Weight loss tips?

1. Eat at a deficit until goal is reached
2. Eat at maintenance to not gain anything back
3. ???
4. profit

Eat less ..... move more

Having lost a lot of weight and gaining some of it back, I am now working to get back to my goal weight. I am taking a different approach this time around. I am going to follow the Fat2fit Radio philosophy and eat like the slim person I will be. That is, I will eat the amount of calories and do the amount of exercise I will do to maintain when I reach my goal weight. When I get close to goal, I will probably drop my calories by a couple hundred until I get there. This might take me a little longer, but when I reach my goal, I will already have the good habits in place in order to stay there. I am thinking more and more that it is all about moderation. Making changes that you can live with for the long haul, implementing them, and sticking with them.

I move more and watch my portion sizes - my mantra is everything in moderation.

A food scale is a great tool to ensure you aren't eating too much.

Weigh in weekly/fortnightly so you can keep a track on your progress.

Get moving - find an exercise that you truly enjoy and could see yourself doing consistently.

There truly is nothing better than being slim and having loads of energy

Wishing you success in your weight loss journey.

1. Lose weight slowly - don't rush. All the research (UK) shows that if we lose weight too fast it's harder to maintain and we quickly put it back on again.
2. Don't go hungry - the body clings on to it's fat reserves when it's hungry.
3. Try and eat fresh, healthy foods. Really cut down on sugar which creates a roller coaster of energy highs and lows, and we crave more sugar in a low. Instead, read up on slow-release energy foods (e.g. oats) to feel satisfied longer and avoid unnecessary snacking.

• You GOT TO REALLY WANT IT! Your goal GOT to be engraved in your head and you must be willing to do almost anything to achieve it.
  
• Give yourself NO CHOICE but to get to your goal. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY! The attitude of “I’ll try it, I’ll try it real hard, but let’s see where it goes” or “I’ll try my best” – most likely will fail because if you are here, then most of your decision about food and exercise weren’t wise (otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this) and, most likely, if you give yourself a choice on this matter – you’ll end up on the unhealthy end of it.
  
• All you need to lose weight is caloric deficit – you must eat less than you burn – this is a scientific fact. In order to further tweak the progress, you will need to evaluate different macro nutrient scenarios – low carb, paleo, LCHF, keto, etc and find what works best for you.
  
• LOG EVERYTHING YOU EAT! You must log EVERYTHING. Otherwise why log anything at all? If my wife gives me a bite of her steak – I add an ounce to my log, if she gives me a bite of her sandwich – I add a quarter.
  
• Err on the upside for calories and on the down side for exercises. I’d rather log more calories than I actually ate and fewer calories than my HRM shows, than the other way around.
  
• You must have the following: a kitchen scale, a measuring cup, measuring spoons at the bare minimum as there is no other way to measure food portions. You’ll be amazed how actual 4 oz of steak differ from what you think it should be.
  
• BE HONEST. If you went over your daily calories budget by eating an unplanned cheese cake – not logging it will fool nobody but you! If you exercised for 10 min but logging 60 – who are you fooling?
  
• You’ve got to decide the meaning of the word “DIET” for you. There are 2 choices:
  a. The modern meaning – “restrict oneself for a period of time to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight”. Most likely, this will result in a yo-yo diet, read explanation below.
  b. The original meaning from 13th century – “diata – way of living” or “diaitasthai - to lead one's life”
  Obviously, you have to treat this “diet” as the choice “b”
  
• You have to realize that there is no going back to “eating as before” as that “eating as before” got you here.
  
• You GOT TO READ, read, and read more! Knowledge is the key to success. When you find an article or study about something – read 10 more on the same subject as a lot of these studies bias to one side or another and contradict each other.
  
• Educate yourself on BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate and find out what is your number. BMR is the bare minimum your body needs to function. BMR is the energy needed for your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, digestion, breathing, sweating, hair growth, nail growth, etc. etc. If you were to lie down without any movement for 24 hours – your body will burn BMR number of calories.
  
• Select your daily calories plan that is ABOVE your BMR and DO NOT eat less than your BMR (at least not by a lot and not consistently)!!!!
  
• Starvation mode. I’m not sure if the starvation mode is a myth or not but I do know (it happened to me) what happens when you under eat (constantly eat less than your BMR). Our bodies are masters of adaptation. When you supply less than BMR calories to your body, at first, it will tap into the energy reserves – the stored fat. That’s why when you start dieting the pounds fly off in numbers and easy. But, if the shortage of calories is prolonged (more than a few weeks) and too large, your body will realize that and say “oops, looks like my supply of energy has changed, I must adapt!” and it will ADAPT. Your body will adapt to get by on what it has and it will cut energy to whatever it can. Eventually, your weight loss will become infinitely more difficult, frustrating, and unpredictable.
  
• Do not exclude foods you like – plan them into your meals. I think this one is obvious as you can’t go the rest of your life not eating foods you like.
  
• Plan your meals in advance. Planning in advance will make you proud. You will be more likely to stick with the plan when you have it. You will less likely to end up at diner with no calories left. You will also have the necessary information to make better decision during the day when circumstances change.
  
• Learn about nutrients – fats are not the enemy and neither are carbs

yorkshirecath wrote: »

Use MFP to track your calories

Meal plan

Make sure you check the calories of things before purchasing, you'd be amazed how things advertised as healthy are actually laden with sugar or fat

Involve yourself with weight loss groups either in real life or on here and Facebook

Take before and after photos to inspire you

Make sure you have at least one non diet day where you treat yourself otherwise you will fail

Take measurements, sometimes you'll lose inches rather than pounds

Drink lots, it really helps you lose weight

Also don't under eat, it has an adverse effect!

Good luck!

Really great advice! Sometimes the scale wont move but your inches will be shrinking - great motivator. Pictures also a great motivator. I really wish now (50 lb later) that I've taken pictures and measurements!

MammaC66 wrote: »

Having lost a lot of weight and gaining some of it back, I am now working to get back to my goal weight. I am taking a different approach this time around. I am going to follow the Fat2fit Radio philosophy and eat like the slim person I will be. That is, I will eat the amount of calories and do the amount of exercise I will do to maintain when I reach my goal weight. When I get close to goal, I will probably drop my calories by a couple hundred until I get there. This might take me a little longer, but when I reach my goal, I will already have the good habits in place in order to stay there. I am thinking more and more that it is all about moderation. Making changes that you can live with for the long haul, implementing them, and sticking with them.

Smarter to go for the slower loss this way, unless you are doing a medical VLCD with lots of clinical support. That's my strategy too. More pleasurable too.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-dont-complicate-it/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1


"Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake.
However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity."
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html


Goal setting, including weight, calories, and macros
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-setting-goals-667045

Exercise basics
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-exercise-667080

Sleep enough
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-08-27-sleep-weight-control-690492

Eating higher protein & lower carbs leads to more weight loss
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-08-09-high-protein-diet-685553
Try 45% carbs, 20% fat, 35% protein

Eat about half your calories for breakfast (see the last half of this post for the studies)
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-10-some-studies-about-weight-loss-667818


Motivation & encouragement (explained in blog post)
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-07-24-motivation-encouragement-680938

- Set small intermediate goals & celebrate every one.
- Take measurements.
- Take pictures.
- Weigh yourself regularly.
- Be flexible; forgive yourself.
- Celebrate the non-scale victories (NSV's)
- Don't give up!!!!
- Don't make any food forbidden.
- Eat real food; less processed is better.