How have you successfully lost weight?

[Anonymous]

I weigh 177 pounds and am 5 foot 5 inches.
I don't know how to lose weight successfully.
It's hard to eat 1200-1400 calories a day (when sedentary).
It's hard to work out in a way where it's not painful.
My family doesn't eat healthy, my partner doesn't eat healthy.
I'm losing hope. I can't do it, it seems.
How did you successfully lose weight?

Updates

+1 y

I took a quiz on bodybuilding. Com and apparently I'm a mesomorph.

[Jarus]

"I weigh 177 pounds and am 5 foot 5 inches"
>>177 pounds and am 5 foot 5 inches
>>177 pounds

Damn girl, you're fat as fuck. I'm 6'4 and I weigh 152. But then again, my metabolism is legendary.

To be quite honest, despite having such a high metabolism that devours anything I eat, no matter how much I eat, due to a very bad case of appendicitis when I was 11, my diet got shredded and my eating options were few indeed as my body could no longer tolerate many foods, and this went on for years and years, and still somewhat to this day. As a result, I simply ate less, and less, and due to depression and RL shit, even less than that.

Also due to being a heavy gamer in my teenage years, I learned how to subconsciously ignore my body's hunger through training my brain to ignore said hunger, and now it has become so commonplace that whenever I do get hungry, it's because my body is starving and I haven't eaten in days.

My body weight used to shift all the time, sometimes I'd gain a few pounds, then the next day it would be gone. I would generally stay in the range of 135-145, until I joined the Army and it was at 152 for a while. Then after I got out, it went back down to the range of 137-144, and only in the last year with my metabolism finally showing signs of diminishing, I've gotten back up to 152-155.

But it is common for me, in fact, normal for me to go without eating anything for days. It is also common for me to go without drinking anything for 1-2 days. When I have access to readily available foods that don't require much preparation, I will of course eat, and my portions differ from small to massive, but when I don't, and eating requires cooking/long preparation, I will almost always say "Meh, fuck it" and starve for a couple days because I don't feel hungry enough yet to be motivated to cook something delicious.

As for you losing weight.. well... STOP EATING SO MUCH! Problem solved.

[Asker]

Stopped reading at the first 3 lines. Not even worth it.

[Jarus]

Then don't ask such questions and expect answers if your so pathetically insecure and feeble-minded as to reject anything that has a hint of reality to it.

[Asker]

Haha It's as if you don't know to speak without throwing in an insult. Have a nice life.

[Jarus]

It's as if your self-esteem doesn't exist, because you can't read past your own sensitivity flaring up like a siren. Again, don't real ask questions if you don't want real answers. Otherwise you end up looking like a dumb bitch.

[Jarus]

ask real questions* Lol, dumb Freudian slip.

[MrScTi]

Losing weight is not without its sacrifices. In order to lose something, you have to actually give up something. That's where nutritionists attempt to be physicists, but in reality nutritionists ought to be biologists.

Common knowledge tends to shift the blame on you. It's your fault for being fat. You eat too much and don't exercise. As I watched my scrawny little High School friends drink Monsters, eat pizza, and play World of Warcraft all day while maintaining their skinny physique, I knew the issue wasn't a product of habits.

Your metabolism is different from that of a "skinny" person. From an evolutionary standpoint, you're better equipped for survival over long periods of fasting. When you consume carbohydrates, your body converts them into glucose which raises blood sugar (a problem for diabetics). This means you handle carbohydrates inefficiently and store much of what you eat as fat.

When you simultaneously consume carbs, your insulin spikes which enables fat cells to take in more fat. The reason fat isn't mobilized is because they are bonded by triglycerides, which only break down when insulin levels are low.

Eating carbohydrates both makes you fat and prevents you from burning fat in fat cells.

You can sidestep this by doing bootcamp style HIIT and depriving yourself on calories. That does not last.

The best way for someone who is obese to lose weight is to cut carbohydrates. You literally count for one macronutrient. Forget calories. Forget bootcamp style HIIT training. Keep your carbohydrates to 20g or less, discounting fiber. Your blood sugar will lower and so will your triglycerides, allowing fat to mobilize and be used as energy.

Check out this article you might find something useful on the particular diet I'm referring to https://ketomotive.com/ketogenic-diet-weight-loss/

[MrScTi]

I must add that you should eat more fats in place of carbs.

[thewanderingme]

this isn't entirely true. the type of carbs to take in matter more. starchy carbs are the issue. not all carbs. the easiest way to lose weight is to drop most (or if you can handle it all) carbs from starch and simply lower naturally sweet carbs and increase your fat intake (from healthy sources). your body will start burning the fat for fuel and you'll lose weight much faster.

[Asker]

I have a question: so by low carbs does that mean no fruit or things like whole wheat bread?

[MrScTi]

@thewanderingme

It's not entirely true only in regards to fibers. Fibers are insoluble and don't raise the blood sugar. Starchy carbs, grainy carbs (which contain some fiber) and sugary carbs are all handled the same way from a metabolic standpoint. They are converted into serum glucose. That raises blood sugar.

The "glycemic advantage" is also a myth that suggests that the sugar in an apple is somehow different from the sugar in a banana. Studies have shown that low-glycemic foods still raise blood sugar, just not as high and for as short a time period. That PREVENTS the mobilization of fat for a LONGER period of time.

[thewanderingme]

@asker eat all the non starchy fruit you want. just eat it at that same time as fat to give you more lingering energy and to slow down the absorbtion of sugars.

[MrScTi]

@QA Yes. You have to get rid of the idea that certain foods are necessary in your diet. Much of how you perceive food is based on tradition or clever marketing. It has nothing to do with the metabolism.

The Food Pyramid is metabolic sin for those who are insulin resistant.

If you check out that website, I posted food lists that you can read to get an idea of what you should be eating. When I started and lost 25lbs in two months without exercise, I focused on the foods I loved on that list, like bacon, eggs, cheese, butter, heavy cream, etc. As long as the carbs are low. I never went to be hungry, in fact hunger levels go down naturally.

[Amagi82]

MrScTi is right. Excessive carbohydrates spikes your insulin and makes you become fat.

OP asked about fruit and whole wheat bread: bread, even whole wheat bread, is almost worthless nutritionally. Anything that needs to be "fortified" with vitamins only needs that because it's so nutritionally poor out of the gate. For fruit, think of it as a special treat. And if you stop eating a bunch of sugar, you really start to notice just how sweet fruit is.

[Asker]

So I can't eat fruit? That sucks.

[rgb008]

I've lost a lot of weight over the last 3 or 4 years.
I used to be a binge eater (its so embarrassing to even say that lol) and I'm kind of finally coming out of it.
Just eat right and stay active!
there's no magic pill, shake or diet. Just be consistent and stay on track. You may slip up a few times, but one day of bad eating isn't the end of the world.

I run 5 miles every morning and lift.
Sometimes I incorporate the star master, bike or elliptical if I don't feel like running.

You have to tell your family and partner you want to make this change in your life. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to do this alone and in secret and just failed consistently. You need people to be supportive and to not bring home foods that contribute to your weight gain! It may be hard, but its something I believe you should do.
I've had friends who never supported me getting healthy again and beating the eating disorder, and I had to cut them out of my life.
They probably want to help you, if you just ask!

[rgb008]

stair master*

[thewanderingme]

why are you sedentary? just curious. though, to be quite honest, I become extra lazy during the winter and never gain weight. I don't think that makes much difference for your actual weight. I think exercising only affects your shape, changes fat into muscle but doesn't actually burn it off. only diet does that. I also doubt the amount of calories matters either. it's more where you get them that makes the difference.

[Asker]

I was always taught that sedentary means that you just don't exercise. I walk while on the college campus and then spend the rest of my day lying on my bed reading or surfing the internet. I used to walk my dogs everyday but my dog recently got attacked while I was on a walk with them and now I just feel too scared to take them out now.

[thewanderingme]

I walk and bike a lot when it's warm enough. all that happens is I tone up a bit.

you dog was attacked by other dogs?

[thewanderingme]

*your

[thewanderingme]

getting rid of starchy carbs is key. the body needs carbs, it diesn't need starch though.

[Asker]

Yes. My dog was attacked by two of my neighbor's loose dog while I was on a walk so now we don't go for walks.

Okay, no starchy carbs.

[thewanderingme]

you should report your neighbors for negligence. don't let them keep you stuck inside.

[Amagi82]

I lost 40lbs (232 - 192, and I'm 6'3") pretty much effortlessly by cutting out grain and sugar. Sugar is the big one, though.

What you eat is critical. Eating excessive carbohydrates, especially simple carbs, spikes your insulin levels, which triggers your body to store calories as fat. On the other hand, you can eat all the butter, bacon, eggs, and avocado in the world and be totally fine. Just stay away from the pastries, cake, donuts, bread, candy, etc. If you want a treat, get some 70+% dark chocolate. If you'd like more detail, read up on Insulin on wikipedia, and check out what the paleo and keto diets recommend. I don't buy into some of the anthropology of paleo, but the actual dietary recommendations work wonders.

And if your family eats unhealthily, recommend you take over cooking. It's super hard to eat healthy when you rely on other peoples' poor choices for diet.

[Sehaj]

okay.
do not complicate ur self too much by going in details of this much grams of this nd dat, coz in the end u ll jus come down basically to the following nd dont waste ur time finding the perfect method, rather start doing what everybody knows works.

diet-no sugar for u, minimum carbs, fats if ur hungry have protein food, actually diet is a subjective topic itself, but u know what gud nd bad for u right, so jus change ur diet, no way around it, each tym u have choices to chooce frm u ll have to choose the healthiest
AND FORGET TASTE. SACRIFICE IT.

exercise- aerobic activity. daz it , u can vary intesity, the frequency

and always feel positive dat yes u ll change and measure the change on weighing machine not by looking in the mirror, if ur dropping weight dats an improvement , if u look the same in d mirror.. doesn't matter, jus believe the numbers.

surround urself with people who eat nd live healthy -very important.
and u must be endomorph.

[Rloco]

There is no easy way to lose weight. I lost 50 lbs and it took hard work and determination. try lean for life. there is a book it you follow it I guarantee results. but you have to follow it and can't cheat. It will take everything you have to eat healthy while others around you are making bad choices. I'm currently doing the program again. I realized the first week is the hardest. If you can make it a full week it should be easier from there on. As for exercise I recommend something like dancing. you'll be focused on fun rather than exercise. Try lean for life if you follow the book your garunteed results. also there are some lean for life programs supported by nurses and doctors if your insurance covers it.

[Theconfusedchick]

well first of all i swore off hamburgers, pizza and chips.
Then I started preparing my own meals using as much vegetables as possible, and eating fruits as snacks.
Also, i walk wherever I can and try to do at least 30 min of exercise be it walking my dog o go ride a bike.
Eating dinner two hours after going to sleep helps

[Amagi82]

How do you eat dinner two hours after going to sleep?

[Theconfusedchick]

lol! , i guess i meant after, euther that or sleepwalking

[Slavanna]

I lost 10 pounds swimming five times a week, doing a Couch to 5k (easy to find an app for a smartphone for that, just try), eating low-carb and walking instead of taking a tram/bus whenever the distance was less than 2 miles.
It's enough if you eat 1600 kcal daily, you don't have to go down 1200. But if you can't even do that and don't exercise, don't hope to lose weight.

[Asker]

"But if you can't even do that and don't exercise, don't hope to lose weight."
What does that mean?

[MrScTi]

It's the typical rhetoric that upholds the American carb culture and ignores biological differences among individuals.

[Slavanna]

Asker, it means precisely what it reads. Weight loss is calories out vs calories in. If you eat more than you burn, you are NOT going to lose weight. Unless you get a lipo, that is, and even then you have to uphold a healthy lifestyle.

@MrScTi What do you mean? Eating low-carb upholds carb culture?

[MrScTi]

You're partially right, but being partially right doesn't solve the problem. You may have heard low carb somewhere but never took the time to study the science.

For example, in the first part of your last comment, that clearly demonstrates that you have an oversimplified, partially true perception of weight loss that doesn't help anyone. There are always a few exceptions, but they are the exceptions, not the rule.

[Slavanna]

@MrScTi I never said the Asker HAS to do those things. She asked, and I quote, "How have YOU successfully lost weight?". I know that my answer is one of quite a few, and other people are gonna offer their perspectives - I know what worked for me.

And simplified as my opinion is, you can't deny the fact that if one eats more than they burn, they are not likely to lose weight. It's like saying that the statement "cars don't work without wheels" is an oversimplification. Sure, there can be plenty of other problems with the hypothetical car, but if it has no wheels, it's most definitely not going anywhere.

[Slavanna]

I'm not really saying that low-carb magically cures everything. I watched my carb intake specifically because prior to my weight loss diet I had been eating bread rolls and burgers and pizzas all the time, and a vast majority of my calorie surplus came from carbs. If the Asker, say, eats too much cheese and deep-fried meat, she can try cutting calories by watching her fat intake (and, obviously, actively limiting it).

[MrScTi]

"It's enough if you eat 1600 kcal daily, you don't have to go down 1200. But if you can't even do that and don't exercise, don't hope to lose weight."

This is a recommendation. I made a recommendation. The Asker doesn't have to do anything. Your recommendation is based on junk science, and if you insist on defending junk science I will continue to rebut.

Again, you're leaning on one concept and ignoring everything else. That's okay, just say "I don't know". That's better than defending junk.

[Slavanna]

I acknowledge that 1600 cals a day may not be optimal for EVERYONE, so as an alternative I recommend that the Asker calculate her resting calorie expenditure and adjust it to her needs based on her daily activity. But I stand by what I've said - what worked for me worked for me and it doesn't have to for the Asker, but to my best knowledge more energy has to be expended than "consumed" in order for energy stored in fatty tissue to be released, therefore decreasing their size and resulting in the weight loss. If you're gonna rebut this, offer something of substance to support your claim. A study. An article from a medical site. An interview with a doctor, maybe.

[CHARismatic110]

Well first you have to get in the right mind frame of wanting to lose it. And find things that motivate you. Biggest things is your diet. Focus more on healthier foods and less on calories.

I revamped my whole diet and started working out 6 days a week. Currently down 40lbs.

[Asker]

Wow. That's a lot of progress.
What do you use to motivate you?

[CHARismatic110]

I used a number of things. The biggest thing was being on medication that the number one side effect was weight gain. So I was fighting against that. The biggest thing is that you have to want to lose it.

[Takada]

Eating 1200 to 1400 calories is just a starvation diet. Once you go back to eating normal (and I guarantee you will, because your body needs at least 2000 calories to function properly), you will gain weight like never before.

I lost weight by first eating low carb with as much calories as I want. That diet made me lose weight, but it also made me very sick. So I switched to a high carb low fat vegan diet with unlimited calories and I continue to lose weight.

[findingdreamland]

Girl. The motivation you seek is IN you. You want to like what you look like on mirror? Then, you have to work hard. Control your appetite, work out. Good things don't come easily. Of course there is pain, of course it is difficult.
Concentrate on the result. Just do it. Your partner, your family, your job. All of them are excuses. You can do if you believe yourself.

[CarolinaGuti]

Well I don't eat much "real food" but I do eat a lot of junk food (especially chocolate which is super fattening) SO when I decided I needed to lose some weight I began to be more active and ate only my full meals and very little to no junk food. It was really hard to cut back at first but it helped me lose 10lbs realtively easily

[Random_chick_2384]

I haven't lost any weight. But I've had 3 people in my family who have. Try walking a lot. Jumping jacks. Sit ups. And squats. As u lose weight it will be easier to do theses so put more into your workout.
The diet they used was paleo.
https://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/

Good luck!!

[matheus_mb]

I just ate the necessary not to stay hungry and worked out every day. The pain caused by working out is temporary, it's a necessary sacrifice if you wanna lose weight. So, you don't need to change what you eat, just eat less and work out a lot. It worked for me.

[meatballs21]

September 2013: 195lbs
September 2014: 175lbs 14% Bodyfat
(I am 6'2".)

Weight lost by:
-counting calories
-cutting down severely on junk and booze
-lots of exercise (bike riding, swimming, walking)

Unless there's a medical reason, you can do it too.

[AllThatSweetJazz]

I used to be morbidly obese. I lost about 60kg and got down to a normal weight, eating streak, drinking pepsi max and exercising for 10 minutes a day (most days). I would stop dieting and excising for a few days sometimes but once I realized I was gaining I'd get back on it. I'm convinced anyone can lose weigh if they put their mind to it.

[sammy_31]

I lose weight but gain muscle so my number doesn't actually change much but I physically see the difference :)

[Asker]

Do you just work out? Or do you eat healthy too?

[sammy_31]

Sorry forgot to actually say how xD Whoops, eating more in the morning and less throughout the day, drinking lots of water, smaller portions unless I want to gain muscle and eat more to workout more. Less "bad food", less sugar, oil, fat, salt, excess anything and processed food. Drink water first thing in the morning, water 30 mins before I eat, shower and sleep. Really helps water is a miracle and yes workout, doing cardio, muscle specific workouts like glutes and abdomen and then go to the gym and do regular 30 - 1 hour workouts on the machines. Walking is great too after I eat, in the mornings when I have time and of course in the evening :) Yoga and pilates for toning and strength training with body weight and muscle concentration.

[Cam700]

Lots of clean eating, cut down on processed food. Lots of water and fruit and veg. Just be positive and know that long term results require hard work :)

[TripleAce]

You can't because its painful and it's hard :/

your problem is not that you can't lost weight but rather your not determined, no pain no gain

[Asker]

No shit.

[Asker]

I'm asking this question to gain insight and motivation by reading success stories.

[TripleAce]

There's no secret, you just have to want it

[Klaatu51]

I have lost 130 lbs because i was totally devoted to what i was doing ; -)

[Asker]

What were you doing?

[CourtJester]

To lose fat really depends on what you eat. If you just take out the processed foods, eating less than 1600cal would be a lot easier.

[Coolguy1928]

I'm on a diet, my last weight was 59 kg, and now I weigh 60 kg. It's up to you in judging how well it's going. -__-

[NExPats12]

Countless hours at the gym, and eating right. Remember always burn more than what you consume. I use to be a calorie counting junkie lol.

[nert73]

Endometriosis. I'm now underweight at around 95 pounds.

[ironeddie]

I lost 165lbs with illegal drugs. I don't recommend that though

[Ihav2fart]

I'm around the same height and I was pretty chubby @158 lbs (my peak)
I just ate clean then did a lot of strength training.

[genericname85]

by working out for about 1000 calories daily and eating only 1500-1800 calories.

[Anonymous]

Those are super low calories! that's why its so hard. You need to eat more than that and exercise.

[Anonymous]

Look up ketosis diet and follow that but you still have to count calories... get the pee strips and confirm you are in ketosis... the fat will melt off with zero exercise... I have done this, it works

[Strider90]

I try to gain weight. Without success so far.