Biggest lifestyle change you did?

It does seem like it is mostly about food to me - changing from eating for pleasure to eating for good health.

Limiting my alcoholic intake by a ton and counting calories to stay under/within my goal. Two small things that made a big impact/change!

No more pop...was a Coke addict...the full sugar one ...three cans a day. Now tea and water total! Also went from vouch potatoe to fitness fanatic.
Stef.

I'm not sure which one. I used to eat whatever I wanted, when I wanted it. I used to join friends for beers after work. I used to not exercise. All three were critical to my change. Oh, and finally stepping on the scale to be accountable.

Realizing I was way underestimating the calories I was eating. I don't know if I was in denial or simply not realizing that my portions were too big. Also, changing to a vegan diet -- I think I was eating too much cheese, and that definitely packs on the calories. Eating mostly vegetables has been the biggest change, probably. I keep going because of all the progress that I've seen so far. I'd lost 57 lbs and then without realizing it, thinking I had learned how to eat right and that I was exercising enough, I still gained back 35 of those pounds. When I started my journey to lose again September 2013, I was so afraid I would fail. But now I've blasted past the 57 lbs I lost and have lost 73 lbs total from my highest weight, and to see that I really CAN do it, keeps me going. Even when I have days when I mess up. I remember that my life still has plenty of years to go and a few days here and there of indulging and not exercising will not mean I'll wake up the next day having gained back those 73 lbs. But what WILL do that is giving up! So, I keep going simply because, to me, there is no other option. And I feel so much better at this weight

Eating when I'm actually hungry, not just looking for something to do.

Being mindful 100% of the time when it comes to food. No mindless snacking on anything-even carrot sticks. If I'm going to consume it, I'm going to log it. Keeping it real with myself.

To be honest, dieting was the biggest change - just moving from eating fairly intuitively to eating in a much more controlled way. Stopping listening to my body and understanding that my body was lying to me!

I try to stick to three meals a day and not eat outside of mealtimes. That helps a lot.

Also recognising that I'd have to diet for life and committing to it. That was a difficult step because I knew that I would regain if I tried to eat intuitively again, and it seemed a big deal to commit forever!

Letting go of diet-related guilt. It was the biggest thing pulling me down. I used to be a "good girl" for a while, then lose the battle against "bad food" with a screw it it's already ruined attitude and gain all back.

Now I let go of guilt, food labeling, attaching feelings (other than enjoyment) to foods, and that whole good girl bad girl mentality. I let go of quite a few diet-related terms including the good ones such as moderation, macros, and any other stress, guilt, or obsession inducing term.

If I want to eat a whole bag of chips I will eat a bag of chips. The difference between then and now is that I CHOOSE to eat it instead of losing control, knowing exactly how many calories it has, what it will result in, what I can do to counteract the effect, and most importantly - that I don't have to feel guilty about it and that I can have it any time I want in any quantity I want, so no need to eat like this is my last meal.

I choose to maintain or even gain a couple every now and then. As long as I take more steps towards weight loss than I do towards weight gain I'm going to get there eventually. A slight yoyo is fine if done mindfully, because I know I'm still in control and that the extra weight is not just piling up randomly until it gets out of control.

I have found it easy, because I did not change what I eat, just have smaller portion sizes now. And it is more than enough to keep me full at 1600 cal, The first few weeks was hard, because I use to over eat so much, but now my body has adjusted to it.

dbmata wrote: »

chrisdavey wrote: »

lifting increasingly heavier things frequently

Yeah, this. (I took some artistic license.)

Taking it as well!
Additionally, quit smoking four months ago.

And while I know 400-500 cals for breakfast isn't too bad....that was for cereal! If I'd have known I was eating that many calories I would have at least had egg and bacon and felt full lol.

I have grown to love veggies!

Weighing/measuring food and keeping a food diary. No point in doing one without the other.

Not buying the crisps (chips) and things that I cannot stop eating. I will only buy them if I really want them and the fact that I would have to walk to the shop makes me really consider if I want them.

Tracking and weighing my food has just made me more aware of the calories, when you compare how many calories are in a bag of chips vs the same amount of veg.

That being said, I think without being able to have nice meals out with friends, I wouldn't last. I don't eat back exercise calories to give me wiggle room for dinner and drinks with friends.