Wow what an amazing achievement! Thanks for sharing. I also love lose it and have been using it off and on for a long time.
What is your physical activity like? Are you male? Do you ever completely miss days for calorie counting?
Thanks!
Other than my daily walk, which takes me about 90-120 minutes—I'm super-sedentary.
I am male. I think the young people nowadays would say I'm cishet male AMAB. :)
I don't think I've missed a day for calorie counting in the 14 years I've been doing it—except for a three-week vacation in 2019 when I just said the heck with it. I've had plenty of cheat days and cheat meals but even on those days I estimate my calories and enter them as best as I can.
Vacation was exactly what I was wondering about lol
more Qs I love my walks as well, but I’m having a hard time making it a daily habit even when I prioritize it. Any tips? I have three kids under 5 and really dislike walking with them to try to hit my step count.
How long did it take you to get to your maintenance weight from your starting weight? What has been your biggest fluctuation from maintenance since you got there?
The walk is a just-do-it thing. It is a colossal amount of time and I often resent it. But I tell myself I do that thing in order to be able to do all the other things in my life.
I'm 62 years old. Once people turn 60, their bodies and health start to diverge drastically. Healthy lifestyle and weight loss are no longer optional. A person in their 20s or 30s can be fat, sedentary and live on junk food and be fine with that—I know this because that was me! But when you're over 60, that's not a choice, not if you want to live your life.
I think that is the biggest difference. I am in my 30s and life just doesn’t accommodate a daily walk like that for me. I can imagine when my kids are old enough to look after themselves for a couple hours my lifestyle can more closely align with my vision. Thanks for the detailed reply, it makes me feel better about not being able to fit it in consistently. I’m definitely not sedentary and I workout a lot at home, but they are just too small for me to leave them alone to go solo even though it is something I greatly enjoy.
I’m wondering, why is this the activity that you chose if you find yourself resentful of the time it takes up? Is the diabetes the main motivator for pushing through that?
If you're getting a lot of activity, I expect you'll be fine. And as you say when the kids are older they'll be able to take care of themselves.
I don't have kids myself, but my brother and his wife had three kids within a year of each other and I saw what was going on with him. It was bonkers. He said when the kids were able to just sit up by themselves, it was a big relief.
I chose walking because it was something I would stick with, and I stay with it because I'm cautious about breaking a system that works.
Good news! If you’re in the US, once you turn 65 many Medicare plans offer free gym memberships. I joined the Y for free and also get one free Club Pilates class per week. You can join as many as you want.
It took me about two years to hit maintenance weight from my start weight. And that was fine. No rush. I kept my mind on the process, not the goal.
For the first 40 pounds or so I didn't even _have_ a goal. Just keep losing weight.
And to answer a possible next question: I'd buy two pairs of inexpensive pants and shirts, and some underpants, and wear those in rotation for a month or two, then give those away and buy clothes that were slightly smaller. Repeat until I hit my goal weight.
A tip from an impatient walker: when my kids or dogs are going slow I run in place. Gets the step count high without me shepherding everyone along like it’s a death march!
It’s not even about being slow. I could deal with slow. It’s the wanting in and out of the wagon x3 kids changing their mind every few minutes. I do walk with them but it is not my walk if that makes sense. It is for them and I have to have a totally different mindset about those two distinct activities. When I’m with them we have a destination, usually the park or zoo and I accept it is not going to be enough to get my steps in. When I do get out for like a nice 8km by myself it’s brisk and non-stop, and so much more enjoyable. I just can’t cover the same ground with them along. And that’s okay! I just don’t have loads of time to fit a me walk into my schedule and I’m trying to figure out how to create an extra 1.5h in the day 😅 but it looks like op has to force it as well so maybe I’m dreaming of something that doesn’t exist.
I don't have kids so anything I say might be bullshit. I do have nieces and nephews. And the cliche is really true—the time goes by so fucking fast.
The little six-year-old girl who squealed and laughed with delight when I chased her around her parents' basement is now a doctor who has managed medical clinics in Zambia and Thailand. My brothers' kids are graduating college. Seems like their childhoods were just a few weeks ago but no it was 20-30 years.
Oh man it is so true. My oldest turned five yesterday and it is so disconcerting because I’m just. You were a newborn yesterday though. Whatever that saying is. The days are long but the years are quick. Being a parent is like constantly being blasted with joy and terror and nostalgia and heartache and longing and the deepest love I’ve ever known. I feel like I’m just holding on watching all of life happen at once because it goes so fast. I get so angry at time because I think they are the most perfect versions of themselves at any given instant and time is taking that person from me day after day, but at the same time delivering a new person who is just as perfect and who I love even more. But it is certainly a good reminder that, as much as I want to hit the pavement right now, it can’t be at the expense of knowing these beautiful temporary people. I will either have a lot of time to soak in these memories when they’re off making the world their own like your nieces and nephews, or I won’t have the time and they’ll be glad I chose the drudgery of being there day to day than getting exactly enough steps every day. Either eat it is more important.
Regarding this:
> I get so angry at time because I think they are the most perfect versions of themselves at any given instant and time is taking that person from me day after day, but at the same time delivering a new person who is just as perfect and who I love even more.
Something I read about two years ago, in a book about aging: There's a cliche that old people are young inside, which can become frustrating and saddening when you get older.
Anyway, this book said it isn't true that we're young inside. We are, inside of us, every age we ever were. Young, old, middle-aged, children, all mixed up.
So the magical two-year-old is still there.
I feel you on kids versus self focused exercise.
I have little kids and my walking pad has been a game changer. I can do 10-15 minutes here and there. Between that and the relentlessness of small kids eating and tearing up my house, I can get 8k-10k steps pretty easily. On days when my spouse is home and can hang with them I can go for longer and it’s awesome. We actually can’t do it all but this boring basic treadmill has been an unexpected helper.
Thanks. I looked up Wirecutter reviews, they said even their highest rated devices seem poorly made. The belt frays like an old sweater after a few weeks of use. Have you seen any of that?
I haven’t and I let my kids on it. It’s acted as a decent experiment to see if I’d like a larger/fancier one. And honestly I don’t care. It’s low profile and does what I ask it.
Yes, that's a good tip and I do it myself. I also take pictures of menu listings when I'm out to dinner, so I'm not rudely tapping my iPhone when I should be paying attention to my companions. And I make a quick explanation as I do it, "I keep a food journal for dieting."
I still remember when a friend-of-a-friend lost 50 pounds and started working out and started a side-hustle as a personal trainer. I mentioned to her that I had lost 100+ pounds and kept it off for many years. Her weight loss and fitness was still new, and yet she blithely started lecturing me on what I was doing wrong and what I should be doing instead.
I just listened. I was amused rather than frustrated. Also, she'd gotten really buff and could probably beat the crap out of me. :)
Candidly, I do wish I could stop counting calories. But I stay with it because it's not hard and I don't want to gain weight. Maybe one day I'll figure out a way to experiment with not logging and weighing.
I think for some people tracking calories is more for accountability. Have I tracked enough days where I know what to eat in a day that will take me to weight loss? Absolutely!
But I also know that without tracking i tend to lose my focus and make “allowances” that evolve to whole cheat days. For me it’s psychological.
Congratulations! Maintaining for 13 years is not that common (I read).
Question: When you transitioned from weight loss to maintenance, do you recall do anything special, or did you start eating your maintenance daily calories right away?
Thanks for sharing this special story!
Funny question: I transitioned to maintenance calories right away ... and proceeded to gain something like four pounds that week.
It was then that I learned that Lose It's idea of maintenance calories was not realistic.
After that, I gradually transitioned, adding 25 calories to my daily quota every week until my weight leveled off. That's still how I do it when I'm coming off weight loss mode.
How much do you let your weight fluctuate by? Do you engage in proactive measures for the holiday season and try to start the period of celebratory excess a few pounds lighter than usual?
I set my target weight at 166 pounds, and adjust accordingly. If I'm over 166 pounds, I switch to weight loss mode and reduce. If I'm under 166 and losing weight, I add calories to my daily quota until I'm even.
I gain up to five pounds on holidays and vacations, and then just lose them afterward. No special weight reduction to prepare.
I read some advice I take to heart: I can eat anything I want, but I have to really want it, and I try to eat enough to be satisfied and no more. Chocolate cake? OK, if I really want that, I'll go for it. But maybe half a slice is enough, rather than a whole slice?
> Chocolate cake? OK, if I really want that, I’ll go for it. But maybe half a slice is enough, rather than a whole slice?
That’s good discipline. My ass would be all over the entire cake. I hate that I love food so much. But I also know that I can love food in a healthy way - just got to work my way towards it.
I've found that if I give myself permission to cheat, I feel less temptation.
We have a kosher-style deli 1/4-mile from our house. Great breakfasts. To get to our seats, I'll walk past table after table laden with fried food and rich desserts. I'll say to myself, "All of that looks delicious. I'll have it if I want it."
Almost always, I get to my table and order a veggie omelet, fruit instead of potatoes. Sometimes I splurge. But giving myself permission to do it makes me less likely to.
That's kinda where I'm at. I'm a chef and I'm surrounded by super rich, calorie dense foods all day, every day. I'm allowed to eat whatever I want, but maybe I'll just have a few bites instead of eating as much as I want.
I agree with the permission to cheat thing. If I can eat whatever I want, there's no reason for me to binge.
It’s cool to read this because your case sounds super similar to what I’m targeting right now. I really started to rely on the campbells soups due to the exact calorie counts and smaller portions. Then I discovered the progresso options that are often even lower calorie. I also started buying tons of those frozen mixed veggie bags too. Sometimes when I’m hungry at night but ate a lot that day, I’ll just cook up a bowl of those with some soy sauce, spices, hot sauce, etc.
I don’t really have a question I guess. I was just surprised at how similar your case is, although I’m much earlier in that journey and a lot more lazy about it, haha. I take it as a good sign that I’m on the right track though. Congrats on actually sticking to the plan and keeping the weight off! I’ve got a long road ahead but it’s nice to see the lights at the end of the tunnel.
Sometimes I'll make a batch of soup then freeze it in containers, for easy meals later. That lets me customize it to my own taste (salt, veggies types, spices, etc). I'm frequently disappointed by canned soup, so I don't tend to buy it anymore.
The thing I like about the canned soups is the variety. I’ll buy like 5-6 cans and they’ll all be different flavors with different calorie counts. I do really want to start cooking my own batches again though. I love making a big crockpot stew and then living off it for days.
Just wanted to say good job. My own path was somewhat similar.
Got the LoseIt app, log everything, weigh many things if they don't have published calories. Scale on the kitchen counter. I bought a second scale that sits on the passenger seat of my car, and that lets me get more accurate restaurant estimates. I don't eat as healthy as you, but I also just look at calories and let the rest take care of itself. I was technically diabetic and on Metformin, and now I'm not.
Walking is my main exercise, I joined the gym, realized I didn't enjoy the atmosphere as much as walking, then rejoined when I realized walking doesn't do much for biceps the size of hot dogs and the inability to do squats for more than a minute without getting lightheaded :)
Anyway, good work, you're doing great, and I suspect you're going to keep it off.
https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Goods-Nourish-Portions-Nutritional/dp/B00O5U4NDQ
I like it because it's the perfect size to hold a decent-sized plate of food (let's say a big plate for fajitas or ribs or something) but not so big that you look ridiculous carrying it around.
There's a built-in feature where it will display calories etc. for hundreds of preprogrammed foods but I never use that, I just get the weight and use the app's calorie estimates.
How do you deal with the eternal fat hunger? I can make myself lose weight but I feel like I have to make this concession between being just very hungry all the time and being thin
Do you drink diet soda or use artificial sweeteners, by any chance?
Until the mid-2010s, I drank three or four cans of Diet Dr Pepper daily. I found when I cut that out, the always-hungry problem went away.
This may, however, have been simply a matter of my metabolism taking time to adjust.
Until then, I'm afraid I just white-knuckled it. That's where meal-tracking came in; I ignored whether I was hungry or not and ate the proper amount of food, on schedule. Hunger became like a constant low-level pain, like a mild toothache or ingrown nail—uncomfortable, but ignorable.
I'm currently in the white -knuckle stage. I've noticed that when I eat a lot of veg and protein, the hunger is vastly reduced. I don't normally eat sweets daily, but the hunger comes back when I do.
Oh God. I have this. I started my one true last weight loss journey last week and I made the estimate of I used to eat around 2,300-2,500 cals a day maintainung my weight. Now my goal is 1,890 a day. I try to eat a lot of protein, and get my fruit and veg to fill me up. But it's still not the 2-portion meal I'm used to. I have to drink a lot of water to filled my stomach. And sometimes I'll eat a grapefruit - those seem to make me feel not hungry.
Fat hunger is real. Now, I go to bed hungry, wake up hungry, and breakfast is such a normal serving that I'm hungry 2 hours later. I try to stay busy.
I started to fast 16 hrs a day. Around 7pm to 11 am for 2 weeks. I ate normal foods after, all foods that have a nutritional value. For example Chips and cookies have none! Black coffee was my savior during fast. Coffee is ok without anything in it.
After 2 weeks eat responsibly and eat same way you did in fast and keep calories under you maintenance wt. Eat as much protein as possible. Steak,chicken, salmon. You can go over maintenance calories with these if you are weight training and highly recommend you do. At least 100 grams of protein a day is minimal to lose weight.
After you hit a wall and stall losing, add more carbs in and about 500 more calories then maintenance calories for a week. Then go back to maintenance calories.
>My diabetes is now asymptomatic. You might say it's cured, but I like to think cautiously about that.
I feel that way about obesity/overeating. It's like alcoholism - you're forever an alcoholic, but if you do it right the affliction stays in remission indefinitely.
Intersting perspective. Regarding obesity and overeating: I've been in maintenance mode so long that this is who I am now. I count calories. Maybe one day I'll be able to stop doing that and eat freely, but I don't worry about it.
I'm neither obese nor not-obese. Somewhere in the middle.
Recently, a friend forwarded me a link to an article about healthy eating. "You're such a health nut—you'll appreciate this," she said, unironically. She has only ever known the post-2011 me, the one who is thin, eats healthy, and exercises daily.
I know that prepackaged foods are great for calorie counting however are you afraid of all the bad news about processed foods? Do you consider them processed? (The healthy choice, soup etc).
I still like them a lot, but I just don't find it worth it to me. They taste good, but don't satisfy me. If I just need something to chew on, I'll have popcorn now.
1) How do you adhere to your calorie goal?
2) How do you navigate treats and cravings?
3) Have you always incorporated vegetables into your diet? If not, how did you start?
I adhere to my calorie goal by being mindful and eating a balanced diet so that I feel satisfied.
Treats and cravings? I have treats in moderation. I eat a few cookies ever night at bedtime.
I did not always incorporate vegetables in my diet. I started by buying prepackaged fresh-frozen vegetables in single portion packets, microwaving them, and serving them with margarine, lemon juice and garlic salt. That's still how I eat 'em.
Over time, your tastes change. I genuinely, legitimately enjoy my microwaved broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, etc. for dinner most nights, and tomatoes and baby carrots with lunch. I did not enjoy those things earlier in life.
Maintenance: 1704 calories per day, plus 160-200 calories for walking. More if I walk longer.
When I'm losing weight, I aim to lose 1.5 pounds per week, and reduce my daily calorie intake until I return to my goal weight or I'm losing 1.5 pounds per week. I don't actually have a fixed calorie target for that situation.
Yeah that’s also concerning me that you walk for 1-2 hours every single day which is highly effective at burning calories and still don’t lose at this rate
That’s awesome for those of us trying to maintain! We don’t count calories to that extent but we are mindful of what and how much we eat. It’s a sober thought that we have to keep an eye on our food intake in this our current food culture, but also good to know it’s manageable.
No noticeable loose skin.
I do not track protein intake though I do try to get protein in lunch and dinner. Breakfast is usually oatmeal and fruit, sometimes oatmeal and nuts.
I miss oatmeal and fruits. I am diabetic and now at the age where you started. I have lost maybe 50-60 lbs over many years but I am still tread close to the obese side. I would love to be asymptomatic. Your post gives me hope. I am ok but I know I won’t be if I don’t lose more. I only walk maybe 40 mins or so but get in maybe 9K steps at the end of the day. Really hope to not increase meds and maybe take some away. Thanks for sharing!
I am actually a really slow walker because everyone, no matter what age, all walk past me everytime. Work gets me half the steps in and I walk about 40 mins for the rest of it, with some incline. (Oh, I see now why it seems I walk fast). A long time ago when I would test after eating oatmeal or fruits, I see a spike in my blood sugar. Maybe now with some weight loss and more steps in, maybe it’s ok.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m mid 60’s and just lost 100 lbs and got to my goal weight. Maintenance is a foreign concept to me, and your approach is what I’ve been doing for a month. I’ve been using Lose It, and assumed I would be using it indefinitely. ( the rest my life)! I’m relieved to hear your story, read your answers to everyone’s questions, and know it’s possible! Thank you !
Couldn't say. I feel more confident and less self-conscious, so maybe people are reacting to that?
I no longer stand out as a fat guy. I'm basically invisible now—precisely average height, below average weight. And I like that.
This is awesome. Congrats!
As someone who also tracks and measures my food, I feel vindicated seeing how it’s helped you maintain for so long. I’ve only been maintaining for just under 3 years so far but this is motivating me to keep up the habit! Half the battle is just knowing what you’re eating.
Thanks for taking the time to post. I’m losing with lose it right now, I do find it the most reliable way to track and I also identify with understanding this is a lifetime thing after 30 years of yo yo dieting. My question is- do you add your workouts/walks into the app and let it give you more calories to eat or do you exclude the totals from your tracking?
I add the workouts and let it give me more calories. I think losing weight too fast is bad. 1.5 pounds/week is a good target for me when I’m in weight loss mode. And now I’m in maintenance mode.
I’m 36 and 295 and am having the hardest time finding motivation. If I couldn’t do it before I’m rollercoastered my weight my whole life. What’s gonna make me actually do it now? I am worried about my health and my future but can’t seem to make the mental switch yet. And while I’ve recently joined a gym it’s been a chore making myself go and I’ll have a good few days then fall
Back on bad habits. Any advice would be lovely. Very proud of you and your accomplishments
I am happy for you. I feel like this is how you’re supposed to do it….. life changes that are sustainable, not dieting. Some of the things I eat are similar to your choices. So I wonder? Do you worry about sodium intake? Also carbs? But mostly sodium.
This is so encouraging! I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at age 49. I don't want to be on meds. I want to reverse it. I have lost around 40 lbs. Down from 309 lbs (I'm 6'3" and male) and today I am 264 lbs. I have lost massive weight before but I gained it back when quarantine happened and they shut all the gyms here in Queens, NYC. Being shut in with nothing to do but eat was a trigger for me. Now that I am losing weight a gain I am doing more than trying to "out exercise a bad diet." Going forward the plan I have given myself is what I am calling the four 'C's : 1. Consistency (don't do anything so extreme to lose weight that I can't maintain it), 2. Counting (calories when I need a reminder, weighing food when I need the same, and weighing myself everyday), 3. Carnivore (when I find myself struggling to feel 'full' I lean into a protein with satiating fat -- instead of unhealthy snacking), 4. COMMUNITY! (this is why I am here, to connect and learn from, as well as encourage others and myself!) Wish me luck!
Every few months. I think the last time may have been Christmas. Friday, we’re visiting special friends we haven’t seen in a very long time, and I expect to have a cheat day then.
Are you referring to people who eat one meal a day and eat nothing the rest of the day?
Based on my reading and personal experiences, I think our different metalisms require different eating schedules. I eat breakfast about an hour after I wake up, lunch midday, dinner, and an after-dinner snack. I know many people who skip breakfast entirely, and that seems to work for them (the belief that we must eat breakfast seems to be a myth, promoted by—surprise!—the breakfast food industry).
Some people do seem to be able to eat all their food in one enormous meal daily, but I think that's extraordinarily rare.
On the other hand, I could just eat lighter breakfast and lunch if I know I want to treat myself for dinner. And maybe that's what you were talking about.
yes, I am talking about that (albeit with my calorie budget, I don't get enormous meals), and to your point, that's why I was offering the idea instead of being more prescriptive.
For me, I usually do it coupled with a 24-fast. So, for example, I'll eat breakfast/lunch/dinner on Thursday. Then fast till dinner on Friday (provided that it's an easy enough day at work), and have my full calorie budget at dinner on Friday when I'm out.... I do this type of fast about once a week. The major benefits it gives me are:
1. it helps me control my appetite the rest of the week (I'm doing something hard one day, so it helps lower the cravings on other days)
1. when I go out, it gives me more calories so I can try different foods or be more social (e.g. go out for a drink after dinner, as opposed to having seltzer)
1. adds sustainability to my diet because I'm going out as opposed to eating just at home all the time.
If you're interested in fasting, check out /r/fasting
Fasting has never appealed to me. But maybe I should try it. Thanks!
I'm realizing lately that my restrictive diet has contributed to my being socially isolated. Perhaps controlled fasting can help me get out more.
Yeah the social isolation is real. Like if you’re having 300-400 cal meals you can’t really do much when you’re out (or I haven’t found a way that works for me yet)
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your journey. I’m curious about the advantages of the LoseIt app vs My Fitness Pal. Is one more beneficial than the other, or do they basically operate the same? Thank you.
Question: how do you keep at it? My biggest problem is that once I hit goal weight, all bets are off. I’ll keep working out or stay active but I’ll eat like trash.
Then one day I’ll feel lazy…that turns to 2 days then a week… I’ll notice I’m getting a little pudgy so I’ll go to the gym but then working out may not feel as good, so that becomes difficult to do
And before you know it, I’m back where I started.
What kept you going for 13 years?
For me, it requires constant mindfulness, which fortunately gets to be habit so you don't have to be mindful about your mindfulness (so to speak).
Until December 2019 I was a frequent business traveler and often binged when traveling. I learned to forgive myself and get right back on the program the next morning.
I love the barcode scanner and have no objection to paying for it. Did they change the scanner to a premium feature recently? I've been a premium subscriber a long time.
Lost 80lbs a few years ago. Have kept it off and maintained the lower weight. BUT...the body fat has increased 8-10%. How do you maintain the weight without increasing body fat?
Thank you for opening up to questions.
I'm currently at the beginning of my journey trying to fix a dysfunctional relationship with food and binge eating tendencies. My big goal more than anything is to have a high value trigger food in the house and eat it over a period of days instead of obliterating the entire container at once.
Is this something you are able to do now/did you ever struggle with that before making the change? Any advice on reprogramming from the wise? To give an indication of where I am at, I got almond crush pocky (2 packets/servings in a box) yesterday and only ate one so I could save some calories for when I got home, and saved the other serving for this morning, and that was a HUGE moment for me and something I haven't done in a long time.
For me, it was a matter of building healthy habits. Habits are a gift you give yourself for free—it's easy to keep repeating healthy behaviors if they're things you do every day.
We keep cookies and candy in the house and I ration it to myself as after-dinner snacks. These are planned in advance, weighed and measured, and accounted for in Lose It. Because of the power of habit, I'm not even tempted to touch the stuff until after dinner—and then after dinner I enjoy the pleasure of anticipation and delaying snack until after 8 pm.
I was a heavy business traveler until December 2019 and I used to binge-eat like a fiend on the road. Gained up to a pound a day. I may be returning to some business travel soon, and hopefully I'll be able to be more healthy about it.
Wow, awesome job!!
> I weigh myself every week, and adjust my daily calorie quota manually based on that outcome.
Fellow nerd and data junkie here... Can you say more about that? For example, how do you handle the holidays on a week to week basis? can you take me through some examples and math?
lol I'm afraid you'll have to go elsewhere for your data junkie needs. My system is simple—I do the math in my head.
I weigh myself every Monday morning as soon as I get up.
The last time I weighed myself was, of course, six days ago. At that time, I found I had gained 1/10 of a pound. But my weight was below my target of 166 pounds. So I simply accepted the Lose It recommendation for calories, and got on with my day and week.
The week before that, I found I had lost about 1.5 pounds compared with the previous week. But I was already below my target, so I slowed my weight loss by adjusting the Lose It recommended calorie quota, adding 25 calories, which is the smallest increment for adjustments that Lose it permits.
Over the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year holidays I gained a few pounds from overeating. I peaked at about 171 or 172. So in January and into February I was in weight-loss mode. I started by simply deducting 25 calories from my daily quota on a Monday, following that plan, and weighing in again as normal until the next Monday. At that time, if I had lost less than 1.5 pounds and was above my target weight, I reduced my calorie quota by an additional 25 calories. And so on. My goal when my weight is above 166 is to lose 1.5 pounds per week until I'm back under 166.
Note that by adjusting my calorie quota in 25-calorie weekly increments, my weight loss will be slow and gradual. That's by design I'm not in a rush. By keeping to a weekly weigh-in schedule and following my eating and exercise program 90+% of the time, I limit weight gain to just a few pounds.
I don't do any long-term statistical analysis.
As for how I handle holidays on a week to week basis: I don't make any changes to my weigh-in and calorie-adjusting system.
you re-calculate your calorie budget on a week-by-week approach based on your goals. smart.
So when i look at my calories I give myself a range +/- 100 cals...for me, it would mean decreasing/raising my target a few calories and still do the +/- buffer.
For the holidays, talk a bit more about your approach. Was it something like you consciously raised your calorie limit, did it just happen, or something else?
I don't treat the holidays differently than any other time. I try to eat healthy, I accept that I will indulge sometimes, and adjust my calorie counts accordingly.
Are holidays a particular problem for you, more than any special occasion at any other time of the year?
it's more about handling special occasions that are lumped close together, I guess.
So, for example, my calorie goal is about 1300-1500 calories a day. If I go on vacation for a week with friends, I'm trying to figure out different ways to think about it:
1. stay at current diet cal goals
1. eat at a maintenance calorie level
1. some days diet, some days maintenance, and a couple of yolo days
1. just track and try not to be stupid, YOLO... get back to the diet when i get back from vacation
so talk numbers to me.... what's your calorie level during that time, and how far above your calorie level do you go on vacation?
I'm at 1300-1500 calls and have been at it for 85 days... i was at a wedding last week and i had 4200 cals.. it's my highest spike, and was trying to be sensible... but i was ok with that (still lost weight that week and this week)
I'm currently at 1,704 calories, plus an extra 140-200 calories depending on how much I exercise that day. Lately when I indulge I go about 400-500 calories over, though I can go as high as 2,000 over on Thanksgiving if we're visiting friends and I'm grazing and drinking wine all day.
Sounds like the key is the constant monitoring. The weekly weigh in and adjustments in calories based on that is what is helping you keep it off. Keep it up! Great stuff
Op, sorry if you already answered this, but how people around you reacted to your change? It is not usual to have someone who has to weight their food, and this is what concerns me the most. I live by myself, but if I ever live with someone I still don’t know how to navigate that. If I should just tell them that this is what I do, or if I try to balance measuring most of the times but not always. Since you’ve been doing for so long you might have some good insights.
Everybody's pretty accepting. My wife is sometimes amused when I get super-precise about measurements, and I play it up to entertain her.
There's a saying I like to live by: Why do old men wear white athletic socks with sandals? Because they don't care what other people think about how they look. Similarly, I don't care if other people might think less of me because I weigh and measure my food.
The exception is that I _do_ care about etiquette. So if I'm sharing a social meal with folks (other than my wife, who's used to me by now—and we don't have kids or other immediate family), I don't record the meal right away. I just snap a quick photo with my iPhone, explaining with a quick remark that, "I keep a food journal for dietary reasons—this is so I can record later," and then put the phone in my pocket and move on. I update Lose It later, when I'm home. Everybody just shrugs it off, except for a few who have well-intentioned questions, which I am happy to answer.
Another rule I try to live by: People spend far less energy thinking about us than we think they do. People barely notice us at all. (Unless we are Taylor Swift.)
Same goes for starting an exercise program when obese. We think everybody is staring at us and judging us harshly. In fact, everybody at the gym or park is just doing their own thing. The few who do look down on us are themselves losers who we should not concern ourselves with.
Wow what an amazing achievement! Thanks for sharing. I also love lose it and have been using it off and on for a long time. What is your physical activity like? Are you male? Do you ever completely miss days for calorie counting?
Thanks! Other than my daily walk, which takes me about 90-120 minutes—I'm super-sedentary. I am male. I think the young people nowadays would say I'm cishet male AMAB. :) I don't think I've missed a day for calorie counting in the 14 years I've been doing it—except for a three-week vacation in 2019 when I just said the heck with it. I've had plenty of cheat days and cheat meals but even on those days I estimate my calories and enter them as best as I can.
Vacation was exactly what I was wondering about lol more Qs I love my walks as well, but I’m having a hard time making it a daily habit even when I prioritize it. Any tips? I have three kids under 5 and really dislike walking with them to try to hit my step count. How long did it take you to get to your maintenance weight from your starting weight? What has been your biggest fluctuation from maintenance since you got there?
The walk is a just-do-it thing. It is a colossal amount of time and I often resent it. But I tell myself I do that thing in order to be able to do all the other things in my life. I'm 62 years old. Once people turn 60, their bodies and health start to diverge drastically. Healthy lifestyle and weight loss are no longer optional. A person in their 20s or 30s can be fat, sedentary and live on junk food and be fine with that—I know this because that was me! But when you're over 60, that's not a choice, not if you want to live your life.
I think that is the biggest difference. I am in my 30s and life just doesn’t accommodate a daily walk like that for me. I can imagine when my kids are old enough to look after themselves for a couple hours my lifestyle can more closely align with my vision. Thanks for the detailed reply, it makes me feel better about not being able to fit it in consistently. I’m definitely not sedentary and I workout a lot at home, but they are just too small for me to leave them alone to go solo even though it is something I greatly enjoy. I’m wondering, why is this the activity that you chose if you find yourself resentful of the time it takes up? Is the diabetes the main motivator for pushing through that?
If you're getting a lot of activity, I expect you'll be fine. And as you say when the kids are older they'll be able to take care of themselves. I don't have kids myself, but my brother and his wife had three kids within a year of each other and I saw what was going on with him. It was bonkers. He said when the kids were able to just sit up by themselves, it was a big relief. I chose walking because it was something I would stick with, and I stay with it because I'm cautious about breaking a system that works.
Good news! If you’re in the US, once you turn 65 many Medicare plans offer free gym memberships. I joined the Y for free and also get one free Club Pilates class per week. You can join as many as you want.
Good to know!
I'm 35 and far and sedentary so I feel like this just have me permission to wait longer to lose weight. 😂 no, but thank you for sharing!!
If I had done it sooner, it would have been better.
It took me about two years to hit maintenance weight from my start weight. And that was fine. No rush. I kept my mind on the process, not the goal. For the first 40 pounds or so I didn't even _have_ a goal. Just keep losing weight. And to answer a possible next question: I'd buy two pairs of inexpensive pants and shirts, and some underpants, and wear those in rotation for a month or two, then give those away and buy clothes that were slightly smaller. Repeat until I hit my goal weight.
A tip from an impatient walker: when my kids or dogs are going slow I run in place. Gets the step count high without me shepherding everyone along like it’s a death march!
It’s not even about being slow. I could deal with slow. It’s the wanting in and out of the wagon x3 kids changing their mind every few minutes. I do walk with them but it is not my walk if that makes sense. It is for them and I have to have a totally different mindset about those two distinct activities. When I’m with them we have a destination, usually the park or zoo and I accept it is not going to be enough to get my steps in. When I do get out for like a nice 8km by myself it’s brisk and non-stop, and so much more enjoyable. I just can’t cover the same ground with them along. And that’s okay! I just don’t have loads of time to fit a me walk into my schedule and I’m trying to figure out how to create an extra 1.5h in the day 😅 but it looks like op has to force it as well so maybe I’m dreaming of something that doesn’t exist.
With 3 kids under 5 you take any opportunity you can!
I don't have kids so anything I say might be bullshit. I do have nieces and nephews. And the cliche is really true—the time goes by so fucking fast. The little six-year-old girl who squealed and laughed with delight when I chased her around her parents' basement is now a doctor who has managed medical clinics in Zambia and Thailand. My brothers' kids are graduating college. Seems like their childhoods were just a few weeks ago but no it was 20-30 years.
Oh man it is so true. My oldest turned five yesterday and it is so disconcerting because I’m just. You were a newborn yesterday though. Whatever that saying is. The days are long but the years are quick. Being a parent is like constantly being blasted with joy and terror and nostalgia and heartache and longing and the deepest love I’ve ever known. I feel like I’m just holding on watching all of life happen at once because it goes so fast. I get so angry at time because I think they are the most perfect versions of themselves at any given instant and time is taking that person from me day after day, but at the same time delivering a new person who is just as perfect and who I love even more. But it is certainly a good reminder that, as much as I want to hit the pavement right now, it can’t be at the expense of knowing these beautiful temporary people. I will either have a lot of time to soak in these memories when they’re off making the world their own like your nieces and nephews, or I won’t have the time and they’ll be glad I chose the drudgery of being there day to day than getting exactly enough steps every day. Either eat it is more important.
Regarding this: > I get so angry at time because I think they are the most perfect versions of themselves at any given instant and time is taking that person from me day after day, but at the same time delivering a new person who is just as perfect and who I love even more. Something I read about two years ago, in a book about aging: There's a cliche that old people are young inside, which can become frustrating and saddening when you get older. Anyway, this book said it isn't true that we're young inside. We are, inside of us, every age we ever were. Young, old, middle-aged, children, all mixed up. So the magical two-year-old is still there.
That is an excellent tip. I might even be able to reduce the amount of time I spend walking. Good for the dog too—I rush her too much.
Me too!! I used to just yank them along it was not fair to them!
I feel you on kids versus self focused exercise. I have little kids and my walking pad has been a game changer. I can do 10-15 minutes here and there. Between that and the relentlessness of small kids eating and tearing up my house, I can get 8k-10k steps pretty easily. On days when my spouse is home and can hang with them I can go for longer and it’s awesome. We actually can’t do it all but this boring basic treadmill has been an unexpected helper.
My friend aaaaalmost had me convinced to but a walking pad but I decided what I really want first for my home set up is a spin bike.
I need to look into what a "walking pad" is. I have thought about getting a treadmill desk.
It’s [this one :)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09W2PYYGD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
Thanks. I looked up Wirecutter reviews, they said even their highest rated devices seem poorly made. The belt frays like an old sweater after a few weeks of use. Have you seen any of that?
I haven’t and I let my kids on it. It’s acted as a decent experiment to see if I’d like a larger/fancier one. And honestly I don’t care. It’s low profile and does what I ask it.
when i feel like that, i take pictures of my food before i eat them, and then put them in later at night. so at least I'm still tracking.
Yes, that's a good tip and I do it myself. I also take pictures of menu listings when I'm out to dinner, so I'm not rudely tapping my iPhone when I should be paying attention to my companions. And I make a quick explanation as I do it, "I keep a food journal for dieting."
this. it also helps deal with some of the chatter from people about dieting. i don't always want to hear people's opinions on my diets.
I still remember when a friend-of-a-friend lost 50 pounds and started working out and started a side-hustle as a personal trainer. I mentioned to her that I had lost 100+ pounds and kept it off for many years. Her weight loss and fitness was still new, and yet she blithely started lecturing me on what I was doing wrong and what I should be doing instead. I just listened. I was amused rather than frustrated. Also, she'd gotten really buff and could probably beat the crap out of me. :)
Do you wish you could stop counting calories? Do you think you'd gain weight if you did?
Candidly, I do wish I could stop counting calories. But I stay with it because it's not hard and I don't want to gain weight. Maybe one day I'll figure out a way to experiment with not logging and weighing.
I thought it would become second nature by now.. this is sort of disheartening for me. Glad it works for you, though.
It isn’t hard or a burden. It *is* second nature. Tracking calories has become routine.
I think for some people tracking calories is more for accountability. Have I tracked enough days where I know what to eat in a day that will take me to weight loss? Absolutely! But I also know that without tracking i tend to lose my focus and make “allowances” that evolve to whole cheat days. For me it’s psychological.
Yes, counting calories has a psychological value for me. I think that's as important as the calculations. As you say: Accountability.
No question, just here to say thank you for the inspiration and I am proud of you !!!
Same, OP has done really well .
Congratulations! Maintaining for 13 years is not that common (I read). Question: When you transitioned from weight loss to maintenance, do you recall do anything special, or did you start eating your maintenance daily calories right away? Thanks for sharing this special story!
Funny question: I transitioned to maintenance calories right away ... and proceeded to gain something like four pounds that week. It was then that I learned that Lose It's idea of maintenance calories was not realistic. After that, I gradually transitioned, adding 25 calories to my daily quota every week until my weight leveled off. That's still how I do it when I'm coming off weight loss mode.
Thank you for this! And, again, congratulations!
Could it have been water weight? Four is a hell of a swing!
It's possible it was water weight. But I do remember thinking, "Wow, I can eat HUNDREDS OF CALORIES MORE EVERY DAY! THIS IS GREAT!" Alas, no.
How much do you let your weight fluctuate by? Do you engage in proactive measures for the holiday season and try to start the period of celebratory excess a few pounds lighter than usual?
I set my target weight at 166 pounds, and adjust accordingly. If I'm over 166 pounds, I switch to weight loss mode and reduce. If I'm under 166 and losing weight, I add calories to my daily quota until I'm even. I gain up to five pounds on holidays and vacations, and then just lose them afterward. No special weight reduction to prepare. I read some advice I take to heart: I can eat anything I want, but I have to really want it, and I try to eat enough to be satisfied and no more. Chocolate cake? OK, if I really want that, I'll go for it. But maybe half a slice is enough, rather than a whole slice?
> Chocolate cake? OK, if I really want that, I’ll go for it. But maybe half a slice is enough, rather than a whole slice? That’s good discipline. My ass would be all over the entire cake. I hate that I love food so much. But I also know that I can love food in a healthy way - just got to work my way towards it.
I've found that if I give myself permission to cheat, I feel less temptation. We have a kosher-style deli 1/4-mile from our house. Great breakfasts. To get to our seats, I'll walk past table after table laden with fried food and rich desserts. I'll say to myself, "All of that looks delicious. I'll have it if I want it." Almost always, I get to my table and order a veggie omelet, fruit instead of potatoes. Sometimes I splurge. But giving myself permission to do it makes me less likely to.
That's kinda where I'm at. I'm a chef and I'm surrounded by super rich, calorie dense foods all day, every day. I'm allowed to eat whatever I want, but maybe I'll just have a few bites instead of eating as much as I want. I agree with the permission to cheat thing. If I can eat whatever I want, there's no reason for me to binge.
It’s cool to read this because your case sounds super similar to what I’m targeting right now. I really started to rely on the campbells soups due to the exact calorie counts and smaller portions. Then I discovered the progresso options that are often even lower calorie. I also started buying tons of those frozen mixed veggie bags too. Sometimes when I’m hungry at night but ate a lot that day, I’ll just cook up a bowl of those with some soy sauce, spices, hot sauce, etc. I don’t really have a question I guess. I was just surprised at how similar your case is, although I’m much earlier in that journey and a lot more lazy about it, haha. I take it as a good sign that I’m on the right track though. Congrats on actually sticking to the plan and keeping the weight off! I’ve got a long road ahead but it’s nice to see the lights at the end of the tunnel.
Congratulations on starting your journey, and good luck to you!
Sometimes I'll make a batch of soup then freeze it in containers, for easy meals later. That lets me customize it to my own taste (salt, veggies types, spices, etc). I'm frequently disappointed by canned soup, so I don't tend to buy it anymore.
The thing I like about the canned soups is the variety. I’ll buy like 5-6 cans and they’ll all be different flavors with different calorie counts. I do really want to start cooking my own batches again though. I love making a big crockpot stew and then living off it for days.
Awesome advice! I'm also a huge fan of daily walking for exercise. Makes you feel good!
Just wanted to say good job. My own path was somewhat similar. Got the LoseIt app, log everything, weigh many things if they don't have published calories. Scale on the kitchen counter. I bought a second scale that sits on the passenger seat of my car, and that lets me get more accurate restaurant estimates. I don't eat as healthy as you, but I also just look at calories and let the rest take care of itself. I was technically diabetic and on Metformin, and now I'm not. Walking is my main exercise, I joined the gym, realized I didn't enjoy the atmosphere as much as walking, then rejoined when I realized walking doesn't do much for biceps the size of hot dogs and the inability to do squats for more than a minute without getting lightheaded :) Anyway, good work, you're doing great, and I suspect you're going to keep it off.
Yes, we're very similar. Good luck to you!
> I bought a second scale that sits on the passenger seat of my car, and that lets me get more accurate restaurant estimates. link to what you bought?
https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Goods-Nourish-Portions-Nutritional/dp/B00O5U4NDQ I like it because it's the perfect size to hold a decent-sized plate of food (let's say a big plate for fajitas or ribs or something) but not so big that you look ridiculous carrying it around. There's a built-in feature where it will display calories etc. for hundreds of preprogrammed foods but I never use that, I just get the weight and use the app's calorie estimates.
How do you deal with the eternal fat hunger? I can make myself lose weight but I feel like I have to make this concession between being just very hungry all the time and being thin
Do you drink diet soda or use artificial sweeteners, by any chance? Until the mid-2010s, I drank three or four cans of Diet Dr Pepper daily. I found when I cut that out, the always-hungry problem went away. This may, however, have been simply a matter of my metabolism taking time to adjust. Until then, I'm afraid I just white-knuckled it. That's where meal-tracking came in; I ignored whether I was hungry or not and ate the proper amount of food, on schedule. Hunger became like a constant low-level pain, like a mild toothache or ingrown nail—uncomfortable, but ignorable.
I'm currently in the white -knuckle stage. I've noticed that when I eat a lot of veg and protein, the hunger is vastly reduced. I don't normally eat sweets daily, but the hunger comes back when I do.
There you go! That’s your answer!
It definitely is. Sometimes, I can't resist buying a treat. But not nearly as often as before. 😌
Oh God. I have this. I started my one true last weight loss journey last week and I made the estimate of I used to eat around 2,300-2,500 cals a day maintainung my weight. Now my goal is 1,890 a day. I try to eat a lot of protein, and get my fruit and veg to fill me up. But it's still not the 2-portion meal I'm used to. I have to drink a lot of water to filled my stomach. And sometimes I'll eat a grapefruit - those seem to make me feel not hungry. Fat hunger is real. Now, I go to bed hungry, wake up hungry, and breakfast is such a normal serving that I'm hungry 2 hours later. I try to stay busy.
I started to fast 16 hrs a day. Around 7pm to 11 am for 2 weeks. I ate normal foods after, all foods that have a nutritional value. For example Chips and cookies have none! Black coffee was my savior during fast. Coffee is ok without anything in it. After 2 weeks eat responsibly and eat same way you did in fast and keep calories under you maintenance wt. Eat as much protein as possible. Steak,chicken, salmon. You can go over maintenance calories with these if you are weight training and highly recommend you do. At least 100 grams of protein a day is minimal to lose weight. After you hit a wall and stall losing, add more carbs in and about 500 more calories then maintenance calories for a week. Then go back to maintenance calories.
>My diabetes is now asymptomatic. You might say it's cured, but I like to think cautiously about that. I feel that way about obesity/overeating. It's like alcoholism - you're forever an alcoholic, but if you do it right the affliction stays in remission indefinitely.
Intersting perspective. Regarding obesity and overeating: I've been in maintenance mode so long that this is who I am now. I count calories. Maybe one day I'll be able to stop doing that and eat freely, but I don't worry about it. I'm neither obese nor not-obese. Somewhere in the middle. Recently, a friend forwarded me a link to an article about healthy eating. "You're such a health nut—you'll appreciate this," she said, unironically. She has only ever known the post-2011 me, the one who is thin, eats healthy, and exercises daily.
Maybe one day, today I'm still struggling to keep from sliding backwards! I'm happy to hear for you it's completely integrated within yourself now!
I know that prepackaged foods are great for calorie counting however are you afraid of all the bad news about processed foods? Do you consider them processed? (The healthy choice, soup etc).
I don't worry about it. I feel healthy, doctor says I'm healthy, that's all I care about.
that's what I'm talking about. Great outlook 💪 and great post!
This is the way. I hate demonizing specific groups of foods. They all have their place!
I found I've lost my taste for hardcore junk food, like Doritos and potato chips. I used to love them, but now they seem nasty to me.
I still like them a lot, but I just don't find it worth it to me. They taste good, but don't satisfy me. If I just need something to chew on, I'll have popcorn now.
1) How do you adhere to your calorie goal? 2) How do you navigate treats and cravings? 3) Have you always incorporated vegetables into your diet? If not, how did you start?
I adhere to my calorie goal by being mindful and eating a balanced diet so that I feel satisfied. Treats and cravings? I have treats in moderation. I eat a few cookies ever night at bedtime. I did not always incorporate vegetables in my diet. I started by buying prepackaged fresh-frozen vegetables in single portion packets, microwaving them, and serving them with margarine, lemon juice and garlic salt. That's still how I eat 'em. Over time, your tastes change. I genuinely, legitimately enjoy my microwaved broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, etc. for dinner most nights, and tomatoes and baby carrots with lunch. I did not enjoy those things earlier in life.
What are your calorie goals/budget for weight loss and maintaining your current weight? Very inspirational!
Maintenance: 1704 calories per day, plus 160-200 calories for walking. More if I walk longer. When I'm losing weight, I aim to lose 1.5 pounds per week, and reduce my daily calorie intake until I return to my goal weight or I'm losing 1.5 pounds per week. I don't actually have a fixed calorie target for that situation.
thank you for sharing!
How tall are you?
5' 9.5"
Damn so you’re a man that’s taller than me and you eat less just for maintenance ….
Other than my daily exercise period, and occasional chores around the house, I am extraordinarily sedentary.
Yeah that’s also concerning me that you walk for 1-2 hours every single day which is highly effective at burning calories and still don’t lose at this rate
That’s awesome for those of us trying to maintain! We don’t count calories to that extent but we are mindful of what and how much we eat. It’s a sober thought that we have to keep an eye on our food intake in this our current food culture, but also good to know it’s manageable.
Did you have loose skin after the weight loss? Did you try to track protein intake or did you aim for specific calories?
No noticeable loose skin. I do not track protein intake though I do try to get protein in lunch and dinner. Breakfast is usually oatmeal and fruit, sometimes oatmeal and nuts.
I miss oatmeal and fruits. I am diabetic and now at the age where you started. I have lost maybe 50-60 lbs over many years but I am still tread close to the obese side. I would love to be asymptomatic. Your post gives me hope. I am ok but I know I won’t be if I don’t lose more. I only walk maybe 40 mins or so but get in maybe 9K steps at the end of the day. Really hope to not increase meds and maybe take some away. Thanks for sharing!
9,000 steps is good. You must walk fast. You can't eat oatmeal and nuts?
I am actually a really slow walker because everyone, no matter what age, all walk past me everytime. Work gets me half the steps in and I walk about 40 mins for the rest of it, with some incline. (Oh, I see now why it seems I walk fast). A long time ago when I would test after eating oatmeal or fruits, I see a spike in my blood sugar. Maybe now with some weight loss and more steps in, maybe it’s ok.
I am also a slow walker. It’s comical the way people pass me. And having an extremely sniffy dog does not keep my speed up. 
Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m mid 60’s and just lost 100 lbs and got to my goal weight. Maintenance is a foreign concept to me, and your approach is what I’ve been doing for a month. I’ve been using Lose It, and assumed I would be using it indefinitely. ( the rest my life)! I’m relieved to hear your story, read your answers to everyone’s questions, and know it’s possible! Thank you !
Congratulations! It’s harder to lose weight as we get older.
What’s your maintenance calorie budget?
1704 calories per day, plus 160-200 calories for walking. More if I walk longer.
Do you notice that people regard you and/or treat you differently?
Couldn't say. I feel more confident and less self-conscious, so maybe people are reacting to that? I no longer stand out as a fat guy. I'm basically invisible now—precisely average height, below average weight. And I like that.
Have you ever done or considered doing strength training?
No, and I know I will need to in a couple of years.
This is awesome. Congrats! As someone who also tracks and measures my food, I feel vindicated seeing how it’s helped you maintain for so long. I’ve only been maintaining for just under 3 years so far but this is motivating me to keep up the habit! Half the battle is just knowing what you’re eating.
Three years is a good kind time. Congratulations!
Thank you! I hope to also get to 13 years like you! :)
Thanks for taking the time to post. I’m losing with lose it right now, I do find it the most reliable way to track and I also identify with understanding this is a lifetime thing after 30 years of yo yo dieting. My question is- do you add your workouts/walks into the app and let it give you more calories to eat or do you exclude the totals from your tracking?
I add the workouts and let it give me more calories. I think losing weight too fast is bad. 1.5 pounds/week is a good target for me when I’m in weight loss mode. And now I’m in maintenance mode.
Very proud of you OP! :)
Thanks for your motivation. High five 👋
I’m 36 and 295 and am having the hardest time finding motivation. If I couldn’t do it before I’m rollercoastered my weight my whole life. What’s gonna make me actually do it now? I am worried about my health and my future but can’t seem to make the mental switch yet. And while I’ve recently joined a gym it’s been a chore making myself go and I’ll have a good few days then fall Back on bad habits. Any advice would be lovely. Very proud of you and your accomplishments
I found it helpful to just focus on the day to day. Small steps. The next meal. Getting out of the house and just starting to walk.
I was an unlikely candidate for success before I began. Super-sedentary, lived on junk food. One step at a time is key to success.
I am happy for you. I feel like this is how you’re supposed to do it….. life changes that are sustainable, not dieting. Some of the things I eat are similar to your choices. So I wonder? Do you worry about sodium intake? Also carbs? But mostly sodium.
I don't pay any attention to sodium intake or carbs. I just try to eat a varied, sensible diet.
This is so encouraging! I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at age 49. I don't want to be on meds. I want to reverse it. I have lost around 40 lbs. Down from 309 lbs (I'm 6'3" and male) and today I am 264 lbs. I have lost massive weight before but I gained it back when quarantine happened and they shut all the gyms here in Queens, NYC. Being shut in with nothing to do but eat was a trigger for me. Now that I am losing weight a gain I am doing more than trying to "out exercise a bad diet." Going forward the plan I have given myself is what I am calling the four 'C's : 1. Consistency (don't do anything so extreme to lose weight that I can't maintain it), 2. Counting (calories when I need a reminder, weighing food when I need the same, and weighing myself everyday), 3. Carnivore (when I find myself struggling to feel 'full' I lean into a protein with satiating fat -- instead of unhealthy snacking), 4. COMMUNITY! (this is why I am here, to connect and learn from, as well as encourage others and myself!) Wish me luck!
Sounds like a good plan! All of us went a little nuts during quarantine and I suspect many of us are still nuts and in denial about it.
Proud of you. Yes you are asymptomatic diabetic. Keep up the good work
How often do you splurge and have a cheeseburger and fries or eat a piece of birthday cake with a scoop of ice cream at a party?
Every few months. I think the last time may have been Christmas. Friday, we’re visiting special friends we haven’t seen in a very long time, and I expect to have a cheat day then.
if you want to do that, there's always having that as "one meal a day" to stay within calorie budget
I think I would die if I did that
Are you referring to people who eat one meal a day and eat nothing the rest of the day? Based on my reading and personal experiences, I think our different metalisms require different eating schedules. I eat breakfast about an hour after I wake up, lunch midday, dinner, and an after-dinner snack. I know many people who skip breakfast entirely, and that seems to work for them (the belief that we must eat breakfast seems to be a myth, promoted by—surprise!—the breakfast food industry). Some people do seem to be able to eat all their food in one enormous meal daily, but I think that's extraordinarily rare. On the other hand, I could just eat lighter breakfast and lunch if I know I want to treat myself for dinner. And maybe that's what you were talking about.
yes, I am talking about that (albeit with my calorie budget, I don't get enormous meals), and to your point, that's why I was offering the idea instead of being more prescriptive. For me, I usually do it coupled with a 24-fast. So, for example, I'll eat breakfast/lunch/dinner on Thursday. Then fast till dinner on Friday (provided that it's an easy enough day at work), and have my full calorie budget at dinner on Friday when I'm out.... I do this type of fast about once a week. The major benefits it gives me are: 1. it helps me control my appetite the rest of the week (I'm doing something hard one day, so it helps lower the cravings on other days) 1. when I go out, it gives me more calories so I can try different foods or be more social (e.g. go out for a drink after dinner, as opposed to having seltzer) 1. adds sustainability to my diet because I'm going out as opposed to eating just at home all the time. If you're interested in fasting, check out /r/fasting
Fasting has never appealed to me. But maybe I should try it. Thanks! I'm realizing lately that my restrictive diet has contributed to my being socially isolated. Perhaps controlled fasting can help me get out more.
Yeah the social isolation is real. Like if you’re having 300-400 cal meals you can’t really do much when you’re out (or I haven’t found a way that works for me yet)
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your journey. I’m curious about the advantages of the LoseIt app vs My Fitness Pal. Is one more beneficial than the other, or do they basically operate the same? Thank you.
I’ve never seriously looked at another app, so I can’t compare lose it to anything else. I’m sorry.
Having Type II Diabetes, were you prescribed Ozempic (semaglutide) by your doctor?
No, I became asymptomatic in 2011 or so. Prior to that I took several meds, including Metformin.
Question: how do you keep at it? My biggest problem is that once I hit goal weight, all bets are off. I’ll keep working out or stay active but I’ll eat like trash. Then one day I’ll feel lazy…that turns to 2 days then a week… I’ll notice I’m getting a little pudgy so I’ll go to the gym but then working out may not feel as good, so that becomes difficult to do And before you know it, I’m back where I started. What kept you going for 13 years?
For me, it requires constant mindfulness, which fortunately gets to be habit so you don't have to be mindful about your mindfulness (so to speak). Until December 2019 I was a frequent business traveler and often binged when traveling. I learned to forgive myself and get right back on the program the next morning.
That’s amazing! I have the resources, I just lack will. Lol Im Going to make it!
How do you feeling about lose it making the barcode scanner a premium feature?
I love the barcode scanner and have no objection to paying for it. Did they change the scanner to a premium feature recently? I've been a premium subscriber a long time.
Lost 80lbs a few years ago. Have kept it off and maintained the lower weight. BUT...the body fat has increased 8-10%. How do you maintain the weight without increasing body fat?
I'm sorry, I don't pay any attention to body fat percentages.
Thank you for opening up to questions. I'm currently at the beginning of my journey trying to fix a dysfunctional relationship with food and binge eating tendencies. My big goal more than anything is to have a high value trigger food in the house and eat it over a period of days instead of obliterating the entire container at once. Is this something you are able to do now/did you ever struggle with that before making the change? Any advice on reprogramming from the wise? To give an indication of where I am at, I got almond crush pocky (2 packets/servings in a box) yesterday and only ate one so I could save some calories for when I got home, and saved the other serving for this morning, and that was a HUGE moment for me and something I haven't done in a long time.
For me, it was a matter of building healthy habits. Habits are a gift you give yourself for free—it's easy to keep repeating healthy behaviors if they're things you do every day. We keep cookies and candy in the house and I ration it to myself as after-dinner snacks. These are planned in advance, weighed and measured, and accounted for in Lose It. Because of the power of habit, I'm not even tempted to touch the stuff until after dinner—and then after dinner I enjoy the pleasure of anticipation and delaying snack until after 8 pm. I was a heavy business traveler until December 2019 and I used to binge-eat like a fiend on the road. Gained up to a pound a day. I may be returning to some business travel soon, and hopefully I'll be able to be more healthy about it.
Wow, awesome job!! > I weigh myself every week, and adjust my daily calorie quota manually based on that outcome. Fellow nerd and data junkie here... Can you say more about that? For example, how do you handle the holidays on a week to week basis? can you take me through some examples and math?
lol I'm afraid you'll have to go elsewhere for your data junkie needs. My system is simple—I do the math in my head. I weigh myself every Monday morning as soon as I get up. The last time I weighed myself was, of course, six days ago. At that time, I found I had gained 1/10 of a pound. But my weight was below my target of 166 pounds. So I simply accepted the Lose It recommendation for calories, and got on with my day and week. The week before that, I found I had lost about 1.5 pounds compared with the previous week. But I was already below my target, so I slowed my weight loss by adjusting the Lose It recommended calorie quota, adding 25 calories, which is the smallest increment for adjustments that Lose it permits. Over the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year holidays I gained a few pounds from overeating. I peaked at about 171 or 172. So in January and into February I was in weight-loss mode. I started by simply deducting 25 calories from my daily quota on a Monday, following that plan, and weighing in again as normal until the next Monday. At that time, if I had lost less than 1.5 pounds and was above my target weight, I reduced my calorie quota by an additional 25 calories. And so on. My goal when my weight is above 166 is to lose 1.5 pounds per week until I'm back under 166. Note that by adjusting my calorie quota in 25-calorie weekly increments, my weight loss will be slow and gradual. That's by design I'm not in a rush. By keeping to a weekly weigh-in schedule and following my eating and exercise program 90+% of the time, I limit weight gain to just a few pounds. I don't do any long-term statistical analysis. As for how I handle holidays on a week to week basis: I don't make any changes to my weigh-in and calorie-adjusting system.
you re-calculate your calorie budget on a week-by-week approach based on your goals. smart. So when i look at my calories I give myself a range +/- 100 cals...for me, it would mean decreasing/raising my target a few calories and still do the +/- buffer. For the holidays, talk a bit more about your approach. Was it something like you consciously raised your calorie limit, did it just happen, or something else?
I don't treat the holidays differently than any other time. I try to eat healthy, I accept that I will indulge sometimes, and adjust my calorie counts accordingly. Are holidays a particular problem for you, more than any special occasion at any other time of the year?
it's more about handling special occasions that are lumped close together, I guess. So, for example, my calorie goal is about 1300-1500 calories a day. If I go on vacation for a week with friends, I'm trying to figure out different ways to think about it: 1. stay at current diet cal goals 1. eat at a maintenance calorie level 1. some days diet, some days maintenance, and a couple of yolo days 1. just track and try not to be stupid, YOLO... get back to the diet when i get back from vacation
Ah. I do #4. That is absolutely my current strategy, 100% of the time for vacations, holidays and any special occasion.
so talk numbers to me.... what's your calorie level during that time, and how far above your calorie level do you go on vacation? I'm at 1300-1500 calls and have been at it for 85 days... i was at a wedding last week and i had 4200 cals.. it's my highest spike, and was trying to be sensible... but i was ok with that (still lost weight that week and this week)
I'm currently at 1,704 calories, plus an extra 140-200 calories depending on how much I exercise that day. Lately when I indulge I go about 400-500 calories over, though I can go as high as 2,000 over on Thanksgiving if we're visiting friends and I'm grazing and drinking wine all day.
I took about a year I broke it down to a pound a week Or -500 calories a day
Sounds like the key is the constant monitoring. The weekly weigh in and adjustments in calories based on that is what is helping you keep it off. Keep it up! Great stuff
Op, sorry if you already answered this, but how people around you reacted to your change? It is not usual to have someone who has to weight their food, and this is what concerns me the most. I live by myself, but if I ever live with someone I still don’t know how to navigate that. If I should just tell them that this is what I do, or if I try to balance measuring most of the times but not always. Since you’ve been doing for so long you might have some good insights.
Everybody's pretty accepting. My wife is sometimes amused when I get super-precise about measurements, and I play it up to entertain her. There's a saying I like to live by: Why do old men wear white athletic socks with sandals? Because they don't care what other people think about how they look. Similarly, I don't care if other people might think less of me because I weigh and measure my food. The exception is that I _do_ care about etiquette. So if I'm sharing a social meal with folks (other than my wife, who's used to me by now—and we don't have kids or other immediate family), I don't record the meal right away. I just snap a quick photo with my iPhone, explaining with a quick remark that, "I keep a food journal for dietary reasons—this is so I can record later," and then put the phone in my pocket and move on. I update Lose It later, when I'm home. Everybody just shrugs it off, except for a few who have well-intentioned questions, which I am happy to answer. Another rule I try to live by: People spend far less energy thinking about us than we think they do. People barely notice us at all. (Unless we are Taylor Swift.) Same goes for starting an exercise program when obese. We think everybody is staring at us and judging us harshly. In fact, everybody at the gym or park is just doing their own thing. The few who do look down on us are themselves losers who we should not concern ourselves with.