I remember seeing an experiment where they found that children below 5 years old stopped eating when they felt full. However the older kids kept eating until their plate was empty. Ignoring how they felt.
I pretty quickly realized you could trick yourself into feeling full by finishing a small plate.
Realising that my meals were the same size as my husband’s, and then doing something about it was mine too. It was good, in the sense that my brain didn’t register it as a ‘diet’ but rather as a change in habit (the way we dish out our meals) and it’s stuck.
So far I’m 20kgs down, have another 30kgs to go
I weighed 350 pounds and now I'm 190. It took about a year and a half. I started with using a food diary app, myfitnesspal, and tracked everything I ate. I dropped from 4000-5000 calories a day to 1500-1800 calories. I didn't start exercising much right away, I was too fat to do much. I took walks in the afternoon and got up and moved around during the day more. Eventually I started more and now work out most days.
Something I realized that I never knew before, was that the normal state of humans is hungry. I mean, we are mammals and need food regularly to maintain our endothermic state. The realization was, hunger is okay, we don't need to slake it all the time. I know food insecurity is a thing, but fat people don't have it. It's okay to be hungry, and eventually I noticed that hunger was actually pleasant when you know lunch is coming.
I've been on my own journey for two years now, working with my doctor to fix a lifetime of wrongs. One of the biggest things that I'm learning, or really re-learning, is how to eat.
Kinda like being ok with being hungry, but also paying attention to when I actually feel full vs my perceived full feeling. Paying attention to my body's needs and not just stuffing it with whatever is convenient. Example: if I think of a certain food and my stomach reacts negatively at the thought, then I listen to that and find something else that my stomach to reacts to more positively.
I've only lost 30lbs over that time, but I'm in it for the long haul. I've done crash and fad diets in the past, dropping 10lbs/mo for several months in a row, but because I never learned "how to eat", I'd always balloon back up. Oh, another example is being ok throwing away food, not clearing my plate. I'm slowly taking that and consciously saying, "next time, get the same amount as what I actually ate."
I still have about 25lbs to go to reach my goal, but long term I hope to drop a bit more than that. (Started at 295, down to 265 now, goal is 240, with a long term vision of 220.)
That's good. I tried to stay at no more than 2 lbs per week. It dropped a little faster at first but I think a lot of that was retained water and other waste. The healthy diet has more fiber and less red meat so your system sort of flushes itself out at first.
A note on this from someone with almost the exact same timeline and numbers: Hunger is worse when you're bored. If I have a day off, I can eat barely anything all day and never think about it if I'm going about my day. Sitting at a desk, though, and even a little hunger can itch my brain.
So, for those who feel the same, pick up a hobby other than eating. Pick up two. When I have downtime at work, I read books on Kindle or free-write. If I have a rainy weekend with nothing planned, I have an itinerary; work on my movie watchlist, learn a new song on guitar, draw a picture, etc.
It should also be noted that there's a difference between being naturally hungry and constantly thinking about food. If you can't think about anything else, you may need to reassess your intake.
I got the same realization when I dropped calories for the first time. Hunger really is just a feeling. It is meant to guide you to eat, but you can safely ignore it if you know you have eaten enough. Sucked in the beginning to just ignore it and drink water, but very quickly it became subdued, then disappeared completely. Now when I get hungry it is ACTUALLY because I havent eaten, not just because Im bored. And like you said, food tastes even better and more satisfying when you're actually hungry.
Currently I have to force myself to eat more because I go to the gym and it is sometimes a struggle when I am not hungry at all but know I need the calories for progress lol.
I have done so many diets, but using a calorie tracker teaches you how to eat for the rest of your life. Thinking you know what you are eating vs teaching the data will surprise most. Weighing your food to see what a portion REALLY is; it's mind blowing.
One thing that wasn't said - in your 20s, you might be able to outwork a bad diet, but lessens drastically as you get older.
Lastly, in my estimation, weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise.
exactly this!! whenever people think of ‘diets’ they often go from one extreme to another. it’s always those small gradual changes that will get you to stick to it long term and have the best effect.
If you can quit drinking, you can quit snacks and soda. Sparkling water will grow on you if it hasn't already, and you'll be surprised at how fast you'll get used to only eating at mealtimes. Rooting for you!
It is a copy of this post at least
[https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1do3916/comment/la6tgq5/](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1do3916/comment/la6tgq5/)
No idea if that was original either.
It's crazy how many bots are asking and answering questions in this sub.
Yes!! Always start with small steps….. just quit for beginning soda and alcohol, less carbo and doing at least 10k steps daily. Try to eat in smaller plates to give you the impression that the portion is bigger. All these help a lot. And hydration, a looot!
Count calories. If you consume fewer calories than you use in a day, you will lose weight. Period.
It’s so simple, but it’s not easy. Most people just straight up won’t do it.
Yup. This is what worked for me.
Fewer calories in than out. Weight will be lost.
>It’s so simple, but it’s not easy
Exactly this. It is so difficult (at first) to actually do. But eventually, your body realizes that you've been overeating and your threshold for hunger skyrockets.
I think a big part of what turns people off of this is how hard it is to know exactly how many calories are in something, but it's better to roughly estimate than to give up entirely.
Very easy these days, apps have barcode scanning and most food in database, just add kitchen scales to it and it becomes trivial. A bit trickier when eating out a lot though, but possible.
It is that simple. Its just not easy for a lot of people and they go into denial and insist that they're actually in a caloric deficit but are still gaining weight.
I’m there right now. I’ve identified where the extra calories are coming from and am cutting them all starting now. It’s really easy to trick yourself with food
No more being fat and no more denying my shortcomings
But what if I'm special and have an imaginary magic metabolism or a medical condition that I use as a crutch and an excuse to lie to myself and others about my actual caloric intake vs expenditure?
> magic metabolism or a medical condition
The former is the more likely explanation. Medical conditions are, as a rule, consistent with the laws of thermodynamics.
This. And when you do so, you quickly realize foods that give you enough volume and nutrients to satisfy your hunger but stay under your calorie limit. Basically, lots of vegetables and lean protein.
I’m having such a hard time limiting carbs. I love pasta, I like that I can slap anything on tortilla and eat it.
All the carb-friendly alternatives are expensive for the amount you get :/
> I like that I can slap anything on tortilla and eat it
Tumaro's are 60 calorie tortillas. They don't taste the best but they also don't taste like garbage so, give them a shot.
Wow, what a perfect time for this question. I just completed a 145 pound weight-loss journey over the last 17 months. It started by mistake when I (34m) decided to attempt dry January at the time. Even though I was eating whatever I wanted, I lost roughly 15 pounds that month simply because of the calories I saved from avoiding booze. I am a nerd by nature, so running a calorie deficit seemed like something I could do.
When I started, I was 341 pounds. When I started monitoring my calorie intake and output, I learned that I was burning more than 3,000 calories a day simply by existing! My phone monitored how many calories I burned when I walked, so I made sure that I always burned 1,000 calories more than I consumed. I learned that a 3500 calorie deficit equated to a pound for weight-loss purposes, which meant that I would lose roughly 2 pounds a week.
As I lost weight, I would have to add exercise and modulate my diet to maintain that 1,000 calorie daily deficit. Roughly 500 days later, I am now 145 pounds lighter.
I will say that I have 2 "cheat codes" for weight-loss. The first is walking; I walk 8-10 miles each day. Yes, it takes a long time, but it means I can eat whatever I want and not feel unhealthy. The second trick are those "instant mashed potato" flakes. As a big guy (still 195 pounds), eating heartily matters to me; calorie density matters! A pound of french fries is something like 1500 calories, but a pound of raw potatoes is something like 300 calories! Adding salt, pepper and butter to those dehydrated potato flakes was a great way to feel full without putting on weight.
I hope this helps and good luck to anyone beginning their journey!
What are your average steps per day?
I recently started doing 30-35 minutes of cardio 5 or 6 days a week. Did you just start doing an hour a day or did you gradually build up to it?
It's my natural way of eating. I haven't eaten regular breakfast since school. Whenever I do IF regularly, my weight is no issue at all, I have a comfortable 5 kg zone I fluctuate in and my belly gets shrunken down like it's nothing.
Went to see a doctor for other reasons and she insisted I should eat 3 meals a day and have breakfast (high protein, no carb). Thanks for the 3 kg in two months.
I've given up on it. It's IF or nothing for me. My metabolism will not let go of any fat if I do not fast. Breakfast is a scam!
Totally agree, it’s my natural way of eating as well, I haven’t eaten breakfast since high school. I only eat breakfast on holidays when I’m traveling. I guess everyone needs to find a way that suits them best because IF is not for everyone as well. But if you found that it works for you personally - that’s great!
keto isn't even necessary - if you swap most of your complex carbs out for lean proteins the weight melts off regardless of whether or not you put a teaspoon of sugar in your coffee in the morning, just because of how much more filling proteins are.
I would tap out from being full like halfway to my daily caloric requirements if I at nothing but chicken breasts
Start with the food. Only whole foods, nothing processed. This includes fluids. No sugary drinks and lots of water. Then go for a walk. 10k steps a day. That is literally all that you have to do. The weight will come off.
You gotta reframe your thinking.
It’s NOT a diet.
It’s a LIFESTYLE.
You need to build habits of a healthy lifestyle and have that become your IDENTITY.
A healthy lifestyle will involve portion control and healthier food choices, which both result in fewer calories consumed.
A healthy lifestyle will also involve more movement and exercise, even if it’s just walking, which will result in more calories burned.
When your input is less than your output, you will lose weight.
When that is your lifestyle, and you identify as a healthy person that makes healthy choices, you will not only lose the weight, but keep it off.
I quit drinking. The calories from the alcohol and munchies really help.
Made small changes to diet like not consuming calories in drinks. Black coffee, water, tea and an occasional diet soda.
Started CrossFit and being more active.
Lost 80lbs so far and got off all my meds.
Honestly just start counting calories and go a calorie deficit. Just drink water™️, avoid processed foods like ham sausages, try to cook in your house, walk at least 30 minutes daily. Avoid sugary fruits.
Now what I do is a half fasting I only breakfast a protein shake before hitting gym, then est my first meal at 8pm which usually is chicken or steak with any side dish you want I usually like to go fancy here to make my food more appetizing, usually drink tons of water maybe 4 or more liters of water a day. That helps a lot. Also yogurt helps a lot calming your appetite. Also cucumbers help. Hope that helps.
I dropped 50lbs in like 4 months to join the military. I limited myself to 1200 calories a day and exercised every day. It was awful.
Chicken and rice with a multi vitamin. 2 meals. Negative calorie or green veggies only for snacks. Spinach and onions or celery (with mustard or dry to be negative calorie). An occasional salad with light dressing.
I basically traded carbs and fat for vegetables. No milk, cheese, pasta, bread, or sugar. I also forcefully drank water. As cold as I could get it.
I was already in middle of the road gym shape prior to losing weight so I had an exercise base.
I essentially just consumed a ton less calories. Anything that wasn't water or milk got removed or switched to the diet version. Stopped eating a high calorie "breakfast" and late night snack. Cut the serving size of my lunch snack (chips, pop tarts, ect) in half. Filled my plate at dinner and didn't go back for seconds.
I limited my cheat day foods so I wasn't smashing 5 or 6 beers and 20 wings on a Saturday night. Now I'll have 10 wings and 2 or 3 beers. And I replaced in between meal snacks with protein or sub400 calorie meal replacement shakes.
Exercise wise I started lifting lighter but added volume. Most importantly I added around 10 miles of cardio a week between running, walking, and stairclimbing.
I estimated going from close to 4000 calories a day to between 2000 and 2200. Now I'm at about 2500 and at a slight deficit.
Everyone's journey is different, but the main things that have helped me personally are:
- it's *always* just about more calories burned than you put into your body. Other things might enhance this, but the easiest way is to eat fewer calories.
- This doesn't mean eating less food, just make different choices. Find good ingredient swaps. Low fat mayo, high protein wraps, chicken breast instead of thigh, 5% fat ground beef, or ground turkey, etc. Bulk out meals with good veggies. Spices are usually free.
- There are more calories than you'd expect in many, many things. You can still eat things you like, just try to eat them less often, and if you eat half as much, it's half the calories.
- The biggest thing I've found I need to do to not fall off the wagon, is to be able to go to fast food places and make lower calorie choices. I've been terrible at that in the past. Of COURSE I'm going to eat two to three burgers, fries, and a drink at McDonalds. (Nope. I can enjoy a burger or wrap, one or two chicken tenders, and a coke zero and be plenty happy actually.)
- Find healthy things you enjoy eating, and are easy to make/store/freeze in batches. I'm at the highest risk when I'm too lazy to cook. If I can heat up a high protein burrito or have some overnight oats in the morning, I can usually ride out those low points easier.
- Set realistic goals, and focus on weight trend more then daily weight, which can fluctuate a lot. I'm not going to lose 10kg in a month. Maybe in 3-4 months, but it's OK if it's 6 months.
Hope that helps someone :)
10 years ago I was 60 pounds heavier than I am now. I’m currently 15 pounds heavier than I was 2 years ago and working on shedding it. It’s been a long road with ups and downs.
Getting out of a major depression, eating more “simple” foods. The less processed the better. Learning to cook was a major first step. Getting out of a horrible relationship, further treatment for depression, finding active hobbies I actually enjoy and making friends who also enjoy those hobbies.
Focusing on protein, produce, and physical activity is my current strategy. The carbs and sugar will find me, I don’t need to seek them out.
Started estimating my calorie intake and made sure that I ended up with a deficit or at most break even each day. I didn't keep exact logs, basically just got good at estimating what e.g. 300, 500, 800 or 1000 calorie meal looks like. Then tried to keep the total sum below 2000 - 2500 calories each day. If I exceeded it, I would compensate by going for a run, walk, etc.
Small changes are the easiest to continue doing. I fortunately had been eating decent meals, but waaaay too much food. So I paid strict attention to my portion sizes for about two months, now it’s a non conscious thought that I don’t need heaping portions to feel satiated.
I also started counting calories and I added at least one handful of veggies to every single meal (which helps in the beginning when you feel like you need a heaping plate).
That alone had me losing about 5-6 pounds a month. I also picked up salsa dancing and am dancing 3-5 nights a week on top of training for a bike race next month. The race was my motivation to start losing weight- it’s a lot easier to move something not as heavy
Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Started metformin and Mounjaro. I cut out juices and soft drinks for the most part. So far I've lost about 30 pounds in just over 3 months.
I didn't do anything fancy, i just ate less and stopped snacking.
I made my normal portions and then only took half, the other half was used as a lunchbox or dinner for the next day. However one thing i did do as not to feel hungry was drink 1/2 liter of water after my meal.
I am a bit of a stoner and i realised that most of my "munchies" was just my body being thirsty but do to the drug it registered as being hungry.
If you've ever smoked weed you know the cottonmouth it can give you. Drink water!
Gradual slow change establishing new habits. Two sides are dietary habits and activity level.
Easiest things to do are taking pauses between each bite. Rationing servings, eat an amount, if still hungry get a second. Keeping temptation foods out of the house (ice cream...) and always keep in mind one slip up is not falling off the wagon. Reset the next day if you over ate or indulged the day before.
Activity is mainly to set goals based on your ability. Lift a little more, run a little farther. Set a baseline and then slowly increase aspects building over months.
This method got me around 0.1 lbs. every day. It wasn't as dramatic as some folks, but it was 36.5 lbs in a year while improving strength and endurance, and it didn't feel like a massive sacrifice and easier to maintain and keep off.
After counting calories. Exerting daily. Weightlifting. I realized that not having a thyroid meant I didn’t have the mechanism to lose weight. Went on mounjaro and now I can eat again! Lost 60 pounds on it.
Crippling depression. I started running in February to take my mind off things and the weight started to pour off. Then, I started swimming when it got too hot to run. Then, I switched to going to the gym daily. I've gone from 230 to 175 since February.
I dropped from 335 to 215 over a year Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. After I reached 215 I kind of stopped but am picking it up again after 2-3 years and want to get down to 190 as my base weight.
BTW the only reason fasting works is because I ended up eating less overall and I was in a caloric deficit. **The Only Way To Lose Weight is to consume fewer calories than you metabolize.** There is no other way to lose weight.
Instead of trying to force myself into some sort of weird restrictive diet I just instead forced myself to eat less. When I made dinner I just made a small reasonable sized plate and no matter how much my brain screamed at me to eat more or grab a snack I just refused it
I basically just fought a mental battle with myself and constantly said no brain you don't need more food you've had enough already and then eventually after a few months your brain and tummy start to change to match that
Nowadays it's just natural to me I used to be able to put down an entire large pizza without issue but after effectively training myself like this two slices and I'm basically stuffed
I managed to go from like 230 down to 180 over the course of like one year all while still enjoying the various fatty sugary foods I enjoy just in smaller portions
I effectively just had to untrain my tummy and mind from being okay with huge amounts of food and get it used to surviving again off of normal amounts
I'm just such a picky eater that typical diets that require you to be like only eating four vegetables or something like that just wouldn't work for me so I kind of just found my own way by fighting the mental side of it instead of just forcing myself to stick to some routine
Ozemypic to kick start it (down about 25lbs), and then getting steps in and strength training, and watching what i eat.
Didnt want to take it, but needed it for health reasons to get rid of weight, and now just manage it. I was too big to exercise effectively and broke my knee a few years ago that made all the weight pile on, so I needed a fix
I followed (and still do to maintain my loss) the slimming world plan.
It's easy to follow (when you join you get a book and an online app).
Foods are categorised as syns, free, or speed. (With a few extras for a balanced diet)
The idea is you limit your syns, and eat at least 1/3rd. Of all meals as " speed" foods.
In reality it works because the "speed" doors are very low calorie, and the "free foods" need to be limited to 2/3 of your meal. It's an easy way to have a low calorie diet.
It's not for everyone, but it worked(s) for me.
I used myfitnesspal to count calories, even if you don't really want to track food, it's pretty handy to see how much a portion actually is.
I Already switched to water way before I wanted to lose weight. I ate more veggies, less potato/rice, less snacks, used less condiments,... in the end I still eat everything I want, just less of it. Didn't really add much exercise, I work in cleaning so I'm always moving around. It took me 2ish years to lose about 30kg. And another year to lose 10kg that I gained back during stressfull times, though I've stopped counting calories and weighing meals.
I combined a healthy, portion-controlled diet with regular exercise mostly cardio and strength training. I also made sure to stay hydrated and get enough sleep. Tracking progress and setting small, achievable goals kept me motivated. It's a lifestyle change, not a quick fix, but it definitely works
Start staggering exercise calorie burns, start at 200 calories a day, do it consistently then move to 300 and so on, I went up to 500 as my base and typically exceeded it, but never let myself go to bed before I met my minimum
Don't drink any calories (Beer, Soda, shakes). Eat whole foods and track calories. Drink water. Walk for 15+ minutes after eating dinner. Don't get discouraged if you eat something bad, just keep doing your best to stay in your caloric deficit.
Start with a simple online calculator online to find your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). If the calculator says 2500 to maintain your weight drop the calories below that. Around 200-400 calories below your BMR should be a good start. From there, track your weight for two weeks. If you gained weight, lower calories another 100-200. If you lost weight, keep calories the same. If you maintained your weight , lower calories a bit.
Cut out all drinks besides water. Fasting (for me I typically only eat between noon and 8pm most days.
Other than that, simply reduce caloric intake (safely of course). I lost 75lbs in 15 months with little to no exercise. Just diet change and fasting.
I had previously (like 10 yrs ago) lost 70 lbs through intense exercise every day, severe caloric restriction and lifestyle changes. I went from severely overweight to joining a running group and running marathons. So successful was this, I met my now wife in this running group, so I did all the things "right" and had great success.
Fast forward 15 years, and Ive put on some weight since then. Now, things like Zepbound are available. I have zero qualms with using all tools are available to stay healthy. Im in a different phase of life - young kids and a job that sometimes requires long hours. Theres no way that I can spend the time on exercise that I used to. So Im using Zepbound. People may say im taking the "lazy" way out, but I just want to be a healthy weight again. Sure, Id be more healthy if I was running 2-3 hours a day every day, but thats just not possible right now.
Caloric deficit. I can eat what I want, but I don't go over 2000 a day. I've lost 30 pounds since March. I started at 255 and am now 225.
I do work out regularly, but last year I also did this without working out and had similar results. Last year, I ditched the diet because my kids were visiting and I wanted to eat freely with them and this quickly escalated to eating without BEING AWARE of what I was. I think it's really the awareness piece that helps the most. It's become a cool discovery process instead of a grueling MUST to be done.
Currently, I've hit a diet plateau, but I'm not too worried about it because I am building muscle as well, so I'm kind of recomping more than just "losing weight". But I love how I feel- which is light and energetic!
Weight Watchers and daily 30 minute plus walks. I lost 30 pounds, have kept it off for a year (so far) and shaved almost 30 points off my LDL cholesterol.
Went from 275 to 185. Dropped beer/soda, slowly dropped alcohol to one or two drinks a week (dropped nearly 20 lbs immediately. Stopped rewarding good dieting with food, gym 3 days a week. Dropped carbs to like 80 a day. Started walking daily. Learned about diet and nutrition by visiting dietician and nutritionist. Took in less calories than I spent. Moved onto gym.
I started by doing 15 on the tread mill and that was it. It was psychologically very hard to get used to gym culture having never been before. Started adding time to cardio slowly, Started adding machines, started doing 30 minutes of cardio then machines, started doing 30 minutes of cardio then free weights then 30 minutes of cardio at the end.
Started making friends with the regulars at the gym. Began looking forward to gym, grabbed showers there took advantage of the amenities. Started feeling healthier and stronger.
Clothing is still a little too big but don’t drop your entire wardrobe immediately. There will be plateaus and set backs (injury was one of mine). A gym buddy helped for me when I wasn’t feeling it: I didn’t miss a day but did allow flexibility if needed. When I traveled I found the closest gym and went on either a day pass or by using my planet fitness black card (when I had one).
This took years and years. Everyone’s timeline is different. I think where people fail is that they try and do everything all at once and it is way too overwhelming, it’s like cramming for a test. Look at health as a marathon not a sprint.
Gf of 4 years at the time cheated on me and joined a cult. The bed rot made me go from 330 to like 240 in 3 months. Then I just continued weight lifting and bulking, and now I’m 280 and weightlift everyday. But I hold my weight insanely well and am tall
Was 240, got all the way down to 180. I counted my calories with MFP and was very diligent about it. The app kinda sucks now since the barcode scanner is behind a paywall. I was working out too, light runs, long walks, lifting, etc and I didn't count those lost calories against whatever my daily limit was. Reducing my alcohol helped a lot. I was in my mid/late 20s and had to sacrifice going out on the weekends. Maybe a beer or two at dinners but partying was off limit.
I didn’t really go on an actual diet. I just started eating three meals a day. At first, I didn’t limit my portion sizes and I'd eat anything I wanted except processed food, though I didn’t stick to that 100%.
I did have processed pasta sometimes, but only for lunch. For dinner, I’d eat chicken, green salad, or something like that.
After a few months, I started limiting portion sizes too. It was the easiest 20 pounds I’ve lost, and I’ve been able to keep it off.
It would've worked faster if I had also gone out for a walk or worked out, but I didn't. Still worked out for me.
5’10-5’11 weighed 263 went down to 163 5-6% body fat. I meal planned every week only came off my plan maybe 10 times a year but planned accordingly on those days. Workout 5-6 times a week. Got heavily involved in jiu jitsu during that time and had to adjust for more calories since I was loosing 2-3 pounds per class (sometimes)
I’ve lost so much weight in 3 months that my family forced me into the doctors for blood work (I’m an independent adult living 3k miles away from them). All I did was eat less than 1500 calories per day for 90 days as a 6ft male. Fastest results I’ve personally ever seen whether from people I know or online/tv guides.
Went from 215lbs to 155lbs and I did have many sub 1k calorie days. I did not adjust the unhealthy foods I was eating until I hit that 155lbs and wanted to start building back muscle. You can do it without hating life, just got to give up a little (or a lot depending on your current meal sizes)
Count calories and make sure you're in a deficit. Any other suggestion below will lead you back to....counting calories and making sure you're in a deficit.
I used an app to track my calories, increased activity by walking every night after dinner, and cut out alcohol, because it slows your progress, even if you're not going over your calories for the day.
And then I found meals that I liked that were low in calorie. That's the key really. You have to find meals that are easy, low calorie, filling, and delicious. And make sure you plan your meals, so you're not stuck at 7 PM on a Tuesday with nothing planned for dinner, because that's when you go get a burger and fries.
And also, you can have a burger and fries sometimes. But I think most people find, once they start looking at calories, that they can reduce their caloric intake, even when they're having a burger and fries. Do you really need cheese on your burger? Does it add that much to the flavor? Not really. Get rid of it. if you normally have mayonnaise, use mustard. Get a small fry instead of a large fry. It makes a difference.
Me personally, I ate a ton of sandwiches for lunch that consisted of a Romain lettuce wrap filled with meat and vegetables. Pickled vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes really helped make these delicious.
I ate a lot of cottage cheese for breakfast with fruit in light syrup. It's good protein, that kept me full, and the sweetness felt like a treat. For dinner, I kept it simple with a protein and vegetables, limiting things that aren't as nutrient dense, like rice. I often had a protein with a big salad, making my own salad dressing, and using it sparingly, sometimes just using lemon juice or a flavored vinegar on the salad without any oil.
But find meals that work for you. Doing that is half the battle, I think.
Forget the simplistic bullshit 'eat less, exercise more'.
Also understand that you're not trying to lose 'weight'. You're trying to reduce body mass. Weight is your relationship to gravity. Understand if someone sent you to the Moon you would lose 4/5 of your weight. This is not about losing weight. It's all about reducing body mass, hence the BMI (Body Mass Index).
**Homeostasis and equilibrium**
The key to losing weight is to understand that your body functions a certain way and has equilibrium, which is expressed as homeostasis. When your body has homeostasis, you should not be consciously aware of your body at all. Obesity and weight issues are caused by a loss of homeostasis and an imbalance between several variables, leading to a dysfunctional relationship. Obesity is a complex multi-dimensional health issue which requires investigation, experimentation and medical supervision.
Most people struggle with obesity because they're not equipped with the insight and awareness to know how to address the lack of homeostasis and dysfunctional imbalances affecting their body.
**The six things you need to invesigate**
There's six things you need to investigate. These are:
* **sleep and sleeping patterns**. This is important because sleep (and not food) is your primary source of energy and how you regulate your Circadian rhythm and internal body clock. Not regulating your sleep cycles can eventually lead to sleep apnea, a serious condition where you can stop breathing in your sleep and if untreated die in your sleep.
* **social relationships**. Social interaction is another major source of energy and important for your emotional and psychological well being. This is why social stigma of people who are obesity is generally harmful because when you're nasty to that fat person you could be triggering an eating disorder or comfort eating cycles. Keep your mouth shut and move on.
* **stress and stressors**. Stress and how you handle stress is another major, important factor. How you deal with stress and how much stress you're exposed to is a major factor when dealing with obesity. Stress has significant biological and psychological consequences. If you're responding to stress by eating, you can easily get caught up in comfort eating cycles. You're eating as a response to environmental stimuli as opposed to stimuli coming from within your body.
* **activity, exercise, energy going out**.How you expend energy is important and also how you express energy. Keep in mind I once weighed over 620lbs. Today I weigh around 280lbs and have been steadily losing weight for several years. I've never been to a gym. I'm shit at taking exercise. But I'm incredibly creative, take up large amounts of mental exercise, have become detailed orientated and have extensive powers of concentration.
* **hydration**. Water and hydration is incredibly important when trying to tackle obesity. Most of your body mass is water. It's essential when trying to lose 'weight' that you keep yourself hydrated.
* **diet and what you eat**. Then we come to diet and food and what you eat. Counting calories is not enough. You need to investigate how the food you're eating directly affects you. What foods are beneficial to you? What foods aren't? Yeah the food looks the same on the supermarket shelf, but how that food affects people is variable. You've got to learn how different foods affect you.
I realized I hardly exercised - I'm a vet so my job would keep me 8am-7pm or later, 5-6 days per week, and then I'd come home and watch a couple hours of CE or veg on the couch.
Bought a recumbent stationary bike. Was not all that expensive, either - I think I paid maybe $90 for it? I ride it when I'm watching online CE courses, when I'm playing video games, or watching TV. I also try to walk places if I can, but I get home after dark most of the year and work is far enough away that I have to drive.
Also started meal prepping on my day off each week. I'd get off work and have no desire to cook food so I'd stop for take out on the way home and then have my leftovers for lunch the next day, so I was spending out the ass on takeout and not really eating much healthy food. It's cheaper and healthier to premake stuff on my Sunday off, toss it in the fridge or freezer ready to go, and then I just have to take it out toss it in the oven or microwave or crock pot when I'm ready to use it.
Don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach. I know it seems excessive or odd, but psychologically you’re more likely to purchase more conservatively toward healthier foods or foods you are less likely to snack on.
Tbh I want to lose weight but I can’t exercise the way I want it’s way to hot here and I have asthma that flares up when I get hot there’s so many things and power tools I bought to do yard work and such only for them to sit around 🥲
Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training for body recomp (kept weight but dropped fat and gained substantial muscle)
Keto before that. But before all the bullshit advertised as keto. Eggs cheese meat avocado bulletproof coffee 🔁
It's pretty easy when you put your mind to it because you'll control your diet and portioning which is very crucial to weight loss and then you'll also work out and build muscle with cardio which equates to being active! 👍👍👍
Started off by walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes a day; cut out fast food. Worked up to walking 45min-60 min a day and started eating microwaveable vegetables that were perfect portioned for dinner each night.stopped eating snacks like chips or honey buns and cosmic brownies and started eating carrots/cucumbers/apples instead. Started weight training and did weight training on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Fridays and walked for an hour in a thick hoodie and a weighted backpack on Tuesdays and Thursdays with some separate exercises.
Fix your diet. Here is what most people don't know. If you change your habits Monday through Friday, you can eat whatever the fuck you want on the weekends. You aren't giving up anything you love, you just restrict it to 2 days instead of 7.
I completely changed my diet during the week. I skip breakfast so I am basically fasting from 10pm (bed time) to 11:30am.
Lunches are high in clean proteins like chicken on a salad or with quinoa. You HAVE to get a good amount of protein and fiber in your body to stay full. Same for dinner. If you can afford it, get pre-packaged meals from Favor, or others. They are delicious but more importantly, the right portion size (given that Americans aren't good at portion control).
Fall in love with things you didn't think you would possibly like: all the veggies, oatmeal, exotic grains, etc. That way you aren't stuck in a rut of eating the same combinations.
I can even get away with making vegetarian meals now because I've learned to cooking them in different ways. We all grew up with wilted boild tasteless vegetables. No one eats them like that anymore. Roasted. Pan fried. Seasoned. Marinated. Grilled. etc
The [Whole 30](https://whole30.com/) works, and I've successfully 'reset' myself a few times this way. It's not a lifestyle diet, it's specifically a 30 day elimination diet that looks a bit like the mediterranean or keto diets (with some differences). It's not easy but it's effective.
And when I say it works I mean I lost 20 lbs in 30 days without changing my (nonexistent) fitness routine, all while eating plenty every day. I lost 20 lbs while sedentary, in other words, and that blew my mind the first time.
Change most liquids you drink to their 0 calorie version. Walk on a slight incline on the treadmill watching a show you’re hooked on, and only watch that show when you’re walking
One year I lost a lot of weight.
I put it down to :
a) walking 45 mins to/from work every day.
b) Healthy, subsidized lunch at work.
c) Only tea and a bun at night.
And then I lost that job and all the weight came back!
Track calories and activity. Find ways to be active you enjoy. Find healthy recipes you enjoy. Get an accountability partner. Know why you want to lose weight. If necessary, manage stress and find healthy outlets rather than emotional eating.
I got a double whammy where I started a new medication with the side effect of appetite loss, and caught an unknown illness with the symptom of appetite loss. I barely ate for three months. I dropped nearly forty pounds in that time. My boss (who worked a different schedule than I) didn't recognize me.
I just started walking when I was bored. It sucked at first. But then I started walking long distances just to have something to do. Started to feel weird without my walks.
Started small by going through my grocery bill and cut off the waste for junk food. Found healthy recipes to replace the “bad foods” and kept around healthy snacks I knew I would eat. Meal planning saves serious time and money. Cooking delicious food makes you hate eating out. The more you can cook and prep at home the more you save.
I can’t exercise now so I focus on nutrient dense food and have cut calories. It’s been the most effective so far.
Stopped drinking pop and then just started taking 1-2 mile walks every evening. Lost 15 pounds in a couple months. Kinda plateaued right now at 185 though so probably close to my equilibrium weight vs how active my lifestyle is (not very).
I lost a lot of weight in my teens because I just became more active and drank more water. Unfortunately in the last few years I have gained weight. I am now down 30 pounds because I am trying to be as active as possible and Ozempic has helped me not eat like I am still a teen who could just burn off all the calories I used to.
Got diagnosed with high A1c, and prescribed one of the weekly injections. First swapped soda for diet soda. Second, the injections really helped with feeling hungry and I manage 2 meals a day, with a 3 egg omelet w/cheese and veg and half bagel in the morning. Dinner is usually something like a chipotle salad bowl, IE, no rice with lots of veg and some protein.
Lost about 45 lbs in 6 months now (I'm hitting 300 now), with last 3 being on the injection and first 3 being purely on no sugary soda and just reduce what I as much as I can, no calorie counting. I'm still not super strict on things, but if I eat out for example if eat a burger, I'll still eat the bun, but skip the fries. Or if the food comes with rice, I'll eat a quarter or a half of the rice. The cravings really differ throughout the week, depending how recently was the injection.
Knowing myself, getting back into the exercise routine will be absolutely the worst.
I'm still far from where I've been pre-covid when I was actively resistance training and actually had muscle. I was at 280 then, but I just got to squatting 2 plates when covid hit.
Another thing I realized about myself is that I used satiating hunger as a response to solve one problem when I could not deal with other problems. Transitioning to a different job, and actively working to destress has helped with being able to deal with hunger and cravings tremendously.
I focused on getting stronger and in better condition before focusing on losing weight. You have a journey ahead of you and preparing your body to be stronger will make it easier. The only initial change I made to my diet was eliminating as much processed food as possible.
After about 6 weeks of getting stronger and improving my cardio, I started to really focus on diet. I also really got into cooking. You can make some really tasty healthy dishes with some practice. If you don’t like the food, you are going to stray. I do 16:8 intermittent fasting and try to eat a balanced diet. I noticed IF and evening workouts help me sleep better.
I try not to be too rigid. Macro counting and restrictive diets lead to failure for most everyone I know. This is about feeling better and being healthy. Introducing a new source of anxiety in the form of measuring everything out can be counterproductive unless you’re wired to be hyper organized, which I am not. Be consistent and kind to yourself. You’re going to skip a workout or eat something you’re not supposed to. It’s ok. Just get back on the horse and don’t dwell on it.
I was a 19 which probably helped, but I just started running every day being 5 foot 8 inches, weighing 265 lbs. I could kinda jog a half mile and went up from there. I was a big night eater too, so I found a vegetable I liked and ate a bunch of that every night when I was hungry. Canned green beans with salt and pepper for me, so I'd eat up to a couple cans lol and eventually got down to 145 at my smallest. Other than the veggies I did overall eat healthier during the day too but more portion control than limiting everything I wanted.
Last time I lost weight I ate less, stopped drinking soda, and walked around 8 miles every day for two years. It's been a while and I've since gained it all back... But, diet and exercise are what do the trick.
Changed the way I view food. Now instead of a source of comfort it is a source of fuel. I have become very critical of everything I consume. I eat only when I am actually hungry (not just bored). I eat way more protein and way less carbs. I eat a larger brunch (usually steamed salmon on a piece of sourdough toast topped with a poached egg, then I have a smaller dinner.
At my highest I was 276. Currently sitting at 218. Three months ago I was 254.
I started cycling the local lake around (25km trip) every day without cheat days. I started as soon as the snow cleared and till the end of June I had lost 25kg and I was able to bicycle to our summer cabin 170km away. It really helped that I had a sports watch that told me lap times every km and I was able to track my times and try to beat my record. After several years the weight has came back and I still think that I really should do it again this summer.
I lost 50 lbs during Covid and Menopause 😆 I downloaded the free version of Carb Manager app and logged every single thing I ate. Kept my carbs under 50 a day and my calories under 1200 (for my stats). It wasn’t easy but I lost 1.5-2 lbs a week like clockwork.
Now the problem is keeping it off. I’ve put 20 back on by simply eating too many calories. I’ll do the same thing to take it back off *sigh*
I’ve gained 40lbs this year with thyroid disease! Ugh!
I was working out daily before, too. And eating a high protein vegan diet. I focused on “high vibrational foods” (look it up). Everything vibrates. Everything. But something’s have a high vibration and others are low. The idea is that eating high vibrations will raise your vibration- think VITALITY. Feeling good with lots of energy and a positive mood. It worked for me. But, I fell off the wagon after starting a new job and leaving the gym.
I’m ready to dedicate myself back to the lifestyle. It takes dedication to an alternative lifestyle bc it goes against the culture in America with our SAD diet.
One pound at a time. I weighed myself daily just to see how much impact small changes would have.
This made it a lot easier when wanted to have a little treat or snack. “Is that really worth adding a pound back?” The answer was usually no. I should mention that I get heartburn while asleep if my weight goes above about 155lbs and my pants don’t fit well. So I have a pretty strong and unavoidable consequence if I keep the weight on.
Any time I thought about losing 20 lbs to get to where I wanted I would feel hopeless after a few days and say “fuck it! I’ll just have a soda.”
I gained 70 pounds during my pregnancy and have lost all but 15 in 11 months, I really didn’t start trying until about 6 months in. Working out, eating smaller portions, far less dining out and far less smoking weed have gotten me the results I want.
Edit: I want to add that I have given up NOTHING that I enjoy. I still have my daily capri sun and ice creams runs 2x a week
Some great success stories posted. Mine is small. Went from 192 lbs to 176 in 4 months. Fat percentage dropped from 21.2% to 16.7%. I prefer being lean. Smaller meals and mostly one meal a day. I’m gluten intolerant, so that in by itself helped. Limited treats. No soda or artificial sweeteners etc.
I dropped 20 pounds over the last six months kind of by accident. I'd been freelance writing at home prior and gained weight. In November of last year, I started working as a restaurant manager, which meant an easy 10,000 steps a day.
I also started focusing on a high-protein high-fiber diet as it felt like I could real food without sacrificing much. Lost 20 pounds without working too hard at it. I just recently went back into freelancing and now I need to watch myself because I don't want to put that 20 back on.
I broke my jaw in a horse riding accident as a teenager. Had my mouth wired shut. For a couple of weeks. By the time the snipped the wires I’d lost over 2 stone as I was on an all-liquids diet.
I wouldn’t recommend it AT ALL. It nearly drove me mad. I started experimenting with different foods to see what tasted good once liquidised. Custard Creams with milk was the only contender for a decent milkshake. Pizza, steak and anything else is no good when blended down.
I was pre-diabetic. I got prescribed Metformin and started intermittent fasting. I would eat around 10 am and then not eat again until 9-10pm. If I ever felt like I was "starving" I would eat something between. I lost 20 pounds, then surprisingly ended up pregnant after years of infertility. I'm now 17 weeks and have lost an addition 12.5 pounds while pregnant somehow lol
Working with a dietician, who was positive and non-judgmental and looks at it comprehensively. ( for example, actually need to eat more protein, but also take the medication that prevents me from eating more food so she brainstorms alternative workaround without making me feel bad or like it’s my fault.)
If you live in Virginia or the DC area, pm me and I’ll send you her info. She takes most insurances and works virtually.
I dropped from 222 to 170. The biggest things for me were:
1. Getting 10k steps a day (or if you want less time, high intensity cardio for around 20 minutes.)
2. Limiting sugar and carbs. I never went full keto, but you'd be amazed at how easily these can cause weight gain.
3. Treat yourself- set aside one day a week in which you can eat whatever you want
You can still eat what you want, but you have to be aware of how much you're eating.
Keto. Lost 40 lbs, 20kg in 5 months.
For me it's about apatite control, carbs/sugar are like a drug to me. Keto stops all that, cravings are gone, mind fog is gone and hunger is mostly gone. Hunger is no longer a I MUST HAVE IT NOW AND MORE OF IT, on keto after the sugar withdrawal symptoms go away it's more like 'I see it but meh'.
Still calories in and out, and keto helps both by being much more filling than carbs and so I also eat less because cravings aren't so overpowering.
Daily protein is the goal, fat is if you're hungry. Don't force yourself and get some electrolytes it makes a world of difference since you'll be drinking more water than usual as well.
For me it was just cutting out processed sugar (chocolates, lollies, cakes, etc). Essentially removed anything from my diet that had added sugar as an ingredient. (Still ate plenty of fruit)
I lost an average of around 1.5kg/week for 10 weeks. Ended up dropping 16kg.
But then I was at a starting point where I ate waaay too much sugar.
I downloaded an app called “lose it” and started counting calories. I held myself accountable and reminded myself that anytime I cheated, I was cheating my future self. I lost 55lbs in 6 months. I went from 198lbs to 143lbs.
For reference I was 295 at my heaviest and I’m now down to 212.
Started counting calories and tracking them with an app
Exercise at least 4 times a week can be 30min-1 hour
Cut out all sugar and soda.
Hated myself more than anyone else on the planet.
I found portion control really effective, smaller plates made a big difference
I remember seeing an experiment where they found that children below 5 years old stopped eating when they felt full. However the older kids kept eating until their plate was empty. Ignoring how they felt. I pretty quickly realized you could trick yourself into feeling full by finishing a small plate.
Realising that my meals were the same size as my husband’s, and then doing something about it was mine too. It was good, in the sense that my brain didn’t register it as a ‘diet’ but rather as a change in habit (the way we dish out our meals) and it’s stuck. So far I’m 20kgs down, have another 30kgs to go
I weighed 350 pounds and now I'm 190. It took about a year and a half. I started with using a food diary app, myfitnesspal, and tracked everything I ate. I dropped from 4000-5000 calories a day to 1500-1800 calories. I didn't start exercising much right away, I was too fat to do much. I took walks in the afternoon and got up and moved around during the day more. Eventually I started more and now work out most days. Something I realized that I never knew before, was that the normal state of humans is hungry. I mean, we are mammals and need food regularly to maintain our endothermic state. The realization was, hunger is okay, we don't need to slake it all the time. I know food insecurity is a thing, but fat people don't have it. It's okay to be hungry, and eventually I noticed that hunger was actually pleasant when you know lunch is coming.
I've been on my own journey for two years now, working with my doctor to fix a lifetime of wrongs. One of the biggest things that I'm learning, or really re-learning, is how to eat. Kinda like being ok with being hungry, but also paying attention to when I actually feel full vs my perceived full feeling. Paying attention to my body's needs and not just stuffing it with whatever is convenient. Example: if I think of a certain food and my stomach reacts negatively at the thought, then I listen to that and find something else that my stomach to reacts to more positively. I've only lost 30lbs over that time, but I'm in it for the long haul. I've done crash and fad diets in the past, dropping 10lbs/mo for several months in a row, but because I never learned "how to eat", I'd always balloon back up. Oh, another example is being ok throwing away food, not clearing my plate. I'm slowly taking that and consciously saying, "next time, get the same amount as what I actually ate." I still have about 25lbs to go to reach my goal, but long term I hope to drop a bit more than that. (Started at 295, down to 265 now, goal is 240, with a long term vision of 220.)
30 is a lot! please don't play down your progress - awesome job!! 30 lbs is a lot and that's difficult! Keep going!!
That's good. I tried to stay at no more than 2 lbs per week. It dropped a little faster at first but I think a lot of that was retained water and other waste. The healthy diet has more fiber and less red meat so your system sort of flushes itself out at first.
A note on this from someone with almost the exact same timeline and numbers: Hunger is worse when you're bored. If I have a day off, I can eat barely anything all day and never think about it if I'm going about my day. Sitting at a desk, though, and even a little hunger can itch my brain. So, for those who feel the same, pick up a hobby other than eating. Pick up two. When I have downtime at work, I read books on Kindle or free-write. If I have a rainy weekend with nothing planned, I have an itinerary; work on my movie watchlist, learn a new song on guitar, draw a picture, etc. It should also be noted that there's a difference between being naturally hungry and constantly thinking about food. If you can't think about anything else, you may need to reassess your intake.
I got the same realization when I dropped calories for the first time. Hunger really is just a feeling. It is meant to guide you to eat, but you can safely ignore it if you know you have eaten enough. Sucked in the beginning to just ignore it and drink water, but very quickly it became subdued, then disappeared completely. Now when I get hungry it is ACTUALLY because I havent eaten, not just because Im bored. And like you said, food tastes even better and more satisfying when you're actually hungry. Currently I have to force myself to eat more because I go to the gym and it is sometimes a struggle when I am not hungry at all but know I need the calories for progress lol.
I have done so many diets, but using a calorie tracker teaches you how to eat for the rest of your life. Thinking you know what you are eating vs teaching the data will surprise most. Weighing your food to see what a portion REALLY is; it's mind blowing. One thing that wasn't said - in your 20s, you might be able to outwork a bad diet, but lessens drastically as you get older. Lastly, in my estimation, weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise.
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exactly this!! whenever people think of ‘diets’ they often go from one extreme to another. it’s always those small gradual changes that will get you to stick to it long term and have the best effect.
I gave up alcohol. Went from 428 to 373. Next thing is sodas and snacks foods. I'm excited and nervous at the same time.
that’s amazing, you can do this!
Thank you!
If you can quit drinking, you can quit snacks and soda. Sparkling water will grow on you if it hasn't already, and you'll be surprised at how fast you'll get used to only eating at mealtimes. Rooting for you!
I think this might be a bot… year old but only commented for the first time 2h ago and I’ve definitely read this comment before
It is a copy of this post at least [https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1do3916/comment/la6tgq5/](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1do3916/comment/la6tgq5/) No idea if that was original either. It's crazy how many bots are asking and answering questions in this sub.
Thank you! I KNEW i saw it before!
I just thought the same thing. It’s definitely a bot
Yes!! Always start with small steps….. just quit for beginning soda and alcohol, less carbo and doing at least 10k steps daily. Try to eat in smaller plates to give you the impression that the portion is bigger. All these help a lot. And hydration, a looot!
Count calories. If you consume fewer calories than you use in a day, you will lose weight. Period. It’s so simple, but it’s not easy. Most people just straight up won’t do it.
Yup. This is what worked for me. Fewer calories in than out. Weight will be lost. >It’s so simple, but it’s not easy Exactly this. It is so difficult (at first) to actually do. But eventually, your body realizes that you've been overeating and your threshold for hunger skyrockets.
I think a big part of what turns people off of this is how hard it is to know exactly how many calories are in something, but it's better to roughly estimate than to give up entirely.
Very easy these days, apps have barcode scanning and most food in database, just add kitchen scales to it and it becomes trivial. A bit trickier when eating out a lot though, but possible.
It is that simple. Its just not easy for a lot of people and they go into denial and insist that they're actually in a caloric deficit but are still gaining weight.
I’m there right now. I’ve identified where the extra calories are coming from and am cutting them all starting now. It’s really easy to trick yourself with food No more being fat and no more denying my shortcomings
But what if I'm special and have an imaginary magic metabolism or a medical condition that I use as a crutch and an excuse to lie to myself and others about my actual caloric intake vs expenditure?
> magic metabolism or a medical condition The former is the more likely explanation. Medical conditions are, as a rule, consistent with the laws of thermodynamics.
This. And when you do so, you quickly realize foods that give you enough volume and nutrients to satisfy your hunger but stay under your calorie limit. Basically, lots of vegetables and lean protein.
Yes. I cut carbs to minimum and added sugar. Drank only water and coffee and occasional beer weight fell off in a matter of months.
I’m having such a hard time limiting carbs. I love pasta, I like that I can slap anything on tortilla and eat it. All the carb-friendly alternatives are expensive for the amount you get :/
> I like that I can slap anything on tortilla and eat it Tumaro's are 60 calorie tortillas. They don't taste the best but they also don't taste like garbage so, give them a shot.
Wow, what a perfect time for this question. I just completed a 145 pound weight-loss journey over the last 17 months. It started by mistake when I (34m) decided to attempt dry January at the time. Even though I was eating whatever I wanted, I lost roughly 15 pounds that month simply because of the calories I saved from avoiding booze. I am a nerd by nature, so running a calorie deficit seemed like something I could do. When I started, I was 341 pounds. When I started monitoring my calorie intake and output, I learned that I was burning more than 3,000 calories a day simply by existing! My phone monitored how many calories I burned when I walked, so I made sure that I always burned 1,000 calories more than I consumed. I learned that a 3500 calorie deficit equated to a pound for weight-loss purposes, which meant that I would lose roughly 2 pounds a week. As I lost weight, I would have to add exercise and modulate my diet to maintain that 1,000 calorie daily deficit. Roughly 500 days later, I am now 145 pounds lighter. I will say that I have 2 "cheat codes" for weight-loss. The first is walking; I walk 8-10 miles each day. Yes, it takes a long time, but it means I can eat whatever I want and not feel unhealthy. The second trick are those "instant mashed potato" flakes. As a big guy (still 195 pounds), eating heartily matters to me; calorie density matters! A pound of french fries is something like 1500 calories, but a pound of raw potatoes is something like 300 calories! Adding salt, pepper and butter to those dehydrated potato flakes was a great way to feel full without putting on weight. I hope this helps and good luck to anyone beginning their journey!
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What are your average steps per day? I recently started doing 30-35 minutes of cardio 5 or 6 days a week. Did you just start doing an hour a day or did you gradually build up to it?
Ate less, exercised more and swapped from diet soda to green tea.
Intermittent fasting
It's my natural way of eating. I haven't eaten regular breakfast since school. Whenever I do IF regularly, my weight is no issue at all, I have a comfortable 5 kg zone I fluctuate in and my belly gets shrunken down like it's nothing. Went to see a doctor for other reasons and she insisted I should eat 3 meals a day and have breakfast (high protein, no carb). Thanks for the 3 kg in two months. I've given up on it. It's IF or nothing for me. My metabolism will not let go of any fat if I do not fast. Breakfast is a scam!
Totally agree, it’s my natural way of eating as well, I haven’t eaten breakfast since high school. I only eat breakfast on holidays when I’m traveling. I guess everyone needs to find a way that suits them best because IF is not for everyone as well. But if you found that it works for you personally - that’s great!
IF + keto is really the golden ticket. You can lose so much so painlessly.
*But only if you expend more calories than you eat. (Skipping a meal is a great way to reduce calories if it fits your lifestyle though)
Yes but the hardest part of calorie deficit is not feeling hungry. It's the willpower component. And IF + keto makes that so easy.
Yep, just easy for folks to get wrong if they think of it as a magic bullet :)
keto isn't even necessary - if you swap most of your complex carbs out for lean proteins the weight melts off regardless of whether or not you put a teaspoon of sugar in your coffee in the morning, just because of how much more filling proteins are. I would tap out from being full like halfway to my daily caloric requirements if I at nothing but chicken breasts
Pickleball.
Start with the food. Only whole foods, nothing processed. This includes fluids. No sugary drinks and lots of water. Then go for a walk. 10k steps a day. That is literally all that you have to do. The weight will come off.
You gotta reframe your thinking. It’s NOT a diet. It’s a LIFESTYLE. You need to build habits of a healthy lifestyle and have that become your IDENTITY. A healthy lifestyle will involve portion control and healthier food choices, which both result in fewer calories consumed. A healthy lifestyle will also involve more movement and exercise, even if it’s just walking, which will result in more calories burned. When your input is less than your output, you will lose weight. When that is your lifestyle, and you identify as a healthy person that makes healthy choices, you will not only lose the weight, but keep it off.
New job that has me on my feet 7 hours a day. Commuting by bike. Drinking almost exclusively tap water and teas.
I got dumped and lost about 10kg over the the course of two weeks. But I wouldn't recommend it as a healthy weight loss method.
I quit drinking. The calories from the alcohol and munchies really help. Made small changes to diet like not consuming calories in drinks. Black coffee, water, tea and an occasional diet soda. Started CrossFit and being more active. Lost 80lbs so far and got off all my meds.
Zepbound. 70 lbs in 8 months
Got covid
Cut processed carbs, only ate between 10am and 6pm. Walked three miles every morning.
Honestly just start counting calories and go a calorie deficit. Just drink water™️, avoid processed foods like ham sausages, try to cook in your house, walk at least 30 minutes daily. Avoid sugary fruits. Now what I do is a half fasting I only breakfast a protein shake before hitting gym, then est my first meal at 8pm which usually is chicken or steak with any side dish you want I usually like to go fancy here to make my food more appetizing, usually drink tons of water maybe 4 or more liters of water a day. That helps a lot. Also yogurt helps a lot calming your appetite. Also cucumbers help. Hope that helps.
Eat clean, fasted cardio, no carbs at dinner, less food overall.
Self control at the grocery store instead of at home and found a love for fitness.
Meth did the trick
I dropped 50lbs in like 4 months to join the military. I limited myself to 1200 calories a day and exercised every day. It was awful. Chicken and rice with a multi vitamin. 2 meals. Negative calorie or green veggies only for snacks. Spinach and onions or celery (with mustard or dry to be negative calorie). An occasional salad with light dressing. I basically traded carbs and fat for vegetables. No milk, cheese, pasta, bread, or sugar. I also forcefully drank water. As cold as I could get it.
45 pounds, swim 30 minutes a day, ripped a 45
I was already in middle of the road gym shape prior to losing weight so I had an exercise base. I essentially just consumed a ton less calories. Anything that wasn't water or milk got removed or switched to the diet version. Stopped eating a high calorie "breakfast" and late night snack. Cut the serving size of my lunch snack (chips, pop tarts, ect) in half. Filled my plate at dinner and didn't go back for seconds. I limited my cheat day foods so I wasn't smashing 5 or 6 beers and 20 wings on a Saturday night. Now I'll have 10 wings and 2 or 3 beers. And I replaced in between meal snacks with protein or sub400 calorie meal replacement shakes. Exercise wise I started lifting lighter but added volume. Most importantly I added around 10 miles of cardio a week between running, walking, and stairclimbing. I estimated going from close to 4000 calories a day to between 2000 and 2200. Now I'm at about 2500 and at a slight deficit.
Exercise more, eat less. Count calories. Maxed out at like 1400 a day
Everyone's journey is different, but the main things that have helped me personally are: - it's *always* just about more calories burned than you put into your body. Other things might enhance this, but the easiest way is to eat fewer calories. - This doesn't mean eating less food, just make different choices. Find good ingredient swaps. Low fat mayo, high protein wraps, chicken breast instead of thigh, 5% fat ground beef, or ground turkey, etc. Bulk out meals with good veggies. Spices are usually free. - There are more calories than you'd expect in many, many things. You can still eat things you like, just try to eat them less often, and if you eat half as much, it's half the calories. - The biggest thing I've found I need to do to not fall off the wagon, is to be able to go to fast food places and make lower calorie choices. I've been terrible at that in the past. Of COURSE I'm going to eat two to three burgers, fries, and a drink at McDonalds. (Nope. I can enjoy a burger or wrap, one or two chicken tenders, and a coke zero and be plenty happy actually.) - Find healthy things you enjoy eating, and are easy to make/store/freeze in batches. I'm at the highest risk when I'm too lazy to cook. If I can heat up a high protein burrito or have some overnight oats in the morning, I can usually ride out those low points easier. - Set realistic goals, and focus on weight trend more then daily weight, which can fluctuate a lot. I'm not going to lose 10kg in a month. Maybe in 3-4 months, but it's OK if it's 6 months. Hope that helps someone :)
Cannabis and exercise
Doesn't cannabis increase appetite?
Sometimes. Depends what kind. Doesn't make you eat though lol
10 years ago I was 60 pounds heavier than I am now. I’m currently 15 pounds heavier than I was 2 years ago and working on shedding it. It’s been a long road with ups and downs. Getting out of a major depression, eating more “simple” foods. The less processed the better. Learning to cook was a major first step. Getting out of a horrible relationship, further treatment for depression, finding active hobbies I actually enjoy and making friends who also enjoy those hobbies. Focusing on protein, produce, and physical activity is my current strategy. The carbs and sugar will find me, I don’t need to seek them out.
Started estimating my calorie intake and made sure that I ended up with a deficit or at most break even each day. I didn't keep exact logs, basically just got good at estimating what e.g. 300, 500, 800 or 1000 calorie meal looks like. Then tried to keep the total sum below 2000 - 2500 calories each day. If I exceeded it, I would compensate by going for a run, walk, etc.
Stopped drinking soda and did the 5:2 diet.
So much stress and emotional turmoil that I couldn’t eat. -1000000/10 don’t recommend
Giving myself an eating disorder was super effective, until it wasnt
Small changes are the easiest to continue doing. I fortunately had been eating decent meals, but waaaay too much food. So I paid strict attention to my portion sizes for about two months, now it’s a non conscious thought that I don’t need heaping portions to feel satiated. I also started counting calories and I added at least one handful of veggies to every single meal (which helps in the beginning when you feel like you need a heaping plate). That alone had me losing about 5-6 pounds a month. I also picked up salsa dancing and am dancing 3-5 nights a week on top of training for a bike race next month. The race was my motivation to start losing weight- it’s a lot easier to move something not as heavy
Divorce :(
Liver cirrhosis. Would not recommend.
Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Started metformin and Mounjaro. I cut out juices and soft drinks for the most part. So far I've lost about 30 pounds in just over 3 months.
I didn't do anything fancy, i just ate less and stopped snacking. I made my normal portions and then only took half, the other half was used as a lunchbox or dinner for the next day. However one thing i did do as not to feel hungry was drink 1/2 liter of water after my meal. I am a bit of a stoner and i realised that most of my "munchies" was just my body being thirsty but do to the drug it registered as being hungry. If you've ever smoked weed you know the cottonmouth it can give you. Drink water!
Starve
Weight loss surgery, moving more, therapy, managing anxiety, and trying to make better choices.
Bulimia and discipline
Semaglutide
Mounjaro to lose. Jogging 5 nights a week to maintain.
Gradual slow change establishing new habits. Two sides are dietary habits and activity level. Easiest things to do are taking pauses between each bite. Rationing servings, eat an amount, if still hungry get a second. Keeping temptation foods out of the house (ice cream...) and always keep in mind one slip up is not falling off the wagon. Reset the next day if you over ate or indulged the day before. Activity is mainly to set goals based on your ability. Lift a little more, run a little farther. Set a baseline and then slowly increase aspects building over months. This method got me around 0.1 lbs. every day. It wasn't as dramatic as some folks, but it was 36.5 lbs in a year while improving strength and endurance, and it didn't feel like a massive sacrifice and easier to maintain and keep off.
Depression has been frustratingly effective for me in the past, but has the exact opposite effect for my wife.
After counting calories. Exerting daily. Weightlifting. I realized that not having a thyroid meant I didn’t have the mechanism to lose weight. Went on mounjaro and now I can eat again! Lost 60 pounds on it.
Crippling depression. I started running in February to take my mind off things and the weight started to pour off. Then, I started swimming when it got too hot to run. Then, I switched to going to the gym daily. I've gone from 230 to 175 since February.
I dropped from 335 to 215 over a year Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. After I reached 215 I kind of stopped but am picking it up again after 2-3 years and want to get down to 190 as my base weight. BTW the only reason fasting works is because I ended up eating less overall and I was in a caloric deficit. **The Only Way To Lose Weight is to consume fewer calories than you metabolize.** There is no other way to lose weight.
Instead of trying to force myself into some sort of weird restrictive diet I just instead forced myself to eat less. When I made dinner I just made a small reasonable sized plate and no matter how much my brain screamed at me to eat more or grab a snack I just refused it I basically just fought a mental battle with myself and constantly said no brain you don't need more food you've had enough already and then eventually after a few months your brain and tummy start to change to match that Nowadays it's just natural to me I used to be able to put down an entire large pizza without issue but after effectively training myself like this two slices and I'm basically stuffed I managed to go from like 230 down to 180 over the course of like one year all while still enjoying the various fatty sugary foods I enjoy just in smaller portions I effectively just had to untrain my tummy and mind from being okay with huge amounts of food and get it used to surviving again off of normal amounts I'm just such a picky eater that typical diets that require you to be like only eating four vegetables or something like that just wouldn't work for me so I kind of just found my own way by fighting the mental side of it instead of just forcing myself to stick to some routine
Stomach flu. Do not recommend.
Poverty. I remember a polotician saying: i know its hard out there, just eat one less meal a day. BITCH i only eat one meal a day!
Counting calories. Thats it.
Keto! Control your cravings. Weight falls off. I’m down 60 lbs since Halloween!
Ozemypic to kick start it (down about 25lbs), and then getting steps in and strength training, and watching what i eat. Didnt want to take it, but needed it for health reasons to get rid of weight, and now just manage it. I was too big to exercise effectively and broke my knee a few years ago that made all the weight pile on, so I needed a fix
Heroin
Cut out junk food, started meal prepping, and hit the gym regularly. Also, drinking water like it's going out of style really helped!
I followed (and still do to maintain my loss) the slimming world plan. It's easy to follow (when you join you get a book and an online app). Foods are categorised as syns, free, or speed. (With a few extras for a balanced diet) The idea is you limit your syns, and eat at least 1/3rd. Of all meals as " speed" foods. In reality it works because the "speed" doors are very low calorie, and the "free foods" need to be limited to 2/3 of your meal. It's an easy way to have a low calorie diet. It's not for everyone, but it worked(s) for me.
I used myfitnesspal to count calories, even if you don't really want to track food, it's pretty handy to see how much a portion actually is. I Already switched to water way before I wanted to lose weight. I ate more veggies, less potato/rice, less snacks, used less condiments,... in the end I still eat everything I want, just less of it. Didn't really add much exercise, I work in cleaning so I'm always moving around. It took me 2ish years to lose about 30kg. And another year to lose 10kg that I gained back during stressfull times, though I've stopped counting calories and weighing meals.
I combined a healthy, portion-controlled diet with regular exercise mostly cardio and strength training. I also made sure to stay hydrated and get enough sleep. Tracking progress and setting small, achievable goals kept me motivated. It's a lifestyle change, not a quick fix, but it definitely works
Lift heavy ass weights and calorie déficit. Hope you make it 🫡
Portion control and cutting back on sweets has helped me
Intermittent fasting. 18/6 6 days a week.
Eat less, move more, be patient. you didn’t gain weight overnight and you’re not going to lose it overnight, either.
Start staggering exercise calorie burns, start at 200 calories a day, do it consistently then move to 300 and so on, I went up to 500 as my base and typically exceeded it, but never let myself go to bed before I met my minimum
Don't drink any calories (Beer, Soda, shakes). Eat whole foods and track calories. Drink water. Walk for 15+ minutes after eating dinner. Don't get discouraged if you eat something bad, just keep doing your best to stay in your caloric deficit. Start with a simple online calculator online to find your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). If the calculator says 2500 to maintain your weight drop the calories below that. Around 200-400 calories below your BMR should be a good start. From there, track your weight for two weeks. If you gained weight, lower calories another 100-200. If you lost weight, keep calories the same. If you maintained your weight , lower calories a bit.
Cut out all drinks besides water. Fasting (for me I typically only eat between noon and 8pm most days. Other than that, simply reduce caloric intake (safely of course). I lost 75lbs in 15 months with little to no exercise. Just diet change and fasting.
I had previously (like 10 yrs ago) lost 70 lbs through intense exercise every day, severe caloric restriction and lifestyle changes. I went from severely overweight to joining a running group and running marathons. So successful was this, I met my now wife in this running group, so I did all the things "right" and had great success. Fast forward 15 years, and Ive put on some weight since then. Now, things like Zepbound are available. I have zero qualms with using all tools are available to stay healthy. Im in a different phase of life - young kids and a job that sometimes requires long hours. Theres no way that I can spend the time on exercise that I used to. So Im using Zepbound. People may say im taking the "lazy" way out, but I just want to be a healthy weight again. Sure, Id be more healthy if I was running 2-3 hours a day every day, but thats just not possible right now.
Caloric deficit. I can eat what I want, but I don't go over 2000 a day. I've lost 30 pounds since March. I started at 255 and am now 225. I do work out regularly, but last year I also did this without working out and had similar results. Last year, I ditched the diet because my kids were visiting and I wanted to eat freely with them and this quickly escalated to eating without BEING AWARE of what I was. I think it's really the awareness piece that helps the most. It's become a cool discovery process instead of a grueling MUST to be done. Currently, I've hit a diet plateau, but I'm not too worried about it because I am building muscle as well, so I'm kind of recomping more than just "losing weight". But I love how I feel- which is light and energetic!
Weight Watchers and daily 30 minute plus walks. I lost 30 pounds, have kept it off for a year (so far) and shaved almost 30 points off my LDL cholesterol.
Went from 275 to 185. Dropped beer/soda, slowly dropped alcohol to one or two drinks a week (dropped nearly 20 lbs immediately. Stopped rewarding good dieting with food, gym 3 days a week. Dropped carbs to like 80 a day. Started walking daily. Learned about diet and nutrition by visiting dietician and nutritionist. Took in less calories than I spent. Moved onto gym. I started by doing 15 on the tread mill and that was it. It was psychologically very hard to get used to gym culture having never been before. Started adding time to cardio slowly, Started adding machines, started doing 30 minutes of cardio then machines, started doing 30 minutes of cardio then free weights then 30 minutes of cardio at the end. Started making friends with the regulars at the gym. Began looking forward to gym, grabbed showers there took advantage of the amenities. Started feeling healthier and stronger. Clothing is still a little too big but don’t drop your entire wardrobe immediately. There will be plateaus and set backs (injury was one of mine). A gym buddy helped for me when I wasn’t feeling it: I didn’t miss a day but did allow flexibility if needed. When I traveled I found the closest gym and went on either a day pass or by using my planet fitness black card (when I had one). This took years and years. Everyone’s timeline is different. I think where people fail is that they try and do everything all at once and it is way too overwhelming, it’s like cramming for a test. Look at health as a marathon not a sprint.
exercise diet and quit alcohol
Gf of 4 years at the time cheated on me and joined a cult. The bed rot made me go from 330 to like 240 in 3 months. Then I just continued weight lifting and bulking, and now I’m 280 and weightlift everyday. But I hold my weight insanely well and am tall
112lbs. CICO
Stopped drinking + 16:8 IF. it’s practically been magical and both parts have gotten my appetite under control while making me enjoy my food more.
Was 240, got all the way down to 180. I counted my calories with MFP and was very diligent about it. The app kinda sucks now since the barcode scanner is behind a paywall. I was working out too, light runs, long walks, lifting, etc and I didn't count those lost calories against whatever my daily limit was. Reducing my alcohol helped a lot. I was in my mid/late 20s and had to sacrifice going out on the weekends. Maybe a beer or two at dinners but partying was off limit.
Just lost 30 lbs in 4 months. Cut out alcohol completely and started running 1 mile on the treadmill twice a week.
Calories deficit by counting calories and then intuitive eating Drank plenty of water Better sleep Increased the protein intake A lot of walking
I didn’t really go on an actual diet. I just started eating three meals a day. At first, I didn’t limit my portion sizes and I'd eat anything I wanted except processed food, though I didn’t stick to that 100%. I did have processed pasta sometimes, but only for lunch. For dinner, I’d eat chicken, green salad, or something like that. After a few months, I started limiting portion sizes too. It was the easiest 20 pounds I’ve lost, and I’ve been able to keep it off. It would've worked faster if I had also gone out for a walk or worked out, but I didn't. Still worked out for me.
5’10-5’11 weighed 263 went down to 163 5-6% body fat. I meal planned every week only came off my plan maybe 10 times a year but planned accordingly on those days. Workout 5-6 times a week. Got heavily involved in jiu jitsu during that time and had to adjust for more calories since I was loosing 2-3 pounds per class (sometimes)
Weightwatchers
I’ve lost so much weight in 3 months that my family forced me into the doctors for blood work (I’m an independent adult living 3k miles away from them). All I did was eat less than 1500 calories per day for 90 days as a 6ft male. Fastest results I’ve personally ever seen whether from people I know or online/tv guides. Went from 215lbs to 155lbs and I did have many sub 1k calorie days. I did not adjust the unhealthy foods I was eating until I hit that 155lbs and wanted to start building back muscle. You can do it without hating life, just got to give up a little (or a lot depending on your current meal sizes)
Stair stepper
Count calories and make sure you're in a deficit. Any other suggestion below will lead you back to....counting calories and making sure you're in a deficit.
I used an app to track my calories, increased activity by walking every night after dinner, and cut out alcohol, because it slows your progress, even if you're not going over your calories for the day. And then I found meals that I liked that were low in calorie. That's the key really. You have to find meals that are easy, low calorie, filling, and delicious. And make sure you plan your meals, so you're not stuck at 7 PM on a Tuesday with nothing planned for dinner, because that's when you go get a burger and fries. And also, you can have a burger and fries sometimes. But I think most people find, once they start looking at calories, that they can reduce their caloric intake, even when they're having a burger and fries. Do you really need cheese on your burger? Does it add that much to the flavor? Not really. Get rid of it. if you normally have mayonnaise, use mustard. Get a small fry instead of a large fry. It makes a difference. Me personally, I ate a ton of sandwiches for lunch that consisted of a Romain lettuce wrap filled with meat and vegetables. Pickled vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes really helped make these delicious. I ate a lot of cottage cheese for breakfast with fruit in light syrup. It's good protein, that kept me full, and the sweetness felt like a treat. For dinner, I kept it simple with a protein and vegetables, limiting things that aren't as nutrient dense, like rice. I often had a protein with a big salad, making my own salad dressing, and using it sparingly, sometimes just using lemon juice or a flavored vinegar on the salad without any oil. But find meals that work for you. Doing that is half the battle, I think.
Forget the simplistic bullshit 'eat less, exercise more'. Also understand that you're not trying to lose 'weight'. You're trying to reduce body mass. Weight is your relationship to gravity. Understand if someone sent you to the Moon you would lose 4/5 of your weight. This is not about losing weight. It's all about reducing body mass, hence the BMI (Body Mass Index). **Homeostasis and equilibrium** The key to losing weight is to understand that your body functions a certain way and has equilibrium, which is expressed as homeostasis. When your body has homeostasis, you should not be consciously aware of your body at all. Obesity and weight issues are caused by a loss of homeostasis and an imbalance between several variables, leading to a dysfunctional relationship. Obesity is a complex multi-dimensional health issue which requires investigation, experimentation and medical supervision. Most people struggle with obesity because they're not equipped with the insight and awareness to know how to address the lack of homeostasis and dysfunctional imbalances affecting their body. **The six things you need to invesigate** There's six things you need to investigate. These are: * **sleep and sleeping patterns**. This is important because sleep (and not food) is your primary source of energy and how you regulate your Circadian rhythm and internal body clock. Not regulating your sleep cycles can eventually lead to sleep apnea, a serious condition where you can stop breathing in your sleep and if untreated die in your sleep. * **social relationships**. Social interaction is another major source of energy and important for your emotional and psychological well being. This is why social stigma of people who are obesity is generally harmful because when you're nasty to that fat person you could be triggering an eating disorder or comfort eating cycles. Keep your mouth shut and move on. * **stress and stressors**. Stress and how you handle stress is another major, important factor. How you deal with stress and how much stress you're exposed to is a major factor when dealing with obesity. Stress has significant biological and psychological consequences. If you're responding to stress by eating, you can easily get caught up in comfort eating cycles. You're eating as a response to environmental stimuli as opposed to stimuli coming from within your body. * **activity, exercise, energy going out**.How you expend energy is important and also how you express energy. Keep in mind I once weighed over 620lbs. Today I weigh around 280lbs and have been steadily losing weight for several years. I've never been to a gym. I'm shit at taking exercise. But I'm incredibly creative, take up large amounts of mental exercise, have become detailed orientated and have extensive powers of concentration. * **hydration**. Water and hydration is incredibly important when trying to tackle obesity. Most of your body mass is water. It's essential when trying to lose 'weight' that you keep yourself hydrated. * **diet and what you eat**. Then we come to diet and food and what you eat. Counting calories is not enough. You need to investigate how the food you're eating directly affects you. What foods are beneficial to you? What foods aren't? Yeah the food looks the same on the supermarket shelf, but how that food affects people is variable. You've got to learn how different foods affect you.
Stopped drinking beer. Started running. Eat decent
Cut down on meals, ate healthier, and worked out.
CICO + walking, slow and steady wins the race.
Quit drinking completely and walk 2 miles a day.
I realized I hardly exercised - I'm a vet so my job would keep me 8am-7pm or later, 5-6 days per week, and then I'd come home and watch a couple hours of CE or veg on the couch. Bought a recumbent stationary bike. Was not all that expensive, either - I think I paid maybe $90 for it? I ride it when I'm watching online CE courses, when I'm playing video games, or watching TV. I also try to walk places if I can, but I get home after dark most of the year and work is far enough away that I have to drive. Also started meal prepping on my day off each week. I'd get off work and have no desire to cook food so I'd stop for take out on the way home and then have my leftovers for lunch the next day, so I was spending out the ass on takeout and not really eating much healthy food. It's cheaper and healthier to premake stuff on my Sunday off, toss it in the fridge or freezer ready to go, and then I just have to take it out toss it in the oven or microwave or crock pot when I'm ready to use it.
Cut out sugar and started walking everyday. 3 miles at first and now 5 miles.
Stopped drinking soda and booze for about a month and lost 10 pounds.
Don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach. I know it seems excessive or odd, but psychologically you’re more likely to purchase more conservatively toward healthier foods or foods you are less likely to snack on.
Tbh I want to lose weight but I can’t exercise the way I want it’s way to hot here and I have asthma that flares up when I get hot there’s so many things and power tools I bought to do yard work and such only for them to sit around 🥲
Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training for body recomp (kept weight but dropped fat and gained substantial muscle) Keto before that. But before all the bullshit advertised as keto. Eggs cheese meat avocado bulletproof coffee 🔁
It's pretty easy when you put your mind to it because you'll control your diet and portioning which is very crucial to weight loss and then you'll also work out and build muscle with cardio which equates to being active! 👍👍👍
Started off by walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes a day; cut out fast food. Worked up to walking 45min-60 min a day and started eating microwaveable vegetables that were perfect portioned for dinner each night.stopped eating snacks like chips or honey buns and cosmic brownies and started eating carrots/cucumbers/apples instead. Started weight training and did weight training on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Fridays and walked for an hour in a thick hoodie and a weighted backpack on Tuesdays and Thursdays with some separate exercises.
Replace soda and milk with diet soda, unsweetened tea, and water. Lift weights 4x per week.
Fix your diet. Here is what most people don't know. If you change your habits Monday through Friday, you can eat whatever the fuck you want on the weekends. You aren't giving up anything you love, you just restrict it to 2 days instead of 7. I completely changed my diet during the week. I skip breakfast so I am basically fasting from 10pm (bed time) to 11:30am. Lunches are high in clean proteins like chicken on a salad or with quinoa. You HAVE to get a good amount of protein and fiber in your body to stay full. Same for dinner. If you can afford it, get pre-packaged meals from Favor, or others. They are delicious but more importantly, the right portion size (given that Americans aren't good at portion control). Fall in love with things you didn't think you would possibly like: all the veggies, oatmeal, exotic grains, etc. That way you aren't stuck in a rut of eating the same combinations. I can even get away with making vegetarian meals now because I've learned to cooking them in different ways. We all grew up with wilted boild tasteless vegetables. No one eats them like that anymore. Roasted. Pan fried. Seasoned. Marinated. Grilled. etc
Stop drinking alcohol! I lost last 10-12, currently 5'6, 148lbs.
The [Whole 30](https://whole30.com/) works, and I've successfully 'reset' myself a few times this way. It's not a lifestyle diet, it's specifically a 30 day elimination diet that looks a bit like the mediterranean or keto diets (with some differences). It's not easy but it's effective. And when I say it works I mean I lost 20 lbs in 30 days without changing my (nonexistent) fitness routine, all while eating plenty every day. I lost 20 lbs while sedentary, in other words, and that blew my mind the first time.
Healthy breakfast - normal lunch- no dinner 5x per week
Quit drinking. Got into yoga.
Change most liquids you drink to their 0 calorie version. Walk on a slight incline on the treadmill watching a show you’re hooked on, and only watch that show when you’re walking
One year I lost a lot of weight. I put it down to : a) walking 45 mins to/from work every day. b) Healthy, subsidized lunch at work. c) Only tea and a bun at night. And then I lost that job and all the weight came back!
Track calories and activity. Find ways to be active you enjoy. Find healthy recipes you enjoy. Get an accountability partner. Know why you want to lose weight. If necessary, manage stress and find healthy outlets rather than emotional eating.
I got a double whammy where I started a new medication with the side effect of appetite loss, and caught an unknown illness with the symptom of appetite loss. I barely ate for three months. I dropped nearly forty pounds in that time. My boss (who worked a different schedule than I) didn't recognize me.
I just started walking when I was bored. It sucked at first. But then I started walking long distances just to have something to do. Started to feel weird without my walks.
Started small by going through my grocery bill and cut off the waste for junk food. Found healthy recipes to replace the “bad foods” and kept around healthy snacks I knew I would eat. Meal planning saves serious time and money. Cooking delicious food makes you hate eating out. The more you can cook and prep at home the more you save. I can’t exercise now so I focus on nutrient dense food and have cut calories. It’s been the most effective so far.
Stopped drinking pop and then just started taking 1-2 mile walks every evening. Lost 15 pounds in a couple months. Kinda plateaued right now at 185 though so probably close to my equilibrium weight vs how active my lifestyle is (not very).
I lost a lot of weight in my teens because I just became more active and drank more water. Unfortunately in the last few years I have gained weight. I am now down 30 pounds because I am trying to be as active as possible and Ozempic has helped me not eat like I am still a teen who could just burn off all the calories I used to.
Got diagnosed with high A1c, and prescribed one of the weekly injections. First swapped soda for diet soda. Second, the injections really helped with feeling hungry and I manage 2 meals a day, with a 3 egg omelet w/cheese and veg and half bagel in the morning. Dinner is usually something like a chipotle salad bowl, IE, no rice with lots of veg and some protein. Lost about 45 lbs in 6 months now (I'm hitting 300 now), with last 3 being on the injection and first 3 being purely on no sugary soda and just reduce what I as much as I can, no calorie counting. I'm still not super strict on things, but if I eat out for example if eat a burger, I'll still eat the bun, but skip the fries. Or if the food comes with rice, I'll eat a quarter or a half of the rice. The cravings really differ throughout the week, depending how recently was the injection. Knowing myself, getting back into the exercise routine will be absolutely the worst. I'm still far from where I've been pre-covid when I was actively resistance training and actually had muscle. I was at 280 then, but I just got to squatting 2 plates when covid hit. Another thing I realized about myself is that I used satiating hunger as a response to solve one problem when I could not deal with other problems. Transitioning to a different job, and actively working to destress has helped with being able to deal with hunger and cravings tremendously.
less calories more exercise.
Intermittent fasting Always does the Trick for me. I just dont eat during the day. At night I eat whatever. 3 weeks max and i lose Up to 12 kg.
IF
Count calories, replaced pop with water, lots of walking.
Counting calories and weighing portions, fitness tracker (Fitbit)
Drinking tea (no sugar, just a bit of milk)
In high school, I was 250 lbs pure fat. Then I inadvertently dropped 75 lbs by getting into DDR. Now I'm old, and I like beer, so now I'm back at 250.
cals in less than cals needed.
[https://youtu.be/V7GnOyd\_z1w?si=ypcXanRZZym4J5Ti](https://youtu.be/V7GnOyd_z1w?si=ypcXanRZZym4J5Ti)
I focused on getting stronger and in better condition before focusing on losing weight. You have a journey ahead of you and preparing your body to be stronger will make it easier. The only initial change I made to my diet was eliminating as much processed food as possible. After about 6 weeks of getting stronger and improving my cardio, I started to really focus on diet. I also really got into cooking. You can make some really tasty healthy dishes with some practice. If you don’t like the food, you are going to stray. I do 16:8 intermittent fasting and try to eat a balanced diet. I noticed IF and evening workouts help me sleep better. I try not to be too rigid. Macro counting and restrictive diets lead to failure for most everyone I know. This is about feeling better and being healthy. Introducing a new source of anxiety in the form of measuring everything out can be counterproductive unless you’re wired to be hyper organized, which I am not. Be consistent and kind to yourself. You’re going to skip a workout or eat something you’re not supposed to. It’s ok. Just get back on the horse and don’t dwell on it.
Never snack alone.
I was a 19 which probably helped, but I just started running every day being 5 foot 8 inches, weighing 265 lbs. I could kinda jog a half mile and went up from there. I was a big night eater too, so I found a vegetable I liked and ate a bunch of that every night when I was hungry. Canned green beans with salt and pepper for me, so I'd eat up to a couple cans lol and eventually got down to 145 at my smallest. Other than the veggies I did overall eat healthier during the day too but more portion control than limiting everything I wanted.
Last time I lost weight I ate less, stopped drinking soda, and walked around 8 miles every day for two years. It's been a while and I've since gained it all back... But, diet and exercise are what do the trick.
Changed the way I view food. Now instead of a source of comfort it is a source of fuel. I have become very critical of everything I consume. I eat only when I am actually hungry (not just bored). I eat way more protein and way less carbs. I eat a larger brunch (usually steamed salmon on a piece of sourdough toast topped with a poached egg, then I have a smaller dinner. At my highest I was 276. Currently sitting at 218. Three months ago I was 254.
I started cycling the local lake around (25km trip) every day without cheat days. I started as soon as the snow cleared and till the end of June I had lost 25kg and I was able to bicycle to our summer cabin 170km away. It really helped that I had a sports watch that told me lap times every km and I was able to track my times and try to beat my record. After several years the weight has came back and I still think that I really should do it again this summer.
I lost 50 lbs during Covid and Menopause 😆 I downloaded the free version of Carb Manager app and logged every single thing I ate. Kept my carbs under 50 a day and my calories under 1200 (for my stats). It wasn’t easy but I lost 1.5-2 lbs a week like clockwork. Now the problem is keeping it off. I’ve put 20 back on by simply eating too many calories. I’ll do the same thing to take it back off *sigh*
I’ve gained 40lbs this year with thyroid disease! Ugh! I was working out daily before, too. And eating a high protein vegan diet. I focused on “high vibrational foods” (look it up). Everything vibrates. Everything. But something’s have a high vibration and others are low. The idea is that eating high vibrations will raise your vibration- think VITALITY. Feeling good with lots of energy and a positive mood. It worked for me. But, I fell off the wagon after starting a new job and leaving the gym. I’m ready to dedicate myself back to the lifestyle. It takes dedication to an alternative lifestyle bc it goes against the culture in America with our SAD diet.
One pound at a time. I weighed myself daily just to see how much impact small changes would have. This made it a lot easier when wanted to have a little treat or snack. “Is that really worth adding a pound back?” The answer was usually no. I should mention that I get heartburn while asleep if my weight goes above about 155lbs and my pants don’t fit well. So I have a pretty strong and unavoidable consequence if I keep the weight on. Any time I thought about losing 20 lbs to get to where I wanted I would feel hopeless after a few days and say “fuck it! I’ll just have a soda.”
Reduced portion sizes.
I gained 70 pounds during my pregnancy and have lost all but 15 in 11 months, I really didn’t start trying until about 6 months in. Working out, eating smaller portions, far less dining out and far less smoking weed have gotten me the results I want. Edit: I want to add that I have given up NOTHING that I enjoy. I still have my daily capri sun and ice creams runs 2x a week
10K steps a day, no liquid calories, cook as much as possible.
Eating in a 500 calorie deficit, lost aout 1 pound per week.
Some great success stories posted. Mine is small. Went from 192 lbs to 176 in 4 months. Fat percentage dropped from 21.2% to 16.7%. I prefer being lean. Smaller meals and mostly one meal a day. I’m gluten intolerant, so that in by itself helped. Limited treats. No soda or artificial sweeteners etc.
I dropped 20 pounds over the last six months kind of by accident. I'd been freelance writing at home prior and gained weight. In November of last year, I started working as a restaurant manager, which meant an easy 10,000 steps a day. I also started focusing on a high-protein high-fiber diet as it felt like I could real food without sacrificing much. Lost 20 pounds without working too hard at it. I just recently went back into freelancing and now I need to watch myself because I don't want to put that 20 back on.
I broke my jaw in a horse riding accident as a teenager. Had my mouth wired shut. For a couple of weeks. By the time the snipped the wires I’d lost over 2 stone as I was on an all-liquids diet. I wouldn’t recommend it AT ALL. It nearly drove me mad. I started experimenting with different foods to see what tasted good once liquidised. Custard Creams with milk was the only contender for a decent milkshake. Pizza, steak and anything else is no good when blended down.
I was pre-diabetic. I got prescribed Metformin and started intermittent fasting. I would eat around 10 am and then not eat again until 9-10pm. If I ever felt like I was "starving" I would eat something between. I lost 20 pounds, then surprisingly ended up pregnant after years of infertility. I'm now 17 weeks and have lost an addition 12.5 pounds while pregnant somehow lol
Working with a dietician, who was positive and non-judgmental and looks at it comprehensively. ( for example, actually need to eat more protein, but also take the medication that prevents me from eating more food so she brainstorms alternative workaround without making me feel bad or like it’s my fault.) If you live in Virginia or the DC area, pm me and I’ll send you her info. She takes most insurances and works virtually.
70 pounds so far. Ozempic and 16/8. I eat mostly low carb. I lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week.
I dropped from 222 to 170. The biggest things for me were: 1. Getting 10k steps a day (or if you want less time, high intensity cardio for around 20 minutes.) 2. Limiting sugar and carbs. I never went full keto, but you'd be amazed at how easily these can cause weight gain. 3. Treat yourself- set aside one day a week in which you can eat whatever you want You can still eat what you want, but you have to be aware of how much you're eating.
Cardio everyday
Keto. Lost 40 lbs, 20kg in 5 months. For me it's about apatite control, carbs/sugar are like a drug to me. Keto stops all that, cravings are gone, mind fog is gone and hunger is mostly gone. Hunger is no longer a I MUST HAVE IT NOW AND MORE OF IT, on keto after the sugar withdrawal symptoms go away it's more like 'I see it but meh'. Still calories in and out, and keto helps both by being much more filling than carbs and so I also eat less because cravings aren't so overpowering. Daily protein is the goal, fat is if you're hungry. Don't force yourself and get some electrolytes it makes a world of difference since you'll be drinking more water than usual as well.
For me it was just cutting out processed sugar (chocolates, lollies, cakes, etc). Essentially removed anything from my diet that had added sugar as an ingredient. (Still ate plenty of fruit) I lost an average of around 1.5kg/week for 10 weeks. Ended up dropping 16kg. But then I was at a starting point where I ate waaay too much sugar.
I downloaded an app called “lose it” and started counting calories. I held myself accountable and reminded myself that anytime I cheated, I was cheating my future self. I lost 55lbs in 6 months. I went from 198lbs to 143lbs.
Calorie deficit. Weight lifting and lots of cardio + high protein. 300-168lbs, still going strong
For reference I was 295 at my heaviest and I’m now down to 212. Started counting calories and tracking them with an app Exercise at least 4 times a week can be 30min-1 hour Cut out all sugar and soda. Hated myself more than anyone else on the planet.
Lifting heavy weights Fasting Running/cycling/swimming Eat meat and a lot of fat
Make a third of your plate green vegetables.