I've lost weight many times. In fact, every diet I've tried has succeeded. Unfortunately, I've never kept the weight off.
If you have ever succeeded in keeping your weight off, could you share your secrets?
Full Version: Losing weight and KEEPING IT OFF!
I've maintained at my goal weight or 10 pounds below for almost 5 years now. A few of my "secrets"...
> Find an exercise program that you can stick with FOREVER. Well, you can change what you do, but not that you do it consistently. Use it or lose it! Maintaining is MUCH harder without regular exercise. Continue to build and develop muscles. Part of the benefit is that being disciplined in your exercise approach will lead to being disciplined in the food aspect. I can't workout effectively if I've overindulged. And I want to workout more than being indulgent!
> Cultivate your tastes for healthy foods. Focus on what you CAN and SHOULD eat more than what you have to avoid. Keep a close eye on nutrition. It's easy to substitute a 100 calorie pack of cookies or crackers for an apple or banana! Eat the fruit first. Snacks aren't bad, but they're not meals! Try to get your snacks as nutritious as possible too. Don't overlook proteins or healthy fats in addition to fruits and veggies. Carbs fill in themselves very easily. Go for the highest quality you can with whole grains and lots of fiber.
> Allow yourself to LIVE. That means happy hours, birthday parties, holidays and vacations. As you gain experience with being healthy, you'll find that you naturally make better choices. But you'll still indulge now and then and that's OK! Figure out what your fall-back strategy is to get back on track quickly though. For some, that's going back on JC foods at weight loss calorie levels. For others, it's just journaling and getting back to normal eating. Others ramp up their activity levels.
> Recognize that you are treating yourself like a queen when you're eating healthfully. I used to think I was so deprived and that I "deserved" treats. How wrong was I!?!? I *deserve* to feel good and to be fit and strong! I deserve to sleep well and enjoy my life! By numbing myself with "treats" to deal with stress, I was actually trashing my body making it impossible to feel good.
> Take care of your new body. For me, that means a 90 minute massage every week. I workout HARD and have a stressful computer job. If I don't get regular body work, I'll injure myself. I've had chronic headaches my whole life, but they're eased by regular massage. So while it seems indulgent to some, it's necessary maintenance to me. And, isn't indulging myself this way sooooo much more effective than indulging in treats??
> Count your blessings every day and relish what you have been given. It's a privilege to have health. Don't ever take it for granted and don't abuse it. It may not be there when you need it most. Do everything you can to contribute to your long and healthy life.
> Find an exercise program that you can stick with FOREVER. Well, you can change what you do, but not that you do it consistently. Use it or lose it! Maintaining is MUCH harder without regular exercise. Continue to build and develop muscles. Part of the benefit is that being disciplined in your exercise approach will lead to being disciplined in the food aspect. I can't workout effectively if I've overindulged. And I want to workout more than being indulgent!
> Cultivate your tastes for healthy foods. Focus on what you CAN and SHOULD eat more than what you have to avoid. Keep a close eye on nutrition. It's easy to substitute a 100 calorie pack of cookies or crackers for an apple or banana! Eat the fruit first. Snacks aren't bad, but they're not meals! Try to get your snacks as nutritious as possible too. Don't overlook proteins or healthy fats in addition to fruits and veggies. Carbs fill in themselves very easily. Go for the highest quality you can with whole grains and lots of fiber.
> Allow yourself to LIVE. That means happy hours, birthday parties, holidays and vacations. As you gain experience with being healthy, you'll find that you naturally make better choices. But you'll still indulge now and then and that's OK! Figure out what your fall-back strategy is to get back on track quickly though. For some, that's going back on JC foods at weight loss calorie levels. For others, it's just journaling and getting back to normal eating. Others ramp up their activity levels.
> Recognize that you are treating yourself like a queen when you're eating healthfully. I used to think I was so deprived and that I "deserved" treats. How wrong was I!?!? I *deserve* to feel good and to be fit and strong! I deserve to sleep well and enjoy my life! By numbing myself with "treats" to deal with stress, I was actually trashing my body making it impossible to feel good.
> Take care of your new body. For me, that means a 90 minute massage every week. I workout HARD and have a stressful computer job. If I don't get regular body work, I'll injure myself. I've had chronic headaches my whole life, but they're eased by regular massage. So while it seems indulgent to some, it's necessary maintenance to me. And, isn't indulging myself this way sooooo much more effective than indulging in treats??
> Count your blessings every day and relish what you have been given. It's a privilege to have health. Don't ever take it for granted and don't abuse it. It may not be there when you need it most. Do everything you can to contribute to your long and healthy life.
To add to Lester's amazing post.
1. Always have a plan---esp in the beginning of maintenance. Winging it doesn't always work. If you are going to a friends house, out to a meal, if you can, find out what is being served or what the menu is...look for healthy choices BEFORE you go.
2. When you start on maintenance and you need a serving (1/2 cup) of rice, measure it out. That's 100 calories and you'd be suprised how small 1/2 cups of rice really is...mess up and get 1 cup and thats double the calories. Portion creep is so easy...measure out your protein (on a scale)---3 oz of meat isn't a big chicken breast. 1 cup of cereal is about the size you get from JC baggy---easy to double that in a bowl.
3. More planning: plan each day what you are having for bkfast, lunch and dinner as much as you can---and snacks too. I love that on the JC program, your day is set out before you, no questions...so, figure out (the night or week before), what you'll be having in the week (or day). So much easier---if you want, write it out like you do for JC...
Eg: Monday: Kashi hot cereal bkfast with fruit; lunch = turkey sandwich on light whole wheat bread with 2 TBS fat free mayo, lettuce, tomato...salad; dinner = 3-4 oz burger (made with 90% lean ground beef) on light roll, 1 small bag baked chips, steamed green beans. Snacks are whatever you have planned...yogurts, fruits, a small portioned controlled treat (1/2 cup of ice cream is really small, lol), but measure!
4. Schedule your workouts into your day and make them personally non-negotiable...no matter how you feel, you do them (ofcourse unless you are sick or there is an emergency)...but the excuse of "I have to get X done" or "I'm too tired" should be "banned" when it comes to your workouts.
These are strategies to use---the tools---to keep the food under control...but, as Lester's post focused on: emotions and learning to love a healthy lifestyle are the foundation---you add support to that foundation by planning ahead and being ready for challenges that you may face.
1. Always have a plan---esp in the beginning of maintenance. Winging it doesn't always work. If you are going to a friends house, out to a meal, if you can, find out what is being served or what the menu is...look for healthy choices BEFORE you go.
2. When you start on maintenance and you need a serving (1/2 cup) of rice, measure it out. That's 100 calories and you'd be suprised how small 1/2 cups of rice really is...mess up and get 1 cup and thats double the calories. Portion creep is so easy...measure out your protein (on a scale)---3 oz of meat isn't a big chicken breast. 1 cup of cereal is about the size you get from JC baggy---easy to double that in a bowl.
3. More planning: plan each day what you are having for bkfast, lunch and dinner as much as you can---and snacks too. I love that on the JC program, your day is set out before you, no questions...so, figure out (the night or week before), what you'll be having in the week (or day). So much easier---if you want, write it out like you do for JC...
Eg: Monday: Kashi hot cereal bkfast with fruit; lunch = turkey sandwich on light whole wheat bread with 2 TBS fat free mayo, lettuce, tomato...salad; dinner = 3-4 oz burger (made with 90% lean ground beef) on light roll, 1 small bag baked chips, steamed green beans. Snacks are whatever you have planned...yogurts, fruits, a small portioned controlled treat (1/2 cup of ice cream is really small, lol), but measure!
4. Schedule your workouts into your day and make them personally non-negotiable...no matter how you feel, you do them (ofcourse unless you are sick or there is an emergency)...but the excuse of "I have to get X done" or "I'm too tired" should be "banned" when it comes to your workouts.
These are strategies to use---the tools---to keep the food under control...but, as Lester's post focused on: emotions and learning to love a healthy lifestyle are the foundation---you add support to that foundation by planning ahead and being ready for challenges that you may face.
LesterLou -- wow. Well said, profound thoughts. I suffer from all of the shortcomings you describe. I'm your textbook stress-eater, chocoholic.
The reality is that sometimes I think I don't deserve to be thin and fit. That must sound ridiculous, but I've always been heavy. I was not a think, attractive young lady who gained a few pounds a decade or after child-birth. I was always the fat kid.
Society can be so cruel, and even in adulthood the prejudice is unnerving. Look who gets jobs, who gets promoted, who gets the best work. Heavy people, and in particular heavy women, are viewed as lazy, unproductive sorts. It's really not right.
I will keep your thoughts close at heart, thanks for sharing them. It sounds like you have mastered more than your weight :-)
The reality is that sometimes I think I don't deserve to be thin and fit. That must sound ridiculous, but I've always been heavy. I was not a think, attractive young lady who gained a few pounds a decade or after child-birth. I was always the fat kid.
Society can be so cruel, and even in adulthood the prejudice is unnerving. Look who gets jobs, who gets promoted, who gets the best work. Heavy people, and in particular heavy women, are viewed as lazy, unproductive sorts. It's really not right.
I will keep your thoughts close at heart, thanks for sharing them. It sounds like you have mastered more than your weight :-)
QUOTE(LesterLou @ Aug 25 2008, 06:10 PM) 
I've maintained at my goal weight or 10 pounds below for almost 5 years now. A few of my "secrets"...
> Find an exercise program that you can stick with FOREVER. Well, you can change what you do, but not that you do it consistently. Use it or lose it! Maintaining is MUCH harder without regular exercise. Continue to build and develop muscles. Part of the benefit is that being disciplined in your exercise approach will lead to being disciplined in the food aspect. I can't workout effectively if I've overindulged. And I want to workout more than being indulgent!
> Cultivate your tastes for healthy foods. Focus on what you CAN and SHOULD eat more than what you have to avoid. Keep a close eye on nutrition. It's easy to substitute a 100 calorie pack of cookies or crackers for an apple or banana! Eat the fruit first. Snacks aren't bad, but they're not meals! Try to get your snacks as nutritious as possible too. Don't overlook proteins or healthy fats in addition to fruits and veggies. Carbs fill in themselves very easily. Go for the highest quality you can with whole grains and lots of fiber.
> Allow yourself to LIVE. That means happy hours, birthday parties, holidays and vacations. As you gain experience with being healthy, you'll find that you naturally make better choices. But you'll still indulge now and then and that's OK! Figure out what your fall-back strategy is to get back on track quickly though. For some, that's going back on JC foods at weight loss calorie levels. For others, it's just journaling and getting back to normal eating. Others ramp up their activity levels.
> Recognize that you are treating yourself like a queen when you're eating healthfully. I used to think I was so deprived and that I "deserved" treats. How wrong was I!?!? I *deserve* to feel good and to be fit and strong! I deserve to sleep well and enjoy my life! By numbing myself with "treats" to deal with stress, I was actually trashing my body making it impossible to feel good.
> Take care of your new body. For me, that means a 90 minute massage every week. I workout HARD and have a stressful computer job. If I don't get regular body work, I'll injure myself. I've had chronic headaches my whole life, but they're eased by regular massage. So while it seems indulgent to some, it's necessary maintenance to me. And, isn't indulging myself this way sooooo much more effective than indulging in treats??
> Count your blessings every day and relish what you have been given. It's a privilege to have health. Don't ever take it for granted and don't abuse it. It may not be there when you need it most. Do everything you can to contribute to your long and healthy life.
> Find an exercise program that you can stick with FOREVER. Well, you can change what you do, but not that you do it consistently. Use it or lose it! Maintaining is MUCH harder without regular exercise. Continue to build and develop muscles. Part of the benefit is that being disciplined in your exercise approach will lead to being disciplined in the food aspect. I can't workout effectively if I've overindulged. And I want to workout more than being indulgent!
> Cultivate your tastes for healthy foods. Focus on what you CAN and SHOULD eat more than what you have to avoid. Keep a close eye on nutrition. It's easy to substitute a 100 calorie pack of cookies or crackers for an apple or banana! Eat the fruit first. Snacks aren't bad, but they're not meals! Try to get your snacks as nutritious as possible too. Don't overlook proteins or healthy fats in addition to fruits and veggies. Carbs fill in themselves very easily. Go for the highest quality you can with whole grains and lots of fiber.
> Allow yourself to LIVE. That means happy hours, birthday parties, holidays and vacations. As you gain experience with being healthy, you'll find that you naturally make better choices. But you'll still indulge now and then and that's OK! Figure out what your fall-back strategy is to get back on track quickly though. For some, that's going back on JC foods at weight loss calorie levels. For others, it's just journaling and getting back to normal eating. Others ramp up their activity levels.
> Recognize that you are treating yourself like a queen when you're eating healthfully. I used to think I was so deprived and that I "deserved" treats. How wrong was I!?!? I *deserve* to feel good and to be fit and strong! I deserve to sleep well and enjoy my life! By numbing myself with "treats" to deal with stress, I was actually trashing my body making it impossible to feel good.
> Take care of your new body. For me, that means a 90 minute massage every week. I workout HARD and have a stressful computer job. If I don't get regular body work, I'll injure myself. I've had chronic headaches my whole life, but they're eased by regular massage. So while it seems indulgent to some, it's necessary maintenance to me. And, isn't indulging myself this way sooooo much more effective than indulging in treats??
> Count your blessings every day and relish what you have been given. It's a privilege to have health. Don't ever take it for granted and don't abuse it. It may not be there when you need it most. Do everything you can to contribute to your long and healthy life.
LesterLou -- wow. Well said, profound thoughts. I suffer from all of the shortcomings you describe. I'm your textbook stress-eater, chocoholic.
The reality is that sometimes I think I don't deserve to be thin and fit. That must sound ridiculous, but I've always been heavy. I was not a think, attractive young lady who gained a few pounds a decade or after child-birth. I was always the fat kid.
Society can be so cruel, and even in adulthood the prejudice is unnerving. Look who gets jobs, who gets promoted, who gets the best work. Heavy people, and in particular heavy women, are viewed as lazy, unproductive sorts. It's really not right.
I will keep your thoughts close at heart, thanks for sharing them. It sounds like you have mastered more than your weight :-)
The reality is that sometimes I think I don't deserve to be thin and fit. That must sound ridiculous, but I've always been heavy. I was not a think, attractive young lady who gained a few pounds a decade or after child-birth. I was always the fat kid.
Society can be so cruel, and even in adulthood the prejudice is unnerving. Look who gets jobs, who gets promoted, who gets the best work. Heavy people, and in particular heavy women, are viewed as lazy, unproductive sorts. It's really not right.
I will keep your thoughts close at heart, thanks for sharing them. It sounds like you have mastered more than your weight :-)
QUOTE(LesterLou @ Aug 25 2008, 06:10 PM)
I've maintained at my goal weight or 10 pounds below for almost 5 years now. A few of my "secrets"...
> Find an exercise program that you can stick with FOREVER. Well, you can change what you do, but not that you do it consistently. Use it or lose it! Maintaining is MUCH harder without regular exercise. Continue to build and develop muscles. Part of the benefit is that being disciplined in your exercise approach will lead to being disciplined in the food aspect. I can't workout effectively if I've overindulged. And I want to workout more than being indulgent!
> Cultivate your tastes for healthy foods. Focus on what you CAN and SHOULD eat more than what you have to avoid. Keep a close eye on nutrition. It's easy to substitute a 100 calorie pack of cookies or crackers for an apple or banana! Eat the fruit first. Snacks aren't bad, but they're not meals! Try to get your snacks as nutritious as possible too. Don't overlook proteins or healthy fats in addition to fruits and veggies. Carbs fill in themselves very easily. Go for the highest quality you can with whole grains and lots of fiber.
> Allow yourself to LIVE. That means happy hours, birthday parties, holidays and vacations. As you gain experience with being healthy, you'll find that you naturally make better choices. But you'll still indulge now and then and that's OK! Figure out what your fall-back strategy is to get back on track quickly though. For some, that's going back on JC foods at weight loss calorie levels. For others, it's just journaling and getting back to normal eating. Others ramp up their activity levels.
> Recognize that you are treating yourself like a queen when you're eating healthfully. I used to think I was so deprived and that I "deserved" treats. How wrong was I!?!? I *deserve* to feel good and to be fit and strong! I deserve to sleep well and enjoy my life! By numbing myself with "treats" to deal with stress, I was actually trashing my body making it impossible to feel good.
> Take care of your new body. For me, that means a 90 minute massage every week. I workout HARD and have a stressful computer job. If I don't get regular body work, I'll injure myself. I've had chronic headaches my whole life, but they're eased by regular massage. So while it seems indulgent to some, it's necessary maintenance to me. And, isn't indulging myself this way sooooo much more effective than indulging in treats??
> Count your blessings every day and relish what you have been given. It's a privilege to have health. Don't ever take it for granted and don't abuse it. It may not be there when you need it most. Do everything you can to contribute to your long and healthy life.
> Find an exercise program that you can stick with FOREVER. Well, you can change what you do, but not that you do it consistently. Use it or lose it! Maintaining is MUCH harder without regular exercise. Continue to build and develop muscles. Part of the benefit is that being disciplined in your exercise approach will lead to being disciplined in the food aspect. I can't workout effectively if I've overindulged. And I want to workout more than being indulgent!
> Cultivate your tastes for healthy foods. Focus on what you CAN and SHOULD eat more than what you have to avoid. Keep a close eye on nutrition. It's easy to substitute a 100 calorie pack of cookies or crackers for an apple or banana! Eat the fruit first. Snacks aren't bad, but they're not meals! Try to get your snacks as nutritious as possible too. Don't overlook proteins or healthy fats in addition to fruits and veggies. Carbs fill in themselves very easily. Go for the highest quality you can with whole grains and lots of fiber.
> Allow yourself to LIVE. That means happy hours, birthday parties, holidays and vacations. As you gain experience with being healthy, you'll find that you naturally make better choices. But you'll still indulge now and then and that's OK! Figure out what your fall-back strategy is to get back on track quickly though. For some, that's going back on JC foods at weight loss calorie levels. For others, it's just journaling and getting back to normal eating. Others ramp up their activity levels.
> Recognize that you are treating yourself like a queen when you're eating healthfully. I used to think I was so deprived and that I "deserved" treats. How wrong was I!?!? I *deserve* to feel good and to be fit and strong! I deserve to sleep well and enjoy my life! By numbing myself with "treats" to deal with stress, I was actually trashing my body making it impossible to feel good.
> Take care of your new body. For me, that means a 90 minute massage every week. I workout HARD and have a stressful computer job. If I don't get regular body work, I'll injure myself. I've had chronic headaches my whole life, but they're eased by regular massage. So while it seems indulgent to some, it's necessary maintenance to me. And, isn't indulging myself this way sooooo much more effective than indulging in treats??
> Count your blessings every day and relish what you have been given. It's a privilege to have health. Don't ever take it for granted and don't abuse it. It may not be there when you need it most. Do everything you can to contribute to your long and healthy life.
QUOTE(jenrdn69 @ Aug 27 2008, 05:39 PM)
To add to Lester's amazing post.
Jen, those are great ideas. I am having success losing weight on the pre-packaged foods (it's pretty much fool-proof, right?) - I'm losing about 0.5 to 1.0 lbs per week. That is slower than I should be losing, but it's always been hard for me to lose so I'm not surprised. It's better than not losing anything. and who knows, in 50 weeks perhaps I'll be 50 lbs lighter :-)
Going off JC food frightens me however. It is hard for me to buy a banana and eat half of it. For that matter, pretty much all food comes in bulk - a bunch of bananas, a prepackaged bunch of about a lb of grapes, pounds of meat, etc. How do you prepare such small portions, without having the rest of the food go to waste?
1. Always have a plan---esp in the beginning of maintenance. Winging it doesn't always work. If you are going to a friends house, out to a meal, if you can, find out what is being served or what the menu is...look for healthy choices BEFORE you go.
2. When you start on maintenance and you need a serving (1/2 cup) of rice, measure it out. That's 100 calories and you'd be suprised how small 1/2 cups of rice really is...mess up and get 1 cup and thats double the calories. Portion creep is so easy...measure out your protein (on a scale)---3 oz of meat isn't a big chicken breast. 1 cup of cereal is about the size you get from JC baggy---easy to double that in a bowl.
3. More planning: plan each day what you are having for bkfast, lunch and dinner as much as you can---and snacks too. I love that on the JC program, your day is set out before you, no questions...so, figure out (the night or week before), what you'll be having in the week (or day). So much easier---if you want, write it out like you do for JC...
Eg: Monday: Kashi hot cereal bkfast with fruit; lunch = turkey sandwich on light whole wheat bread with 2 TBS fat free mayo, lettuce, tomato...salad; dinner = 3-4 oz burger (made with 90% lean ground beef) on light roll, 1 small bag baked chips, steamed green beans. Snacks are whatever you have planned...yogurts, fruits, a small portioned controlled treat (1/2 cup of ice cream is really small, lol), but measure!
4. Schedule your workouts into your day and make them personally non-negotiable...no matter how you feel, you do them (ofcourse unless you are sick or there is an emergency)...but the excuse of "I have to get X done" or "I'm too tired" should be "banned" when it comes to your workouts.
These are strategies to use---the tools---to keep the food under control...but, as Lester's post focused on: emotions and learning to love a healthy lifestyle are the foundation---you add support to that foundation by planning ahead and being ready for challenges that you may face.
Jen, those are great ideas. I am having success losing weight on the pre-packaged foods (it's pretty much fool-proof, right?) - I'm losing about 0.5 to 1.0 lbs per week. That is slower than I should be losing, but it's always been hard for me to lose so I'm not surprised. It's better than not losing anything. and who knows, in 50 weeks perhaps I'll be 50 lbs lighter :-)
Going off JC food frightens me however. It is hard for me to buy a banana and eat half of it. For that matter, pretty much all food comes in bulk - a bunch of bananas, a prepackaged bunch of about a lb of grapes, pounds of meat, etc. How do you prepare such small portions, without having the rest of the food go to waste?
1. Always have a plan---esp in the beginning of maintenance. Winging it doesn't always work. If you are going to a friends house, out to a meal, if you can, find out what is being served or what the menu is...look for healthy choices BEFORE you go.
2. When you start on maintenance and you need a serving (1/2 cup) of rice, measure it out. That's 100 calories and you'd be suprised how small 1/2 cups of rice really is...mess up and get 1 cup and thats double the calories. Portion creep is so easy...measure out your protein (on a scale)---3 oz of meat isn't a big chicken breast. 1 cup of cereal is about the size you get from JC baggy---easy to double that in a bowl.
3. More planning: plan each day what you are having for bkfast, lunch and dinner as much as you can---and snacks too. I love that on the JC program, your day is set out before you, no questions...so, figure out (the night or week before), what you'll be having in the week (or day). So much easier---if you want, write it out like you do for JC...
Eg: Monday: Kashi hot cereal bkfast with fruit; lunch = turkey sandwich on light whole wheat bread with 2 TBS fat free mayo, lettuce, tomato...salad; dinner = 3-4 oz burger (made with 90% lean ground beef) on light roll, 1 small bag baked chips, steamed green beans. Snacks are whatever you have planned...yogurts, fruits, a small portioned controlled treat (1/2 cup of ice cream is really small, lol), but measure!
4. Schedule your workouts into your day and make them personally non-negotiable...no matter how you feel, you do them (ofcourse unless you are sick or there is an emergency)...but the excuse of "I have to get X done" or "I'm too tired" should be "banned" when it comes to your workouts.
These are strategies to use---the tools---to keep the food under control...but, as Lester's post focused on: emotions and learning to love a healthy lifestyle are the foundation---you add support to that foundation by planning ahead and being ready for challenges that you may face.
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