Are you following a program, or doing your "own thing"?

[dipgal]

Diets Don't Work, so they say..  I've dieted many, many times and always ended up gaining it back.  I've tried cutting down and mindful eating (vs shoveling it in) - but unless I have some structure to follow I just don't do it.  I am picking up my exercise with my new fitbit, but can't overdo it because of bad knees.. I have a LOT to lose and find it hard to take baby steps.   I'm trying to change several habits at the same time.  I am succeeding with moving more, but not much else.  I do not need another failure to add to the long list of attempts.

What are you doing successfully?  Thanks!

[josephz2va]

Actually I'm on Jenny Craig and lost 80 pounds with that and 40 pounds before them. It takes Body, Heart and Mind to follow a program to the letter. You have to be dedicated to yourself. Tell yourself "You can't afford to cheat on your diet."

There are other programs out there. One of them I thought of trying if I quit was to go for PersonalTrainerFood which gives you 28 days of natural foods and you just crack open a pouch and cook it with the foods set up for you.

[fit_gramma]

I not longer use the word "Diet".

I find it is crippling word and often a feeling of failure when not following the prescribed diet as directed or not as successful as one would hope,.

When I had heard the term "Eat to achieve your goals", I knew that was what i needed to do. I was never a morning or breakfast eater and often did not eat until 2pm.  I have now made changes: having a light home made protein bar (no preservates) to start the day, then a mixed fruit and veggie smoothy with Greek yougurt and protein powder midmorning. This gives me a great start to the day. Eating small amounts of protein throughout the day and staying away from processed sugars, carbonated drinks and alcohol have helped me lose 30 lbs since mid January. These changes are something i can do a for a lifetime. not a tempoary fix ofen assocated with premade meal programs.

I love the changes i have made and look forward to having the energy and stamina to chase my granddaughter this summer which was limited when i was heavier.

[canadianmom]

I'm doing my own thing, just trying to swap unhealthy things for healthier options and increasing my activity. I'm just trying to find something I can keep up long term.

[susanfc]

Hi  I am doing WeightWatchers.  Admittedly it is not my first time on the program, but I have found that I need structure and accountability to suceed.  That being said, it is still not an easy process for me.  I find that if I follow the WW guidelines, I do lose.  It really is a good way to eat, not just a diet.  It is a much slower process than I would like, but at least it does work.  

[debrakgoogins]

I am using MyFitnessPal along with my Fitbit.  I find MFP easier to log food and water but fitbit easier to track my sleep, movement and steps.  The two apps play very well together so I get a good overall picture of my health.  I am definitely seeing success, slow but steady.  As far as baby steps, think about this...how long did it take you to reach your current weight?  It wasn't overnight, in a week, a month but probably a year or more.  Be patient and let the process work for you.  Studies have shown that if you lose a small amount of weight on a steady pace, you will be more successful at keeping it off.   

[sjcostanza]

I do my own thing, really. Diets and programs are too restrictive for me. It's much easier just to follow a few basic guidelines. I don't eat dairy (lactose intolerant), eat minimal amounts of wheat/gluten (don't know if I'm gluten-intolerant, per se, but it makes a difference for me), eat very minimal amounts of boxed/processed foods, and when I do, try to make them gluten-free or organic/gmo-free, or at least make sure there aren't 50 disgusting ingredients. No refined sugar. Lots of protein and vegetables. It's nothing groundbreaking but it's simple enough and it works for me.

[whome]

I have tried the "Personal Trainer" deal that Amazon offered and have been very happy with the products - I got 56 meat servings and 56 veg servings (about 4oz each) already cooked and in freezer bags - no preservatives or colors - just heat in microwave - with the deal the price was ok and quite convenient - 

Just my opinion

Craig

[carl669]

in general, i eat low carb.  no particular program or anything besides a few sites that i follow for the recipes they post.  90 lbs lost so far.

[Theresab]

I have changed my eating by going completely gluten free and mostly dairy free. This has allowed me to lose weight in a way that diets never have and allowed me to go off antidepressants. I have lost 33 pounds.

[Snowflakepdx]

I do my own thing.   I try to limit processed food. simple carbs and table sugar.  I try to keep it under 1600 calories to lose weight.   I have had a lifelong battle with weight and finally for the past 8 years I've been trim so I know this works for me.    I have to watch what I eat and I workout hard nearly every day... sometimes a few pounds creep up on me...as is the case now. 

[Chandra6430]

I use myfitnesspal. I too have yo-yo'd most of my life.. and once i got to my "magical weight"then i would return to normal life and slowly (sometimes not so slowly) i would gain it all back. WIth MFP its calorie counting. Its something i can do the rest of my life. It saves all my foods i have put in or used so now adays i just click and add to my meal. I dont eat clean. I eat what i want as long as it fits in my calorie goal. This way i am still being me. And now i am choosing foods better. I know what kind of calories i want to eat.. and what is just not worth it. I sometimes go over on my calories. But only when its really worth it. I enjoy it and then i start over the next day. With my fitbit syncd with MFP it tells me if i have earned more calories back or if i have lost calories for sitting on my butt. I have now lost 45lbs in total. And feeling fab. There are so many choices out there.. you need to find something that you can do the rest of your life. Find it.. and stick with it. 

[redinrio]

I have recently made all these changes you are going through now. It can be done successfully. I started out going to a website called Loseit. there you can log what you eat and see what the calorie impact is. Very enlightening. I do not follow a specific diet I just started out cutting out refined sugar. Then I did away with processed foods especially processed meats like hot dogs and bologna, and increased my veggies. Now i am learning about glycemic index and glycemic load. That is baby steps I think. I have lost nearly fifty pounds in four months. and still have nearly a hundred to go.

 Walking initially was very painful. I got a gym membership and went to the pool. At first just moving around in the water gradually increasing my activity. Now I swim nearly a mile in an hour workout every other day. on the other days I do an aerobic workout in the water that I designed myself. I also recently started walking a half mile a day as briskly as I can tolerate.

 You can do this just be persistent and find some kind of activity that you enjoy then do it

[NewKnee2014]

I recently had gastric bypass surgery, so I have to follow a strict eating plan given by my bariatric surgeon focusing on highly nutritious foods and exercise at least 5 days per week.  I eat 5 times per day and take in at least 64oz of water.  I also had knee replacement sugery, and hope to be cleared by my surgeon for more intense cardio next week.  I need the discipline, and the plan I follow gives me that.  It also makes me take a good hard look at my relationship with food, as I am also an emotional eater.  I view surgery as a tool, not a cure.  I still have to work very hard at making good choices regarding food and exercise.

[Mary]

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@susanfc wrote:

Hi  I am doing WeightWatchers.  Admittedly it is not my first time on the program, but I have found that I need structure and accountability to suceed.  That being said, it is still not an easy process for me.  I find that if I follow the WW guidelines, I do lose.  It really is a good way to eat, not just a diet.  It is a much slower process than I would like, but at least it does work.  

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Same here.  I would love to be able to just 'wing it' and lose or maintain but I haven't really succeeded with that yet so I'm trying this time to recognize I need to make some program my lifelong way of eating.  

[Dinca]

I have been on the Nutrisystem program for 5 weeks, and I joined here on May 2nd. I've lost 15 lbs. so far. I lost 2 of those lbs. since joining here. I actually enjoy the Nutrisystem program because I don't have to think about what to eat. I know when I've reached my goal, which is another 19 lbs. I'll have to do the really hard part...maintain my weight. I'm planning to order the Nutrisystem cookbook, among others. Also, I've finally figured out that portion control is key for me; and keeping active is also what I must do. I'm curious about MFP and will probably check out their website.

[mimjoy]

hi  I am in the uk  and have  been doing a course  on control  for diabieties. keeping   the food  updated  on here  helps  me  see what I should  be eating ( or not) and watch the calories.it covers all the things  we were told  to do on the course  and with out  even really trying I have lost 1/2 a stone. I always  did a lot of walking  but the  zip  is  helping me see how much and encouraging me  to do a little  more.

good  luck every  one diats  really do not work. I had lost with weight watchers and slimming world but always  put  it back on  I hope  this  time  I will keep it off  but  still a long long way to go  to get to an ideal weight.

[Love62]

I used WW in the past and liked it a lot. I don't go to the meetings any more but because logging g food/exercising is second nature I just log on MFP. 

[dianahk]

I have been using Shaklee 180 with great success. I count calories, exercise, and eat more protein than I was, about 20%-30% of my total calories intake is from protein. I started slow in January, with just PT exercises for my back (back surgery 2 years ago that left me still with pain). I added walking and in later February started light cardio. I now do some weight training and have increased my cardio intensity. Next month I plan to start a couch to 5K program. This is working for me. I am losing weight and more important, getting stronger.

[FitandHappyAbby]

I also need structure or else I tend to mindlessly eat and over-eat (even the healthier options - like hummus!). I am constantly still working on eating healthier, but I remind myself that I developed these bad habits over time so it will take time for me to change them, too. I have done WW in the past, but I found that to be too controlled for me - I started thinking about food in a more obsessive way. This is just my personal experience! But, I have found that more intuitive eating plans or those that don't require calorie counting have been more successful for me in the long run. I'm currently doing a Beachbody program that structures food in that way and I love it. Again, not for everyone but is what I am doing.

You have to find the right balance for you, and this is about your life and your health - so you need to find a solution that works for you! It might take some experimenting or trying to see what works.. but remember that one "bad" meal or day doesn't change you any more than one "good" meal. Making constant healthy choices (even when we feel like we failed for a certain goal) is the way to make changes.

Good luck with finding what works for you!