[mr400pounder]

Sounds crazy, but as a person that has struggled with my weight for a very long time, and being 414 pounds at my largest, I have to say that I've found the secret.

Like many of you, I'm tired of being fat... yes I'm still fat, but I've made some HUGE progress over the last 12 months WITHOUT a gym or any exercise. In fact, I've only done 3 things.

1. Cut out as much high fructose corn syrup as possible (soda, V8 Splash, most processed foods, etc.)

This was perhaps the biggest change, and the hardest. Every once in a while, I'll have an Arnold Palmer or a small soda... I'm talking once a month.

2. Started drinking more water. After about a week, I started craving water a lot more. Because I started drinking water with my meals, I cut out 100% of all the calories I was drinking.

3. I started changing what I was eating. No, I didn't go on a diet, I just started finding substitutes.

Drinkable yogurt and a straw is a great substitute for a milkshake. Slicing and baking my own potatoes very thin takes care of my chip cravings.

Results

I'm scared to weigh myself because in the past it was extremely discouraging. This time around, I'm only looking at results. Since I made the above 3 changes, I've had the following results:

1. Shirt size: 6x --> 4x (I can actually button a 3x, but it's snug)

2. Pants size: 54 --> 50 (I can button up a 48, but they look like skinny jeans lol)

3. Energy level: Very high. I've been super productive over the last few months.

Goals

My short term goal is to get into a 3x comfortably by the end of June. I figure I'm about a 3.5x now (they don't make those), so it's not a huge goal.

My long term 2x. I don't want to be smaller than 2x. I'm a pretty muscular guy when I get down to that small (I made it before in the early 2000s).

Going Forward

I'm actually more motivated now that I've been seeing real results. I'm going to get a gym membership in 2 weeks so that I can speed up the process.

Words of Encouragement

Stop telling yourself you'll start Monday or next week. I use to do this a lot. Start over at your next meal, even if you mess up first thing in the morning for breakfast.

Cut your food portion at the next meal. Drink water instead of something sweet. Do what you gotta do, but take it one meal and one choice at a time. That has worked better for me than trying to diet or anything else.

I've been actively trying to lose weight since 2004, and it has never been easier than it's been recently, when I stopped trying to lose it, and just started trying to make good overall health choices.

Good luck.

[Slimmer me]

With all due respect, the ease of weight loss depends on where you start. At 400 pounds plus, simply eliminating completely useless calories like soda and eating normal portions will move you in the right direction without any real effort.
For the featherweight, who may be working on going from 125 to 120, I'm pretty sure they gave up soda and chips years ago and are now really careful with fruit and a glass of wine.
Think of it the other way around - how much would you have to eat to maintain 400 pounds?

[novangel]

Yeah I don't want to discredit OP or be a buzzkill but going from 400 to 300p is fairly simple but trying to lose that last stubborn 10-15p is next to impossible. I wish him success though.

[katiam247]

I think the OP was trying to say, it's not complicated - not that it is "easy". If you are just starting out trying to lose and Google diets, it CAN be overwhelming and confusing. Also, I am sure it took an effort to stop doing something he routinely did for years. He has come up with easy rules for him to follow that work. I'm sure when he gets closer to goal, that he will modify more of his plan to get results. Losing weight is all trial and error and readjustments, too!

[Ronja]

Congratulations!

*Now I just wish I ever WAS in a habbit of drinking soda and eating processed food loaded with corn syrup and other nasty stuff. I could have just given it up now and lose 100 pounds instantly!* (End of sarcasm¨).

I really AM pleased for you. It's great that you had the willpower to give up all the things you were used to having. I bet it must have done your body a lot of good and help your health tremendously, not to mention your selfesteam. As others have mentioned, the speed of your weight loss is considerable higher when you're on the heavier side. As you will be approaching normal BMI, it will progressively take lot and lot more efforts and it's unlikely even home-made chips will be a regular part of your diet. But, you will figure these things out as they come your way. For now, what you're doing is working, and that's great!

[Treasa]

Congratulations!!! I'll tell you my first 25 pounds or so came off just by giving up sweet things, including both artificial and natural sugars. Pounds fell off. Since then, it's been a long slog for me. I've had to cut waaaaaay back on bread and that's hard for me. Right now it seems I have the choice of basically cutting out all bread or doing hard exercise for weight to come off. I seem incapable of doing both.

Keep it up - You're doing great! And I'm glad you've found something that works for you. Just keep in mind you might have to tweak it when the pounds stop falling.

[chel325]

I find it fairly easy as well. I don't even cut out anything, I just eat everything in moderation by counting the calories.

I'm in my last home stretch now and it still has been very cut and dry.

Congrats to you!

[flower123]

Congratulations. So happy that you are finding what works. You are eating more healthfully and losing weight. Way to go !!-