Unsuccessful Strategies

marvinq42
marvinq42 Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What general diet and weight loss strategies have you tried that have not worked for you?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Trying to have "perfect" days.

    Eliminating entire groups or types of food.

    Exercise only.

    Juicing and/or fasting.

    Meal replacement shakes.

    Very low fat diets.

  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    Restriction of certain foods along with requirements to always eat certain foods. Like no more cookies, but eat a salad for lunch without dressing. Rules regarding what I can and can't eat won't ever work for me.
  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
    Restricting myself for long enough to the point I lose control and binge.
    Having an "all or nothing" attitude.
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    Not eating foods I love at all (cheese for example). Just leads to discontent and binging.

    Exercise only. I exercised hard for years and couldn't understand why, even though I was pretty damn fit (running regular 10ks) I didn't seem to be able to lose weight. I was eating it all back- doh!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Doing it blindly by trying to "eat less" and "move more." Without measuring, how do you how what "less" and "more" are?
  • TheBeachgod
    TheBeachgod Posts: 825 Member
    edited February 2016
    Acai berry and garcinia cambogia supplements.

    edit to add green tea.

    I fell for a lot of the woo and snake oil at first.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    Twelve hundred calories. My body is so much happier when I feed it.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Over-restriction and over-exercising. Double whammy.
  • blancoms
    blancoms Posts: 165 Member
    VLCD (800-1000) when I was a teenager. I just wanted that weight off as fast as possible. It worked, but I only ever lasted 2 weeks.

    Not being in charge of food in the house about 10 months ago when I first committed to MFP. My roommates would cook (delicious meals) and I was no chef, so it ended up being high calorie foods like beef, pork, and of course lots of tortillas. I lost 8 pounds at first but it didn't stay off with that food sitting around.
  • clefeld
    clefeld Posts: 5 Member
    All the above I agree with, what does work eating all the time and the right foods. Since I started this program and I've done it in the past is I'm never hungry and I always feel like I'm eating. Preplan your meals or small amounts you want to eat all day you will be amazed how your body will adjust and not go into sarvation mode because your body knows you will give it the fuel it needs. Eat people keep eating and excersise, but the key is eat right. No breads, sweets and if you do, then eat very very little of your daily intake.
  • qb63
    qb63 Posts: 88 Member
    Thinking it was realistic to consistently lose more than a pound or two a week over time.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
    Easier to say what works than list all the things that don't. Eating less (tracking calories here on MFP or otherwise) and moving more (training for a triathlon, a run or weight lifting) works like a charm. Everything else is a fail (especially cookies, cakes and pies).
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    edited February 2016
    when i stopped full time lifting and started full time triathlon training, i was still eating like a lifter, i.e. doing Intermittent Fasting.

    i still do occasional fasted cardio, but with the 16 hour fast i just didn't have the energy i needed, and i started eating a lot more carbs.
  • maidengirl_
    maidengirl_ Posts: 283 Member
    Tried restricting calories to 1200 immediately with no diet/exercise experience. Tried tv weight loss programs and FAD diets...nothing working and I was spending a lot of money.
  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
    Smaller plates to trick the mind. Cleanses that only last a couple of days. Protein shakes and 500 cal diet worked, but wasn't a lifestyle plan. Lower calories and exercise is the best I've done so far. I feel better and even though I'm losing weight, it's slower and more controlled. First time to exercise in my life. Love the endorphins.
  • LHWhite903
    LHWhite903 Posts: 208 Member
    edited February 2016
    1000-1200 gross calories a day with exercise worked but I felt terrible. Lots of mood swings, behavior problems, etc.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    'Giving up' fast food. Just makes me quit my 'diet'.
  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
    Super-low sugar. It eliminates SO MANY foods.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    I've done:
    VLC
    Low carb (ketogenic)
    Exercise Only (lots of burn, but no change to food habit)
    Restrictions on foods I love
    All or nothing type of thinking

    Im working on simplicity. I just try, each day, to make better choices than yesterday. No rules, no schedule (to lose Xlbs by Y date), no logging (was getting to be too much with all my other efforts), and just trying to think about food as fuel not comfort. For my evening eating I will forever struggle with, I'm trying to ask myself "does my body need anymore fuel today?" and the answer should always be no, hopefully I start to see my snacking differently with this mindset.
  • playmadcats
    playmadcats Posts: 199 Member
    Free one month trial of the weight watchers online site when it first came out.. Only the very basic site was free with a couple of examples of what points certain foods were worth. Ended up just eating pot noodles as they were only thing I found edible that were easy to work out points wise. Seems ww have improved over years but I cringe whenever I see or hear of them.

  • MamaMc3
    MamaMc3 Posts: 213 Member
    I've done everything - low carb diets, other very restrictive diets, packaged meal plans, replacing meals with shakes, low fat, low sugar, Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers was the most effective, but I couldn't stick with it long-term because I had to convert everything into points. That was a lot of work after awhile. This is the first time I have lost weight and actually felt like I could make it a lifestyle!
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Restricting any food or type of food.

    Busting my *kitten* at the gym without changing my diet.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
    "1500 calorie diet plan to never feel hungry!". Yeah...when you're a young very active person, 1500 cals isn't going to cut it anonymous fitness magazine.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Low fat, boring food, arbitrary food rules and eating patterns, having to work out, and being either on or off wagon.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    Twelve hundred calories. My body is so much happier when I feed it.

    Agreed!
  • chimaerandi
    chimaerandi Posts: 153 Member
    Eliminating pretty much anything--carbs, processed foods, etc. Just made me CRAVE it, and then I would binge.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    marvinq42 wrote: »
    What general diet and weight loss strategies have you tried that have not worked for you?

    Giving up all the foods I like/trying to completely alter my diet
    Exercising too much-> getting hurt/burned out-> quitting
    Not logging food/ counting calories
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    I think focusing too much on less important factors... when really what works for me is a) tracking b) being active so I can eat MOAR food c) eating a predominantly but not purely whole foods diet d) keeping at a deficit
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    Keto
    Juicing
    No sugar
    No prosessed food
    Fasting
    Clean 9 detox
    Various "herbal suppliments" or "fat burners"
    Mono diets

    ... and so many more! So glad I'm finally educated on nutrition :)
  • ZeroDelta
    ZeroDelta Posts: 242 Member
    Eyeballing portion size.
    Diet with no exercise

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