In your opinion.....

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Amanda82691
Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What is the key(s) to successful weight loss/fat loss? And please be more specific then just "a lifestyle change" we get that haha. I am just curious to what you all will say. :) Happy sharing and play nice!
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  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Calorie deficit.
    Realistic expectations.
    Patience.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Other than a calorie deficit, I'd say the most important thing is sustainability. Don't do a diet you can't stick to - so don't cut out food groups if you're not planning on cutting them out forever, don't eat way too little food each day, include treats and such in moderation. Same with exercise - do exercise because you enjoy it, if you force yourself to do it you probably won't stick with it.

    There are of course people that do make a drastic change just for the duration of losing weight, stick to it long enough to lose the weight, then go back to roughly what they were doing before and keep the weight off, but it's pretty rare. For most people, sustainability is important to sticking with the diet and keeping the weight off.

    Having written all that I guess it's the same thing as just saying 'a lifestyle change'... but I guess that's all that's important really, a calorie deficit and a lifestyle change!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Be 100% committed when you start, and realize you can't go back to your eating habits afterwards.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    Calorie deficit, no slashing entire food groups, no vilifying food. And move your body.
  • keelybird57
    keelybird57 Posts: 63 Member
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    Tracking -- every bite -- every day
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 646 Member
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    Dealing with some of the emotional reasons for using food for comfort. getting off your butt and moving...taking care of yourself and your environment.

    Stop thinking that the rules of science and biology don't apply to oneself. Stop with casting oneself as the victim and conjuring up medical reasons why the rules of science don't apply To oneself.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    Time
    Patience
    Small weekly achievements that accumulate
    Not expecting or demanding instant results
    Calorie deficit
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
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    Attitude. If you think you can't, you probably won't. Set your mind and do it.
  • rosnigetsfit
    rosnigetsfit Posts: 569 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    Time
    Patience
    Small weekly achievements that accumulate
    Not expecting or demanding instant results
    Calorie deficit

    This!
  • jessathemessa
    jessathemessa Posts: 65 Member
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    One thing that I've found is really important is to know that you aren't perfect, but that you need to keep going and be dedicated. Sometimes you'll slip up and eat too many calories, you'll go out for dinner, you'll go out for drinks with your friends, etc. Don't let this hold you back from enjoying your life, but eat in moderation and try to make healthier choices. So if you slip up, don't quit, don't let it get you down. You can do it.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    As others have said, a calorie deficit is required, but that is more like the mechanics of weight loss rather than the key to weight loss. Knowing that a calorie deficit is required does you no good if you don't actually create one. It seems to me that the key is having a strong motivating reason to lose weight. There's the bride who wants to look a certain way for her wedding. There's the person weight related health problems who is fearful of what will happen if he doesn't lose weight. There's the athlete who knows that losing weight will shave seconds off his time. People can lose some weight by just deciding to, but that won't last long if they don't have a strongly desired goal that is only reachable by losing the weight.

  • enkiemonkey
    enkiemonkey Posts: 82 Member
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    I love that multiple people have mentioned patience. I think that is probably the hardest. As a lack of patience probably contributes to people giving up so soon.

    I am only 30 days in but I love my new lifestyle and my progress. Here are some of mine:

    1. Eating healthier (more fruits, veggies, water) which as a result leads to calorie deficit for me.

    2. Patience and persistence.

    3. Support network. I post here often and my best friend and BF are my biggest cheerleaders. They also help me make better food choices when we go out to eat.

    4. Eat slower. Drink lots of water and clear broth soup based foods.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    Calorie deficit
    Flexible rather than rigid mindset
    Long term rather than short term focus
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Finding what works for YOU. Not following the diet that your Co workers or a friend used. Finding the "you" diet. If you have triggers, manage or avoid them. If you have cravings, figure out why. Keep things as simple as possible and don't look for short cuts or fast fixes.
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 690 Member
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    - meal planning and prepping in advance
    - tracking, accurately and honestly
    - making gradual and realistic changes.. this means slower weight loss but it also makes it sustainable
    - exercise.. I don't think the calories burned contributes substantially to my weight loss but I think it makes me feel better and puts me in a healthier mindset so I tend to eat better when I'm working out
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    Finding what works for YOU. Not following the diet that your Co workers or a friend used. Finding the "you" diet. If you have triggers, manage or avoid them. If you have cravings, figure out why. Keep things as simple as possible and don't look for short cuts or fast fixes.

    100% yes to this.

  • FunSizedKJ
    FunSizedKJ Posts: 67 Member
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    It is all about consistency, planning ahead, and being honest with yourself about what you're putting into your body. I used to have a bad habit of grazing, I'd eat random little bits that seemed too insignificant to count and not log them. Many little bits add up over the course of a day and can really hurt the overall goal.
  • mewilliams11
    mewilliams11 Posts: 139 Member
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    In the words of Winnie the Pooh's Christopher Robin: "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, & smarter than you think".

    Self determination & self confidence is the key!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Also, not go from one extreme to another. I *never* picked more than 1 pound a week loss. I don't understand how people expect to go from 3500 to 1200 calories a day and not want to give up after a week.
  • ForestFairy022
    ForestFairy022 Posts: 99 Member
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    For me, practising enough self control to NOT binge on 1000-2000 calories every night. :) I've done good! Been binge free for 2 weeks if I don't count the weekend! ;)

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