt to lose weight. I am using a Diet under a doctor's supervision. I eat one meal a day and 3 meal replacements. I've started using the treadmill: 25 minutes at 3.0 speed on a 5 incline. If anyone would like to join me on this journey that would be great. I am already experiencing negativity at home and could use/give support
  • mikeroybal
    mikeroybal Posts: 111 Member
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    I can tell you what has not worked for me

    1. going into to much ofa calorie defict
    2. believing the "cheat day" idea


    while I agree a calorie is a calories I am finding I feel better eating as little processed food as possible
  • rhoule76
    rhoule76 Posts: 217 Member
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    Put your food in your diary in the morning (all meals if you can) and then you have it planned out and may be less tempted to "cheat" or have something else to eat.

    Track all foods you put in your mouth. If you don't track everything, your are only cheating yourself.

    Exercise.
  • AngelsFly74
    AngelsFly74 Posts: 7
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    I've had to change my eating habits slowly, More water (less sodas) more fruits and veggies (Fresh) not canned and the main thing I gotta say is Walking and working out with weights. At my heaviest I was 299 rite now I am 263 it's taken me about a year because I have so many health issues and body pain...but I just take it one day at a time and keep moving forward :)
  • Efflictim
    Efflictim Posts: 147 Member
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    For me, I'm on a high fat low carb diet. I eat less than 20 grams of carbs a day. It works great for me. I also don't eat more than 15 grams of sugar a day.
  • laurelboynton
    laurelboynton Posts: 104 Member
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    I'd say that exercise actually helped me lose weight rather than changes to my diet. My diet has never been excessive.... I found just by moving more and really getting into exercise, I wanted to eat to fuel my body and started to take in an interest in energy in and energy out..


    Find a workout program you enjoy!

    Also, little things like swapping sugar for natural sweetners such as honey etc, reducing cheese intake, grilling and steaming veg and chicken and fish.

    Good luck. Stay positive and don't give up!
  • eblakes93
    eblakes93 Posts: 372 Member
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    I second what everyone else says, plus the following for me:

    Stand up instead of sitting! I'm in college, so I'm always working at a desk/on the computer. I read that you burn more calories sitting then standing, and that it is better for your blood circulation. I found out that my bed (slightly lofted) is at the perfect height to use as a work surface while standing. Sometimes I'll stand and do work for 3 or 4 hours a day. I also find I have more energy this way.

    Vegetables! I eat sweets and pastries and all sorts of foods that are less nutrient dense, but I always feel like i'm making a good choice when I load up on raw/steamed veg. Plus a good source of water + fiber, and psychological satisfaction of making good choices.

    SLEEP. This is crucial for me. Sleep deprivation = less will power + more depression + less caring about food = less of a desire to workout and more binge eating! I need to get enough sleep each night to have the energy to eat right and not binge and exercise. I also find that exercise is reinforcing in this area. If I exercise in the AM, I sleep better at night, which means I have more energy after a sleep, which means better exercise, and so on and so forth.

    Good luck with everything!
  • tink11464
    tink11464 Posts: 119 Member
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    The only thing I drink with carbs is an occasional Total Lean premade shake for Breakfast - otherwise I drink no carbs. I don't think of it as a "diet" - with MFP it's more of a challenge or game for me to eat within my number. I don't eat "clean" - I eat what I want - in moderation. I don't really exercise - I have a fitbit force and I keep track of my steps walked, my calories burned, etc.. have never reached 10,000 steps a day. And it works - calorie deficit is key. But definitely a change of mindset about the word "diet". Good Luck!!
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 701 Member
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    As everyone else has stated above, calorie deficit is the bottom line. How you go about doing that really depends on where you're starting from. For example, I maxed out around 185-190 lbs in my early 20s. When I noticed my weight had gotten that high (I didn't notice the gain until I went up a pants size), I cut out Wendy's (and all Wendy's-like fast food) and lost 20 lbs right off the bat. However, when I started refining my diet and exercise about a year and a half ago at 165 lbs, I couldn't just cut out Wendy's because I wasn't eating it to begin with. What worked for me then to maintain a deficit was snack replacement (e.g., remove pop tarts, insert raw almonds and apples), diligence in my logging and portion size, increase fruit/veggies, and walking. Now I'm at 142, and what's working for me right now is slightly refining my good eating habits (increasing 'super foods'), interval mod/high intensity cardio 3x/week plus field work, hiking, and being active in general. And patience is very important, never give up!
  • nseantae
    nseantae Posts: 29 Member
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    Yes to that. I have had people bake me cakes on my weight loss journey. This is not helpful, but now I don't have that problem as I did not put the world on notice that am out to lose weight. When they find out it will be because they see results!
  • nseantae
    nseantae Posts: 29 Member
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    eblakes93 wrote: »
    I second what everyone else says, plus the following for me:

    Stand up instead of sitting! I'm in college, so I'm always working at a desk/on the computer. I read that you burn more calories sitting then standing, and that it is better for your blood circulation. I found out that my bed (slightly lofted) is at the perfect height to use as a work surface while standing. Sometimes I'll stand and do work for 3 or 4 hours a day. I also find I have more energy this way.

    Vegetables! I eat sweets and pastries and all sorts of foods that are less nutrient dense, but I always feel like i'm making a good choice when I load up on raw/steamed veg. Plus a good source of water + fiber, and psychological satisfaction of making good choices.

    SLEEP. This is crucial for me. Sleep deprivation = less will power + more depression + less caring about food = less of a desire to workout and more binge eating! I need to get enough sleep each night to have the energy to eat right and not binge and exercise. I also find that exercise is reinforcing in this area. If I exercise in the AM, I sleep better at night, which means I have more energy after a sleep, which means better exercise, and so on and so forth.

    Good luck with everything!

    Your completely right about standing vs. Sitting. I actually work at a University gym ( I manage funds) and a GA of our did a presentation on "Sitting is the New smoking". We now can stand at meeting (if we choose) do walking meeting on the track.
    Thanks for all.of you suggestions!

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