NikiChicken Member

This too.

Calorie counting is the only reason I have lost 103 pounds. Without it, I would still be morbidly obese. It keeps me accountable and aware of everything I eat. It is now my way of life. Before I started counting, I could absolutely convince myself that I was "eating less and moving more" and there just must be something…

I eat everything within moderation. Most days, my diet consists of lots of veggies, fruits, lean meats and some grains. However, I do make room for all the foods many consider "junk" because if I don't, I start feeling too restricted, deprived and it ends in a binge. I eat very good, high quality chocolate almost every…

LOL - but it's the salad that's probably higher in calories if you are talking about many restaurant salads!

I have to completely agree with this reply on everything the poster has said. The weight loss pattern described is absolutely normal. Also, I am 44 and have lost 104 pounds and likewise, most of my diet is comprised of sensible, nutritious food, but I make plenty of room for hamburgers, fries, pizza, ice cream and…

Yes, you can eat a burger instead of a salad and lose weight. As others have said, it's all about the calories in vs. the calories out. As long as you eat less than you burn, you will lose. However, eating a nutritionally balanced diet that includes both hamburgers AND salads will help you to be healthier, with stronger…

Buy a food scale and use it. Use a food scale for anything and everything that isn't liquid. Use measuring cups only for liquid. You'll get much more accurate measurements that way.

This. For me it is eating smaller amounts of high quality foods. I use real butter, full fat ice cream, full fat cheese, etc. This was learned over trial and error. For a long time, I thought I was a volume eater and wanted LOTS of food to make me feel full, so I ate all of these fat-free, sugar-free foods along with…

Portion control and moderation are absolute key! I have lost almost 104 pounds. I have not given up a single thing that I love and enjoy, I am just much more cognizant of how much and how often I am eating things. I still eat pizza, hamburgers, fries, ice cream, chocolate, wine, etc. However, now I eat a single portion…

This. Log it and move on. Your pattern of behavior over time is what will dictate whether you gain or lose. As long as you don't use this as an excuse to keep overeating, you are just fine. Successfully losing weight and maintaining means learning how to deal with situations just like this and keep moving forward.

This too. We have a ton of "junk" in the house. His favorites, my favorites and our son's favorites. I just consciously chose when I want to have it, then measure a correct portion and log it. Like the poster I am quoting, I feel much less guilty eating it now because I plan for it and account for it and I'm not trying to…

You can't change him, you can only change you. You make the best choices you can and let him do the same. My husband also could stand to eat better and exercise more, but he doesn't. He keeps saying he wants to, but ultimately has not done anything. That's on him, not me. I choose to lead by example. I usually skip the…

Discipline and determination. Motivation waxes and wanes and you can't count on it. Use discipline and determination to develop good habits that will carry you through the times when motivation is lacking.

I have very low blood pressure - to the point that it is normal for me to get light-headed when I stand up. It has not hampered my weight loss in the least. Drink water - as much as you can stand. Staying well hydrated will certainly help your blood pressure and I can definitely tell when I am dehydrated by how I feel when…

Frozen veggies, which are full of vitamins and fiber are CHEAP. I get the store brand bags of frozen veggies and my local Kroger regularly has them for $1/bag (not sure where you are located, so don't know if you have Kroger chains or not). I stock up on them and just keep them in the freezer. Take out a bag at a time and…

I love almost all veggies. I love them prepared most ways - raw, sautéed, roasted, grilled, alone, in recipes, etc. I am not a picky eater in the least. However, I cannot make myself like Brussels sprouts. I have tried every preparation I can think of. I see recipes for Brussels sprouts that look fantastic and try them. I…

I am also a daily weigher - for the exact same reasons. I'm 3 1/2 years in and 100 pounds down weighing daily. I like knowing exactly how my time of month, a salty day, an extra workout, too much sleep, too little sleep, etc., etc., etc. will affect my scale weight. It absolutely took the frustration of the scale…

Don't eat it then. I rarely eat breakfast and when I do it's something very small (coffee plus a snack consisting of 100-200 calories) and it's later in the morning around 10 or so. Also, if you WANT to eat breakfast, but don't like traditional breakfast foods, eat whatever you do like. Nobody said you had to eat breakfast…

This right here. The more you experiment with new foods - both in the variety and preparation - the more you will find that you like and enjoy. Also, I can't agree more with the three choices stated in this reply. You don't have to give up the things you like and enjoy. You just have to eat them in quantities that fit…

I've been using it since June. I started taking it after a long conversation with my doctor. I had already lost 85 pounds at that point and had been at a plateau for 6 months - *zero* weight lost in 6 months - and a review of my food and exercise log by my doctor and blood work showed no obvious reason for the long…

I'm at 99 pounds down. It really hasn't impacted my social life at all. It could be due to my age and the fact that my social life really revolves around my son and his activities. I don't typically go to bars/clubs/parties any more and haven't in many years and I really didn't enjoy that all that much when I did go. It…

Keep calm and carry on. One day of over indulgence will not ruin your efforts. Your weight is determined by your long-term pattern of habits. Just like one day of crash dieting doesn't cause every pound to drop off, one day of over indulgence won't make you gain everything back. Focus on your long term habits and goals. We…

For the most part, I am much like one of the above posters, I eat what I want in the portions that I want, he eats what he wants in the portions he wants. Sometimes I indulge in the same things he is eating, but most of the time I don't. When I do indulge, it is because I can fit it into my calorie goals for the day and I…

This right here. What you are proposing is unsustainable at best, extremely dangerous at worst. Oh, and I am very happy with myself, thank you very much. People who are advising against this are not telling you these things because we are unhappy with ourselves. It is because we see someone doing something unsustainable…

I'm 44 and have lost 99 pounds. I have another 20 to go. This is the closest I have ever been to a "normal" BMI in my adult life and I plan to get there. It has been very slow, but well worth it. I started 3 1/2 years ago, 3 months before my 41st birthday. My story: I have always, always been overweight, from the time I…

I take Levothyroxin as well. I have for the past 6 years. As long as my medication is well monitored and I am within acceptable hormone ranges, I do just fine. I've lost 99 pounds so far. My loss may be a little slower than someone with a healthy thyroid, but it's still a loss. If your doctor is not taking your concerns…

Many reasons, but the biggest was probably because I just gave up. I was always overweight - from the time I was a very small child - and I just kept getting more and more overweight/obese as I aged. I had tried to lose weight many times and had limited success, but I never really learned that you don't have to quit eating…

How much you need to lose makes a big difference on when people really start to notice and comment. I didn't start getting comments until I was more than 50 pounds down. A 20 pound loss on my body when I started was not really noticeable, except to me, however a 20 pound loss on my body now would be extremely noticeable.…

I have mixed feelings about it. I generally take the comments as the compliments they are intended to be. I thank the person and then quickly change the subject. I *know* I was morbidly obese and that I look incredibly different now, in a very good way, and I appreciate those that compliment the change and then move on. I…

I also have to say CICO works. I've lost 99 pounds so far of my 120 pound loss goal. If you weigh your portions and log accurately, it DOES work.