Weight Loss Success Story

I would definitely mix up your exercise and do strength 2x week. If u go to a gym try spin or other cardio. Walk up hills or begin to jog. Keep trying new light recipes. Calorie counting will get old. Keep up great work!

Congrats on your journey. I would focus less on the calorie counting and more on finding exercises that you enjoy. Maybe take an exercise class or find a walking buddy?

Hi S.,

Good for you! I've been struggling to lose weight with only modest success for the last 20 years. My DD introduced me to myfitnesspal.com at the beginning of the summer. It's basically a food and exercise diary (but they also offers a support network, if you want to use it), so nothing different from what you're doing, but I'm finally having success (10lbs since July 1). This is mainly because I *thought* I was keeping a low-enough calorie diet, when I was really taking in about 300 more calories a day than I thought -- enough to hold steady, but not enough to lose weight. This is why it is SO important to be religious about the food diary. This is one case where it's really worthwhile listening to Dr. Oz -- keeping a food diary has really been shown to be one of the best weight loss methods around. If I stick to those 1200 calories a day, I lose 1 lb/week. But I get hungry, so if I work out, I can eat more. The good thing is, I find that I can burn ~600 cal in a workout, but then need only an additional 300 cal of food to not feel hungry, so that puts me at a net 300 cal deficit/day, which allows me to lose 1.5 lbs/wk, instead.

I find that having an external incentive is really helping (I want to look good for my daughter's debutante ball in February, and I have several health issues that are improving a lot as I lose weight). I've heard of people doing things like keeping a pair of skinny jeans in the fridge, or keeping a scrap book of everything they'll gain by losing the weight. I also try to mix up my exercise by doing a high-intensity workout every other day (like riding my stationary bike at 80+ rpm for 30 - 45 min: burns 450- 650 cal), and a lower intensity work out on the intermediate days (like 30 min of swimming or a fast walk). Weight training can also help -- especially building up your core muscles, as increased muscle mass increases your metabolism. You don't have to do intense weight training. You can work with light dumbbells or a resistance band while you're doing something else, like watching TV. Also, my job is pretty sedentary (I'm a writer), so I try to spend at least part of my work day standing to write rather than sitting. Standing burns more calories and is actually better for your cardiovascular system. Also, mix it up a little. Find fun ways to burn those calories. Dancing can burn a lot, and you can find lots of aerobics workouts on youtube. I've even heard of people who have hula hooped to weight loss! The point is, find something that you find fun as a work out. It doesn't have to be your primary workout -- just something that you do that's aerobic and makes you break a good sweat.

Anyway, stick to it -- you can do it! And when you need a little extra push, you can always write to your sisters here!

I did the old Weight Watcher diet 40 years ago. I lost 85 lbs. what WW did was to retrain me how to eat. Marriage, four kids, and menopause, I have gained back 15lbs. Which I do not think is bad.to. It definitely created healthy ways of eating for me. good luck on your journey you can do it. What I liked about WW is that it is not a diet. It's a way of life, once you hit your goal weight. I took dance classes in conjunction with WW.

Great job. Counting calories is a great reference for not getting carried away, but it's most important to eat healthfully with the majority of your food being whole fruits and vegetables and about 30% being healthy carbs and proteins. Once you're in balance, you don't really have to count calories. But you CANNOT outrun your fork. In other words, no matter how well you eat, you will not lose weight without exercise. So find something fun or change it up enough to not get bored. I do yoga, Zumba (I even teach now to keep myself practicing and serious) Bodycombat (at gym), a core abs class, Turbo Fire DVDs, yoga DVDs, Brazilian Butt lift DVDs, I speed walk, ...Whatever. My most constant exercise right now is Zumba because I'm teaching and I have friends there keeping me accountable, but I also have to do strength training so I do some other classes or weights some days, and I also need to walk whenever possible. So get happy about being physical, because it WORKS. At 43, I'm slimmer, stronger and healthier than ever, and I've always had a slow metabolism and a hard time keeping slim. It sounds like I do a ton the way I've written this, but really I work out about 3-4 times per week for an hour, doing all different things. It's doable and it's not a lot of time exercising when you consider the REST of the time I'm not active. My gym has daycare=essential.

I've lost 43 pounds since mid-feb doing MFP and walking 2x a day. I am not really bored yet since I walk in the am at a park with my mom, and then in the evening with either my husband, son or by myself in our neighborhood. So different routes, different company help for me at least. As far as the calorie counting, I try to have a big variety of fruits and vegetables so that I don't get bored. And I do have some "fun" snacks daily. I have not tracked on weekends really at all this summer because we have been down the shore and camping a lot. This has slowed my losing down, but still losing, and still happy so it works for me! Good luck to you and keep it up! It is hard, but really worth it!

I'm in a weight loss journey also. I've lost almost 60 lbs since Oct. I don't exercise or count calories. I eat only 2 healthy meals a day and eat most anything I want. I just don't eat very much of it any more. I don't have any pearls of wisdom except I got rid of my biggest stressor, my husband. lol I'm almost at my marriage weight.