So I'm here, after a few attempts a long time ago to eat healthy and exercise and lose weight, which were successful but, of course, reversed (and then some) once I forgot about them and started eating what I felt like eating...

The whole thing feels hopeless most of the time. Studies tell me nobody loses weight long-term, except that tiny minority of people who get obsessive about it.

Well, I read a few success stories here and I'm feeling a bit more hopeful. Maybe if I surround myself with that obsessive minority, I can do it, too.

I weighed 180 through my teen years, which was good for me, because I am actually "big-boned" under all my fat, and I'm 5'10. I did a lot of hiking and swimming, and was generally active. So I'm unsure about setting my goal weight at 160, but I guess I can always revise it. (I see shorter people here with higher goal weights, and people my height with lower goal weights. I guess it depends on body type and bone structure?)

I have congenital heart problems; I have a pacemaker and I will eventually need a valve replacement (inevitable regardless of my weight, but I'd still be better off at a healthier weight). I have some real and specific reasons to lose pounds.

My short-term goal is to get back down to 250, which seemed like what I weighed just a couple of months ago (logically it must have been longer, but time flies when you're eating).

I have to remind myself to keep coming back here and reading success stories. Keep meeting your goals, people - for me!

You don't have to get OCD about it. But, at the same time you kind of have to.

It's a choice, and a lifestyle change. It does not have to be done over night! Small changes add up!

Just for me, I found the whole thing a lot easier when I decided to quit fighting it, and embrace it instead.

Thanks shcirerf.
Looks like you've done an amazing job, and kept it up, too!

I must have been eating terribly. MyFitnessPal said I could have 1000 more calories yesterday (total 2500 - I set it at one pound per week in the hopes it will be easier to maintain once I get there) and I didn't feel hungry at all, so I just 'splurged' on some dark chocolate before bed. Yum.

Drinking a lot of water seems to help, but the nurse at my heart clinic said to avoid drinking it with meals, and instead drink lots in between meals. This had something to do with nutrient absorption and digestion but I can't really remember the full explanation. Anyway it helps a lot; I previously tried to drink water around meals and I always felt hungry.

First, welcome to the forum! I hope you find all sorts of support here. I've only been here about a month but it's been wonderful. Some of it may come in the form of tough love, but most folks aren't trying to be rude

For drinking water, based on the stuff I've read most of it recommends drinking 30 minutes prior to a meal, and 30 minutes after, but not during. My aunt also mentioned that for her, if she didn't drink during meals she found she ate less. I found that true for me as well. Without having water to wash down food with, I have to chew more, which causes me to eat slower and ends up making me feel more full with a smaller portion. I don't know if that is the same for most people or not.

Congrats on your progress so far, keep it up!

People that don't keep weight off long term are people that go on "diets". You have to change how you eat forever, and that doesn't mean living on dry salads. It's a combo of portion control (counting calories) and movement. It's hard but at the same time it's simple.

Welcome back.

I hear you. I'm learning this go round, my health (overall, not just my weight) is something I need to choose every single day.

I dunno... when I've lost weight in the past, I've had every intention of changing the way I eat permanently. I started weight watchers with the understanding that maintenance is a part of the process, for example. And on numerous occasions I've decided to start eating more slowly, or get smaller plates, and so on. But I've still managed to gain all the weight back (and then some).

I think for me, the previous problem was that every day I had to make a decision between eating-well-and-being-a-healthy-weight, or stuffing-my-face-with-sushi-and-getting-fat. And I could make the right decision for maybe a couple months straight before caving in and stuffing my face.

I'm hoping the systems I have in place now will fix that. I don't have access to enough money to stuff my face regularly (I give myself an allowance in cash and don't carry my cards around), so if I want sushi tomorrow, I can only buy one roll today. And in general, I want to switch to whole & hearty foods, like whole milk, brown rice, steel cut oats, and so on. So it's no longer about my weight or my waistline; it's about preferring to eat healthy foods most of the time.

Hopefully I finally have the right idea. But it's frustrating hearing "it's the people who go on diets that screw up" and not having any idea what that means, or what the right approach is supposed to be. I've never tried to "diet." I've tried to change my life, and failed. So I don't think it's that straightforward.

I guess I read the wrong stuff, because that sounds like what's working for me! Thanks for the hello.

Weight Watchers is a diet program. What happens after you discontinue this program? I don't know anyone that stays on Weight Watchers for life but correct me if I'm wrong. I know after a while I'd get sick of paying for it.

Here's free advice:

You can eat too much of anything including healthy food. Bottom line is calories in vs. calories out. You have to count calories for life and I mean every thing that goes into a meal/snack down to a tbs of olive oil. After a while you will be able to calculate pretty well in your head and it becomes less tedious. Every day you need to be in a 500 calorie deficit in order to lose weight. If someone is gaining all of their weight back and then some they're eating too many calories.

Don't get frustrated, we're here to help and give you answers.

To find out your allowance and track food use myfitnesspal.com

Good luck to both of you.

And even beyond calories, some people find that the type of calories makes a big difference. I may lose the same amount of weight with X amount of calories. But for myself, eliminating sugar and processed carbs also gets rid of cravings and makes weight loss sooooooo much easier.

Good luck! You can definitely do this.

Well, I would agree that Weight Watchers is a diet the way a lot of people do it. Although, they market themselves as "not a diet" and I think their program can be followed as a lifestyle choice, rather than a diet. And yes, people stay on it for life. Or they're supposed to. It's how the program works. I think once you reach your goal weight you don't have to pay anymore? But maybe someone else can clarify... I'm sure it's changed in the last few years, too.

Anyway. It didn't work for me, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it wouldn't work for anyone.

Just as a side note, I wasn't really looking for specific diet/lifestyle advice. It's great that you've found something that works for you, and I'm not saying I disagree (for example, I am already using myfitnesspal to count calories). It's just, my cardiologist, my GP, a dietitian, the guy who does my DXA scans (and also works in the cardiac lab I frequent), the "patient educator" nurse at the hospital, and everybody around me all have different advice from each other. So hearing (unsolicited) advice from a new source is difficult to take in.

Thanks for caring though.

Once you've maintained your goal weight (I think it's for 6 weeks) you no longer pay to attend WW meetings. I believe you have to get on the scale once a month and be within 2 pounds of your goal of weight.

Personally, I think it should be 5 pounds, but that's just me, lol.

Well, seems to me that you've gotten an extremely valuable lesson from your health care team and members here: EVERYONE has an idea of the best way to lose weight. And frankly, the only best way is the one that works FOR YOU.

So try different things and see what works for you. high protein? high carb? certain number of calories? certain exercise regimens? And don't be afraid to tweak. After all, this has to work FOR YOU. and for no one else.

just be sure to not let yourself get hungry. that'll only set you up for a binge or for giving up. And many people find that a 'treat day' really helps them. Sometimes knowing that you can have a couple of cookies or a small dish of ice cream or whatever can help you over the rough spots.

notice i said a COUPLE of cookies - not a box of them. and a SMALL dish - not what so many people consider to be the single-serving pint! portion control matters.