Make manageable changes, not drastic ones that set you up for failure.

What an inspiring thread!

On the practical side, here's something I learned the hard way:

If you have clothes in multiple sizes, drag them out and see if they'll fit once in a while. I'm an avid garage sale/thrift store shopper and I've always bought a lot of things hoping I'd be able to fit into them "someday." I'm giving away a huge garbage bag of really cute things on freecycle because when I tried them on this weekend, hoping they'd fit, I found they're too big.

I agree with this completely. Now, what I'm about to suggest may seem radical to some, but it is working for me, so it might work for some of you: skip one meal a day. For example, I've been skipping breakfast. It's a relatively painless way of saving on some calories. And it's not that I actually don't use those calories. I usually end up eating those calories with my other meals so that I have two substantial meals rather than three smaller meals. For me, this works because when I diet, I often tend to be dissatisfied with the portions of the meals I'm eating. If I use my calories up in two meals, though, I feel as if I'm really eating a good portion, and I feel more physically and mentally satisfied. Also, I think that skipping breakfast has helped me experience hunger pangs. I know that that sounds weird, but in the past, I was always eating (even when on a diet), so I never actually was able to get in tune with whether I was hungry. This has helped me to get in tune with that. Consequently, I'm actually less likely to eat when I'm not hungry because I can now distinguish the difference more clearly. Skipping breakfast was a no-brainer for me because I don't actually get hungry until 10:00 - 10:30 anyway, so I can hold out until noon.

1. Salads and veggies are my best friends. Lean proteins are my second best friends.

2. Remembering that this a choice I have made for myself. I am in control of what I eat, how much I exercise, and, therefore, how much I weigh.

3. For me, personal training has been a huge factor in my success. It got me into the gym and gave me the push I needed to start controlling my diet. I can't recommend it enough.

I thought of something else that really helped me...committing to the process for an extended period.

When I first started counting calories, I was convinced there was something wrong with me that would prevent me from losing weight. So I told myself I would stick with the calorie counting for four months, whether it was working or not. If, after four months, it wasn't working; I would try some other diet plan. Having that long-term deadline really helped me get past the short-term setbacks. And after only a month, it was pretty clear that it was working.

I'm now trying to lose those elusive last five pounds and I decided to do the same thing. I've given myself to the end of August; if I'm not at my goal weight by then, I'll give up on my goal (there is some question as to whether or not it is a reasonable goal) and focus on being happy where I am. And you know what? It's working. Having the August deadline frees me from focusing on short-term progress. And knowing there is an end in sight helps me stay on plan (which is very strict--7 days of exercise and only 1300 calories). I'm once again losing about a pound per week, which puts me completely on track for hitting my goal weight by August.

Oh gosh, I've learned so, so, so much. A few things that come to the top of my mind:

- I don't HAVE to be fat if I don't want to be. It IS within my control.
-Just because I have a craving for something doesn't mean I have to give into it. Period. Not always easy, but that's just the reality of it. Cravings alone will not make you fat.
-Planning is essential. Having a schedule and my meals mapped out for me ahead of time is key for me.
-Having the proper "supplies" on hand is essential as well. I mean why not make life easier? Setting oneself up for success just makes sense.
-Vegetables are fantastic. They are nutritious, high in filling fiber and extremely low calorie. You get to eat tons of them (a good thing for me since I like volume) and still stay on plan. Roasting veggies is easy and incredibly delicous.
-Protein is pretty incredible stuff too.
-Calorie counting just makes sense. It keeps me aware of just how much I'm eating. It allows me to set limits and stay within those limits. It keeps me on my toes and AWARE. The time it entails is negligible. And so very worth it.
-Elminating the foods that I love most was the best thing I could have ever done. I am an all or nothing person. It is much easier for me to just not START eating the foods I can't control then for me to stop at a few bites.
-Food simply can not be used for entertainment, boredom, anger management, as a stress reliever or in a celebratory manner. One MUST, MUST, MUST find other ways to cope and deal with "things".
-Exercise is a MUST. And it's worth it. Period.
-The scale is a tool to be used, not avoided. It keeps me aware and intune to my body. The scale was never, ever the enemy. It was ME the whole time. What I put into my body and how I move myself affects the readings on the scale. So whatever the scale tells me is MY doing. Period. I might not always like it, but nevertheless it's does gauge how things are going. It forces me to be brutally honest with myself. That is essential.
-Cliche' alert: Nothing, nothing, nothing - absolutely NOTHING tastes as good as being thin feels.

Good morning!

A comment re lynnm39's post about skipping a meal. It's traditional among some ordained Buddhists not to eat after 12 noon.

Another helpful thing I've found is staying aware and tracking what I eat--measuring amounts and listing foods and calories. At first it may seem like a pain in the neck, but after awhile one gets better able to judge portions, even when out to eat. I know what a half cup of cooked rice looks like, for example, or three ounces of broccoli. This is good training for the rest of my life.

Jay

P.S. Robin, we were posting at the same time! I love your lessons!

I'm very sure this has been mentioned before but ... I have to move!

Having lost, then regained weight 100's of times in my 60+ years, here is the main thing I have learned. Losing weight doesn't magically make all the bad things in your life better. For much of my life, I've blamed all my problems on being fat. So I would get thin, and my life was still crap, because I didn't change my "mind". This time, I'm working on my life, as well as my weight. I want this to be the LAST time.

That was something that helped me. I got rid of my clothes the minute they got too big on me. Then...I vowed to NEVER buy a size larger again. I will wear what I have. And if they're tight, then I'll have to lose to be comfortable again. But I have no larger sizes to fall back on as I kept getting rid of them and I will NOT buy any larger sizes.

ROFL...I have a visual of a gym with a bunch of golf carts and those Jazzie scooters parked out front. People tripping over each other's walkers inside.

I do totally agree, tho.
What have I learned?

I have to make a commitment to change my lifestyle forever. Good thing calorie counting is something I have no doubt I can do long term.

I have learned to love to exercise! I never thought I would see the day I think of myself as a sporty type. Resistance training has done wonders for tightening everything up.

Something that has really helped me with this is buying a digital scale with a TARE function. The TARE function allows you to weigh something, zero out the amount, add something else to the plate and weigh that---and so on. It makes the process SO much easier.

By the way (a bit off topic)--I recommend the Terraillon scale. I bought one about 15 years ago. It's been working perfectly, but I've moved twice since buying it, and I lost the battery covers. I e-mailed the company to see if I could buy battery covers, and they don't sell those, but they actually sent me a brand new scale! And I didn't even have to pay for shipping. That's what I call great customer service!

chick in the hat, come on down to Florida where we do this even now. You forgot to mention the three-wheel bicycle.



Jay

Hi all,

I am just getting started again. This has been really helpful to read and I am going to incorporate quite a few ideas. First of all, more veggies! Also, I am trying to break up my weight loss into smaller goals. This time around, I do not have a huge amount to lose (50 pounds - amazing that does not seem like a lot!!). So, I think breaking it into 5 pound increments really does make the task seem smaller. I mean, of course I can lose 5 pounds right?

Thanks for all the good info,
Pan

I haven't read all the posts but noticed that somone mentioned working out in a nursing home The home where I visit a friend each week has a nice exericise room on the first floor and lots of people using it. In fact, I don't think you have a choice. You have do therapy especially if you have just recovered from something. My friend says they are mean but she was just kidding.