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Before I started making the serious effort to lose weight, I had phased out as many processed foods as possible, and started making an effort to eat more vegetables. I had also been going to the farmers market every week. I think making these changes before embarking on a weight loss effort really helped; I didn't feel like I was making a drastic change. By that time, the biggest change I was making was in portion size, and it didn't bother me much.
I do have some processed foods now and then, though. I still love my Blue Bell ice cream, and have some once or twice a week.
That's my goal as well. I never ate that much processed food, but I ate a lot of sweets. My mom made homemade cake and would bring it over, she made homemmade chocolate chip cookies and bring it over, my so made pancakes every sunday, etc. It was just adding up. I plan to go back to some of these home-made items, just not as frequently lol.
I'd give low carb a serious try. When you lower your carbs to say 20 grams a day or less for at least two weeks (Atkins), and actually probably much sooner, you will find yourself in a state of ketosis, in which you are burning fat for fuel, rather than glucose. Your blood sugar will stabalize, and your appetite will be under control. You will lose weight. You will find yourself eating less naturally because you are not as hungry. It's really a great thing for those of us who were overweight and had little control over our appetite.
I'd give low carb a serious try. When you lower your carbs to say 20 grams a day or less for at least two weeks (Atkins), and actually probably much sooner, you will find yourself in a state of ketosis, in which you are burning fat for fuel, rather than glucose. Your blood sugar will stabalize, and your appetite will be under control. You will lose weight. You will find yourself eating less naturally because you are not as hungry. It's really a great thing for those of us who were overweight and had little control over our appetite.
I appreciate the suggestion but as I mentioned I tried Atkins ten years ago and I had the worst insomnia with non carbs. As soon as I went back to my regular higher carbs to protein ratio my sleeping improved immediately. Everyone's chemistry is a bit different so I am glad it work for you.
I appreciate the suggestion but as I mentioned I tried Atkins ten years ago and I had the worst insomnia with non carbs. As soon as I went back to my regular higher carbs to protein ratio my sleeping improved immediately. Everyone's chemistry is a bit different so I am glad it work for you.
Ok, I missed that you tried it. The first time I tried it I also had a little trouble sleeping but it didn't last long.
You don't even have to go to Weight Watchers. You don't have to pay anyone anything at all, and you don't have to go to meetings or support groups. I prefer to do things on my own, too.
I've been using myfitnesspal.com since mid-April, and have lost 52 pounds. I'm eating pretty much anything I want, as long as it's in moderation, and will fit in my daily calorie budget. No points system, no gimmicky diets - just mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, and lots of protein. I still eat carbs, too. The only thing I cut out of my diet completely was soda, and any sugary drink. I prefer to eat my calories, not drink them.
Tonight I had steak, baked potato and spinach for dinner. Tomorrow night I'm making oven-fried buffalo chicken.
It sounds cliche, but it's true - you need to make a permanent lifestyle change. You can't do that with extreme, gimmicky diets, because you can't keep it up forever. Everything in moderation is something you can do forever. Keeping track of the calories you're taking in allows you to lose weight without completely depriving yourself of the foods you love. I log my food before I eat it, which makes me stop and think what I'm about to eat, and allows myself time to make a change, if necessary.
However, nothing in the world will work if you're not in the right place mentally. You need to stop blaming people and circumstances for the state you're in, and just work to improve your situation.
I really like that myfitnesspal.com website and app.
I am doing Weight Watchers - it is like myfitnesspal.com on steroids. LOL! What I mean is that "points" and "calories" are really close to the same thing. I was using myfitnesspal.com exclusively - and losing weight - but hit a serious plateau. I finally went to a WW meeting and spoke with a counselor there and she told me that I was probably eating TOO LITTLE, tracking by simply calories, and so I tried the WW points system, which got me off my plateau and back to losing again.
WW allows you to eat most fruits and veggies without counting ANY points with them, which is great for me, because it sort of forced me to eat more of those things when hungry, and retrained me to reach for something HEALTHY to snack on instead of something unhealthy.
Plus, I'm eating MORE calories and losing weight at the rate of 1-2 pounds a week. From what I figure (by referring to the myfitnesspal.com calorie counter) I have upped my caloric intake (but eating more healthily) from 1200 to about 1500 on average and am still steadily losing weight.
I am a 50 year old, active woman.
All that to say this - I really love the detail that's on myfitnesspal.com - and it's a great site, and free - and beats using nothing. I've known several people like you who have lost weight using that site, so obviously it can really work for some people.
That being said, I personally have benefited from the WW program, including the meetings, which I go to about every other week (not every week). It got me off my plateau and I learn something at every meeting, from other members - different choices, recipes, successes, etc.
What works - undoubtedly - is for a person to HONESTLY TRACK their food intake, and to cut their caloric intake to a HEALTHY level - which is NOT less than 1200 calories a day. Heck, even 1200 a day is pretty deprived. I was very relieved to find that I could eat more than that, by making better food choices, keep from being hungry, and still lose weight - and I thank WW for that.
I really like that myfitnesspal.com website and app.
I am doing Weight Watchers - it is like myfitnesspal.com on steroids. LOL! What I mean is that "points" and "calories" are really close to the same thing. I was using myfitnesspal.com exclusively - and losing weight - but hit a serious plateau. I finally went to a WW meeting and spoke with a counselor there and she told me that I was probably eating TOO LITTLE, tracking by simply calories, and so I tried the WW points system, which got me off my plateau and back to losing again.
WW allows you to eat most fruits and veggies without counting ANY points with them, which is great for me, because it sort of forced me to eat more of those things when hungry, and retrained me to reach for something HEALTHY to snack on instead of something unhealthy.
Plus, I'm eating MORE calories and losing weight at the rate of 1-2 pounds a week. From what I figure (by referring to the myfitnesspal.com calorie counter) I have upped my caloric intake (but eating more healthily) from 1200 to about 1500 on average and am still steadily losing weight.
I am a 50 year old, active woman.
All that to say this - I really love the detail that's on myfitnesspal.com - and it's a great site, and free - and beats using nothing. I've known several people like you who have lost weight using that site, so obviously it can really work for some people.
That being said, I personally have benefited from the WW program, including the meetings, which I go to about every other week (not every week). It got me off my plateau and I learn something at every meeting, from other members - different choices, recipes, successes, etc.
What works - undoubtedly - is for a person to HONESTLY TRACK their food intake, and to cut their caloric intake to a HEALTHY level - which is NOT less than 1200 calories a day. Heck, even 1200 a day is pretty deprived. I was very relieved to find that I could eat more than that, by making better food choices, keep from being hungry, and still lose weight - and I thank WW for that.
I'd like to rep you again, but I've done it too recently.
I'm also 50 years old, and less active than I should be, but working on it. You're absolutely right about needing to eat more. There have been times (mainly on weekends) where it's 7:00 at night, and I realized I still had 600 calories to eat. Right now I'm eating between 1300-1400 calories, and steadily losing. I try not to eat less than 1300 calories.
My problem with weight watchers, is that they gave way too many points for nursing and the weight came off so slowly. I lost in average of 11 pounds over 5 months. Part of it, probably is because my body seemed to really have a hard time losing weight with breastfeeding--once I introduced solids I lost weight faster, and now that I'm in the process of weaning(just started) I'm hoping that the weight will come off even faster. I am now eating clean. I have not really seen any progress on the scale--but I'm not tracking calories, since I'm breast feeding. I do feel better though than I did when I was eating a lot of junk and processed foods. That being said I'll probably phase out to regular WW(not the nursing program)once my son has at least replaced three feedings with sippy cup milk. I don't plan on doing the meetings though.
My problem with weight watchers, is that they gave way too many points for nursing and the weight came off so slowly. I lost in average of 11 pounds over 5 months. Part of it, probably is because my body seemed to really have a hard time losing weight with breastfeeding--once I introduced solids I lost weight faster, and now that I'm in the process of weaning(just started) I'm hoping that the weight will come off even faster. I am now eating clean. I have not really seen any progress on the scale--but I'm not tracking calories, since I'm breast feeding. I do feel better though than I did when I was eating a lot of junk and processed foods. That being said I'll probably phase out to regular WW(not the nursing program)once my son has at least replaced three feedings with sippy cup milk. I don't plan on doing the meetings though.
I can understand that. Also, when I was a nursing mother, nursing did not seem to burn calories for me, regardless of what people would tell me about it "melting the fat off." Heck no, it didn't for me. It seemed like instead my body HELD ONTO every calorie in case it needed to "make some milk." My fat didn't start to melt off till I STOPPED nursing!
So I can only imagine that the WW nursing mother's program wouldn't have worked for me.
I rarely use my "extra points" on WW - though I did tap into them while on vacation, and I still lost a pound that week. Amazing! So now that I've been on WW about two months, I occasionally let myself eat a bit more (probably 200-300 more calories) in a day a couple of times a week - and the weight is still slowly coming off. Fifteen more pounds to go - woohoo!
I'm am a 7 year success story and I'm still alive and very healthy with the 5 bite diet...you do not gain the weight back as long as you eat within normal range after going "off" this plan...It teaches you self control ! I started out 7 years ago at 205 size 16/18 women's (that's right..I shopped at Lane Bryant), boarder line pre-diabetic and my BP was a little high..I'm now 150, blood sugars are in normal range and BP last checked 3/11/13 was 110/80..it doesn't get any better then that ! If you gain a pound or 2 after going off this plan and back to eating normally, you know EXACTLY what to do to get the lbs off right away !
Why anyone who would want to undergo lap-band or whatever, I find completely insane !
"self control and discipline is all it takes"..yep, I eat what ever the heck I want, and I no longer panic ( or gain weight)
don't knock it till you try it
by the way I am now a size 9/10 in jeans from the JUNIOR department and I'm 47 years old..
I'm am a 7 year success story and I'm still alive and very healthy with the 5 bite diet...you do not gain the weight back as long as you eat within normal range after going "off" this plan...It teaches you self control ! I started out 7 years ago at 205 size 16/18 women's (that's right..I shopped at Lane Bryant), boarder line pre-diabetic and my BP was a little high..I'm now 150, blood sugars are in normal range and BP last checked 3/11/13 was 110/80..it doesn't get any better then that ! If you gain a pound or 2 after going off this plan and back to eating normally, you know EXACTLY what to do to get the lbs off right away !
Why anyone who would want to undergo lap-band or whatever, I find completely insane !
"self control and discipline is all it takes"..yep, I eat what ever the heck I want, and I no longer panic ( or gain weight)
don't knock it till you try it
by the way I am now a size 9/10 in jeans from the JUNIOR department and I'm 47 years old..
Great news glad to hear it. Just curious what are the maintenance bites, 20-30 day?
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It works !!!
till you try it 
