How I lost 40 pounds

I lost 40 pounds (then gained four while on vacation) so am back at it again. I wanted to share some tips with you, that in my experience, has worked. It may not work for everyone but worked for me so wanted to share.

1) reducing sugar cuts out a ton of calories
2) spices are a great way to add flavor to food without calories.
3) eat lots of vegetables, fiber and lean protein...makes you feel full longer
4) delay starting your "eating window" by an hour or two. So for example, eat breakfast at 8 or 9 instead of 7. The less hours in the day that you eat, the less you will eat.
5) eat 2-3 snacks a day between meals but try to keep them at an average of 100 calories each
6) if possible, exercise in conjunction with dieting. More calories burned=more calories you can eat. 7)never exercise hungry. Also when you exercise while on an empty stomach you're burning muscle instead of fat.
8) don't eat less than 1,200 calories a day. 1,200 calories is necessary for proper nutrition and your body holds onto fat if you don't eat enough as it goes into starvation mode
9) don't deprive yourself. Eat a cookie if you want it, but in moderation
10) week two is the worst. In week one you'll lose a lot of weight (mostly water weight). Week two you'll likely not lose as much, might even gain. It'll even out though.
11) "Fit" popcorn is the best snack
12) sometimes if I feel like eating but am not very hungry I'll drink unsweetened herbal tea or chew gum
13) every little bit counts. Cutting 10 calories in salad dressing choice or doing five more minutes of cardio makes a big difference over time.
14) weigh yourself the same time every day (morning is best)
15) try drinking water, unsweetened tea, or flavored carbonated water with meals instead of soda, milk, etc.
16) measure food and try to stick to one "serving"
17) salt has no calories but makes you retain water so make sure you're staying hydrated if eating a lot of salt
18) swap Gatorade for coconut water after workouts. Much less calories, and it's healthier.
18) beware of salads, especially in restaurants. Between the dressing, croutons, cheese and meat, there's often more calories in salad then another entree choice.
19) at restaurants, ask for a to go box at the beginning of the meal and put half of your plate in there right away so you can save it for another time and won't be tempted to eat it all at once
20) only eat until no longer hungry, not stuffed
21) substitute scrambled eggs for egg whites or tofu scramble
22) most of all, be consistent. Find a meal plan and work out schedule that works for you and stick to it
23) make exercise fun - find a sport or activity you like, or work out with friends
24) to lose weight, exercise (cardio) six times a week. To maintain, 3-4.
25) on treadmills and ellipticals, increase the incline, it'll burn more calories.
26) set goals and reward yourself. For example, buy yourself a new workout shirt (or whatever motivates you) after losing 10 pounds.
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Replies

  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
    I've read different things about number 6 :[
  • tpereira333
    tpereira333 Posts: 4 Member
    no such thing as starvation mode
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I eat breakfast way before 7am. 8 or 9 is time for a mid morning snack.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Congrats on your loss. It all comes down to CICO.
  • LavenderLeaves
    LavenderLeaves Posts: 195 Member
    Anyone who wants to take away my egg yolks can pry the from my cold, dead hands.
  • macr0babe
    macr0babe Posts: 61 Member
    There literally IS such a thing as starvation mode @tpereira333

    Congrats on your loss, btw!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss! :) I'm really glad those things worked for you and helped you to create a calorie deficit, but it seems to me you are putting some of your tips across as facts. Specifically:
    1) reducing sugar cuts out a ton of calories

    Sugar five grams of sugar has about 20 calories. That's not a whole lot. Moderation is key here.
    4) delay starting your "eating window" by an hour or two. So for example, eat breakfast at 8 or 9 instead of 7. The less hours in the day that you eat, the less you will eat.

    Nah, meal timing has nothing to do with anything.
    5) eat 2-3 snacks a day between meals but try to keep them at an average of 100 calories each

    Again...no. Have big, small, or medium snack, or none at all, as long as it all fits into your calorie goals.
    6) if possible, exercise in conjunction with dieting. More calories burned=more calories you can eat.

    I love exercise and prefer not to live my life without it, but exercise is not at all necessary to weight loss.
    7)never exercise hungry. Also when you exercise while on an empty stomach you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    Maybe you prefer not to exercise while hungry, but many of us love to exercise in a fasted state. I prefer this because I feel more energetic and focused. By the way, I'd like to know where you got the idea that you burn muscle instead of fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.
    15) try drinking water, unsweetened tea, or flavored carbonated water with meals instead of soda, milk, etc.
    Nothing wrong with soda and milk. All things in moderation.
    21) substitute scrambled eggs for egg whites or tofu scramble

    Why? Just eat scrambled eggs in moderation. Besides, some of us are soy intolerant and would get sick from the tofu.
    24) to lose weight, exercise (cardio) six times a week. To maintain, 3-4.

    No, this has nothing to do with weight loss or maintenance.
    25) on treadmills and ellipticals, increase the incline, it'll burn more calories.

    Not necessarily.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    how i lost 100 pounds. ate less than i burned.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    macr0babe wrote: »
    There literally IS such a thing as starvation mode @tpereira333

    Not in any sense that 99% of people using the term mean.
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,779 Member
    I lost 40 pounds (then gained four while on vacation) so am back at it again. I wanted to share some tips with you, that in my experience, has worked. It may not work for everyone but worked for me so wanted to share.

    1) reducing sugar cuts out a ton of calories
    2) spices are a great way to add flavor to food without calories.
    3) eat lots of vegetables, fiber and lean protein...makes you feel full longer
    4) delay starting your "eating window" by an hour or two. So for example, eat breakfast at 8 or 9 instead of 7. The less hours in the day that you eat, the less you will eat.
    5) eat 2-3 snacks a day between meals but try to keep them at an average of 100 calories each
    6) if possible, exercise in conjunction with dieting. More calories burned=more calories you can eat. 7)never exercise hungry. Also when you exercise while on an empty stomach you're burning muscle instead of fat.
    8) don't eat less than 1,200 calories a day. 1,200 calories is necessary for proper nutrition and your body holds onto fat if you don't eat enough as it goes into starvation mode
    9) don't deprive yourself. Eat a cookie if you want it, but in moderation
    10) week two is the worst. In week one you'll lose a lot of weight (mostly water weight). Week two you'll likely not lose as much, might even gain. It'll even out though.
    11) "Fit" popcorn is the best snack
    12) sometimes if I feel like eating but am not very hungry I'll drink unsweetened herbal tea or chew gum
    13) every little bit counts. Cutting 10 calories in salad dressing choice or doing five more minutes of cardio makes a big difference over time.
    14) weigh yourself the same time every day (morning is best)
    15) try drinking water, unsweetened tea, or flavored carbonated water with meals instead of soda, milk, etc.
    16) measure food and try to stick to one "serving"
    17) salt has no calories but makes you retain water so make sure you're staying hydrated if eating a lot of salt
    18) swap Gatorade for coconut water after workouts. Much less calories, and it's healthier.
    18) beware of salads, especially in restaurants. Between the dressing, croutons, cheese and meat, there's often more calories in salad then another entree choice.
    19) at restaurants, ask for a to go box at the beginning of the meal and put half of your plate in there right away so you can save it for another time and won't be tempted to eat it all at once
    20) only eat until no longer hungry, not stuffed
    21) substitute scrambled eggs for egg whites or tofu scramble
    22) most of all, be consistent. Find a meal plan and work out schedule that works for you and stick to it
    23) make exercise fun - find a sport or activity you like, or work out with friends
    24) to lose weight, exercise (cardio) six times a week. To maintain, 3-4.
    25) on treadmills and ellipticals, increase the incline, it'll burn more calories.
    26) set goals and reward yourself. For example, buy yourself a new workout shirt (or whatever motivates you) after losing 10 pounds.


    I bolded the parts I agreed with.

    #5--No reason to eat that many times a day, unless you like it
    #7--Nah not true AT ALL.
    #8--Agree with eating more than 1200 (if female, 1500 if male), but SMIAM. (Starvation mode is a myth)
    #16--I don't generally stick to one serving because I do it by grams. Sometimes it's 3/4 and sometimes it's 1.5. I would probably be eating more calories of things like peanut butter if I did it your way.
    #21--More calories in whole eggs, but yolks are a good source of vitamins and fat.
    #22--Weight loss gets boring if you stick with the same routine the whole time. Switch it up. Try IF. Try small meals. Try a million different workouts (aside from a lifting program). I'm down 61 pounds and it's been a long road.
    #24--Arbitrary. I work out/actively recover 7 days a week as I begin maintenance. Why? I like it.
    #25--Good, unless you're hanging onto the rail, in which case it defeats the purpose.
    #26--I have found weight loss to be its own reward, no bribery necessary.

    YMMV.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    macr0babe wrote: »
    There literally IS such a thing as starvation mode @tpereira333

    Congrats on your loss, btw!

    Nah, it's a myth.
  • CUGolfer1994
    CUGolfer1994 Posts: 27 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Congrats on your loss. It all comes down to CICO.
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Congrats on your weight loss! :) I'm really glad those things worked for you and helped you to create a calorie deficit, but it seems to me you are putting some of your tips across as facts. Specifically:
    1) reducing sugar cuts out a ton of calories

    Sugar five grams of sugar has about 20 calories. That's not a whole lot. Moderation is key here.
    4) delay starting your "eating window" by an hour or two. So for example, eat breakfast at 8 or 9 instead of 7. The less hours in the day that you eat, the less you will eat.

    Nah, meal timing has nothing to do with anything.
    5) eat 2-3 snacks a day between meals but try to keep them at an average of 100 calories each

    Again...no. Have big, small, or medium snack, or none at all, as long as it all fits into your calorie goals.
    6) if possible, exercise in conjunction with dieting. More calories burned=more calories you can eat.

    I love exercise and prefer not to live my life without it, but exercise is not at all necessary to weight loss.
    7)never exercise hungry. Also when you exercise while on an empty stomach you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    Maybe you prefer not to exercise while hungry, but many of us love to exercise in a fasted state. I prefer this because I feel more energetic and focused. By the way, I'd like to know where you got the idea that you burn muscle instead of fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.
    15) try drinking water, unsweetened tea, or flavored carbonated water with meals instead of soda, milk, etc.
    Nothing wrong with soda and milk. All things in moderation.
    21) substitute scrambled eggs for egg whites or tofu scramble

    Why? Just eat scrambled eggs in moderation. Besides, some of us are soy intolerant and would get sick from the tofu.
    24) to lose weight, exercise (cardio) six times a week. To maintain, 3-4.

    No, this has nothing to do with weight loss or maintenance.
    25) on treadmills and ellipticals, increase the incline, it'll burn more calories.

    Not necessarily.

    He literally said "these are things that have worked for me"... how can you possibly dispute that?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    I agree with so many things on that list! :)

    We all have our Things We Do. Since they work for us, they do work. They might not work for everyone - I'm sure you have heard things that worked for other that didn't work for you. Everyone can't agree with every single thing!

    But there's a lot in there that I do, too. :)
  • MitsuShai
    MitsuShai Posts: 151 Member
    11) "Fit" popcorn is the best snack

    i bought popcorn to eat as a snack a long time ago, but then i found out that my tummy has problems digesting it and i get all bloated and gassy :( Now I have a jar full of kernels just sitting in my pantry.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,081 Member
    besaro wrote: »
    how i lost 100 pounds. ate less than i burned.

    Same

    TWIN-IES!!!!
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,081 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Congrats on your loss. It all comes down to CICO.
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Congrats on your weight loss! :) I'm really glad those things worked for you and helped you to create a calorie deficit, but it seems to me you are putting some of your tips across as facts. Specifically:
    1) reducing sugar cuts out a ton of calories

    Sugar five grams of sugar has about 20 calories. That's not a whole lot. Moderation is key here.
    4) delay starting your "eating window" by an hour or two. So for example, eat breakfast at 8 or 9 instead of 7. The less hours in the day that you eat, the less you will eat.

    Nah, meal timing has nothing to do with anything.
    5) eat 2-3 snacks a day between meals but try to keep them at an average of 100 calories each

    Again...no. Have big, small, or medium snack, or none at all, as long as it all fits into your calorie goals.
    6) if possible, exercise in conjunction with dieting. More calories burned=more calories you can eat.

    I love exercise and prefer not to live my life without it, but exercise is not at all necessary to weight loss.
    7)never exercise hungry. Also when you exercise while on an empty stomach you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    Maybe you prefer not to exercise while hungry, but many of us love to exercise in a fasted state. I prefer this because I feel more energetic and focused. By the way, I'd like to know where you got the idea that you burn muscle instead of fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.
    15) try drinking water, unsweetened tea, or flavored carbonated water with meals instead of soda, milk, etc.
    Nothing wrong with soda and milk. All things in moderation.
    21) substitute scrambled eggs for egg whites or tofu scramble

    Why? Just eat scrambled eggs in moderation. Besides, some of us are soy intolerant and would get sick from the tofu.
    24) to lose weight, exercise (cardio) six times a week. To maintain, 3-4.

    No, this has nothing to do with weight loss or maintenance.
    25) on treadmills and ellipticals, increase the incline, it'll burn more calories.

    Not necessarily.

    He literally said "these are things that have worked for me"... how can you possibly dispute that?

    That's what I thought. The op didn't say this is the best or only way to lose weight. Said it was things that worked for them.

    Like the meal timing and snack thing. My understanding is hat eating 2000 cals as 2 meals or as 3 with 3 snacks are equal in regards to weightloss.

    But if you have less will power having some snacks during the day might help you feel less hungry when eating a meal and might stack your plate with less food. Help you prevent over eating.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    edited June 2015
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Congrats on your loss. It all comes down to CICO.
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Congrats on your weight loss! :) I'm really glad those things worked for you and helped you to create a calorie deficit, but it seems to me you are putting some of your tips across as facts. Specifically:
    1) reducing sugar cuts out a ton of calories

    Sugar five grams of sugar has about 20 calories. That's not a whole lot. Moderation is key here.
    4) delay starting your "eating window" by an hour or two. So for example, eat breakfast at 8 or 9 instead of 7. The less hours in the day that you eat, the less you will eat.

    Nah, meal timing has nothing to do with anything.
    5) eat 2-3 snacks a day between meals but try to keep them at an average of 100 calories each

    Again...no. Have big, small, or medium snack, or none at all, as long as it all fits into your calorie goals.
    6) if possible, exercise in conjunction with dieting. More calories burned=more calories you can eat.

    I love exercise and prefer not to live my life without it, but exercise is not at all necessary to weight loss.
    7)never exercise hungry. Also when you exercise while on an empty stomach you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    Maybe you prefer not to exercise while hungry, but many of us love to exercise in a fasted state. I prefer this because I feel more energetic and focused. By the way, I'd like to know where you got the idea that you burn muscle instead of fat if you exercise on an empty stomach.
    15) try drinking water, unsweetened tea, or flavored carbonated water with meals instead of soda, milk, etc.
    Nothing wrong with soda and milk. All things in moderation.
    21) substitute scrambled eggs for egg whites or tofu scramble

    Why? Just eat scrambled eggs in moderation. Besides, some of us are soy intolerant and would get sick from the tofu.
    24) to lose weight, exercise (cardio) six times a week. To maintain, 3-4.

    No, this has nothing to do with weight loss or maintenance.
    25) on treadmills and ellipticals, increase the incline, it'll burn more calories.

    Not necessarily.

    He literally said "these are things that have worked for me"... how can you possibly dispute that?

    I'm not disputing what worked for her, I'm disputing the ones that seem to be presentrd as facts.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Cool list

    My list for losing 54 lbs is

    1) weigh and log all my food to a calorie defecit
    2) pay a younger man to pay attention to me once a week

    Seems to work

    PS 2) is my PT :bigsmile:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    MitsuShai wrote: »
    11) "Fit" popcorn is the best snack

    i bought popcorn to eat as a snack a long time ago, but then i found out that my tummy has problems digesting it and i get all bloated and gassy :( Now I have a jar full of kernels just sitting in my pantry.

    Now, I agree with popcorn as a snack cause I love it!
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,779 Member
    You really share good experience.But it may be hard to follow the list of more than 26 things, and I have used SKG Slimming Massager Belt for over a month, thinking it easy to use and workable to lose weight. So if anyone can't insist on a healthy diet or doing exercise everyday can buy this one and have a try.
    http://www.tinydeal.com/skg-4002-portable-fitness-slimming-massager-belt-with-heat-px2uafr-p-148250.html

    Go away, dirtbag. Why do you want to keep people fat and slightly poorer?

    Why am I being flagged for abuse for telling off a spammer? (read the post I quoted, yeah?)