Hello! I'm a newbie of sorts. Lurked a lot and decided to resign up. I started out beginning of March with the Transitions Lifestyle System. Basically a low-glycemic index plan. I lost 20# the first 2 weeks and now have sort of stalled. I'm still going at it though. I added exercise this week hoping that will help too.

Anyways... what lifestyle plan are you following? Do you do your own thing? Do you do a group thing? I'm just looking for new ideas and inspirations. I have 200# to lose and am willing to look at all the healthy options.

I have found since stopping the diet soda (well soda totally), stopping white flours/sugars, and staying away from as much artificial "crap" as possible that I am feeling a lot better. No more afternoon drags, no more massive sugar cravings (still get them sometimes, just not as bad).

Thanks to any/all that respond back!

Well my plan is pretty simple. I calorie count. I cut out the crap (all the crap) and the white (bread, sugar, rice, pasta etc) I stopped eating fast food. I drink water or tea only.

I focus on getting 5-10 fruits/veggies per day. 100 grams of protein. Good healthy fat. My carbs are from whole grain sources (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa) I eat lean trimmed meats and lots of seafood/fish. I eat a fair bit of low fat dairy and make sure that I am getting my healthy fats. I drink 3 Liters of water per day and make sure to MOVE MY BODY!!!

I've lost 180 pounds in 18 months. So it's working for me!

I count calories and fat. Pretty strict about that part. I eat more veggies and more complex grains, much less red meat, moderate reduced fat dairy. Mainly I just try to eat more whole/unprocessed food, except I have a wicked coffee habit, so I end up using splenda for that :-(

I exercise every day with an occasional day off. I am not fit or buff, so I ride the bicycle usually between 5-6 miles/day if the weather is good. If not, then I walk as much as I can which is usually a mile or less. It was MUCH less a month ago! Sometimes I do a dancing video or jump on the mini trampoline, but it depends on how my back feels. I don't think right now it matters how I exercise as long as I am more active than I was before. And I started really small with just walking around one block, and bicycling les than a mile. I've worked my way up as I could.

My goal is to lose an average of 2 lbs a week until I get to my curent goal, then I will reevaluate and see where to go from there.

Barb

I do a boot camp program with a trainer 3 times a week and get in cardio 3 times too. I eat veggies , fruit, and protein. What I eat is fairly routine everyday and within 1300-1500 calories. I do still have small treats because it works for me. I have 1 small cookie or 1 piece of chocolate and I am satisfied. I drink water, crystal light and unsweetened tea, I drink coke zero as a splurge. I love my runs usually 3-4 miles and the time alone with my ipod makes me happy. I am the smallest I have been since middle school and far more fit. I love it!

I'm a calorie counter as well. I cut out fast food (really eating out in general), absolutely no fried food, no caffiene, minimal alcohol, no sweets, and portion control. I also limit my carbs, but I wouldn't say I'm a low-carber...I'm just "carb-aware"...I can't do the low-carb lifestyle...I'll binge on bread. I weigh/measure everything that goes into my mouth (which usually means a LOT of prep work). I re-vamped my pantry...put everything that has been bought in "bulk" and make them easy, single servings. I also do this in my freezer with my lean meats.

As for exercise, I bought Chalean Extreme (strength training DVD) and do this routine religiously. LOVE IT! I walk my dog for 30-45 mins in the mornings and evenings everyday except Sunday (and depending on the weather...I'll go to my apartment's gym if it's bad and use the treadmill).

Oh, and I only drink water and de-caf tea...no cravings for any diet coke...but I did have a dream after my first week that one was chasing me!!!

I started on 1/18/10 and I'm down 38.8 total (my ticker is probably not updated).

I am a calorie counter as well. Well, I don't really count my calories all the time, I am just more mindful of what I eat. I see a dietician every two weeks who keeps track of what I have been eating and my weight loss. I cut out all fast food, fried food, sweets, and white foods. I try to eat organic and natural when I can. I eat a lot of veggies and fruits. I do drink diet sodas sometimes, but I try to avoid them because of the caffeine.

I exercise 5 days a week with cardio and weights too.

My basic plan is "no sugar." So long as I stick to that, I can maintain quite well.

Other pieces I have added as I've gone along, which contribute to my overall health and well-being:

-- 5 to 10 servings of veggies and fruits per day (blueberries, grapefruit, spinach, carrots, and tomatoes nearly every day)
-- Generally, I do not eat grains
-- I eat a lot of protein, usually 120 to 150 grams per day (about 30-35% of my calories), much of which comes from chicken, pork, ground turkey, steak, or fish
-- I eat a lot of healthy fat (about 30-35% of my calories), including 8 grams per day of fish oil
-- I eat 2 to 4 servings daily of nonfat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, milk)
-- I eat some nuts almost every day (almonds or peanut butter or both)
-- I take vitamin D
-- I have a daily treat which is usually a cup of hot cocoa which I make from high-quality cocoa, nonfat milk, and splenda
-- Friday nights we have some kind of "special" meal like hamburgers or something else I've been craving - most often this is homemade and actually quite healthy
-- I limit caffeinated coffee to once per week, on Saturdays (caffeine makes my insulin resistance worse)
-- I take melatonin for sleep and work diligently to get 7.5 to 8 hours of good-quality sleep per night
-- I do count calories, but I peg my intake to my output, trying to maintain about an 800 calorie deficit so that I am neither too low nor too high on calories
-- I stand at my desk at work, usually 6 hours per day - this burns about 50 calories per hour extra
-- I bike to work a few days per week (when it's not raining) - that's an hour per day of biking when I do it
-- I do strength-training at home, mostly bodyweight exercises right now, 3x per week
-- I do "extra" fun physical activities such as rollerskating, dancing, walking/sightseeing when I can

I am constantly, constantly modifying and tweaking my plan to optimize it. My current change is that I'm getting up at 6:30 every single morning (even weekends) and doing some exercise immediately. I believe this makes a world of difference in my energy for the day. But that's a very new component of my plan.

Overall, I love my plan, find it totally liveable, and feel physically/mentally/emotionally quite awesome. Also, I look good!

Hi!

I am a calorie counter. I aim for everyday to include veggies (lots), fruit, lean meats/beans/proteins, dairy, healthy fats, & mostly healthy grains. I have treats or high fat foods now and then. I use splenda in my morning coffee (no more than 2 cups a day). My daily calories range anywhere between 1200 and 1600 a day.

Everyday I try and concentrate on: planning & logging my food, no seconds, fork down between bites, daily gratitudes, mindful/slow eating, really tasting the food eating, lots of water, leave a tiny bit of food on my plate.... I know it sounds like alot - but, for me it's as much about my relationship with food and eating as the food itself. I do daily stretches and strengthening exercise and sometimes ride my recumbent bike.

I am a calorie counter but I have not cut out all of the junk. I am slowly working on eating healthier but for me just watching calories right now make me lose weight. I do wear a gowearfit daily so that I have an idea of how many calories I am burning. I aim to burn 1000 calories more than I eat each day. Sometimes that means an extra exercise session in the evening to balance things out.

I write down everything I eat. The first couple of weeks that was all I did and couldn't believe I lost weight.

Now I also write down calories, fiber, and water. I try to stay between 1500-1800 calories a day. Try to get 25 fibers and 9 eight oz glasses of water. Weight is going down slowly but fairly easily.

I'm pre-diabetic, so my food plan has a lot to do with my blood sugars. Losing weight is secondary (but still important). I do lose 1-2 pounds a week most weeks, but I'm more interested in what my glucose meter says than my scale (what a switch!!).

I don't eat many carbs, and when I do I try to make them whole grain (but oatmeal will spike my sugar for some reason. /grumble). Fruit and beans/pulses in moderation (too much can spike me). I don't worry as much about fat, but I also don't slather it on everything (too many years trying to do low-fat cooking to completely give it up).

I focus each meal around protein and veggies, and then count calories on top of that. I use either Myplate or Sparks for my tracking. I try to cycle between 1500 and 2000, with most days coming in around 1600.

I'm also trying to incorporate more exercise. I have tendinitis, so I can't walk for my exercise anymore. I have an elliptical at home, and soon the pool will open up. I also have a bike, but my belly is so big I hate riding it. But this spring I may just have to do it anyway. It's pretty much gotten to the point where if I don't, I'll probably end up full-blown diabetic in the next few years. Talk about motivation!

Calorie counter here.

I'm also prediabetic and mostly into whole foods, low gi type to see how it helps out on my blood sugar meter.

I tend to get bored with the same recipes thought so I try to experiment and change things around.

A.

No program per se, but I'm in with the calorie counting crew! I go to weight watchers, but don't follow the program or use the points thing. I have a calorie range that I try to stay under and exercise several times a week.

I'm doing a modified weight watchers.
I'm not actually signed up, just got the information off the internet. Figured out how many "points" I was allowed to eat per day, and then found a WW online calculator that I use for portion control/to ensure I eat enough points.
It is modified in that in 'normal' weight watchers you are allowed flex points every week for when you go over your allowed points for the day/for eating out etc. I do not allow myself these points. If I want to eat something "bad" I eat carrot sticks instead. I am too heavy/unhealthy to be 'rewarding' myself with food. That's what got me into this mess, so I'm sure as **** not going to incorporate that into my lifestyle.

In addition to the food lifestyle change, I've also signed up for a gym and go walking 6/7 nights a week with my friend and dog. My friend is also doing the modified WW, and we keep each other motivated. Both of us are stubborn and competitive as **** and fairly close as far as weight to lose is concerned.
If she spazzes and eats stuff that she's not supposed to, I give her grief, and I expect her to do the same for me. It keeps us in line.
I officially started on March 22, and I have lost almost 15lbs already.

A post I've copied, pasted and recycled:

I knew the only way this weight loss thing would *work*, permanently that is, would be if I could find something that I could stick with LONGTERM, forever in fact, because not only do I want to lose the weight, but I want to keep it off - forever. It simply won't *work* if you dont' stick with it. Consistiency, consistiency, consistiency. STICKING with it is of course the key. Lifestyle change. Creating a new normal. No going back to the old ways. Permanent, sustainable lifetime changes.

So of course finding something that I could stick and was willing to stick with was essential. Most sensible plans WILL result in weight loss as long as you stick with them. So the WILLING to stick to it part is very key here.

Things I needed/still need to be on my plan:

- I could never, ever be hungry. Just not for me. I despise that feeling and need to AVOID it all costs. It would only set me up for failure.
- I need LOTS of food, volume that is.
- I love food, always will and need to get enjoyment from it. So eating delicious, very tasty, satisfying foods was a MUST.
- I am terrible with portion control. I have no boundaries. My intuitive eating button is totally broken or just missing completely. So I need to fake it. I need something that forces me to set limits.
- I want not only to be thin at this point, I want to be healthy. Strong bones & muscles, good vision, healthy hair and nails, low cholesterol, normal sugar levels, high vitamin count, lower my risk of cancers.

So therefore, let's see if I can do this with one breath - I eat frequently, every 2 hours or so, choosing low calorie/high volume items (veggies), lots of protein and fiber (to keep me full longer), I count calories (forced portion control/accountability), I eat foods with high nutritional values, I've found foods that I LOVE, not *diet* foods per se, food that any one and every one can eat.

I also set myself up for success. By ridding my home of the junk (very crucial in the beginning, and still is). I got rid of the sugar, the rice, pasta, bread, cookies, cakes, ice cream, etc... Sure I love the stuff, but I have no control with it. I figured I can not have it both ways. I simply can not have those foods in my life (very strict with it especially in the beginning, cold turkey in fact) and be that healthy, fit person I so longed to be. I have a real hard time stopping to eat certain foods once I START, my solution - don't start. Problem solved (took me years to figure that one out).

I keep my home fully stocked with tons and tons of veggies. I discovered fabulous ways to prepare them and now enjoy them more then the other garbage I was eating prior. Amazing how ones tastes change when you stop feeding it junk. Fruits and low fat proteins are my other main foods. I cook fabulous meals that my whole family enjoys. So finding yummy recipes that you like is essential. No reason to go off plan, when on plan is so good.

I also prepare ahead, as it is the ONLY way to succeed, IMO. Eating healthy does not happen by accident. Therefore it MUST, MUST be planned out in advance. I know what I'm having for my meals and snacks in advance. I pack food with me, taking it with me wherever I go, leaving nothing to chance. It's just THAT important.

I drink lots of water. It's something to do with my mouth; a delaying tactic and it keeps my tummy full.

And of course, there is the calorie counting. Would be nowhere without it. Nowhere. Since I don't know how to set limits for myself, counting calories is my answer. Counting and tracking my calories keeps me honest and keeps my food in check. Period.

Exercise has now become part of my life and is a big part of "my plan". I started out slowly and built up. Cardio & strength training. I make sure there is some kind of daily movement going on, 7 days a week.

Probably the biggest part of my plan though, was making a commitment. Deciding once and for all that I was going to "do this". I told myself enough is enough. I realized, once and for all that I didn't have to be fat if I didn't want to be. That it was something that I did indeed have total and complete control over. No reason on earth for me to waste another second of my life being miserable, worrying about my health and not living up to my full potential. Not being the very best ME that I could be. So I made a commitment to good eating and good health.