Diet & Exercise
September 23, 2014 8:52 AM Subscribe
I have asked similar questions in the past, so I apologize if this seems redundant but I am not having any success with shedding the weight.
I am roughly fifty pounds overweight and I don't like how I feel or look right now. I can eat very lightly for breakfast and lunch, but at night I tend to eat way too much. Some of this is related to a medication that I take, but I'm unsure how to counter this other than through sheer willpower.
I have been lifting weights on and off as well as going for walks. I can feel how heavy my body is right now and it makes running and other things difficult.
I have read several diet books from the 4 Hour Body to Body for Life and I'm not seeing any results.
Does anyone have any personal experience with losing a lot of weight and what worked for them? I am open to just about anything as far as getting back into shape and taking off the weight.
I have been lifting weights on and off as well as going for walks. I can feel how heavy my body is right now and it makes running and other things difficult.
I have read several diet books from the 4 Hour Body to Body for Life and I'm not seeing any results.
Does anyone have any personal experience with losing a lot of weight and what worked for them? I am open to just about anything as far as getting back into shape and taking off the weight.
I've lost 23 pounds since approximately Memorial Day. I eat a light breakfast and dinner, with my main meal at lunch. And I've gone "primal" - I mostly eat fruit, veggies, meat, fish, healthy fats, nuts and seeds. Very little in the way of processed carbs, sugar, and dairy. Eating lots of protein and healthy fat keeps me very, very full even though I've cut back on my calorie consumption.
I would say that cutting back on refined carbs, and lowering my consumption of carbs in general, has been the key.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 8:59 AM on September 23, 2014 [5 favorites]
I would say that cutting back on refined carbs, and lowering my consumption of carbs in general, has been the key.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 8:59 AM on September 23, 2014 [5 favorites]
I've had pretty good luck so far with intermittent fasting. I don't eat 3 days a week (excepting coffee) and eat whatever I want the other 4 (within reason). It has made the whole thing less complicated and stressful, and it seems to be working well.
But yeah, a LOT of people say low carb worked for them when nothing else did.
posted by zug at 9:03 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
But yeah, a LOT of people say low carb worked for them when nothing else did.
posted by zug at 9:03 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
There's kind of nothing for it, I'm afraid. At the end of the day you can't lose weight if you are eating too much, and the only way to eat less is by willing yourself not to.
That said, you can kind of trick yourself into eating less through a low-carb, high fat diet. A lot of people have success with this type of diet. They will say it's through magic ketones and hoodoo but really it's because it's hard to get a lot of calories if you cut out carbs altogether unless you are literally drinking oil. Plus dietary fat makes you feel full so you eat less.
If you're not already doing it, keep track of everything you eat so you can see what your problem areas are and finagle your calories and macronutrients. There are many online services for this - I like myfitnesspal but they're all pretty good. The important part is to actually record EVERYTHING, even that snack you had late at night.
posted by Willie0248 at 9:03 AM on September 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
That said, you can kind of trick yourself into eating less through a low-carb, high fat diet. A lot of people have success with this type of diet. They will say it's through magic ketones and hoodoo but really it's because it's hard to get a lot of calories if you cut out carbs altogether unless you are literally drinking oil. Plus dietary fat makes you feel full so you eat less.
If you're not already doing it, keep track of everything you eat so you can see what your problem areas are and finagle your calories and macronutrients. There are many online services for this - I like myfitnesspal but they're all pretty good. The important part is to actually record EVERYTHING, even that snack you had late at night.
posted by Willie0248 at 9:03 AM on September 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
It'd be tough if your major meal is the evening, but part of my 50 lb loss a few years ago was lots and lots of water. Helped fill my stomach and stop those snack-y cravings mid afternoon. Spent a lot of time going pee, but...
posted by straw at 9:03 AM on September 23, 2014
posted by straw at 9:03 AM on September 23, 2014
A hack to keep yourself from being able to overeat at night: protein shakes. I'm using a 25g protein powder and unsweetened vanilla coconut milk, and a whole shake is about 250cal and 14 very filling ounces.
I use it in the morning because I'm apparently a hobbit and will eat from 8am to noon without stopping if I don't pay attention, but you could have one (or half of one) around 4 or 5 and ruin your dinner.
They do make vegan protein powders if you are committed to remaining vegan.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:04 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I use it in the morning because I'm apparently a hobbit and will eat from 8am to noon without stopping if I don't pay attention, but you could have one (or half of one) around 4 or 5 and ruin your dinner.
They do make vegan protein powders if you are committed to remaining vegan.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:04 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Dieting is a very personal thing - what you're willing to do vs. others, and what you can tolerate.
Perhaps you may want to try weight watchers if you want a program to follow and strict guidance on food intake.
An option that worked well for me in the past is intermittent fasting, once or twice a week. I need some sugar in the day otherwise I feel faint, so I have tea with a bit of sugar. But otherwise I tried to pass an entire workday day without eating. On days I just wasn't feeling well enough to do a solid fast, I would only allow myself apples and plain salad, perhaps with chicken breast.
posted by lizbunny at 9:04 AM on September 23, 2014
Perhaps you may want to try weight watchers if you want a program to follow and strict guidance on food intake.
An option that worked well for me in the past is intermittent fasting, once or twice a week. I need some sugar in the day otherwise I feel faint, so I have tea with a bit of sugar. But otherwise I tried to pass an entire workday day without eating. On days I just wasn't feeling well enough to do a solid fast, I would only allow myself apples and plain salad, perhaps with chicken breast.
posted by lizbunny at 9:04 AM on September 23, 2014
Does anyone have any personal experience with losing a lot of weight and what worked for them?
Don't try to do two things. Losing weight and getting in shape are distinct goals that require distinct strategies to achieve. Losing weight requires minimizing calories from all sources, which occurs when you eat an absolutely minimum amount of food. Getting in shape requires exercise and calories to maintain your body's glycogen stores (carbs) and muscle growth (protein). Exercise makes you hungrier, which in combination with the calories necessary for you to get in shape, will generally cause you to lose less weight than caloric restriction alone.
As a practical matter, exercise doesn't burn a lot of calories. Walking and lifting weights are definitely at the lower end of caloric expenditure. I do quite a bit of cycling and occasionally use a power meter, which is as close as possible to directly measuring the body's use of calories. For me, a one hour all-out effort burns about 800 calories. To lose one pound of weight, I would have to do that 4-5 times a week without eating a single bite more of food. If that sounds hard, it's because it is. I can't do it, which is why I don't try to lose weight while also attempting to improve my athletic performance.
For what it's worth, I've lost (significant) weight with both moderate-carb and high-carb diets, and I think the ideal diet is not ketosis-based. You need to find the approach that works for you, and I would encourage you to try any and all approaches rather than picking the latest fad. It's certainly worth trying the latest fad, but ultimately losing weight comes down to reducing your caloric intake below your caloric expenditures, not eating a particular group of foods. Your body is not a perpetual motion machine; if you are not losing weight, you need to reduce your caloric intake. Your body will not operate without calories and those calories will either come from food or your fat. If you are not eating enough food for those calories, they will come from your fat and you will lose weight. I'm stating this because it's easy to lose track of the basis of losing weight - calories out greater than calories in - when focusing on diets. From my experience (and from the medical consensus), there's nothing more to it than calories.
posted by saeculorum at 9:06 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Don't try to do two things. Losing weight and getting in shape are distinct goals that require distinct strategies to achieve. Losing weight requires minimizing calories from all sources, which occurs when you eat an absolutely minimum amount of food. Getting in shape requires exercise and calories to maintain your body's glycogen stores (carbs) and muscle growth (protein). Exercise makes you hungrier, which in combination with the calories necessary for you to get in shape, will generally cause you to lose less weight than caloric restriction alone.
As a practical matter, exercise doesn't burn a lot of calories. Walking and lifting weights are definitely at the lower end of caloric expenditure. I do quite a bit of cycling and occasionally use a power meter, which is as close as possible to directly measuring the body's use of calories. For me, a one hour all-out effort burns about 800 calories. To lose one pound of weight, I would have to do that 4-5 times a week without eating a single bite more of food. If that sounds hard, it's because it is. I can't do it, which is why I don't try to lose weight while also attempting to improve my athletic performance.
For what it's worth, I've lost (significant) weight with both moderate-carb and high-carb diets, and I think the ideal diet is not ketosis-based. You need to find the approach that works for you, and I would encourage you to try any and all approaches rather than picking the latest fad. It's certainly worth trying the latest fad, but ultimately losing weight comes down to reducing your caloric intake below your caloric expenditures, not eating a particular group of foods. Your body is not a perpetual motion machine; if you are not losing weight, you need to reduce your caloric intake. Your body will not operate without calories and those calories will either come from food or your fat. If you are not eating enough food for those calories, they will come from your fat and you will lose weight. I'm stating this because it's easy to lose track of the basis of losing weight - calories out greater than calories in - when focusing on diets. From my experience (and from the medical consensus), there's nothing more to it than calories.
posted by saeculorum at 9:06 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think "sheer willpower" is unfortunately going to be part of the solution but you don't have to do it all alone - are you a member of any weight-loss communities, either online or in real life? They can be really helpful both for keeping you accountable and for helping remind you that you are not alone and that this really is hard. Weight Watchers, Sparkpeople, various subReddits... there are all kinds of weight-loss communities out there.
When you eat a lot at night, is this happening at home or are you going out to eat? For me, when I'm trying to lose weight it's really important to not keep "trigger foods" in the house. If you have specific foods that you habitually snack on/overeat, do not buy them. If they're already in your house, give them away or throw them away (yes, it feels like a waste, but it would be a waste if you ate them too). If you're eating too much at meals, you need to make smaller portions. It's easy to help yourself to an extra cup of rice when it's already cooked; it's harder to do that if you only cooked the amount of food you needed in the first place. (Obviously the difficulty level on this increases the more people you live with/cook for.)
Keeping low-calorie snack foods around helps me a lot too. If I eat a whole pound of baby carrots in a night, eh, so what?
posted by mskyle at 9:09 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
When you eat a lot at night, is this happening at home or are you going out to eat? For me, when I'm trying to lose weight it's really important to not keep "trigger foods" in the house. If you have specific foods that you habitually snack on/overeat, do not buy them. If they're already in your house, give them away or throw them away (yes, it feels like a waste, but it would be a waste if you ate them too). If you're eating too much at meals, you need to make smaller portions. It's easy to help yourself to an extra cup of rice when it's already cooked; it's harder to do that if you only cooked the amount of food you needed in the first place. (Obviously the difficulty level on this increases the more people you live with/cook for.)
Keeping low-calorie snack foods around helps me a lot too. If I eat a whole pound of baby carrots in a night, eh, so what?
posted by mskyle at 9:09 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I have lost 60 pounds by counting calories, using the MyFitnessPal website and iOS app. I haven't changed my diet much, other than eating and drinking less. My main change is that I no longer eat cereal for breakfast, since buttered toast keeps me more sated for fewer calories, and I limit between-meal snacks to the occasional treat.
posted by brianogilvie at 9:12 AM on September 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by brianogilvie at 9:12 AM on September 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
I can eat very lightly for breakfast and lunch, but at night I tend to eat way too much.
It seems that the answer to that problem is to eat more during the day, so you're not as hungry at night. Assuming that you pack a lunch and can control portion sizes - make lunch your big meal. Have a snack in the afternoon, then a light dinner. If you're not eating enough during the day, it's no wonder that you're overeating at night.
posted by donajo at 9:15 AM on September 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
It seems that the answer to that problem is to eat more during the day, so you're not as hungry at night. Assuming that you pack a lunch and can control portion sizes - make lunch your big meal. Have a snack in the afternoon, then a light dinner. If you're not eating enough during the day, it's no wonder that you're overeating at night.
posted by donajo at 9:15 AM on September 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
When I lost 30ish lbs I was eating almost nothing during the day, and my main meal at night. The timing doesn't matter--this worked because my main meal was always at least 70% vegetables. Even if you're ravenously hungry and eat ALL the spinach and lentils, you just can't do that much damage with spinach and lentils, you know?
Moderate exercise actually did help me lose weight despite everyone telling me it couldn't ever. The key was that I kept it moderate enough that I didn't actually need to take in more calories, and it was CONSTANT, not on-and-off.* Trust me, you are probably eating plenty enough to support 40-45 minutes of hard cardio (and I mean hard, not walking) 4-5 days a week. You'll feel hungrier than normal, sure, but you won't die. Drink lots and lots of water.
The hard part is recognizing that this shit is slowwwwwww, especially at first. You might take several months of more or less maintaining (but maintaining is better than gaining, remember!), before you really start seeing a difference. And it is BORING. Going to the gym and working on an elliptical is good for your knees but it is also the most boring thing in existence. So that's where sheer willpower comes in, and, as others have suggested, a community of sorts.
*As it happened I was not trying to lose weight; I was just in a really miserable place where food was not too appealing but the structure of going to the gym was really helpful. I do not recommend replicating this part of the regimen ;)
posted by like_a_friend at 9:19 AM on September 23, 2014
Moderate exercise actually did help me lose weight despite everyone telling me it couldn't ever. The key was that I kept it moderate enough that I didn't actually need to take in more calories, and it was CONSTANT, not on-and-off.* Trust me, you are probably eating plenty enough to support 40-45 minutes of hard cardio (and I mean hard, not walking) 4-5 days a week. You'll feel hungrier than normal, sure, but you won't die. Drink lots and lots of water.
The hard part is recognizing that this shit is slowwwwwww, especially at first. You might take several months of more or less maintaining (but maintaining is better than gaining, remember!), before you really start seeing a difference. And it is BORING. Going to the gym and working on an elliptical is good for your knees but it is also the most boring thing in existence. So that's where sheer willpower comes in, and, as others have suggested, a community of sorts.
*As it happened I was not trying to lose weight; I was just in a really miserable place where food was not too appealing but the structure of going to the gym was really helpful. I do not recommend replicating this part of the regimen ;)
posted by like_a_friend at 9:19 AM on September 23, 2014
You really have asked similar questions several times. What is stopping you from following all the advice you have already been given? It seems like this is a psychological block rather than a physical one--you can identify what behavior might be preventing you from losing weight (eating too much) but aren't able to stop. I think a support group or something like Weight Watchers might be what you need.
posted by chaiminda at 9:20 AM on September 23, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by chaiminda at 9:20 AM on September 23, 2014 [8 favorites]
"Off and on" is not how weight-loss occurs. Track what you're eating now, then make small changes (more protein in the am, more veggies, ymmv). Don't run if it doesn't feel good, focus on an exercise now that prepares you for running if it's truly your goal.
Exercise itself isn't going to hack it without sticking to anything or recognizing/fixing your eating patterns. Reading books does not equal results.
I've lost lots of weight. It was by accountability and not being a stranger to my own body.
posted by lawliet at 9:22 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Exercise itself isn't going to hack it without sticking to anything or recognizing/fixing your eating patterns. Reading books does not equal results.
I've lost lots of weight. It was by accountability and not being a stranger to my own body.
posted by lawliet at 9:22 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
You've identified what you, at least, think is the problem--you're eating too much at night. Whether that's true or not is for you and your doctor/nutritionist to determine (versus, e.g. not enough cardio, or medical causes, etc.)
What are you eating too much of? As mskyle notes, it's hard to eat too much baby carrots. Chips, cookies, pasta, bread, ice cream? Whatever it is, get rid of it. You can't eat too much of it if you don't have any of it in the cupboard. When I'm feeling heavy (my wife and I just kind of pigged out for a couple of months after our baby came), I just eat big salads for dinner, often with lean chicken breast, and the pounds just come off. Provided you're just using a sensible dressing (or no dressing at all), there is really no amount of salad that is too much salad.
And, presumably you've already done this, but no sodas or beer.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:24 AM on September 23, 2014
What are you eating too much of? As mskyle notes, it's hard to eat too much baby carrots. Chips, cookies, pasta, bread, ice cream? Whatever it is, get rid of it. You can't eat too much of it if you don't have any of it in the cupboard. When I'm feeling heavy (my wife and I just kind of pigged out for a couple of months after our baby came), I just eat big salads for dinner, often with lean chicken breast, and the pounds just come off. Provided you're just using a sensible dressing (or no dressing at all), there is really no amount of salad that is too much salad.
And, presumably you've already done this, but no sodas or beer.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:24 AM on September 23, 2014
Best answer: I say this as someone who really does not eat animal products: unfortunately, eating "lightly" for breakfast and lunch and being a vegan means you are basically starving all day and your body rebels/responds by being super hungry at night. If you are not willing to give up veganism (and I understand) at the very least you need to flip your meal structure. Eat fat and protein at breakfast. Like a protein shake with avocado or nut butter. Eat what you would normally eat at dinner first thing in the morning and you'll be sated and happier all day. Then, eat a lighter lunch/dinner.
posted by kate blank at 9:26 AM on September 23, 2014 [12 favorites]
posted by kate blank at 9:26 AM on September 23, 2014 [12 favorites]
You say you eat too much at night. Why is that?
Are you not planning out your meals enough in advance? You should know 90% of what you are eating days, if not a week in advance. When you already have fish and vegetables sitting in the fridge for dinner, chances are that's what you will end up eating. Half the battle is planning.
Are you overrating because you have too much access to food at your house? Then get rid of it. No junk food. No snacks. My fridge pretty much has a week's worth of food and some frozen stuff. People come over and complain that I literally have nothing to snack on. It makes a huge difference.
Are you overrating because of socializing? Well then cut back for awhile. I know it sucks, but your priority for the next 6 months needs to be your health. Passing on beer night and happy hour made a big difference for me. You won't miss it as muh as you think.
Good luck!
posted by whoaali at 9:32 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Are you not planning out your meals enough in advance? You should know 90% of what you are eating days, if not a week in advance. When you already have fish and vegetables sitting in the fridge for dinner, chances are that's what you will end up eating. Half the battle is planning.
Are you overrating because you have too much access to food at your house? Then get rid of it. No junk food. No snacks. My fridge pretty much has a week's worth of food and some frozen stuff. People come over and complain that I literally have nothing to snack on. It makes a huge difference.
Are you overrating because of socializing? Well then cut back for awhile. I know it sucks, but your priority for the next 6 months needs to be your health. Passing on beer night and happy hour made a big difference for me. You won't miss it as muh as you think.
Good luck!
posted by whoaali at 9:32 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed Tim Caulfield's book The Cure for Everything. I've mentioned it before, but he has done a meta-analysis of a lot of weight loss studies (really, a lot) and summarizes thusly (copy/pasting).
Science indicates there are a few small things that work including
- tracking what you eat & weighing yourself regularly [doesn't have to be daily, could be weekly, or just taking body measurements]
- small portion sizes
- avoiding what he calls "poison" foods [junk food with empty calories]
- making sure 50% what you eat is a real fruit or vegetable
So you will have to figure out what works for you inside that structure. For many people, finding some sort of external discipline is the only thing that will work for them. If I were you I'd go back to the previous questions and look at yourself critically and say "Why wasn't I able to put the advice I got there into action?" and try to identify bad patterns of thought or action that might be causing you not to succeed. It's super tough but realistically if what you're doing now isn't working (and I concur, you need more protein food earlier in the day, period) then you have to switch til you find something that is getting results.
posted by jessamyn at 9:33 AM on September 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
Science indicates there are a few small things that work including
- tracking what you eat & weighing yourself regularly [doesn't have to be daily, could be weekly, or just taking body measurements]
- small portion sizes
- avoiding what he calls "poison" foods [junk food with empty calories]
- making sure 50% what you eat is a real fruit or vegetable
So you will have to figure out what works for you inside that structure. For many people, finding some sort of external discipline is the only thing that will work for them. If I were you I'd go back to the previous questions and look at yourself critically and say "Why wasn't I able to put the advice I got there into action?" and try to identify bad patterns of thought or action that might be causing you not to succeed. It's super tough but realistically if what you're doing now isn't working (and I concur, you need more protein food earlier in the day, period) then you have to switch til you find something that is getting results.
posted by jessamyn at 9:33 AM on September 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
(There is also a running theme through your questions where, in each one, you are reading "several" books on the subject. Books aren't actions but it's reaaaaallly easy to trick yourself into feeling like they are. I suggest that step 1 in your process be: NO MORE BOOKS. A huge component of health is being able to really be in your own body. It can be uncomfortable to be in your own body, at first, but it is essential. Stop living in your head and a book, start being present in your body.)
posted by like_a_friend at 9:39 AM on September 23, 2014 [12 favorites]
posted by like_a_friend at 9:39 AM on September 23, 2014 [12 favorites]
Hey, way to want to be in better shape!
Would you be more specific about what you're eating throughout the day. As a number of posters have mentioned, eating lightly during the day can set you up to want to eat everything when you get closer to dinner. As well, if the bulk of your diet is carbohydrates (bread of any kind, hummus, fruit of any kind, most vegetables, etc) your body can get very angry when you are reducing its regular supply of fuel. So knowing what you're eating and how much could help the community diagnose weak points in your approach.
Could you tell us what approaches you've tried with weight loss? Knowing what you've tried might help narrow what could work for you.
Is it a Freudian slip that you said that you've read certain books and not seen results (but not that you actually tried the approaches), or just a textual error?
Many people have success, especially in the early going when success is psychologically so important, with low-carb/ketogenic/primal/etc-style diets. Most people find that early on they can eat whateverthey want as long as they stay under an arbitrary(ish) carbohydrate limit (usually between 10-50g of carbohydrate a day). Just stock your house with appropriate food and go for broke.
Final note: It is possible, though not necessarily incredibly easy, to low-carb on a vegan diet. If that's a route you'd like to go, don't discount going the low-carb rout.
posted by Poppa Bear at 9:40 AM on September 23, 2014
Would you be more specific about what you're eating throughout the day. As a number of posters have mentioned, eating lightly during the day can set you up to want to eat everything when you get closer to dinner. As well, if the bulk of your diet is carbohydrates (bread of any kind, hummus, fruit of any kind, most vegetables, etc) your body can get very angry when you are reducing its regular supply of fuel. So knowing what you're eating and how much could help the community diagnose weak points in your approach.
Could you tell us what approaches you've tried with weight loss? Knowing what you've tried might help narrow what could work for you.
Is it a Freudian slip that you said that you've read certain books and not seen results (but not that you actually tried the approaches), or just a textual error?
Many people have success, especially in the early going when success is psychologically so important, with low-carb/ketogenic/primal/etc-style diets. Most people find that early on they can eat whateverthey want as long as they stay under an arbitrary(ish) carbohydrate limit (usually between 10-50g of carbohydrate a day). Just stock your house with appropriate food and go for broke.
Final note: It is possible, though not necessarily incredibly easy, to low-carb on a vegan diet. If that's a route you'd like to go, don't discount going the low-carb rout.
posted by Poppa Bear at 9:40 AM on September 23, 2014
I will add my voice to the chorus recommending that you increase fat, protein, and fiber intake and reduce sugars and white carbs (bread, rice, potatoes, pasta - prefer whole wheat versions, where applicable). I feel like as a vegan you might already know this, but here are some high fiber/protein veggies that you could focus on: lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, all kinds of beans, kale, spinach, chard... and you should probably use a fair amount of olive oil, or other tasty oil, to increase unsaturated fat content.
If your problem is binge eating whatever is in the house, try not buying any snacks for a while, and make big batches of (legume + whole wheat grain) that you can put in the fridge and then heat up, with a bit of spices, at a moment's notice.
As for this:
That said, you can kind of trick yourself into eating less through a low-carb, high fat diet. A lot of people have success with this type of diet. They will say it's through magic ketones and hoodoo...
I certainly don't endorse "magic ketones and hoodoo," but there are specific reasons that eating foods high in fiber, protein, and fat help regulate your hunger. Essentially it comes down to the speed with which your body can process these things (slowly) vs. the way it processes simple sugars and starches (very quickly). The quick processing leads to spikes and dips in blood sugar and various hormones, while the slow processing leads to a more steady state. I hate to recommend another diet book if you're already deep into such things, but the South Beach Diet is written by a cardiologist and has a pretty detailed explanation of how food selection impacts your blood chemistry in ways that in turn affect your hunger.
Good luck!
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 9:43 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
If your problem is binge eating whatever is in the house, try not buying any snacks for a while, and make big batches of (legume + whole wheat grain) that you can put in the fridge and then heat up, with a bit of spices, at a moment's notice.
As for this:
That said, you can kind of trick yourself into eating less through a low-carb, high fat diet. A lot of people have success with this type of diet. They will say it's through magic ketones and hoodoo...
I certainly don't endorse "magic ketones and hoodoo," but there are specific reasons that eating foods high in fiber, protein, and fat help regulate your hunger. Essentially it comes down to the speed with which your body can process these things (slowly) vs. the way it processes simple sugars and starches (very quickly). The quick processing leads to spikes and dips in blood sugar and various hormones, while the slow processing leads to a more steady state. I hate to recommend another diet book if you're already deep into such things, but the South Beach Diet is written by a cardiologist and has a pretty detailed explanation of how food selection impacts your blood chemistry in ways that in turn affect your hunger.
Good luck!
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 9:43 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I like a big meal at the end of the day.
I've found that (when my life isn't augh off the rails like it is right now) I manage this well by two strategies:
1. The "get home and have dinner instantly" strategy, in which my dinner consists of a sliced apple, a giant fistful of baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and seed or oat-rich crackers in moderation eaten with cheese or something else protein-rich. I eat the apple and carrots first because they are filling.
2. The "cook a large vegetable-heavy thing" strategy, which requires eating baby carrots and a tablespoon of peanut butter before I start so that I don't collapse while cooking. Things I cook: mashed cauliflower with spices and nutritional yeast; grated and stir-fried sweet potato with carmelized onions; sauteed zucchini with sesame oil; summer squash sauteed with garlic and mushrooms; spaghetti squash; black mushroom, black fungus, red bell pepper and tofu skin; napa cabbage with garlic, ginger and soy. Tofu scramble with lots of onion is also good. Basically, you can eat a ridiculous amount of any of those things - as much as you want - without doing too much caloric damage.
The trick for me is to find vegetable dishes that are hot and substantial but still made out of watery vegetables.
posted by Frowner at 9:47 AM on September 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
I've found that (when my life isn't augh off the rails like it is right now) I manage this well by two strategies:
1. The "get home and have dinner instantly" strategy, in which my dinner consists of a sliced apple, a giant fistful of baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and seed or oat-rich crackers in moderation eaten with cheese or something else protein-rich. I eat the apple and carrots first because they are filling.
2. The "cook a large vegetable-heavy thing" strategy, which requires eating baby carrots and a tablespoon of peanut butter before I start so that I don't collapse while cooking. Things I cook: mashed cauliflower with spices and nutritional yeast; grated and stir-fried sweet potato with carmelized onions; sauteed zucchini with sesame oil; summer squash sauteed with garlic and mushrooms; spaghetti squash; black mushroom, black fungus, red bell pepper and tofu skin; napa cabbage with garlic, ginger and soy. Tofu scramble with lots of onion is also good. Basically, you can eat a ridiculous amount of any of those things - as much as you want - without doing too much caloric damage.
The trick for me is to find vegetable dishes that are hot and substantial but still made out of watery vegetables.
posted by Frowner at 9:47 AM on September 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
Also, I find that if I eat a super high-protein meal in the late morning I am usually good until dinner. (I am, unfortunately, sliding off the vegan wagon because cheese is so helpful.) I find that about 1.5 servings of nuts, a couple of hundred calories of cheese, an apple and some vegetables plus maybe a bite of chocolate is a pretty good mix.
posted by Frowner at 9:51 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Frowner at 9:51 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I should've done this before I guess, but I just looked at your posting history and it appears that your "get in shape" / weight loss efforts have really only kicked in in the last 4 months or so. I think another thing that will help is moderating your expectations and being patient - what you're already doing may in fact be working, you just may not be able to see it yet.
If you are absolutely perfect about reducing calories and increasing exercise, you will still only lose a maximum of about 1 - 1.5 pounds per week, so 4-6 per month. TOPS. If you are less than perfect (totally understandable!) it will realistically be more in the 2-3 pounds per month range, so losing 50 pounds is something like a 2 year process - there is absolutely no reason you should have expected yourself to have gotten there already after only trying for about 4 months. Cut yourself some slack, figure out a program you can stick with, and be patient.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 9:53 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
If you are absolutely perfect about reducing calories and increasing exercise, you will still only lose a maximum of about 1 - 1.5 pounds per week, so 4-6 per month. TOPS. If you are less than perfect (totally understandable!) it will realistically be more in the 2-3 pounds per month range, so losing 50 pounds is something like a 2 year process - there is absolutely no reason you should have expected yourself to have gotten there already after only trying for about 4 months. Cut yourself some slack, figure out a program you can stick with, and be patient.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 9:53 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I am feeling your pain, OP and here's one thing I have learned; I cannot change anything until I am really, truly ready.
My own particular psychology + body type + toxic food habits I was raised with + dieting shame have created a perfect storm of Issues for me around food. Some of it was under my control, lots of it wasn't. I have lost weight in the past but then put it on, because I had not dealt with the psychological issues underneath (basically, I would get rid of whatever was bad for me, and then panic and freak out, or feel resentment at the thin gestapo for trying to control me, on top of the normal cravings. Because: Issues).
So, I have tossed my previous failed approaches and focused on One Thing: right now, it's sugar. Getting it out of my life as much as possible, because it is the most addictive thing I eat and the worst for me.
I had a bit of a crisis earlier this month when it came out that artificial sweeteners were as bad in their own way, possibly, for creating fat as actual sugar. Short of having nothing sweet in my life ever (which seems unrealistic) I am undertaking the very tricky task of making sugar as small a part of my life as possible.
While I'm doing that, I'm not worrying too much about carbs (the other thing I need to take care of) because I do not want to trigger the self-destructive panic thing. But many carbs have lots of sugar in them anyway, so I have ended up avoiding at least some of them by default.
I am taking the stairs more, and saying no more, and drinking water more (since diet sodas are no longer good to do) and while I have no spectacular results to report, I am feeling better and more hopeful. Things I used to eat compulsively I can now say no to. That's progress. I don't have so many out-of-control emotions about particular foods. That's progress too.
I have hopes that once I get to a certain point, I can go more low-carb all the time and actually get the weight off. Lowcarb has worked for me in the past, but it does me no good if I freak out again and put the weight back on.
Maybe you have similar issues and the problem is not the type of diet, but the blocks in your brain. Maybe there is a lot of fear and anger and resentment that triggers your overeating. You should spend some time with your thoughts around food, and see if there is some ground work to lay before you take a dieting approach again.
posted by emjaybee at 9:54 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
My own particular psychology + body type + toxic food habits I was raised with + dieting shame have created a perfect storm of Issues for me around food. Some of it was under my control, lots of it wasn't. I have lost weight in the past but then put it on, because I had not dealt with the psychological issues underneath (basically, I would get rid of whatever was bad for me, and then panic and freak out, or feel resentment at the thin gestapo for trying to control me, on top of the normal cravings. Because: Issues).
So, I have tossed my previous failed approaches and focused on One Thing: right now, it's sugar. Getting it out of my life as much as possible, because it is the most addictive thing I eat and the worst for me.
I had a bit of a crisis earlier this month when it came out that artificial sweeteners were as bad in their own way, possibly, for creating fat as actual sugar. Short of having nothing sweet in my life ever (which seems unrealistic) I am undertaking the very tricky task of making sugar as small a part of my life as possible.
While I'm doing that, I'm not worrying too much about carbs (the other thing I need to take care of) because I do not want to trigger the self-destructive panic thing. But many carbs have lots of sugar in them anyway, so I have ended up avoiding at least some of them by default.
I am taking the stairs more, and saying no more, and drinking water more (since diet sodas are no longer good to do) and while I have no spectacular results to report, I am feeling better and more hopeful. Things I used to eat compulsively I can now say no to. That's progress. I don't have so many out-of-control emotions about particular foods. That's progress too.
I have hopes that once I get to a certain point, I can go more low-carb all the time and actually get the weight off. Lowcarb has worked for me in the past, but it does me no good if I freak out again and put the weight back on.
Maybe you have similar issues and the problem is not the type of diet, but the blocks in your brain. Maybe there is a lot of fear and anger and resentment that triggers your overeating. You should spend some time with your thoughts around food, and see if there is some ground work to lay before you take a dieting approach again.
posted by emjaybee at 9:54 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I have successfully lost weight (for five years now) using the Shangri-La diet.
I weigh myself every day. Here is a graph of my weight over time (the dark squiggly line is a 10-day moving average, and the vertical axis is pounds). The sharp downward part marks the beginning of the Shangri-La diet. The graph is up-to-date as of this morning. I lost about 23 pounds – not a huge amount, but successfully keeping it off for five years is an achievement, if I do say so. And the diet is easy.
Send me a private message if you want more information. I'd be happy to correspond with you about it.
posted by alex1965 at 9:57 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I weigh myself every day. Here is a graph of my weight over time (the dark squiggly line is a 10-day moving average, and the vertical axis is pounds). The sharp downward part marks the beginning of the Shangri-La diet. The graph is up-to-date as of this morning. I lost about 23 pounds – not a huge amount, but successfully keeping it off for five years is an achievement, if I do say so. And the diet is easy.
Send me a private message if you want more information. I'd be happy to correspond with you about it.
posted by alex1965 at 9:57 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Track what you eat.
Keep junk food out of the house.
Cut way back on refined carbs.
Track what you eat. (Yes, it's important to do that.)
posted by rtha at 10:07 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Keep junk food out of the house.
Cut way back on refined carbs.
Track what you eat. (Yes, it's important to do that.)
posted by rtha at 10:07 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
PS Related to my message two posts above this one: I'm a vegan for ethical reasons. I didn't have to change my foods in order to follow the diet.
posted by alex1965 at 10:08 AM on September 23, 2014
posted by alex1965 at 10:08 AM on September 23, 2014
Eat a good breakfast and a solid lunch. The reason you're over-eating later in the day is that you've been deprived of food. It's much easier to avoid snacking and make better food choices in general if you're not already feeling hungry and deprived.
While I'm meh on specific types of diets and eliminating particular things, I find that a high-protein breakfast really sets the nutritional tone for the day. Maybe because it's filling, and I don't immediately feel snacky?
posted by Sara C. at 10:09 AM on September 23, 2014
While I'm meh on specific types of diets and eliminating particular things, I find that a high-protein breakfast really sets the nutritional tone for the day. Maybe because it's filling, and I don't immediately feel snacky?
posted by Sara C. at 10:09 AM on September 23, 2014
This might sound like crazy nonsense but apparently some NIH studies have shown that cinnamon is effective in curbing appetite.
I got a jar of those big capsules from like the CVS or wherever and I take two with breakfast and two at lunch and it really does seem to help me feel less insanely hungry and manage what I eat better. My doctor agreed that taking four a day was the right amount and taking them at dinner made it hard for me to sleep (I mean I think) so I don't do that. Some of this might be psychosomatic but seriously, I have found that it really, really helps me be more careful about what I eat and not do that "I had a light breakfast and lunch now I am SO HUNGRY STUFF ALL THE FOOD INTO MY CAVERNOUS MAW MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH" thing that happens to me most of the time when I'm trying to be careful about what I eat.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:19 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I got a jar of those big capsules from like the CVS or wherever and I take two with breakfast and two at lunch and it really does seem to help me feel less insanely hungry and manage what I eat better. My doctor agreed that taking four a day was the right amount and taking them at dinner made it hard for me to sleep (I mean I think) so I don't do that. Some of this might be psychosomatic but seriously, I have found that it really, really helps me be more careful about what I eat and not do that "I had a light breakfast and lunch now I am SO HUNGRY STUFF ALL THE FOOD INTO MY CAVERNOUS MAW MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH" thing that happens to me most of the time when I'm trying to be careful about what I eat.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:19 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I lost substantial weight over three or four months several years ago, and I've maintained the loss, when I just tried to consume the recommended amount of vegetables and fruits and water. It's almost impossible to do, actually! It automatically meant a low-carb diet.
I have a huge sweet tooth so it was hard initially, but I made up for it by eating a lot of sugarless gum and drinking caffeine-free diet Coke. Not exactly exemplary, but this is what helped me.
I think calorie counting is not the solution because it is so effort-intensive as to be unsustainable. Plus I do believe Gary Taubes' affirmation that not all calories are created equal.
I also don't believe exercise is the path to weight loss. Calculate how much work you'd need to do to burn the necessary calories - it's unsustainable. How can your body work that hard and be fed so little? If anything, you walk out of a strenuous workout ravenously hungry and psychologically ready to cheat because you've just been so good, what's a little donut?
It takes incredible willpower and motivation to lose weight through exercise and a reduced calorie intake. It's a fact that only the minority can pull it off, especially long term.
The answer is low carb.
posted by Dragonness at 10:25 AM on September 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
I have a huge sweet tooth so it was hard initially, but I made up for it by eating a lot of sugarless gum and drinking caffeine-free diet Coke. Not exactly exemplary, but this is what helped me.
I think calorie counting is not the solution because it is so effort-intensive as to be unsustainable. Plus I do believe Gary Taubes' affirmation that not all calories are created equal.
I also don't believe exercise is the path to weight loss. Calculate how much work you'd need to do to burn the necessary calories - it's unsustainable. How can your body work that hard and be fed so little? If anything, you walk out of a strenuous workout ravenously hungry and psychologically ready to cheat because you've just been so good, what's a little donut?
It takes incredible willpower and motivation to lose weight through exercise and a reduced calorie intake. It's a fact that only the minority can pull it off, especially long term.
The answer is low carb.
posted by Dragonness at 10:25 AM on September 23, 2014 [3 favorites]
Get out of the house at night. Try and keep yourself as busy as possible. It is common to eat from boredom and habit. If you are busy it changes that dynamic and after a while it is easier to be home with out snacking.
posted by InkaLomax at 10:35 AM on September 23, 2014
posted by InkaLomax at 10:35 AM on September 23, 2014
I just had a whole long, emotional Oprah-esque comment about this eaten in a browser crash, so here's the TL;DR version:
I have lost about 90 lbs in a little over a year. I did this by 1) counting calories with the help of My Fitness Pal and a food scale 2) gradually increasing my everyday activity level with the help of a fitbit 3) as I got healthier, adding in workout sessions, primarily running.
Reason why this worked this time and not all the other times I tried to lose weight: I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and the way I've approached this whole thing is that I needed to teach myself how to eat healthy for the rest of my life, regardless of what the scale said. Accepting that there was never going to be an end date when I'd be done was paradoxically freeing: eating badly for one day isn't the end of the world when you have the entire rest of your life to even it out.
So, bearing that in mind, other rules of thumb that have worked for me:
1) one thing at a time. Don't try and change your whole lifestyle at once; pick one small, positive, un-intimidating thing and work on that until it becomes a habit.
2) don't afraid to experiment and figure out what works for you. It took me 16 weeks instead of 10 to complete my couch to 10k program, because I needed extra rest days to prevent knee soreness. But so what? You're making changes for the ret of your life, and you're going to need knees for that.
3) Having exercise goals is helpful, since it can give you something to measure and aim for apart from the scale. You're going to have good weeks and bad weeks, but maybe the week the scale doesn't move will turn out to be the same one that you finally get your first pull up, you know? A lot of the time, you look back and you don't feel any different inside, and the mirror can always be a cruel mistress, but then you think, "hey, I ran five miles yesterday, and I absolutely could not have done that a year ago" it helps.
When it comes to counting calories, specifically
1) don't deny yourself stuff.
2) focus on staying under for the week, not the day
3) don't lie. At the end of the day, you can't beat the math. If you ate it, count it, as honestly as you can
4) get a scale, it teaches much
5) don't obsess. Sometimes, you're going to have to estimate; you'll be at restaurant, or a party. Just do the best you can and fudge over, not under (see #2)
6) make the easy cuts where you can. Example: I stopped taking sugar with my coffee. I use half a tablespoon of olive oil instead of a tablespoon. 30 calories here, 40 there, it adds up
posted by maggiepolitt at 10:50 AM on September 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
I have lost about 90 lbs in a little over a year. I did this by 1) counting calories with the help of My Fitness Pal and a food scale 2) gradually increasing my everyday activity level with the help of a fitbit 3) as I got healthier, adding in workout sessions, primarily running.
Reason why this worked this time and not all the other times I tried to lose weight: I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and the way I've approached this whole thing is that I needed to teach myself how to eat healthy for the rest of my life, regardless of what the scale said. Accepting that there was never going to be an end date when I'd be done was paradoxically freeing: eating badly for one day isn't the end of the world when you have the entire rest of your life to even it out.
So, bearing that in mind, other rules of thumb that have worked for me:
1) one thing at a time. Don't try and change your whole lifestyle at once; pick one small, positive, un-intimidating thing and work on that until it becomes a habit.
2) don't afraid to experiment and figure out what works for you. It took me 16 weeks instead of 10 to complete my couch to 10k program, because I needed extra rest days to prevent knee soreness. But so what? You're making changes for the ret of your life, and you're going to need knees for that.
3) Having exercise goals is helpful, since it can give you something to measure and aim for apart from the scale. You're going to have good weeks and bad weeks, but maybe the week the scale doesn't move will turn out to be the same one that you finally get your first pull up, you know? A lot of the time, you look back and you don't feel any different inside, and the mirror can always be a cruel mistress, but then you think, "hey, I ran five miles yesterday, and I absolutely could not have done that a year ago" it helps.
When it comes to counting calories, specifically
1) don't deny yourself stuff.
2) focus on staying under for the week, not the day
3) don't lie. At the end of the day, you can't beat the math. If you ate it, count it, as honestly as you can
4) get a scale, it teaches much
5) don't obsess. Sometimes, you're going to have to estimate; you'll be at restaurant, or a party. Just do the best you can and fudge over, not under (see #2)
6) make the easy cuts where you can. Example: I stopped taking sugar with my coffee. I use half a tablespoon of olive oil instead of a tablespoon. 30 calories here, 40 there, it adds up
posted by maggiepolitt at 10:50 AM on September 23, 2014 [6 favorites]
From Feb 2013 to around May 2014, I lost 53 lbs - so it took me a little more than a year to lose a similar amount of weight as what you're looking for. I'd like to lose another 5, but my body's kind of naturally, automatically decided "we're done" (at least for now).
Everyone has their anecdotal tips and suggestions, but I can say that for me, I credit exercise for probably 95% of it. I started out slow - using the elliptical with a resistance of zero, for 20 minutes/3x a week. I've always walked a lot, have gone completely car-less for years, but higher-intensity cardio that got my heart rate up and got me sweating, was critical for me. I gradually upped the resistance+time, and tried to push myself. Picked up running (highly recommend Couch to 5k!) last summer, and ran 6 miles this morning. The point is to continue to try new things, challenge yourself with exercise, and move the goal-post. Even if that means walking a few more blocks, or a walking up that hill. Or go on your walk, and jog the last block. Next week, jog the last two blocks. Each and every week, up the ante just slightly.
I should say that for me, I started exercising not because I wanted to lose weight, but because I was frustrated, angry, and very hurt at someone that's no longer in my life. I needed an outlet to release the anger I felt, and the elliptical filled that void. The benefit of this was that I learned to appreciate the value of exercise completely outside of weightloss - losing weight was really more of a long term side effect. I do think it's important to find some way to appreciate and value exercise for its own sake, and that this is critical to not seeing it as a temporary vehicle to weightloss. Over a year and a half later, working out is still difficult - but it's also a lot of fun. I'm not really losing weight anymore, but mixing up "fun" exercise (zumba!), and more goal-oriented exercise (for me, running) is still enjoyable.
Diet for me wasn't a major issue, but do tend to follow these simple ideas:
- eat mostly plants that still closely resemble how they grow out of the earth. Plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, etc
- make as much of your food from scratch as possible
- eat out rarely - not more than one meal per week
- eat your calories, instead of drinking them
- eat everything in moderation. I firmly believe in not depriving yourself. I grew up in a nutrition-obsessed household, where my dad would take our Halloween candy, and keep cookies/treats locked in a cabinet, and only he had the key. As an adult in charge of my own kitchen, it's taken some time to realize that the cookies aren't going to be taken away from me. I don't have to eat them all now, for fear of them being taken away again. I can have 2 cookies now, and enjoy the hell out of them without feeling guilty. They won't be locked up. And the cookies will still be there tomorrow.
- bad days will happen, with regards to exercise, food, or both. it's ok, and happens to absolutely everyone. don't let it be a dead end - just turn around and try again.
Best of luck on your journey. Most importantly, find a balance that you can sustain. Going slowly but surely is much better, than trying extreme things that leave you frustrated and can make you more prone to giving up. Find something that works for you, that you can even perhaps enjoy, and stick with it.
posted by raztaj at 10:51 AM on September 23, 2014
Everyone has their anecdotal tips and suggestions, but I can say that for me, I credit exercise for probably 95% of it. I started out slow - using the elliptical with a resistance of zero, for 20 minutes/3x a week. I've always walked a lot, have gone completely car-less for years, but higher-intensity cardio that got my heart rate up and got me sweating, was critical for me. I gradually upped the resistance+time, and tried to push myself. Picked up running (highly recommend Couch to 5k!) last summer, and ran 6 miles this morning. The point is to continue to try new things, challenge yourself with exercise, and move the goal-post. Even if that means walking a few more blocks, or a walking up that hill. Or go on your walk, and jog the last block. Next week, jog the last two blocks. Each and every week, up the ante just slightly.
I should say that for me, I started exercising not because I wanted to lose weight, but because I was frustrated, angry, and very hurt at someone that's no longer in my life. I needed an outlet to release the anger I felt, and the elliptical filled that void. The benefit of this was that I learned to appreciate the value of exercise completely outside of weightloss - losing weight was really more of a long term side effect. I do think it's important to find some way to appreciate and value exercise for its own sake, and that this is critical to not seeing it as a temporary vehicle to weightloss. Over a year and a half later, working out is still difficult - but it's also a lot of fun. I'm not really losing weight anymore, but mixing up "fun" exercise (zumba!), and more goal-oriented exercise (for me, running) is still enjoyable.
Diet for me wasn't a major issue, but do tend to follow these simple ideas:
- eat mostly plants that still closely resemble how they grow out of the earth. Plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, etc
- make as much of your food from scratch as possible
- eat out rarely - not more than one meal per week
- eat your calories, instead of drinking them
- eat everything in moderation. I firmly believe in not depriving yourself. I grew up in a nutrition-obsessed household, where my dad would take our Halloween candy, and keep cookies/treats locked in a cabinet, and only he had the key. As an adult in charge of my own kitchen, it's taken some time to realize that the cookies aren't going to be taken away from me. I don't have to eat them all now, for fear of them being taken away again. I can have 2 cookies now, and enjoy the hell out of them without feeling guilty. They won't be locked up. And the cookies will still be there tomorrow.
- bad days will happen, with regards to exercise, food, or both. it's ok, and happens to absolutely everyone. don't let it be a dead end - just turn around and try again.
Best of luck on your journey. Most importantly, find a balance that you can sustain. Going slowly but surely is much better, than trying extreme things that leave you frustrated and can make you more prone to giving up. Find something that works for you, that you can even perhaps enjoy, and stick with it.
posted by raztaj at 10:51 AM on September 23, 2014
I've struggled with my weight since I was a child. I've lost and regained a number of times using well-regarded programs. The only thing that's worked for me in terms of loss, not feeling deprived, and improved health markers all around is a ketogenic diet (very low carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein). It's also allowed me to eliminate a lot of very unhealthy emotional eating issues I had.
I've lost 55 lbs since mid-February and I did it through ketogenic diet alone - no exercise.
I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm forever thankful for a Mefite who posted about it along with the recommendation to visit Reddit's keto boards for info.
posted by quince at 11:04 AM on September 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
I've lost 55 lbs since mid-February and I did it through ketogenic diet alone - no exercise.
I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm forever thankful for a Mefite who posted about it along with the recommendation to visit Reddit's keto boards for info.
posted by quince at 11:04 AM on September 23, 2014 [4 favorites]
I can eat very lightly for breakfast and lunch, but at night I tend to eat way too much.
Stop eating so lightly during the day. Breakfast, in particular, should be packed with protein.
posted by Jacqueline at 11:42 AM on September 23, 2014
Stop eating so lightly during the day. Breakfast, in particular, should be packed with protein.
posted by Jacqueline at 11:42 AM on September 23, 2014
I am just guessing here but I think you are psyching yourself out. Thinking about losing a large amount of weight through "sheer willpower" and not eating sounds like a lengthy form of torture, and no wonder it is intimidating.
I suggest focusing not on any specific diet or exercise routine, but to really focus on the psychological/emotional aspects of weight loss and lifestyle change, or what people call "lifestyle/weight loss hacks". Some of these things have been mentioned above, like joining a community for accountability, not keeping trigger foods in the house, finding other things to do that you can substitute for emotional eating, and eating things that will be more satisfying so that you won't be hungry all the time. Also, setting small goals so that you won't be constantly thinking "fifty pounds, this is going to be impossible and take forever, I might as well just eat this doughnut."
I have a lot of trouble with the psychological aspects of diet myself and I have employed most of the above techniques with success. It definitely does take *some* willpower though, there is no magic shortcut. But you can make it a lot easier on yourself by using some of these strategies. Research has shown that using your willpower strengthens your ability to keep using it (i.e. the more you resist temptation the more able you are to keep resisting it, which is why giving in once for just some little thing can sabotage you big time) but there is also a point of "decision fatigue" where you just get tired of it all and give up and stop making the right choices, and you want to make sure you're not reaching that point and that you're building in enough positive reinforcement for yourself that you don't feel constantly deprived.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 11:46 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I suggest focusing not on any specific diet or exercise routine, but to really focus on the psychological/emotional aspects of weight loss and lifestyle change, or what people call "lifestyle/weight loss hacks". Some of these things have been mentioned above, like joining a community for accountability, not keeping trigger foods in the house, finding other things to do that you can substitute for emotional eating, and eating things that will be more satisfying so that you won't be hungry all the time. Also, setting small goals so that you won't be constantly thinking "fifty pounds, this is going to be impossible and take forever, I might as well just eat this doughnut."
I have a lot of trouble with the psychological aspects of diet myself and I have employed most of the above techniques with success. It definitely does take *some* willpower though, there is no magic shortcut. But you can make it a lot easier on yourself by using some of these strategies. Research has shown that using your willpower strengthens your ability to keep using it (i.e. the more you resist temptation the more able you are to keep resisting it, which is why giving in once for just some little thing can sabotage you big time) but there is also a point of "decision fatigue" where you just get tired of it all and give up and stop making the right choices, and you want to make sure you're not reaching that point and that you're building in enough positive reinforcement for yourself that you don't feel constantly deprived.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 11:46 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I was never overweight, but when I started eating Paleo-ish every extra ounce of fat on me just peacefully melted away, all without me ever being hungry. I was deeply surprised. It made me research the whole subject, and I read a lot on the Keto subreddit. There are vegetarians on there, although I imagine it would be challenging. But my feeling is that it's not necessarily healthy (psychologically or physically) to white-knuckle one's way through a low-fat and low-calorie struggle, when one can eat fat and protein and lose even more weight that way. You are most likely so hungry at night because you are not getting sufficient nutrition earlier in the day. And straining against that is not necessarily needed or productive. (I found this information and experience pretty revolutionary, especially since my "Health" teacher in high school bragged about how she never ate more than 10 grams of fat per day. Striving for that sick number made me very ill, and somehow made me gain weight and puff up in weird ways, that I never quite shook until I started intentionally eating lots of fat. Good luck.)
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 11:50 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 11:50 AM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I use MyFitnessPal which posts how many calories I eat to facebook every night. It helped me shed about 30 lbs last year.
I also do Couch to 5K, which is an interval running program that very slowly builds up your running. I highly recommend it.
posted by rebent at 12:06 PM on September 23, 2014
I also do Couch to 5K, which is an interval running program that very slowly builds up your running. I highly recommend it.
posted by rebent at 12:06 PM on September 23, 2014
Don't rely on sheer willpower or denying yourself. I've lost and regained close to 200 pounds using willpower, eating less and exercising more, diet shakes, and pills. They all "worked", in that I lost weight, and often kept it off for as much as a year. But none truly lasted because they relied on willpower, and I eventually go bored and/or felt deprived. And feeling deprived Always leads to eating more later.
Eating more protein and fat and veggies is always better than eating more sugar and starch. But the biggest single difference for me over time has been exercise. I currently weigh 50 pounds less than my highest weight, and have for a few years. The biggest factor in that is that I try to focus less on weight and more on fitness and strength. Going to Crossfit (or the Y before that) makes me feel better physically and mentally, never feels like deprivation even when it's hard, and gives me something positive focus on. Can I lift more weight? Run farther? Go faster? Those are all things that make me feel good. And feeling good means that while, sure, I'd love to be a size 10, I love my body more than I have since I was a kid.
So while there are Many ways to lose weight, as you can see in these threads, only you can know what works well for you, your psychology, and your body. For me, focusing on being stronger and fitter (and fueling my body for that by trying to eat well), has been far more successful than trying to "lose".
posted by ldthomps at 12:06 PM on September 23, 2014
Eating more protein and fat and veggies is always better than eating more sugar and starch. But the biggest single difference for me over time has been exercise. I currently weigh 50 pounds less than my highest weight, and have for a few years. The biggest factor in that is that I try to focus less on weight and more on fitness and strength. Going to Crossfit (or the Y before that) makes me feel better physically and mentally, never feels like deprivation even when it's hard, and gives me something positive focus on. Can I lift more weight? Run farther? Go faster? Those are all things that make me feel good. And feeling good means that while, sure, I'd love to be a size 10, I love my body more than I have since I was a kid.
So while there are Many ways to lose weight, as you can see in these threads, only you can know what works well for you, your psychology, and your body. For me, focusing on being stronger and fitter (and fueling my body for that by trying to eat well), has been far more successful than trying to "lose".
posted by ldthomps at 12:06 PM on September 23, 2014
Since you read the 4-Hour Body you are familiar with the concept of 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking. This is (According to the author) the single best change you can make to start losing weight. Even if you don't change anything else (or otherwise follow his plan at all).
Just try a small change at first like that. Or quit sodas.
I have had luck on low-carb and am presently having a lot of luck on 4-Hour Body, but everyone's body and routines are different. Lots of good advice here.
posted by getawaysticks at 12:06 PM on September 23, 2014
Just try a small change at first like that. Or quit sodas.
I have had luck on low-carb and am presently having a lot of luck on 4-Hour Body, but everyone's body and routines are different. Lots of good advice here.
posted by getawaysticks at 12:06 PM on September 23, 2014
Do All The Things
Increase the water in your diet, reduce the sugar. Diet soda is oversweet, and I think it messes with your taste buds. If you do drink any soda, use lots of ice and let it get watery. I drink iced tea, sweetened with lemonade, over lots of ice, and water.
Lots of soups that have water and vegetables. There's a popular cabbage soup diet that I don't necessarily recommend, but do make big pots of soups.
Lots of vegetables.
Keep raw vegetables in the fridge, ready to go - sliced peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers. Need a dip? Try plain or balsamic vinegar. Even using ranch dressing is okay sometimes, just try to dip lightly.
Start meal planning with the veg. That helps you build more veggies into your diet.
Learn to eat salad with way less dressing. I make salad in a very big bowl, so I can toss it well and use only a little dressing. Fat free dressing is full of sugar and starch. Use healthy oils, just sparingly. Aromatic oils, like toasted sesame, may help you reduce the oil.
If I make a pan of brownies, I'll eat a pan of brownies. So, I make a pan, individually wrap and freeze them, then I get out individual brownies.
Portion control. Make a batch of stir-fry that could be 2 meals, and I may eat it all. So, clean up the kitchen, and get leftovers into the fridge or freezer. Except for vegetables, so if I'm still feeling hungry, I can polish off the broccoli, not the pasta.
Re-balance recipes. Reduce the hamburg in the spaghetti sauce, add mushrooms, maybe carrots. More sauce and less pasta in a serving. Always try to increase the veg. in a recipe.
Healthier splurges. For me, avocados are a big treat, so instead of dessert, start with an avocado salad, maybe with grapefruit & spinach & Asian dressing. I feel like I had my treat, and it's full of nutrition.
Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. It's very high in calories. Use the same substitution - instead of a martini, have a bloody Mary on the rocks. Adds nutrition and water.
Always have a glass of water nearby.
Use music to increase your energy, walk faster on walks, dance.
Brushing/flossing my teeth after dinner makes me less likely to eat again before I go to bed.
Use a DVR and fast-forward thru all those food commercials that prompt you to eat.
Use a smaller plate or bowl.
Don't keep your irresistible foods in the house. For me, it's potato chips, and after I stopped keeping them at home, I would buy a single serving, but eventually I mostly stopped eating them. If they show up with my sandwich, I can't resist.
Eat plenty of fiber. It helps your body regulate blood sugar.
There's an equally long list of ways to increase exercise. Park farther away from the door, take the stairs, walk or bike instead of drive.
Google Weight loss tips and exercise tips for more.
posted by theora55 at 12:10 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Increase the water in your diet, reduce the sugar. Diet soda is oversweet, and I think it messes with your taste buds. If you do drink any soda, use lots of ice and let it get watery. I drink iced tea, sweetened with lemonade, over lots of ice, and water.
Lots of soups that have water and vegetables. There's a popular cabbage soup diet that I don't necessarily recommend, but do make big pots of soups.
Lots of vegetables.
Keep raw vegetables in the fridge, ready to go - sliced peppers, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers. Need a dip? Try plain or balsamic vinegar. Even using ranch dressing is okay sometimes, just try to dip lightly.
Start meal planning with the veg. That helps you build more veggies into your diet.
Learn to eat salad with way less dressing. I make salad in a very big bowl, so I can toss it well and use only a little dressing. Fat free dressing is full of sugar and starch. Use healthy oils, just sparingly. Aromatic oils, like toasted sesame, may help you reduce the oil.
If I make a pan of brownies, I'll eat a pan of brownies. So, I make a pan, individually wrap and freeze them, then I get out individual brownies.
Portion control. Make a batch of stir-fry that could be 2 meals, and I may eat it all. So, clean up the kitchen, and get leftovers into the fridge or freezer. Except for vegetables, so if I'm still feeling hungry, I can polish off the broccoli, not the pasta.
Re-balance recipes. Reduce the hamburg in the spaghetti sauce, add mushrooms, maybe carrots. More sauce and less pasta in a serving. Always try to increase the veg. in a recipe.
Healthier splurges. For me, avocados are a big treat, so instead of dessert, start with an avocado salad, maybe with grapefruit & spinach & Asian dressing. I feel like I had my treat, and it's full of nutrition.
Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. It's very high in calories. Use the same substitution - instead of a martini, have a bloody Mary on the rocks. Adds nutrition and water.
Always have a glass of water nearby.
Use music to increase your energy, walk faster on walks, dance.
Brushing/flossing my teeth after dinner makes me less likely to eat again before I go to bed.
Use a DVR and fast-forward thru all those food commercials that prompt you to eat.
Use a smaller plate or bowl.
Don't keep your irresistible foods in the house. For me, it's potato chips, and after I stopped keeping them at home, I would buy a single serving, but eventually I mostly stopped eating them. If they show up with my sandwich, I can't resist.
Eat plenty of fiber. It helps your body regulate blood sugar.
There's an equally long list of ways to increase exercise. Park farther away from the door, take the stairs, walk or bike instead of drive.
Google Weight loss tips and exercise tips for more.
posted by theora55 at 12:10 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
for me, losing a lot of weight (around 40 pounds) involved:
(1) Having some sort of system. For me it's calories (which I can calculate in my sleep at this point), and tracking them all day long (yes, it takes a little time, but what would I be doing with that time otherwise? oh -- eating.)
(2) Being obsessive about that system, whatever it is. Getting involved in the details of that system, writing everything you eat in a notebook, whatever it takes. Thinking obsessively about how you want that number on the scale to be lower the next week (I find that weighing every day is too much -- there is too much "noise" based upon what you ate the night before, hormonal fluctuations, etc.). When you are hungry, remind yourself that you're hungry for a reason. Get pictures of how you want to look, maybe some clothes you want to buy, stick them up here and there. When you're hungry all you're thinking is "Want Food." Replace that with, "Want Food But Want To Look and Feel Better MORE." Obsess about your weigh-in. Think about the past number and think how great you're going to feel when the next number is lower. This is an incredible accomplishment and it can be yours!
(3) Accountability. I still get weighed in by another human every week. Some of this is shame-based, but if I didn't get weighed in by another human being I'd still feel shame, so I decided I'd rather embrace the shame and be 4 sizes smaller.
(4) Save enough calories, grams, whatever you're counting (see (1)) for use at night when you are starving. So, if I'm eating 1500 calories a day, I'll save 300 of those for evening starvation, as in, e.g.
-- a FrozeFruit type of bar thing -- 75 calories
-- 2 cups of plain popcorn -- 50 calories or so (depends on the brand)
-- an Alba low-cal shake -- 75 calories
-- a cup of baby carrots -- I forgot
This gives me FOUR snacks in the evening! What you eat depends on what your eating plan is. The point is that every hour you get to HAVE something, and the rest of the time you get to think about how you get to have something pretty soon.
also, as has been said already, drink a lot of water. It will fill you up temporarily. Then drink some more.
(5) Basically you have to shift your definition of what "having" means to you. "Having" now means "having food and not being hungry." You have to shift that to whatever is motivating you to lose weight. What will you *have*? Think about it and write it down. Make it as concrete and specific and literal as you possibly can.
If you feel that you're substituting the wonderfulness of Food for the nothingness of No Food, this is a problem. No human being would do that voluntarily. You must shore up your motivations and they must be meaningful and sustainable to YOU, only you.
posted by DMelanogaster at 12:13 PM on September 23, 2014
(1) Having some sort of system. For me it's calories (which I can calculate in my sleep at this point), and tracking them all day long (yes, it takes a little time, but what would I be doing with that time otherwise? oh -- eating.)
(2) Being obsessive about that system, whatever it is. Getting involved in the details of that system, writing everything you eat in a notebook, whatever it takes. Thinking obsessively about how you want that number on the scale to be lower the next week (I find that weighing every day is too much -- there is too much "noise" based upon what you ate the night before, hormonal fluctuations, etc.). When you are hungry, remind yourself that you're hungry for a reason. Get pictures of how you want to look, maybe some clothes you want to buy, stick them up here and there. When you're hungry all you're thinking is "Want Food." Replace that with, "Want Food But Want To Look and Feel Better MORE." Obsess about your weigh-in. Think about the past number and think how great you're going to feel when the next number is lower. This is an incredible accomplishment and it can be yours!
(3) Accountability. I still get weighed in by another human every week. Some of this is shame-based, but if I didn't get weighed in by another human being I'd still feel shame, so I decided I'd rather embrace the shame and be 4 sizes smaller.
(4) Save enough calories, grams, whatever you're counting (see (1)) for use at night when you are starving. So, if I'm eating 1500 calories a day, I'll save 300 of those for evening starvation, as in, e.g.
-- a FrozeFruit type of bar thing -- 75 calories
-- 2 cups of plain popcorn -- 50 calories or so (depends on the brand)
-- an Alba low-cal shake -- 75 calories
-- a cup of baby carrots -- I forgot
This gives me FOUR snacks in the evening! What you eat depends on what your eating plan is. The point is that every hour you get to HAVE something, and the rest of the time you get to think about how you get to have something pretty soon.
also, as has been said already, drink a lot of water. It will fill you up temporarily. Then drink some more.
(5) Basically you have to shift your definition of what "having" means to you. "Having" now means "having food and not being hungry." You have to shift that to whatever is motivating you to lose weight. What will you *have*? Think about it and write it down. Make it as concrete and specific and literal as you possibly can.
If you feel that you're substituting the wonderfulness of Food for the nothingness of No Food, this is a problem. No human being would do that voluntarily. You must shore up your motivations and they must be meaningful and sustainable to YOU, only you.
posted by DMelanogaster at 12:13 PM on September 23, 2014
oh, while I was typing, theora55 posted something that included something very important to me --- SOUPS.
Make tons of soup just by boiling vegetables (but not potatoes and not beans or other legumes -- they're not low-caloric enough) in some vegetable broth. When you are starving, eat that! over and over again.
posted by DMelanogaster at 12:17 PM on September 23, 2014
Make tons of soup just by boiling vegetables (but not potatoes and not beans or other legumes -- they're not low-caloric enough) in some vegetable broth. When you are starving, eat that! over and over again.
posted by DMelanogaster at 12:17 PM on September 23, 2014
Keto keto keto! Keto is a diet where you eat less than 20g of carbs a day (and that includes sugar and fruits and vegetables). People have immense success on this diet and lose often ten pounds in a month. There's a huge sub forum dedicated to this way of eating on reddit. Just check out the before and after pictures that people post on r/keto.
posted by defmute at 12:19 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by defmute at 12:19 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I* lost about 50 pounds in a year by counting calories 6 days a week, and adding moderate exercise 3 or 4 days a week (commuting by bicycle, 7 miles per day). I did not follow a program--I just used sparkpeople to record progress and have vague calorie suggestions to help me stay alert. I weighed myself every day. I was an omnivore at the time and I did not outlaw desserts, alcohol, or any particular foods, but found that eating loads of veggies and leanish protein was the best way to feel full on my allotted calories. You do not need to be hungry to shrink (though you'll feel weird at first). I went out once a week or so, and used the calorie counter to craft a sensible breakfast and lunch in the context of my plans for the evening.
That is 2011 in a nutshell. Since then I've gone pescetarian** and stayed in a 20 pound range by taking up road cycling in an enthusiastic way (1500 miles/year, not counting commuting). I can't lose weight and get stronger at the same time, because serious exercise makes me Hungry. I spent the past 3 summers getting strong, but after pedaling my butt up endless hills I want to lose more weight so I'm tracking again. The first month is rough because my body thinks it needs endless food and it takes a while to see progress. Actually, any time after a break or disruption is rough; on Sunday I went for a 3 hour ride for the first time in 2 months and now I want to eat everything. Anything. All things.
Getting started was the hardest thing for me. Don't overthink it. However, there is definitely a willpower element to starting a plan, and continuing to follow it--after a 4 year commitment I still hear the siren call of Doritos in the grocery store and my mouth waters when I pass a donut shop in the morning (and occasionally--monthly--I have a bag of chips or a donut or whatever and feel perfectly fine about it). I also struggle with eating in the evening. Getting fat and protein at both breakfast and lunch helps during the day***. I bought a flat of carbonated water to entertain my mouth, moved the chocolate downstairs away from the other food, and do not stock anything that inspires eating with both hands and no brain (chips, creamy carby things like potato salad). I also keep my hands busy (sewing).
*Woman, now 29, 5'11 and burly.
**I hate this word and usually just say "very bad vegetarian who eats fish sometimes".
***My favorite vegan breakfast is overnight oatmeal: each night mix and refrigerate 1 cup soy or other milk, 1/2 cup multigrain oats, flax seed or whatever. Add 1/4 cup nuts in the morning and you can get ~20g protein. For lunch, I like piles of vegetables and tofu with an olive oil dressing. Also, nutritional yeast on everything...Bragg's premium has 3g protein per tablespoon (20 calories).
posted by esoterrica at 12:23 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
That is 2011 in a nutshell. Since then I've gone pescetarian** and stayed in a 20 pound range by taking up road cycling in an enthusiastic way (1500 miles/year, not counting commuting). I can't lose weight and get stronger at the same time, because serious exercise makes me Hungry. I spent the past 3 summers getting strong, but after pedaling my butt up endless hills I want to lose more weight so I'm tracking again. The first month is rough because my body thinks it needs endless food and it takes a while to see progress. Actually, any time after a break or disruption is rough; on Sunday I went for a 3 hour ride for the first time in 2 months and now I want to eat everything. Anything. All things.
Getting started was the hardest thing for me. Don't overthink it. However, there is definitely a willpower element to starting a plan, and continuing to follow it--after a 4 year commitment I still hear the siren call of Doritos in the grocery store and my mouth waters when I pass a donut shop in the morning (and occasionally--monthly--I have a bag of chips or a donut or whatever and feel perfectly fine about it). I also struggle with eating in the evening. Getting fat and protein at both breakfast and lunch helps during the day***. I bought a flat of carbonated water to entertain my mouth, moved the chocolate downstairs away from the other food, and do not stock anything that inspires eating with both hands and no brain (chips, creamy carby things like potato salad). I also keep my hands busy (sewing).
*Woman, now 29, 5'11 and burly.
**I hate this word and usually just say "very bad vegetarian who eats fish sometimes".
***My favorite vegan breakfast is overnight oatmeal: each night mix and refrigerate 1 cup soy or other milk, 1/2 cup multigrain oats, flax seed or whatever. Add 1/4 cup nuts in the morning and you can get ~20g protein. For lunch, I like piles of vegetables and tofu with an olive oil dressing. Also, nutritional yeast on everything...Bragg's premium has 3g protein per tablespoon (20 calories).
posted by esoterrica at 12:23 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
One thing that really helps me is to cultivate, and teach myself to crave, the feeling of emptiness, aka hunger pangs - to persuade myself that there's a lightness and feeling of balance that goes with it, as if my skeleton is better able to engage in motion, and to pretend that my body is grateful to me, even if my bored mouth and brain rebel. It comes eventually with some sustained exercise habit, like walking to work, or daily yoga. For what it's worth.
posted by mmiddle at 1:04 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by mmiddle at 1:04 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
I have much less willpower (1) when it's dark, and (2) when I'm tired. So I go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I'm talking 4am wake-ups. That way I can avoid dealing with all the full force of both of my stressors at the same time: In the morning, it's dark, but I'm not tired. In the evening I'm tired, but I go to bed as soon as it gets dark (obviously, this works even better in the summer).
It's a pretty painful schedule, and I'm not 100%. I bet it would work better if I went to bed even earlier and had a more consistent sleep schedule. But even one night spent sleeping instead of eating is progress, right?
posted by lesli212 at 2:30 PM on September 23, 2014
It's a pretty painful schedule, and I'm not 100%. I bet it would work better if I went to bed even earlier and had a more consistent sleep schedule. But even one night spent sleeping instead of eating is progress, right?
posted by lesli212 at 2:30 PM on September 23, 2014
(Under medical advice and supervision) I eat a clean, low carb diet - by which I mean no sweets at all rather than just replacing with artificial sweeteners and little else that's processed, and a max of 50g of carbs a day - usually around 35. I've been doing this for 2.5 months and have lost 27 pounds. Drinking lots of water is important, and I have been loosely following the ideas of the Ketogenic diet, and upping my fat intake. I've also made sure to exercise at least 15 minutes (almost) every day. I keep track of carbs and calorie intake with a food journal. Two years ago I lost 40 pounds following a very low calorie diet (1200 a day) and was *starving* and crying all the time - and then regained 20 pounds of it. Much happier on the modified keto, much. No blood sugar crashes, rarely feel hungry, meals are satisfying. I do have to plan out each meal ahead and spend a good bit of time on this, but it's seeming to be very worth it.
I agree with other posters who have suggested eating more earlier in the day, and also that getting a handle on your eating and getting fit are two separate beasts. Certainly related, but not the same method or even necessarily the same motive. Also, concerns about how you look are not the same as concerns about how you feel - both valid and can be related, but not necessarily solved with one answer.
Good luck!
posted by AliceBlue at 3:02 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I agree with other posters who have suggested eating more earlier in the day, and also that getting a handle on your eating and getting fit are two separate beasts. Certainly related, but not the same method or even necessarily the same motive. Also, concerns about how you look are not the same as concerns about how you feel - both valid and can be related, but not necessarily solved with one answer.
Good luck!
posted by AliceBlue at 3:02 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Going to add to the chorus - the only thing that worked for me was low-carb. I've now kept 40 lbs off for more than 4 years. In the beginning, go hard-core keto - it will help you stop craving food all the time. Don't try to rely on willpower - when you maintain a steady blood sugar level, you'll suddenly discover that your lack of willpower was a physiological thing, not mental. I understand that you might be vegan for non-health reasons - it is tough to do low-carb as a vegetarian, but not impossible - vegan is even tougher. Consider switching to vegetarian at least for the time it takes to lose the weight - it is easier to maintain. My mother is a vegetarian and lost a lot of weight using a low-carb diet, primarily comprised of eggs, coconut milk shakes, giant salads etc. Remember that you need to up your fat level - a lot of people think of a low-carb diet as low-carb, high-protein, but it's really a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet.
posted by peacheater at 3:05 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by peacheater at 3:05 PM on September 23, 2014 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I lost a lot of weight at one time (50+).
The first thing I did was think of what worked best for me. I found eating the way "The Insulin Resistance Diet" explains helped. You can find the book on amazon or you can do what I did:
Imagine your fist size, that's about how large your tummy is. I scaled back portions so that I'd eat say 1/2 of cup of meat and a 1-2 cup serving of vegetables. I ate beef and chicken, sometimes fish but found that beef kept me full longest. I never fried the meat but roasted and baked it. I ate a very small portion at a time, a few bites say and ate vegetables without dressing or butter. Basically I retaught myself to snack throughout the day rather than sit down to a meal. I ate 2-4 times a day. My time cut off for the last meal was at 6pm and if I slept in and was able to only eat once a day, then so be it - 6pm I still cut myself off. After 6pm I would only munch on raw carrots if I was desperate or I'd drink unsweetened tea. The warm liquid helps to feel full. Water does as well. Carrots burn more calories than they are.
I cut out all pop, store brand (sweetened) tea, flavored water and alcohol. I only drank water and perhaps a one cup serving of milk 'sometimes'. I had an apple a day and also ate about two hard boiled eggs a day. Portion size is what does it, really. Protein keeps you full longer. It's also the combination of protein to carb ratio that causes your body to burn. "The Insulin Resistance Diet" helps explain that. Cutting out all carbs is bad but having too many is devastating unless you gym habitually. Eating all protein is also unsafe and not natural, the body needs small amounts of both to burn, they work together. Fat is okay, but tiny amounts of it and fried food a massive no no. Sugar is also a no no. Steer clear of lowfat sweeteners as well. They are bad for weight loss and do the opposite. Diet pop, especially, will cause weight gain and is horrid for insulin levels. If you must have sugar, only a small teaspoon in your tea or coffee but really those drinks are best without anything, for weight loss.
At the gym I worked out very hard. I was committed. I would ride my bike to the gym, get there and do 15-30 minutes on the elliptical and use the "interval training" method, then on to a few min of the stationary bike, also doing interval but with less intensity. Then I did the full circuit training using the "positive/negative" method - this means I worked all isolated muscle parts forward and backward. I did the circuit 2-3 times without waiting between sets. Instead of doing 2-3 sets of weight and sitting between (huge waste of time and takes up the machines), I would place the weight to where I could only work 10-12 reps before failure. Right after that I would move to the next body part without a break. Then I would do finishing exercises and crunches last.
When I did cardio I also did interval. This means if I were on the elliptical I would change the setting every few minutes to change the level of intensity. Sometimes the machines have "interval" as an option, always choose that so that your body does not get used to the machine or routine.
I would do the work out 2 days on, one day off, three days on, one day off. This way my body got some rest. I felt wonderful. You will not see too many results doing one or the other, you need to change eating habits and work out habits.
Also in the struggle with food, one may have a food addiction. This is an issue with many people who suffer obesity and especially with those who undergo gastric bypass. Many people pop staples trying to lose weight this way because they have not addressed their food addictions. If one does have a food addiction working against them I suggest OA or a therapist.
I wish you the very best of luck. And like my trainer said to me, "Changing ones eating methods and diet is not meant to be fun or a very happy experience. But one gets used to it and learns to eat for survival rather than for boredom, it becomes fulfilling" It's the truth. One thing that helped me stay on my eating program initially was to keep in mind that maybe once a month I could go off of it.
Overall though, being in shape and healthy is a lifestyle change meant to last forever, not just a short time.
I wish you the very very best of luck! I hope you find something that works for you!
posted by Fayrose at 5:41 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
The first thing I did was think of what worked best for me. I found eating the way "The Insulin Resistance Diet" explains helped. You can find the book on amazon or you can do what I did:
Imagine your fist size, that's about how large your tummy is. I scaled back portions so that I'd eat say 1/2 of cup of meat and a 1-2 cup serving of vegetables. I ate beef and chicken, sometimes fish but found that beef kept me full longest. I never fried the meat but roasted and baked it. I ate a very small portion at a time, a few bites say and ate vegetables without dressing or butter. Basically I retaught myself to snack throughout the day rather than sit down to a meal. I ate 2-4 times a day. My time cut off for the last meal was at 6pm and if I slept in and was able to only eat once a day, then so be it - 6pm I still cut myself off. After 6pm I would only munch on raw carrots if I was desperate or I'd drink unsweetened tea. The warm liquid helps to feel full. Water does as well. Carrots burn more calories than they are.
I cut out all pop, store brand (sweetened) tea, flavored water and alcohol. I only drank water and perhaps a one cup serving of milk 'sometimes'. I had an apple a day and also ate about two hard boiled eggs a day. Portion size is what does it, really. Protein keeps you full longer. It's also the combination of protein to carb ratio that causes your body to burn. "The Insulin Resistance Diet" helps explain that. Cutting out all carbs is bad but having too many is devastating unless you gym habitually. Eating all protein is also unsafe and not natural, the body needs small amounts of both to burn, they work together. Fat is okay, but tiny amounts of it and fried food a massive no no. Sugar is also a no no. Steer clear of lowfat sweeteners as well. They are bad for weight loss and do the opposite. Diet pop, especially, will cause weight gain and is horrid for insulin levels. If you must have sugar, only a small teaspoon in your tea or coffee but really those drinks are best without anything, for weight loss.
At the gym I worked out very hard. I was committed. I would ride my bike to the gym, get there and do 15-30 minutes on the elliptical and use the "interval training" method, then on to a few min of the stationary bike, also doing interval but with less intensity. Then I did the full circuit training using the "positive/negative" method - this means I worked all isolated muscle parts forward and backward. I did the circuit 2-3 times without waiting between sets. Instead of doing 2-3 sets of weight and sitting between (huge waste of time and takes up the machines), I would place the weight to where I could only work 10-12 reps before failure. Right after that I would move to the next body part without a break. Then I would do finishing exercises and crunches last.
When I did cardio I also did interval. This means if I were on the elliptical I would change the setting every few minutes to change the level of intensity. Sometimes the machines have "interval" as an option, always choose that so that your body does not get used to the machine or routine.
I would do the work out 2 days on, one day off, three days on, one day off. This way my body got some rest. I felt wonderful. You will not see too many results doing one or the other, you need to change eating habits and work out habits.
Also in the struggle with food, one may have a food addiction. This is an issue with many people who suffer obesity and especially with those who undergo gastric bypass. Many people pop staples trying to lose weight this way because they have not addressed their food addictions. If one does have a food addiction working against them I suggest OA or a therapist.
I wish you the very best of luck. And like my trainer said to me, "Changing ones eating methods and diet is not meant to be fun or a very happy experience. But one gets used to it and learns to eat for survival rather than for boredom, it becomes fulfilling" It's the truth. One thing that helped me stay on my eating program initially was to keep in mind that maybe once a month I could go off of it.
Overall though, being in shape and healthy is a lifestyle change meant to last forever, not just a short time.
I wish you the very very best of luck! I hope you find something that works for you!
posted by Fayrose at 5:41 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Eat more vegetables. Seriously. I'll elaborate though.
I've been seeing a dietitian and this is what I have been doing, with some positive results. For me, we wanted to get away from any form of counting. I was on WeightWatchers in the past and while I think it is a fine system for some people, I have some perfectionist tendencies that made it a bad fit. (I lost a lot of weight but I think it affected my relationship with food.)
1) For every meal, half of the plate gets filled with vegetables of some form. Could be 1/4 plate salad, 1/4 plate something else, or whatever floats your boat.
1b) To ensure that there are always vegetables around, keep a bin of pre-washed, pre-cut vegetables in the fridge at all times. (I do this when I get them home from the store. It's quite handy.)
2) 1/4 of the rest of the plate is protein (beans, lean meat); 1/4 is a starchy carb of some form.
3) The exception to this is breakfast, for which you can divide the plate into equal thirds of each group.
4) I eat roughly every 2-3 hours. Each snack has some form of protein (cheese, yogurt, peanut butter) and some form of carb (fruit, veggies, or something whole grain).
5) At work, I keep a bin of healthy, shelf-stable snacks.
That's the basic gist of it, to which we've added that I stop about 3/4 way through each meal and sit for a minute and think about whether I really need to finish the rest of it. This was a struggle for me--I've always been of the "If it is on my plate, I must eat it" but now I find that I regularly leave food on my plate. Now I don't really have to force myself to pause--I start to realize when I am getting to that point of satiety. It's been quite eye-opening, especially at restaurants.
posted by synecdoche at 7:21 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
I've been seeing a dietitian and this is what I have been doing, with some positive results. For me, we wanted to get away from any form of counting. I was on WeightWatchers in the past and while I think it is a fine system for some people, I have some perfectionist tendencies that made it a bad fit. (I lost a lot of weight but I think it affected my relationship with food.)
1) For every meal, half of the plate gets filled with vegetables of some form. Could be 1/4 plate salad, 1/4 plate something else, or whatever floats your boat.
1b) To ensure that there are always vegetables around, keep a bin of pre-washed, pre-cut vegetables in the fridge at all times. (I do this when I get them home from the store. It's quite handy.)
2) 1/4 of the rest of the plate is protein (beans, lean meat); 1/4 is a starchy carb of some form.
3) The exception to this is breakfast, for which you can divide the plate into equal thirds of each group.
4) I eat roughly every 2-3 hours. Each snack has some form of protein (cheese, yogurt, peanut butter) and some form of carb (fruit, veggies, or something whole grain).
5) At work, I keep a bin of healthy, shelf-stable snacks.
That's the basic gist of it, to which we've added that I stop about 3/4 way through each meal and sit for a minute and think about whether I really need to finish the rest of it. This was a struggle for me--I've always been of the "If it is on my plate, I must eat it" but now I find that I regularly leave food on my plate. Now I don't really have to force myself to pause--I start to realize when I am getting to that point of satiety. It's been quite eye-opening, especially at restaurants.
posted by synecdoche at 7:21 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
Years ago at a particularly stressful/unpleasant job I noticed some extra weight creeping up on me, and I lost it by 1) telling myself "you can't have that" for foods that I knew were especially unhealthy like the giant breakfast muffins I used to buy all the time (I'd have oatmeal instead) and 2) eating a TON more vegetables to fill up on whenever possible - at dinner I'd have a huge, giant, massive bowl of soup that was mostly broth (veggie or miso) with some protein (tofu or egg) and a huge amount of greens. And then not snack after that, usually. But the warm broth and greens were really filling so it wasn't too bad. That's really all I did. Lots and lots and lots of vegetables. Complicated diet plans overwhelmed me.
posted by citron at 8:05 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by citron at 8:05 PM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
My worst weight gain happened when I was eating a more vegetarian diet, because it meant more carbs. My best and easiest progress has come from the following: a low carb protein-focused unrefined diet that allowed for good fats to keep me sated (and I never went overboard crazy with the mindset "as long as it's low carb I can gorge myself!", like, no bacon basketweaving...more like low carb helped me eat smaller meals anyway and not have blood sugar issues that made me want to snack in between meals, so also eating less overall because of it), lifting weights (Starting Strength/5x5 program), high intensity interval training (brief but very intense cardio, limited to 2-3x a week), intermittent fasting, trying to keep stress to a minimum, and getting adequate sleep (sleep was a biggie). Stuff that messes with my hormones and causes ups and downs in terms of blood sugar = no bueno. Yeah, weight loss is personal, but given what you've mentioned and how it sounds familiar from a few years ago to me (the vegan thing, the frustration, the walks--I used to walk a ton combined with the low calorie low fat approach and I felt awful all the time and could not keep weight off and eventually just got bigger and bigger no matter how little I ate), I would suggest giving the low carb thing a chance (admittedly this can be difficult on a vegetarian or vegan diet, at least I found so) and also switching out lots of flatline cardio if that's what you're doing for interval training (swimming, rowing machines, and ellipticals at the gym are easier on joints than stuff like jumping jacks, push ups, or sprinting, since you mentioned that's a concern right now). If you find you're exercising at a level that makes you feel you need to eat significantly more to keep up, you may want to regroup and cut back on it or do something else for a while. Intermittent fasting doesn't seem to work for everyone (and last I read, admittedly years ago, there was some controversy that it might be especially hard/bad for women while working easier for men), but it's definitely helped my husband lose his intense cravings for sugary junk and tendency to overeat at meals, and I've found it helpful too. But the carb thing and getting away from the rollercoaster ride hormone/blood sugar response (and thus cravings) was the most significant thing for me.
posted by ifjuly at 2:23 AM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ifjuly at 2:23 AM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
This worked for me: Strictly no alcohol, no bread (or anything made with flour), no cereal, no rice, no potatoes, no corn, no fruit or fruit juice, no sugar or anything with sugar in it. No processed food of any kind.
It's not particularly enjoyable but it's an easy list of things to remember and it works, surprisingly fast.
It doesn't work if you don't quit bread though. Bread will thwart your efforts, even if you quit everything else.
Unlimited meat, eggs, nuts, lentils and non-starchy vegetables. Really you can eat as much of these as you want and (with exercise) you will lose weight if you quit those other things, and sooner than you might expect.
posted by moorooka at 2:25 AM on September 24, 2014
It's not particularly enjoyable but it's an easy list of things to remember and it works, surprisingly fast.
It doesn't work if you don't quit bread though. Bread will thwart your efforts, even if you quit everything else.
Unlimited meat, eggs, nuts, lentils and non-starchy vegetables. Really you can eat as much of these as you want and (with exercise) you will lose weight if you quit those other things, and sooner than you might expect.
posted by moorooka at 2:25 AM on September 24, 2014
Oh, and to clarify because I see above IF being mentioned in specific ways--it can vary how you choose to go about it. Husband and I do the "8 hour window" thing daily (with 1 day a week off where we don't worry about it or anything else, but don't binge or anything either)--we picked noon to 8pm for when we eat because that works with our schedules. Just to show that it doesn't have to be "don't eat at all for multiple days a week" thing (which is fine, more power to ya if that's your thing), it can vary.
posted by ifjuly at 2:28 AM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ifjuly at 2:28 AM on September 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Gurh, I forgot the other biggie for me I meant to mention in my first comment--yes, a huge factor in losing weight easily was cutting alcohol, soft drinks, and coffee and swapping them out with tea, especially pu erh tea. Becoming a huge tea fanatic probably helped me lose more weight than anything else besides going low carb, and it was easy, pleasurable to do. But obviously you have to like tea, I guess. (And not add a lot of sugary or creamy calories to every cup, or eat a lot of biscuits to go with, or let it keep you up when you should be sleeping.)
posted by ifjuly at 2:31 AM on September 24, 2014
posted by ifjuly at 2:31 AM on September 24, 2014
You lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. Get a food logging app like MyFitnessPal and a food scale. (I'm the same username there, if you want a friend. That goes for any & all MeFits.) Learn to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Weigh everything—even packaged foods.
There are many ways to achieve a deficit, including the aforementioned intermittent fasting and paleo. It will take trial & error to find what works for you. But it all comes down to calories in vs. calories out.
Logging will teach you proper portions and eliminate mindless snacking. You'll see how your breakfast choices affect your lunch & dinner options. Think lifestyle change, rather than diet. Eat "good" (whatever that means to you) 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.
posted by editorgrrl at 10:06 AM on September 25, 2014
There are many ways to achieve a deficit, including the aforementioned intermittent fasting and paleo. It will take trial & error to find what works for you. But it all comes down to calories in vs. calories out.
Logging will teach you proper portions and eliminate mindless snacking. You'll see how your breakfast choices affect your lunch & dinner options. Think lifestyle change, rather than diet. Eat "good" (whatever that means to you) 80% of the time, and fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.
posted by editorgrrl at 10:06 AM on September 25, 2014
I don't have time to read all the responses right now, so I'm not sure if this has already been stated, but: low carb does not work for everyone, and I am someone for whom it was actively harmful. Please be cautious about lowering carbs too much, especially if you are a woman. Research shows that going below about 120 g of carb per day can cause low thyroid function, and this can be very difficult to recover from. If you are going to go the low carb route, decrease carbs sloooowly and stop if you feel ill effects (in my case, extreme fatigue).
But you may find that you don't even need to reduce carbs, just change the type you ingest. Many people find that whole grains and whole fruit give them a steadier blood sugar and leave them less hungry than things like pasta, bread, and fruit juices.
Are you tracking your calories? If not, find a free online tool like nutridiary and be very honest and exacting about weighing and measuring everything, at least for a little while. Many people don't really realize what portion sizes they are eating, or they end up eating a bunch of little snacks that add up to more than they think.
Second suggestion is to amp up the exercise you are doing. Walking is fine and dandy, don't stop, but you may want to add some HIIT (high intensity interval training) to your routine (I can't tell if you're doing a HIIT version of weight-lifting right now, but my guess is not). Ramping up the intensity as much as possible, at least a couple of times a week, really helps me.
posted by mysterious_stranger at 7:55 PM on September 25, 2014
But you may find that you don't even need to reduce carbs, just change the type you ingest. Many people find that whole grains and whole fruit give them a steadier blood sugar and leave them less hungry than things like pasta, bread, and fruit juices.
Are you tracking your calories? If not, find a free online tool like nutridiary and be very honest and exacting about weighing and measuring everything, at least for a little while. Many people don't really realize what portion sizes they are eating, or they end up eating a bunch of little snacks that add up to more than they think.
Second suggestion is to amp up the exercise you are doing. Walking is fine and dandy, don't stop, but you may want to add some HIIT (high intensity interval training) to your routine (I can't tell if you're doing a HIIT version of weight-lifting right now, but my guess is not). Ramping up the intensity as much as possible, at least a couple of times a week, really helps me.
posted by mysterious_stranger at 7:55 PM on September 25, 2014
Re low-carb and thyroid problems: I have hypothyroid, take Synthroid, and so far, I've had no problems doing low-carb. So YMMV. Since I also have insulin resistance, low-carb really is essential for my health.
That said, there are different kinds of carbs, and I think that complex carbs are fine, in moderation, for most people. Legumes, whole grains, and fruit are complex carbs - and they also have plenty of other nutrients.
Simple carbs, aka "white" or processd carbs - THOSE are the villains. I think almost everyone would be fine cutting those out of their daily diet and saving them for occasional treats.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 6:56 AM on September 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
That said, there are different kinds of carbs, and I think that complex carbs are fine, in moderation, for most people. Legumes, whole grains, and fruit are complex carbs - and they also have plenty of other nutrients.
Simple carbs, aka "white" or processd carbs - THOSE are the villains. I think almost everyone would be fine cutting those out of their daily diet and saving them for occasional treats.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 6:56 AM on September 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
I exercised literally every day and never dropped a pound while I was still eating a lot of carbs. I literally haven't exercised at all while being low-carb and I dropped 25 pounds. It really is about diet.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 8:58 AM on September 23, 2014 [27 favorites]