What worked for you & how long have you kept it off? Pls: concise answers only.

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  • Hi everyone,

    I started reading half a dozen goal stories, and was very frustrated by the lengthy posts, the up and down sagas, the break-up stories and weight gain, all the things that didn't work, etc.

    Sorry, but I don't feel like reading the whole saga of someone's life since they were a kid.

    I would just appreciate the bottom line: a bulleted list consisting of:

      Thanks. Looking forward to (quickly!) reading what worked for you!
    • If you are looking for a short concise road to weight loss, I've got bad news for you: there isn't one. The short version of how I lost weight and how I'm keeping it off is not very illuminating:

      Eat less. Exercise more.

      Hey, that's it - that is all you have to do. Easy, right? Why would anybody waste *your* precious time typing out more?

      Well, the real work is in all the details, all the numerous approaches and strategies I worked out to achieve those simple ends, to make them feasible and sustainable and part of my routine.

      Losing weight takes a lot of sustained effort - more effort than reading a few long postings and giving some thought to the details of how different people managed to eate less and move more. I hope some day you stop looking for a shortcut, bullet-point approach, because there really isn't one.
    • I agree with carter 100%, couldn't have said it better.
    • I'm new, and I love the stories. I read some every morning and some every evening. It is inspiring to me. I don't have as much weight to lose as some people....but I am 65...so not exactly a spring chicken. I hope some day my story will be inspiring to someone. I am sure that every one of us is a diet expert. I know that I have been on just about every diet known to mankind, and a few that I made up myself. We all know there is no quick fix. It is diet and exercise, but when we can empathize with someone, because we have also had those same feelings, the same ups and downs, and read that they have been able to over come these things....it gives us encouragement to keep going. When the scale gets stuck...we especially need something to keep us motivated. So, I want to thank everyone for their stories and their goal pictures. Congratulations to each and every one of you. And to the people still on the journey...and really, it is a never ending journey, thank you for helping me along the way.
    • I totally agree with Carter. The bottom line, no frills answer is to consume less calories than your body needs to maintain. Simple as that, or not.
    • Realize that this is a lifestyle change that requires a mature assessment of where you are, what your toxic foods/people/situations are, and planning for how you are going to change what is not working for you. Cut out processed foods, and get in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. As you lose the weight and feel better, you'll progress in how clean your food is and how much/what kind of exercise you're doing. See yourself as a work in progress, stick to your new habits.
    • I find that sometimes when I start a new venture (knitting, rock climbing, triathlons, running) I start to spend more time reading about other people's experiences with them then actually doing the thing! There is no magic message board post that is going to make me a better knitter, runner, climber, weight loss-er. I just need to work my weight loss, get out and run and pick up my knitting needles.

      So maybe just skip the goal stories for now and take that time to work on your own goal.
    • The details are what make you successful....Agree with Carter...

      Eat less, exercise more.
    • * over 70 lbs.
      * about 6 months
      * Count calories
      * Lose It app on my iPhone
      * limit processed sugar
      * don't drink calories
      * exercise every day (30-40 minutes of elliptical, weights, walking the dog)
    • Quote: * over 70 lbs.
      * about 6 months
      * Count calories
      * Lose It app on my iPhone
      * limit processed sugar
      * don't drink calories
      * exercise every day (30-40 minutes of elliptical, weights, walking the dog)
      I was impressed with this and looked at some of luckymommy's previous posts. Like many of us she has lost and regained and started over again..
      I think that is a common occurence of dieters,, we are not always successful the first time and never have to diet again.
    • Don't. Ever. Give. Up.

      The end.
    • I'm another who agrees totally with Carter.

      I don't have a goal story on this forum but to answer your question:
      - 20lbs lost this time
      - kept it off around 2 months now (very short period still for me)
      - what worked was eating less and exercising more and being mentally prepared to lose the weight.
    • The long emotional posts are much more valuable than you think. The weight loss process is much more mental than it is physical; getting an idea of a person's headspace throughout the weight loss process can help you deal with your own mental issues and ensure that you're ready to lose weight.
    • Quote: I find that sometimes when I start a new venture (knitting, rock climbing, triathlons, running) I start to spend more time reading about other people's experiences with them then actually doing the thing! There is no magic message board post that is going to make me a better knitter, runner, climber, weight loss-er. I just need to work my weight loss, get out and run and pick up my knitting needles.

      So maybe just skip the goal stories for now and take that time to work on your own goal.
      That's me, too.
    • 1. I've lost 105 lbs so far, and have about 150 more to go.

      2. It's taken me seven years to do it (after a life time of trying)

      3. As to how I did it, bottomline?

      - - Hundreds of books, years of study and research, and dozens of small
      - - strategies & life experiences that you obviously don't have the time,
      - - patience, or interest to read about - my most concise explanation would fill a book.