Hope this isn't too much like my herniated disc thread but thought maybe more ladies would respond to this if they don't have back problems.
What way of eating is giving you successful results in both losing and maintaining a healthy weight? I have 30 pounds to lose but they are so hard!
How long does it take you to lose? If it's more than 40-50 pounds to a normal weight, I just won't be able to relate because those with more weight can initially lose faster.
I can't say that anything is working for me right now. I'm thinking high protein, good fats to curb hunger and high fresh veggies diet is the way to go plus moving. 1-2 hours of low impact cardo and some strength training. 1/2 my body weigh in oz of water(which I don't always reach that goal)
I'm in a pinch. I have 9 weeks to lose some weight before traveling. It's not necessarily that I look good but feel good enough to travel.
Last edited by tastetheskinny; 08-02-2013 at 12:16 PM.
Hi, Taste, and welcome! I lost my 50+ pounds at a pretty even clip of 5 pounds per month, although it really slowed at the end. More due to a lack of focus and effort than anything else. I had just turned 47 and had been in menopause for 2 years, to give you context.
I lost it by making healthy food choices, watching portions, and doing cardio & strength training.
I'm thinking high protein, good fats to curb hunger and high fresh veggies diet is the way to go plus moving. 1-2 hours of low impact cardo and some strength training. 1/2 my body weigh in oz of water(which I don't always reach that goal)
What you've described above pretty well sums up what I'm doing. I would add that I limit my calories to 1,200-1,300 per day. I started at a few pounds above your starting weight and I'm now at 157, which is a few pounds above your goal. That's taken me 4.5 months. I've never "cheated", other than one or two days my portions might have been a bit bigger than normal and I might have strayed into 1,400 calories...but that's as close to a "cheat" as I've allowed myself. I'm losing, on average, 1.5 lbs per week. I'm also post-menopause (55 years old). My goal is to lose more weight, although I'm a few inches shorter than you.
You're not going to like this. I just checked my log. It took me 10 months to go from 183 to 153. I got there by trying very hard to make the scale go down each and every day, even if it was just by 0.1 pounds. I ate healthy food, and less than I really wanted, and exercised 3-4 times a week, doing cardio and weights.
You've pretty much described what I do, which is south beach, if you want to visit us in the south beach forum. Gets you of the sugar highs and lows, so you stop craving foods (it really works if you follow it properly). It's lean proteins and *good* carbs.
Low carbs for me and IF (no breakfast). I do not count calories any more as I get obsessed with food and eat to much of frozen meals.
I do avoid process food. Very limited fruit and milk product. I do not exsercise ether. Do not eat pork. Salmon only wild, not farmed. No salad dressing, only olive oil. Limited nuts. Turkey instead of chicken most days.
I am in menopause (surgery) and after that my body just punish me if I have carbs.
Good luck!
Last edited by onthedietagain; 09-26-2013 at 07:55 AM.
what worked for me was low carb, I too also combine some IF in there. for me it is usually no dinner. I will eat a decent breakfast and a large lunch. I also avoid as much processed food as possible.
I have yoyo'd all of my 30s and now at 45, I am hopeful that I have found the right tool for me. I am trying the Hairy Dieters cookbooks. They are UK celebrity chefs who gained weight through over indulgence and reformatted their recipes and portions to lose weight and keep it off. They have all 3 meals as well as what they call Fakeaways which are restaurant type substitutions so you can eat at home instead of ordering in. The menus are set for the whole family to eat the same thing which has helped me. They just get bigger portions. I hated making them a big plate of something and then sitting with my dry meat and a salad. Now I get the same thing, just less of it. I am hoping to retrain myself with sensible portions rather than deprivation of certain food groups since I haven't been able to sustain that in the past.
I'm 46 and started my weight loss program at age 43. I have a messed up metabolism to boot. I have to incorporate exercise and weight training into my lifestyle because simply dieting doesn't work for me. If I just reduced my calories to say 1400 a day, I'd lose maybe a pound a month if I was lucky. Plus I find I need the energy of at least 1700 a day. Usually I eat closer to 2000 a day though, but my exercise routine is also quite vigorous. I typically burn about 700 calories per workout, 6 days a week.
People don't mention sleep too much, but I truly believe that getting between 8-9 hours a night helps my body process calories better. I can't scientifically prove it, but I remember struggling more when I was sleep-deprived.
I make sure I drink the 8-10 glasses of pure cold water a day - even though I'm peeing constantly...it helps my digestion and keeps me craving less snacks. I'd rather eat 3 squares a day then graze.
I only consume water or plain herbal tea after 7pm each night. If I eat after 7pm, I go to bed having heartburn and bloat and my body doesn't burn the calories very efficiently.
Lastly, I do drink, but I make sure I only have 2 small glasses of red wine each day. I have to allow for the calories because I do love wine, I believe we still need to LIVE while we're on a weight loss program!
I am doing higher protein, lower carb as well. I try to get the majority of my carbs in fruit or veggies, and I only eat grain/bread/potatoes/pasta at dinnertime. The biggest hting is cutting out snacks. I do better eating just 3 meals a day rather than grazing all day long or eating 6 small meals.
Personally for me, this would not work well at all if I didn't also bust my hump exercising. I run 2 miles, 5 nights a week with my dogs, and I just dusted off my old pilates machine to add some resistance training. I also found a simple lifting routine for ladies using only dumbells or kettle bells which I may also incorporate.
Well. I probably still drink too much wine (and other liquor). It is like my only remaining vice (besides bad language, a snarky attitude, and binge watching Netflix shows).
And it is probably keeping me from losing the final weight I'd like to drop.
Yet, I'm not sure I'm willing to give it up. My mood on this topic depends on the day.
Over 40 Lifestyle Diets that work! Please share!
