Asklemmy

It might sound weird, but I've been progressively losing weight by religiously brushing my teeth after eating anything.

I used to have a problem of eating small things like candies and biscuits randomly, as a way to control anxiety. Now I think twice before eating anything, because I don't want to go and brush my teeth again. After some time doing that, I ended regulating myself and eating at specific times, with no extra eating between them.

I read labels and...

• Eat only trace amounts of saturated fat.
• No sugary drinks.
• Eat a lot of fiber.
• No breakfast, it isn't necessary.
• Walk or bike 1 hour every morning.
• Lift & run every work day during my lunch hour.

I've never been more fit.

I had a lot of anxiety that made me overeat.

I worked with my doctor to find the right medication that worked for me. I then had control over my impulses.

I also had more motivation, so I started tracking my food and workout 2-3 times a week.

I've lost 30lbs since the end of October.

I started living alone and grocery shopping for myself so I just stopped buying high calories food and sugary snacks. And count calories.

Figure out how many calories you need to maintain your weight and eat less then that.

A calorie calculator can estimate how many calories you burn a day and can estimate plans based on how much weight you want to lose per week.

Exercise so that you don't lose muscle mass and your body burns the stored calories.

And finally, test things and find what works for you. Staying consistent is key.

For myself, I like a Zig Zag plan for losing weight cause I can still enjoy some junk food on the weekend. I track my calories using MyNetDiary because it syncs with other apps I use.

I've lost 15lbs in 4 weeks but I know it's going to take about 5 more months to meet my goal weight.

Good luck on your journey!

I moved to a city in the US where I can get around without a car. 95% of my trips I take via bike or public transit. I haven't actually lost much weight but I have gotten much leaner

Ulcerative colitis

The four hour body by Tim Ferris

I ate less by keeping snacks out of my home.

Moved to a walkable city in a country with better food quality, and sold my car. It's a cheat code.

Also slowly regaining it, and need to cut down on snacking and drinking.

Stopped drinking my calories (alcohol, juice, soda, etc.) and fell in love with running.

No magic tricks or diet fads.

Eat less, move more.

Eat more vegetables and salad, cut down bread and meat.

Stop drinking sodas and juices with extra sugar in them and learn to quench your thirst with water.

Limit eating candy or cookies to one day per a week, if you can't let them go entirely.

My weight loss started in a thread exactly like this. I read about someone using My Fitness Pal to track their food intake and consuming less than they were burning. I tried the same thing and within days I was losing weight and feeling better.

I lost 80 pounds over the following year, took up running using the Couch 2 5K program and have been maintaining that since 2018.

Finished my first triathlon last summer.

There are many methods that are ultimately a combination of psychological tricks, and finding food and meal times that you work well with.

The one thing they all have in common is calories in being less than calories out.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to get started is simply establishing a baseline. Don't try to change anything, just count everything. And yes that means everything. After that, look for things you know don't make you feel good. Maybe limit or drop soda, cut a snack in half, limit dessert, reduce alcohol, etc.

Radical diet changes aren't required, just consistent.

When you start to run into problems with something that feels like self control (snacking, meal size, alcohol, sugar, etc), then look into ways to work through that. Often it's just learning new habits (never eat from the bag, seconds are ok but start small and wait, etc). Those habits really depend on the individual and where you're currently at though.

Some people do great with keto, some with fasting 20 hours a day, some with only snacks instead of meals, or only meals and zero snacks. Just trying those at random without understanding where you're currently at first can lead to feeling failure and giving up unless you happen to get lucky with what you try first.

And, always be kind to yourself.

Warning: expensive

Answer: grapes, pineapple, raspberries

Filling, low kcal, keeps you busy, especially grapes.

Crippling Depression

Started walking/jogging 2 miles on the treadmill every other day.

Did 20 squats and hip/pelvic exercises while brushing my teeth for 2 minutes every night.

Kept light weights on my desk so I could work my arms while watching videos.

Got a job where I was on my feet walking 15000-20000 steps a day. In the summer I was sweating buckets and drinking a lot of water.

Oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, bottle of Soylent for lunch, normal dinner with my husband. I would still snack and have dessert and stuff, but I wouldn't have as much as I used to. For example, instead of a whole slice of cake, I would have just a thin slice.

Eventually started jogging/running outdoors.

Went from 14/L to 8/S. I'm not sure how much time it took exactly because I wasn't keeping track but I think it was less than a year. Just weighed myself one day and I had lost like 30 pounds.

Edit: I forgot to add that I also would only drink water or an alcoholic beverage with my meals. I figured lemonade and soda and iced tea were all extra calories and sugar that I didn't need.

Edit again: I forgot I also would take the stairs instead of the elevator. So really overall it's just little things here and there and they all add up. I can't give up carbs or any food really because I love to eat, just enjoy a smaller portion. :)

I started slow jogging every other day, using an app called Just Run that has you alternate walking/running until you're built up to running a full 3k. It goes for 9 weeks and I just completed week 6. There's a 10k version I'll be moving on to after.

On the days I don't run, I use Chloe Ting weight-training videos on YouTube to target areas I need strength support in, like my lower back and shoulders. I also use her cool down routine every day, it's the best stretching video I've found.

I've also been fasting every Monday. Just nothing but coffee (which I do put some sweetener and milk in in the morning) and water.

I only weigh myself once my period has come and gone, since I tend to fluctuate about 10 lbs during. I weighed myself about 3 weeks ago and I've lost 13 lbs. I've just now started seeing and feeling a change.

Cooking at home. 100%. For 3 months to start. Then give one day a week out for another 3 months. And meal plan and prep on Sundays.

Keto. Cut out all carbs, less than 50g per day. Eat mainly veggies and fish and chicken, occasionally red meat. Don’t pig out on bacon and cheese either, go for walnuts and avocado and similar for unsaturated fats. No sugar at all. No beer. Only healthy fats. I lost 40 lbs in 6 months. Then switch to a low carb diet afterward and exercise more and watch your calorie intake to keep the weight off. Do NOT do keto for long term (over 1 year) unless your doctor says it’s okay.

Edit: here’s some good meal ideas

Breakfast: plain Greek yogurt with raspberries, or a hard boiled egg and some walnuts or almonds. If you have time at home, cook a few eggs and put them over a sautéed veggie hash

Lunch: Romaine lettuce wraps with turkey, avocado, and light cheddar cheese and light mayo. Chicken stuffed bell peppers is pretty amazing too. Or you can get cauliflower crusts and make a proper pizza with your favorite non-carb toppings(which most aren’t)

Dinner: cauliflower fried rice with your favorite protein. Baked salmon and Brussels. Philly cheese steak lettuce wraps. Spaghetti squash is a great replacement for lighter noodles. Spiralizing zucchini is great too

Snacks: have fresh almonds and walnuts around. Try tossing them in light olive oil and throw some spices on them! String cheese, hard boiled eggs, and avocados are awesome to have around if you feel snacky.

I was never good at staying on a diet. I have really bad self control and go through phases where I get hooked on soda or energy drinks or smoking, etc.

Two things helped me finally lose weight and maintain a pretty healthy build (these days 90kg 183cm originally 110-115k).

First, I found I could lose weight in short periods when I had a concrete goal. I lost 10k in maybe 6 weeks. Plenty of it was water weight and came back. But after doing that 3 or 4 times I was down to a place I felt more comfortable with myself. During those cycles I was basically always thinking about my calories. It would get tiring in normal life but it was ok if I was trying to hit my goal.

Second, by focusing on my macros and trying to limit salt every day I ended up filling my stomach way before I went into calorie surplus. By going low sodium it eliminated any kind of fast food and most frozen foods. Getting rid of salt wasn't really for health it was just to lose water weight and hit my goal. But getting rid of salt ended up making my diet way healthier.

I also had some success by cutting out bread. I don't think bread is terrible for you or anything, but by giving myself that limitation I made myself choose better options

As someone else mentioned, Intermittent fasting helped for me as well. I eat from 12:00 - 20:00. I was never really obese, but my weight was definitely heading that way if I didn’t take action. Been on IM for a year now (with some cheat days here and there due to social obligations) and my weight dropped about 7 kg. That doesn’t sound like much, but I was only a little overweight and I’m still a lover of sweet foods and other unhealthy things :)
This in combination with adding 40 min walking to my commute and a weekly Pilates session (for all those important core muscles) seems to work for me. Oh and taking the stairs whenever possible. I work on the 7th floor and like to climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator with the rest of the lunch crowd.
Basically I managed to turn an upward trend into a downward one, and in the long run that’s what’s most important to me.

Got a divorce and lost my job. Spent six months eating 1500 calories a day, 600 of which were liquor, and walking five to seven miles a day. Hours of walking by the Sound in the rain every day. Felt like the only thing I could control was what I ate and how much I walked. Lost thirty pounds. I got a few compliments on how much thinner I looked. Didn't tell anyone that every pound was burned with hate.

I'm doing better now.

I added more fiber and water to my diet. It keeps you full.

I got a vitamix and I regularly blend two stone fruit or fibrous fruit (oranges and such) with a bunch of water. I drink it all the time because I love fruit juice. It is less.. vibrant than store juice but it tastes more natural and you get all the fiber and water. DO NOT STRAIN IT. If it's too pulpy add more water, or add less fruit.

Find the nearest store or hangout to your house. Walk/Bike/Jog there every day. You don't have to buy anything. It helps to become a regular because you can make new friends as well.

I rode an elliptical, lifted weights and ate healthier to lose 60lbs. Lots of water too.

I'm down about 30 pounds since last Summer, and it's had sticking power. I went from a few pounds over obese on my BMI to a normal BMI weight (200 lbs to 170).

I'm a data-driven guy, and I started using a phone app where you scan barcodes, or manually enter your food and weight. I got a scale off amazon for like $10. Before I even started changing my diet, I just started entering everything I was eating and drinking. It was a bit eye opening. The calorie count was too damn high. Lots of carbs, cheese, and alcohol.

I didn't follow any specific diet or anything, but I tried to keep my calorie count around or just under 1500 calories per day. If you're trying to meet a calorie count and not be hungry all the time, you figure some stuff out. You can eat a lot of vegetables. You can eat a decent amount of seasoned meats. Pasta and bread are things you can only have a little of. Drinking alcohol ruins the day.

Anyway, sticking to the count, I watched 1-3 pounds a week drop off and stay off. It was very satisfying. Math. Data. Measurable results. I recommend it.

Can't afford to eat much, cuz SSI, rent increase. Kept having conversations in head, like "I can buy laundry detergent OR have food to last the month." I've lost 20 lbs past few months , after discovering how tasty white rice can be, with just a tiny bit of sesame oil, salt and pepper.

• Dr. Ian Smith Fat Smash Diet (Except I kept the coffee in the first part)
• It don't happen overnight (Weigh in about once a week or so...)
• Stop all Fast Food (Seriously, when cheat days come along make your own with better ingredients)
• Pack lunches (& you will also save a ton of $$$)
• Large meal earlier in the day
• Exercise (I walk / hike allot now)
• Make good choices (It really comes down to this, there is tons of crap in the grocery store - don't take it home)

You can and will do it, but it will take time.

Intermittent Fasting - eating hours 10am-6pm

and

Early morning exercise - 25min bike ride or walk at 5:30am (everyday or every second day)

No real diet change, but already had healthy options for most meals.

Stopped drinking soda, started walking daily. 60 lbs over the course of a year a few years ago, haven’t gained any back

Edit: just in case someone sees this, making an update in bold.

Stopped eating breakfast. No eating after 8 pm. Ate 4 ounces of meat, a cup of veggies and a 1/4 cup of some kind of nuts for lunch at noon and dinner at 7 pm every day except Saturdays. For energy/appetite control, I keep a 1/4 of nuts and a cup of baby carrots that I sometimes eat around 5 pm, but not always.

On Saturdays, ate whatever I wanted from 4:30-8 pm which motivated me to get back on diet the next day.

Walk or ran an hour a day. At first during the evenings, then woke up an hour early and did it in peace. Started causing me to go to bed earlier, a good thing.

Lost 70 pounds from March to October of last year. Stopped dieting and gained 40 back to date. Started back on diet this week. We just had our cheat meal and I could already tell the difference in where it felt more special than eating badly all the time. Going to shoot for 80 pounds total.

I’ve been back on diet for almost a week and lost 6 pounds. Likely water weight, not normal rate, but nice to see nonetheless. I’m already feeling better too.