Simple ways that you've lost weight

[PeacefulChaos]

This last year or so, I've been putting on weight.  I had put on weight before, etc, but as of right now I'm the heaviest I've ever been.  I'd say I probably have at least 30-40 lbs to lose to be at a decent weight for me.

 

I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it.  Because, I'll be honest, I don't want to do something that's hard.  I don't want to do something that requires changing my entire life.  I don't want to do something that makes eating unpleasant or makes me feel guilty or makes anything a chore.  I don't want to cut out all ______(snacks, bread, carbs, etc, etc).  I don't want to spend the rest of my life unable to enjoy food because I'm worried about weight.

 

Just for some background: I'm 32.  I'm not terribly out of shape, but not the most in shape as I've ever been, either.  In the past, I've tried a lot of things that were a lot of work and I never stuck with them because of it.  

 

When I ever 'needed' to lose weight before having Pink, I didn't change anything, to speak of.  I would just alter one thing - in the evenings, I usually would have a snack.  When I wanted to lose weight, I would eat my snack until the first commercial break and that was it.  I could drop anything I thought I needed to that way... though I never really 'needed' to lose weight in the first place - my weight was always within the normal range for my height.

 

After I had Pink, I tried Weight Watchers, and points could be a bit of a pain.  I did 3 months free and then quit because I saw no point in paying for it.  (I did it online - I have NO interest whatsoever in doing something like that in person.  The desire just isn't there.)  I was at a decent weight anyway, but I wasn't used to not losing all the baby weight immediately, since I did after I had Link and Astro.  I guess it was because I was a little older, or because she was my third... Idk.  

 

Since then, I've done a couple things off and on... I've done fitness pal a couple times but it's SO much work to get everything put in.  I have lots of recipes that I work off of, and having to input every single one of them when I make it gets really old.  It's a good 10 minutes every evening of trying to guesstimate everything - how many servings it was, what all was in it, etc, etc.  I REALLY didn't like it.  

 

In 2013, I was in pretty good shape and running 5ks.  Obviously, I know that being in good shape =/= being thin or losing weight.  I am hoping to find a way to get more active again soon - right now weather, sunrise/sunset times, etc, are making that difficult.  

 

A relative used fitness pal and was eating 1200 calories a day and lost like, 28 lbs.  That's all well and good, but to me 1200 cal/day sounds like I'd be starving.  I have no interest in starving myself.  :P  Not to mention it would include all the work I outlined above.  :D

 

As of right now, I don't eat anything until at least lunchtime.  Sometimes that's at noon with the kids and DH (not necessarily the same food), other times (most of the time) I wait until the kids are done with school and eat lunch around 2pm.  Dinner is reasonably healthy on all accounts, around 5:30-6pm.  I'm sometimes hungry again in the evenings but as of late I've been going for snacking less at night.  Maybe I'll have a little ice cream.  Maybe I'll have some chips and dip.  But I'm not having a snack every night, which is moving in the right direction.

I drink water most of the time.  I do drink one Sprite per day just out of habit, but all I'd need to do is stop buying it if it would really make much of a difference.

 

I don't want something that's going to make me feel like I can't have a bowl of ice cream or some chips when I want some.  I get doing things in moderation, but I don't want something that's like, going to make me feel like I've failed if I do, or that is going to put those things off limits all together.

 

So basically I'm curious what has worked for others.  What have you done that helped you to lose a little weight?  

Feel free to share anything that you've done that's worked for you.  Especially if it's something that isn't a big life change!  And if you have any insights for me specifically, feel free to share those, too!

[DawnM]

No simple things here.  I am struggling to find something that works!

 

I hear people say, "Oh, I just cut out X and lost weight."  Doesn't work for me and I have come to firmly believe they are LYING.  There is no simple weight loss solution.

 

When I was at my thinnest, I counted calories (1300-1500 day to maintain) and exercised at least 45 min./day/5 times per week.  For weight loss, I had to limit calories to 1100-1200 and exercise a min. of an hour, 5 x's per week.  I still only lost about a pound a week.

 

 

[Orthodox6]

Gentle as I can be here. . . Your second paragraph lists reasons why you will not succeed in losing weight.

 

Losing weight is hard, requires dedication and effort, and takes a long time. Weight loss is a permanent change of life. It does not have to be unpleasant; that is a common misconception.

[PeacefulChaos]

Gentle as I can be here. . . Your second paragraph lists reasons why you will not succeed in losing weight.

 

Losing weight is hard, requires dedication and effort, and takes a long time. Weight loss is a permanent change of life. It does not have to be unpleasant; that is a common misconception.

 

But see, I don't know why this is.  

 

If I weighed 130 lbs for a long time, and then I started snacking more, etc, and ended up weighing 160, I don't see why just being moderate in what I eat and snacking less wouldn't get me back to maybe 140-150.  

 

I'm okay with being deliberate, but I don't want it to be a chore.  I don't want to count calories and write down every last thing I eat.  I just want to be free of that, but at the same time, not have to worry about continuing to get larger and larger for the rest of my life. :lol:

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

But see, I don't know why this is.  

 

If I weighed 130 lbs for a long time, and then I started snacking more, etc, and ended up weighing 160, I don't see why just being moderate in what I eat and snacking less wouldn't get me back to maybe 140-150.  

 

I'm okay with being deliberate, but I don't want it to be a chore.  I don't want to count calories and write down every last thing I eat.  I just want to be free of that, but at the same time, not have to worry about continuing to get larger and larger for the rest of my life. :lol:

 

This is simply going to be a consequence of aging, unfortunately. Your metabolism will continue to slow, and unless you keep boosting it (through exercise, most effectively), you'll gain weight slowly but steadily through your life. It's just how it works. Even if you ate the same food every day for the rest of your life.

 

 

That said, the only thing that works for me at the moment is cutting carbs. Calories don't matter for me. Carbs do. I can eat the carbs in vegetables and even most dairy with no real problems, but add in too much fruit or any kind of refined carb or starchy vegetable and the scale stops right where it is. I can eat 2000 calories a day in good fats, protein, veggies, and even some berries and lose two pounds a week. But add in any other kind of regular carb consumption, even grapefruit, and I'm stuck.

 

Now, if you're looking for a slow, steady lifestyle change and not dramatic weight loss, you could probably cut carbs dramatically and only treat yourself occasionally when the opportunity arises and lose slowly and steadily, but that's still a lifestyle change for you. Giving up good bread is NOT easy! I miss toast for breakfast and regular sandwiches and potatoes with sour cream. I really do. But they're terrible for me at this point in my life. I comfort myself with spectacular salads and lots of goat cheese and coconut oil instead  :lol:  I even found a way to have acceptable (to me, the kids hate them) chocolates. But yeah, it's still a big life change.

[Alice]

I lost 15 pounds last year with the only two changes being that I got a FitBit and a dog. Those two together provided me with the motivation (FitBit) to walk enough to make a difference. The dog made me get out of bed to walk even on the days I really really don't want to. 

 

You may not want the dog....but the FitBit is easy to get. 

 

I need to lose more but that first little bit was fairly easy as far as lifestyle changes go. 

 

If you're looking for simple and slow weight loss, the No-S diet is a good one. The idea is you don't have Snacks, Sweets or Seconds on any days but "S" days. S days are Saturdays ,Sundays and Special days (major holidays, family birthdays, etc). You can eat whatever you want at meals. You can easily cheat and eat way too many calories at the meals to succeed, but if you are serious about wanting to make changes it's a relatively simple way to without giving up an entire food group or keeping a detailed log or counting calories. 

[The Girls' Mom]

The only thing that works for me is to eat less and move more. I love food. I don't love exercise. When we lived in an area where it was easy to walk TO places or ride a bike, I lost a ton of weight. We moved to an area that you have to drive to safe places to walk or ride, and I hate doing it. I put on a TON weight. Stomach issues have forced a diet change, so I'm losing again, but not without effort. Also, the older I get, the easier it is to gain and the harder it is to lose.

[HSmomof2]

I lost 25 pounds in 3 months doing No-S. My eating problems/extra calories really are from snacking, so without snacking that's really why the weight. I still have more to lose, but have still consistently lost 1-2 pounds/week doing No-S.

[JustEm]

Drink only water and don't eat after 7. 2 easy changes that can make a world of difference if the foods you are eating a balanced properly.

[marbel]

The only thing that's ever worked for me is to:

 

- eat only when physically hungry, not when bored, stressed, tired, happy, social, etc. 

 

- eat what you want, but slowly, to control portions.

 

- limit (but don't eliminate) carbs and in particular sugar.

 

 

[SarahW]

I agree with NowWeAreFour.

 

I lost a lot of weight, including the bit of tummy I thought I was "just born with," by cutting carbs, especially the sugary ones.

 

I would eat a big breakfast - 3 eggs, a breakfast meat, and a veggie like avocado, tomato, and/or kale. Then I would be good till 3 or so when I would have a snack of some nuts and cheese. Then dinner of a good piece of meat and more veggies. An after dinner snack could be some very dark chocolate.

 

When I eat sugary carbs I GET MOAR HANGRY!!! all day and want to eat and eat and eat. 1200 calories, no way! I want to gobble the whole fridge!!

 

^That's why Special K or WW or whatever would never ever work for me, lol.

 

When I was pregnant or b/f I eat more carbs. More fruit, more root veg, more grains, more treats. Now that Babypants is one I'm trying to scale that back. Even so, cutting out carbs doesn't mean you can never have chocolate chip cookies again (!), once the weight came off I would have treats about once a week or so. Treats are nice, but for a treat to be a treat, it can't be everyday. Because then it's just normal food. 

[Clear Creek]

But see, I don't know why this is.  

 

If I weighed 130 lbs for a long time, and then I started snacking more, etc, and ended up weighing 160, I don't see why just being moderate in what I eat and snacking less wouldn't get me back to maybe 140-150.  

 

I'm okay with being deliberate, but I don't want it to be a chore.  I don't want to count calories and write down every last thing I eat.  I just want to be free of that, but at the same time, not have to worry about continuing to get larger and larger for the rest of my life. :lol:

 

As I get older (late 30's) I have found that being moderate in what I eat and snacking less will only help me maintain my weight, not lose it. It worked great in my 20's, but now? Not so much.

 

If I want to lose weight I have to cut out simple carbs. I can have toast for breakfast, it just has to be whole wheat. I can have ice cream in the evening, it just has to be the no sugar added variety. If I make something that needs sugar, I use brown sugar instead of white. If I make spaghetti for dinner, I use whole wheat noodles or spaghetti squash. I don't let white sugar, enriched flour, or potatoes get on my plate or in my hand. I can eat them in moderation when I want to maintain my weight, but I can't eat them at all if I want to lose weight. Mostly because I have no self-restraint and I won't eat just a bite; I will gorge myself. But also because I can't lose weight when I eat them. I don't even have to exercise to lose weight, just cutting out simple carbs will do it for me.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I lost 25 pounds in 3 months doing No-S. My eating problems/extra calories really are from snacking, so without snacking that's really why the weight. I still have more to lose, but have still consistently lost 1-2 pounds/week doing No-S.

Yep, No S.no counting, no special foods. You can have a treat on an S day. I lost 20 lb doing that and adding in exercise. I like calorie counting so I do that too now and lost another 20. Just me experience.

[Mommy22alyns]

I used MFP and 1200 calories.  You can lose on less - I've seen people do 14-1500.  Yes, it does require a little effort, but after a few months, I got better about knowing what I could eat and how to fit meals/snacks in.

 

I could never cut out all _____.  I would not succeed if I couldn't have some sweet treats.

 

Trust me.  I am very, very lazy.  I hate to exercise.  I don't like fussing with things.  But I lost 47 lbs in about 10 months without feeling deprived.  I also didn't have to exercise.   :D

 

If I want chips, I use the serving size indicated on the back of the bag.  If I want ice cream, I get a small, portion-controlled serving (like the little "party cups") or buy a Skinny Cow treat.  Really, it wasn't that hard at all.

[KrissiK]

But see, I don't know why this is.

 

If I weighed 130 lbs for a long time, and then I started snacking more, etc, and ended up weighing 160, I don't see why just being moderate in what I eat and snacking less wouldn't get me back to maybe 140-150.

 

I'm okay with being deliberate, but I don't want it to be a chore. I don't want to count calories and write down every last thing I eat. I just want to be free of that, but at the same time, not have to worry about continuing to get larger and larger for the rest of my life. :lol:

It has to do with aging. I put on about 20 lbs in the past couple years and haven't changed my eating habits too much. But what really struck me was that in my mid-40's my shape changed. I used to have to take in the waist band on a size 10 pants. Now, I have a belly. I never used to have a belly. I'd gain weight in my thighs, but it's all around the middle now. And I can't take it off. I've tried a few diets, but I gained instead of lost. So, now I'm trying to figure out what to do.

[HSmomof2]

Yep, No S.no counting, no special foods. You can have a treat on an S day. I lost 20 lb doing that and adding in exercise. I like calorie counting so I do that too now and lost another 20. Just me experience.

I think it really depends on what you're eating issues are, and I don't think there's one diet for everyone. I'm in my 40's, and while it's not as easy to lose as when I was younger, being mindful of how much I'm eating and not snacking has still given me consistent weight loss.

[Nemom]

Yep, No S.no counting, no special foods. You can have a treat on an S day. I lost 20 lb doing that and adding in exercise. I like calorie counting so I do that too now and lost another 20. Just me experience.

So what exactly is considered snacking on the S-diet?  Are we talking only three square meals a day; five mini meals; or what? 

[go_go_gadget]

Have you tried only eating whole foods and getting a little exercise? I like the Fitness Blender workouts on YouTube, and they have ones that are just bodyweight, so you don't need to buy anything. 

[HSmomof2]

So what exactly is considered snacking on the S-diet? Are we talking only three square meals a day; five mini meals; or what?

Snacking is any eating between meals. Three regular meals with no seconds. You can have something to drink between meals.

 

ETA: all the info on it is available for free on the No S Diet website.

[mamaraby]

Calorie dilution - as in, the bulk of what I eat comes from foods that aren't calorie dense which allows me to eat ad libitum (basically as much as I want). So, lots of vegetables, unrefined starches (beans, grains, starchy veg), and a moderate amount of fruit. I limit fruit because it's fairly easy to overeat. I don't eat dried fruit because when you remove all the water, it becomes really easy to eat the equivalent of 8 or 10 apples, whereas if you had the fresh apple you'd never be able to comfortably eat that much in one sitting. The same is true for flour based products. One could easily eat an entire loaf of bread (or the entire basket of bread at a restaurant), but you'd be stuffed to the gills and beyond if you tried to eat the equivalent amount of the whole grain. It's not that I think dried fruit or flour products are bad - it just makes losing weight easier for me to limit them. I also don't eat nuts because they're even easier for me to overeat than dried fruit.

 

I basically follow what Doug Lisle talks about in his "How to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind" talk (you can find it on YouTube). I can't do the low-carb thing because it makes me nauseous. I've tried the MFP calorie counting thing and found it cumbersome because so few of the things I ate had nutritional information on them either because they were whole foods or because it was a recipe from a cookbook. I hated having to enter every single recipe one ingredient at a time and then messing around with weighing everything out so I could accurately count my calories. My adherence was never all that great as a result and adherence is what makes one successful.

 

Low fat, high carb works for me because I can stick with it. I'm not hungry all the time and it's hard to overeat without feeling really uncomfortable. I'm working with my body's satiety mechanisms which means it's not a matter of willpower for me. I also don't feel deprived which is important for adherence because, again, adherence is what makes one successful both right now and in the future.

 

YMMV and all. As an extra bonus, all my biometrics made huge improvements by doing so. my fasting blood sugar is lower than it's ever been (even when I was doing the low carb thing), my triglycerides went way down, and my HDL is higher now than it was when I was exercising 3 hours a week (all that exercise never helped me lose weight, btw).

 

I'm down 35lbs from this time last year, one third of that is from this last month when I finally got the whole calorie density thing down pat and stopped pleasing other people. I had to give myself permission to put me first even if that means someone is offended because I don't eat x, y, or z.

[Ausmumof3]

I'm right with you. I need to lose a bit but I don't want diet to take over my life like it seems to for so many people.

 

I guess I'd try ditching the Sprite first if I was you as it is a fairly easy change and gets rid of a heap of sugar. There's 11 tsp of sugar in one can of soft drink.

[Mom in High Heels]

I lost 25 pounds in 3 months doing No-S. My eating problems/extra calories really are from snacking, so without snacking that's really why the weight. I still have more to lose, but have still consistently lost 1-2 pounds/week doing No-S.

 

But the S's are my favorites!  ;)

[TammyinTN]

I lost 33 lbs in 3 months by... walking 5 miles a day--5 days a week, drinking 2 liters of water a day, eating 3 meals a day with a good balance of protein and lower carbs.  

[Mom in High Heels]

I lost 33 lbs in 3 months by... walking 5 miles a day--5 days a week, drinking 2 liters of water a day, eating 3 meals a day with a good balance of protein and lower carbs.  

 

Tammy, that's great!  I already drink more than 2 liters a day, and eat 3 meals.  I was walking, but since my knee went kaput, I can barely walk from the LR to the kitchen.  If it doesn't get better soon, I'm going to go crazy!  My ass hurts from all the sitting!

[Annie G]

Tammy, that is super impressive!!! 

[poppy]

Start with no drinks but water, no snacks, 1/2 of your plate should be veggies for lunch and dinner.

[TammyinTN]

Tammy, that's great!  I already drink more than 2 liters a day, and eat 3 meals.  I was walking, but since my knee went kaput, I can barely walk from the LR to the kitchen.  If it doesn't get better soon, I'm going to go crazy!  My ass hurts from all the sitting!

Oh no...I'm so sorry...I sure hope you heal quickly!

[HSmomof2]

But the S's are my favorites! ;)

Mine too😃, so I just save them for my S days. I don't feel deprived, and the S's don't cause damage being limited.

[TammyinTN]

I also don't use low-fat anything ....I've found eating good, healthy foods fill me up quicker than low fat carp.    If I want a glass of wine at the end of the day...I have a 4 oz glass and that's it.  If I want something sweet usually 1 block of good chocolate will do and I can make a bar last a whole week or more. 

 

[Mom in High Heels]

I also don't use low-fat anything ....I've found eating good, healthy foods fill me up quicker than low fat carp.    If I want a glass of wine at the end of the day...I have a 4 oz glass and that's it.  If I want something sweet usually 1 block of good chocolate will do and I can make a bar last a whole week or more. 

 

I'm convinced that low-fat versions of foods, sugar substitutes and HFCS are the devil.  They make you want MORE.  Mmm...good dark chocolate is the best for cravings.  

[busymama7]

You might want to read the trim healthy mama book for info on keeping your metabolism going. I'm not totally convinced it has to tank as we age and I'm also not sure that progressively needing to eat less and less and less to maintain is correct either. It just further damages your metabolism.

 

I don't follow the plan 100% but learned so much from the info and I can't go back to how I was eating. One thing that stood out to me is that if I didn't change what I was doing/eating I would just continue to gain. I have to make changes.

 

Based on what you said I would start by eating a good healthy breakfast. It is horrible for your body to skip meals. Nice amount of protein and fat and moderate carbs keeps me going without crashes and feeling so hungry I could eat my arm which is what happens if I eat a carb breakfast. Eating everyh three hours also keeps the metabolism working well for you.

 

I am losing very slowly but I'm nursing and the hormones seem to suppress that for me. But I focus on the basic THM principles which are protein veggies and fat with moderate slow carbs including fruit. I can't manage to give up bread and sugar completely but I'm ok with that. I try to not eat those items just because but only eat them when they are something I really want and are high quality.

[Paige]

I started putting on some weight for the first time ever last year. I was able to easily drop the weight just by switching to drinking water and unsweet tea 90% of the time instead of soda and sweet tea, and I switched from using homemade whipped cream in my coffee to coconut creamer. I should have known better- I was going through a pint heavy cream almost a week all by myself because I whipping it with powdered sugar and then putting several tbsps in my coffee! But it was so good....

 

I lost about 5lbs which is what I had gained within 2-3 months. At Christmas we had leftover whipping cream and I started using it in my coffee again so it wouldn't go to waste and I started gaining weight quickly again. I still have soda sometimes at restaurants and an occasional fancy coffee, but it's not every day.

 

Exercise is good, but you can't out exercise a bad diet. 

[Murphy101]

Don't drink your calories.

 

Cut sugar, including faux sugars.

 

Exercise for at least 30 minutes before starting the day.

 

Or better yet: Whole30

 

I think changing anything long term and permanently is simple. It's having the mentality of being okay with it and actually doing it that's hard.

 

Good luck. I hope you find what works and makes you feel healthier.

[Erica in OR]

I thought this post on the Zen Habits blog was interesting "The Meditation Diet: How I lost 60+ lbs. by Savoring." I like that it's not necessarily changing what you eat, but really how you eat it. You slow down to eat, consider what you're eating, and savor what you do choose.

 

Erica in OR

[Annie G]

I'd cut the Sprite,  try to rearrange snacks so they don't come after dinner, and eat breakfast every day. 

 

[Gentlemommy]

Honestly, the only thing that has ever worked to help me not only lose the weight but KEEP IT OFF has been low carb. I'm not even that strict. I still have sugar in my coffee, or even a small dessert. What I have completely cut out has been grain. So IF I'm craving something sweet, I'll have custard or ice cream, not cake. I've started making cashew bread, and that satisfies my need for something bread-y. I've been doing this since October, and have lost 17 pounds.

If you tend to eat a lot of pasta, rice, breads, and other grains, I suspect it will be very hard. I didn't think I was eating a lot of grains until I started. It has gotten much easier than at first, though I still get a craving when I smell bagels toasting lol. I've found that I can substitute for most anything-there are Paleo friendly versions of a ton of grain based foods. I'm more aware of how many vegetables I am eating now, and I eat way more than I ever have.

[Night Elf]

I gave up all calorie drinks. One can of soda is like 120 calories. I hated drinking water but got used to it after a while. Now I love it.

[Justified]

This past month I lost 10 lbs. this is a huge accomplishment for me. After three kids, I have put on some weight, and it's hard to diet with kids. (I had 50 lbs to lose...now 40.) They can push your buttons and when i am hangry, I am not the best me. Here is somethings I did this month that was easy and key to my success.

 

-macro nutrients 50% fat, 20% protein, 30% carbs.

-recorded everything I ate and recorded my workouts on fitness pal. With fitness pal, if you workout particularly hard you will have calories that you can eat back. So if you are allowed 1690 calories on a sedentary day but you worked out burning 500-1000 calories, you have some more calories to eat. I wouldn't suggest eating them all back but I didn't restrict myself from eating some back if I was starving.

-yes, you can lose weight on a high fat diet. It's not crazy talk. I am shocked myself. My fats came from avocados, nuts, coconut oil, butter, yummy sausage. My carbs stayed around 90-130 g a day. I went too low carb at first and was nauseous. If you feel fatigue and nauseous, up your carbs. I think it's better to lower your carbs slowly.

-I was working out on a machine similar to an elliptical. I worked out probably too hard though because I injured my back. I averaged 3 one hour workouts a week burning 700-1000 calories at each workout.

-calorie window. This eating in a 8-10 window is something that took time for me to master. This is my first successful month. I skip breakfast and workout on my fast. I did allow myself a coffee with stevia and a dash of unsweetened almond milk first thing in the morning. They say 20-60 calories doesn't really break your fast.

-big salad lunch. I ate a super big salad everyday to break my fast. If I had a great workout, I ate a sweet potato too.

-I am working to give up wheat products. I was 75% successful. I know the key to my success is to have substitutes on hand like rice when I make pasta for my kids. Ugh, I can be so lazy.

-going to bed by 10:30 aka getting the rest my body needs.

 

For February, I plan on adding weight lifting and giving up wheat products 100%. Why wheat? I learned that wheat affects the health of my bowels which is directly related to my emotional health. I think with finding what works is by listening to your body. Try out diets. See how they affect you. Low fat diets made me depressed. Eating too much protein makes me sick. This low carb, high fat diet makes me happy. I can see myself living this way forever. I think that is what makes a diet successful. Finding healthy habits that you can live with happily.

 

Grace and peace.

[ecj98]

Trim Healthy Mama. It works! I lost 40lbs in the last year.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk

 

 

[VeteranMom]

I wish it were easy, but for a lot of us losing weight is much harder than putting it on.  Simply "cutting back" doesn't cut it.  Every year, it gets harder and harder due to aging, metabolism, and hormonal shifts.  The key for me is to exercise a ton and not eat gluten.  

Good luck to you.   

[Guest]

Couple things for me:

 

Drink only water at meals and throughout the day. (I do have a morning coffee.)

No snacking after I've headed up to my bedroom (generally after 9:30).

Ride the recumbent bike while watching House Hunters.

Quit dairy.

Eat fresh food/vegetables (I find this very easy in summer).

 

 

 

P.S. It's probably only fair to mention that I have an ectomorphic body type and don't fatten that readily.

[Deb in NZ]

The Fast diet (5:2 diet) is the only thing that has worked for me.  I've lost over 45 pounds in a year with no problems & no added exercise and I have maintained for the past 9 months.  I needed something that would be do-able long term & not make me feel deprived or be too complicated or cost $$$ by requiring me to join a group, buy special foods, etc.  The Fast diet is simple, just eat only 500 calories two days each week & eat normally (aprox. 2000 calories) on the other days.  There are variations on this diet (4:3, ADF, etc.) but the basic concept stays the same, just the number of fasting days a week change.    

 

To give myself the best chance of success I worked out 3-4 different 500 calorie menus when I first began.  Since then I don't bother with counting calories, as I just choose one of those menus.  On my "eat" days I never count calories, just eat until satisfied.  Over time I have found myself needing less & less to be satisfied.  out of curiosity I did add up one of my "eat" day's calorie totals.  It was a day where chaos reined & all my meals ended up being fast food.  I was shocked to find that the day's total calorie count was still under the 2000 calories allowed.  Since then I have never worried about overeating on my "eat" days.

 

If you do Facebook, there is a great 5:2 diet group that I've found to be very helpful & supportive.

 

JMHO

[AmandaVT]

I'm 37 and in a similar place as you. I've had good luck losing weight slowly, but steadily by:

 

switching up to drinking my coffee black and not drinking anything with calories except the occasional glass of wine

 

filling half my plate w/ veggies or a salad

 

eating off of a smaller salad plate

 

only having seconds after waiting 20-30 min after a meal and determining if I'm really hungry

 

not snacking, except a small treat after dinner

 

If I get hungry in between meals, I eat a small potato or small sweet potato. I bake up a bunch once a week and keep them in the fridge for snacks. My theory is, if I'm just feeling snacky, I won't want to warm up and munch on a potato, but if I'm really hungry, I will. It's working so far. :-)

[busymama7]

I'm 37 and in a similar place as you. I've had good luck losing weight slowly, but steadily by:

 

switching up to drinking my coffee black and not drinking anything with calories except the occasional glass of wine

 

filling half my plate w/ veggies or a salad

 

eating off of a smaller salad plate

 

only having seconds after waiting 20-30 min after a meal and determining if I'm really hungry

 

not snacking, except a small treat after dinner

 

If I get hungry in between meals, I eat a small potato or small sweet potato. I bake up a bunch once a week and keep them in the fridge for snacks. My theory is, if I'm just feeling snacky, I won't want to warm up and munch on a potato, but if I'm really hungry, I will. It's working so far. :-)

I do the same with old fashioned oats :) I eat it daily for my milk supply and if I'm hungry enough in the evenings to make myself a nice warm bowl then I'm actually hungry and can eat. I will also do it mid morning if I didn't eat it already with my eggs. (I don't normally eat a bowl more than once a day)

[Murphy101]

Snacking is any eating between meals. Three regular meals with no seconds. You can have something to drink between meals.

 

ETA: all the info on it is available for free on the No S Diet website.

I did see improvement with no s, Tho not as dramatic. I used it to get started before stepping it up to Whole30. The reason I switched to Whole30 was because three meals didn't work for me on a hectic schedule with little sleep and a ravenous breastfeeding baby. Whole30 kept the no sweets, but allowed me to eat as much healthy food as I felt hungry for whenever I felt hungry for it. Also, if someone is an emotional eater? Whole30 lets them eat, even tho it won't be the high simple carb sweets they might crave. For some of them, being able to eat without feeling guilty or a failure is a huge step in a healthier direction.

 

Just my .02.

[Nemom]

Snacking is any eating between meals. Three regular meals with no seconds. You can have something to drink between meals.

 

ETA: all the info on it is available for free on the No S Diet website.

 

Thanks. I will check out the website.

[Peaceful Isle]

I'm on my second day of my Atkins diet. The headache has set in...ugh...

 

Losing weight has always been so extremely hard for me, so I don't really have much advise. Just sending some happy thoughts and wishing you good luck!

[Isabella]

One word (or two, depending on how you look at it! ;) ).....

 

Whole30

 

 

 

It does involve a lifestyle change, but it's worth it.  I'm still working on it....I have a lot to lose.

[annandatje]

I walked 3 to 6 miles per day at an average rate of 4.2 to 4.6 mph.  Once every  month or two I walk 13.2 miles in one session. I've since cut down to 3 miles per session 3-5 times per week.  Have not tackled exercise program to address rest of body not toned and strengthened by walking; that is my next goal.  The regular walking was best done just before bedtime since it helped with falling asleep and staying asleep.

 

I have never had the discipline to count calories or keep food and exercise diaries or follow specific diets.  A slow methodical lifestyle change designed by me was what worked for me.

 

I slowly trained my body to mostly eat in response to hunger.  Breakfast was usually a homemade protein shake, eggs, cheese or nuts.  Lunch was a hearty spinach leaf or romaine salad with a fatty low-or-no sugar dressing, raw vegetables dipped in hummus, or dinner leftovers:  a protein and a vegetable or a hearty soup.  I did reduce sugar, bread and pasta products since they interfere with slow steady weight loss for me.   While I significantly reduced my carbohydrate intake, my diet is not low carb.  The reduced carb intake gives me more even energy level throughout day.  I only get sleepy if have not had adequate sleep the night before.

 

I've had several episodes of backsliding and am still working on strategies to handle triggers.  My sugar addiction has been most difficult challenge for me.  When I can keep my sugar consumption down to a couple squares high quality dark chocolate a day, I still do ok with weight loss.  When I sit down to relax in evening or deal with a stressful work day, a nice hot cup of herbal peppermint tea has helped with the sugar cravings.  I completely eliminated virtually all beverages except for herbal tea and water; diet sodas seemed to ignite my sugar cravings.  I drink water only in response to thirst.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[milovany]

The only thing that's ever worked for me is to:

 

- eat only when physically hungry, not when bored, stressed, tired, happy, social, etc. 

 

- eat what you want, but slowly, to control portions.

 

- limit (but don't eliminate) carbs and in particular sugar.

 

Yep, this.  Very easy approach (although not always easy to practice!).  Eat when hungry, stop when satisfied not full, choose mostly healthful, whole, non-sugary foods   Lather, rinse, repeat. Weight loss has far more to do with what doesn't go in your mouth than it has to do with exercise.  Exercise is beneficial for many things, and it helps a little bit with losing weight, but what you do in the kitchen or at the table -- not in the gym or out on the road -- is where weight loss is really at.