What's helped you to be successful thus far?

Hello. I'm wanting to hear from different people on what tip, trick or thing has helped them to become successful with weight loss, healthy living etc.

I'm wanting to map out goals for myself but looking for a bit of direction and ideas. Thanks
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Replies

  • UncertainAngel12
    UncertainAngel12 Posts: 30 Member
    Hey there :-)

    I once weighed 78 kilos and went down to 55 kilos in about 6 months simply by changing my eating habits and walking 40 minutes to and from work. I didn't even notice I was losing it really.

    So it's 80% diet, 20% exercise I think. Also my BIGGEST tips is to not buy anything that you could comfort eat or cook quickly that is a comfort food when you are trying to lose it. I don't buy any biscuits anymore or any pasta. I have temporarily cut bread out of my online shopping orders as I can comfort eat toast like nothing else.

    Just think about what your habits are and why you put it on and thenw ork on controlling those habits :-) And never rush yourself to lose weight. Slow and steady wins the race... unless you are an exercise junky.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    The most important thing to focus on is building solid habits. Motivation comes and goes. Excitement about losing a few pounds will pale in the days when you don't lose anything.

    Eat at a healthy calorie deficit.
    Start doing something you enjoy and do it consistently.
    Weigh and measure every bite of your food and then log every bite.
    Never quit. No matter how tired or frustrated you are - don't quit
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    The most important thing to focus on is building solid habits. Motivation comes and goes. Excitement about losing a few pounds will pale in the days when you don't lose anything.

    Eat at a healthy calorie deficit.
    Start doing something you enjoy and do it consistently.
    Weigh and measure every bite of your food and then log every bite.
    Never quit. No matter how tired or frustrated you are - don't quit

    QFT, Your on fire today.
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
    Accountability and motivation, also not restricting.
  • patrickfish7
    patrickfish7 Posts: 190 Member
    - Not trying to do too much too quick;
    - Building a plan and sticking with it;
    - Monitoring calories without being anal about it. Rewards are required for you to continue cutting weight;
    - Goals. Always set high goals for long-term and low goals for short-term, use them as a road-map

    In terms of yourself, what are your stats ie weight, BF, RHR, BMR etc? I could give you my plan but if you are where I was three or four years ago, you'll suffer too much too soon. Progress comes with time.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    The most important thing to focus on is building solid habits. Motivation comes and goes. Excitement about losing a few pounds will pale in the days when you don't lose anything.

    Eat at a healthy calorie deficit.
    Start doing something you enjoy and do it consistently.
    Weigh and measure every bite of your food and then log every bite.
    Never quit. No matter how tired or frustrated you are - don't quit

    All of this! Learn patience, and start being brutally honest with yourself.
  • Whatever your path, try to stay consistent. If you should slip a bit don't panic enjoy the moment and get right back on target.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Realizing I need to change me and not just cut calories for a while :-) Then chose the me I wanted to be when I would normally have said I had 'finished' and started acting like the person as best as I could each day from today :-)
  • I weight myself ever day-very controversial as u have to accept a 1-3 lb increase due to water weight. Then I log food and exercise for day. I thn look at these posts to stay motivated and get help-or help others.
  • LTGPSA
    LTGPSA Posts: 633 Member
    Hello. Agreeing with the points stated before me, more specifically (for me) it is important to drink an abundance of water daily, eat fruits and vegetables daily, and get some sort of daily exercise. Everyone can give at least 30 minutes of their day to burn a few calories. This month is 2 years I've had my weight off from doing what I and the others before me have stated along with utilizing this site. My weight does increase over the holidays but I'm on my way back to goal / maintenance.

    All the best to everyone in 2014! :flowerforyou:
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Hello. I'm wanting to hear from different people on what tip, trick or thing has helped them to become successful with weight loss, healthy living etc.

    I'm wanting to map out goals for myself but looking for a bit of direction and ideas. Thanks

    Make the commitment to do this successfully. Everything else is secondary.
  • samueleketorp
    samueleketorp Posts: 10 Member
    For me it was all in my head. I used to find my self defeated in just about everything I tried and was plagued by a constant feeling of feeling sorry for myself. As I came to understand that my body is a reflection of my mental state, I figured out that accepting that I'm responsible for my own choices was the key I needed. It may seem banal and really simple to understand, but if you recognize that you're allways blaming your situation on your surroundings or even other people, then this thought of responsibility may help you forward. In turn, it led me allways question what I put in my mouth and it also helped me forward with spending calories. If I want to eat more, I have to burn more. It all started with that recognition that I'm responsible for the way I feel and the way I function. It took me about 25 years to figure that out. I've had lapses back to my old self and examining those situations, I see it tends to happen when life gets a bit tougher. Stress, a lot of schoolwork, constantly changing schedules etc are factors that I've just recently learned to be aware of and to see as cautions to monitor my health and adherance to diet and workoutroutines.

    Best of luck with your goals!
    Happy new 2014
    /Sam
  • clairercoll
    clairercoll Posts: 6 Member
    For me, it was all about realizing that developing healthy habits will take some time! I used to be frustrated about not seeing fast results, or feeling like I was always deprived/forcing myself to be healthy. But after a few weeks, it becomes more natural! Eventually, healthy choices become second nature. You just have to stick to it; be patient and be consistent.

    Also - really helped me to not obsess over having a "perfect" day. There's no need to freak out and panic if you ate something a little indulgent, or went a little over your calories. Move on. Make tomorrow better. Not stressing over little things has made me happier with the journey, and remembering my goals.
  • Hey there :-)

    I once weighed 78 kilos and went down to 55 kilos in about 6 months simply by changing my eating habits and walking 40 minutes to and from work. I didn't even notice I was losing it really.

    So it's 80% diet, 20% exercise I think. Also my BIGGEST tips is to not buy anything that you could comfort eat or cook quickly that is a comfort food when you are trying to lose it. I don't buy any biscuits anymore or any pasta. I have temporarily cut bread out of my online shopping orders as I can comfort eat toast like nothing else.

    Just think about what your habits are and why you put it on and thenw ork on controlling those habits :-) And never rush yourself to lose weight. Slow and steady wins the race... unless you are an exercise junky.




    Congrats to you!
  • The most important thing to focus on is building solid habits. Motivation comes and goes. Excitement about losing a few pounds will pale in the days when you don't lose anything.

    Eat at a healthy calorie deficit.
    Start doing something you enjoy and do it consistently.
    Weigh and measure every bite of your food and then log every bite.
    Never quit. No matter how tired or frustrated you are - don't quit



    Thank you so much!!
  • Accountability and motivation, also not restricting.

    Accountability is a big one for me
  • For me, it was all about realizing that developing healthy habits will take some time! I used to be frustrated about not seeing fast results, or feeling like I was always deprived/forcing myself to be healthy. But after a few weeks, it becomes more natural! Eventually, healthy choices become second nature. You just have to stick to it; be patient and be consistent.

    Also - really helped me to not obsess over having a "perfect" day. There's no need to freak out and panic if you ate something a little indulgent, or went a little over your calories. Move on. Make tomorrow better. Not stressing over little things has made me happier with the journey, and remembering my goals.


    Thank you!
  • For me it was all in my head. I used to find my self defeated in just about everything I tried and was plagued by a constant feeling of feeling sorry for myself. As I came to understand that my body is a reflection of my mental state, I figured out that accepting that I'm responsible for my own choices was the key I needed. It may seem banal and really simple to understand, but if you recognize that you're allways blaming your situation on your surroundings or even other people, then this thought of responsibility may help you forward. In turn, it led me allways question what I put in my mouth and it also helped me forward with spending calories. If I want to eat more, I have to burn more. It all started with that recognition that I'm responsible for the way I feel and the way I function. It took me about 25 years to figure that out. I've had lapses back to my old self and examining those situations, I see it tends to happen when life gets a bit tougher. Stress, a lot of schoolwork, constantly changing schedules etc are factors that I've just recently learned to be aware of and to see as cautions to monitor my health and adherance to diet and workoutroutines.

    Best of luck with your goals!
    Happy new 2014
    /Sam



    Thank you so much!!
  • BrotherBill913
    BrotherBill913 Posts: 662 Member
    The same principle that I apply in other areas of my life, that sacrifice isn't a burden but rather a blessing...........
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    - big picture thinking. to really conceptualize what it means to change your "lifestyle" you need to see big picture. when you see the bigger picture then you understand that you are going to have good days and bad days and good weeks and bad weeks...you aren't going to be 100% perfect all of the time. You are going to miss workouts and you are going to have indulgences (holidays, birthdays, random neighborhood BBQs, etc). When you see big picture, you are able to just move on from these things because you realize that they are insignificant in the entirety of your life and thus your "lifestyle"...they are mere blips and bumps. When someone can't see big picture they get caught up in this minutia of day to day and it is debilitating and suddenly missing a workout or something derails everything.

    - logging consistently and honestly

    - maintaining a reasonable deficit and not worrying about speed or losing weight fast. It is tempting to try to lose as fast as possible, but most often, those kind of deficits aren't sustainable over the long term. You have to understand that it is a long haul so you need to maintain a sustainable calorie deficit.

    - focusing on the process and focusing on my nutrition and fitness rather than putting all of my stock into some arbitrary number on the scale. Focusing on that process allowed me to learn proper portion, moderation, proper nutrition, and helped to cultivate a healthy relationship between myself, food, and fitness. The next thing I knew, 9 months had flown by and I was down 40 Lbs and more fit and healthier than I have been since I was in my early 20s.
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member
    Being public and accountable with a supportive group of people.

    There are lots of people who can get a certain distance on their own. I certainly made progress on weight loss on my own. But when I got involved in a walking group and made the public commitment to walk 1 million steps in a 60 day period.

    Same thing held true when I began training for my first marathon. Once I signed up and made that public, the support from other people going through similar training helped a lot.

    The other thing that helped was being accurate in logging food and activity.

    I got to 190 through some small alterations in food intake and a lot of physical activity. And even when my weight plateaued for a year, my body was still changing and shrinking from fat loss and reshaping due to muscle mass. To take down the last 20 pounds took a step change in activity level (10%) and tracking food.

    I've been in weight maintenance since Thanksgiving 2012. Still continue to log but more out of habit than anything else.
  • gcbma
    gcbma Posts: 112 Member
    * plan meals, and keep garbage you love out of the house!
    * a good support system (family, friends, coworkers)
    * when I'm frustrated with my plateau, remember it doesn't last forever
    * be honest about what you're eating, and don't drink your calories!
    * I'm all about proving myself wrong. I AM capable of losing weight and looking good.
  • I found your post really inspiring. Thanks. ????
  • - big picture thinking. to really conceptualize what it means to change your "lifestyle" you need to see big picture. when you see the bigger picture then you understand that you are going to have good days and bad days and good weeks and bad weeks...you aren't going to be 100% perfect all of the time. You are going to miss workouts and you are going to have indulgences (holidays, birthdays, random neighborhood BBQs, etc). When you see big picture, you are able to just move on from these things because you realize that they are insignificant in the entirety of your life and thus your "lifestyle"...they are mere blips and bumps. When someone can't see big picture they get caught up in this minutia of day to day and it is debilitating and suddenly missing a workout or something derails everything.

    - logging consistently and honestly

    - maintaining a reasonable deficit and not worrying about speed or losing weight fast. It is tempting to try to lose as fast as possible, but most often, those kind of deficits aren't sustainable over the long term. You have to understand that it is a long haul so you need to maintain a sustainable calorie deficit.

    - focusing on the process and focusing on my nutrition and fitness rather than putting all of my stock into some arbitrary number on the scale. Focusing on that process allowed me to learn proper portion, moderation, proper nutrition, and helped to cultivate a healthy relationship between myself, food, and fitness. The next thing I knew, 9 months had flown by and I was down 40 Lbs and more fit and healthier than I have been since I was in my early 20s.


    Focusing on the big picture is one I need to do big time. Lots of great points. Thank you
  • Being public and accountable with a supportive group of people.

    There are lots of people who can get a certain distance on their own. I certainly made progress on weight loss on my own. But when I got involved in a walking group and made the public commitment to walk 1 million steps in a 60 day period.

    Same thing held true when I began training for my first marathon. Once I signed up and made that public, the support from other people going through similar training helped a lot.

    The other thing that helped was being accurate in logging food and activity.

    I got to 190 through some small alterations in food intake and a lot of physical activity. And even when my weight plateaued for a year, my body was still changing and shrinking from fat loss and reshaping due to muscle mass. To take down the last 20 pounds took a step change in activity level (10%) and tracking food.

    I've been in weight maintenance since Thanksgiving 2012. Still continue to log but more out of habit than anything else.


    That's awesome for you maintaining. Accountability is a big one. I have a weight loss group I will start meeting with weekly and that will definitely help out. Thanks!
  • * plan meals, and keep garbage you love out of the house!
    * a good support system (family, friends, coworkers)
    * when I'm frustrated with my plateau, remember it doesn't last forever
    * be honest about what you're eating, and don't drink your calories!
    * I'm all about proving myself wrong. I AM capable of losing weight and looking good.


    I love this! Thanks
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    The most important thing to focus on is building solid habits. Motivation comes and goes. Excitement about losing a few pounds will pale in the days when you don't lose anything.

    Eat at a healthy calorie deficit.
    Start doing something you enjoy and do it consistently.
    Weigh and measure every bite of your food and then log every bite.
    Never quit. No matter how tired or frustrated you are - don't quit

    This is what I would have said. Do these things consistently, and you will succeed.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    There are no magic beans to weight loss, just keep logging and eat a deficit.

    Also be accountable for yourself because no one else should and will.
  • herheighness
    herheighness Posts: 7 Member
    My biggest tip is to not obsess about good or bad, just keep plugging along. Moving more and eating less. Don't sweat the small stuff. If I can do it, so can anybody else!
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