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What works for you?

flippy1234
flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Everyone is different. Losing weight and being healthy is not a one size fits all thing. But, I am curious as to what has worked best for you.
For me, it has been small portions, staying within 1000 calories and walking about 1/2 hour almost every day. That is my formula for me.
Please share what has worked best for you.
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Replies

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Eating in a deficit and moving more. I walk every day and run three, though I'm questioning whether to continue the latter.

    Some days it's a couple of larger meals. Or one meal. Others it's smaller meals and snacks.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Eating less

    Exercising more
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Logging and a food scale to ensure I am at my calorie goal.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Eating less
    Moving more
    Using a food scale
    Consistency
    Patience
    Realistic expectations
  • Obnoxa
    Obnoxa Posts: 187 Member
    Food scale, exercising every second day, and logging anything I put in my mouth are my biggest claims to success.
    But if I was totally honest, I have adopted a philosophy this time I have never done before and I think it has made a huge difference.

    Now, I am not a supporter of "cheat days", I think they inadvertently reinforce the idea that your new eating regimen is a temporary thing as opposed to a lifestyle change but that being said, if I truly want something and the quantity or the calorie count doesn't fit within my day and I really, honestly want it? I eat it. I log it, I don't feel bad about it, and I don't try to over-compensate by eating less the next day or exercising to get rid of it.

    It seems like such a no-brainer, but it really did take me years to accept that it doesn't have to be all or nothing; as long as my efforts and healthy choices far out-way any less than optimal eating, it's ok.
    I'm just under 60 lbs lost and moving forward with ease, and I'm sure a lot of credit goes to that last thing on my list :)
  • Artemiris
    Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
    Weighing myself and the food I eat.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Tracking my food
    Not cutting out foods I love
    Home cooked meals most of the time
    Eating as much as I can while at deficit
    Lifting heavy
  • Winterlover123
    Winterlover123 Posts: 352 Member
    Setting an alarm for 6, keep hitting snooze until 6:30, get to the gym, shower, get home, ready for work (on weekdays) having a shake (generally involves fruits), lunch usually involves salad with meat or egg, then dinner could be a sub, or whatever else I'm craving. I do snack, I fit it into my day and that helps me A LOT. I used to starve myself then binge after dinner; obviously that wasn't working. Never underestimate the power of little snacks. :) Oh! Pre-logging food the night before HUGELY impacted my ability to eat within my cals. Now I'm able to have dinner not logged and choose when I get there lol
  • MarcyKirkton
    MarcyKirkton Posts: 507 Member
    Tracking. That's the way I stay within my goal.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    Definitely not eating less than 1650 calories.
  • Lucille4444
    Lucille4444 Posts: 284 Member
    Getting stuff out of the house (carbs, candy,cookies) I want to avoid. Getting stuff into the house (weights, exercise equipment) so it is right there and there are no excuses for not doing exercise.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Logging food to get an understanding of how much I was eating and what an actual serving size was. Then implementing portion control. Slowly making a shift towards more whole, unprocessed foods. Consistent and regular exercise based on my goals and interests. Now I just eat & workout, I haven't logged in years.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Exercise equipment in my home, a schedule to keep me accountable, planning my meals in advance and logging everything.

    And not trying to be too aggressive. Last time I was almost 350 lb and trying to survive on 1300 calories, it was rather insane, and obviously I failed. Now that I did the math and planned better, I eat either 1800 or 2200 depending on day of week.

    All that said, I think my biggest secret is a more positive outlook.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Eating light during the week and not worrying much about calories on the weekend. Eating high fiber. Staying active. Eating a balanced diet of foods I enjoy that follows prevailing healthy diet recommendations.
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    All great stuff here.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    1000 calories, plus exercise...umm no.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    strong_curves wrote: »
    Eating less
    Moving more
    Using a food scale
    Consistency
    Patience
    Realistic expectations

    Yes and yes and yes.

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Eating between 1800 and 2200 calories. Lifting. Not cutting out any specific food or food group.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    Just being aware of what I was eating and what everything "costs" in calories was enough to help me change my lilfestyle. Gotta live on a monetary budget, now I also live on a calorie budget. My phone is my calorie check book ledger. Log in what I've had, log in what I've expended, see the balance. Check what I want will cost and make the decision. Somedays I'm over but, to date, never more than 500 over. Some days I can afford that Dark Chocolate Klondike Bar, an Apple Cider Donut, a Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Donut. Most days I can't but somedays... ;-)
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    Eating within my calorie goal; enjoying the foods I want; lifting for peace of mind; eating all my exercise calories.
  • julyakw
    julyakw Posts: 3 Member
    Obnoxa wrote: »
    Food scale, exercising every second day, and logging anything I put in my mouth are my biggest claims to success.
    But if I was totally honest, I have adopted a philosophy this time I have never done before and I think it has made a huge difference.

    Now, I am not a supporter of "cheat days", I think they inadvertently reinforce the idea that your new eating regimen is a temporary thing as opposed to a lifestyle change but that being said, if I truly want something and the quantity or the calorie count doesn't fit within my day and I really, honestly want it? I eat it. I log it, I don't feel bad about it, and I don't try to over-compensate by eating less the next day or exercising to get rid of it.

    It seems like such a no-brainer, but it really did take me years to accept that it doesn't have to be all or nothing; as long as my efforts and healthy choices far out-way any less than optimal eating, it's ok.
    I'm just under 60 lbs lost and moving forward with ease, and I'm sure a lot of credit goes to that last thing on my list :)

    This sounds a great idea
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    Also eating less and moving more, but I try to eat many smaller meals (4 or 5) and I try to load my calories earlier rather than later in the day. Also lots and lots of water.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    edited October 2015
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Everyone is different. Losing weight and being healthy is not a one size fits all thing. But, I am curious as to what has worked best for you.
    For me, it has been small portions, staying within 1000 calories and walking about 1/2 hour almost every day. That is my formula for me.
    Please share what has worked best for you.

    This sounds like a recipe for disaster.
  • soulofgrace
    soulofgrace Posts: 175 Member
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Everyone is different. Losing weight and being healthy is not a one size fits all thing. But, I am curious as to what has worked best for you.
    For me, it has been small portions, staying within 1000 calories and walking about 1/2 hour almost every day. That is my formula for me.
    Please share what has worked best for you.
    SuggaD wrote: »
    1000 calories, plus exercise...umm no.

    Yeah. I noticed that too. We're not so different that any of us can survive on 1000 calories, OP.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,930 Member
    I eat fewer calories than I burn.

    And I've made a point of eating only foods I really like. :)
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    edited October 2015
    Just tracking calories for me. I was already highly active and not losing weight. No giving up foods I love. No need to increase exercise. Just had to eat less. Very simple really.
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Everyone is different. Losing weight and being healthy is not a one size fits all thing. But, I am curious as to what has worked best for you.
    For me, it has been small portions, staying within 1000 calories and walking about 1/2 hour almost every day. That is my formula for me.
    Please share what has worked best for you.

    This sounds like a recipe for disaster.

    I am 51. This is what works for me. I have tried EVERYTHING. I do weights too. Nothing crazy, Just to tone.
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    SuggaD wrote: »
    1000 calories, plus exercise...umm no.
    I am 51. Unfortunately, this is the only thing that has worked for me. I eat what I want but small portions. I do not deprive myself of anything.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    SuggaD wrote: »
    1000 calories, plus exercise...umm no.
    I am 51. Unfortunately, this is the only thing that has worked for me. I eat what I want but small portions. I do not deprive myself of anything.

    Then you likely are not logging correctly or have unrealistic expectations on how much to lose each week.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    SuggaD wrote: »
    1000 calories, plus exercise...umm no.
    I am 51. Unfortunately, this is the only thing that has worked for me. I eat what I want but small portions. I do not deprive myself of anything.

    Then you likely are not logging correctly or have unrealistic expectations on how much to lose each week.

    Sadly, yes, this is very likely true.

    A calorie deficit does not have to mean deprivation.
This discussion has been closed.

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