Anyone Lost a Lot of Weight ...

[Bonny]

And kept it off?

How did/do you do it?

I've lost about 40lbs over the last 14 months. I finally got on the scale about a week after hiking out and I'll be weighing myself a few times to finally figure out what my "real" weight is. It looks like about 142lbs. I'm almost 5'6" and do a fair amount of exercise. I think this weight is probably the right weight for me.

I've struggled with my weight pretty much my whole life and could use some helpful pointers from those of you who have tamed the battle of the bulge.

Thanks for your help!

[dee27]

I did lose a lot of weight after I developed a problem with my thyroid 28 years ago when I gained 60 lbs. AFTER the birth of my son. A year later, I was down to my regular weight. However, I did gain weight, 10 to 15 lbs., after I broke one ankle and sprained the other one. Once I was cleared to exercise, I lost the extra weight.


I eat small meals and healthy snacks (  usually). Also, I am anti-low fat, no fat especially for dairy. I do not limit any food groups except seafood because of an allergy, but I prefer more vegetables to meat. Recently, I had to restrict any foods that are hard to chew because of dental work, so I am eating more carbs than normal. Boy, I miss crunchy foods and nuts. For me, portion control is important, and I do like to graze during the day, especially in the summer, rather than sticking to specified meal times. Despite the extra carbs, I lost a few lbs. during the last two months because chewing was painful.


I exercise every day: yoga, weights, recumbent bike, exercise bands and stretching exercises. I take a water-exercise class at the Y and walk several times per week. Because I have had two back surgeries, I do have some exercise restrictions. Since I retired, my stress levels and sleep patterns improved which translated to easier weight control. I enjoy cooking from scratch and eating a cleaner diet free of additives and fillers. For me, consistency is an important factor in maintaining my weight.

[Deleted]

Oct 4, 2016 10:44:27 GMT -5 dee27 said:

For me, consistency is an important factor in maintaining my weight.

I agree- keep doing what got you there. I lost 15 lbs. over a couple of years by kicking up my exercise a notch and sharply reducing calories two days a week (probably 1,000 calories those days). I eat more veggies and try to cut down on sugar. It's been working for me for about 5 years now.

[Lizard Queen]

Great job!  I'm still in the losing stage and not the keeping off stage, so I guess I can't help you there.  Maybe weighing yourself at least once a week?  

[grumpyhermit]

I've lost, and maintained, about a 30lb loss over the last 18 months - 2 years. I would love to say it was exercise related, but it really started with having anxiety issues that had be eating very little for about 6 months (not recommended, but does wonders for weight loss).

Since then (for about the last year), I have been cycling, which is what I think is keeping it off. My eating habits are not great, and my eating volume is pretty much back to normal. I mostly do indoor cycling on my trainer (using Zwfit, which is sort of a cycling video game to both stay motivated, and track progress). I try to aim for 5-6 days a week, for at least an hour a day. I do vary the intensity, but I try to make it at least moderately hard. I am also trying to work in some strength stuff, but I really don't enjoy it, so it usually amounts to a five minute core workout every few days, and maybe some modified pushups, and or free weight arm exercises.

I do try to watch what I eat, but for me that mostly means not having two ridiculous meals in one day. So if I have pizza for lunch, I try not to have a burger for dinner.

I am pretty content with my current weight (around 140 +- a couple of pounds depending), but may try to get to and maintain 135 (if only to make hill climbing on the bike slightly less miserable). So far I have not been willing to make the necessary diet changes to actually achieve that last 5 pounds of weight loss though.

[Tiny]

I lost 50 pounds and kept it off for nearly 12 to 18 months... and then I got hit with the 'irratability' symptom of perimenopause (which was actually Burning Hot Raging ANGER!!!!!!!!). I gained back the 50 pounds because I couldn't cope with saying "no" to the never ending parade of eating opportunities AND keep myself from killing someone (due to the ANGER). I went to the dr about a year ago and have some pills that helped dramatically with the Anger (and some other issues). I'm feeling emotionally/mentally better and ready to get back to the weightloss lifestyle.

During the year I was able to keep the weight off - My biggest hurdle to loosing and keeping off the weight was that I have a 3 to 4 social occasions a week (every week) that involve eating.   Add in that  I feel I need to constantly say "no, thankyou" to endless opportunities to eat on a DAILY basis. And you can see how it can be difficult to lose weight much less keep it off.     All the saying "no" got old quickly, but was doable -- until the hormonal induced ANGER became non-stop.

I have a whole slew of strategies for dealing with the eating out and endless food opportunities (drugs solved the ANGER problem).  

1.) I would limit alcohol consumption of a drink or 2 to ONE occasion per week. no other alcohol during the week.
2.) I would plan out ahead of time what I was going to eat (what was the plan? for the evening) at each of the occasions before hand. Sometimes I'd make sure I ate something BEFORE the occasion so it was easier to avoid appetizers or desserts and to eat only 1/2 or 1/3 of the ginormous restaurant serving.
3.) I never was good with dealing with the "food pushers" so I'd practice a few polite phrases before the occasion to distract the "food pushers".
4. at work - when there are bagels/donuts what ever I was the person who had 1/2 of one and fruit (the bagels are the huge 10 ounce kind and the donuts are the fancy large full loaded kind).
5.) I try to eat what looks like a tiny little portion of food (compared to everyone elses) SLOWLY.

6.) I can no longer be made to feel bad, because someone else is feels bad when I am eating less/making a better food choice then they are (I NEVER comment on what they are eating...).   It's not my problem - it's THEIRS.

My biggest and best strategy was for planning what I would eat when I wasn't out and about. I had a whole bunch of low calorie but filling meals to eat when I wasn't eating out.

I'd strongly suggest continuing to watch your portion sizes... they can creep up quickly.  

[Cookies Galore]

I lost 38 pounds over a year and a half - went from 181 to 143. This was 2012-13. I've gained 5 pounds back after I got Mirena (I'm okay with that), I gained a few more pounds when I had to stop running (torn labrum) and I've been pretty sucky with sticking to a new exercise routine. It got so hot this summer I didn't even want to ride my bike! I am not okay with that five pound gain so I am working on a new normal until I can run again. Trying to at least walk a few times a week, ride my bike on weekends, started PT for my hip a couple of weeks ago, so I at least have to do those strengthening exercises at home.
My routine is pretty much eat healthy (but it's okay to live a little with some meals) and be active. It helps that my husband is an endurance athlete (triathlons, long distance rides, marathons, going for his first ultramarathon in December) so I have someone to help me stay motivated, even when I'm miserable because I can't run and that's my favorite thing in the world. #pityparty
I am a pescetarian, but I'd say we eat mainly vegetarian at home, with some vegan meals mixed it. I'm a fan of healthy fats, quinoa, lentils, beans, chickpeas, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and other such colorful foods.

ETA: I made sure to account for alcohol in my calorie counts. I wasn't about to give up my wine and cocktails! I don't drink every day, but if I wanted a glass or two of wine in the evening? Well, maybe that afternoon snack or extra spoonful of whatever wasn't worth it. I'd go out a lot with friends (still do) but I'd make sure to read the menu before going. I still do that, I love reading menus, though.

[emma1420]

I lost 60lbs several years ago.  I put back about 20lbs on, so it's something that I still struggle with.  I doubt I will not ever not struggle with it.

For me, like others consistency has been important, and keeping trigger foods out of my house.

And exercise.  Exercise is critical for me.  Without it, the food part becomes even more challenging.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I lost about 50 lbs when I was 35 and kept it off for about 8 years.  i ate relatively normally, but I exercised regularly.  This worked well until my hips started failing and I couldn't exercise like I could before.  I gained weight and spending so much time rehabbing after surgery, (I feel like I spent from 2006 to now dealing with surgical repercussions).

When I got sick in 2011, I dropped those same 50 lbs, and a few more.  This was courtesy to being on an IV antibiotic that changed the way that food tasted for me, so I stopped eating.  Only problem was that I was only on the antibiotic for 6 months and the combo of not being on it and not being able to exercise to do me any good, and I regained that weight too.

The take home message was that I was able to keep weight off easier if I could exercise.  After seeing some pics that were taken on vacation, I have made a foray into low carb eating to try to lose it again.  Classic ways of eating and exercising simply are not going to work for me now.

[souldoubt]

My better half lost over 50 lbs in the last 12 months.  I'm down about 15 right now but still 10 over where I was about 5-6 years ago which is ultimately where I want to be.  The only advice I have is it takes dedication and time.  You have to treat yourself to a cheat meal but you don't want to fall into the mindset of thinking that because you're working out so much you can eat poorly and that's what I've done in the past while training for half marathons.  It wasn't like I was pigging out or eating fast food all the time but I rationalized some poor meal choices because I was running so much.  If you track what you eat using any of the free fitness apps out there it will help you to better understand what you're actually taking in vs. what you're should be taking in.  I think too many people get deterred when they don't see immediate results and I just try to remember that it's a marathon and not a sprint.  

[Bonny]

Thanks guys for all of the replies so far; keep 'em coming.

This has been the easiest and fastest weight loss I've ever had. I didn't really do anything but rev up the exercise as part of the training for the hike as well as the hike itself. The weirdest was during the hike where I'm sure I was burning 3,000+ calories but was probably only consuming 1,200-1,300 per day and wasn't hungry.

For the last year I basically stopped eating breakfast. I know that's really not a good long term plan (and ironically it used to be one of my favorite and healthiest meals) but with the morning exercise I felt like breakfast was just a big lump in my stomach and that my body was having a hard time digesting food and doing exercise at the same time.

[dee27]

My extended family lives to eat and drink, and my immediate family belonged to the clean your plate club-a result of my mom growing up in poverty. My cousins, aunts and uncles who were a healthy weight as children and young adults are today, obese. Growing up there were a lot of food demons even though my mom cooked healthy meals; the fridge was stocked with vegetables and fruit, and soda was for special occasions. My parents were social drinkers a few times per year, and bread was for sandwiches and not part of the dinner meal. Snacks were only bought for picnics and parties, but mom had a sweet tooth, and she used sweets as a reward. Although mom cooked quality, healthy meals for dinner, her personal nutrition was horrendous like Oreos and coffee for breakfast. She ignored her food allergies, took Benadryl and dealt with hives. As a foster child, she was denied food, but as an adult she over compensated with a fully stocked refrigerator.


When I was a child, no one in my immediate family was overweight. My brother has an overactive metabolism and is still very thin. My sister was built like a stick until she developed an affinity for alcohol on a daily basis and developed diabetes in her mid 50s. My parents both were predisposed for diabetes; my dad became diabetic when I was little; my mom when she was in her late 60s. I developed a weight problem in my late teens and restricted calories to lose weight. In hindsight, the restriction of calories and skipping meals led to stomach problems and anxiety about weight. In college, my weight stabilized, but stress and lack of sleep led to weight loss. My weight remained within range until I was pregnant with my son in my late 30s, and I developed an underactive thyroid and ballooned to a blimpish weight. Once the thyroid medicine took root, I lost the excess weight during the next year. I worked very hard to find a balance between my love of good food and a healthy attitude about my eating habits. The food demons and anxiety disappeared when I discovered that I need food for fuel not comfort. My husband is amazed that I can spend hours at the farmers market and have a love affair picking out the perfect apple or the juiciest tomato. My love of food has been a journey that came full circle. BTW, I was not a clean your plate mom because I finally learned that food is not a carrot on the end of the stick.

[Deleted]

I lost 150 pounds. I did it with hiking and rockhounding. If I don't hike, I gain weight.

I also stopped eating most processed foods and things like margarine. I went back to real foods and butter.

[NastyWoman]

Message to all of you weight-loss champions: STOP IT!!! Whatever you are losing, I keep finding    

[sesfw]

Both DH and I were very overweight.

April 2012 DH had a heart attack and was told to limit his SODIUM intake to no more that 1200 mg per day.  The week he was in the hospital I did a lot of internet research.  I cleaned out the pantry of ALL seasoning blends, got rid of all canned foods, cleaned out the freezer of pizza.  Our sodium intake was between 2,000 and 3,000 mg per day ........ not good.

I'm now a label reader and we eat a lot of fresh/frozen veggies and a lot of fresh fruits.  I have found 1 brand of marinara sauce that is 'no salt added' and it's the house brand for Sprouts.  Pasta has no sodium.

One serving of most unseasoned proteins (size of deck of cards) has 75 mg naturally.  One cup of milk has about 120 mg naturally.  Dark chocolate has zero sodium.  Things that are labeled low fat has higher sodium.  Most breads are between 120-160 per slice.

Things add up very quickly.  In this case I discovered it isn't what you eat but how it's seasoned.

DH lost 70+ and I lost 50.  He has kept it off and my dealing with chemo I took off another 20.  I've gained about 15 of that back and both of us are the size/weight we should be for health.

For us this isn't a diet ....... it's a life-style change ......... and for us a lot better.

[dee27]

For us this isn't a diet ....... it's a life-style change ......... and for us a lot better.


sesfw, This is so true. I am amazed that many people who lose a lot of weight do not make that connection. A lifestyle change means you alter your former eating habits and add exercise to maintain the weight loss. The word diet takes the connotation that it is a temporary adjustment like losing 10 lbs. before bikini season.


I found many doctors are not well versed in coaching patients to change their eating habits, but a good dietician is worth several visits. When my dad was first diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes, his doctor was adamant that he needed to lose weight, exercise more, and follow a very strict diet. My dad was not overweight, and he played golf, bowled, and was in a baseball league. He worked a job where he was on his feet for most of the day. He morphed into a man with a whitish pallor who was always tired. On paper, his numbers looked great, but when he passed out on the golf course because his sugar dropped too low, he found a new endocrinologist. My father improved with the new doctor who had first hand knowledge about the ravages of diabetes because of her husband's experience, and the staff nurses and dietician maintained weekly contact until my dad stabilized. The lifestyle changes helped him to manage the disease.

Many people have a love/hate relationship with food when they allow food to control their lives. If their perspective about the role of food is changed, the chance to live a healthier lifestyle is more successful.

[zibazinski]

What do you consider a lot of weight?

[sesfw]

What do you consider a lot of weight?

Actually I consider any amount of weight that a person loses through a special diet 'a lot'.  If they gain it back again then it's an exercise of futility.

To keep any amount of weight off permanently, it has to be a life-style change.

Every couple of months we'll splurge and have something not good for us, but the next day we are back to our 'new' eating habits.  Now that sodium is out as much as possible, going out to eat can be a real challenge.  We ask for our meal to be cooked without seasonings and will use pepper at the table.  Salads are vinegar and oil.

We can really taste the salt when we eat elsewhere.

[Lizard Queen]

Oct 4, 2016 16:11:01 GMT -5 @workingshasta said:

I lost 150 pounds. I did it with hiking and rockhounding. If I don't hike, I gain weight.

I also stopped eating most processed foods and things like margarine. I went back to real foods and butter.

That is awesome! After hiking with my son last week, I thought about you saying you lost weight by hiking and rockhounding. I didn't realize how strenuous hiking can be, and it's got to be a great workout if you're lugging rocks along on top of that!

[Bonny]

Oct 5, 2016 20:22:04 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

What do you consider a lot of weight?

20 lbs (more or less) as an adult and not due to illness.

"Keeping it off" would mean 5+ years with no more than about a 5lb gain back.

That kind of weight change means to me a probably life change. I'm curious about how one did that.

[Bonny]

Oct 6, 2016 11:41:34 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

Oct 4, 2016 16:11:01 GMT -5 @workingshasta said:

I lost 150 pounds. I did it with hiking and rockhounding. If I don't hike, I gain weight.

I also stopped eating most processed foods and things like margarine. I went back to real foods and butter.

That is awesome! After hiking with my son last week, I thought about you saying you lost weight by hiking and rockhounding. I didn't realize how strenuous hiking can be, and it's got to be a great workout if you're lugging rocks along on top of that!

Not to take away from Shasta's accomplishment but I want to assure you that hauling around a 55lb backpack over multiple 12,000' passes IS a workout.

FWIW I only had one really "hard" 24 hours. Part of that was weather related but the worst was hauling the fully loaded (after resupply) backpack over a 13,200' pass for 15 miles. I wound up accidently "bouldering" with that big heavy backpack which of course has you off-balance in a very precarious position. I'm sure I burned off a few more calories with a fair amount of terror that I could break my leg and be a day away from any kind of medical help. Fortunately I did not trip over my own feet which I'm sure was my highest statistical risk of the entire hike! 

[sesfw]

That kind of weight change means to me a probably life change. I'm curious about how one did that.

It really isn't that hard.

You can change any habit in 40 days, = 5 1/2 weeks.

It's actually biblical.  Christians celebrating Lent 'do without' an item of choice for 40 days.  If they are looking for a change in life style, the habit has been broken and they don't go back.  I found myself wanting/eating chocolate every day so one year for Lent I said no more chocolate.  By the time of Easter, my desire was gone.  Now I'll have a couple of small pieces a week.

It's a positive thing to do for yourself.

[zibazinski]

When DH was in the hospital, I was so tired when I got home that I went straight to bed. So no dinner. By not eating dinner I lost 15 pounds.

[dee27]

The reason I say wasting food is that I would gain weight if I took restaurant food home, ate all the breakfast I prepared, etc. Sometimes you are full before the food is gone and using the trash can is better than treating your body like the trash can. 


I love this explanation, anne81. I do bring home some restaurant leftovers, but if DH or I do eat them, they are trashed.

[Bonny]

Oct 6, 2016 20:00:48 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

When DH was in the hospital, I was so tired when I got home that I went straight to bed. So no dinner. By not eating dinner I lost 15 pounds.

You must have looked like a stick!

From the wedding pix it looked like you had/have an adorable figure. I was totally envious!

[zibazinski]

Thank you. I have some food and eating issues so I try to be cognizant of the problem.