Suggest tracking by waistline measurements instead of weight.
Exercise can cause muscle growth, which is desirable, but will be visible as weight gain, or less weight loss than desired or expected if you are just tracking your weight. A reasonable target is get your waist circumference to be between 40% and 50% of your height.
I went through menopause and gained 7 pounds, seemingly, overnight. I’ve not tried to lose it but, assuming no one cares how much weight each of us is trying to lose, maybe this will help motivate me.
What’s helped me in the past is to give up sugar. I still eat natural sugars found in fruit, milk, etc. but nothing processed. That’s cut out desserts and lots of processed foods that add smaller amounts of corn syrup or sugar in differing forms. I still don’t eat sugar that often but over the past year, I’m certainly eating it more often than I had previously.
Combining no sugar with one meal a day largely of salad generally has kept me at a weight that I was pretty happy with. Would like to get back to this. Also, someone posted already about an intermittent eating diet. I’ve never been a breakfast person and have always had my first meal of the day between 11 and 12ish. Dinner by 7 and i don’t tend to snack at night much. What a surprise to find out that way of eating was considered a diet.
Last comment: since going through menopause, the same amount of food seems to make me gain so I also have to also focus on portion control.
I know this isn’t the right idea but tomorrow night I’m going out with friends for my last birthday celebration (birthday was a few weeks ago) so I’ll be hoping to join you all on Thursday.
I lost 30 pounds over the course of two years, by upping exercise and only a modest decrease in my diet. I actually eat pretty well. I like to cook, I eat a lot of vegetables, my dh won’t eat pasta, or bread, or potatoes so I eat them rarely. We only have wine on weekends. I gained back a lot of weigh when I broke my toe and stopped walking for quite a while. I agree with post #13 that working with weights (including body weight) is important and that every recent study of exercise I’ve read emphasized the effectiveness of interval training. I spend about 1.5 hours in the gym once a weekend and work with weights at home during the week. I need to go back to doing the long walks and just being more regular with the basement workouts - we have kettleballs, a TRX set up, hand weights, a bench and a bike. So there’s really no excuse. Today’s exercise was walking to and from fireworks! I’ll do 15 (real) pushups before bed as well.
I’m in, too.
I’m on Day 2 of cutting calories waaaay back.
I work out every other day, but may have to rethink what/how I do.
I’m in a pickle because this was supposed to be The Summer of Pie. Will have to rethink that, too.
Weight tonight: 274.9
My realistic goal is to be down to 260 by the time classes start right after Labor Day.
Despite the 100 lb weight increase I only went up a few pant sizes. Enough that my old clothes don’t even remotely fit. So waist measurements aren’t as telling for me as it probably is for others. My weight just went to strange places.
Since the OP mentioned housework and a Fitbit, I’ll mention that the motions of folding laundry and some cleaning activities seem to incorrectly add steps on my Fitbit. Sure I am running up and down the stairs to put the laundry away but I sense there is some over counting going on.
I’ll join you guys.
I have only ten-fifteen pounds to lose, but no motivation. H is working on a project out of town so I am either alone or traveling to be with him. With no kids at home to anchor me, I am making lots of bad choices. When at home alone, I don’t bother to eat healthy regular meals the way I used to. When on the road, I eat like I am on vacation—and you know that’s bad!
Currently away, but I’d guess I weigh 145-47. If I just say no to dessert during the week, say no to appetizers during the week, it would make a big difference. (Vacation eating when away: trying new things at every meal and saying “i’ll be more restrained when I get home.”) I am good about exercise, even away, and do something vigorous for an hour every day, whether it be walking, running, swimming, or some kind of class.
Let’s do this!
I’m in!
I’m in. Lots to lose, but will focus on 10 pounds to start. Super stressed, eating too much, and bad choices, not sleeping well, not exercising.
I need to drink water, cut out sugar, have less dairy, and move more.
I would like to do this, but I honestly don’t know if I have the willpower. I like to eat. I have little self control, when it comes to eating…though I don’t do anything crazy. I’m at 132, which theoretically sounds good, but I’m very fine boned, so a good 10 pounds of that is body fat that needs to disappear, I just can’t seem to stick with anything. I was doing well, training for an difficult event, and then bad things happened. Now I can barely get out the door.
Maybe I’ll follow you guys for awhile and see if I can find a way to get onboard.
I think that you have to find what works for you. Everyone is different and foods and diets are different for everyone. I I am a grazer and stress eater…especially during the college app season. I had lost 50 pounds and several sizes. Felt great. During the college app season, those cookies looked better than broccoli and exercise! Now, after gaining back some, I don’t have the energy or feel a good. Time to get going again. For me it was portion control and self control (need to find that again!). I would gain weight eating certain healthy fruits while a friend lost. It is finding what works…thank you for this thread. For me, it is so helpful knowing that I am not unique in my weight lose journey!
@eyemamom, that is such a helpful link to BMR, BMI and the history of the range of ideal weights! I’m in. I have roughly 70lbs to lose, so aiming for 1-2lbs per week.
Following along. Would like to lose 10 lbs, and a month ago started Atkins type diet, felt well, indulged in foods I would never normally eat. Dropped enough to fit in capris and shorts.
But, the last two weeks have been a slippery slope, so this thread is timely.
Enjoy reading what programs others are using to drop lbs. diets, and types of exercise.
I suspect my walking program, about 3 miles three times a week, at very leisurely pace isn’t helping with fat burning.
Tried lifting some weights but went too heavy, too fast and pulled a shoulder muscle had to back off. Biking without stretching agrravated a bakers cyst knee issues.
This thread has motivated me !!! Thanks for starting this, and to others posting links, too.
OK, so today is my official start. I’ve noted my weight, though I don’t want to post it.
Yesterday I crash dieted-- a PopTart for breakfast (obviously I didn’t start till after that!), a salad for lunch and a cheeseburger with sautéed onions (yum!) for dinner. And lots of water! Obviously that won’t work long term, but it worked yesterday. And when I was in the mood for a snack after dinner, I had a cup of tea instead-- and it did the trick.
I have to laugh-- I still have no idea how to get my fitbit flex to do anything at all. I’ve charged the battery, but that’s about it. I’ll have to get one of my kids to take a look at it and figure it out.
In high school and college I worked in a seafood restaurant. We all used to keep a loaf of bread in the bread warmer, and stick a few pats of butter inside. Any time you wanted, you would break off a chunk and nibble. When I started teaching, I lost a good 15 pounds simply by stopping that one habit. For me, it’s always about bread.
I’ve been cleaning out the pantry (time for the annual clean up around here-- we always tackle it over the summer.) I’ve thrown out anything with an old expiration date, anything that looks questionable. So my pantry is actually pretty bare. I’ll go food shopping in the next few days (have to tackle the fridge first) and make sure I make good choices… lots of fruit and veggies.
I think this will work best for me if I don’t try for lofty goals. I have no will power, which is how I put on the weight in the first place. So lots of water, walk when I can, decent meals, and no eating between meals. That sounds attainable, and like something I can stick to. I’ll weigh myself first thing every day.
I am so happy to see this thread, I need the motivation too. I have lost 35 pounds since January and have about 15 more pounds to go. I indulged on sweets on vacation and am having a hard time giving them up again and the 3 pounds I gained. Oops
I started walking twice a day trying to get between 4 and 7 miles a day. That seems to help the most. I gave up diet soda thinking that it was triggering my cravings for sugar. I have been using the LoseIt! app to track my food and exercise.
Looking forward to the support of this thread.
Here is the other thread http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1160314-weight-loss-for-dummies.html#latest. Would be great to link them.
I’ve done more exercising but haven’t been so careful with the food intake. Want to revisit this but will defer until after an upcoming holiday .
I’m in the no willpower, need to lose about 10 pounds camp. I’ve already lost and kept off 10 of the roughly 20 pounds I had to lose, but that last 10 pounds is hanging on for dear life. I’m hoping to lose at least 5 of them before I have my dress fitted for my S’s September wedding. I can’t do a lot of the cardio I’ve done in the past since I smashed my foot and broke my big toe a couple of weeks ago, but I’m determined to begin a 6 week targeted weight program for my arms. A one-shouldered dress is wonderful motivation. I just can’t seem to find an eating plan that works - I don’t eat snacks or junk food, but I love real food. I think portion control is my nemesis, but I have to admit I’m too lazy to weigh and measure everything. I know it works, but I just never managed to make it part of my routine. I’ll follow along here and see if I can add some support for all who seem to be in the same boat.
I will join in. Limiting calories to around 1800. Whole foods and moderate exercising. Goal will be no food after 7pm.
Feel great but need to drop significant weight. Health is good.
Hi all, I am in the process of (hopefully) slimming down by exercising more and making good eating choices more consistently and regularly. My end goal is to settle in at size 10, maybe size 8. I started at the end of May at size 12/14, leaning more towards 14. Right now I fit comfortably in all my size 12 bottoms, and some are loose. While I do weigh myself once or twice a week, that is not the best indicator of progress for me, as I have upped the exercise and am definitely gaining muscle. I also find that my water weight varies significantly day-to-day, and can really throw off my numbers. I will follow this thread as extra motivation to keep making progress.
Regarding post #13, and various comments about what works for each individual - there is a very interesting article in the June 5 issue of Time magazine entitled “The Weight Loss Trap - why your diet isn’t working.” I don’t think I can link to it, but here are some excerpts:
“Your body will fight like hell to gain the weight back” (due to drop in metabolism, which remains your new base level even after the diet is completed.) “The overly simplistic arithmetic of calories in vs. calories out has given way to the more nuanced understanding that it’s the composition of a person’s diet - rather than how much of it they can burn off working out - that sustains weight loss.” “The best diet for you is very likely not the best diet for your next-door-neighbor. Individual responses to different diets vary enormously.” “The one commonality is that they (dieters who were successful in keeping the weight off for a year or more) is that they had to make changes in their everyday behavior. The vast majority eat breakfast every day, weight themselves at least once a week, watch fewer than 10 hours of television a week, and exercise about an hour per day, on average. The researchers also noticed that the people with long-term weight loss were motivated by something other than a slimmer waist - like a health scare, or desire to live a longer life.”
I am focusing at least as much on exercise as the eating habit changes, because I want to be fit as I move through middle age and into my 60’s. I want to be able to sit on the floor with my grandkids in 10+ years, I want to be able to maintain an active lifestyle and enjoy fun adventures such as hiking and biking when we travel. I want to have good bone health as I age!! I have been attending a strength training class 2x per week since last November. The average age is 60-70, so I am the young one at 55. But these people are pretty fit, and we do a lot of lunges, squats, free weights, core work, and balance work. Beginning in June, I began running again on a regular basis. I have been running 2-3 times per week, between 1.5 and 3 miles. I do incorporate interval training (changes in speed; often I do a run/walk/run sequence.) This is what works best for me - throughout my live, my weight has always been its best when I am running regularly and lifting weights. The good eating choices are so much easier when you are feeling good about the exercise!
Foodwise, I try hard to limit the flour carbs, reduce the snacking, and “close” the kitchen after dinner. Also trying to limit my alcohol to one or 2 glasses of wine one night per week. Up the veggies, reduce the cheese. But i don’t cut anything of those things completely, because it’s all about what I can sustain after the weight comes off! I have also come to realize that now that I have hit menopause, my portion sizes need to be smaller, even if I am not trying to lose weight (this one is hard for me - I don’t want to eat like a bird at every meal!!) sigh
I wish everyone much success on this personal journey. Figure out what changes YOU can adapt for the long haul. And do try and work in at least a little bit of “sweat” exercise of some type (fitness walking in addition to the extra steps over the course of a day, for instance.)
I’d like to join but I’m afraid of failure.
I’l try but I already at breakfast this morning so I’ll have so step on the scale tomorrow.
I’d be happy to lose 15. I lost 13 last year and gained it back after our new puppy came and my exercise routine got interrupted.
Hormones are also playing a role.