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!

[Jennyjenn79]

being 70lbs overwight myself I know exactly how you are feeling. No matter hard I try and what ever diet I do the weight just doesnt come off. My body tends to go up and down with in a 10lbs zone. I cant lose any more no matter hard I try. I can do well over 10,000 steps on a work day, i try to get to the gym when I can (which is hard to do). Im not following any diet right now. Im just eating the allowed calories set by Fitbit for me, make healthier choices, and stay within the green "target zone" on the fitbit app. Plus I log EVERYTHING i put in my mouth in the app. even if its a bite of a cookie. At least now I can be accountable.  But Im one of those people that have to get on the scale every day as much as I know it makes staying motivated VERY hard. Its very depressing, and Im not a canidate for surgery. but i know I cant end up like my mom and aunts. So at least the fitbit keeping me from gettting to that point. STAY POSITIVE. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

[Gogo48]

I should of used the username YOYO because that is what I have done with my weight over the past several years.  I have a compulsive nature and I work so hard to lose the weight but gain it back as soon as I slow my exercise( more like stop exercising) and everytime I gain it all back with a vengeance. 

What works for me is watching my portion controls,  journalling my food, drinking my 64 oz of water a day,  weighing only once a week, and getting out and walking. I am losing slowly (about 2 lbs a week) but I am hoping that this time around I will keep it off. 

If you have any ideas I would love to here them. Thanks!

[NY2TX]

---

@Gogo48 wrote:

I should of used the username YOYO because that is what I have done with my weight over the past several years.  I have a compulsive nature and I work so hard to lose the weight but gain it back as soon as I slow my exercise( more like stop exercising) and everytime I gain it all back with a vengeance. 

What works for me is watching my portion controls,  journalling my food, drinking my 64 oz of water a day,  weighing only once a week, and getting out and walking. I am losing slowly (about 2 lbs a week) but I am hoping that this time around I will keep it off. 

If you have any ideas I would love to here them. Thanks!

---

Dear "YoYo" - in my opinion, they key is to maintain the level of exercise. At some point in the future, you'll be able to eat almost everything you wish. I portion control, I log everything I eat, but I exercise profusely. You have to be motivated by te person you become, not the person that you were. I can hardly remember the obese me from 14 months ago when I weighed more than 254 pounds. Today, I am up to about 175 (my medical doctor and nutritionist want me to gain back up to about 178).  I eat everything in sight. I am recovrring from a foot surgery on April 20th and since then I've gained about 3 pounds. In the 5 weeks since my surgery, I've "only" used my indooor stationary bike.  I walked for the first time yesterday.  KEEP AT IT.

[cherrie]

It also worked great for me. I lost 28 pounds on WW. I love the structure. But, I could not get my blood sugars to go down. So, I chose to get off the WW diet and try it on my own. My blood sugar is better, much better, but my eating habits are not as good now and I can't find a good plan. 

I wish Fit bit was more into the food plan part than the exercise part. I really like Foodeducate, but I really wanted all in one plan. Good luch with WW.

[cherrie]

It also worked great for me. I lost 28 pounds on WW. I love the structure. But, I could not get my blood sugars to go down. So, I chose to get off the WW diet and try it on my own. My blood sugar is better, much better, but my eating habits are not as good now and I can't find a good plan. 

I wish Fit bit was more into the food plan part than the exercise part. I really like Foodeducate, but I really wanted all in one plan. Good luch with WW. Cherrie

[Ccl33]

Try myfitnesspal.com

[algnemes1]

I have charted everything I eat since 3/30/10 and weigh myself every morning.  I chart my weight, calories in, out and net.  I weighed 225 pounds when I started and 183 pounds this morning.  The lowest I got to was 165 pounds. People kept asking my wife if I had cancer!  I was doing 1800 calories and 50 fat grams a day and working with a nutritionist.  I have splurge days and periods, but am always working to keep the program going.  It is a lifestyle change.

[SunsetRunner]

yes I have the program wind I log on my tablit and it is not the some is my cupter Barbara raia can you fix it

[Wilburkins]

I am doing my own thing.  Started Jan 2014.  SW 248, CW 142, GW 135.  I have been big my entire life.  I am not on a diet but I have made sustainable lifestyle changes.  The first thing I did was to cut out diet fizzy drinks and fruit juices.  I eat a healthy breakfast - usually porridge or scrambled eggs (nothing added) with a wholemeal sandwich thin.  For lunch I have yoghurt with strawberries and blueberries.  I have fruit for snacks.  Dinner is a healthy option, usually cooked from scratch though I have been eating some of the Marks & Spencer Count on Us meals of late.  I started exercising and last June I could run 100m and then i had to stop as I was out of puff!  I persevered abd used the C25K app and I have now done 40 x Parkrun 5Ks.  I have done 5 x 10Ks, a novice triathlon & a sprint triathlon.  Last Saturday i did a 10 mile road race which I completed in 1 hour 45 mins and I didn't stopduring the race - my longest run to date.  I have now signed up for a half marathon in October.  I just get such a sense of achievement out of being able to run full stop.  I used to eat very badly indeed and I was out of breath just going up 2 flights if stairs at work.  I am in my forties and this is the best I have felt in my entire life.  I use the app My Weight and I weigh myself every Sunday morning.  Cutting out the diet fizzy drinks (fake sugar is sweeter than real sugar and makes you crave sugar even more) was a revelation and I stopped craving sugary and sweet foods.  I now make healthy food choices as a matter of course.  I have tried diets my entire life and you're right they don't work.  I make healthy lifestyle choices now and if I want some chocolate then I now have it but I find I run better when I eat good things that fuel my body.  I wish I had done this years ago - I now weigh less in my forties than I did in my teens, twenties and thirties.  Good luck to you and keep going.  It is worth it.  Just got my fitbit charge hr today.  looking forward to using it. 

[Ccl33]

I am trying to eat healthy but I don’t see any results on the scale. I keep reading eat more to lose weight and I have been trying to eat a snack in the morning and in the afternoon……usually fruit or a protein shake. My meals are ok but evenings are the tough time. I keep some calories for the evening snack which is usually popcorn. Very discouraging. I am not a big meat person so I try to have some protein during the day whether it’s a protein shake that I make, peanut butter or tuna on my salad.

[Ccl33]

You are doing wonderful with the food and activity. Be happy that you did start….never too late. What marathon is next? Boston?

[Wilburkins]

I am just doing a local half marathon but trying to persuade my brother to get fit and train for the Madrid half marathon in April next year. He lives in Madrid. He's says he is going to think about it but at least he didn't say no straight away. As for snacking in the evening, why not go to the gym instead or use an exercise DVD or go for a run or walk/run? That really helped me last year when I started because if I was occupied, then I couldn't snack and eat in front of the TV. Plus by cutting out the diet fizzy drinks, I didn't want any sweet stuff. I eat a lot of strawberries/blueberries/raspberries with yoghurt and that is a sweet treat as far as I am concerned. Just delicious!

[MollyBuckeye]

Hey DipGal!  

I currently focus on whole foods.  I didn't have a lot to lose but I have lost all of my baby weight (he is a little over a year old) doing this method.  I also record all of my food through myfitnesspal and make sure to keep my carbs low unless I'm doing an intense workout.  I do workout 5-6x  a week with lifting and cardio mixed in.  I also take Plexus.  Plexus has helped SO much with my cravings.  I would be totally lost without it.  I hope this helps 🙂

[Paradise555]

 I am doing my own thing where as diet (counting calories) and exersicing

[winesnob]

Hi. I was doing WW for YEARS.....so many years I should own stock like Oprah. I lost and gained and lost and gained.  The new program finally got me to realize I can't depend on someone else for the rest of my life. I am using the Lose It! app with my new FitBit I was able to buy with the $$$$ I'm saving from not paying WW every month.  Calorie counting to me is getting easier and I know in five years it won't change to another WW program I will hate.

Best of luck to all in whatever you choose to do.

[Ccl33]

I like you do weight watchers and up and down. The new program is not good yet .....too many inconsistencies. I use myfitnesspal app but losing weight is a struggle. I will check the app you suggested too. Good luck and whatever works.

Sent from my iPad, Cathy

[pwilbur]

I'm not on a particular program, I work near several restauranst in the city so i try to bring my lunch insstead of going out everyday. I would bring lean cusine frozen meals and eat them for lunch. I would get the dinner one's which could range from 280-360 calories then when i get home, i eat a small dinner before or after i work out because i hate to lay down on my food. I try to walk around the city for about 20 minutes depending on the weather and then when I get home i either hit the gym for 45 minutes and ride the stationary bike, ellipical machine or weights, if I don't go to the gym, I walk on my treadmill while watching television for 20-40 minutes.

[taralynnc90]

I just got my fitbit in last night and started using it today. I noticed that i do better with jillian michaels kickboxing dvd and ripped in 30 combined. As far as dieting. I have an odd eating schedule because i work 3AM shifts. For breakfast I usually have 2oz chicken with veggies. snack on an oatmeal bar. get off work and do my jillian michaels dvd. immediately have a protein shake with soy milk..taste better than it sounds..and ill have some sort of chicken salad or fruit..basically snack at lunch...since i nap shortly after that i am up for dinner and usually have baked fish with fruit. i dont eat healthy everyday tho i do enjoy eating moes more than i need to :0. hope that helps. 

[Ccl33]

I am doing weight watchers with a little tweaking.

Sent from my iPad, Cathy

[mommo77]

I use Fitbit to track activity and Sparkpeople to track food/nutrients.  Using both keeps me doubly accountable, lol and seems to be working.  Bit by bit I am adding in different exercise/activities.  Most of all I try to be mindful of what I eat, is it clean, is it going to nourish me or just satisfy a passing want.