If you tried to lose weight for so long

[hsmomto5]

and then you finally had success, what was different about that time? How did you stay motivated and how did you succeed?

Thanks!

Lora in NC

[Liz CA]

and then you finally had success, what was different about that time? How did you stay motivated and how did you succeed?

Thanks!

Lora in NC

 

I think it's more of a lifestyle change than just a diet change. More exercise and stop eating when I am full instead of eating because it's on the table.

I have never been overweight but have carried around a few extra pounds for my comfort zone and this is what has worked. I have not regained it either.

[Evergreen State Sue]

Two things make the difference for me: (1) support from my husband and (2) a more determined mindset. I would say my mindset has been the most important. I can want to lose weight, list 10 reasons why I should lose weight, but I have to want to lose the weight enough to actually do something about it and make the changes necessary to make that a reality.

[zookeeperof3]

I stopped buying snack food for the kids. It turns out I was eating a lot of it myself. Pretzels, pop tarts, fruit chews etc. I've lost 30 lbs!!!!

 

I had to figure out why i wasn't losing weight, then stick to the plan. We now eat fresh fruit for snack. I don't even go down the snack food aisle in the grocery store anymore.

Kim

[Giraffe]

I finally realized that this is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm not going to lose it all overnight (or even in a few months). It took me years to gain, I needed to acknowledge that it could take me a long time to lose it in a healthy manner.

 

That being said, just having the mindset of changing my lifestyle, incorporating more veggies and fruits, and just being aware of eating, has really helped. I am doing this for me, not anyone else (DH quite frankly likes me big and would be perfectly happy if I stopped losing weight). I'm doing this to feel better, emotionally, psychologically, and physically. I'm doing this because I want to keep up with my daughter and be around for her when she's an adult (I'm an older mom).

 

I hope this makes sense. I'm kind of rambling today. :confused:

[Jennifer in MI]

For me, it was Weight Watchers. I thought I was careful as to what I was eating. But once I actually wrote everything down and kept track of points, I was eating too much!!!!

 

I lost 40 pounds on WW after the birth of my fourth. I'm currently finding that I need to exercise a LOT to maintain and be able to eat 1500 calories/day. I just turned 40 and things are changing!! But, I still want to eat. So, I'm exercising using Insanity and running and I LOVE it!!!

[LisaKinVA]

We started by changing our mindset, and then our lifestyle.

 

If we made "temporary" changes to our diet, the changes would be temporary. It's a lot harder to maintain a weight loss when you "deprive" yourself of food thinking "it's only for X days" or "until I get to X weight," and then once you reach that weight... going back to doing things the way you've always done them.

 

The lifestyle has to change first... the weight will come off second.

 

For example... if you start by taking your vitamins, then move to a whole-food/whole-grain diet (replacing regular pasta with whole wheat pasta, for example), and then, once that is set, begin exercising, then start tracking your food/calories, then reduce your food/calories to a point where you can lose weight/maintain... it becomes much easier to maintain.

 

My dh and I have each lost 8 pounds in the past 2 weeks. This process didn't start two weeks ago. It started months ago. 4-5 weeks ago, we started taking our vitamins/supplements, two weeks ago dh started his "belly-fat-cure/raw food/type diet" (I had oral surgery...). Last week, I started a detox... really focusing on eating fresh, raw veggies and lean proteins, drinking lots of water.

 

I will be taking a bit more drastic measures in another week... for about a 2 month total body "cleanse." We are preparing for it now (preparing meats, menus, etc.). My dh is working right along side me.

 

And, we bought a Vitamix. My kids are eating more fresh, raw fruits & veggies every day (almost every smoothie we make has cabbage and spinach in it :D) I am shocked at how much "sorbet" I get out of half of my "allotted" fruit ... I just can't eat it all! It's amazing.

 

The further I get in my detox... the fewer cravings I have, and the easier it is to walk past my old temptations (did I mention that we have a dining room FULL of Girl Scout Cookies... and I haven't cracked a single box?)

 

Oh, and SLEEP. Get plenty of rest. Your body needs it too.

[UnPrairieMuffin]

:)It has always been writing down what I eat and cutting out the snacking. I tend to pick at food, so by the time supper roles around I've often times had enough. It's a bad habit, I don't recommend it. Also, weight training seemed to help as well. Perhaps that made me more likely to burn calories.

[Linda1951]

getting snacks out of the house. All junk food period.

getting yogurt, cheese sticks, sugar free jello, fruit fruit and more fruit.

[Denisemomof4]

for me I have cut out carbs temporarily and ALL sugar, including natural sugar in fruit. I'm basically eating low glycemic foods. The weight came off a little faster than I thought it would but I was sick for 2 weeks AND had a tremendous amount of stress. I'm sure that has played into it.

 

Once I'm where I want to be health and weight wise, I will allow carbs back in, but I will only have them at one meal per day. Dinner will be protein OR starch and veggies. I've learned that with proper food combining you should never have a starch with meat.

 

I know it's not for everyone but I feel SO fantastic eating the way I do now.

[vmsurbat]

For me, my permanent ongoing weight loss resulted from: NOT DIETING! As in, making temporary changes to lose weight.

 

Three years ago I began following NoS (http://www.nosdiet.com) principles which advocate moderate eating (not restricted "diet head" eating). I already know the basics of good nutrition and try to keep my lunch and dinner with half veggies and salad, the rest main dish and starch. There is absolutely no food off limits for me. (except liver because I don't like it!) I lost 30 pounds which is no small feat for a short woman (5'2") in her 50s with thyroid issues.

 

Two years ago I seriously took up the challenge of a lifestyle of "movement." I bought myself a pedometer and challenged myself to increase my steps. That wasn't very hard because I only averaged 3000 steps per day. I walk more, do more around the house (eg., chop my veggies by hand instead of in the mini-prep), in the garden, and I take time most days to "take a walk." Sometimes I enjoy my thoughts, sometimes I listen to a Teaching Company tape, sometimes music. On horrible weather days, I pop in a DVD. I lost another 10 pounds. I'm THRILLED. I've never felt deprived, stressed out, or anything like that.

 

I just made simple lifestyle changes that really ARE part of my life--this is not me HOPING that my lifestyle has changed; it really HAS changed. We were just on extended furlough in California (we live overseas) for 3 months (think "working vacation") I ate chips and salsa everyday. We celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4 birthdays, and an anniversary. We were together as a family of 7 for the first time in 2 years (oldest three live stateside now) with plenty of "favorite meals" together. We ate at other families houses 2-3 times a week with company meals and dessert. With all my habits of moderation (eating and exercise), I not only didn't gain (first time ever on furlough--usually the desparately needed clothing bought at the beginning of furlough didn't fit by the end), but I actually lost a pound! Other methods may be faster, but in the end, my "tortoise" pace is taking me across my "health and fitness" line.

 

HTH,

[Dianne-TX]

I've started Jenny Craig because my main problem is sticking to something and going in every week helps me greatly. It really was the missing piece. I've just been at it two weeks, but I know this is different because I am accountable and someone else is taking care of this for me. I sabotage myself no matter what. This has also helped me redirect my life and stop me cold in my tracks of my bad decisions or thoughtless eating and habits. I encourage you. It is difficult, but I also know I could not keep going the way I was going.

[Night Elf]

For me, it was Weight Watchers. I thought I was careful as to what I was eating. But once I actually wrote everything down and kept track of points, I was eating too much!!!!

 

:iagree: But WW teaches a lifestyle change, which is why you lose weight, and if you don't stick with it, you gain it back. Ask me how I know. Weight stays off if you stay vigilant about portion control and food choices. It's not about being a food nazi. It's about eating and living healthy in a world full of unhealthy choices and portion sizes. I suppose exercise has a lot to do with it, but I really hate it so I can't speak to its success. :)

[zookeeperof3]

getting snacks out of the house. All junk food period.

getting yogurt, cheese sticks, sugar free jello, fruit fruit and more fruit.

No junk allowed in the door anymore. We all enjoy fresh fruit now and don't crave so much junk!

 

It's a good feeling ( to not be craving junk food).

Kim

[LG Gone Wild]

and then you finally had success, what was different about that time? How did you stay motivated and how did you succeed?

Thanks!

Lora in NC

 

I agree with a pp about a determined mindset and practicing delayed gratification. If you click on my RockinASkirt link, you will see what I've achieved. It took a looonnnnngggg time to get there.

 

For YEARS, I exercised like my hair was on fire without a adequate results but I kept going. I kept going even though I felt despair. I kept going even when I saw no reward. What was the alternative? Not exercise and be even worse off? So I continued. It finally came together. All that time when I felt like I was achieving nothing, I was building up the foundation for what I have now.

 

So, it helps to be farsighted in this matter.

 

Some people start with a little exercise and a lot of changes to their diet. I preferred exercise first because it seemed more proactive than changing my diet. The dietary changes came after.

[DawnM]

Some of you have mentioned that the weight didn't come on overnight, but took years.

 

Not so for me.....I gained 60 pounds in 9 months with pregnancy and have never been able to get it off. I was able to lose about 20 pounds with the PRISM diet at a church once, but I did over an hour of exercise per day, lifted weights, and ate a pretty strict diet. It still took months.

 

I have been on a low carb diet again. I have only lost about 5 pounds, maybe only 4 in several weeks and feel awful. I have never liked the way low carb makes me feel, and I am remembering now exactly why. I have fuzzy brain, low energy, stopped up (sorry for the TMI), and it just isn't working. I actually feel much better on a more vegetarian plan.

 

I like the idea of NO junk in the house period! I do notice that when the junk is severely limited, we all feel better.

 

Mostly I am ranting because weight loss is very difficult for me. I have just gone in for more blood tests and am waiting to see what might come up with those.

 

Sometimes radical change in diet is necessary and along the way, it will eventually be a lifestyle change. Not sure if that makes sense, but I do know that just cutting back has never worked for me, in fact, I don't eat all that much. People comment on how little I eat and I don't do secret eating.

 

Dawn

[Chocolate Rose]

I have had weight issues my whole life. I have never been thin. When I was in 4th grade my doctor threatened me with a diet of spinach and cottage cheese. I have been on diets ever since.

As of last week, I am down 111 pounds. I still have probably another 30 to go. It's taken time and I wasn't intentionally dieting. In fact, I'm not dieting. I think that there are two big things that are making a difference for me - I've started eating breakfast and I snack during the day.

I never ate breakfast before. It just didn't appeal to me. I would go all day without eating (when I wasn't on a structured diet) and then be starving and eat the rest of the day. My breakfast is usually yogurt and a banana, or oatmeal and a banana, or something along those lines.

My snack is something I eat later in the morning. For some reason, breakfast makes me hungry. I'm not really tempted to eat between lunch and dinner.

The other huge thing for me is that I had to go back to working outside of our home. For me, this is indeed huge. When I'm home, I'm just too tempted to eat things just because they are there and taste good.

So, I don't know that what has been working for me would work for anyone else. I'm just SO darn happy to finally (as of last summer) be able to shop in the "regular" size clothes sections and not the "plus" size sections. Even as a kid, I had to wear Sears "chubby" girls clothes. I think that's what they were called. How embarrassing!

[mommymilkies]

Well, part of it was my thyroid nodes went away. I also started walking, taking the stairs, and drinking tons of water. I cut back on butter and cheese, and started eating a fruit or veggie before each meal or snack.

[DawnM]

Thanks. I think actually Prism was very similar to South Beach, BUT, we also calculated calories.

 

There is no group near me, although I could follow the diet portion on my own.

 

There is a program I am looking closely at, it is called the Eat Clean Diet. It is easy to follow and very filling, which I need.....if I am hungry I blow it. And I KNOW that a bowl of oatmeal with flax and 3 egg whites will keep me full far longer than 3 oreos of the same caloric amount!

 

I also am getting my exercise equipment undusted today and getting going/moving!

 

Dawn

 

I eat low carb. I feel as you do when I go too low. So I don't go too low. And I love meat so I could go that low based on my tastes. I know some people say it works faster to go super low, etc. I haven't found that to be the case for me at all. I went from a size 16 to a 10 without a lick of exercise in 6 months. I can't say how much weight I have lost because I don't weigh.

 

But you know, as I said, if you don't like the foods you are eating, you will not stick with it. You need to find what types of foods you enjoy and work with that.

 

You might like South Beach. I have a wide variety of low carb cookbooks and of all of them South Beach probably has the widest variety of non meat proteins (beans, fish, whole grain this or that, etc). It sounds like something you might enjoy.

[LostSurprise]

The only thing that's worked is making permanent, long-term changes.

 

*removing junk food/snacks

*finding healthy, limited choices for breakfast and lunch (for me it's yogurt with almonds, Special K, 1 whole grain muffin, pita with lettuce/spinach/dressing)

*finding healthy, limited choices for snacks (fruit, nuts, vegetables, square of dark chocolate)

*drinking lots of water or herbal tea before and after every meal

*eating a regular dinner (no more than 2 servings of anything)

*eat slowly, talk, stop when you don't feel hungry

*allowing specialty foods (fried, desserts) on a limited basis. Eat a serving, don't go crazy

[hsmomto5]

For all of your wonderful advice and encouragement. I need to lose about 30 lbs as I have always been able to keep my weight from totally skyrocketing, but it is a battle everyday. I am addicted to sugar and I know that is my biggest problem. I love healthy food so that is not the problem, it is the desserts and I also need to exercise. I just hate the thougth of "dieting".

Thanks again!

[Classical Country Mama]

As of last week, I am down 111 pounds.

 

Stacy, you are awesome. What a fantastic, impressive, noteworthy, inspiring accomplishment!

[Negin]

Two things make the difference for me: (1) support from my husband and (2) a more determined mindset. I would say my mindset has been the most important. I can want to lose weight, list 10 reasons why I should lose weight, but I have to want to lose the weight enough to actually do something about it and make the changes necessary to make that a reality.

:iagree: fully on both counts. Since marriage and having dc, I have never ever lost weight without these two things.

[Negin]

Mostly I am ranting because weight loss is very difficult for me.

Sometimes radical change in diet is necessary and along the way, it will eventually be a lifestyle change. Not sure if that makes sense, but I do know that just cutting back has never worked for me, in fact, I don't eat all that much. People comment on how little I eat and I don't do secret eating.

:iagree: and can totally relate. Hence why the hcg diet has worked for me when everything else didn't. And I mean EVERYTHING.

[Rhonda in TX]

Exercise, exercise, exercise. I've dieted, and I've exercised, but it hasn't been until I've combined the two that I've had such consistent success. I also find that each thing keeps me motivated to do the other. I also have somebody I run with 3 times a week and we keep each other going. For me, accountability (exercise partner, WW weigh-ins) really help.

 

Yes, I've only lost 17 pounds so far, but honestly, I've never lost this much before.

Edited March 3, 2011 by Rhonda in TX