Everyone responds to different approaches to diets and exercises differently. As for me I don't have a sure fire formula for mine even after losing a substantial amount of weight. It's still a hit or miss kind of thing for me. It can be frustrating when I'm hitting a plateau because it's hard to put a finger on what I should be doing as my diet and exercise regimens aren't consistent to begin with but I wanted to know what works for you guys?
Naw ... not really. We are all humans and therefore all fundamentally the same. Sure there are minor differences in some areas but the fundamentals don't change from one person to the next.
Fundamental #1 is : Are you in a caloric deficit or not. Can't lose fat if you're not.
"Hitting a plateau" has become a meaningless phrase because people use words differently. Here is one of the big challenges. Weight loss is not linear even if one is the model of consistency. People retain water, women especially. In some cases water is retained for many weeks making your fat loss and making it seem like you've "hit a plateau" or whatever other phrase. This type of question on how to get unstuck is probably the most common question asked here because people rely on the scale to track results.
Bottom line? Either you're in a caloric deficit or you're not.
One thing that gets me off a "plateau" is to weigh, measure and journal, get back to basics. I'm always good about keeping track of my exercise, I like doing that, but get lax with the intake. Generally for me, the losses stall or weight goes up because I'm not paying attention to exactly how much cheese, or nuts my snack is, or how much creamer is going in the coffee cup.
You know what to do, having lost a substantial amount of weight. Tracking everything for a few days or weeks will likely put you in the calorie deficit you need to be in that JohnP speaks of.
Best of luck and whatever you do, don't quit!
BTW WW's definition is weeks even months at the same weight while being sure that you are within the calorie (point) range you are supposed to be in.
I got a DXA scan to find out my body fat percent, which also told me by base metabolic rate and how many calories I need to eat. I am going for another DXA scan every 3-4 months to check on how my body composition has changed, and get updated BMR info so I know how many calories to eat until the next scan.
Right now I eat 2100 calories per day to lose 3-4 lbs per month, and I commute on foot 20 minutes each way to work (this is included in my 2100 calories). If I do any exercise beyond that, I log it and make sure I eat more calories to compensate.
In general I'm eating whole foods; the grains I eat are whole grains, the dairy I eat is full fat, and I'm avoiding fake sugar and chemicals in my foods. I read ingredients labels carefully so I can avoid anything that I wouldn't cook with at home. Eating whole foods helps me feel more full.
I buy pre-chopped fruits and vegetables because I don't tend to eat them otherwise and they go bad. I buy frozen chicken breasts which are fast and easy to cook. Convenience is important as it makes it easy for us to cook at home, so it doesn't seem like such a hassle.
I let myself eat high quality treats, like cookies made from whole grains, and dark chocolate. These are things I like, and in the quantities I eat them they are a healthy addition to my diet. If we want junk like chips, prepackaged cookies, or milk chocolate, we have to use our allowance which I'll get to in a minute.
I used to eat out too much and it's always a temptation, so I've restricted my finances a lot. I get an allowance of $60 every other week and that's the only money I carry around - no debit or credit cards. This has probably helped me more than any other change has so far. Mostly I spend my allowance on sushi, but since I have limited funds, I usually only eat 1-2 sushi rolls at a time so I will still have money left for the rest of the two weeks. My husband gets the same allowance and usually spends his on beer.
My husband is following the same plan as well, although he'll eat some things I won't, like the ranch dip that comes with our pre-chopped veggies. Since we're logging our calories I don't think it really matters. I'm a little stricter about whole foods than he is (not much—I still eat sushi with white rice, for instance), but it works out fine for us. It's great to have someone at home who is supportive, and we keep each other accountable.
I just try to eat stuff that is good for me. I try to keep my carbs low (but not crazy low) and eat "good carbs", lots of protein and try to avoid "bad" fats while eating "good" fats. The rest is loading up on foods that are good sources of vitamins and minerals. I try to make sure everything I eat is good for me. Yes, there are exceptions. Like beer and (sometimes) icecream on a night out, but day-to-day I put a lot of thought into what goes into my mouth. It's fun and a hobby. In practical terms I eat a lot of oats, fish, green leaf salad, kale, onion, tomaotos, eggs, kim chi, hummus, balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, coffee, flaxseed milk, tabasco sauce, dried apricots and figs. That's what I have settled on.
On the exercise side, I do as much running and weight training as my body will allow. I enjoy the stress relief/me time. The cardio does give me a bit of wiggle room with what I eat and the weight training helps me to build some muscle.
So I do have a formula through a lot of trial and error and tweaks to find what works for me. In a way it's like sleeping around. You need to tweak a lot. Find what works for you, with lots of experimentation to discover what you enjoy and can, therefore, sustain that fits with your weightloss goals. I have become a diet/exercise whore. Always dropping a little something here and adding a little something there to see if it works better for me. Which is why I deeply distrust branded diets. One-size-does-not-fit-all. You need to find your own path.
But, saying that, I am not really in weight loss mode any more. I am trying to lose the last bit of fat and trying to build muscle which is a different and a more complicated game.
To lose weight, just cut calories. But you may say goodbye to a lot of muscle as well unless the composition of the calories you do consume and your exercise suits your goals.
So, in summary and to answer your question: play around with your diet and exercise, find the bits that work and stick with them.
By the way great job so far!
I think kelijpa is right; you know what to do.
Just thought I'd share what I'm doing since you asked. I think the DXA scans have been helpful to me for setting goals and finding out how many calories I should be eating. The body fat "pinch tests" at the gym are pretty good too and less expensive.
I'm not sure if you're counting calories but it's possible you're eating too many or even too few calories. So it could be helpful to find out how much lean mass you have so you can get an idea of what your base metabolic rate is, and thus how many calories you actually need. I think it would be especially useful if you have plateaud.
Another option would be to track your calories for a little while the way you're usually eating, then decrease by a few hundred calories when you're sure you've been at a steady weight for a while. That way you can kind of experiment to figure out how many you need. I think some people aren't eating enough calories and that's why they aren't losing.
Or some people lose too quickly and what happens is you lose lean mass along with fat, and your BMR goes down (meaning you need a LOT less calories because you don't have as much lean mass burning it while you're not exercising). The solution to that is to build up lean mass - eat protein and do squats, basically (or other weightlifting).
Eat less (mostly vegetables and fruit) and move more -- is basically the only formula that works for me these days.
Me too, I eat less and move more. There's no formula, lifestyle changes come gradually with age, not all at once. It took me years to cultivate my healthy habits.
I eat relatively normal portion sizes.
I load up on protein and veggies and keep carbs low
I mostly eat whole foods and real ingredients that I cook myself.
I eat a big salad everyday either for lunch or dinner loaded with beautiful things.
I stick to whole grains and legumes.
I make sure I eat several raw foods every day as well as cooked veggies.
I don't drink soda or too much coffee.
I don't snack - not because I'm against snacks, but because I find my meals satisfying and have no need to. It's a good thing for me because I don't enjoy thinking about food every couple of hours, I've got a life to lead!
I need very small amounts of dark chocolate, but otherwise don't eat much sugary stuff.
I don't follow any specific diet plan but I guess I'm on the mediterranean diet based on what I eat.
Food is just one aspect of good health, there are a lot of little behaviors that constitute a healthy mind and body.
I stay active throughout the day.
I walk my son to school.
I walk or ride my bike instead of driving when I run errands.
When I ride the subway I get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way, likewise on the way back.
I don't bother circling parking lots looking for the closest spot to the entrance, I always park far away and walk.
When I get a break at work I go outside to walk or enjoy the outdoors (this is often an aspect of health that is largely overlooked, being outdoors has a positive effect on our mood and can lessen symptoms of depression etc, I digress).
I don't eat on the couch which used to be my favorite location to binge. I sit at the table and eat mindfully without distractions and try to enjoy my food. I don't eat before I go to bed because it causes digestive issues.
I meditate and practice chi gong in the mornings.
I stretch every morning and every night.
I say kind things to the person in the mirror.
I like your list Wannabeskinny, a lot of great habits on your list and I've actively cultivated some of them, too!
My overall formula is to (mostly) avoid eating problem foods (i.e. foods that trigger me to over eat). To actively lose weight I have to "eyeball" my daily calories and make sure I don't overindulge on stuff that can add up fast (avocado, nuts, nut butters, olive oil, hummus, etc. -- because I eat these items pretty much every day).
And I stay active with hobbies and sports that I enjoy (I don't do stuff I don't like).
Like Snark I am trying to avoid my trigger foods, that is the biggest thing for me, because then I will go overboard either bingeing or just "treating" myself every day and I just keep craving these treats. If I don't have it I crave a lot less and can move on from a craving, it won't get stuck in my head until I give in.
Once that is taken care of it's pretty easy for me because I actually love healthy food too!
I eat whole food, vegan and gluten-free.
I walk to and from work and try to get to the gym as much as possible for cardio and weight training. I'm trying to get running more outside again too, even though winter is bearing down on us.
I'm trying to drink more water, green tea, lemon and ginger tea
I do snack - generally fruit and veggies
I'm trying to get more greens in my diet.
I usually have a smoothie a day
Currently my calories are around my BMR 1200 (measured at 1269 or something when I had my fat test) and I exercise (goal 500 cals a day) which should give me a 1-2 lb weight loss
- Find a way of eating where you can be in caloric deficit but still feel good about what you're eating
- Find exercise that makes you happy and you like to do
Period. I've found a way of doing that. It works if I am in caloric deficit. It doesn't work if I'm eating too much.
Hardest Lesson Learned: I can't exercise my way out of too much food
What is your diet and exercise "formula"?
