This is a little long, but I'm desperate for advice.

I've decided it's time I lose weight for real. In the past I've gone on health kicks, lost a few pounds, gotten discouraged and quit. I've done Optavia (formally medifast) for 3 weeks and I'm torn about if it is the right plan for me. I would appreciate advice from anyone who has used this program, quit this program and found success elsewhere, or has lost a significant amount of weight.

A little about me:
I'm in my late 20s, female, and weigh a little over 400 lbs. I have no weight related health issues (blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar levels, etc. are normal) but my weight has been an issue my entire life. In the past 2 years I've gained over 100 lbs after some life changes lead to really unhealthy habits and it's starting to affect my quality of life.

The diet:
I started the program after a smaller family member had success shedding 35lbs in a few months. After 3 weeks of faithfully following the diet I've lost 16lbs, which is great in a sense, but I'm miserable. I've cut out carbs with no issue (which was a shock to me) and adjusted to the lower calories, but I HATE the prepackaged food. Most of it leaves a taste in my mouth that leaves me gagging. I dread the 3 hour mark when I have to eat again. Most of it has a chemically taste that seems over processed even for someone who has long lived on processed foods.

I also dislike its extreme strictness. Not eating pasta, rice, bread, dairy, and alcohol has been hard, but doable, but this diet also demands no fruit or even carrots. I know the low carb thing is in vogue, but I'd like to think that a healthy diet is also a well-rounded diet. It also leaves little room for a release valve. It claims that to work you must be 100% adherent, 100% of time. That's one thing if you're planning to do it for 8 weeks to drop some quick poundage, but any diet I choose will need to be long term, probably years, to get to anything close to a healthy weight, and then I need to be prepared to maintain it since I gain weight very easily.

It's also really expensive and I'm not sure I could even afford to do it long-term.

I guess I know this program isn't right for me, but I feel like a failure for giving up. I still feel very motivated to change my life, but I'm at loss for what to do now. I've researched keto diets, Weight Watchers (which I'm leaning towards), macro counting, but it all feels too much to sift through and contradictory. I'm not looking for a miracle diet, or the latest fad, I'm looking for real sustainable change for the long-haul, but where do you begin?

I did something similar to that. I wasn’t crazy about it at 1st bc of it’s very processed nature but I looked at it as a tool to help shed my weight and transition to a much less processed way of eating in maintenance. It’s “hard” but “simple. I’m down ~ 140 lbs and the diet is what really helped me. Good luck with whatever you choose!

Have you looked in the Mediterranean diet? Pasta, bread, rice, dairy, and even alcohol are allowed.

this guy is interesting in breaking the cycle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXXGxoNFag4

If you don't like prepackaged foods, then don't eat them. Whole unprocessed foods are healthier anyway.

It's definitely possible to lose weight on a balanced diet. You don't need to give up carbs, but if you eat things like pasta, rice, and bread, make sure they're whole grain. When you buy bread, the first ingredient should be "whole wheat". If it says something like "wheat flour" or "enriched wheat flour" then it's not whole grain.

I agree with Katrah. I suggest looking into the Mediterranean diet. It's healthy and balanced, and it's a diet that you can follow for a long time.

Hi Kajun, welcome! First off, congrats on losing 16 pounds already.

I've not done Optavia and haven't lost a significant amount of weight. About 12 years ago, I gained weight and needed to lose about 40 pounds. I did, then about 3 years ago, I put on about that same amount of weight again and I'm working now on losing it. So I don't know if you'll consider 40 pounds as giving me the cred to advise here but I wanted to suggest that I think the diet you're leaning towards, Weight Watchers, would be a great choice for you. It gives far more variety than your current diet, encourages whole foods, and still provides enough structure to develop habits that will help you maintain a healthy weight after losing is over.

My brother was overweight from about 10 to 19. At that point, he needed to lose a little over 100 pounds. He did it through calorie counting and long daily walks (60 minutes plus). That was 15 years ago, and he's kept it off. He has had a few minor regains but never that much before he gets them back under control, still using extra walks as his exercise of choice. I mention this because he's the only person I know well who's lost what most would probably consider a significant amount of weight. Although he did it without a structured diet, I think what compensated for that is at the time he still lived at home and our mom was a Weight Watchers veteran who essentially ate primarily a Mediterranean diet. So despite him not actively doing either of those diet plans, he in effect was, since that's the type of food my mom prepared for him. What he needed to transform was the portions he'd been eating. He also ate "junk food" and dessert and take-out very infrequently while he was losing. He still eats those things now, but not as much of it as when he was a teen and overweight.

Good luck! I really think WW would be a great option for you. Keep going! You got this.

Thanks for all of the advice! I think I'm slowly finding a system that works for me. I've been off Optavia for a few days and have settled into a general calorie counting diet of about 1300/day calories of mostly vegetables and lean meats with occasional fruits and beans. I've continued to lose weight at the same pace so I think its going fine.

Even though I haven't really added processed carbs back into my diet it feels so freeing to know that I have the choice. I think part of the issue (besides the gross food) was eating things because I felt like I had to. Now I feel like I'm making healthy choices because its what I really want to do.

That's great news, Kajun! Thanks for the update.

Btw, there are some active threads here where members update their progress and provide support.

One is on this page, a daily check-in: https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/wei...elcome-20.html

Another is in the "Chicks up for a Challenge" folder. There, people pick a goal to lose during the month: https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/chi...llenge-15.html

There's another daily thread devoted to participants with 100 pounds or more to lose: https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/100...thread-10.html

There are probably several others, but those are the ones that came to mind. I wanted to give you a heads up bc when dieting solo, the camaraderie, support, and accountability can be very helpful and motivating for many people. Everyone focused on losing can be contagious and help with staying on plan and positive when the going gets tough.

Just wanted to put that out there. Congrats again on the continued loss and finding a plan that's a much better fit! It's a great sign that you didn't throw in the towel but instead recognized there was a problem and solved it. That awareness and flexibility will serve you well in this undertaking!

Have you tried drinking lots of water before eating?

I have some tips for you, but remember the most important are diet and training. Some programs can also help.

Eat a high-protein breakfast. Eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day (16, 17).
Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. These are the most fattening things you can put into your body, and avoiding them can help you lose weight (18, 19).
Drink water a half hour before meals. One study showed that drinking water a half hour before meals increased weight loss by 44% over 3 months (20).
Choose weight loss-friendly foods (see list). Certain foods are very useful for losing fat. Here is a list of the 20 most weight loss-friendly foods on earth.
Eat soluble fiber. Studies show that soluble fibers may reduce fat, especially in the belly area. Fiber supplements like glucomannan can also help (21, 22).
Drink coffee or tea. If you're a coffee or tea drinker, then drink as much as you want as the caffeine can in them boost your metabolism by 3–11% (23, 24, 25).
Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Base most of your diet on whole foods. They are healthier, more filling and much less likely to cause overeating.
Eat your food slowly. Fast eaters gain more weight over time. Eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones (26, 27).
Weigh yourself every day. Studies show that people who weigh themselves every day are much more likely to lose weight and keep it off for a long time (28, 29).
Get a good night's sleep, every night. Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain, so taking care of your sleep is important (30).
You can also check out this program that can help you lose weight in few weeks. It works for me!

Hello, I am feeling your pains of weight loss. It is a tough journey and you just need to stay as motivated as you can. My best advice is take it day by day, make the goals smaller so you can win everyday and not think of it as a really long term goal of weeks or months away. That can tend me make it seem impossible! Your mind is extremely powerful and can overcome lots of the fears and things holding you back! Ive noticed i do better if i incorporate some healthy habits with meditation, drinking teas, and simple getting up and moving around when im lazy. I still have a long way to go ive had some success with detox teas, and better eating habits, good luck continuing the journey.

Any diet that is super restrictive is nothing that you can continue in the long run. Another thing is ANY diet will work as long as you burn more calories ( in a 24hr) period then you consume. If you haven't started workin out yet I would highly suggest light activity. I am so happy you are finding progress. Realize that after a while of constantly loosing your body is going to refuse and make you plateau BUT such forma deficit to a maintenance level for calorie. Then when you switch back to a deficit you will be able too loose fat again! Think of a staircase going down. you've got to alternate to make more progress. By bigger piece of advice is to think of this as a lifestyle instead of a diet. Be creative with the food you eat and know you are doing something wonderful for your body and your life. being 80/20 is key. 80% of the time eat healthy, and 20% of the time have something you like but in moderation. There is no use to depriving yourself during this journey, its going to be a long one and once you understand it and stop to smell the roses, you will feel more fulfilled.

We all believe in you.

xxx

The problem with this type of thinking is that if your diet is poor, you probably won't be able to burn more calories than you consume. For example, if you eat 1200 calories of junk food each day, the junk food will slow down your metabolism, and you probably won't have enough energy to exercise, so you're not going to lose weight.

I think 100/100 is the key. 100% of the time eat healthy, and 100% of the time eat something that you like. The trick is to find healthy foods that you like.

I'm back on here because I hurt my knee and stopped exercising. However, back in 2015, my weight loss was due to walking, some random hikes and eating healthy MOST of the time.

Sometimes you do need a jump start, and with the great job losing 16 lbs, maybe this is the jump start that you needed.

However, if it's not the right fit for you, ease out of it by making healthier choices and hitting the park or treadmill for a walk.

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