[ETLM]

So ive been trying to lose weight now for YEARS and i always do really well at starting but then something trips me and i completely fail.. i dont want to fail anymore.. i want to get it right this time.. i just dont know where to start... should i try weight watchers, or maybe try doing it on my own .. i need pointers... what are the main changes you guys have made? what was your starting point & what changes have changed you for the better?

any advice would be really appreciated

[Tonyia]

For me I need it all planned out for me, as in "You are only allowed this many calories or this many points" I need the structure of a plan, something to follow even though in my head I know what to eat and not to eat and that I need exercise. I could very easily just say, well I know what a serving size is and just eat a serving size, I know that I can't have a milkshake without wanting an extra large one. So if you are a plan person, someone who needs the structure of someone or some program telling how how much you are allowed per day then I would say go for a plan. BUT if you have the mind set to do it without a structured plan then go for it.

I have done calorie counting with success and am no doing WW. The reason I stopped calorie counting was pure laziness and lack of motivation (2 yrs ago I stopped). The reason I chose WW this time was because I wanted something in writing to help keep me more accountable and it seems to be working really well for me right now.

The main changes I found in myself from calorie counting is that I learned about portion control, and exercise and I think that is helping me on my WW journey.

[Moondance]

My philosophy is this: Choose a plan you can work with/live with. But most importantly, remember that it's not the plan you choose, but how you deal with the off-plan interruptions. There's always going to be interruptions (birthday, valentines, anniversary, graduation, retirement, lunch with the girls, date night...). You need to have a plan for what you do when faced with unplanned activities. Don't let one off-plan meal derail your entire diet.

[Demosthenes]

You should anticipate your derailment and stay focused. I completely overhauled the way I eat. I cut out flour/sugar/wheat and stick to a whole foods 1800 calorie per day plan. Many people I talk to say "I could never cut out x...", but my question is this: "how bad do you want to be healthy/thin?"

[MOLE]

Learning to cook for myself has been the key for me. Knowing EVERY calorie, gram of fat, and carbohydrate in EVERY meal I have. I used to weigh 256 lbs.-now I'm 180 lbs. I have struggled with being overweight since I was 10 years old, and I am 34 now--Change your meals up so you don't get bored.....I don't cook a lot of fancy foods...I LOVE me some burritos, bacon cheese burgers, quesadillas, and chili!!! BUT the calorie, FAT, and CARB content are key! Most of the MEALS I COOK do not exceed 20 carbs, 9grms of fat, or 300 calories. Getting a calorie and carb. counter book helps A LOT! It's OK to lose and re-gain weight. Don't get discouraged!

[BusyB]

If there's one thing I've noticed since I've been part of this forum its that everyone who has been successful has found something that works for them. What works for you may not be the same for me.

Maybe we could provide more input if you tell us what you did before, why you picked that and why it didn't work.

[Lisa532]

What worked for me was this.. I read as many books as I could about nutrition and dieting.. I learned what foods to eat and what foods to stay away from.. I then cleaned out my pantry and filled it with only foods on my list.. Then I planned my weekly menu.. When I grocery shop I make a list of only foods I can eat, and stick to the list.

At first, I ate healthy foods, but too much. The next step, was to slowly cut it down..

It worked for me..

Good Luck..

[Lunula]

I had a series of epiphanies that really drove my success this time around (I've tried to lose weight for many, many years) - but I think one of the big things for me was truly embracing all the "failures" and actually learning from them. You can look at all your past attempts as failures that make you a failure - OR - you can look at them as opportunities to learn from, making you successful this time.

Sit down and make a list of what worked and what didn't work. Think of the times you were "most successful" - even if it was only a week. Was it a structured plan (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem) or did you go it alone? Did you go to the gym and start walking in your neighborhood. Did you take classes at the gym, or do your own workouts? Did you have problems at specific times of day? Did you like and hate certain foods? Did you have support at home? With a friend? At a meeting (i.e., Overeaters Anon, WW)?

I think once you start seeing your patterns, it will be easier to move forward with something that works for you. I started slowly because my husband started running and wanted to get fit, so our eating changed. After I had dropped 10 lbs or so, just from eating a little better, I bought the Zumba DVDs and did them at home. After dropping another 10 lbs, I joined WW online - another 10 lbs, I joined the gym. Now, I go to the gym 5-6 days a week, I take all kinds of classes (I am better with the structure of classes). I was having problems with motivating myself to lose the last 20, so I started going to WW meetings and I've already started losing again. So, what worked for me at the beginning doesn't work now - so I switched it up!

Be patient and know that this is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Try some things out, see what works for you and GO FOR IT! Today! Now! Future-you will thank present-day-you!

[Elliemar]

I tried all sorts over the years but for me Slimming World was the thing that worked. No point/calorie counting etc. The groups are my conscience and make me think twice about straying off plan - although that's become easier anyway as I've lost more weight and have completely transformed the way I eat and cook. Everything is now made from scratch - no jars or packets. I've cut out lots of things too - I rarely eat things like bread, pizza and cakes now and can't say I miss them either.

As Lunula said, think about what hasn't worked in the past to try and see what might suit you. Then set about changing your habits one at a time and set yourself small goals to aim for.

[SisterFunk]

I was pretty close to joining weight watchers because I have some friends who have had great success with their program. I started doing some research and I read a review from someone who made a point that calorie counting was free. So I decided to try calorie counting for one week to see if I could actually do it. I ended up losing 6lbs. in the first week. I was pretty shocked and excited and it was enough to keep me motivated to keep going.

I measure all of my food. I cook most meals at home and I know how many calories are in the meals that I cook. I track it all. I cut out soda completely and I drink very little alcohol. If I do drink alcohol I make sure I have calories to drink it. Portion sizes are key and something I never even paid attention to before. The nice thing about counting calories is that I don't have to say no to every food. I just need to make sure you don't overindulge and then track what I ate.

I could not do this without a calorie counting app on my phone. Knowing how many calories I have left for the day helps a lot. I generally eat in a range of calories of 1,300-1,600 per day so I don't feel tied down to a certain number every day.

Sorry to be so long winded! Good luck with everything. Just getting started is the hardest part!