Hi everyone my name is Shannon and I am new to the forum.
I am a yo yo dieter that has had enough. My last effort was on WW's in which I lost 66 lbs, felt great and ready to work towards my goal....then life hit and I stopped going to the meetings and gained back 46 of the pounds I lost to be at 236.7 lbs again.
So....I have decided that I just can not go through one more diet and that my only option at this point is just to track my calorie/fat intake the best I can and replace some of what I eat with healthier versions and add in a little extra exercise during the week.
Bye bye 2 pops a day, hello 80 oz of water and 1 diet pop a day. Bye to chips, ice cream, and snacks all day long....hello fruit and veggies.
I am not looking for a miracle but I am hoping to lose at least half a pound a week this way, I just cannot do another diet and then gain it all back.
Welcome Shannon - you're in good company Many people here have gotten to the same point - where leading a full happy healthy life is more important than getting to a magical number on the scale as quickly as possible. Good luck with your journey!
Cutting out even 500 calories everyday from the maximum number of calories your body needs to live will let you lose 3-4 pounds/month or about 40 pounds every year. At your height, you most likely need about 2100 calories even without exercise every day. I would recommend aiming for about eating 1800 calories per day (300 cal loss) and walk about 1.5 miles (30 min) for another 200 calorie loss. Make your calories count with wholesome, fresh fruits and vegetables, reduce your fat and sodium intake and drink plenty of water.
I think you're making a great start as long as you keep moving in the right direction. After a while, you may find it easier to make more changes. Or you may go slow the whole way. Doesn't matter - like you said, getting rid of the yo-yo's is huge
Dieting never worked for me. Changing my lifestyle was the only way that I could finally stop the yo-yo cycle.
I encourage you to actually journal/log your calories - it made a big difference for me. It made me much more accountable to myself, and certainly helped me with portion control!
I am no longer dieting, just watching what I eat.
Glad you joined us! Your approach is a good one!