Advice/tips for losing 15+ pounds?

I walk a lot…have for years. I’m one of those people who has no issue with their BMI but always thought it would be “nice” if I lost 5-10 lbs. However I wasn’t willing to change my eating.

Then last year DH and I decided to get aligners to straighten our teeth. (I wore braces as a kid but noticed my teeth were shifting and figured now was the time.) I think I mentioned it on the Christmas gift thread.

Anyway, we were told many people lose weight with aligners because you’re supposed to wear the trays about 20 hrs/day. You take them out to eat or drink anything (water is the exception). Then you need to brush your teeth. Flossing is recommended if you ate food.

Note: If you’re at a restaurant drinking/swishing with water and putting your trays in is fine until you can brush and floss.

Well after about 5 months I’ve lost at least 5 lbs (probably closer to 10) and believe I’ll be able to keep it off. I’ve eliminated snacking because frankly I’m too lazy and want to avoid having to brush and floss my teeth. We were already used to eating out at restaurants less frequently due to Covid and that helps too. (Pre-Covid we’d eat out multiple times a week…like maybe 3 times a week.)

I’m actually done with my trays and into my retainer phase. I was told to continue wearing them like I did the trays for 3 months and after that I only need to wear them at night. During the “nights only” phase I plan on putting the retainers in right after my dinner brush/floss routine so I don’t snack.

The kinda crazy part of this whole thing was on our return trip from Hawaii on United, I had opted for the healthy option rather than the egg breakfast…so uncharacteristic of me. I got overnight oats with fresh fruit and loved it! So I googled it and started making it regularly at home.

Now I always have a mason jar with it in the fridge. I find it keeps me satiated for a long time. A little bit goes a long way for me so I don’t eat a whole jar at a time. I just take a couple of big spoonfuls with chopped walnuts and some fruit (fresh, frozen are dried) and I don’t seem to get hungry. It’s been my dessert and snack buster. Lol.

Lastly it helps that DH is also doing the aligner thing with me. I feel like I’m less inclined to fall back into old habits since he won’t be in the retainer phase for quite awhile. I’m hopeful this is my new normal. Lol.

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I eliminated snacking by having a cup of coffee when I felt hungry. Most of the time I was no longer hungry after I drank it.

Exercise every day. At least a walk around the block. You can do exercise snacks throughout the day. Once an hour do something, including those squats @sushiritto mentioned upthread.

Portion control - Americans have a really messed up idea of what a portion is. For me (average size woman) 4 oz of protein per meal, a big pile of cooked and/or raw vegetable, limited amount of high carb food. (If I did more intense exercise that probably wouldn’t be enough protein.) I have 1/2 a mini-bagel or English muffin for breakfast because if I don’t, I miss bread, but I rarely eat bread otherwise.

Limit desserts. Cakes and pies are for holidays and occasional weekend indulgences - if we have a get together or kids are visiting. We eat one piece of chocolate while watching TV.

When I originally decided to lose weight many years ago, I basically figured out how many calories I would theoretically need to lose about 1/2 a pound a week. Eventually when I weighed less that was the amount I needed to stay at that weight. I used a food tracker app for about a year.

Restaurant meals are a killer - they are full of salt so you just gain 2 pounds from looking at them! Our son was with us this weekend and we ate out with BIL earlier this week and there was a lot of food cooked by others. Even eating just appetizers, or taking half home is still sometimes eating more than I actually need to.

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I found I lost weight when I cut out processed foods (to the extent possible). Making things from scratch doesn’t realty take that much more time, but it cuts out a lot of junky additives.

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I guess I can’t say I diligently “keep it off” but I do lose it. For me the culprit is a combination of a love of soda combined with extended periods of inactivity. My weight can survive one or the other, but both take me over where I’d like to be.

When I get too heavy, I cut out soda altogether and I do a little more physical activity. Mostly it’s walking. Walking, walking and walking some more.

A couple of months ago, in preparation for a trip with my son, I made a plan to lose 20 pounds. I stopped with the sugar-water, started walking a few miles every day, and after 22 days or so, I’d lost 16 pounds.

My problem is after a year or two, I’ll start drinking soda again. Then when I slow my physical activity again, the pounds come back. So far though, it’s easy enough for me and I’m not craving the sugar rush, so maybe I can maintain this time.

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My husband tried diets for years. Always ended up gaining back more eventually than he lost. He kept a notebook once of everything he ate and did calorie counting. None of it sustainable.

So a few years ago (as we were eating steak) I told him that Dr. Phil said a portion of steak shouldn’t be bigger than the palm of your hand (which is pretty small). It was like a lightbulb moment.
I bought a kitchen scale which was a game changer. He weighed everything–how many potato chips in an ounce? 4 oz. of meat? That was 40 plus pounds ago. It wasn’t overnight (more like 18-24 months) but the weight hasn’t been regained over several years now and it’s easy to maintain. Eats whatever he likes so never feels deprived–just less of it. Vacations or eating out can kill it but then it’s “salad night” for a few dinners.

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I have a friend who goes for a walk every time she’s thinking she might reach for a snack. She said she was eating as a form of “sensory stimulation” and that going for a quick, brisk walk actually provided her with what she wanted. Instead of taste on the tongue, it was air on the face and a change of scenery.

I have friends who knit and do needlepoint because they were eating out of boredom and also because hands that are engaged in this type of activities are not busy popping peanuts or bon bons into the mouth.

I think it’s important to work out why you are consuming more calories than you need as many of the suggestions here will be effective depending on the root cause.

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@badgolfer I think you have to share a little more about your personal situation.

We can all tell you all about how we lost/kept off 5/15/50 pounds but you know, we all operate differently!

Your approximate age (again, I’m not sure if you’re a student or an adult - sorry for that!)
Your current weight stature - are you looking to lose that last 15 to be happy or is 15 simply a first aim?
Any dietary restrictions? Dietary habits in terms of how/when/what you currently are eating? Do you cook?
What’s your fitness routine? Can you physically accommodate more or do you have limitations?
How did you lose the first 15 in Jan-Feb?

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Whatever you do, make sure you’re not just losing muscle. You need to do weight-bearing exercises to keep up your muscle mass. That’s why I go to the gym three times a week. I’m in a small class and we work intensely for 50 minutes. Losing weight without paying attention to muscle is not wise.

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I don’t do this but I do walk before lunch and before dinner.

Before Covid I belonged to a fitness center that I went to about 4-5 times a week BUT when Covid hit we invested in a treadmill for the basement…a basement I had spent little time in since the kids grew up. We created our own mini gym and I wish we had done it sooner.

While I did/do miss the social aspect of the fitness center, I find myself heading to the basement more frequently than I had anticipated. We moved a nice tv downstairs, bought some floor exercise tiles, a stationary bike, weights, etc. We’re able to not only watch tv shows/movies to make the time pass more quickly, we can also stream stretching and other exercise videos for variety.

Our home gym is especially appreciated when the (Chicago area) weather factors into our outdoor activities. So the pros (often used twice a day with a good entertainment selection for a distraction) outweighs the cons (initial investment expense and missing fitness center friends). Both DH and I feel more fit.

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I find that on days when I’m in the office, I’m “hungry” much more frequently than when I’m WFH or on weekends. My method to control mindless eating is to get up, stretch and take a 5 minute walk around my building, then drink a glass of water when I return. Most of the time, this curbs my snack craving.

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I started Noom (my first weight loss program ever) a few weeks ago. (I have been steadily gaining weight over last 8 years, but especially last 2 years.)

So far, I really appreciate it as the app has you track meals and snacks, water, exercise/walking. It also has some material to read each day. It’s very user friendly and actually fun to use.

I’ve lost 6 pounds already and am delighted.

My biggest insight: sticking with reasonable portions.

Growing up I was always gangly thin and tried to gain weight up until age 30.

But metabolism changes, menopause hits, and portion control I’ve realized was my downfall.

DH has also lost a few pounds bc he is more mindful of portions now, too, and I’ve cut back on unhealthy available snacks in our house.

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I have the kind of job that I am in a meeting from 7 to 2 or 3pm. Sometimes not even have time to go to the bathroom, so no time for snacking.
But in all seriousness, I eat 3 meals a day, and I like to eat early. I have no craving for starch (bread, potato) or sweets. I eat balanced meals - proteins and veggies. I have peanuts and watermelon seeds for snacks.
As I get older I have 5 lbs that i would like to lose, but it’s probably from my wine consumption.

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My 15+ weight loss was the same pound I lost around age 40, when joining the fitness center at work. Alas, the job obligations made it hard to work out, and over time it came back.

The tough thing is that to keep a 10% weight loss, you do have to eat 10% fewer calories than before and/or have extra exercise to compensate. I do snack (sometimes healthy, sometimes not). But since I track all food/exercise in MyNetDiary it’s not a big surprise when I gain a few pounds. (vacations, periods when I can’t run due to injury or weather). I just make efforts to avoid continuous gains.

I’m a snacker too, especially in the evening when we’re watching a movie. It’s a habit, very hard to stop. But a weird thing with this high protein/low carb, I haven’t felt like snacking at night. I have very little lasting self control, so it’s surprising.

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I was having some tendonitis so I attended PT. I am now going to weight classes twice a week at the physical therapists and they are helping me a lot with proper form. I would say get a trainer or go to classes with good instructors. I aim for activity six days a week. Still working on the 15 pounds I have gained over the last five years though. There are a lot of good ideas on the thread. Best of luck to you!

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I have to keep myself busy in front of the TV or my tendency would be to snack too. I find being on CC a good distraction ; )

I also try to stay well hydrated throughout the day and if I feel hungry, I drink a minimum of 12 oz of water first.

I also had to break the soda habit. I drink Spindrift now.

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Have you tried soda made with Stevia? I have wondered if that would be helpful for people, if they can still drink soda, but with a natural no calorie sweetener. I don’t think I’d drink soda with the artificial sweeteners, but I don’t know that they’ve found anything wrong with Stevia yet. Or have they.

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Anybody here formally try intermittant fasting? There are several variations. I had a good friend 20 years ago who maintained her weight with a Monday fast (only water). Worked well for her.
Most iterations are not eating for extended periods of 10-12 hours on a daily or x number times a week. This seems to work for many people. And not hard if you eat an earlier dinner. I did an education program on weight loss and the panel said it appeared to work for most of their patients (of course in addition to healthy meals). I do think a lot of people do this naturally just by falling into a routine. My son just dropped a lot of weight and after congratulating him I asked his secret. He just said he cut out eating breakfast-- one form of intermittant fasting (plus saves a lot of extra calories). Intermittant fasting appears to work but part of it is that you actually sleep at night which appears to be part of the body process (so if you toss and turn all night forget it.)

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I tend to gain and lose the same 10 to 15 pounds. I find that when I am in the right mindset I have no problem forgoing snacks, desserts, etc. But also my DH and DS cook and tend to make higher calorie foods. I really think I have to cook for myself, but tough to work all day (3 days per week in the office), get to the gym or for a walk, and then cook for myself. Yet I think that is the only way I can meet my clean eating goals.

I haven’t. In the “old days” I didn’t like the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. Never really got over that, before I got old enough to start worrying about any possible side effects.

These days, I simply feel like I either drink soda for the sugar and caffeine or not drink it at all. We’ll see how long I hold out this time. I’ve gone stretches of 1 to 2 years at a time.

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