What is your #1 rule/life change to weight loss success? And how did you accomplish it?

Weigh everything when possible.

I focus on habit instead of weight loss (although sticking to my habits leads to weight loss).

I use an app called "way of life". The free version lets you track 3 things and every day you get to mark each either green, red, or skip.

I track: tracking my calories, exercising, and steps (10,000 using my fitbit) everyday. My goal is to get as many "green" days as possible. Tracking my calories gets a green even if I go over that day, as long as I tracked it and didn't just throw my hands up and "eff it".

I like this mindset because it focuses on building the habits that I'll need for the rest of my life.

Sticking to moderation with a calorie deficit.
Never depriving myself of the foods that I love.
Making it enjoyable instead of frowning upon being on a boring diet.
Not stressing about it and enjoying life.

For me the 1st time I ever lost weight was 20 years ago .... My workouts were the same ( was already lifting) but I changed my eating habits. Ditched the spaghetti ( 2nd nightly dinner) and ice cream before bed. Lost over 40 lbs between Christmas and Easter that year..... That was the only change I made and it worked.....

combination of what's been said above by rabbitjb and SingRunTing.

Logging and measuring everything that goes into my mouth.

Making habits that are healthy and become like clockwork...taking the place of old habits. For example, I used to hit up the Starbucks drive thru or grab a fast food breakfast way too often. Now I have a bunch of different breakfasts that I make at home including some that I can prep the night before...key is I truly enjoy these "new" breakfasts, so it's not like turning down a boring bowl of cereal in favor of a latte or burrito. I eat stuff I actually like, egg tacos, fridge oats with Greek yogurt and fruit...if it gets boring I switch it up.

Basically it amounts to setting yourself up for success. And very actively not listening to people who spout crazy theories about nutrition, dieting, weight loss, etc.

KylaDenay wrote: »

Sticking to moderation with a calorie deficit.
Never depriving myself of the foods that I love.
Making it enjoyable instead of frowning upon being on a boring diet.
Not stressing about it and enjoying life.

Basically everything here

Also, for me to stop being lazy and get off the couch.

I likely have about eight.

1. If what I am doing isn't working, change it up.
2. Sign up for bariatric surgery and all the attendant classes and support.
3. Guilt and beating myself up are wasted emotions. If I can't love myself through this, who is going to stick up for me, failings and all?
4. Learn to troubleshoot, set weekly goals and re-evaluate (guilt-free change management) from the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self Management Course
5. Lifestyle change (the only weight loss and management that works) is habit change.
6. Habit change is gradual, almost invisible.
7. Do what I enjoy, so I look forward to every day.

Two things have helped me tremendously. Cutting out sugar and processed foods and moving more (parking further away, getting up from desk to take a few laps around every half hour, taking the stairs...etc) The FitBit has really helped me to gauge active versus non active days, and then I eat accordingly.