Hi ya'll. I'm new! Well, to this section of the site.
I used to 'hang out' in the LA Weightloss Forum back in 2006, when i was diggin' that whole program. It worked for me. Worked well. I lost 40lbs on it and was starting to look excellent. (Picture - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...forenafter.jpg Then my boyfriend knocked some other chick up, and voi la, depression + ice cream = the 211lbs I am now.
i would love to go back on LA, but its way too expensive, and we dont have a center here anymore.
So now i'm going to try this. I'd love to meet some people and chat about calorie counting and how everyone else guides themselves along in this process.
After looking up as much info on this method as possible, i've decided that I can do this by setting my max calorie intake each day to 1350. I also walk on the treadmill for 30mins each night and i absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my wii fit (Hula hoop ftw)
It would be nice to get back into these forums again. They helped me so much before, i hope they can do the same for me now.
Welcome to Calorie Counters. I think, once you get into it, that calorie counting is an amazingly easy and intuitive way to eat. While it can take a little while to get used to it, and understand how many calories are in the foods you eat, once you get there, I don't think there is any other weight loss plan that better prepares you to MAINTAIN a weight loss -- which is really the point. I mean, other diet plans work, but then when you achieve the weight loss, you have never learned about how much "regular" food you can eat.
Hi, welcome!! I agree that calorie counting is the most intuitive way to go. You don't have to give up what you love, you just learn what a proper portion is. Good luck.
Sorry to hear about your boyfriend, thats pretty lame!!
Calorie counting for me has been pretty easy and so far so good its working! Like everyone else has said it takes a bit of time to get used to but after that is like second nature!!
Thanks for the awesome replies. It helps alot to see that many of you doing 'cc' have lost so much weight. Motivation!!! I've been doing good for about 3 days now, maybe i can turn it into 3 weeks.. 3 months.. 3 years?!?! =D
I went through something similar as you. I was working out and dieting with my ex - but we broke up due to his cheating and I fell off the wagon. Luckily I didn't put all my weight back on. I moved to the city in September and realized things had to change. I started calorie counting once again in mid-September, and here I am 26lbs lighter! The only thing I can suggest for you, though, is to perhaps up your calorie intake. I was eating 1,200 cals a day and only lost maybe a pound or two. Now I eat about 1,600 and have lost up to 3.5lbs in just one week. It's been about 2lbs these last 2 weigh ins because I have gone overboard a few times. Eating more really can help. It just depends on finding what is right for your body. Experiment.
I went through something similar as you. I was working out and dieting with my ex - but we broke up due to his cheating and I fell off the wagon. Luckily I didn't put all my weight back on. I moved to the city in September and realized things had to change. I started calorie counting once again in mid-September, and here I am 26lbs lighter! The only thing I can suggest for you, though, is to perhaps up your calorie intake. I was eating 1,200 cals a day and only lost maybe a pound or two. Now I eat about 1,600 and have lost up to 3.5lbs in just one week. It's been about 2lbs these last 2 weigh ins because I have gone overboard a few times. Eating more really can help. It just depends on finding what is right for your body. Experiment.
Ah, I shall Experiment, but i have one question.
Do you limit yourself in any other ways such as your fat or carb intake, or just calories?
It's really hard to believe that all i have to do is count them and stay on track and i can lose weight like so many of you on here. It seems the solution i've been waiting for has been right infront of my face and i've shot down calorie counting because it seemed too easy.
So... YAY. I hope it works. I've done well today and it just seems so easy, i'm always below my limit, yesterday i only consumed 900 calories and had no problem with feeling hungry or anything. =D
Lemme put it this way. A lot of people find tracking what you eat annoying, I don't happen to be one of them. I use FitDay.com to monitor my percentages of calories from carb/protein/fat (I aim for 40/30/30). For me the difficulty is not in the counting itself - but the stopping at the prescribed number of calories. Any plan that says what I should eat when is not gonna work for me cause I have....um....rebel tendencies. Calorie counting means nothing is really out of bounds - and it makes me check stuff out before I consume it to see if it's "worth it" for the calories.
Oh - and the 900 calories a day thing is bad, too. If you consume too little calories you run the risk of not properly nourishing your body and trashing your metabolism so that it makes it harder to lose. As a general rule you don't want to go below 1200 unless you are under strict doctor's supervision. You want to lose the weight while learning healthy habits to maintain the loss.
I use mydailyplate.com to track my calories, fat & protein intake. Their calorie calculator will calculate (based on your weight/height and how much you want to lose per week) how many calories you should eat, as well as how many grams of fat and protein. I eat between 1,500 - 1,600 even though their recommended amount is about 1,750. I found that this works for me. I don't just each whatever and stay within my calories. I try to eat better. I eat many lean proteins, veggies/fruits, and whole grains. But you have a lot of room with calorie counting. There really isn't any restrictions.
In the beginning I had some of those 900 calorie days. Your body is remembering what amounts of food you need to function. If you do a couple of days lower than healthy calories you will end up with a crazy high day to make up for it. After a few weeks it seemed to level out for me, if I had 200 calories at the end of the day I'd let myself have a treat (popcorn, skinny cow ice cream). Also exercise will increase your need for calories, listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs and when. Part of this journey is getting to know our bodies and what they have been trying to tell us all along.
I also track fat grams, I try to stay under 30-35 grams. But calories dictate the food choices, not fat. I keep a little cheat sheet of calorie and fat content of my favorite foods and components to things I cook to keep tracking simple, and calorie books near by if I have to look anything up.
I find that calorie counting allows me to lead a pretty normal life. There's no "you can't haves" or anything, you just have to make sure you stay within your calorie range.
So far for me calorie counting is pretty easy and freeing. I can eat what and when I want as long as it fits in my calorie budget. I do try to eat more whole foods and limit eating out but that's a choice related more to overall health than weight loss goals.
Well, Hallo thur.
You are hella cute in the before and the after. 
to Calorie Counters.
I've been doing good for about 3 days now, maybe i can turn it into 3 weeks.. 3 months.. 3 years?!?! =D
Any plan that says what I should eat when is not gonna work for me cause I have....um....rebel tendencies. 
Calorie counting means nothing is really out of bounds - and it makes me check stuff out before I consume it to see if it's "worth it" for the calories.
