What is your secrets to success?

Options
clamoreaux2012
clamoreaux2012 Posts: 28
in Motivation and Support
Take a minute to post what has helped you the most with your weight loss! Always looking for new ideas or to change things up and stay motivated.
«1

Replies

  • ericgAU
    ericgAU Posts: 271
    Options
    The thing is, there is no secret. The thing that helped me shed something like 80lbs was moving more (ok, a hell of alot more:) and eat under my energy requirements. Oh and I wasnt afraid to ask for help (even if it meant paying for it) from people that either have done it or are knowledgeable about it.
  • redhot1n
    redhot1n Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Faithfully tracking! Whether it be food or how much I weigh. It keeps me honest and on track. A lot of people do not like to weigh themselves daily. They find it discouraging. I find it works as a compass for me. It keeps me on track. People say ignorance is bliss, but for me ignorance was denial.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
    Options
    Persistence.
    I think just about any (sensible) diet strategy can work, the trick is that you need to find something that you can keep doing for the rest of your life.
  • steinbok
    steinbok Posts: 82
    Options
    I'll concur, there is no secret. You just know when it's time to take care of business. My main motivation to stay the course is the fact that I don't want to have to go on a spree of trying to lose 60, AGAIN! I did that once, 17 years ago, and haven't had much of a need to do it again, until Mar, where I've shed 22... in about 60 days. I also only eat food because it's necessary. It's easy to turn to it when you're at a loss of what else to do.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Options
    I started by reading up about metabolism and how the body deals with the various macronutrients. Then I read "Wheat Belly".

    I then promptly quit grains (i.e. bread, pasta, rice, corn, etc) and sugar (in all it's forms) and upped my calorie target to get my metabolism firing again after yet another calorie-restricted low-fat crusade failed to yield the expected results.

    I also permanently mentally stored the Food Pyramid and My Plate guidelines under 'fiction'.

    Worked for me anyway ...
  • ginamaria724
    ginamaria724 Posts: 133
    Options
    Patience. You can't lose 100, 50, or even 10 pounds in one week. I'm sure you can't even gain that much in one week either. Every little positive change to your body is a step closer to your goal, whether it be dropping a half of a pound or losing an inch off some body part. Hard work will always be given a reward in the end. It's just up to you to decide how hard to push yourself, how long to change, and how much you want to be happy with your body.
  • lilorphann
    lilorphann Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    Eat less, move more! Be accountable for what you put into your body. Don't "diet". Change how and what you eat, taking out the negative foods and adding positive ones. Get support from those around you.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Options
    Baby steps.... very slow, very small baby steps... and just keep going.

    That and letting go of the need to be perfect... I don't have to be perfect, but I can do a little better.
    (once doing better was habit... i tried to do a little better still... and so on, and so on and so on.)
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
    Options
    Persistence.
    I think just about any (sensible) diet strategy can work, the trick is that you need to find something that you can keep doing for the rest of your life.

    This is the best answer. Consistency and persistence. You don't freak out when you see the daily fluctuations, even when you KNOW you're doing good. Just keep on keepin' on.
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
    Options
    1. Tracking every thing every day - don't lie to yourself put it in there

    2. Mixing it up- Go high go low, meet your calories for a few days go up and down. It works for me.

    3. Work out but not to hard. I see a lot of people here that put out like crazy 2k calorie burns and they have not lost much at all. I am not going to argue calorie starvation because this is an internet forum and inevitably stupid people will respond. Don't be one of them.

    4. Don't lie about your work outs so you can eat a cheeseburger. Punching a punching bag intermittenly for 20 minutes is not 2 hours of boxing. An hour of boxing is an hour of boxing, not many boxers box straight for 2 hours at a time...

    5. Eat bad food every once in a while, if you crave it, make it work for you.

    # 2 seems to be the best for me, Sometimes I go over sometimes I go over I always stay under on weekly but the variation in days in and days out seems to help a lot.
  • brighteyes31143
    brighteyes31143 Posts: 87
    Options
    Patience. You can't lose 100, 50, or even 10 pounds in one week. I'm sure you can't even gain that much in one week either. Every little positive change to your body is a step closer to your goal, whether it be dropping a half of a pound or losing an inch off some body part. Hard work will always be given a reward in the end. It's just up to you to decide how hard to push yourself, how long to change, and how much you want to be happy with your body.

    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IS ONE THING I NEED MORE OF!!!!!!!
  • luvinmefirst
    luvinmefirst Posts: 160 Member
    Options
    I love this thread and the responses so far! After losing 100 lbs with a fad diet 3 years ago and gaining it all back and more. I am learning that I need to lose weight and maintain my weight loss by doing something that is sustainable. Hence, I am not dieting just eating the things I like in moderation, having a balanced dietray intake (not too much carbs and not too much protein...I use the MFP guidelines that are set for me) making sure I have a calorie deficit. I have lost 25 lbs in 70 days by simply doing that (oh and breastfeeding, that burns a ton of calories...lol). I also log every morsel of food that goes into my body...Good Luck!!!
  • TrueBlueBruin78
    TrueBlueBruin78 Posts: 311 Member
    Options
    Baby steps.... very slow, very small baby steps... and just keep going.

    That and letting go of the need to be perfect... I don't have to be perfect, but I can do a little better.
    (once doing better was habit... i tried to do a little better still... and so on, and so on and so on.)

    ^ That's it right there. Do not give up just because you do not see the scale moving, you are making the best choices for yourself right now, it might not show, but have faith that it will.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Options
    Ah yeh, the tracking was the first thing ... Mindful eating and all that ...
  • byrnet18
    byrnet18 Posts: 230 Member
    Options
    1. Tracking every thing every day - don't lie to yourself put it in there

    2. Mixing it up- Go high go low, meet your calories for a few days go up and down. It works for me.

    3. Work out but not to hard. I see a lot of people here that put out like crazy 2k calorie burns and they have not lost much at all. I am not going to argue calorie starvation because this is an internet forum and inevitably stupid people will respond. Don't be one of them.

    4. Don't lie about your work outs so you can eat a cheeseburger. Punching a punching bag intermittenly for 20 minutes is not 2 hours of boxing. An hour of boxing is an hour of boxing, not many boxers box straight for 2 hours at a time...

    5. Eat bad food every once in a while, if you crave it, make it work for you.

    # 2 seems to be the best for me, Sometimes I go over sometimes I go over I always stay under on weekly but the variation in days in and days out seems to help a lot.

    I agree with everything you've said. In the end you're only cheating yourself. We owe it to ourselves to be honest and work hard.
  • Lieberm
    Lieberm Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    Will power and pride. Pride isn't always a good thing but it has helped me with my goals.
  • NanoBear
    NanoBear Posts: 67
    Options
    Much to many of my friend's disappointment, there is no secret as such.

    For me the key was doing a huge amount of research for myself and putting together my own plan, rather than using someone else's plan.
  • Shajadea
    Shajadea Posts: 57 Member
    Options
    I have only had a small success but the secret to it is sticking with it. I can't succeed if I give up. I have to wake up each morning and dedicate myself to the cause yet love myself enough to be ok with the occasional flub.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Options
    I agree with the others there really is no secret. Just eat less than you burn but I will add to set realistic goals from the beginning. -1 pound per week is healthy for MOST people. When I did the math of how much I wanted to loose and multiplied it by that many weeks I had a realistic timeline. Then I knew the journey would be a long one and that prepared me.

    A LOT of people think the can just take a short cut and lose 10 lbs in a month. While that is possible it is definitely not sustainable for the vast majority of us and I dont think is healthy for anyone.
  • CarrieWright77
    CarrieWright77 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I track my food and excercise everyday - not just on "good" days. Believe me, there are times I don't want to put down what I ate so it keeps me from indulging everyday. You have to be honest! (if not you're only cheating yourself) I too, used to live in denial and never wanted to weigh myself but now I check my weight almost everyday - it also helps me to stay on track with healthy eating. The more I see results the more I want to keep striving. Good Luck!

Categories