The One Big Thing

Take the time to figure out what will work for you in the LONG TERM.

Like most other people, this attempt at weight loss was not my first rodeo. I had been through the lose weight/gain weight cycle multiple times. I was always good at losing weight, but pretty pathetic at keeping it off. Typically, my losing phase involved adopting the 'diet of the day' and then being very good at following it to a T. It always worked, regardless of the diet. However, after losing I would slowly return to my previous ways of eating and ultimately gain the weight back.

This time I started with the idea that I needed to find a way of eating that would result in weight loss BUT would also be something I could sustain forever. It also needed to be something that gave me the energy to sustain a very active lifestyle, did not leave me feeling hungry all the time, and was nutritionally sound.

As I considered what to do, I played around with different ways of eating, always asking myself if I could sustain it after losing weight. For example, I experimented with Keto and, while it was effective for weight loss, gave me plenty of energy, and certainly addressed 'hunger', I knew that it was not a way of eating I could continue forever. Ultimately, I settled on a high protein, moderate fat and moderate carbohydrate diet. I did not exclude anything, with the exception that I pretty much eliminated most processed food. I also vowed to avoid the drive thru and came up with a number of ideas for healthy, very quick and easy meals I could put together on those days when I was just too tired or too hungry to take the time to fix a meal. (This was really important for me in terms of consistency).

If I could add a second 'most important thing', it would be pre-logging. Pre-logging food and exercise has really helped me to plan my menu and to make sure that I was adequately fueling an active life to avoid the energy ebbs and hunger issues that can accompany eating at a deficit and (for me) lead to cravings and derailments.

Nearly one year later ... I have lost slightly more than a 50 pounds and have been in maintenance since late January. It took about a bit of time in maintenance to start figuring it out (another learning curve). Mostly, I needed to learn to eat more and trust the maintenance process as I had trusted the weight loss process. My way of eating has really not changed in this transition. I am just eating more of the same kinds of foods I ate during weight loss (the 'more' has mostly been an increase in carbs, since I was already eating a lot of protein and adequate amounts of fat). Eating for the long term during the weight loss has pretty much made the transition to maintenance a no big deal.

Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? Yes. Fitbit has recorded 125 active minutes today. Mostly walking plus 10 mins strength.
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes

The one big thing was finding MFP. The ease of keeping track of my food and activity made changing my lifestyle so much more manageable.

June 18

Exercised: 18 minutes yoga + 13 minutes aquafitness exercises + 26K steps (including 13 minutes running)
Calories: Yes
Tracked: Yes

I think the thing that's made the biggest difference for me is finding what works for me (so disclaimer like others that this may not work for everyone). For me, it's been both commitment and flexibility (or the acknowledgement that these are not mutually exclusive). I know that I need to be truly dedicated to healthy eating and exercise to achieve my health goals. At the same time, I know I also need to not get so hyper-focussed that I end up inadvertently creating a lifestyle that is not sustainable. Pre-logging and planning has also been key for me, because I have yet to reach a point where I can correctly gauge my food intake and hit good calories/macros without pre-planning. (I also enjoy having the direction with the pre-planning and not needing to question what I'm going to eat when I am hungry and might not make as great choices. It also makes grocery shopping easy and reduces food waste!) I know that I need to be able to make adjustments when plans change and incorporate social events, etc., into my structure. It's still a work-in-progress for me since I haven't hit maintenance yet and have never successfully maintained. But I'm definitely taking the advice of all the awesome UAC members who are maintaining, and I'm hoping that I will soon be contributing my own success story on that front. ^_^

5/18
Exercise? Yes, 90 minutes walking
Calories? Yes, on target
Logged? Yes
Knowing, that I, alone, am responsible for what I consume... so mindfulness to stick to a sustainable plan would be the one thing I would identify with UAC as the accountability yardstick. It's always nice to be in the company of others and know the journey does not have to be solo.

Exercise? Yes. 30 min walk, but also an active day in general
Calories? Yes. Well under.
Tracked? Yes

I’m liking the advice everyone else has been posting. I think the most important thing for me is that the process should ideally be enjoyable but at the very least never ever miserable. So no extremes. I’ve dieted off and on all my adult life. But I was in a hurry about it. I felt proud of my willpower and how quickly I could lose weight. The problem with that approach is that when a few pounds crept back on, I procrastinated starting my version of a diet because I dreaded it.

I guess I’m basically repeating the “sustainable” advice

Exercised: yes 21day fix- total body cardio fix
Tracked: yes
Under: yes

The one thing that has kept me on track for the past 99 days is CONSISTENTCY. No matter what even if I have a bad day just get up the next day and workout and eat right. I haven’t been over... but I’ve been close and in the past I would see the scale creep up after a bad couple of days and just quit. I refuse to do that this time.
Also I went vegan....I’ll never look back!

June 18

Exercise: Yes, 25min walk, 15min strength
Calories: Yes
Tracked: Yes

Date: 6/18/19
Exercised?: yes — bike commute + walked during breaks- a total of 66 minutes of exercise
Calories?: Yes- within goals
Tracked?: yes-all

What made the biggest difference? An accumulation of very small, but sustainable habits.

June 18
Pass day #2
I cannot account for the chips I had today. They were way too good and I was way too hungry.
Did well on exercise good walk on treadmill, stair machine and situps

The one big thing I contribute to success is not lying to myself. For example today I could have gussestimated the chips and still be within the calories for today but I'm just not sure I was within range. I only cheat myself If I'm not honest with myself. Being upfront helps me make the much needed adjustments.

2x yes

4 pass
14 yes
Early mornings and late nights are making it difficult for me to pre make my meals since I'm so exhausted. Thankfully it's an active job so I haven't been gaining but at the same time I really want to start eating properly again, i haven't eaten this unhealthy in a long time and it isn't making me feel good. 4th pass doesn't put me in the winning circle but as long as I do better than last month thats all i can ask myself for

Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? Yes strength training
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes

The one thing that has helped me is tracking everything and holding myself accountable (is that 2?!?).

RangerRickL wrote: »

But, when I promise someone else that I will do something, then my sense of duty drives me to fulfill my promise (not 100% of the time but 98% of the time).

This. I was looking backwards too far when I replied earlier. This time around UAC has been the primary driver of my success. Absolutely.