What works for you?

Been Vegetarian for 25 years, and take it from me, you can still get fat being a veggie!

5:2 didn't work for me, I may have lost a lb or two to start with but nothing more.

These days, I just log food and exercise to keep an eye on what I'm eating, I think MFP helps to educate me as to what is a reasonable amount of food to eat and what types of food to avoid. This coupled with lots of cycling seems to be working at the moment. I just hope I can keep up the cycling now that Autumn has arrived.

Been Vegetarian for 25 years, and take it from me, you can still get fat being a veggie!

5:2 didn't work for me, I may have lost a lb or two to start with but nothing more.

These days, I just log food and exercise to keep an eye on what I'm eating, I think MFP helps to educate me as to what is a reasonable amount of food to eat and what types of food to avoid. This coupled with lots of cycling seems to be working at the moment. I just hope I can keep up the cycling now that Autumn has arrived.

I've been vegetarian for 16+ years, and it amazes people when I tell them....I feel like they think I'm the fattest vegetarian on the planet...lol

Just starting. Was given a calorie and protein goal by a dietician that I am trying to meet. I don't want to put anything off limits so I don't feel deprived but I haven't had alcohol because I would rather eat. No special diet. Slowly getting into an exercise routine.

counting calories and carbs. I try to stick to 50-60 net carbs a day. I have lost 33 pounds since July doing this. I
allow myself a cheat day once a week where I can have junk i wouldn't eat during the week like potato chips or a pastery
and something from fast food like a taco from taco bell or a whopper jr. from burger king. I just stick to my daily calorie limit
without completely pigging out. lol

caloric deficit.

4 basic food groups. no junk. minimal to no processed foods, make everything from scratch. 1200 calories, period. And vitamin/mineral supplements. I see a nutritionist, got my metabolism measured, and this is what I've been told to do, as my BMR is only about 1254 cals and if you factor in lifestyle and exercise I burn about 1450 to 1500 cals a day. I lose about half a pound a week and my blood sugar and cholesterol are back down to normal. It really blows my mind to see other women having these blast furnace metabolisms and eating 2000 cals and more on here. I would gain like 3 lb a week if I did that!

But u asked what we did that works.... so this is the only thing that works in my case: Be strict, or be fat. kinda sux really. Been doing this since march, have gotten used to and resigned to the fact that I don't get to eat like normal ppl do. I chew a lot of sugar free gum and drink coffee and stuff.

I follow the: as long as it fits in my calories/macros + the TDEE method. I find that the freedom to eat what I want, but just less of it, helps me stick to this plan, with no binging. I don't feel guilty or need to make excuses, if I'm invited out to dinner. Basically, I can live my life, without feeling like my "diet" is controlling me.

One thing I can say, is EVERYBODY is so different. It is truly amazing how what works with one person, does nothing for the next.


With that said, I am thankful for my journey.

I started 06/02/14 and have lost a total of 55 pounds, with NO fad diet, shakes, pills, etc. Simply, eating clean, and exercising. I was super strict on myself for the first Month, and cut out all dairy/breads - and then slowly started incorporating them back. I made minimal changes, such as wheat instead of white. Baked chips instead of regular. Lean meat vs regular meat. I cut out all sodas. I rarely drink a diet, maybe ONE a month, if I get a random craving. Cut out the sweets. When I want something sweet, I grab a granola bar. I cut out fast food on a daily basis, but when I do have it, I make "better" choices. Last but not least, alcohol. I still have my drinks, but I try to order vodka/water and add a calorie free sweetner. Substitutions have saved me. Choosing this over that. I stay within 1200 calories a day & log everything. If I go over, I make up for it. If I go out, I work harder. It is all about preparing, and making choices the right way, and if I do choose the wrong thing, FIX it by working out harder.

I now, am enjoying life, while focusing on the healthy lifestyle, but I am not 100% restricting myself. I truly believe things are fine, in moderation as far as MY journey is concerned.

Just maintaining now

-some cardio
-heavy weights
-good food (within reason)

What is currently working:

- Counting my calories
- IIFYM and not feeling guilty about eating some yummy foods or having the occasional cocktails
- Going to the doctor to diagnose my anemia and vitamin deficiencies so I can now manage them (no wonder I was so tired!)
- Sharing my successes with MFP friends
- Exercising in a sustainable way and not letting myself get caught up in the mindset that weight loss can/should happen over night

What didn't work (always lost weight but it never stayed off)*:

- Only eat three Smart Ones a day (yes, I will take all of the sodium, please)
- Stop counting calories the second I hit my goal weight
- Exercise to the point of netting zero calories on a daily basis
- Two hours on either the elliptical or the treadmill every day
- Atkins/low carb/low sugar/low fat/Paleo/insert diet of the day that I knew full well I wouldn't stick to over the long run

*Yes with hindsight I can see what silly choices these were

What has been working for me up to this point isstaying within what MFP tells me to as far as daily calories. I have been trying to eat as clean as I can, and I also jog a few times a week. But I generally eat what I want (within reason - I never eat all my calories in chocolate, even though I feel like it some days) as long as it fits in.

What works for me is CICO. Not trying to be glib.

I was following the MFP calorie goal and doing IIFYM to the best of my ability.

Exercise wise, I run 3x a week, other cardio (like cycling on a trainer) 30ish minutes on 3 other days, doing body weight strength exercises most days (its a start), and 10k steps a day. Ate back most calories from the cardio workouts (using HRM).

I consistently lost the "expected" amount of weight.

I was struggling with the calorie differential between running days and non running days. I felt like I was stuffing myself on running days and was struggling on non running days. This week I started TDEE minus 20ish (I rounded) and am feeling much better food wise.

I'm still losing weight.