Weight Loss

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 3/3/14 at 10:45pm

Have any of you had experience with losing weight? I have a substantial amount to lose, and I know to go slowly, but whenever I try a weight loss regimen, I give up after a few weeks. Any tips or success stories? Gym recommendations? (I live in NYC.) Recipes?

I should also mention that I've worked with a nutritionist in the past, so I know that it's a lifestyle change, not a diet, and I know generally what to eat and what not to eat. For me, it's really a motivation issue.

[~~tiny3~~]

Posted: 3/4/14 at 2:10am

No magic bullet.
Exercise more, even if it's just walking a bit every day.
Each smaller portions.

1/3 of your plate: veggies
1/3: whole wheat carb
1/3; good quality protein.

In general cut way down on sugar, white flour, and bad fats.

Aim only to lose 1 lb a wk.
I wrote a food diary every day. and stuck each entry on the refrig. It helped me a lot. Some people don't like doing it though. Everyone is diff.

Cook most of your meals at home. You have CONTROL. Make your meals yummy.
It makes a HUGE diff.

Good luck. .As my Dr. told me some time ago: "Talk is cheap"

[Anakela]

Posted: 3/4/14 at 2:42am

I've lost 80-90 pounds since Summer 2011. I just put that out there as a statement of fact; I would quantify that as 'substantial,' but ymmv.

The below is what worked for me.

- I decided that I wanted to lose the weight because I wanted to, not because someone else wanted it for me.
- I started seeing a nutritionist. My "rule" was that I didn't want to do anything that would eliminate whole categories of food (regardless of what the category was: low carb, no white foods, no sugar, etc.), and I found a nutritionist who worked with me and my rule. I wanted anything I did with nutritionist now to be something that I could keep up for my entire life, I didn't want to do one thing to drop all the weight and then have to "re-learn" another way to eat to keep the weight off after. And I knew myself enough to know that anything involving eliminating whole categories of food was something that I would fail at.
- be prepared for not having food as an emotional crutch anymore. When I'm happy, I eat; when I'm sad, I eat; etc. Having to have something else to turn to instead of food, having to feel feelings, etc- that is still a work in progress for me.
- find an activity that you like. I tried a Zumba class once, and I was bored out of my skull. I despise running on a treadmill, but found I like running outdoors. I found SoulCycle, and yoga, and running, and I like swimming when I have access to it. Find something that you will keep going back to.
- Enjoy your workout, enjoy your food.
- Don't rely only on the number on the scale. Use a tape measure, use how your clothes fit, use photos, etc to document your loss. Most of my weight came off in the first 18 months or so, the number on the scale has fluctuated in a 5 pound range for the past year or so. Yet I have still been losing clothing sizes/losing inches this past year, as I build muscle.

And, last, speaking of the scale, remember that the BMI chart is kind of bullsh*t. My weight fluctuates between a BMI of 24.7 - 25.4, and for my height a BMI of 25.0 is "overweight." Yet my BMI used to be 37.3 "obese." So, do I worry when I'm .3 below the max for "normal," or .4 above the start of "overweight"? Or do I concentrate on the fact that I'm down 80+ pounds, and so far kept it off for a year?

I started because I was ready to start. ONce that happened everything else fell into place.

[artscallion]

Posted: 3/4/14 at 8:05am

Congratulations, Anakela. And good for you aahrealmonsters for keeping at it. Hopefully you'll find the way that works for you.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 3/4/14 at 8:22am

If you haven't read any of Dr.A's books I would highly recommend them.

http://www.drwayneandersen.com/living-a-longer-healthier-life/

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 3/4/14 at 10:14am

I am 45 pounds less than 10 years ago and 25 less since October. I eliminated all dairy, red meat and most sugar. I also started to exercise. I feel great, but all of my clothes are too big. I have been stealing my 15 year old son's clothes!

[Jon]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 7:52pm

I have lost a huge amount of weight in the past 18 months. I won't even discuss the 160 pounds I lost since weight loss surgery a year ago. I will instead discuss the 112 pounds I lost in the six months BEFORE the surgery:

HIGH PROTEIN, LOW FAT, LOW SUGAR. WHOLE GRAINS ONLY.

Protein: Three four-ounce servings a day of any of the following: fish, chicken, eggs, low fat cheese, greek yogurt. Red meat on very rare occasions.

Veggies: Three servings a day of non-starchy veggies (no corn, potatoes peas or other legumes).

Whole grains: two servings a day of whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice or other whole grain (quinoa, faro, barley, etc.).

Fruits: two a day.

Dairy: fat-free milk or yogurt - one serving a day.

NO COOKIES, CANDY, ICE CREAM, CUPCAKES, ETC. ETC. ETC.

My weight August 1, 1012: 484 pounds.

My weight today: 206 pounds.


Updated On: 3/6/14 at 07:52 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 8:18pm

I'm a Weight Watchers (Online, no meetings) kind of gal. I've lost 18lbs since the first of the year.

Cut out processed foods, focus on whole grains and lean protien. Supplement with veggies and fruit. Do not eliminate all fat, your body needs it for a variety of reason, but try to be in control of it by only eating fat YOU can measure.