what HAS NOT worked for you
 

we have seen where everyone has tried different things so to help us out what HAS NOT worked for you:?:

Oh wow. Let me see, I have 20 years of failed dieting to draw from.

1. At the most basic, starting any diet with the idea it would be "short term" and I would eventually stop and eat normally again.

2. Dexatrim.

3. Low fat diets - did an extremely low fat diet in college (it was all the rage). My goal was 10-15 grams of fat a day. I skipped a period for the ONLY time in my life (thanks happy fun pregnancy scare!) and I lost hair by the handfuls in the shower, literal - handfuls. Not fun.

4. Restrict/binge cycles. Eat too little, body revolts - eats a ton of food. Feel guilty, restrict, binge, restrict, binge. It really made me feel like an out of control, no willpower freak. I hated myself for eating, hated myself for NOT eating, very difficult to pull out of.

Lets see this is what I have tried

Dexatrim
********
Green tea tablets
Fasting ( i would lose but by the first time i ate I gained it plus some)
Hydroxy cut
Extreme Trim

thats all that I tried that didnt work for me!

What has not worked for me: Just trying to eat healthier...no plan, no confining rules and restrictions....just me, being free and trying to make healthier choices.
The problem with this.....it is very very easy to eat too many healthy calories and still not lose weight. As a matter of fact, you can gain on healthy foods, too! Who would have imagined.:)

I've learned that I have to be accountable for the number of calories I consume each day....whether I track WW points, use an exchange program, or actually tally the number each day, I have to be accountable for how much I consume. I fought it in the beginning, but I finally saw the light.

Well . . . Hi there, MARIE . . . I'd say you've definitely proven that there are no magic pills and potions out there. My bottom line is to always remember that it was the tortoise that finally won that famous race. You just hve to keep putting one foot in front of the other and heading in the great downward direction just as much as you possible can. Good Luck on the journey. :hug:

South Beach Diet did not work for me even though I followed it to a tee. In fact, anything that doesn't focus on calorie restriction/portion restriction doesn't work for me. My appetite is too big for those types of plans.

To put it in a nutshell, nothing with a trademark! If it costs money and/or comes in a package, I'm suspicious. A balanced diet managed with calorie counting is what worked for me, along with finding exercise routines that I enjoy.

regular slim fast
slim quick
hoodia
metabalife
Alli... I actually gained weight on this plan.. Low fat is not for me.

What has NOT worked:

1) Keeping Low-cal junkfood in the house (100 calorie packs, skinny cows) they don't help if you eat the whole box.

2) Diet without exercise or exercise without diet. Too hard to keep up long-term I need the balance to create a deficit without feel like I'm starving.

4) Not tracking calories ("points" are ok too but I prefer to use calories)

5) Zone - OMG WAY too much work to follow good concept though

6) Shakes. Hello? I need food damnit.

7) VLC low-fat diets. Gallstones. Ow.

It seems like the only thing that has been consistent (especially on my part) is good old calorie counting (while using caloriecount.about.com) and exercise.

Not for me, but tried:
medifast - which works if you're strict (which I couldn't do)
south beach (haven't really given it a good try)
atkins (boggled my mind and put the weight right back on)
weight watchers (god forbid that I try to understand the thinking behind food and how they equal points)

Restrictive diets... I tried to be vegan and even eat raw foods and ended up with epic binges. In fact, I can't restrict anything. It always sets me up for a binge when something is off-limits. When I finally decided to diet with no restrictions, I actually lost. Knowing I could have something made me desire it less.

This is a good one....

Let's see:
-Vegan (good moral eating, but not for me).
-Low carb
-low sugar
-eating about 1,000 calories a day and walking 6 miles. (I DID lose weight, but this was during the summer when I had loads of time to do so. School came and I gained it all back and then lots more.
-Any type of restrictive eating
-Not eating at all, all day. Mega binge in the evening.
-The flushes....apple vinegar and water. Veggie juice fast. Fruit juice fast. Water Fast. Etc. :)

I was put on the Atkins diet when I was a teen, and just ended up with really high cholesterol. Also, alli didn't seem to have any effects.

Most of the things I've tried were really restrictive dieting - 1000 cals per day or less. I'd also binge then feel guilty, not eat, but then binge again.

I tried slim fast when I was younger with my mom, but it didn't work out too well. I also tried a simple 'fruitarian' diet. And I also tried being a vegeterian.

What HAS worked? Simple calorie counting. It's not a diet. I can still eat the things I love, I just have to work them in to my daily totals for the day, and eat them in moderation. I learned that I cannot tell myself I will never eat a food again, but I can, however, control how much of this food I put in my mouth.

Originally Posted by kelly315:
Also, alli didn't seem to have any effects.

Hee, based on what I've heard of the "effects" of Alli, maybe no effect at all is a positive? ;)

I personally love a vegan diet but I don't think its a diet plan, especially with the availability of such good vegan food :)

Only thing that has worked for me is watching what I eat and exercising.

Atkins ...... I gained 5 pounds in the intro period.
Slim Fast
Dexatrim
VLC diet .... I lost the weight, but totally bottomed out my metabolism, so when I started eating again, I gained it all back in a couple of months

This is a great thread!
I have not tried a lot of the things mentioned here, but I've thought about doing them. I always try simple calorie counting / portion control, but I always fall off the wagon. I did try the grapefruit diet with my mom as a teenager, but of course you can't stick with that for long. Nothing works until you have the right motivation (from within) and realize that it has to be your life, not a "diet". I just had to change my mentality - instead of thinking of the diet as a punishment, I've started thinking of it as doing something good for myself. I still have bad days, but no all-out binges anymore (so far).

Many tried, few worked
 

Let's see, I've tried:

Atkins
LA Weight Loss
Vegetarian
Cabbage Soup
Fasting
Lemonade

I agree with everyone who says that watching the total calories consumed is the key. The correct mentality doesn't hurt either. :D

What has not worked for me?

Just "watching myself" and being "careful", cutting back on my portions. "Everything in moderation". Back when I was a teenager - low calorie.

The only thing that HAS worked for me is calorie counting with an emphasis on healthy, nutritious foods.

But honestly, that probably wouldn't have "worked" either if I wasn't WILLING to MAKE IT WORK. You really can only get out of it what you put into it.

lean cuisine. I didn't get that you needed to count your calories :)

I haven't really tried many commercial products.

I gained most of my weight eating primarily healthy foods. Even if I am trying to lose weight, I gain or at best maintain if I don't count calories.

Stress. ;)

I gain weight under stress. Not a good diet.

Wow so many

1. Phentermine - I thought it worked, I lost 98lbs. However once I got off all the weight came back on because I was so hungry.
2. Atkins - I hated every minute of this. I lost 10 and gained 18.
3. Alli - it worked no side effects but I learned to cheat. With a healthy lifestyle and exercise I could see this working.
4. anything with a name - it is just a gimick

Right now it has been 16 weeks and I am losing slowly, very slowly. I have lost 26lbs. I am happy with that and I have never wanted for anything. I love exercising and I love trying new healthy foods. It is life not a diet.

Every "diet" I have tried has failed.

It wasn't until I learned that I had to change my lifestyle that I became successful.

All things in moderation works for me - but only because I count the calories in "all things". I quickly learned that whole foods are more satisfying, and that if I actually slow down and TASTE my food - they are delicious!

what didn't work:

slim fast
trimspa

what did work:

somersize (except that it was expensive and very restrictive and food combining as well so when I got back into college and didn't have the cash flow and had a crazy schedule, I gained it all back plus 100lbs)

Somersize did teach me the importance of good complex carbs over the crap, it got me to eat many veggies i didn't think i'd ever try (LOVE my brussel sprouts!) and many other things. I also learned a lot about keeping my blood sugar level especially since I have hypoglycemia and bi polar.

what I'm doin now:

calorie counting with emphasis on cutting out added sugars, eating complex carbs, lots of veggies, choosing lower GI fruits like berries and more lean meats.

it allows me to eat what i probably shouldnt have.. if a special occasion arises like a bday party or such.. as long as i've kept it in calorie range.

The Zone.

Not because it's a bad diet, per se, but because it's a bit too complicated for me. I get brain freeze trying to figure it all out.

Oh -- the Atkins diet worked for me prior to my pregnancy, but after I had my son, I just CANNOT do low carb. It makes me very ill. I am still nursing so that could be the "culprit", but I just can't do it.

What hasn't worked?
 

Anything (except for "Making The Cut") that promised results too soon. Anything but counting calories and exercising.

1) Hydroxycut
2) The Zone
3) South Beach
4) The low to no carb diet

~choirgirl~

Slim fast!

What didn't work for me...this list is going to get loooong ;)

- calorie counting
- apple cider vinegar
- iodase patches
- gift diet
- elimination diet
- dissociate diet
- food intolerances diet
- kousmine diet
- linfo massages
- electrostimulator
- various creams and pills...
- vegetarian diet
- ww diet

Medifast and Atkins are the recent 2 that come to mind. Medifast tasted like crap and Atkins was too restrictive.

Okay, I've been on many supplements and some would work for awhile but as soon as I went off I gained the weight back. When my husband and I were on South Beach I loved it I ate all the food he cooked and still lost weight, it did work but again it is a LOT of work and I'm not willing to make the time for the recipes and my husband went and got the lapband and lost over a hundred pounds.

I don't want to have surgery to lose weight I just want to eat better I think my biggest problem is making the time to eat better, if I had a chef to cook for me I would be skinny.. LOL.

Simply they need to make good food more easily accessible, If they had a South Beach or Weight Watchers fast food place or something along this line most of us probably wouldn't have a weight problem. Just my 2 cents

EMW - I personally don't think it takes a lot of time to eat better. I don't eat fast food (unless you count Chipotle) but there are some decent options out there.

I cook a couple hours per week, if that. I make batches of food and eat leftovers. I microwave frozen veggies. It honestly doesn't take a lot of time to eat better, but if you aren't used to it, it might be something you have to learn to do.

Also, I know people are busy but is it worth it to your health to figure out how to make easy, quick healthy meals?

I was just saying I would like better food to be available like fast food is so I would not have to prepare it on my own, that's what I think would help all of us.

What DIDN'T work for me:
- Doctor's Quick Weight loss program, lost weight all right but gained it right back
- Slim fast
- Dexatrim
- any "diet" that was too low calorie or banned any particular food group
- failure to exercise along with the diet
- failure to see the "diet" as a long term lifestyle change

What has worked: Calorie counting with moderate healthy eating that doesn't outlaw any particular food - I just need to stay within my calorie "budget". That, and daily exercise.

I buy bagged salads, nuke fresh or frozen veggies and cook lean proteins in bulk on the weekend to re-heat and make into various meal combinations during the week. I pack my lunch every day. If you plan for it, it doesn't take any more time to make the healthy food than the crap. I can have something ready in less time than take-out. You DO have to plan, though.

WW
WW
WW
WW
Weight Loss Clinic
WW
WW
Phentermine
WW
WW
LA Weight Loss
WW
WW
WW
WW
South Beach
WW
WW
WW
WW

Ok, I have finally figured out that WW does not work for me! I am so slow! I had some success with SB but eventually put the weight back on. I have not been able to lose more than 10 lbs for 13 years (I need to lose at least 50--I am 5'3 & weigh 188) I think the flexibility gave me too much freedom/permission to eat what I want. I am now following Biggest Loser 30 Day Jump Start. I am eating the foods they suggest (and finding some new and interesting foods I enjoy) and following the exercise program too. I like it because it is very easy & manageable and builds more time for cardio and more difficult weight training.