Help for weight loss. How?

[I talk to the trees]

Sparkpeople.com is a big help for me. I admit it. I'm a points junkie. I'll do an extra workout in the evening just to get those few extra points, and watch my total go up.(Yeah, I was one of those kids who studied extra hard just to get those little foil stars on my tests. Silly, isn't it? :o )

[BooksandBoys]

I'm another who must eat low carb to lose weight. Prior to having children, I lost weight and kept it off with standard recommendations and calorie counting, but after my first child, I gained 35 pounds eating 1500 a day, exercising, and exclusively breastfeeding. It didn't make sense. I kept at it, used WW and other low calorie methods but the weight stuck. It wasn't until after kid 2 that I was so desperate that I tried LC (and also gave up wheat, which I'm apparently allergic too - that got worse after kid 2). 75 pounds melted off without counting calories or struggling to stick with my diet. Post kid 3, LC is still what works.

 

I cannot ever eat a standard carb diet again. I gain weight eating 100g of carbs a day, regardless of calories (as I did after kid 1). I maintain if I eat 50-75g, and I lose if I eat 35g or less. I've had a very stressful and traumatic year and have been stress eating carbs (ie, tortilla chips) and have gained a bit back even while keeping calories in check. I'm trying to stick with LC again to get it back off. Until this year, I had no trouble eating my maintenance level of carbs, so I know that once I fix my stress eating, I'll be fine again.

[Laurie4b]

I have not read the other responses. I do not believe in calories in/calories out. I have gained weight very quickly at certain periods in my life and there is no way I ate 3500 calories extra for every pound I gained.  I think there are some hormonal and chemical reactions that affect weight loss/weight gain in ways that scientists are just beginning to understand. 

 

I have successfully lost almost 50 pounds over age 50. I have lost about 12 pounds of that twice. (ie lost, gained back, relost it.) 35 pounds have been off for about 3 years. I did it slowly. 

 

All that said, I will share what worked for me, but that may not work for you because I really do believe that people's bodies are different. 

 

1. Get enough sleep. Sleep impacts the hormones that control eating. If you are not getting 8 hours per day, start there. 

2. Drink enough water. It's easy to mistake thirst for hunger. 

3. I did what I called an adding diet: I added in loads of fruits and veges.  (I was already eating whole grains.) If you get the recommended 9 servings a day (yep--not 5), you will be full --and full of nutrients that your body needs! The input of really nutrient dense food was what took away my cravings. Then it was much easier to "subtract" some things. 

4. For me, exercise is critical. I do not think it's about burning calories per se, but something different happens to my body when I exercise. I feel great. Endorphins are released and again I think exercise affects hormones which affect cravings and weight. Find something you enjoy. Build up if you need to. 

5. Be prepared. If you let yourself get hungry, and don't have healthy food to grab, you'll grab whatever is around. The fastest things are usually the worst choices if you haven't planned!  So go to the grocery store and get some stuff that you can eat and that you like well enough for when 4:00 hits and you're starved. Fruit and nuts; lower fat cheese, hummus and veges or whole grain pita. Increase the nutritional value of over whatever you'd typically grab. 

6. I am triggered by seeing certain foods. So I don't buy certain things or bring them into the house. 

7. Keep a chunk of your motivation geared to the here and now. Not just : I want to lose __ pounds, but "I feel great after I exercise" or "I am giving my body just the kind of fuel it needs and I feel really good." 

8. I keep up motivation by reading certain websites that have articles that are about attaining health. I like prevention.com, health.com, fitnessmagazine.com. On the other hand, do not visit cooking sites, hide sites that come up on FB that have photos of heavy meals, etc. 

9.  Get up and put on make-up if you wear it, do your hair, wear a pretty accessory--something that you like that makes you feel good about how you look. 

10. build in rewards that are not food: a new piece of exercise clothing or equipment, an excursion somewhere not food oriented (museum, concert, state park), etc. 

11. I would recommend setting a goal other than a 75 pound weight loss. Set a goal to lose 5% of your body weight, then 10%. Then you can keep going. But that 5 or 10% has significant health benefits. Set a goal other than weight, too. I think strength goals or activity goals are good. "I want to be able to walk around our 1 mile block in 18 minutes." Or "I want to be able to play ball with the kids without getting out of breath." or "I want to be able to do a 30 second plank."  Those intermediate types of goals can be very motivating because they are attainable within a reasonable period of time. 

12. I find that my Fitbit really helps me. I want to get in those 10000 steps each day. It just helps me move more around the house in general. I park further away from the grocery store and things like that. 

 

ETA: I forgot a secret weapon: I crave chocolate. This sounds funny, but Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate is kind of meh. It's not that rich creamy stuff. BUT it is chocolate and it satisfies my craving for chocolate. I can eat a few pieces of a bar (believe it or not!) because it's not totally tempting! It's got very little sugar in it, so those few pieces don't tip the blood sugar out of whack. (Pay attention to your blood sugar. You want to eat protein and healthy fats with whatever carbs you eat so that it doesn't spike too much. And get up and move around for 15 min after you eat (even if it's just doing the dishes.) That helps control spiking as well. Just don't sit there!) 

 

[LibraryLover]

Lower carb works for me. However, I Do not think you have to give up a good crusty sourdough, baguette, or bagel for the rest of your life (allergies notwithstanding). The key is to plan them, and then enjoy. Nobody needs empty carbs every single day. A waffle at breakfast, a donut at 10, a ciabatta sandwich at lunch, sugar-laden ' low fat' yogurt at 3, with a big latte, spaghetti for dinner... Few people can metabolize so many carbs and sugars. I don't care how much you excersize.

 

Full disclosure: I gained about 5/7 lbs by cheating a boatload this month, although I'm still at a negative weight loss I've maintenance fior over two years without much effort by doing low carb.

[gardenmom5]

about the weight gain despite calories thing . . . they've found gut bacteria is also a contributing factor for how the body processes calories.  they fed two sets of mice the same diet with the same calories - one with a particular gut bacterium, and one without . . .  guess which ones ballooned and became obese?  the ones without.

[Laura Corin]

I think that you need to work out what pattern works for you.  I did low carb (Atkins) once, and lost a lot of weight, but mostly because I felt so nauseated by the diet that I just couldn't eat another piece of meat.  I inevitably added carbs back in and put the weight back on.

 

I do think that a lot of eliminate-a-food-group diets are stealth calorie control: if you ban a kind of food, you may not eat a full calorie load of other foods.  I've lived in a country that had limited protein calories (it was high processed grain, low protein, high veg, low fruit, low sugar) and there were no fat people; when meat became more available, and was added to the mix, then some people started to get fat.

 

What works for me is 5:2 intermittent fasting.  I've stabilised at a good weight, I don't crave things on my '2' days, because I know that I can have them tomorrow.  I also make sure to walk a lot.  I don't believe that 5:2 is magic - it's just a kind of calorie restriction that works for me.

 

 

[Pawz4me]

I think that you need to work out what pattern works for you.  I did low carb (Atkins) once, and lost a lot of weight, but mostly because I felt so nauseated by the diet that I just couldn't eat another piece of meat.  I inevitably added carbs back in and put the weight back on.

 

I do think that a lot of eliminate-a-food-group diets are stealth calorie control: if you ban a kind of food, you may not eat a full calorie load of other foods.  I've lived in a country that had limited protein calories (it was high processed grain, low protein, high veg, low fruit, low sugar) and there were no fat people; when meat became more available, and was added to the mix, then some people started to get fat.

 

What works for me is 5:2 intermittent fasting.  I've stabilised at a good weight, I don't crave things on my '2' days, because I know that I can have them tomorrow.  I also make sure to walk a lot.  I don't believe that 5:2 is magic - it's just a kind of calorie restriction that works for me.

 

Yes.

 

And a careful reading of most of the low carb books and other literature says exactly that -- that eating low carb helps maintain blood glucose levels, which in turn makes it easier to control hunger and cravings and thus makes it easier to control calorie intake.  And I totally agree with that.  But again, underneath it all the point stands that to lose weight we have to eat fewer calories than our body burns.

 

As far as the extremely common claims of not being able to lose weight even with very low calorie intake -- There are a lot of interesting studies on how we're absolutely horrible at accurately reporting what we eat and how much we exercise, and we tend to get consistently worse at both the more overweight we are.  Even when we think we're being really honest and observant.  People aren't consciously lying about it, but yet their reporting is hugely inaccurate.  This blog has links to quite a bit of information on that in the (2) section.  I found the twin study especially interesting.

[mom31257]

I lost 30 pounds last year and have kept it off. 

 

Here's what I did:

 

drink 2 cups of water when I first wake up (lukewarm)

 

3 meals a day with 20-25 carbs or less, minimal sugar

 

1 snack mid-afternoon (nuts, fruit with nut butters, low-carb treats)

 

increased my use of cinnamon (oatmeal, sprinkled on toast, sprinkled on apples, smoothies)

 

 

[Carrie12345]

A lot of really good advice here.

For me, regular periods of calorie counting/food measuring is probably the biggest key.  Next to that was building muscle.  You use calories to build muscle, muscles burn more calories.

The mental and flavor side of things was the most interesting to me.  As I got a better handle on calorie/nutrient intake, I started to move toward more "real" foods. Baked goods are made in my oven, not in a factory.  With whole grains, less sweetener, healthier oils.  Meats are fresh, not mixed with fillers.  "Candy" became squares of very dark chocolate.  Mindless sandwiches became salads with some meat and cheese. Air popped popcorn is my BFF.  My mouth and stomach became more satisfied than they ever were before after a short adjustment period.

[fairfarmhand]

:iagree:  It's amazing how nasty processed crap tastes once you start cooking your own food from scratch. I can't even eat canned soup anymore because homemade soup made from fresh ingredients simmered for a long time tastes SO much better. I made tomato soup the other night with heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs from my garden and oh my god, was it good. I added cream and butter, too.  As an added bonus, it takes much less homemade food to feel full than it does processed junk.

 

And don't even get me started on homemade bread...

 

It's funny. People come to my house and I feed them. (one of my dd's friends told me I need a t-shirt that says, "I feed people" because every time she's over, I have something cooking.) But they say, "Wow. You are an amazing cook!" And really,  I don't constantly cook tricky, difficult foods. Its usually simple things with high-quality ingredients. And that shows up in the taste. And everyone raves about the taste. You can be healthy cooking with natural, wholesome ingredients. You don't have to use butter substitutes and other "fake" foods.

[Guest]

I watched this yesterday and thought I'd throw it out there.

 

 

[ktgrok]

Yes, anyone who says calories in/calories out is not giving the full picture. The gut biome thing is so complicated, but yes, if you put the gut bacteria from an obese mouse into a thin mouse he gains fat, even on the same calories. 

 

This may be why what works for someone needing to lose 20lbs is very different from what works for someone needing to lose more like 100lbs. The metabolism of someone who is morbidly obese is often very different. That fat is metabolicaly active, it isn't just sitting there. It's controlling your use of blood sugar, etc. So instead of using that food you just ate for energy it shunts it to fat stores leaving you fatter and feeling tired. AKA, you feel lazy because of your obesity, whereas people assume you were lazy and that made you fat. Exercise does help regulate insulin so that helps, probiotics probably help, low sugar/carb probably helps, etc etc. More sleep helps. I'm convinced a large part of my issue with weight has to do with sleep loss. Just the other day there was a story where they could put someone into a prediabetic state just by mesing with their sleep schedule, not their diet. And that prediabetic state means insulin resistance, which means shuttling carbs into fat instead of into energy. 

[poppy]

These threads always turn into people getting mad if everyone doesn't acknowledge it's all about carbs.  Always always always.

 

For me, weight loss is about calorie  control and *intense* exercise. MyFitnessPal is excellent.  The lower carb trial suggestion above is also quite good.

 

 

[JumpyTheFrog]

If you are on any prescriptions, remember that weight gain can be a side affect. Two years ago I was on something for a few months and I gained 15 lbs in about three months. I think the weight gain was largely a side effect of the drug.

[mamaraby]

I think that you need to work out what pattern works for you.  I did low carb (Atkins) once, and lost a lot of weight, but mostly because I felt so nauseated by the diet that I just couldn't eat another piece of meat.  I inevitably added carbs back in and put the weight back on.

I always thought I was the only one. Nausea is an incredibly effective way to control one's calories, but an incredibly miserable way to live. I hung on for 6mos because everyone kept telling me that it would get better, that it was detox, etc. It never got better.

 

These threads always turn into people getting mad if everyone doesn't acknowledge it's all about carbs.  Always always always.

Yup. As does any thread that talks about cholesterol levels or dietary fat.

 

Dietary science is not nearly as sold on low carb as people think it is. What we've mostly got is a mixed bag of studies that show varying degrees of success. To simplify weight gain/loss as being about insulin levels is an over simplification. Does low carb work for some people? Yes. That is not however, universal or a guarantee. Low carb is a good *tool* to restrict calories while still triggering satiety for *some* people.

 

Long term weight loss is more successful when satiety is prioritized. If you're satisfied (ie not craving and obsessing over the forbidden foods) then you're better able to stick with it. Make satiety your priority. Find the tools that help you do that. The rest is just noise.

[*lifeoftheparty*]

These threads always turn into people getting mad if everyone doesn't acknowledge it's all about carbs. Always always always.

 

For me, weight loss is about calorie control and *intense* exercise. MyFitnessPal is excellent. The lower carb trial suggestion above is also quite good.

For the record, I am not saying it's all about carbs. I am just disputing the theory of "it all boils down to calories in versus calories out." Which is a super big fat lie and 100% wrong.

 

For ME, and people with the same issues I have, low carb is the only thing that works. And I absolutely gaurantee you that I eat more calories on a low carb diet than I do normally.

 

For others- counting calories works. Some people can eat all the carbs they want and can lose weight by eating low fat. (God, I wish I was this kind of person!!)

 

Some people just quit drinking soda and getting second helpings and the weight comes off- I envy these people.

 

Some people really don't have to pay too much attention to what they eat- they can eat whatever they want, as long as it's unprocessed whole foods- I envy these guys the most, lol!!!

 

Weight loss is not simple, and it does not work the same way for everyone. I get mad when people try to claim that "all you have to do is..." or try to make it sound like if we would all just stop eating so many calories, we would easily lose weight.

[Laurie4b]

You women who withstood 6 months of low carb despite how it made you feel are iron women!  I couldn't take more than 2 days of it. I was miserable and irritable and there wasn't anything happy about it. So I stopped. And I was just trying to do 2 days per week of low carb! 

 

I do know that I need to watch how much grain I eat at night especially. I can tolerate some, but if I start grabbing grain-based snacks (ie not a planned amount)--even whole grain based---the weight will go up. Maybe it's just a trigger food for me, .And of course some grains just call out for b--tt-- which is definitely a trigger food for me. I limit it to special occasions and a couple veges I just really like with b---tt---.

 

One thing that does help me is to skip dinner occasionally. I guess it's the intermittent fasting model. I am more able to do that when I exercise later in the day. My body is revved up from the exercise and is not looking for fuel to counteract  later-in-the-day fatigue. 

 

 

 

 

 

[redsquirrel]

you have gotten a lot of good advice on this thread and I already posted about weighing and measuring your food.  I still think that stands as the most important skill to learn when losing weight. But, as someone who has lost 50lbs, gained back 15 and now lost 10, I have seen a few other things that people have posted that I think stand repeating and I thought of a few others.

 

I also weigh myself every day. I record my weight in the "my fitness pal' app, and before that it was in a notebook I kept in the bathroom.  If I try to do it weekly I forget, lol. But, I found a daily weigh in keeps me on track.  I now know that a restaurant meal (even of salad and a small cup of soup) means a minimum of 3lbs of water weight the next day. If I have a day when I go off the rails, it usually doesn't show up on the scale the next morning (I don't think weight gain works like that anyway) and it helps me refocus in a positive way. I gain about 4lbs just before my period and it comes off four days later, etc. This is all good to know. A couple times I realized me period was showing up a couple days early b/c my weight went up, so that is handy.  While you are at it, take some measurements. Get a tape measure and measure your waist and hips and thighs and calves and upper arms and neck.  When you have lost 5 or 10 lbs take the measurements again.  Keep a record. Know your BMI and your waist to hip ratio.  There are tools online that will calculate both of those. If your numbers are in the danger zone, take note! Use that to keep you motivated!

 

Take things slowly!  Make a couple positive changes at a time and live with them.  I started with exercise before I every dealt with food.  I started walking 30 mins a day. This was a big deal for me. I had little kids and carving out 30 and then 45 mins a day to exercise was a big statement for me. I told dh that I needed to do this and he was very supportive. When it got cold I used free beginner yoga on youtube. I didn't lose any weight, but I did gain the habit of healthy movement and found the time i to do it n my life. I found that if I wanted the time, it was there for me. That 30 mins of not very difficult exercise meant that when I was ready to take it up one notch and then another and another and another the time was already there in my life. 

 

Take it slowly by changing your food choices a meal at a time, a choice at a time.  This month, don't buy three unhealthy foods.  You know what do eat, I know you do.  If you are (and you might not be) buying soda or cinnamon buns or chips whatever it is..well, stop. They aren't good for you and they aren't good for your kids, and you know it. If you want kids who eat healthy foods then you need to be a parent that eats healthy foods. I am sorry, but that is just the way it is. Come up with three healthy breakfast choices, that you can live with on busy mornings, and start rotating through those. Then move on to drinks, then snacks, then other meals. But stop buying food that is killing you, please. Learn about fiber and try to get more than the 'minimum' every day, do the same for your kids. Don't celebrate everything with food, don't reward yourself or your kids with food.

 

On the same note, have reachable goals for weight loss.  Don't say you must loose 80 lbs or 150 etc. Aim for 10% of your body weight. Just 10%.  If you lose that much your blood chemistry will improve, you will learn about healthier food choices, and you will look better, your clothes will fit better.  I found that that first 10% was the most difficult, but I learned the most. I also learned a lot about what worked for me and what did not. I need a higher protein, low carb lower fat diet.

 

Get more sleep!  It is amazing what a difference this makes. It is possible that if you are overweight you aren't sleeping well anyway. But study after study after study shows that when we are even slightly underslept we have less will power and are unable to resist unhealthy foods, we crave carbs for energy, and our body chemistry changes to favour weight gain. I have a sleep disorder so this is a side project for me. Right now, I have managed to get a good combination to help me sleep, but I still can't manage to get to sleep before 1am.  I get up at 9am, but most people can't do that.  But the difference for me between 7 hours of sleep (my minimum 'good' amount) and 6 hours of sleep shows up in carbs and calories.

 

Find what works for you.  For me it helps to have a 'food groove'. I have the same sort of breakfast every morning. There are some small variations, but it is the same thing. I have the same sort of lunch, veggie and protein. It could be a big bowl of steamed broccoli with some poached chicken breast on top or a salad with a can of tuna on top, but it is the same sort of meal.  I have four or five things I snack on, I have dinners I rotate through and I usually don't eat what the kids eat.  I am not a 15 year old or 10 year old male dancer, they can and should eat a LOT more than me. They also need more healthy carbs to fuel all that dancing. When I start doing ballet for 18 hours a week, plus rehearsals, I can have pasta for dinner, lol. Until then, I will hold off.

 

Along the same lines, I always keep a snack and an emergency bar in my purse at all times. Right now I am eating Quest bars, but I have done Luna Protein bars. At this exact time, the Luna bar has too many carbs, but not forever. There is nothing worse than getting stuck somewhere and being hungry and not having any good choices. I have found that a cup of decaf and a bar is a fine emergency lunch or snack. I also buy a thing of skinless boneless chicken breasts that I poach.  I let them cool, then wrap them individually, and put them in the freezer. I pull out a couple at a time and I always have some for lunch or a couple bites for a quick snack. I have given myself permission to only eat egg whites. Yes, I toss out the yolks. I buy bags of pre-chopped broccoli for lunches and that means I eat a healthy lunch.

 

Best of luck to you!

[ktgrok]

These threads always turn into people getting mad if everyone doesn't acknowledge it's all about carbs.  Always always always.

 

For me, weight loss is about calorie  control and *intense* exercise. MyFitnessPal is excellent.  The lower carb trial suggestion above is also quite good.

 

 I don't think it's all about carbs, not for most people. For SOME people it is mostly about carbs. Or rather, that is one factor that works and we can influence. I'm guessing it is even more about the gut biome, but we can influence that best with carbs and some other tweaks. What we get mad is when people say it is all about calories. It isn't, not for the morbidly obese. There is too much science saying there are other factors. Things like gut bacteria, certain hormones that regulate homeostatis like glucagon like peptide, Peptide YYY, etc. 

[kiana]

I also weigh myself every day. I record my weight in the "my fitness pal' app, and before that it was in a notebook I kept in the bathroom.  If I try to do it weekly I forget, lol. But, I found a daily weigh in keeps me on track.  I now know that a restaurant meal (even of salad and a small cup of soup) means a minimum of 3lbs of water weight the next day. If I have a day when I go off the rails, it usually doesn't show up on the scale the next morning (I don't think weight gain works like that anyway) and it helps me refocus in a positive way. I gain about 4lbs just before my period and it comes off four days later, etc. This is all good to know. A couple times I realized me period was showing up a couple days early b/c my weight went up, so that is handy.  While you are at it, take some measurements. Get a tape measure and measure your waist and hips and thighs and calves and upper arms and neck.  When you have lost 5 or 10 lbs take the measurements again.  Keep a record. Know your BMI and your waist to hip ratio.  There are tools online that will calculate both of those. If your numbers are in the danger zone, take note! Use that to keep you motivated!

 

Yes. I use a daily weigh in and then I wrote an Excel formula to do a 7-day rolling average with the outliers suppressed (it drops the high weight, low weight, and averages the other 5) to reduce statistical noise. It's really helpful because you can see your trend. 

[MommaOfalotta]

I didn't have time to read all of the responses, so I'm not sure if someone has already suggested it... but I love Atkins.

After dd I used it to lose 50 pounds in 4 months.

I did it again after ds and I'm currently down 82 pounds this time... and still going.

 

ETA: I stay in the induction phase which is the most strict but gives me the best results.

[mommymilkies]

 

Weight loss is not simple, and it does not work the same way for everyone. I get mad when people try to claim that "all you have to do is..." or try to make it sound like if we would all just stop eating so many calories, we would easily lose weight.

:iagree:   As for the calorie thing, eating too few can also cause weight gain/plateaus.  Less is not always better!

[mom31257]

You women who withstood 6 months of low carb despite how it made you feel are iron women!  I couldn't take more than 2 days of it. I was miserable and irritable and there wasn't anything happy about it. So I stopped. And I was just trying to do 2 days per week of low carb! 

 

 

That is why I didn't go extremely low-carb. I didn't want to feel bad. I kept my carbs under 90 a day. That's not extreme, IMHO. I never felt bad, and I lost the 30 pounds in about 4 months. 

[Pawz4me]

:iagree:   As for the calorie thing, eating too few can also cause weight gain/plateaus.

 

Do you have links to any studies that support that?  I'm not being contentious, I'd honestly love to see them if they exist   Because it certainly contradicts what we know happened to concentration camp survivors, and what we know happens to people who have anorexia.

[mommymilkies]

Do you have links to any studies that support that?  I'm not being contentious, I'd honestly love to see them if they exist   Because it certainly contradicts what we know happened to concentration camp survivors, and what we know happens to people who have anorexia.

I linked to one article in my post, but you can search for more.  They talked about it when I took nutrition, too. 

 

ETA: I'm not saying that long term starvation doesn't lead to weight loss, but too few calories can be detrimental to health in more ways than just weight.  For some people, metabolic rates and calorie requirements are different, obviously.  I'm not one of those people that lose weight if I eat more calories or less calories because my thyroid is messed up, so it's not terribly relevant to me, anyway. I'm not paleo, vegan, primal, or LC. :) Particularly the kind of calories seem to matter depending on the study you read, notably protein more than the other nutrients. 

 

Some interesting articles to explore and look into it. I don't support all of these articles, but they show just how mixed the research really is. 

 

[Pawz4me]

I linked to one article in my post, but you can search for more.  They talked about it when I took nutrition, too. 

 

Thanks, but I'm not seeing any scientific studies cited or linked in that article?  It's just one dietician's opinion.

[mommymilkies]

Thanks, but I'm not seeing any scientific studies cited or linked in that article?  It's just one dietician's opinion.

Welcome to the world of nutrition where every study and opinion directly contradicts every other one.  I added more, but you can search the NIH for more. :) It's my birthday, so I gotta get off of here anyway.  I'm going to go eat some fatty chocolate cake and know I will neither lose nor gain weight from it but wish it was the former. :)

[poppy]

I don't think it's all about carbs, not for most people. For SOME people it is mostly about carbs. Or rather, that is one factor that works and we can influence. I'm guessing it is even more about the gut biome, but we can influence that best with carbs and some other tweaks. What we get mad is when people say it is all about calories. It isn't, not for the morbidly obese. There is too much science saying there are other factors. Things like gut bacteria, certain hormones that regulate homeostatis like glucagon like peptide, Peptide YYY, etc.

I do not agree with this - it is not universally true or even extremely common for people who are morbidly obese to need to get into that level of 'squishy science ', I have a (normal weight) husband and daughter who take daily probiotics . After lots of trial and error and tests and so on.... I know enough about that world to know there is mixed levels of consensus around different theories, and plenty of nonsense.

 

Anyway I think the advice to look into hormones and gut science can be useful , if standard practices fail over a period of time. But going down that rabbit hole is not a first , or even third step.

[mamaraby]

I don't think it's all about carbs, not for most people. For SOME people it is mostly about carbs. Or rather, that is one factor that works and we can influence. I'm guessing it is even more about the gut biome, but we can influence that best with carbs and some other tweaks. What we get mad is when people say it is all about calories. It isn't, not for the morbidly obese. There is too much science saying there are other factors. Things like gut bacteria, certain hormones that regulate homeostatis like glucagon like peptide, Peptide YYY, etc.

And yet, I was morbidly obese, my BMI was over 40 and it was still about the calories. Do I have other genetic related issues hanging around there? Possibly. I probably have a less efficient system when it comes to my body determining how many calories I've eaten - especially from richer, more calorie dense foods. It wasn't just an issue of fewer calories per se, but it did come down to calories in the end.

 

For a long time I gave up on losing weight because of the low carb chorus that said it was the only way. And yet I'd tried that and it made me nauseous. All the time. For six months. I'd try to talk myself into that. I'd last a few days or weeks. The nausea came back. I'd give up. I didn't want to think about all the other diets because there was that "diets fail" chorus playing in the background. And then I watched Doug Lisle and realized that there are lots of ways to lose weight. The key is to use tools that work for me to help me do so while also feeling satisfied.

 

In the end, though, it's still about eating fewer calories. Low carb is about eating fewer calories. Weight Watchers is about eating fewer calories. Volumetrics is about eating fewer calories. The eat more people move more to enable them to eat more while still maintaining a deficit. All of these are just different ways of attempting to trigger satiety while maintaining a calorie deficit so that a person doesn't have to rely upon "will power" which is a finite resource that won't get anyone anywhere in the long term.

 

My way is slow which sucks in many ways. I want to be done now. I don't want to lose another 52 and then some. I want to lose 52lbs in 6mos. Could I? Sure. Would I be able to keep it up? Doubtful. I know that about me so I keep that in mind.

 

The short answer on how to lose weight is that it depends. I think we got lost in the noise of all the other stuff (fueled in part by the people who market the confusion for their own gain) to our own detriment.

[RKWAcademy]

The only thing that ever worked for me was intense exercise (weights and cardio - think old school Firm videos - building muscle) for at least 1 hour daily.  Drinking nothing but water.  Maybe lemon added but no artificial sweetener or anything else.  Water.  Load up on fruits and veggies (probably not in that order) and add some protein and fat.  Let the rest sort itself out.  Cut but not eliminate sugar, which will always be my weakness.  That's all that worked for me.  If I tried to diet or eliminate a major category of food, I would not have been able to lose weight long term.  I don't do well with never being able to eat something.

 

An interesting book is Gary Taub's Why we get fat.  Not a diet book at all but an analysis on medical studies over the last 100 years or so.  Very interesting w regards to calorie in/out idea.  I think the punchline of the book is low(ish) carb is probably the best take away from the studies.  I don't do "low carb" but I do try to limit carbs now.  When I lost weight, I was not limiting my food other than liquid sugar.

[Laurie4b]

Another helpful thing is to adjust your actual living space to make you more likely to make more good food choices and fewer impulse choices. For instance, I have read that women who keep cereal on the table or counter (in plain view) weigh 21 pounds more on average than women who keep cereal in the cabinet or pantry! 

 

Here's a link to one article on some environmental changes that help: http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2015/02/02/if-you-want-to-lose-weight-hack-your-living-environment-like-skinny-people/

[ktgrok]

I do not agree with this - it is not universally true or even extremely common for people who are morbidly obese to need to get into that level of 'squishy science ', I have a (normal weight) husband and daughter who take daily probiotics . After lots of trial and error and tests and so on.... I know enough about that world to know there is mixed levels of consensus around different theories, and plenty of nonsense.

 

Anyway I think the advice to look into hormones and gut science can be useful , if standard practices fail over a period of time. But going down that rabbit hole is not a first , or even third step.

 

I'm assuming that someone who is morbidly obese isn't at their first attempt, or even their third. I generally assume someone who has been struggling with their weight to the point they have that much to lose have already tried the "normal" steps. If they worked, they wouldn't still be struggling. And it can be incredibly depressing to be told well, you just eat too much. Even if they do, why do they? There is so much more out there than "quite soda and eat healthy meals, counting calories". If it was that clear cut we wouldn't be so heavy as a nation. 

[ktgrok]

http://www.medicaldaily.com/imbalances-our-gut-flora-contribute-obesity-epidemic-how-do-we-fix-341106

[Shellydon]

Any tips for someone that already eats well (no soda, limited sweets, no processed foods) and cannot lose weight?  I am so jealous of people that cut out soda and drop 20 lbs.  I only need to lose 20-25 and don't drink soda.  Low carb doesn't work.  The only thing that had worked is severe calorie restriction (less than 500 calories per day), which clearly isn't going to work long term.

[hsingscrapper]

I would strongly suggest weight training and eating a diet that gives you enough protein to maintain muscle mass but remember that the human body needs at least 1200 calories minimum to function. Do NOT go below that without your doctor involved!! It is not safe!!

 

A good percentage split is either 40/40/20 or 40/30/30 if you are active beyond regular day-to-day tasks. That's 40% protein either way. 40/40/20 at 1200 calories has 120 grams each of protein and carbs along with 26-27 grams of fat. Your body needs at least 20% fats for optimum hormones and joint lubrication.

 

Sent from my RCT6773W22 using Tapatalk

[Pawz4me]

In the end, though, it's still about eating fewer calories. Low carb is about eating fewer calories. Weight Watchers is about eating fewer calories. Volumetrics is about eating fewer calories. The eat more people move more to enable them to eat more while still maintaining a deficit. All of these are just different ways of attempting to trigger satiety while maintaining a calorie deficit so that a person doesn't have to rely upon "will power" which is a finite resource that won't get anyone anywhere in the long term.

 

Yes.

 

Even with metabolic/endocrine issues.  I gained 10 pounds over last winter and early spring.  I couldn't figure out why, because to the best of my knowledge I was eating and exercising as I normally do -- following the same lowish carb eating that had caused me to lose 10 pounds over the past few months.  So why was I regaining?  I found the answer to that question at my check up in June -- an underactive thyroid.  It certainly explained lots of things.  But still -- calories in/calories out would have helped me lose weight during that time.  It would have been very difficult, because the hypothyroidism was causing my metabolism to slow.  I'm short and 52, so my BMR is already low.  With the thyroid problem I might have had to cut calories to 750 or maybe even less per day.  But had I cut them low enough I would have lost weight, even with an unmedicated underactive thyroid.  Because in the end it's about calories consumed versus calories burned.

 

I certainly agree that achieving and maintaining a deficit so that one can lose is harder for some people than others -- I know that as well as anyone!  And hopefully one day soon we'll figure out more about that -- whether it's gut bacteria or a particular gene or hormones or something else.  But those are all different issues than saying that weight loss isn't about calories.  Perhaps we're "arguing" semantics?

 

 

I'm assuming that someone who is morbidly obese isn't at their first attempt, or even their third. I generally assume someone who has been struggling with their weight to the point they have that much to lose have already tried the "normal" steps. If they worked, they wouldn't still be struggling. And it can be incredibly depressing to be told well, you just eat too much. Even if they do, why do they? There is so much more out there than "quite soda and eat healthy meals, counting calories". If it was that clear cut we wouldn't be so heavy as a nation. 

 

I don't think it's simple.  I think we live in a time and a place where we're bombarded by inexpensive food that tastes wonderful.  I could jump in my car and within 10 minutes I'd drive past 20 or more places where I could pick up something very satisfying for a small price.  The abundance of inexpensive food has caused us to have a very skewed perception of what constitutes reasonable portions.  And we're also living in a time and place where very little is required of us physically.  We have machines to wash and dry our clothes and our dishes, Roombas that clean our floors, and we don't even have to get up to change the channel.

 

Trying to lose weight nowadays is like putting an alcoholic in a liquor store and telling them not to drink anything.  It sure can be done.  But it's incredibly hard.  (ETA:  I know this analogy is inadequate.  No one has to drink liquor, but we all do have to eat!)

[gardenmom5]

. Don't celebrate everything with food, don't reward yourself or your kids with food.

 

 

 

 

Get more sleep!  It is amazing what a difference this makes. It is possible that if you are overweight you aren't sleeping well anyway. But study after study after study shows that when we are even slightly underslept we have less will power and are unable to resist unhealthy foods, we crave carbs for energy, and our body chemistry changes to favour weight gain. 

 

1- find something else to reward yourself with.  I made exercise goals - and when I met them, I'd reward myself with a massage.  but the reward can be whatever would motivate you.

 

2- inadequate sleep (and lots of stress) can raise your cortisol levels - cortisol is a stress hormone that stores fat.

[Pawz4me]

Getting past the low carb/calories stuff -- What helps me most is staying busy.  When I'm busy I don't even think about being hungry, let alone getting the munchies just because I'm bored and looking for something to do.  And when I've had a super busy day I'm usually tired and ready for bed early, which prevents any late night munching in front of the television.

 

Stress helps, too.  I know some people eat when they're stressed, but my appetite shuts down completely.  Not that I'd recommend seeking out stress as a weight loss technique. ;)

[PeachyDoodle]

I don't think it's simple.  I think we live in a time and a place where we're bombarded by inexpensive food that tastes wonderful.  I could jump in my car and within 10 minutes I'd drive past 20 or more places where I could pick up something very satisfying for a small price.  The abundance of inexpensive food has caused us to have a very skewed perception of what constitutes reasonable portions.  And we're also living in a time and place where very little is required of us physically.  We have machines to wash and dry our clothes and our dishes, Roombas that clean our floors, and we don't even have to get up to change the channel.

 

Trying to lose weight nowadays is like putting an alcoholic in a liquor store and telling them not to drink anything.  It sure can be done.  But it's incredibly hard.

 

Exactly this. As my dh (who has lost 100 lbs during the same time frame that I've lost 80) likes to say, "Everyone knows WHAT to do to lose weight. It's the DOING it that's the problem."

 

Do I think that there are people out there with underlying heath conditions causing their morbid obesity? Of course. Was I one of those people? Nope. Not when I was 6. Not even when I was 26. I have the utmost compassion for anyone struggling with serious weight problems. I have been there. Some days I am still there -- I will always be "that person" deep down, even if I look skinny on the outside (and I would NOT call myself skinny today, by any stretch of the imagination!).

 

Hello, my name is Peachy, and I'm a glutton.

 

To use your analogy, we also wouldn't tell an alcoholic, "Hey, it's okay if you want to drink to extreme excess. It's just who you are -- nothing to be done about it." In the vast majority of cases, I think it is a disservice to send the message that losing weight is utterly beyond our control. I know that kind of enabling kept me trapped in my misery for YEARS. I had everyone (including myself) convinced that I was trying just as hard as I possibly could. But the truth is, I didn't want to do what I knew it was going to take. It was hard and uncomfortable and unfair. But hey, welcome to life.

[Wheres Toto]

I have a question about low carb.   Do you not eat many fruits and vegetables?  Today I've had a banana and strawberries (in a smoothie with a small amount of milk) and baby carrots with hummus.  That alone put me over 100 grams of carbs, with the banana being the biggest "offender".  What do you do for fiber?

 

I can't eat just meat and protein all day.  I will definitely feel sick.

[kiana]

I have a question about low carb.   Do you not eat many fruits and vegetables?  Today I've had a banana and strawberries (in a smoothie with a small amount of milk) and baby carrots with hummus.  That alone put me over 100 grams of carbs, with the banana being the biggest "offender".  What do you do for fiber?

 

I can't eat just meat and protein all day.  I will definitely feel sick.

 

Usually when one is eating low carb one subtracts fiber grams to get net grams of carbohydrate. The primary sources will be fibrous vegetables -- if you want a list of good low-carb sources, look at the allowed foods on Atkins phase 1 and 2. Fruits like bananas would be avoided. 

 

http://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/atkins-20/phase-1/low-carb-foods

http://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/atkins-20/phase-2/acceptable-foods-atkins-20-phase-2

 

Honestly I don't eat much fruit, not because of the carbs, but because it's comparatively expensive and doesn't store well unless you buy the even more expensive frozen/canned fruit, and the vegetables that I do eat are both cheaper and a lot more nutrient-dense. I haven't found it to be necessary for a balanced diet as long as sufficient vegetables are included. 

[*lifeoftheparty*]

I have a question about low carb.   Do you not eat many fruits and vegetables?  Today I've had a banana and strawberries (in a smoothie with a small amount of milk) and baby carrots with hummus.  That alone put me over 100 grams of carbs, with the banana being the biggest "offender".  What do you do for fiber?

 

I can't eat just meat and protein all day.  I will definitely feel sick.

 

I limit fruits, and choose ones that are lower on the Glycemic index. I try to eat more berries than anything because they have high fiber content, which makes the net carbs lower. Bananas are higher up on the glycemic index.

 

We make smoothies with frozen organic berries (different blends from Trader Joes), plain greek yogurt, coconut milk, and a tsp. or two of honey. Sometimes I add chia seeds.

 

I also like chia seed pudding, the vanilla kind, and I put raspberries or blackberries on top- it's SO yummy, and high in fiber, plus has protein. Chia seeds are great for fiber! I buy a 5 lb. bag from Amazon....

 

I wouldn't eat carrots and hummus together- too many carbs. I eat carrots plain, or dip them in homemade ranch dip made from greek yogurt.

 

For more fiber, you need more green vegetables. We eat lots of sauteed spinach, kale and swiss chard. Green beans. Broccoli. Asparagus. Artichokes. Brussels Sprouts. Load 'em up. I don't win at this most days, but I try to have green vegetables with every meal. Both whole foods and trader joes and very affordable frozen greens. I sautee greens with eggs or sausage for breakfast. I like to have a salad with Romain, artichoke hearts, feta, red peppers, salami, sun dried tomatoes, olives and sunflower seeds with homemade balsamic dressing for lunch, and then something green with dinner. Those are the days I feel my best.

 

I don't feel sick eating low carb, I feel fabulous. When I did the 21 day sugar detox, I felt like I could run a marathon. I don't understand why I can't stay on the wagon past a month when it makes me feel so good...

 

I still don't agree with people who say low carb just means you are eating fewer calories. I track every dollop of food most days, on MyFitness Pal. I definitely eat more calories when I go low carb. Hello avocados, full fat dairy and butter, not to mention coconut oil and peanut butter. And yet, even without exercising, the weight comes off.... but of course, I must be lying....

 

However, I really don't care to argue it anymore, you think what you want....

[wapiti]

I can't eat just meat and protein all day.  I will definitely feel sick.

 

Fat trades places with carbs as the primary energy source.  Protein should stay roughly the same, as the body may convert excess protein to glucose.

 

LCHF for beginners

 

For more detailed info, I like Volek and Phinney's The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living

[purplejackmama]

Fat trades places with carbs as the primary energy source. Protein should stay roughly the same, as the body may convert excess protein to glucose.

 

LCHF for beginners

 

For more detailed info, I like Volek and Phinney's The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living

This is exactly what I was thinking. Not sure why people are eating so much more meat on a low carb diet. You just remove the carbs and add in more fat, protein stays the same.

[redsquirrel]

Exactly this. As my dh (who has lost 100 lbs during the same time frame that I've lost 80) likes to say, "Everyone knows WHAT to do to lose weight. It's the DOING it that's the problem."

 

Do I think that there are people out there with underlying heath conditions causing their morbid obesity? Of course. Was I one of those people? Nope. Not when I was 6. Not even when I was 26. I have the utmost compassion for anyone struggling with serious weight problems. I have been there. Some days I am still there -- I will always be "that person" deep down, even if I look skinny on the outside (and I would NOT call myself skinny today, by any stretch of the imagination!).

 

Hello, my name is Peachy, and I'm a glutton.

 

To use your analogy, we also wouldn't tell an alcoholic, "Hey, it's okay if you want to drink to extreme excess. It's just who you are -- nothing to be done about it." In the vast majority of cases, I think it is a disservice to send the message that losing weight is utterly beyond our control. I know that kind of enabling kept me trapped in my misery for YEARS. I had everyone (including myself) convinced that I was trying just as hard as I possibly could. But the truth is, I didn't want to do what I knew it was going to take. It was hard and uncomfortable and unfair. But hey, welcome to life.

 

If it were easy then everyone would do it.  And I am not saying that in a 'late night TV trying to sell you something" way. I am saying that with agreement and compassion.  It is difficult and it really really sucks.  I gain weight easily and losing weight, or keeping it off,  is like a full time f'ing job. The ONLY reason I do this is that there is a lot of cancer in my family, we have a genetic disorder that I may or may not have.  Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are part of the 'prevention lifestyle'.  I want to see my grandkids, and given my family history that is not a given. 

But it is also exhausting. I have to think of it all. the. time. I can't just eat something, I can't ever do that. I can't just buy something at the store. After a holiday or a vacation there needs to be a reckoning. Lots of things I just don't try because I know they will taste good, but it's not worth the temptation.  I never get desert at a restaurant. I go out to lots of places and I order salad...maybe soup. But every single menu I read is with an eye to making the healthiest choice possible in a bad situation. And when going out with friends I often have tea and claim to have just eaten.

 

It never ends and it gets tiring sometimes.

 

However, I can go on and on about how much I LOVE the benefits of exercise. I love not getting winded, I love being able to keep up with my kids in a race, I love being able to lift things that other women my age say is too heavy. I love being flexible and being able to do things like get up from the floor without using my hands.

 

So, in short, limited food choices sux but being strong and healthy rox!

 

 

 

I have a question about low carb.   Do you not eat many fruits and vegetables?  Today I've had a banana and strawberries (in a smoothie with a small amount of milk) and baby carrots with hummus.  That alone put me over 100 grams of carbs, with the banana being the biggest "offender".  What do you do for fiber?

 

I can't eat just meat and protein all day.  I will definitely feel sick.

 

I don't eat fruit as a rule and I do have to limit my veggies. I also have to limit things like beans because of carbs, so hummus is rare. This is a big deal for me because I have always been very "plant based".  My kids and my husband easily go through 32 oz of hummus in a week, but I don't eat any. But, as I get older my flexibility with carbs is getting smaller and smaller.  For fiber I put a tablespoon of ground flax in my morning and afternoon smoothie.  My morning smoothie (my breakfast) is something like:

2 cups coffee

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

1 tablespoon ground flax

3 drops liquid stevia

 

My afternoon smoothie might be:

1 cup bengali spice tea (a caffeine free sort of chai)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

dash cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 tablespoon ground flax

2 scoops vanilla whey powder

 

Or:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup water

1 TBSP ground flax

1 tsp green tea powder

about half a cucumber, peeled

1/2 cup frozen spinach or some fresh kale (about 50g)

2 scoops whey powder

 

I use romaine lettuce leaves instead of bread for lunch. So I might have half a can of tuna fish, or some grilled fish filet or 4 oz poached chicken breast that I put each bite on a romaine lettuce leaf and sort of wrap it up and eat it.

 

Dinner might be:

4 egg whites

1/4 cup meat free sausage style crumbles made by Wegmans

1/2 cup frozen spinach

couple tablespoons frozen roasted green peppers

 

But it is unusual that I would eat all four of those in one day. My higher for me protein intake means that my appetite is generally reduced. I might eat that much...but not every day.

[fairfarmhand]

Oh, if you're in the habit of eating in front of the TV, learn to crochet or embroider or fold laundry. Anything to keep those hands busy!

[Debbi in Texas]

I have not read all the replies. Sorry- I am studying for the PPR test on Friday.

 

Have you looked at the Four Hour Body? I checked it out from the library. I have been on it about a month and a half and have lost 8 1/2 pounds. The main thing I like about this diet is that you are required to have a cheat day, with no restrictions.

[TianXiaXueXiao]

I don't have any advice but I'm just voicing my experience as being another person who can't just count calories. I have to significantly reduce carbs to lose weight. I eat a healthy diet but we do eat pastas and breads because they are cheap and easy and filling. I'm overweight in size 10-12 now but if I cut all sugar and all carbs and sick with veggies and lean meats and higher protein whole grains, I will lose weight practically overnight. Unfortunately I don't feel motivated to change our diet that much because I'm lazy. Reading this thread is inspiring though so maybe I'll change starting with next week's meal plan. 😉

[hsingscrapper]

If counting calories isn't your thing, then take a look at Lee Labrada's transformation plan on www.bodybuilding.com. I think you might find his methods helpful.

 

Sent from my RCT6773W22 using Tapatalk

[Laurie4b]

Any tips for someone that already eats well (no soda, limited sweets, no processed foods) and cannot lose weight?  I am so jealous of people that cut out soda and drop 20 lbs.  I only need to lose 20-25 and don't drink soda.  Low carb doesn't work.  The only thing that had worked is severe calorie restriction (less than 500 calories per day), which clearly isn't going to work long term.

 

I would go to your doctor and get some blood work done, particularly for thyroid. 

 

Also, have you ever tracked what you are eating and how much you are exercising? If not, that would give you some solid data to try to figure things out .