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

[AbbysMom]

I started using myfitnesspal.com this week.

Thanks for this! This is a great site for me. I just put in my meals for the day and I am 500 over my 1200 limit - of course I did go to Friendly's for dinner and get ice cream for dessert It's so easy to use!

[kijip]

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.

Also, people burn more or less calories from doing nothing all day and have a different amount of optimal calorie intake. Factoring in a modest allowance for nursing, working with a nutritionist and having a test done, I found out that I needed nearly twice as many calories to lose weight as I thought. I added more (quality foods) and started losing MUCH faster. For many people 1000-1400 ish calorie diets put them into a starvation mode. I have a number of friends who started losing more when they ate (a little) more (quality) food.

[gatorsmom]

For those who count calories, is there an easy way to do this? Do you write down what you eat all day, then do all the calories at once to see how your day was? Or count as you go? Is there an online refence that you use that can tell you how many calories certain things are? I try to eat well but this is where I get overwhelmed.

what really works for me is allowing myself 1500-1800 calories per day. It sounds like a lot to some and for some it might be. But I'm afraid my body couldn't go very long on fewer carbs without binging. And that is just not healthy. So I lose the weight slowly but sure this way and the cravings aren't so hard to endure.

Everyday I get 300 calories for breakfast, 500 or 600 for lunch, 300 for an afternoon snack (to get me through dinner prep without sneaking bites), and then 500-600 calories for dinner. So I try to use up all my allotted calories for that meal and make them "healthy" calories. In other words, I try to eat as much fresh vegie and fruit as I can, A good size portion of protein,keep the starches to a minimum, eat whole foods and nothing "lite." I usually ea the same thing for breakfast so that's easy. I know when I've consumed my 300 calories for breakfast and then just forget about it until lunch. For lunch, if I'm making hotdogs for the kids and I want one, for example i'll read the package to see how many calories are a hotdog and bun for me and if I don't reach 500 then I'll probably have a yogurt with some fresh fruit to use up the rest of my allotted calories. I usually eat yobaby yogurt since it's so creamy and delicious and thus more filling. As soon as I've reached my limit for that meal I don't consume any more til the afternoon snack at 3pm or 4pm. Well, I make an exception for what I call "freebie" foods. I don't count calories on fresh vegies ( like baby carrots, cut up celery, etc), pickled vegies, and other low calorie filling foods. So, if i get hungry between meals or snacks I'll allow myself as many freebie foods as I want.

[DrSally]

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.

You may need to change your screen name

[sste]

Well, I am lucky to have a decent metabolism and have never gone on a diet but I have shed that 5 or 10 extra pounds at various points. In addition to some of the things already mentioned - - cutting carbs and breastfeeding - - these have also worked for me:

1. I cook full dinners. For me, the more I cook home-made meals, esp. from scratch, the less appetite I have. Perhaps because I am so tired and sick of food at the end of cooking!

2. I cut out all processed foods.

3. I indulge! Again so long as not processed and not in large portions. It sounds counter-intuitive but a small excellent piece of cheese can go a long way.

4. I standardize breakfast to something very healthy (usually flax plus cereal, fruit and low-fat yogurt), lunch is decently healthy, and then I cut myself some serious slack with dinner.

5. I eat soup before meals. I have a big pot of it around or I use low-sodium canned from costco. This really helps to control portions.

6. I always eat when I am hungry. Denial does not work for me. I do try to make the snacks relatively healthy and/or small portions.

Good luck!

[DrSally]

I've lost 25 lbs. in the past 3 months. I decided to only eat when I feel hungry and stop when I'm not hungry (rather than when I feel "full"). I was really overeating and eating cr#p out of stress and harried lifestyle. This made a big difference. I haven't been counting calories. Along with eating less, naturally comes trying to eat healthier things, although I don't tell myself that anything is specifically off limits. For instance, when having a sandwich, I'll put it on WW bread, rather than a croissant, and save myself half the calories. Again, not counting calories strictly, but it's something I consider when making choices. Also, if I'm craving something sweet, I'll have 2 Andes mints at 5 calories each, rather than a bowl of icecream.

Also, I have a little of the main dish, whatever that is, and fill my plate with veggies and/or fruit, and just try to limit the bread, but not strictly.

I've also been trying not to eat late at night, when it's tempting to just sit in front of the tv and eat mindlessly.

Also, I've stopped eating off the kid's plates/leftovers. Really cutting back/or completely out fast food drive through eating. Restaurants, limiting portions, taking things home or just ordering appetizers. Restaurants are a dangerous place to get stuffed b/c you can't control the portion you dish up onto your plate like at home.

ETA: Once things get going in the right direction, it's easier to keep going b/c you see the results. It's so nice to look better in clothes and feel better about myself. I was in 12/sometimes 14, and now am a loose 10/sometimes 8. I have about 15 more lbs to lose.

A previous thread on fitness goals inspired me. At the time, I had no goals, but reading other's goals got me motivated. Specifically, being in the "normal" weight range and fitting into a single digit size. I was in the overweight, verging on obese weight range, and now have made it to the top of the normal range. My goal is to get into the middle of the normal range.

[Octobermommy]

Thanks for the motivation everyone! I am trying to figure out how much I should aim to lose since I am nursing. I would like to lose about 5 pounds a month. That should be fine, right?

[maestramommy]

I had a post here a month ago about not being able to lose any weight after a month of regular exercise. I talked to a friend who is a nutritionist, and she helped me tighten up my diet. Basically I cut out alcohol, and foods high in sodium. I stopped eating all ramen, chips, basically all salty snacks. Around this time I also increased my mileage (running) a little bit more. But I really think it was tweaking my diet that did it. Since a month ago I think I've lost 5 lbs? Maybe more. My weigh-in is tomorrow.

[DrSally]

I had a post here a month ago about not being able to lose any weight after a month of regular exercise. I talked to a friend who is a nutritionist, and she helped me tighten up my diet. Basically I cut out alcohol, and foods high in sodium. I stopped eating all ramen, chips, basically all salty snacks. Around this time I also increased my mileage (running) a little bit more. But I really think it was tweaking my diet that did it. Since a month ago I think I've lost 5 lbs? Maybe more. My weigh-in is tomorrow.

My sister had a lot of success with LA weight loss (too strict for me), and when talking to her, I was impressed with how tightly they restricted sodium content in foods.

[smiles33]

Well, I am lucky to have a decent metabolism and have never gone on a diet but I have shed that 5 or 10 extra pounds at various points. In addition to some of the things already mentioned - - cutting carbs and breastfeeding - - these have also worked for me:

1. I cook full dinners. For me, the more I cook home-made meals, esp. from scratch, the less appetite I have. Perhaps because I am so tired and sick of food at the end of cooking!

2. I cut out all processed foods.

3. I indulge! Again so long as not processed and not in large portions. It sounds counter-intuitive but a small excellent piece of cheese can go a long way.

4. I standardize breakfast to something very healthy (usually flax plus cereal, fruit and low-fat yogurt), lunch is decently healthy, and then I cut myself some serious slack with dinner.

5. I eat soup before meals. I have a big pot of it around or I use low-sodium canned from costco. This really helps to control portions.

6. I always eat when I am hungry. Denial does not work for me. I do try to make the snacks relatively healthy and/or small portions.

Good luck!

word-for-word, except that DH does all the cooking. I've lost all my preggo weight and an additional 10 pounds because DH started making me soup to bring to work and eat before lunch and when I get hungry. He makes it himself from homemade chicken stock and often adds pureed lentils or chickpeas for protein to fill me up.

I hate exercising and it's even less likely when I rationalize about what else could be done in that time since I have 2 kids and a long commute to work.

Of course, nursing helps burn calories, too, but the irony is that with DD1, I used nursing as an excuse to eat anything and everything I wanted (in scary portion sizes, too!). This time around, I've been much better about watching my portion sizes. Still, I don't feel like I'm on a "diet" as restrictions often make me want to rebel and I am not disciplined enough to count calories.