I've been counting my calories every now and then to see how I'm doing and what are my biggest sources of energy, and have been forming new habits based on that information. I eat around 1000 calories a day - I am really short and small-framed, and my body seems to agree with this so far. I eat a LOT of fresh and steamed veggies. As I don't eat meat or chicken, I have to be careful to get enough protein, but luckily there are other sources, like beans and cottage cheese.
I try to exercise 5-6 times a week, pole walking for 50 minutes, sometimes 90. It's been a great thing for my neck/shoulders/posture, and as I've been gaining muscle too in both my legs and arms, and don't let myself go hungry, and generally feel good and energetic, I think it's safe to say I'm not starving myself. So far me and my body seem to be agreeing about this!
I have done WWPP before and lost a good amount of weight on it (20 lbs in 2.5 months last year) but it seems to get me in a negative mind set, and then I end up binging and gaining all the weight back plus some. So I'm trying to be more active and just eating more good, whole foods, including more fruits and vegetables than I was eating before. I'm somewhat tracking calories...I'm using a free site called cronometer more to track my daily nutritional goals (it estimates both macro and micronutrients) but it also has the calorie count. I've been averaging 1200-1300 calories a day, which has been fine with me. I have a small frame so that is plenty for me to feel satisfied now that my stomach has "shrunk." I'm also very busy with a new housekeeping job so I don't really have time to snack, which helps a lot.
I would like to start formally exercising soon...I do like jogging once I make it a habit, but the first couple of weeks are always horrible so I'm putting off starting But I am on my feet a lot right now, so I'm letting my body get used to that first. And on my days off I've been going for walks with friends, which is nice.
All that to say I guess I'm mostly just trying to be healthier overall, both in body and in mind, while being conscious of not overeating the good things and to stay active so I'll lose weight in a way that may be slower, but is sustainable for me.
I use my fitness pal to count calories - my goal is 1700 per day. I make sure I weigh and measure foods so my tracking is as accurate as possible.
Foodwise, I try to eat sufficient protein and eat mostly real, whole foods. For other health issues, I avoid gluten and soy and limited processed and refined foods.
I use the Pacer app to track my steps and walking. I like to add exercise not just because it makes me feel good and sleep better, but also because I earn an extra 300-400 calories that I can use to eat more FOOD if I choose to. I love food!
Diets just don't work for me. I don't have problems losing weight. But I would always gain it back and then some. On top of that I would always get discouraged, feel quilty, and have to psych myself up to start all over again. It was a horrible cycle of guilt, remorse, excitement, self loathing, etc. Plus, in the end after all those years of trying to diet I am actually bigger than when I first started. I told myself it would have been better if I never dieted!!
So this time I decided to just be the person I want to be and eat and exercise and live like that person. I consider myself in 'training' to be myself. This was a revelation for me and as soon as I started being 'me' all the emotional baggage of dieting and guilt over being fat went out the window.
For the first time I am successfully losing weight at my own pace, without going hungry, and without forced exercises. I stay active but do things I like to do like walking, gardening, stretching, tai chi. I have a fairly active life style so I exercise when I am motivated. Lately I have been feeling more energetic and adding exercises to build strength and flexibility.
For eating I basically try to eat sensibly and healthy and watch my portions. The only thing I do close to dieting is I am tracking my daily calorie and fat intake. I know that to be the person I want to be I need to adjust to eating within a certain range of calories so as I lose weight I adjust my calorie intake for each level or goal I set for myself. This has made it much easier on my body and I find I tend to automatically adjust as I go.
Since I am not on any diet there are no food restrictions or foods that are not 'allowed'. But after several weeks of eating healthier I find I am more hungry for foods that give my body nutrition and energy rather than empty calories or foods high in sugar, salt, etc.
I sometimes treat myself to foods that are just for fun or if I have a craving I just can't satisfy unless I eat that particular food. I no longer beat myself up about it and if I have an indulgent eating day I know that as soon as I get it out of my system I go back to eating sensibly.
This is what is working for me and what I like about it best is that I can live with this life style the rest of my life.
I am counting calories and exercising. I am not going to do a rigorous workout routine. I feel like after awhile I do get burned out. I love being active but sometimes I feel like when I make it a chore I no longer enjoy it.
I am eating as much real food as possible and limiting processed foods. I am hoping to eventually be able to stop counting calories and just be able to gauge how much I'm eating and what my daily diet should look like.
I am doing pretty much the same thing as applevalleygirl. I did track protein for a while to figure out what felt like the daily optimum amount was for me. It's still in my tracker menu but I rarely look at it anymore.
Like applevalleygirl my goal was to find a way of eating I could do for the rest of my life. If everyday eating is a 10, I try to set my dial right now to about a 9 to allow for about 1 lb a week loss. Some weeks I succeed, others I don't. That's OK. I'm not on a timetable.
I'm also very resistant to diets. The moment some one/some plan tells me what or when I can eat, I want to eat the exact opposite thing.
One funny thing about this question for me though is the question of "What are you doing?" Once my loss became noticible, many people asked me that question. When I responded that I was simply eating better, most of the people wanted the name of the diet. Was I on Atkins? South Beach? Shots? Weight Watchers? It seemed that "eating better" perplexed some people!
Vickie Chickie I am so glad to know I am not the only one following my own drumbeat. I just find it so much easier to eat 'in tune' with my own body and not be told what I should or should not be eating, when, how, or how much or little. I continue to be amazed at how 'smart' my body is if I just listen and keep in touch with its needs.
Like you, trying to explain its simplicity to others is not easy. I get a lot of blank stares or expressions like I am nuts. Makes me wonder if there are a lot of people that just aren't in touch with bodies and its needs. This is something that has always been important to me. But now that I have discovered I can lose weight this way its like a miracle.
I started Weight Watchers in May and while WW is an amazing program and I managed to lose 26.8 lbs, I stalled... just fell right off the wagon. I've switched to Ideal Protein to keep the momentum going, so we'll see what the scale says this Friday.
South Beach diet here, one month in to it as of today!
I find it easy to follow, and quite liberal in it's approach once the first two weeks are through. The weight loss is slow, but steady so far. 2 - 3 pounds per week, which is a healthy rate at which to lose.
I don't feel deprived at all on this plan, either. Once the cravings for sugar pass in the first week or so, the lifestyle becomes quite comfortable!
I'm weaning myself off jenny craig right now, but I just got a fitbit and it's a lot of fun, it tracks everything and sends it wirelessly to your phone or computer and cheers you on and it's just a little twist that is making diet and exercise more fun for me.
I just got a FitBit too, Cheesecake. The scale is coming later this week, and so far, I really like it. I have always been a techno-nerd, and anything that makes exercise/diet/recording more fun, I am all in!
I let my weight get back up to its high and saw a photo of myself and decided (yet again) that enough is enough.
I charged up the trusty fitbit (actually had to buy a new on) and dusted off the elliptical. I'm tracking on LoseIt for 6 weeks now (down 10 lbs) and totally threw myself into their online program.
For exercise I'm doing T-Tapp, the elliptical, walking, and weights.
My head is totally focused around losing weight right now.
I also always love to hear what others are doing. For myself, I am doing a vegan diet (not for weight loss - for ethical reasons, but I'm not eating meat and dairy) but I came up with my own plan after not having found any other vegan-type diet plan satisfactory. I focus on eating mostly whole foods but I don't obsess over it and I do eat foods that are definitely processed (like granola bars and cereal). I also eat some "fun" foods that I know will keep me from binge eating (like dark chocolate). I found that I do best when I don't worry about stuff like carbs or fats but just eat what I really feel like (healthy stuff, of course). I'm actually ending up eating a lot of salads (which are perfect now since it's so hot) and soups as well. I find that when I really tune in to what I feel like eating and I cook for myself without spending hours in the kitchen, I do the best.
I don't count calories or limit them but I am aware of how much I am eating. Right now, I eat somewhere between 1300-1500 calories a day, but in the past, I could even eat 1600 and still do fine as long as it was good stuff. It seems to be working. I was losing very well (not weighing myself, though) until about 2 months ago when stress hit (my dad was diagnosed with cancer). I actually weighed myself last week when getting back on track and I was still 12 pounds down since January, even with all the junk food I was eating, so that's not too bad.
But I am on my feet a lot right now, so I'm letting my body get used to that first. And on my days off I've been going for walks with friends, which is nice. 
