Best Tips for Weight Loss

[Joyfullyblessed]

Hello,

 

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share their best tips on loosing weight? I know that there are all kinds of diets out there, but I really am looking more for a lifestyle change that my whole family can benefit from also.

 

I need to lose a lot of weight, about 60-80 pounds. I joined WW online, but never seem to even look at it which is frustrating. I can't continue to spend the money on this and I don't want to continue throwing away money.

 

I know people that take pills and lose a lot, but I don't want to go that route either. I am looking for a healthy, safe approach to loosing weight and keeping it off.

 

I realize a lot of stuff is common sense, but I would still appreciate hearing any tips, suggestions, ideas, etc.... I REALLY need to get my rear in gear and start losing the weight.

 

I am turning 40 next Monday and I had a goal to be at least 50 lbs. lighter by this point and that totally did not happen. So, now that I am sufficiently disappointed in myself, I want to do something to fix it.

 

Thanks so much and have a wonderful day! :)

[sanderson]

One of the best way of weight loss is jogging and yoga.If you daily do yoga and jogging then it will also beneficial for your health and weight loss.

[musicmommy]

I'm down 20 so far and have about 50 to go. It isn't easy and I've learned I need to let go and move on when I have a cheating type meal or snack.

 

My hubby decided to get me a trainer. He knows that I've been wanting this for a while and just didn't ever do it on my own. I work out with 3 other women between the ages of 36 - 44 and it is great! I feel motivated. My trainer also checks in with us on what our diet looks like.

 

It really helped me to record everything I ate, even if it was just one bite. I use a program called myfitnesspal.com Even downloaded it onto my phone. As long as I use it, I lose weight. As soon as I stop paying attention like that, I level out. It also is a good reminder to drink water and lots of it.

 

I'm bound and determined to be the first woman in my family to not be obese at the time I hit 40. I mean generations of this and it needs to stop with me. Everyone of them had adult onset diabetes and I want to stay away from that also so that is a bit of inspiration to keep me moving.

 

Hubby also helped me lay out some goals to help me stay motivated. He knows me so well!!!! Things like a trip to the beach, a new dress I've been wanting from White House, Black Market, a day at the spa, etc... He thinks I'm perfect the way I am, but knows this is something I desire so he wants me to be successful.

 

And the big goal: I'm climbing Mount Hood next year in celebration of turning 40. I keep that in my focus and it helps to keep me on track.

 

Ok, that was probably way more info than you needed, but I've struggled for so many years that I needed things to be huge to change. :grouphug:

[wendylee]

I was a member of Weight Watchers for many years. I never lost more than five pounds. The caloric restrictions were too strict for me; I was ALWAYS hungry and ended up cheating.

 

The only thing that has worked for me is to eat a high protein, low carb diet. No white flour or sugar, only whole grains. I eat around 50-100 carbs a day, never feel hungry, and am losing about 4 pounds a week pretty steadily.

 

Your mileage may vary, but if you're hungry a lot and don't like counting points, you might want to check it out.

[PiCO]

I was looking for a link someone posted here a while ago about people who successfully lose weight. It was a based on a long-term study done in the UK (I think) on people who had lost 20% or more of their body weight, and kept the weight off.

 

A couple of the bullet points that hit home with me were-

* There was no specific diet that all successful dieters followed. Everyone did their own research and used themselves as a science project, finding the eating plan that worked best for them.

* Most people did not use exercise to lose weight, but did use exercise to maintain weight loss.

[Daisy]

I've lost 20+ pounds since June. I need to lose another 40. I'm consistently losing 2 pounds a week.

 

I've been exercising for at least 60 minutes a day, 7 days a week. I started with 15 minutes a day, then up to 30 and now I'm at 60.

 

I eat 1,200 calories a day but don't worry too much about carbs and protein. I try to just keep all of it balanced. (<150 carbs, >50g protein, <50g fat)

 

No caffeine (soda, tea, or coffee) or artificial sugars because of my kidney stones and I drink half my weight in ounces of water.

 

Oh, and I keep my sodium at less than 1,500mg.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Daisy

[eternalknot]

I've been able to maintain my weight by drinking a lot of water. I aim for 4-5L/day - and, yes, I am in the bathroom a lot LOL, but I find that it helps to flush toxins and such. It also keeps me hydrated and feeling more full throughout the day, leaving me less tempted to physically crave snacks. Physically crave being the key; if you're more of a habitual or emotional eater, I don't know if that tip would help. Along those same lines, we typically begin each meal with something hot - either a cup of (hot) tea or a small bowl of soup. My husband isn't a huge tea fan, so sometimes he'll just sip on broth. Drinking the amount of water we do, the broth/soup is good for getting salts back into our bodies. Because we drink so much water, we don't experience the bloat typically associated with sodium/salt intake.

 

I think it's good to fill your belly with something small, hot before taking a full meal; it'll help with physical cravings and feelings of fullness, which will naturally help reduce caloric intake and address portion control (if that's an issue for you).

 

I'm a fan of all things in moderation, so I've never restricted any one particular food or hyperfocused on any particular food. I've also never been terribly overweight, aside from pregnancy and the first few months post-partum. My husband was overweight by 80+ pounds when he got out of the Army, and his issue was mostly mental. He had few physical cravings, but whenever he eliminated or played up any one food group (carbs, protein) his physical cravings would spiral out of control. When he worked more on portion size of moderated foods, he seemed to have better big picture success (slower weight loss, but more steady and less bouncing up and down on the scale long-term). He had good luck using EFT to address the mental part of his dieting. Honestly, I think that was his biggest hindrance; once he focused on that, the weight fell off on its own. Google "EFT" and know it's a bit hokey, but it may work for you! He was skeptical at first, but indulged his mother (from whom he heard of it) and wonders of all wonders ... it worked. For both of them. He's now down 60lbs, and hasn't had the bounce-back-around he was going through before.

 

I think something like low-carb or whatever can work in the short term, maybe a few weeks or so to detoxify, but if you live in the real world (social events, extracurriculars and busy schedules, etc.) then it makes sense to use it as one tool rather than the only tool to successfully lose -and keep off- excess weight.

 

Good luck!

[amo_mea_filiis.]

You need to write down every single thing you eat and drink for at least a week. Don't change anything yet, just write it down. Once you have a log, you can figure out how many calories per week you eat, and if you're carb heavy, treat heavy, etc.

 

Atkins done right is pretty easy to follow, decently healthy, and all the beginner stuff (plans, allowed foods, etc) are free.

[FriedClams]

I'm down 51 with about 20 more to go. What's working for me:

 

Don't have any trigger foods in the house. Your kids will live. Your DH will live. Get rid of them and do not invite them back. Ever.

 

Water. I drink only water and unsweetened iced tea.

 

Exercise. I get up at 6 and walk four miles every day. I walk more on weekends. When I started I could do one or two miles - painfully. Now I walk a ton and I love it. I would set a goal - walk 30 minutes every single day for a month - no cheats and no excuses. Since April 8th I've missed 3 days - 2 were travel days that I could not control and one was because I had a raging sinus infection and had to see a doc. I think the consistency is really the key.

 

I do lots of mini goals and rewards at every 10 pounds.

 

I weigh once a week. Period. Any more than that and I would go insane.

 

Write down everything you eat. It's really shocking. I do WW so I weigh and measure everything. By doing that I've realized that my "servings" were GIGANTIC. Weighing and measuring and tracking keep me honest.

 

That's all I can think of right now.

 

 

But I want to add that it was REALLY hard for me to really commit to doing something for ME after putting everyone else first for so long. Mentally it was a huge struggle. I remember one day the whole family joined me for a walk - which ended up in DH going for a run and me getting the kids. Well, working out and working out with two kids are two completely different things. I wanted to "work out" for me. Sweat. Challenge myself. Let my mom brain rest. But, I couldn't because I had the kids. And while DH was running I stewed. Then I was overwhelmed with guilt. I kept beating myself up - it's good for the kids to be out here... We are spending time together and it's selfish of me to want time for me... There will be a season.... I can still kind of get a work out... And when DH got back I sort of (ok, I really did) exploded. I vented about how his workout is a priority... He gets to run without the kids... And that was a turning point we decided that I would be a priority. I would work out without the kids and without the guilt. He would treadmill or run after I got home. Yes, it meant I had to get up early - but if I did I could do it guilt free. And we did that all summer. I still struggled at the beginning (and got a lot of great counsel from a homeschool mom friend doing WW with me) but now I see all the benefits. I'm healthier, I feel great, I am in shape. My mental health is better. I can really see where I am a better mom. Well, with the kids and school and everything else I am making my walks a priority. It's normal now. The kids are used to it. W have a routine - and yes I still get up early - but it's s worth it for me. So my other advice would be - make your health and your workouts a priority. Something else (like sleep in my case) may have to be rescheduled. But after a few months it will be normal and It will be so worth it. It's not selfish or vain to take care of yourself.

[BamaTanya]

at Sparkpeople.com. It's free. You can set your account to private or allow friends to see it or have it public. I love the flexibility. I could send you an invitation if you decide to join, but I'd have to have your username. I'm BamaTanya on Sparkpeople, too.

 

My best tip is water. If I'm hungry, drink water. Before I eat a meal, drink water. If I have soda or tea in the house, it's hard to not reach for something sweet. If I keep my water body filled and cold I'm better prepared.

 

Exercise is my second tip. Even if the scale isn't moving in the right direction, I feel better about myself when I've exercised that day/week. I myself taller. Plus, it helps with the blues.

 

hth

[Guest submarines]

The 17 Day Diet worked great for me as a life style change. The main things that work for me are:

 

1. His emphasis on portion size (I didn't realise I was eating way too much! I thought my portions were small enough, but they weren't. I now eat half as much, and don't feel hungry.

 

2. The cyclical nature of the diet (4 cycles, 17 days each) worked great for me, because each cycle has a different expectation of how much weight you'd lose. I never felt that I 'stalled' when I was losing less per cycle.

 

3. I also learned from this book not to be discoraged if I cheat one day. The metabolism actually works the fastest when we eat more. So if I cheat, I know that if I stay on the diet the NEXT DAY, I will actually lose more. And it is true! Works for me as a charm.

 

4. I love the sugar free low carb life style. I have no cravings, and feel more energetic.

 

I lost 20 lb in 2.5 months, and then was mostly doing 'phase 4', and maintained the weight for the last month. I only have 10lb to lose now, so it was harder to motivate myself to be on phase 1 again--I kept finding myself 'cheating' on extra fruits all the time.

 

I started the phase 1 yesterday, and will be strict with it for the next 17 days. I hope to lose about 6lb. We will see.

[Joyfullyblessed]

Thanks so much to everyone for all the great replies. I don't have a lot of time right now, but I plan on coming back and reading everything as well as taking some notes.

 

I knew that I could rely on getting some good advice here. :) Thanks!!!

[Negin]

* Most people did not use exercise to lose weight, but did use exercise to maintain weight loss.

This, I have found to be very true.

I think I've said the following before, and, if others don't mind, I'll repeat myself. It might motivate me to be more disciplined in the eating department. :glare:

 

Exercise is wonderful for preventing all sorts of diseases – heart disease, cancer, diabetes, protecting the bones, lifting one’s mood, boosting metabolism, and so on. But in general, for weight loss, exercise is not all it’s made out to be. Lots of research has shown this. In terms of weight loss, diet and aerobic exercise provide only a very marginal benefit when compared to diet alone.

I have numbers to prove it - since I weigh and measure on a weekly basis - the times that I have lost the most weight are when I exercise moderately (not for an hour or more a day, like I used to) and eat MUCH, MUCH less.

My body has changed. It's not the body I had in my teens, 20s, or early 30s. I used to be able to eat that slice of cheesecake AND run 4 miles the next morning AND not ever gain. I can’t do that anymore.

I have more recently found that that when I exercise intensely for 45 minutes or more per day, my appetite increases. I get the most results from eating much less and exercising moderately – for about 30-45 minutes per day, or at least most days. That's just my experience. Again, I have numbers to prove it.

For me, weight loss is pretty much 80% what I eat and 20% what I do. As with most things in life, the usual 80/20 Principle applies. My dh (and others have said this also), say that it may be more like 90% what I eat. I'm actually am agreeing with that more and more.

When it comes to weight loss, intake is the major factor. When it comes to overall health and longevity, exercise is essential also.

I no longer exercise for 90 minutes a day, and sometimes not even every day, since it’s not always possible.

I tell myself to exercise for health not necessarily for weight loss. Exercise is not a weight loss solution.

 

[Negin]

The 17 Day Diet worked great for me as a life style change.

I'm really interested in this and need to get this book. :)

[Parker Martin]

We eat a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet. The calories then regulate themselves, I guess. People tend to go to a healthy weight when they eat that way. It also usually improves a person's lipid panel results. (Surprising since it's so contrary to the usual advice.)

 

As for the lifestyle change, you could take up jogging and start entering 5k races to keep yourself motivated. It doesn't matter if you're last in the race when you start out, you'll get better.

 

Or you could get a Kindle or Nook and start walking everyday while using the text-to-speech feature to listen to books.

 

The family could take up hiking too. Then you all get to go exploring together.

[LarlaB]

I'm using WW online and while its tedious to log in every bite, its really the only thing that works for me (experience from losing weight after DC were born)

 

I'm only trying to lose 14lbs total, to get down to a leaner version of myself. I am already a runner/active person, so all I have left to tweak is what I eat. So far I've lost 5.5lbs and its been slooooow going (only .5lb this week), but I'm getting there. :tongue_smilie:

 

Lean proteins, whole foods (fruits & veggies) and very little processed food- plus a lot of water/black coffee or unsweetened tea are the building blocks/bulk of my intake.

 

The first week was HARD. Really. I felt like I was thinking about food all the time- because I kind of was. Paying attention to every bite is tedious...and Learning to eat within those limits is tricky...but you WILL get the hang of it. You'll find foods that are low points but filling- like Laughing Cow cheese, fresh veggies & hummus. OBviously, fruits and veggies are 'free'.

 

Biggest tip: plan for weekend life. Since I run, I earn a lot of activity points (I earn about 8-12 a day for the 4-5 days a week that I run- that's roughly 45-80 minutes of intense exercise per day) so that plus the weekly points (49) allows for weekend 'life'. So essentially, I eat CLEAN & PERFECTLY during the week because routine is conducive to that, and have learned to accept that the weekends will be my time to relax a bit. Its sooo much easier with family life, but I never go totally crazy. :) Why ruin what you worked so hard to acheive? But you do need to 'cut loose' periodically, knowing that its just for a meal or a day, but that you'll re-start. Get used to that. :) Those are my biggest tips. :)

 

Good luck!!!

 

ETA: The Weight Watchers boards are actually very helpful...reading about people doing exactly what you're doing, sharing tips & tricks and using the same approach is very helpful. No matter what route you choose, support is paramount (IMHO).

Edited August 17, 2011 by LarlaB