Asklemmy

By quitting drinking alcohol

Literally the only thing I changed about my life at that time and I went from 185 lbs to 165 lbs in 3 months

I was drinking a fifth per night of alcohol that was at least 100 proof, so I was a bit of an alcoholic at the time

I quit cold turkey and within just a few weeks I started feeling a lot better overall and by about 4 months after I quit the cravings stopped every time I smelt alcohol

I've been sober now for about 5 and a half years and the weight has stayed off the whole time. I've basically been 160±5 lbs since

• Water. No drinks other than water or black coffee/ tea.
• Understanding nutritional value better and counting calories (for a while). Intuitive eating has been sven better for me after that.
• OMAD. One meal a day. Suited my hunger pattern for a long time and allowed me to feel full after a meal which I like while feeling light most of the day which I also like.
• Home cooked meals 99% of the time. Literally. Maybe eat out once a month most months.
• Enjoying feeling healthy, so liking eating the things I ate and working out etc.

Things I didnt need but do recommend:

• Improved fiber intake.
• Cutting all caloric drinks.
• Know how much fat youre adding to your food, that tsp you just added are actually 2 tbsps.
• Choose better carbs. Thats mostly about fiber content again. So whole wheat instead of white.
• Dont mean to sound like that guy but good for gut foods. Yogurt, pickles and other fermented products.
• The mental side. Know that a bad meal, day, week doesnt ruin anything. You don't need to be perfect, just improve in the long term.

I could go on forever but I'll stop here.

I see a lot of exercise reccomended ITT, but just remember that it takes an hour to "burn" 300 calories walking, but under a minute to eat a donut. Dieting is your battle. Also, doing a little exercise (5 min walk) everyday that you can keep yourself doing consistently is WAYY more important than the 2 hour gym sesh you hit twice then get demotivated and never do again

(This is coming from someone with no experience losing weight, so take it with a grain of salt)

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.

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 tried to do a bunch of small things. No single thing was the key.

• started drinking my coffee black
• drink more water, and drink water instead of other things
• I take the stairs instead of elevator/escalator whenever possible
• I try not to eat seconds at dinner
• "Real" exercise (like running, rowing, etc.) every other day, but if I can squeeze in extra ones, (e.g., 2 days in a row), I go for it
• If I'm not up for real exercise, I'll go for a walk
• intermittent fasting in the mornings, so often no breakfast, but not necessarily every day
• No snacking after 19:00
• At restaurants, if 2 options look good, go for the one with fewer calories

There are probably more, but those are the kinds of habits we're talking about.

Also important: if you don't stick to all habits, don't beat yourself up about it.

With the above, I was able to get from a high of 235 lbs down to around 180. I'm a bit more than that right now, but pretty close still.

Eliminating certain kinds of food entirely

Some foods tended to be things I quite simply ate too much of, and eliminating them entirely was the simpler option. Snacks are obvious in this category, but less obvious for me was bread and sandwiches.

Walking, a whole lot of it

Running can often be the exercise that comes to mind when wanting to lose weight, which is natural on account of its cultural prevalence and high energy requirement. The problem is that you can't really do a whole lot of it without getting tired, and if you're overweight it probably hurts like hell to do it.

Walking, on the other hand, can be done essentially in unlimited quantities. I took every opportunity to go for long walks at a brisk pace, listening primarily to podcasts but also audiobooks to keep me entertained. It was also a good opportunity to catch up with family by giving them a call.

Caloric restriction

At the end of the day, no matter what kinds of food I ate, my appetite still pushed me to put more energy into my body than I was able to spend. As such, I had to implement some form of caloric restriction to keep the number going down.

These things worked for me but may not be appropriate for you. Losing weight is very hard, some trial and error is probably a good idea. Good luck!

Use a calorie counting app like lose it. Log everything you eat. It's very tedious at first but pretty soon you get really good at judging how many calories are in things. Don't stop logging! Track your weight. When you hit plateaus zoom out on the time scale and look at your trend line going down and feel good about yourself.

The trick is being honest with yourself. There are no free calories. Those 2-3 little cookies you had at work? They count. The extra scoop of rice? That counts. Most people have no concept of how many excess calories they're really taking in.

Over COVID lockdown my wife and I both gained 10-15 pounds and I was already a good 20 pounds over where I wanted to be. We both started this and never stopped. I lost 40 pounds in about 9 months (230 to 185) , she lost 20, 155 to 134, and we've both kept it off for the last three years. We log all our meals and we exercise. Exercise becomes rewarding because burning extra means you can cheat! Did you bike twenty miles today? HAVE YOU A FUCKIN DONUT THEN!

Crippling Depression

ADHD meds 🫤

amphetamines

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.

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.

I'm struggling with this right now. I started going to the gym 6 times a week almost a year ago knowing it wouldn't be enough by itself but trying to only make one big lifestyle change at a time. Now my gym habit is well and truly locked in I really need to improve my diet as my next big change. My weight has been basically exactly the same since I started. Lots more muscle mass now but still....

Good luck to everyone trying to make improvements to their health!

Oh I actually did lose like 20kg a few years ago by doing keto but it wasn't sustainable to me so I put it all back on. I guess the lesson for me there is to keep trying until you find a sustainable change you can stick to as a lifestyle, not just temporarily.

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.

Better eating habits. More physical activity. There are no magic tricks.

Counting calories. I used MyFitnessPal, but I'm sure there are other apps.

Figure out how many calories you need daily to maintain your current weight, depending on age/gender/height, and then subtract about 500 calories from that. This also depends on your stats; you don't want to go below your minimum daily calories. You'll be hungry and dizzy all the time, and your body will try to store extra fat because it thinks you're starving.

You can eat whatever you want, as long as you stay under your daily calorie number. You might not be healthy (depending on your food choices), but you will lose weight.

Good luck!

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.

Stopped eating so damn much.

I read the The Hacker’s Diet by John Walker (who recently died, sadly) and followed his advice.

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

100% calorie counting, NO 'extra' exercise. Lost 30 lb in 30 weeks just by being ~500 cal negative every day.

Don't drink calories, skip breakfast, and cutting out obvious 'junk' made it rather easy once I got past the first 4 weeks of willpower & adjustment.

that's it, nothing fancy. (40yr old male)

I fucking love the local burger joint. Every full pound I lost, I allowed myself a burger and onion rings. 40 pounds to lose, 40 burgers to eat.

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.

Restricted my calories. It works, you just have to eat fewer calories than your previous weight to maintain your new weight, so a lot of people put that weight back on. That said, if you put yourself in a mild caloric deficit, it's extremely easy. Then it's mostly a matter of not keeping binge-worthy foods in your living space (you can eat them as much as you want when you're out), and it's pretty easy.

I ate less

Stress and Insomnia 😇

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 found exercise that I actually wanted to do. For me, this started out as cycling. I enjoyed being able to go places and see things. I used to just cycle casually with my family but when the COVID lock downs happened, I would go on 30+ mile bike rides. It was nice to get out, see things and the roads were pretty empty around me so I could go just about anywhere.

The biggest problem with that around here is that it gets really cold during the winter so I started doing a combination of cardio, hand weights and basic exercises like pushups, etc to just get my heart rate going and sweat a bit. I do have an indoor bike trainer but I don't enjoy that quite as much because it's just sort of boring compared to being out and seeing scenery.

I was sort of stuck at this weight of around 190, which by the BMI charts is a few pounds overweight for my height. This last fall, I was challenged by my sister in law, along with her other siblings, to run a half marathon. I used to play soccer and I used to run for a good while in my 30s - it's how I stayed in shape back then and was able to lose a good bit of weight. So I started running and I found it to be really easy, probably because I didn't have to fight through the getting winded - it was mostly my leg muscles getting used to running. Now I run around 30 miles a week, even in the cold. The only thing I struggle with now is taking care of my knees and leg muscles as that's the biggest issue I run into that could prevent me from keeping it up. I've been running since November and am down to 180 and I feel great.

Now food wise, I mostly just try to be generally aware of going in excess for anything that is just sugar or a food that calorie dense but not providing nutrients. I try to keep fruit around the house. if I think I am hungry, I ask if I am hungry enough to eat and apple or a plum - something like that and will do so if I am. I still snack on stuff like pretzels, crackers, etc. I eat things that aren't healthy for me but I try hard to not go overboard on anything.

stopped snacking and stopped the everyday pops. easiest start of weight loss. from there its proper dieting and walking as much as possible

Wherever I vacation to a walkable city, I lose weight.

Europe, please let me move in 😭

Intermittent fasting. It takes a fair amount of discipline, but if you stick with it past the first week or two it becomes very easy

Counting calories was the biggest thing, I like Cronometer. I did a crash diet to reset what my body expected out of portion sizes but quickly scaled back up to healthier amounts (no point getting an eating disorder over this). Don't obsess over tracking things exactly it's all flawed anyway. Instead just be consistent so trends over time can be identified and adjusted. I didn't do this for weightloss but I also quit drinking around that time which helped too. Started going bouldering regularly, recently bought a bike, and I don't own a car so I tend to do a lot of walking.

Recently something shifted where I'm no longer counting calories to make sure I'm eating small enough portions, I'm counting calories to make sure I'm eating enough. I never changed what foods I eat I just changed the portions.

Oh and if I'm feeling really hungry but don't have a lot of calories for the day I'll microwave a potato for a bit then pop it in an air fryer to finish. Baked potato quality in under 10 minutes, if you don't load it with dairy then they are less than a calorie a gram making them pretty diet friendly.

I stopped drinking alcohol and soda and drastically cut down my milkshake consumption. I've lost 50 pounds in the past year and still going down.

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

Eating less sugar, fat and carbs. More protein. Exercising frequently, if you don’t like the gym find something else. Swimming for example is great fun and very gentle on an overweight body.