About 25-30 years ago, I got up to 189 lbs. and lost it and it has never come back. (Have been consistently 170-173 lbs since then) Here is what works for me.
1. Weigh myself every day. (Know this goes against common wisdom). Don't worry too much about 1 day fluctuations. 2 day rises are a little concerning but not huge. A rise over 3 days is bad. However, when weighing myself everyday, I learned what caused my weight to rise and what didn't. (For instance, a chicken marsala dish causes my weight to go down and Chipotle, even stripped of fattening topping makes my weight go up.)
2. You have to understand the pyschology of being hungry. One time I stumbled on the fact that even though I was hungry when I went to bed, I found out that I was not hungry when I woke up. From that point on when I felt like I needed to lose weight my goal was to go to bed hungry (still eating a reasonable amount). I would wake up in the morning and not be hungry and after 3 or 4 days, it becomes a satisfying, positive experience. I realize the idea sounds very hard on the surface, but, at least for me, when I got into it, it was not that hard.
4. Realize that when you are eating less, but reasonable amounts, it may take 4-7 days for your weight to drop. I think your body tries to keep itself stable. However, in these circumstances, once the weight starts to drop it almost drops like a rock.
5. Another thing to keep in mind is that when you are moderately hungry and start to eat things like snacks, sometimes it makes you more hungry --which to me is purely pyschological. I think this classicly happens with food like peanuts. So, now when I am moderately hungry, before I eat, I put a limit on myself and stop although I am even hungrier after starting. Then about 20 minutes later, I realize I am not hungry.
6. I would suggest that you find a way to replace the pleasure the food gives you with something else. Don't feel like you are punishing yourself every day. In exchange for the loss of some food pleasure, treat yourself to other pleasures.
7. I exercise every day, but exercise in my experience is only about a 20% factor in losing weight.
I'm guessing that #3 is the magic bullet? Perhaps someday you'll share.
Good points and what's better is that it works for you. I think that's the point of this thread. Lots of experiences and collective knowledge, some good pointers, competition, and motivation but everyone has to find what works best for them.
For me, I've never dieted. I guess the constant pull between the HS football coach and wrestling coach left an indelible mark. I eat what I eat and fortunately my wife makes mostly healthy meals. I find that for me, weight is only one measure and lifting, running, cardio are all better measures. I would like to be a little leaner than I currently am but I also like chocolate. I can find a healthy compromise.
Although I fully admit that diet is 80% of being a healthy weight, I tend to make workout goals instead. I just eat the good meals the wife makes and try to keep the sweets in moderation. But what I can do physically has always been my measure.
For most of my adult life I was in the military and therefore up early, running several miles, pushups, situps, body weight exercises, lifting, sports, mostly young kids full of testosterone all thinking that they were the toughest gutting through a couple of workouts a day even in 130 degree heat (yes, Kuwait actually gets that hot). A lot of guys get soft when they leave the military because they leave the routine. The point is that we all need some reason or means to get in healthy daily routines. It might be a physical fitness test for some or wanting to be there for the kids/grandkids but it is usually most effective when the reason has more direct meaning to you as opposed to some outward influence. I do it to compete with me. You are getting better or you are getting worse right?
To the point of what works for you, I tried for awhile to stop lifting and focus on running for about a year and half at one point. If I didn't run distance for a week, it was literally like starting my training completely over when I ran again. I'm more of a power lifting and sprint guy naturally than endurance/distance. So I thought I would focus on my weakness. I increased distance to 10 miles and alternated it with a 3 mile every day thinking I would fix this problem. I actually got less toned over that year+. It works for some but not for me. I went back to lifting and less distance. I walked into the gym after a year and half of not lifting and picked up the exact same weight for sets (just fewer reps).
A couple of years ago I went a little nuts on the weights. I was squatting 495 for sets, leg pressing almost 1400, weighted pullups wearing 90 lbs on a chained belt, weighted dips adding 135 and actually had goals for more. Then I hit some overworking issues and learned that I'm not 25 anymore. My body can't do heavy every day and needs more rest nowadays. I had to even completely stop some exercises like weighted dips because it overloads the shoulder at non-natural angle. So I started alternating heavy/light days and building in rest days here and there and ramping up the cardio and flexibility. This so far is allowing me to do what I want without breaking myself down to the point of being out of commission.
My point is that through some trial and error, I have learned and hopefully am still willing to learn what works and doesn't specific to me. Some of you can diet strictly and it works (although it needs to be a lifestyle to keep it working). I like to eat what I eat and probably am only going to tweak the consumption of sweets some. Some of you like to go to the gym to feed off of others there or to hold yourself to it because you are paying for the membership. I'm happy as a clam getting my home gym set up in the basement and going to work whenever I want. I'll get to the goals for specific weights on each exercise and simply add reps and sets from there.
Best to you guys in your efforts. I think the most important thing is the daily effort whatever that is that you are doing. Don't let the scale tell the whole story. Let us know how you're feeling as you progress.
