What are some of the programs you have followed that have worked for you. Do you put together your own programs? Follow WW? Atkins? What has worked for you?
Put me squarely in the calorie counting/exercise group (and happy to be there!).
I love being able to eat anything I want (within reasonable portions). And, with all of the exercise I've been getting, I actually feel fitter at this time (even at 290+ pounds) than I have ever before in my life.
I do think that plans or important for long-term success. I know each week exactly how much I am going to eat each day, when I buy groceries I am de facto planning my meals (how many times chicken, how many fish, what veggies, what sides for the week, etc), and I know when, how much, and what kind of exercise I'm going to get. The plan keeps me in line when I want to be naughty. It doesn't have to be a professionally designed plan, it doesn't have to be made weeks or even days in advance, but it does need to exist.
For example: I'm wearing new shoes at work today, and my feet hurt, and I feel whiny and don't want to go to the gym. But, on Tuesdays I go to the gym- so there you are, and there I'll be in about an hour.
I am doing ww which is just calorie counting broken down and exersising. I also like to be able to eat what I want as long as I watch portions. Although I also see the consequences of if I eat something high in points/calories I have to cut back on everything else the rest of the day. Also I try to get at least a gallon of water in everyday.
I'm doing a modified version of Somersizing, which is somewhat similar to Phase 1 of South Beach. Modified because I also count calories, instead of trusting myself to eat until I'm full. I could just count calories, but somersizing helps me to stay away from foods that would cause me to binge otherwise.
I'm doing a body cleansing and fat burning program. I've tried quite a few other things before like calorie counting, LA Weight Loss, diet pills, starvation (that never lasted long lol), etc but this has worked the best for me, and I love it! Takes so much guesswork out of what I'm doing, and I feel great when I cleanse my body. It's been such a blessing to me to have found this and to have finally gotten started with it. It took me 6 months to take the plunge, but I did it and haven't looked back since.
Last edited by karistiana; 07-05-2006 at 08:46 AM.
I've never heard of ********, I'll have to look it up and see what it is. I'm in the group of calorie counters and exercisers as well (well working on the exercise part, getting better, lol). I also had to increase my water intake, I have always been awful about drinking water, instead I drank lots of Diet Coke. Now I have a Diet Coke maybe 3 or 4 times a week and the rest is water and some flavored water. I try to keep my calories between 1200 and 1600, normally staying closer to the 1200 mark but giving myself the 1600 limit for days where i want a treat. I have tried diets that limited what I could eat, and while I naturally limit myself most of the time when counting calories it's nice to know that I CAN have something if I want to give up other calories for it.
Hey Melody ... I PM'd you some links to check out to make your search a lot easier lol. If you or anyone else has any questions on it feel free to PM me.
Calorie counting and exercising. In addition to what everyone said, I feel I can do this for life and am trying to learn how to maintain my weightloss as I go.
Hi! I am new here--just beginning yet another (AND FINAL) weight loss odyssey!
I joined LA Weight Loss and am on my whopping 2nd day! I really haven't been on it long enough to make a personal recommendation, but several friends and family members have done fabulously on it, so here I am!
I have also done Weight Watchers (lost 68 lbs--then fell off hard; was VERY strict, when allowed myself to cheat just once, then slipped into the abyss of weight gain). I did a modified South Beach last year and lost about 20 lbs, but gained that and more back when I stopped. The low/no carb was really hard for me and I needed more accountability. I thought I knew enough and could do it on my own (and I have learned a lot from all of my reading and research (edited so I didn't sound so smug--I HOPE!!), but I found I need the atta-boys I get and the talk-throughs with a paid program. I felt guilty when I was mulling over whether I wanted to shell out the dough for weight loss, but if that is what makes it happen, so be it! My dh is behind me the whole way and I am confident our entire household will benefit from this.
Calorie counting and exercise here too. I like the calorie counting for the same reason Andoreth mentioned; getting to eat pretty much whatever I want.
Weight Watchers works for me. I started going to an at work program and it worked out very well for me but now I didn't pay for the next series of 14 weeks (it has to be paid in advance) and I'm still on the plan, trying to to it without going to the meetings. So far is it still working for me. If I feel like I'm starting to slip back into my old ways, I'll start going again because after all this work to get almost 1/2 way to my goal (2 more pounds and I'm half way there), I'm not going to gain it back. I know what to do so I'm trying not to have to fork over the $156 this time.
The part of my plan that hasn't ever changed over the past 5 months is that I do lots of exercise. I love exercise!!! As far as the food part, I've changed from strict calorie counting to eating 5 approx 300-calorie meals a day. Emphasis on protein. I'm considering getting back on the strict calorie counting plan though, just because I had more success doing that - something with being accountable for every bite, lick and taste works for me! Overall I'm happy with my progress, (40 pounds in 5 months) but my weight loss has slowed down drastically over the past 2 months. I don't eat after 7:30 pm in general and I try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. I drink loads of water. What I LOVE about how I'm losing weight this time around is that this isn't a "diet" - I will not stop eating this way when I weigh 150 pounds! The whole lifestyle thing has clicked for me!!! I'm learning portion control and discovering the mind-body connection. Winning the battle over emotional eating is very liberating.
I'm currently on Optifast (very low calorie, medically supervised rapid weight loss). When I completely finish this program, I plan to follow Atkins lifetime maintenance (which Atkins also recommends following glycemic index guidelines).
Exercise is a habit, it was before I started Optifast. I don't think I'll ever be a true calorie counter....but who knows what will happen in 6 months.
I cannot follow any diet plan for long. Instead I just keep my calories down to 1000 to 1200 a day and walk the dog a few times a day. This is the only thing that works for me.. Some people say thats not enough calories but for me its what I need to do to lose weight. I'm short (5'3") and any more calories is just too much. I've tried Atkins in the past and it worked fine for a few months, I had lost 45 pounds in 2 months but I really didn't like the meat, cheese and eggs meals. I prefer watermelon and strawberries, chicken, tuna and Apple Cinnamon Cheerios!
Food Programs
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It doesn't have to be a professionally designed plan, it doesn't have to be made weeks or even days in advance, but it does need to exist.
