Who has lost a lot of weight and how did you do it? (stomach, working out)

[westindian]

Originally Posted by cg81

Hey.. that's an encouraging way of putting it!

I've always (as long as I can remember) been a few pounds overweight. Not major, but enough that I knew I could feel better. I'm 27, and had never dieted or tried to lose weight before, but about 4 weeks ago my wife and I decided to try to simply eat less and exercise more. My wife wanted to get back to what she was before our youngest (18 mo.).

So that's basically what we did.. I was amazed at how simple it is.. "dieting" always looked like a major thing to me, and it turned out that the hardest thing (so far) was simply getting started... motivation to do something about it. We didn't make major changes to our diet.. just tried to cut out empty calories, limit sweets, smaller portions of food etc, and usually go on a vigorous 30 minute walk every day (I'm usually pushing the double stroller!). I try to drink lots of water. I've lost about 7 lbs in 4 weeks and my wife has lost about 5. It's slow, but it's happening!

Good for you and keep up the good work. It sounds like you guys are making great choices. My mom also began walking and each week she is able to walk longer distances at faster speeds. She is starting to see amazing results...results that will last.

[mead]

I'm a guy who had been pretty much overweight for the better part of my life. I believe I've lost over 50 lbs and 6 inches on my waist over the past 2 years and now have a normal weight. I'd like to loose even more weight so that I'd be in really good shape, but I'm content with where I am now. I have done a couple of things to do this.

The most important were to cut out using my car and to walk around my neighborhood instead (this was pretty easy because I live in the Bronx and lots of stuff is within walking distance of my apartment). I don't do too much walking for exercise, mostly just daily routine stuff (going to the grocery store or corner store, walking to church, taking my clothes to the laundromat, walking to the local take-out place). I do sometimes just take a 20 minute walk for exercise, but I don't do that too often. Beyond walking I now do some push-ups and situps every day or every other day (nothing crazy, just like 10-20 per day)

I used to drink tons of juice and soda. Today I only have 1 soda per day. The rest of the day I drink only water or tea (with no sugar or milk in it).

I have also focused on reducing portion size. I used to eat a lot of food, but now have cut back So for example when I used to get pizza for lunch I would always get 2 slices, now I only get one. When I make mashed potatos I only boil 2 potatoes instead of the 3 that I used to use. When I cook rice for dinner I only make 1/3 of a cup instead of the 1/2 of a cup.

The portion control was difficult at first, but now it has gotten somewhat easier. When I first started doing this I was hungry all the time. Now the hunger has been reduced to some degree. However its kind of weird, I have been eating like this for well over a year now, and yet sometimes I still don't feel satisfied after eating.

I guess that feeling is just from being overweight for years and years?

[UW Badgers]

I lost 150lbs by cutting back and exercising. I ate whatever I wanted, just not as much as I used to. I did cut back on fast food as well. My hubby and I still go out to eat probably twice a week(usually weekends). Once I learned to control my portions, eating out wasn't a problem. Leftovers are a good thing. If I pay 10 bucks for my meal and I can get 2 meals out of it, nothing wrong with that.

I never considered it a diet either. Just a change of habits. I didn't kill myself working out either. I did a few things here and there so not to have loose skin. I now do a 30 minute toning tape and my husband and I walk every night. I have maintained my weight for over 3 years now. I went from a size 30/32(yes you read that right) to a 6-8. I'm very happy with myself.

I didn't read any special "diet" plans. I don't believe in them(except WW, which I didn't do). I'm not going to make stuff I don't like and a lot of that food it expensive. I like what I like and I'm gonna eat it and no one is gonna tell me otherwise.

I don't believe in the don't eat after 7 stuff. I have learned that if you have the calories to give, you can eat at night. I'm not saying a whopper meal for a snack, but popcorn, pretzels, peanuts(this is stuff we have).

Losing weight is all in the mind. You have to have a positive attitude. The one negative thing I did was becoming obsessed with it. Once I let that go it was even easier to lose weight. You can accomplish anything with the right mindset.

[cg81]

Originally Posted by mead

The portion control was difficult at first, but now it has gotten somewhat easier. When I first started doing this I was hungry all the time. Now the hunger has been reduced to some degree. However its kind of weird, I have been eating like this for well over a year now, and yet sometimes I still don't feel satisfied after eating.

I guess that feeling is just from being overweight for years and years?

That's something that I have to deal with too.. I love food! It's hard to get used to not feeling full when I'm done. Eating slower helps, and usually after 1/2 hr or so it feels good: better than if I would have "filled up."

I guess it's just something you have to get used to?

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I lost 140 pounds (and have kept most of it off for 5 years) by:

• exercising at least an hour a day, including daily yoga and weight training three days a week;
• following a modified low-carb diet similar to South Beach Diet, eating lots of lean protein and low-starch vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains
• joining a support group;
• realizing that an ideal weight isn't a number, but a range of numbers.

Thats great...it really is, but I just think most of us don't have time for yoga and weight training 3 days a week. Im employed and work 10-12 hours a day.

I have been losing a pound or two a week because of the gas prices. I walk my kid to school, walk to the bank (on my days off) and I try and drink tons of water (which sucks at work having to pee all the time). The water keeps me from eating as much. I always have 8 ounces before each meal. I bought a pedometer to keep track of my steps. I cannot go to bed at night unless I have hit 12000 steps. Even at work, I try to keep something on my body moving at all times. I have also tried eating 5 smaller meals a day to keep from getting hungry. When you eat, your metabolism raises.

[njkate]

The French Woman's diet
which really isn't a diet just not depriving yourself and eating way smaller portions. The French don't eat a lot of crap or fast food...bread chicken fish cheese olive oil chocolate red wine
I use a lunch plate versus a dinner plate and don't pile it on
They also walk a lot

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Originally Posted by njkate

The French don't eat a lot of crap or fast food...bread chicken fish cheese olive oil chocolate red wine

If only it were that easy for the rest of us . Actually, that is very similar to what I eat when not cutting or bulking:

Bread - only the Whole wheat, 7 grain kind.
Chicken - broiled or grilled only. Seasoned with cayanne and/or garlic
Fish - broiled or grilled salmon or halibut. Or, canned chunk light tuna
Olive Oil - Extra virgin please. Only use a bit for whole wheat pasta or salad.
Chocolate - Small bits of 70% cocoa dark chocolate from Cost Plus.
Red Wine - 2002, 2003 or 2004 Justin Vinyards Iscoceles red wine.

Njkate, what about your exercise/workout routine?

[SPNARD1]

Eat 6 small meals a day, drink plenty of water as it acts as an appetite suppresant, and just do plenty of cardio.
Diet is probably the biggest factor for weight loss. You can do all the cardio in the world and it won't have much of an impact if your diet isn't compliant.

[katreese]

Has anyone read "Thin For Life"? It discusses (not surprisingly) the habits of people who have lost weight and kept it off.

2 things concern me:

1) For those of you who have lost a lot of weight and kept it off - are you really hungry all the time? I have read things that indicate this is just a fact of life that you have to learn to deal with, but I just can't handle that. Hunger makes me VERY TESTY

2) "Thin for Life" indicates that successful individuals, like one of the previous posters, exercise an hour a day - for life. I just don't have time for that. Exercise is important - but I cannot make my entire life work and exercise, only. Does everyone exercise to keep off the weight (I'm assuming)? How much?

[TwiloMike]

Originally Posted by katreese

Has anyone read "Thin For Life"? It discusses (not surprisingly) the habits of people who have lost weight and kept it off.

2 things concern me:

1) For those of you who have lost a lot of weight and kept it off - are you really hungry all the time? I have read things that indicate this is just a fact of life that you have to learn to deal with, but I just can't handle that. Hunger makes me VERY TESTY

2) "Thin for Life" indicates that successful individuals, like one of the previous posters, exercise an hour a day - for life. I just don't have time for that. Exercise is important - but I cannot make my entire life work and exercise, only. Does everyone exercise to keep off the weight (I'm assuming)? How much?

Two things you have to realize about fat loss and fitness:

1- The diet part of fat loss may mean some periods of hunger but you will adjust to those as you progress. The trick is to not stop short. Just a change in what you eat and when/portions you eat, not even the amount of food, can contribute significantly to fat loss.

2- Fat loss and keeping off the fat means a lifestyle change (if your current lifestyle helped you get fat... and it most likely did). If you can't make time to eat right and be active enough to stay fit then you're not ready to be fit. Save your money and don't spend it on gimmicks.

I exercise 4 days/week. I'm fairly active generally. What is it that you do that precludes you from being fit?