I think so much is just trial and error to see what works for you. I lost 30-40 pounds several years (ten?) ago and kept it off for years. Then the weight gain started for a variety of reasons, and I am finally getting serious about losing it again. I don’t weigh myself, so I go based on my clothing. I am now about a size down since early March.
I have to strictly watch (and limit) my calories in order to lose weight. But I am a short middle aged woman who has had kids. I cannot work out intensely and lose weight. I do maintenance exercise (walk my dog 2-3 miles a day, some stretching and bodyweight exercises) but I do not do anything intense when I am trying to lose weight by restricting calories. Exercise alone does not work for me for losing - I get too hungry and overeat. I think I am at a point where I need to lose the weight and then once I lose it I will increase the intensity of my workouts.
I can’t get rid of all carbs. It makes me a miserable person. I have not had success with weight watchers (I didn’t go to meetings, just used the online program). I don’t eat breakfast, but I don’t follow a fasting plan. I have found that I am just as hungry at lunch whether or not I eat breakfast, so it is easy for me to skip it. I just drink some black tea in the mornings. I don’t snack and I try not to eat fried foods or junk food at all. I have a few set meals that I have measured the calories for and I eat one around 1:00 and one around 4:00. Then I eat a normal dinner with the family, but I eat a lot less than I did before. I do still have a glass of wine here and there.
For me, giving myself fewer choices is key. I just don’t eat in the mornings. My other meals are things that I have determined in advance - I know the calories, I have the ingredients and that is what I eat. (they all healthy and use real food.) Yes, I get hungry. I just have to deal with it - I can try distracting myself with tea or a walk or running errands.
I am not an expert in anything, just someone who has experimented with what works for me. Good luck!
I’m 60. I think I’ve gained a pound a year for the past 20 years. It’s been gradual. I’ve made a few lifestyle changes that have stuck – given up soda, eating more vegetables and fruit, mostly given up nighttime snacking (I make a big cup of herbal tea and sip that while watching tv). I’m retiring next week and my goal/hope is to start reversing at least that gain, be in better shape, lower my cholesterol. Someone mentioned Wondr on here and I got a postcard in the mail yesterday (a sign??) that my health plan is enrolling in that starting next month so I signed up. I have a huge fondness for sugar so that will be the hardest to control. My other main problem is portion size. I need to pay more attention to that. But I’m hoping not being on the working schedule will help a lot. Appreciate all the advice here. I’ll be going back over it.
I’m not a nutritionist, but I don’t think anyone would suggest to get rid of ALL carbs as one’s lifelong pursuit of happiness and health, because carbs give us our energy.
It’s just that we humans choose the wrong carbs and/or much too large portions to consume. Cakes, cookies, ice cream, alcohol, bagels, bread, pizza, donuts, rice and pasta lack any real nutritional value for the most part.
Shoot for nutrient dense carbs such as teff, quinoa. oatmeal, bananas, sweet potatoes, yams, legumes, potato, etc.
As I said above, squat, squat, squat, but also no sugar, no sugar, no sugar. And as @MaineLonghorn mentioned above, protein, protein, protein. I keep telling my spouse to eat more protein, but she usually will give me half her fish or chicken to eat at many meals. Makes me happy, but not good for her.
I think a lot of people (mistakenly) use the word “carbs” to refer to white/beige foods like processed bread, rice, pasta, chips/crackers, baked goods. You’re right - oatmeal, bananas, etc. are carbs - but many people don’t see them that way!
Not all breads are created equal. A white sponge depleted of any fiber or protein or any other meaningful nutrients - yuck. A whole grain, chewy on the inside, crusty on the outside artisan bread - yum. In moderation, of course. Added sugar is of the devil, of course.
I did the nutritionist/trainer thing when I had turned 40 and they told me that every ten years or so our bodies reset and you need re-evaluate what you are doing to stay healthy, what is working for you still, what no longer works. At 53, what works for me is being really aware of my stress level. For sure, stress impacts my weight. Lessening my alcohol intake actually helped to decrease my stress. Or increased my ability to deal with stress and anxiety. I’ve seen a lot of chatter too about how women hit menopause and their intense workouts don’t work for them anymore. I did pretty much everything I could to make my menopause easier/make myself feel better and I think it tangentially helped me not to gain weight. Basically, I eat a lot of berries, bananas, and all sorts of vegetables, nuts, and then protein and carbs. I can’t even say I eat good carbs because I love white rice with a passion. But - if I focus on getting in my fruits and veg, I’m usually pretty full and not looking for the less nutritious items.
But probably not in the form of fries or potato chips, which are probably how potatoes are commonly eaten these days, and are far more calorie-dense and far less nutrient-dense than plain potatoes.
Which brings up another thing to consider: foods high in both carbohydrates and fat are often those where it is easiest to take in a large amount of calories. Most people would have difficulty taking as many calories from only potatoes or only frying oil as they would from fries or chips. Or consider other combinations like only fettucine or only alfredo sauce versus fettucine alfredo.
I just listened to it and wow. This guy is runs a lab at Stanford and is an Associate Professor there. The podcast is two hours long - I just finished it and I’m pooped! He’s convinced me I need to take a break from drinking, even a few drinks a week.
I wanted to mention him here because he covers a lot of great subjects that would be helpful to losing weight and getting in shape. It’s a treasure trove!
I have done a dry January the last two years. There is no doubt that I see improvements in many areas, even in that short period of time. I make better/healthier choices with my eating and my fitness performance improves as well. I don’t know that I necessarily lose any weight, but my stomach is definitely flatter at the end of the month.
I downloaded the Huberman Lab alcohol podcast and a few more. They are long shows, would be good for walking.
One nice thing about MyNetDiary is that alcohol gets its own category, light blue on the chart. For me it looks better now than during the depths of Covid.
I made it into my early 50’s and menopause and had never dieted in my life. But over the last several years my weight had slowly crept up just a pound or two per year till I was creeping out of normal and into overweight in spite of having joined a great gym three years ago and gained a lot of strength and general fitness.
So in January I started working with a nutrition coach and tracking macros (35p/30f/35c) and calories using My Fitness Pal. I’ve lost more than 10lb of body fat without losing muscle, and gotten an education on what’s in my food. I’m also a picky eater so some of the advice to eat healthy is just frustrating and overwhelming but this is working and seems like something I can generally maintain while making some steps toward choosing healthier foods as well. At this point I can meet my macro goals without really checking the app throughout the day, I feel good, and am not hungry when I eat enough calories, which is harder than I expected and a different problem than I had before!
So basically strength based exercise and plenty of protein is working for me, too. I didn’t get derailed when I was around my kids and get taken to donuts and ice cream on the same day, either. I just enjoyed it and took the rest of the week to get back on track and balance out the bad days with some good ones.
I’m also a picky eater so some of the advice to eat healthy is just frustrating and overwhelming but this is working and seems like something I can generally maintain while making some steps toward choosing healthier foods as well. At this point I can meet my macro goals without really checking the app throughout the day, I feel good, and am not hungry when I eat enough calories, which is harder than I expected and a different problem than I had before!