What are you planning to do to lose weight in 2018

[SeaConquest]

Moderate fat seems to be most practical. So using real butter and cheese but not massive amounts. Too much definitely can cause issue. Which sx are you having?

I was planning on the sleeve, but am going with my doctor's advice and getting rny.

[alisoncooks]

I saw several by her when I looked on Amazon. Which do you recommend?

 

TIA!

Not the person who posted about TA, but I'm familiar with her stuff. I'd say the Mat Workout is kind of the flagship of her method (it's older than the 'centrics but a good basis for her style).

 

Precision Toning is good for add-ons, and she also has a Method for Beginners (which, IIRC, moves slower and has better cueing than some other stuff -- Mat Workout has minimal cueing, you just learn it as you go). She also has a pregnancy series that I've heard good things about, as gentle introductions for non-pregnant people.

 

(I've used Hipcentric, Mat Workout, Precision Toning, and more, though I generally avoid her style now because of overuse injuries and a general 'meh' toward her philosophy.) :)

[ktgrok]

I was planning on the sleeve, but am going with my doctor's advice and getting rny.

 

They generally know who will do best with what surgery. But yeah, you will have to be careful with fats. Good luck!!

[ktgrok]

So I did a sneak attack, starting yesterday. Kind of like Washington crossing the Delaware, lol. Figured my body wouldn't be expecting it until today.

 

And just by cutting carbs I'm down 2 pounds in one day. Yes, it's water weight. Yes, I was in the bathroom a LOT yesterday, urinating all that excess water off. I feel much better already, more clearheaded and less cravings. So far my milk supply is fine, but I'm taking a supplement to help. And she's 9 months now, so eating enough solids she won't starve if  have issues and need to add more food in or whatever. 

[Soror]

I've been following the Wahl's Protocol for autoimmune issues. I have lost 42 pounds so far, and would like to lose another 10 pounds. The weight loss has really slowed down in the last 2 months, so I am trying to add more exercise. I was doing a daily walk with the dog, but it's been too cold for the last 2 weeks. I can't wait until it gets a little warmer! I usually get about 8000 steps a day without trying, so I'm going to add another 2000 steps a day.

 

I've also been doing some light resistance training but my muscles are not liking it at all. I'm not sure what to do about this. It hasn't become easier with repetition so I don't know if I should continue or not. The day after I work out I have a few hours of muscle spasms and weakness. After I discuss it with my neurologist I may consult with a physical therapist to come up with some kind of exercise plan. 

 

I am focusing on meal planning next. Dh gave me some glass meal prep containers that fit in my Hot Logic mini, so I want to cook a few different meals over the weekends. My sister gave me a cookbook that I had on my wishlist for my birthday, and I've already picked out 8 recipes to try. I also follow a few blogs/websites and started a notebook with recipes I've printed out. Dh is always trying to modify his recipes so that I can eat them and makes extra so that I have a few meals.  :wub:

 

I started out on Weight Watchers, and while I love the program I'm really happy that I don't have to track anything other than trying to get all my veggies and fruits in, in the proper proportions. The ideal for Wahls is 9 cups - 3 cups greens, 3 cups sulfur and 3 cups colors. On a good day I get about 2 cups of each, every once in a while I get the full amount. Once I even went over! :001_rolleyes:

Good for you! I did the auto-immune Paleo diet strictly for 9 months then a little bit more loosely for several more months. I followed Wahls a bit but I don't care to ever go to the upper levels and go keto but I do feel great when I eat as many veggies as she recommends. I'm always gluten free and usually dairy free too. I think her phase 1 recommendations would work for nearly everyone (from vegan to carnivore). 

I got his book for Christmas and have been wading through it and I am waiting on his cookbook to come in the mail. I'm glad to hear it has worked for you! I'm hoping to slowly transition to an *almost* vegan lifestyle. My DH is a committed carnivore, so it will depend on how good the recipes taste and his cooperation. He's skeptical and willing to try some vegan meals but is very much opposed at this point to going vegetarian or vegan. I'm breastfeeding so I don't want to do anything too quickly and will probably keep some animal products in my diet until Baby is weaned. My plan right now is to eat up what we have in the kitchen and then gradually quit buying meat. 

 

I don't want to lose weight but I'm hoping to help my family's health. DH could stand to lose some weight but more than that, his family is predisposed to high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease which I'm hoping to help in him and prevent in the kids. I figure any increase in the daily dozen foods is better than nothing. My cholesterol and blood pressure are already very low so I'm a little concerned that they could get too low with Dr Gregor's type of diet. Has anyone heard of problems related to that? For myself, I'm hoping to gain energy and protect my future health. 

 

I also am going to try to walk the dog at least once a day and have the kids walk her once (she needs to lose weight too) and I'm hoping to use our treadmill and weights at least 3x a week. I used to work out often but I was so, so, tired when my thyroid went wonky and then when I was pregnant that I haven't done anything in a year and probably not consistently for several years. I am weak and my family is predisposed to osteoporosis so weight training needs to be part of my routine. 

 

I think I'll try that app suggested up thread. I need accountability. What motivates me is innate stubbornness and having people to face who would be disappointed. 

Re: low cholesterol, I have super low cholesterol, I think absorption issues compounded with thyroid stuff, I don't eat low fat at all. My total cholesterol at my last check was 120. Really low levels are associated with health issues,  They are trying to figure out the connection between low cholesterol and depression and aggression, but that may be related more to those who have used drugs to lower their levels and other studies show no connection. My blood pressure runs low too but I've found drinking salted water greatly helps with that.

[dsmith]

Good for you! I did the auto-immune Paleo diet strictly for 9 months then a little bit more loosely for several more months. I followed Wahls a bit but I don't care to ever go to the upper levels and go keto but I do feel great when I eat as many veggies as she recommends. I'm always gluten free and usually dairy free too. I think her phase 1 recommendations would work for nearly everyone (from vegan to carnivore). 

 

I was all set to try AIP when I thought I was only dealing with Hashimoto's, but once I got the MS diagnosis I decided on Wahls instead. I alternate between level 1 and level 2, but most of the time I am on level 2. I was thinking of trying level 3 for a week and see how I do. Dr. Wahls does it in the winter, I believe, not all year. I'm always gluten free and egg free, as they cause a lot of inflammation for me, but I have had the occasional piece of cheese or taste of something with dairy this holiday season. After this week I will not have any unless dh makes something amazing that I have to try, lol.

[whitestavern]

I saw several by her when I looked on Amazon. Which do you recommend?

 

TIA!

 

The first one I did was the 30 Day Method, which is a book with diet and exercises with an accompanying DVD. That's the one that worked for me. Since then I've tried a few of her other DVDs but they were very danc-y (not easy for my clutsy self to follow) I didn't like them. But the 30 Day Method, with three stages of different exercises focused on arms, legs, and abs, were unbelievably effective, at least for me. As I said, I've never been so happy with my body and felt so in shape. And while I stopped after a few months, my body stayed that way for several years before I totally abused it with lack of exercise and excess food consumption.

[Greta]

Paige and soror, thank you for enlightening me about the dangers of cholesterol being too low. I had no idea! I had read about the studies showing that people with genetically high cholesterol have high rates of heart disease while people with genetically low cholesterol have virtually no heart disease (old studies, which I gather were part of how they figured out the connection between cholesterol and heart disease) but I guess those studies only looked at heart disease. I don’t remember them mentioning any of these other potential problems.

[Carrie12345]

I switched gyms!  While the main purpose is to save money (once I finally get around to going in to cancel the old one, lol) I think it's a good way to shake things up a bit.

 

That said, I didn't go today like I wanted to.  If only my $10/mo were enough to get them to build a heated tunnel from my house to their building...

[Joyofsixreboot]

No S

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Angie in VA]

Not the person who posted about TA, but I'm familiar with her stuff. I'd say the Mat Workout is kind of the flagship of her method (it's older than the 'centrics but a good basis for her style).

 

Precision Toning is good for add-ons, and she also has a Method for Beginners (which, IIRC, moves slower and has better cueing than some other stuff -- Mat Workout has minimal cueing, you just learn it as you go). She also has a pregnancy series that I've heard good things about, as gentle introductions for non-pregnant people.

 

(I've used Hipcentric, Mat Workout, Precision Toning, and more, though I generally avoid her style now because of overuse injuries and a general 'meh' toward her philosophy.) :)

 

 

The first one I did was the 30 Day Method, which is a book with diet and exercises with an accompanying DVD. That's the one that worked for me. Since then I've tried a few of her other DVDs but they were very danc-y (not easy for my clutsy self to follow) I didn't like them. But the 30 Day Method, with three stages of different exercises focused on arms, legs, and abs, were unbelievably effective, at least for me. As I said, I've never been so happy with my body and felt so in shape. And while I stopped after a few months, my body stayed that way for several years before I totally abused it with lack of exercise and excess food consumption.

 

 

Thank you both for these recs!

[eternalsummer]

Regentrude -

When you’re lower carb fasting tolerance is often very much improved. It’s too tough on my adrenals to go full day fasts but 18-ish hours can be pretty comfortable, even for me :)

 

I can do 18 hours pretty easy (I just forget to eat breakfast, or there's nothing tasty so I decide to wait until after the work day to go out for groceries) but 48 hours is a whole 'nother ball game.  

[eternalsummer]

I'd just encourage anyone to run the calorie numbers on this before trying it because when I did the numbers my free day would have made the week a wash.  I took my daily deficit x 6 and discovered I could easily mindlessly eat that on the free day & either neutralize all the deficit of the week or actually eat MORE and end up gaining weight.....  -> 6 days of deprivation for nothing.

I'm actually pretty sure this is partly the source of many people saying 'diet didn't work for me'. 

 

But then I'm now of the mind that we should stop thinking about it being a diet you go on & off of. Eat how you want to eat for the rest of your life, and control portions to change the numbers on the scale. Don't try stuff for a few months & assume you can go back. I think there is no going back. It's for the rest of your life.....

 

 

I was thinking about this recently too - I read that most people who are slightly overweight (not necessarily obese, but looking to lose 10-40lb) didn't gain 20 extra pounds in 3 months - they gained something like 5lb a year for several years. 

 

5lb a year equates to something like 50 calories a day more than your body needs.  So it's not like this is some major change most people really need to make - 50 calories is just not a lot of food.  It's half an apple.  

 

So even assuming you've reached a new set point and/or your metabolism is lower, reducing your calorie intake or increasing calorie use by say 3x that much, 150 calories a day, is not a huge ask - an hour of walking, half an apple and a slice of bread, etc.  It's just that it's a long term, or ideally permanent, change, instead of a temporary one.

[ondreeuh]

I bought the app "iTrackBites" ($2) and chose their Bites Plus program, which correlates to the old WW PointsPlus. I inputted my dinner recipes into a free online nutrition calculator, and then used the nutrition info to calculate the "bites" per serving. I now have a list of my favorite recipes with their bites value - so a full bowl of my minestrone is 4 bites and 1/6 of a Taco Pie is 12. Lots of my dinners are 6-7 bites per serving.

 

I did the WW Points plan like 15 years ago with a slide tool and notebook, and these new tools make it so much easier! I love that I can use scan a barcode to get its nutrition info or look up a food in their database ($2 add-on). The app can graph your weight and adjust your daily allowance automatically.

 

I had actually subscribed to WW a few days ago but couldn't get the app to work due to being overseas, and they gave me a refund. $4 for iTrackBites is much easier to swallow than $50 for 3 months of WW Online, and I'm not stuck with their new Freestyle program.

 

Dh is doing the program too, so that is good support. He can live on eggs and tuna and drop weight fast, plus he only has 20 to lose, but he is very supportive in general.

[Ravin]

My plan: Nothing fried, especially from a fast food joint. I'll limit my fast food to my weekly Whopper, Jr. fix. When I'm having to eat out on the go, I can grab a snack pack from a grocery store, or go to Subway for a healthier option, etc. This should also, hopefully, help my wallet.

 

Severely limit red meat, especially fatty red meat. Likewise ham and bacon, eggs, and high-fat dairy.

Eat sardines or salmon several times a week.

Boost my fiber intake, and vegetables. In summer, this will mean salad. In winter, more soups.

Drink more water.

No sugary drinks. No coffee drinks with milk or half and half in them.

Limit sugary and starchy foods that don't have fiber--i.e., refined white flour baked goods, sugary treats, etc. Whole grains I'll still eat in moderation.

Severely limit artificial sweeteners, to help adjust my sweet tooth. Maybe a coke zero now and again, less than once a week.

Drink alcohol in moderation.

 

Work on keeping up with my fitness tracker goals. I got the kids trackers, so we can have competitions and encourage each other--DS is being especially good about wanting to go for walks to meet his goal!

[DawnM]

My plan: Nothing fried, especially from a fast food joint. I'll limit my fast food to my weekly Whopper, Jr. fix. When I'm having to eat out on the go, I can grab a snack pack from a grocery store, or go to Subway for a healthier option, etc. This should also, hopefully, help my wallet.

 

Severely limit red meat, especially fatty red meat. Likewise ham and bacon, eggs, and high-fat dairy.

Eat sardines or salmon several times a week.

Boost my fiber intake, and vegetables. In summer, this will mean salad. In winter, more soups.

Drink more water.

No sugary drinks. No coffee drinks with milk or half and half in them.

Limit sugary and starchy foods that don't have fiber--i.e., refined white flour baked goods, sugary treats, etc. Whole grains I'll still eat in moderation.

Severely limit artificial sweeteners, to help adjust my sweet tooth. Maybe a coke zero now and again, less than once a week.

Drink alcohol in moderation.

 

Work on keeping up with my fitness tracker goals. I got the kids trackers, so we can have competitions and encourage each other--DS is being especially good about wanting to go for walks to meet his goal!

 

Curious about this.  What is wrong with a little milk or half and half?  2 T of half and half is only 40 calories.  I can't drink coffee without it and you don't want to be around me if I can't have my coffee!  :lol:

[chicagoshannon]

I joined WW last Feb and have lost 55 pounds.  I switched over to iTrackbites a couple of months ago because I wanted to stay on smartpoints.    I'm hoping to loose 30 more in the next few months.  I went from a tight size 18 to a comfortable 12.  Would love to get into a comfortable size 10.

 

I walk when the weather permits and need to get into some work out dvd's during the winter.

 

I also watch My 600lb Life for motivation.

[AngelaNYC]

I plan on doing Keto.

 

High fat, moderate protein, low carb.

 

I lost 20 lbs last year and quit when I plateaued.  I'm trying it again with no processed food or excessive salt.

[DawnM]

I joined WW last Feb and have lost 55 pounds.  I switched over to iTrackbites a couple of months ago because I wanted to stay on smartpoints.    I'm hoping to loose 30 more in the next few months.  I went from a tight size 18 to a comfortable 12.  Would love to get into a comfortable size 10.

 

I walk when the weather permits and need to get into some work out dvd's during the winter.

 

I also watch My 600lb Life for motivation.

 

I have iTrackbites and haven't looked, do they have the new WW program on there yet?

[teachermom2834]

Low carb.

 

Dh (who is as sedentary as possible- desk job and comes come and watches TV/works on computer) has asked me to go walk in the freezing cold the last two nights. I've been trying to get him to walk with me for twenty years and he chooses record low temperatures to start. I hope he will keep it up with me.

[AppleGreen]

I guess stop eating sugar. It is my nemesis. I know I feel better when I have tamed my sugar dragon, it is definitely the wagon I keep falling from.  :crying:

[Ravin]

Curious about this.  What is wrong with a little milk or half and half?  2 T of half and half is only 40 calories.  I can't drink coffee without it and you don't want to be around me if I can't have my coffee!  :lol:

 

I am trying to avoid dairy fat. Besides which, I'm somewhat lactose intolerant and while cheese, yogurt, and other cultured dairy doesn't bother me, regular milk and half and half do not agree with me.

So, I put something else in my coffee. Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, Almond/coconut blend, or my new favorite, Silk Protein Nutmilk, which is a blend of cashew and almond milks with pea protein.

[Negin]

On 12/30/2017 at 12:46 PM, Lady Florida. said:

I'm currently reading The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work. It was written by a bariatric doctor and recommended on the Science Based Medicine blog, whose contributors' opinions I highly respect (most are doctors or scientists).

I'm embarrassed at how behind I am on reading up on all the posts and threads here. This thread is a year old, but I still need all the info. Thank you for the book suggestion, and even more, thank you for the blog recommendation also. Looks like a site that I'll be visiting regularly. 

[ondreeuh]

On 1/3/2018 at 2:24 PM, ondreeuh said:

I bought the app "iTrackBites" ($2) and chose their Bites Plus program, which correlates to the old WW PointsPlus. I inputted my dinner recipes into a free online nutrition calculator, and then used the nutrition info to calculate the "bites" per serving. I now have a list of my favorite recipes with their bites value - so a full bowl of my minestrone is 4 bites and 1/6 of a Taco Pie is 12. Lots of my dinners are 6-7 bites per serving.

 

I did the WW Points plan like 15 years ago with a slide tool and notebook, and these new tools make it so much easier! I love that I can use scan a barcode to get its nutrition info or look up a food in their database ($2 add-on). The app can graph your weight and adjust your daily allowance automatically.

 

I had actually subscribed to WW a few days ago but couldn't get the app to work due to being overseas, and they gave me a refund. $4 for iTrackBites is much easier to swallow than $50 for 3 months of WW Online, and I'm not stuck with their new Freestyle program.

 

Dh is doing the program too, so that is good support. He can live on eggs and tuna and drop weight fast, plus he only has 20 to lose, but he is very supportive in general.

 

Saw this come up on the front page. I am thrilled to say I lost 75# in 2018 and am still on track (though I maintained for December). 

I used the WW system for most of the year but now mainly track calories and eat a healthy diet. I exercise daily - in the spring I started walking the dog daily, then in the summer twice a day.  Now that the weather is crummy I have switched to at-home workouts and have increased the intensity.  

I went from a size 20W/2XL to a 10/medium. I love being able to shop in straight sizes and be pretty assured that the clothes will look good. I am going to a ball this month and my dress is a 10. 

I love what I eat, and I love feeling strong and energetic. I’m hoping 2019 goes smoothly as I am close to maintenance and everyone says that can be harder than losing. 

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, ondreeuh said:

 

Saw this come up on the front page. I am thrilled to say I lost 75# in 2018 and am still on track (though I maintained for December). 

I used the WW system for most of the year but now mainly track calories and eat a healthy diet. I exercise daily - in the spring I started walking the dog daily, then in the summer twice a day.  Now that the weather is crummy I have switched to at-home workouts and have increased the intensity.  

I went from a size 20W/2XL to a 10/medium. I love being able to shop in straight sizes and be pretty assured that the clothes will look good. I am going to a ball this month and my dress is a 10. 

I love what I eat, and I love feeling strong and energetic. I’m hoping 2019 goes smoothly as I am close to maintenance and everyone says that can be harder than losing. 

 

Fantastic!  

My results were not nearly as stellar.  It has been a very rough year in many ways emotionally.  I have continued eating poorly.  I have managed to take off about 10 pounds, but those were the ones I had put on the year before.  

 

[Noreen Claire]

On 12/30/2017 at 11:19 AM, Greta said:

Not sure if this counts since I'm looking to maintain, don't need to lose more, but just in case.....  I went vegan in August and within weeks dropped all the weight I'd been trying to lose for years.  So I'm sticking with it!  I follow Dr. Gregor's "daily dozen" checklist (except that I can't eat nuts because they trigger migraines for me):  https://nutritionfacts.org/video/dr-gregers-daily-dozen-checklist/

That daily dozen is interesting, I'll have to check it out more!

I'm shifting my mindset to 'life-improving' rather than 'weight reducing' this year. I've set up a TRX suspension trainer and a rowing machine in my bedroom, so now I can no longer use the excuse that I couldn't make it to the gym. My goals are: some form of exercise every day, vegetables/fruit at every meal, and more water. Also, I need to be in bed by 10 every night, but I'm struggling with that right now, as it's the only time I'm alone and it's quiet!

[ScoutTN]

I lost 25 lbs in 2018 and maintained through the holidays. Low carb works for me, if I am consistent. 

Hoping to lose another 10 lbs this year and to become more fit. 

[Ravin]

On the diet side: I tried intermittent fasting last year, and had some success, but then I started taking vyvanse and, although I'm not hungry in the middle of the day (which would make fasting easier), if I skip meals while taking it I feel like crap (blood sugar probably). So, I am just going to start paying attention to limiting portion sizes while not forgetting to eat entirely.

On exercise: I am continuing to gradually increase my step count. I raise it 300 steps each Monday, if I've hit goal the preceding week at least 3 times. I'm up to 8100 steps/day as my goal.

Once I hit 12000 steps/day, I'm going to stop increasing it and add something else, probably simple upper-body and core exercises I can do in spare moments without equipment. Maybe yoga.

[Selkie]

Dh and I went 100% whole food plant based in 2018. We follow Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen.

We have both lost 40+ lbs.

In addition to losing weight, our health has improved in so many ways. Dh's lifelong allergies and eczema are barely noticeable now. My high blood pressure is back to normal, my rosacea is gone, and the arthritis in my hands has disappeared.

[ondreeuh]

3 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Dh and I went 100% whole food plant based in 2018. We follow Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen.

We have both lost 40+ lbs.

In addition to losing weight, our health has improved in so many ways. Dh's lifelong allergies and eczema are barely noticeable now. My high blood pressure is back to normal, my rosacea is gone, and the arthritis in my hands has disappeared.

That is fantastic! Those health benefits make it all worth it, right?

Do you find your new lifestyle difficult to maintain? Does it feel restrictive, or just your new normal?

[teachermom2834]

Well nothing I tried in 2018 worked 😭

I did make morning exercise regular M-F and while I didn’t lose weight I felt great. Strength training kind of makes me feel like a badass even though I’m still just a frumpy 44 yo mom. But I fell off my routine in Oct and just started back up yesterday. Why is it so hard to do things that are good for us and actually make us feel good?

Diet...ugh...I’ve tried everything under the sun and lost and gained 50 pounds more times than I care to count. I’m around my highest point now and it is depressing. But I can’t bring myself to do any kind of extreme diet anymore or even low carb which is not extreme but very restrictive. I love tortilla chips and pizza once in a while with my family and I’ve decided I’m too old to bypass those things.

So- I am going back to just roughly tracking calories, trying to eat healthy and in moderation, and exercise. Moderation isn’t really my strongest character trait but I feel really done with the dieting lifestyle. 

[ondreeuh]

45 minutes ago, Noreen Claire said:

That daily dozen is interesting, I'll have to check it out more!

I'm shifting my mindset to 'life-improving' rather than 'weight reducing' this year. I've set up a TRX suspension trainer and a rowing machine in my bedroom, so now I can no longer use the excuse that I couldn't make it to the gym. My goals are: some form of exercise every day, vegetables/fruit at every meal, and more water. Also, I need to be in bed by 10 every night, but I'm struggling with that right now, as it's the only time I'm alone and it's quiet!

 

YES - focus on building healthy habits, and the weight/health issues will take care of themselves (for most of us, anyway). Exercise for strength, eat fruits & veggies for nutrition, and drink water for hydration so your body can function at its best. Get enough sleep as it's just as important as the other factors. These habits are an excellent investment in your long-term health, which is so much more important than a number on a scale.

[Condessa]

I started using dietbet.com for motivation in early November.  I lost about twelve pounds before my gallbladder attack, and earned about thirty dollars.  The best part for me turned out to be the necessity to maintain the weight lost to the end of the month—no hitting my goal, then immediately bouncing back upwards.  I’ve had a few weeks off now for my gallbladder, surgery, recovery and the holidays.  Now that I can move to exercise again, I signed up for another round this month.  In terms of actual weight loss methods, I just count calories and eat less than I burn each day.  

[scholastica]

3 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

Fantastic!  

My results were not nearly as stellar.  It has been a very rough year in many ways emotionally.  I have continued eating poorly.  I have managed to take off about 10 pounds, but those were the ones I had put on the year before.  

 

That is fantastic! Don’t sell yourself short! If you can do that in a rough year, imagine if things calm down. Way to go!

[Scarlett]

On ‎12‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 10:25 AM, KatieinMich said:

I lost 92 pounds in 2017. 1500 calories a day, low carb, high protein. My fitness pal to keep it real every day. I have more to go. Hoping to reach my goal this year.

This is AMAZING!  I am super impressed. 

[DawnM]

16 minutes ago, scholastica said:

That is fantastic! Don’t sell yourself short! If you can do that in a rough year, imagine if things calm down. Way to go!

 

Yeah, but I am still over 60 pounds overweight and no one notices 10 pounds.  

[Serenade]

1 minute ago, DawnM said:

 

Yeah, but I am still over 60 pounds overweight and no one notices 10 pounds.  

 

This is true.  I lost 10 pounds this past year as well, and nobody noticed.  Well, I can't really notice either, except on the scale.  I tell myself that at least I didn't gain anything!  I'm trying to lose 10 pounds a year for at least 4 years, and keep it off.  I'm taking the slow route because I want to focus on maintaining more than anything. 

[Selkie]

1 hour ago, ondreeuh said:

That is fantastic! Those health benefits make it all worth it, right?

Do you find your new lifestyle difficult to maintain? Does it feel restrictive, or just your new normal?

It doesn’t feel restrictive at all! The foods I thought I would miss, like cheese and seafood, are so unappealing to me now. It is amazing how quickly the taste buds change.

There was a bit of a learning curve when figuring out things like how to make salad dressing without oil. Luckily,  there are so many WFPB blogs and Facebook groups with tons of helpful tips and recipes. Cooking and eating this way just feels very natural to me now.

[DawnM]

40 minutes ago, Serenade said:

 

This is true.  I lost 10 pounds this past year as well, and nobody noticed.  Well, I can't really notice either, except on the scale.  I tell myself that at least I didn't gain anything!  I'm trying to lose 10 pounds a year for at least 4 years, and keep it off.  I'm taking the slow route because I want to focus on maintaining more than anything. 

 

Sigh.  Unfortunately, I have taken this approach for years, and it isn't working.  I either lose what I recently gained, or I don't lose at all.  I have very resistant weight loss.  And I am not willing to go drastic anymore, so I seem to be stuck.  

I am not looking for suggestions, I have so many gut issues and need to figure that out but it limits my foods.

[scholastica]

6 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

Sigh.  Unfortunately, I have taken this approach for years, and it isn't working.  I either lose what I recently gained, or I don't lose at all.  I have very resistant weight loss.  And I am not willing to go drastic anymore, so I seem to be stuck.  

I am not looking for suggestions, I have so many gut issues and need to figure that out but it limits my foods.

Praying for you Dawn. This is a hard struggle, especially when you also have to feed other people. 

[DawnM]

5 minutes ago, scholastica said:

Praying for you Dawn. This is a hard struggle, especially when you also have to feed other people. 

 

Thanks.  I am down to one kid most of the year, so that helps.

[Kassia]

1 hour ago, DawnM said:

 

Yeah, but I am still over 60 pounds overweight and no one notices 10 pounds.  

 

But ten pounds is still a lot!  Try lugging around a ten pound weight for a while - it makes a big difference.  Ten pounds is great!

I gained a lot of weight in 2018.  I had major surgery in June, which kept me from exercising and I had to change my diet after surgery (had to eat low fiber).  Now I'm back to working out and I feel like I'm eating pretty well most of the time but my weight is much higher than I want and I don't know why.  I haven't been tracking, though, so maybe I'm eating more than I think.  I'm facing two more surgeries (carpal tunnel on each hand), which is going to affect me workouts all over again.  Ugh.  It's hard!  

 

[Carol in Cal.]

On 12/30/2017 at 10:44 AM, Carol in Cal. said:

1.  I am resolving not to eat anything high calorie that doesn't taste over the moon good.  That means, among other things, that I am going to throw out all my stale Christmas cookies, which are good but not THAT good.  

2.  Back to food tracking.  It's the only thing that works for me.  Glad to use MyFitnessPal rather than the ever flakey WW Online that worked for me until they changed their whole system, which I have since learned they do pretty often.  I need something more steady than that.  Codicil:  When I'm in a very active and social environment, like at the cabin, I'm not tracking, just eating sensibly.  You have to have something to live for, and besides, I'm so much more active up there that it compensates for eating more, it seems.

3.  Dang it, I triggered my plantar fascitis again, after several years of not having it, just in one danged foot.  I will be going to an accupuncturist for this after the first of the year when my FSA resets.  I hope that works; otherwise I'm going to have to try to score some prednisone and I hate that stuff.  But I have to get better or else I won't be able to keep my step count up and take up running again which I have been looking forward to for the last two months.

4.  Fitbit focus--I will up my step count average by about 1000 steps per quarter if I can't run.  And if the PF doesn't resolve so I can't even do that, then I will get back on my HealthRider and build endurance and flexibility at least.

5.  Back to Essential Stretch--I'm ready to try this again.  The last time, I had trouble but it was related to something else.  OR, I'll try restorative yoga--I have heard of a good instructor that I think I would like.

6.  ETA:  PS:  If I stayed off of social media I'd probably lose weight right away.  Seriously spending too much time on this.  Loving those little dopamine hits too much.  Got to cut way back.

Update:  This was a good plan but I mostly didn’t stick to it.  However, I have maintained my weight despite that, and despite being almost completely sedentary, which, given the rough year that I had, is actually pretty good.

I hate food tracking, but it’s the only thing that works.  But I hate it.  These things are in perpetual conflict for me.  Someday there will be some kind of automatic food tracker like our fitbits only for food and that will be a good day for me.  Until then, conflict will continue, realistically.

PF got worse all year despite acupuncture, chiropractor, and prednisone treatments.  This made upping my step count hard.  I did invest (and I mean INVEST) in a pair of really cushy running shoes this fall, and started jog/walk exercise then.  It went OK.  I feel so good when I do that—I get the runner’s high so fast and so easily.  But then my foot hurts so bad.  BUT!  Right after Christmas Costco had a foot massage machine for demo/sale, and I tried it, and wow.  I think I might finally be on the road to recovery, after 13 months of bad PF in my left foot.  Anyway, it’s too cold out right now to continue that exercise but at least with the massage I can realistically up my step count.

My main focus right now is on that, and on reducing social media sedentariness.  Also I scrounged a standing desk for my office, and hope to get it cleaned up and installed during February (very busy between now and then).  Slow and steady and REALISTIC wins the race.

[alisoncooks]

On 12/30/2017 at 11:47 AM, alisoncooks said:

I need to make healthier choices for the whole family. Both of my daughters have had unhealthy weight gain this past year. We all need to get active.

So, I don't lose any weight (in fact, I gained 15). But!!! I feel like my girls are making healthier choices and gaining at a healthier pace. 

Onward and upward! This year we'll build on that success!

[Scarlett]

Just a FYI on WW I just checked to see how many points my tiny package of milk duds is.  Literally 3 milk duds....2 points.  These little boxes are in a candy bar by my desk!  Yikes, I need to avoid them.

[Lady Florida.]

13 hours ago, ondreeuh said:

 

Saw this come up on the front page. I am thrilled to say I lost 75# in 2018 and am still on track (though I maintained for December). 

I used the WW system for most of the year but now mainly track calories and eat a healthy diet. I exercise daily - in the spring I started walking the dog daily, then in the summer twice a day.  Now that the weather is crummy I have switched to at-home workouts and have increased the intensity.  

I went from a size 20W/2XL to a 10/medium. I love being able to shop in straight sizes and be pretty assured that the clothes will look good. I am going to a ball this month and my dress is a 10. 

I love what I eat, and I love feeling strong and energetic. I’m hoping 2019 goes smoothly as I am close to maintenance and everyone says that can be harder than losing. 

That's wonderful! Congratulations! 

11 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

 

My results were not nearly as stellar.  It has been a very rough year in many ways emotionally.  I have continued eating poorly.  I have managed to take off about 10 pounds, but those were the ones I had put on the year before.  

 

Mine weren't either. We had a lot of stuff going on within our family this year that caused a fair amount of stress. I'm not a stress eater (just the opposite in fact - I can't eat when I'm upset) but when stuff was going on I didn't pay attention to what I ate or how much I ate.

Though I didn't lose anywhere near as much as I wanted to I learned a lot. I learned that counting my calories and recording what I eat really does make a difference for me. During the times I let one or both of those things go, I either didn't lose or I noticed my weight creeping back up. So my goal for 2019 isn't about  what I eat, but being consistent in tracking. I eat a fairly healthy diet but I eat portions that are too large. Even the healthy stuff will add weight or keep me from losing if I eat too much of it. When I track I'm better at eating more reasonable portions.

[Judyan]

My goal in 2019 is to get rid of beer belly!!!

[Serenade]

9 hours ago, scholastica said:

This is a hard struggle, especially when you also have to feed other people. 

 

Feeding other people definitely makes things harder.  If we didn't have kids, my husband and I would be eating things like salmon and quinoa and more lean foods, but we have teen boys to fill up, and we're not cooking two meals.  Plus foods like salmon and lean meats tend to be expensive.

[ondreeuh]

17 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

Well nothing I tried in 2018 worked 😭

I did make morning exercise regular M-F and while I didn’t lose weight I felt great. Strength training kind of makes me feel like a badass even though I’m still just a frumpy 44 yo mom. But I fell off my routine in Oct and just started back up yesterday. Why is it so hard to do things that are good for us and actually make us feel good?

Diet...ugh...I’ve tried everything under the sun and lost and gained 50 pounds more times than I care to count. I’m around my highest point now and it is depressing. But I can’t bring myself to do any kind of extreme diet anymore or even low carb which is not extreme but very restrictive. I love tortilla chips and pizza once in a while with my family and I’ve decided I’m too old to bypass those things.

So- I am going back to just roughly tracking calories, trying to eat healthy and in moderation, and exercise. Moderation isn’t really my strongest character trait but I feel really done with the dieting lifestyle. 

 

I agree - ditch the diets! I would suggest giving yourself a calorie range - maybe 1300-1600, or something like that. Balance out higher days with lower days. I still eat tortilla chips and pizza, but I weigh & track my chips, and when we get pizza I get a personal pizza and only eat half at a time (which is around 500 cal for a Neapolitan). If I'm traveling or otherwise unable to really control my food, I eat a light, trackable breakfast (oatmeal and fruit, yogurt and fruit, eggs, etc.) and lunch/dinner (lots of veggies with tuna & crackers, turkey wrap, Boca burger ..) and just eat to satisfaction for the lunch or dinner I'm having out. 2 out of 3 on-track meals is perfectly fine on those days.

Gretchen Rubin has a theory that people are either moderators or abstainers. If you can moderate, you should do that, and if you can't, you should abstain without guilt. I am definitely a moderator overall. For me, I keep lots of yummy packaged snacks around (mini ice cream cones, Fiber One brownies, snack-size candy bars, delicious European chocolate bars) because knowing I can eat them at any time takes the pressure off (and 99% of the time I choose not to eat it - I have Christmas candy from last year still). The minute I start in with a restrictive mindset ("I can't eat that"), it messes with my head and then I want it more. However, with baked goods, I am an abstainer. Having cookies or cake around that are going to spoil if they aren't eaten is just too hard for me. When I make treats, I freeze most of it so I am not tempted to finish it off.

 

[ondreeuh]

8 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

That's wonderful! Congratulations! 

Mine weren't either. We had a lot of stuff going on within our family this year that caused a fair amount of stress. I'm not a stress eater (just the opposite in fact - I can't eat when I'm upset) but when stuff was going on I didn't pay attention to what I ate or how much I ate.

Though I didn't lose anywhere near as much as I wanted to I learned a lot. I learned that counting my calories and recording what I eat really does make a difference for me. During the times I let one or both of those things go, I either didn't lose or I noticed my weight creeping back up. So my goal for 2019 isn't about  what I eat, but being consistent in tracking. I eat a fairly healthy diet but I eat portions that are too large. Even the healthy stuff will add weight or keep me from losing if I eat too much of it. When I track I'm better at eating more reasonable portions.

Thank you!

I am the same way - portion size is 90% of the deal for me. I love healthy food, but when something tastes good I want more of it. Tracking my food keeps me from over-doing even the healthy stuff.

I don't really track when we travel, and we travel quite a bit (maybe six weeks total in 2018?). It is soooo easy to nibble on whatever looks & tastes good without thinking about how it all adds up. I have to be so much more mindful about asking myself if I'm hungry or if the food is filling or delicious enough to be worth the calories. Generally I just let other people get the decadent stuff and I take one bite to satisfy my curiosity.

I briefly tried the new WW Freestyle plan for October & November, and it is totally not for me. There are way too many "zero-point" foods for my mindset. I much prefer counting 30 calories for my carrot and knowing where I stand.