If you've successfully lost weight, how did you do it?

[♥ms.pacman♥]

I think it is very individual. I eat low carb in general because I have PCOS (but am not overweight, other than wanting to lose another 10 pounds or so at 3 months post partum).

Some people are genetically carb sensitive and lose best by restricting carbs (IMO particularly anyone w/ type 2 diabetes/metabolic syndrome stuff that runs in their family). THere is actually some genetic test coming out that supposedly tells people whether they'd do better on low fat vs. low carb. I don't think most people need to use the genetic test, but I think it just illustrates that some people really do need to pay attention to more than calories.

I think calories matter, but I don't think human beings run like a furnace. There are complex biochemical processes that go on in our bodies. People who are carb sensitive get a big insulin rise when they eat carbs, which just goes on to make them increasingly hungry. I honestly think for me keeping insulin levels low and even (via low carb) totally controls my hunger without watching calories all that much.

Like egoldberg, I know I can't consume a lot of whole grains and still be healthy even though that's the party line. I'm simply too sensitive to carbs. I was a veg for almost a decade and when I ate grains always ate whole grains (and when I wasn't a veg I also ate pretty much only whole grains, not refined products). I don't ovulate, etc. when eating much in the way of grains of any type. When I cut those out, I ovulate, I feel better, etc. For me it is clear that I must control insulin levels for my body to function optimally.

I think calories in/calories out is a total oversimplification. Not that calories should be discounted entirely, but I can guarantee that if I ate higher carb, even on 1400 calories a day of grains I could gain. A LOT.

Our individual biochemistry does vary a bit IMO and there are some people that do great on something like WW/calorie counting, some people do great on low fat, and some people really thrive by controlling their carb consumption. But I don't think calories in/calories out accounts for all of the biochemistry that goes on inside of us in terms of insulin, hormone levels, etc. driving hunger and weight loss/gain.

so true. it is really very individual. what works for some won't work for others.

low-fat would NEVER work for me, period. exercise does not result in me losing weight, period..i've ran 1 full marathon and 3 halves and my weight never changed. yes, i got more toned or whatever but i never lost fat, which was my main goal. What only helped me lose fat was doing simply eating less, and limiting carbs was the easiest way to do that. in college i did a serious lowcarb and i lost weight so effectively i was shocked. now that i've regained that weight (20lbs) and then another 20-25 lbs due to pregnancy, i am struggling with my weight bc l i cannot diet at all due to nursing, so i have just wait it out till my DS is weaned to get back to normal. but yeah, i totally agree that limiting carbs was the way to go, at least for me. i think it also helped in terms of limiting headaches and eliminating that 2pm "slump" in the afternoon. DH loves the Olive garden but i hate going there bc aftewards i pretty much collapse on the couch due to the insulin spike we refer to it as "food coma")

also, i'm probably burning 800-1000 calories nursing (DS is still mostly BF'd, in 99% percentile) yet i've yet to lose a single pound nursing and the weight just isn't coming off. i'm guessing some people's bodies hang on to the excess fat during nursing for whatever reason (my OB said this is probably what is happening to me). so again, that calories in = calories is an over simplification. it has never been true for me. im waiting for DS to wean so my hormones can get back to normal and i can go back to eating like a normal human being, bc i know that that is the only way i will be able to lose the weight.

[elliput]

I always lose weight when my DH is on a strict diet, and on the flip side of that when he is not being careful with his diet, I gain weight. When he started a low carb diet, I lost weight. When he started a diabetic diet, I lost weight. He likes to cook, and therefore makes most of our meals. Unfortunately, he is not a fan of anything leafy and green. DH just started a medically supervised diet which he will be one for a very long time, so I have hopes of getting down to my pre-marriage weight.

Also, I lost weight when pg.

For me, walking a couple miles a day makes a big difference on my weight maintenance.

[octmom]

I lost about 32 pounds doing Weight Watchers with a group at my office. It was great because we had a suppport system at work. DH lost weight a bunch too because he started eating better when I did. I hit my goal last fall (and then went about 6 pounds under my goal). I'm holding steady right around my goal weight now though I have slipped back into some bad habits. I know if I start tracking points again and I will be fine. For now, I weigh myself often and do an official WW weigh in once a month to maintain my lifetime member status.

I had never tried a diet before and WW was much easier to follow than I expected.

[Myira]

I read the Eat to Love book by Joel Fuhrman and me and DH trying to follow the diet since Jan this year. We follow a modified Fuhrman diet where we do have low/no-fat dairy(he recommends vegan), have limited sodium and DH eats baked fish 2x a week and chicken/turkey occasionally. I have lost atleast 10 lbs so far and back to my pre-pregnancy weight. DH has lost the same if not more. It is pretty simple to follow no measuring calories or restricting how much you eat-

1) Eat as much as you can of raw veggies(salads), cooked veggies and fruits. Veggies must include green leafy onces like kale, spinach, romaine & iceberg lettuce and collard greens. Definitely include all berries under fruits. He recommends blended salads where you make a smoothie with strawberry and add kale or spinach to it. You cannot get all nutrition from raw veggies so he says, follows the 1lb-1lb rule, 1lb of cooked(steamed, boiled or roasted in very less oil or cooked in broth) veggies and 1lb of salad per day

2) Eat as much as you can of beans and lentils, since they are a great source of fiber and pack other nutrients, are a little carby to satisfy you, but not really carbs.

3) Eat limited amount of whole grains like wheat, brown rice, quinoa, barley etc etc.

4) Absolutely limit white rice, refined floor, refined sugar. Watch your sodium intake. We have tea/coffee w/o sugar and have given up white rice and refined floor goodies. Anti-inflammatory diet is the key here.

5) No saturated fat like fatty spreads on bread(replace with hummus), limit oil, avoid cheese or replace with low-fat yoghurt. He does recommend eating nuts and seeds up to 1-4 oz a day. I snack on walnuts or almonds/raisins and sprinkle flax/sunflower seeds on my salads.

6) We eat this way 80% of the time in a week, and rest 20% may indulge in foods we love that have some fat sensibly.

We also started taking OTC fish pills. I feel great eating this way. My skin has improved, lost quite a bit of fat around my belly.

[kijip]

Eating enough good food to avoid crashing and eating a lot of crap food. Making diet changes sustainable, no starvation diets.

Working out hard with resistance basically 5-6 times a week and staying active everyday. Find things that are fun and rewarding for you. I love outdoor bootcamp and never skip it like I would have an indoor class. I am rollerskating a lot as well- makes it fun, but it's still challenging. I don't like running, but I like kicking a ball, so I kick the ball and chase it down. Think of things you LIKE to do and do them. I hate long series of crunches, but I like doing different types of crunches in rotation (20 each of 6 or more vs 100-150 of the same).

[Raidra]

The only times I've ever been successful at losing weight was by doing Weight Watchers. I hated South Beach.. for some reason, it always left me with a nasty taste in my mouth that not even brushing could make go away.

Tracking what you eat really does help.. at various times I've used a plain notebook, an Excel spreadsheet, and a blog. I have a spreadsheet you can download on my website: http://www.quiddity.cc/rachel/diet/hints.html - the only thing is, the points calculator uses the old WW 123 Success formula, since the materials I have are from that program.

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

I went from a size 12 to about a 4 using Atkins. When I was heavier I would go for years without weighing myself. Now if I get more than +7 lbs or so, I do not eat carbs until the weight comes off.

[Beckylove]

I started using myfitnesspal.com this week. It is calorie counting. I enter my food and exercise and it gives me the calorie goal for the day. I start at 1200 and get more if I exercise.

I am only a week in, so I am still really motivated right now. I have lost two pounds-- not a huge change, but I feel like it is actually working.

I think it is fairly easy to do. I can enter food on my computer or my iphone. Their database is extensive and I have been able to find what I eat on there. There is a recipie calculator for homemade food. I entered all the ingredients for our dinner tonight, mini turkey burgers, and it gives me the nutrition content- 190 cal per burger w/ bun.

Let us know what you decide to do and how it works for you.

Regarding: low carb vs. low fat. I've found that I am avoiding both carbs and fat, because they are higher in calories than I want. I want a sandwich for lunch and the bread ends up being 200 cals and the turkey,cheese, mustard, lettuce tomato all together are only 140. So when I become more aware of the calories in food, I find I am avoiding a lot of high carb/high fat things.

[tarahsolazy]

Work out a lot, and for real. No 30 minutes on the elliptical, hardly sweating, three times a weel. Not that that's bad, but its not enough for weight loss for many people.

6-8 hours of hard cardio a week, mostly spinning, with heartrates of 160-180. Also strength training, maybe another 1.5 hours a week. I should do more with the strength, but that's what I have easy time for. I also try to commute to work by bike a few times a week, 14 miles, but some weeks it doesn't work out.

I actually didn't change my diet much, and it still needs work.

I lost about 25 lbs over a year, but I've gone from a size 12 to a size 4-6, so that's fine with me. I'd like to lose 10 more, but I'm not sure I'm willing to diet to do it.

I exercise at a variety of times, but at least once or twice a week at 5:30 am, which sucks, but if its my only chance, I do it. I WOHM. I have adjusted my work schedule to allow for a few morning workouts from 9-11, I just work later in the evening. And once or twice a week in the evening I'll go, and take the kids to the daycare there, which they like. Weekends I work out in the morning as well, but more like 7:30 or 9 am.

[momof2girls]

I've FINALLY lost the 17 lbs I added with DD#2 within the last yr. I have never lost weight my entire life! The only thing that works for me is walking daily, 7 times a week, 4 miles a day. I have not cut back on eating as I have no willpower. I use walking DVDs from Leslie Sansone so it only takes 48 mins to do 4 miles. I'm back to my normal size 4 after being an 8/10 for 5 yrs!