Which diet/lifestyle change has worked for you to lose weight and keep it off?

[Embelline]

Low carb used to work for me but since having DS I can’t clear the house of carbs like I used to so the temptation is always there.

i’ve tried a calorie counting app but I think I need more structure to kickstart a lifestyle change.

I do a decent amount of exercise - I’m getting on the peloton 4-5 times a week since I started up again recently and am adding in weights and Pilates but my diet is awful.

my mum is doing Slimming World and has lost nine pounds quite easily (she’s not of the muller lights and chest foods mind set just using it for a framework) but I’m not sure I can get my head around a diet plan where avocados are a “syn” but then again, I’ve never tried a low fat diet so maybe it’s worth a go?

I’ve got to do something I’m 40 next year and can feel more weight creeping on especially around my c section scar and I know it will just be harder to lose as I hit peri/menopause.

help!

Quit alcohol
Boxing training
Keto

Absolutely this.

The problem with low calorie diets is that they are unsustainable in the long term. Plus your body adjusts to what it has coming in and becomes more efficient. One of the reasons people put back on the weight they lost + more is that they have trained their bodies to 'survive' on fewer calories/less food and so going back to what they ate before means they put back on the weight they lost plus more.

I see a lot of people on here talking about calorie deficit. As though a simple model of eat less + move more = weight loss. Its not that simple. Our bodies aren't simple machines and weight loss is primarily a hormonal issue.

It will work for some people but is still unsustainable in the long term (which is why people plateau and have to reduce their calorie intake further). What you eat and how your body metabolises it is far more important.

Weights minimum 3 times a week - keeping protein fairly high and a vague idea of calories.

Ive maintained give or take a few pounds over Xmas/holidays for the last 2 years.

All of them (low carb, low fat, calorie counting etc), until I fall off the wagon, which I inevitably do.

Weight training. It's a slow process for me as I'm not as disciplined with the eating as I am with making myself exercise, but it's the only thing I've found to keep the weight off, and that's after being a runner for 15 years which wasn't nearly as effective.
Peri-menopausal now and it works to keep my stomach from being bloated, and it's helping me lose slowly but surely.
4 sessions of around 45 minutes a week lifting as heavy as I can, and trying to get in around 10-15k steps a day which I do naturally at work and on my commute anyway

Did SW and lost 5 stone. At the age of 45 with both DC old enough to fend for themselves I started going to exercise classes regularly and now I do about 10 classes a week, a mix of cardio, yoga and Pilates. Plus I walk about 4miles a day with the dog. Kept up the exercise all through lockdown and beyond because I love it but I stopped SW because I was slimmer and doing lots of exercise, hated the weekly weigh in and all the restrictions. What could possibly go wrong?

yeah, so five years on and about 3 stone back on, I’m a big size 14 again, despite keeping up all that exercise. Because I spend a lot of time holding my gut doing Pilates etc I can feel my wobbly belly and feel when it gets bigger so I do cut out carbs for a few days to try to stop it growing any bigger and I hardly ever eat bread or drink alcohol but I rarely go a day without a biscuit. Pre SW I was a size 20 and I’d buy a size 22 if I wanted something loose so I’m not back where I was but it worries me how quickly I gain weight.

I think one of the SW mantras is that weight control is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise and that’s definitely the case with me, if it was exercise alone I’d be skinny. Plus being older means the weight goes on faster and comes off slower than it used to. Glad I discovered a form of exercise I enjoy though, even though classes don’t make me slim, I feel better for doing them.

It hasn’t really helped me lose weight as I wasn’t trying to lose weight, but the following is what I do to maintain a healthy weight/BMI and XS dress size:

• No sugar, dairy, gluten (I definitely break the sugar one on holiday though!!)
• Lots of protein every day - at least 1.5g per kg of weight
• Massively cutting down on alcohol
• Drinking 2-3 litres of water every day

Whatever you decide, consistency is key. Good luck :)

Why don't you give slimming world a go, but with all the nutrition knowledge you already have in mind. So if avocados are not something that you can eat as much as you like of, due to being high in calories and (good) fats, why not use your syns to eat this instead of a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps.

The intention behind slimming world is to restrict high calorie foods and allow energy dense low calorie foods, so you fill yourself up and hopefully don't go eating lots of things that make you put on weight.

Sounds like just the kind of structure you're looking for.

16/8 intermittent fasting. Eating window high protein/fibre/veg/fruit etc. Non drinker.

I break out when going out for dinner and on hols and so on. Back on track as soon as possible. Seems to work for me.

What kind of weights / exercises do you do and how many sets/reps?

I want to start but no idea how.

16:8 is the only thing I can do. I hate restricting food, calories counting etc. I am a recovering anorexic (it was in my teens but it's still something I have to manage in my 40s).

I feel so much better eating this way, I have more energy and sleep better. I find I choose healthier foods naturally but can still eat what I fancy, just within the 8 hour window.

I was in a similar position as you and heading towards 40 with the weight creeping on slowly.

What's worked for me:

1. Maintaining a small calorie deficit. My maintenance is around 1440. It was too much to cut by 500 so I aim for between 1200 - 1300 on average a day to lose 6kg over six months. It's been slow and steady. I'm four months in and I've 2kg to go.

1. Eating at the same times each day. Black coffee for breakfast, lunch at about 12, black coffee and some chocolate or small sweet treat at about 3pm, and dinner at around 6pm. Sometimes a glass of wine or herbal tea in the evening.

1. Subbing in more vegetables / salad and fewer carbs for dinner. I'm cooking for a family of four so I want us to eat broadly the same meal but our nutritional needs are all slightly different so I make tweaks. We all just have our own thing for lunch. I go for different combinations of salad / soup / fruit / egg / yoghurt / toast.

1. Drinking plenty of water. I always have a glass on the go.

1. Weighing every day rather than having a 'weigh in day' to take the emotion out of it. Weight fluctuates day-to-day so I work on the weekly average to measure progress.

1. Daily exercise to get my heart going and tone up but also a daily yoga at home practice because it makes me feel good.

I'm 5ft2 so it's been slower progress than I originally expected but I think losing slowly and changing habits means that it's more likely to stick.

To lose weight:
3 meals a day - using a portion control dinner plate so every meal has protein, carbs and veg - all unprocessed foods typical day eg
Breakfast Fried eggs/toast/avocado mushrooms
Lunch Chicken breast/sweet potato wedges/salad
Dinner Steak/basmati rice/tomatoes green beans

I’ll use a small amount of olive oil (1/2 tbsp) for cooking

• 1 piece of fruit with yoghurt (no added sugar) as a snack

• Any 200 kcal treat I want eg mini magnum, bar choc, handful nuts and some dates, peanut butter toast

To maintain:
The above for 5 days a week
2 days eating without any restrictions

I'm the same. Have slipped a bit lately but I've got myself back on it in the last 3 weeks and focused on avoiding ultra processed food in the main. I have an active lifestyle but don't exercise as such. 5'2" and have never gone over 9 stone, which is my current weight ( well it was 3 weeks ago!)

This is all really interesting thank you.

I think I tend to feel overwhelmed with all the choices of diet if that makes sense and flit about trying different things so consistency is definitely key.

the problem I find it after doing an hour on the bike I’m starving, but I’m probably not filling up on the right foods.

today I’ve had poached egg on toast, coffee and an apple so far. We have a “roast” later which is actually oven baked lemon and garlic chicken breasts from M&S, stuffing and lots of veg.

this is a better day.

most of my issues are snacking in the evening

I might look at working out my TDEE.

I'm 5 foot 2 and currently weigh 65kg which is the heaviest I've ever been apart from when I was pregnant. I'm pear shaped so I carry a lot of weight on my bottom half but have noticed I now have a spare tyre where my c section scar is which I've never had before (and I've not always had it since the c section three years ago, this is a new and horrible development!)

Thanks for the suggestions for workouts etc as well. I'm happy with my peloton progress, I love it, I love the scenic rides as well as the classes, and can easily do a good 90 minutes now and burn 600+ calories (according to my Apple Watch, the metrics on the bike itself seem to be way more generous) a session. But then I go and eat it all back and some! I do need some more structure to my weight lifting as I'm currently making it up as I go along so I'll check out Caroline Girvan as well.

I'm very all or nothing which can either really help or hinder!

Just to add, it’s perfectly fine to have unrestricted days / to “fall off the wagon” every now and again as long as you’re healthy most of the time.

I’m on holiday in Paris at the moment, and things I’ve stuffed my face with in the last 24 hours alone include:

Croissant
White baguette with butter and jam
Chocolate lava cake
Beer
Red wine
Onion soup (which is mainly cheese and croutons)

But I’m not feeling guilty because as soon as we’re back, I’ll be eating healthily and exercising 5-6 times a week again.

Eating two meals a day

Low carb, higher protein

Mfp

Going to bed a bit hungry

Realising I'm not a 25 year old guy working construction but a 41 year old sedentary woman

Creating a foundation of sustainable strategies that you can maintain long term is key. I'd recommend intermittent fasting, such as 16:8 (quite easy if you're not bothered about breakfast) and following the Glucose Goddess method to manage your blood sugars. That's been absolutely key for me in managing my cravings and has made keeping to a healthy diet much easier. Then calorie count on top of that on My Fitness Pal to lose the weight and make sure your macros lean more towards protein and healthy fats than carbs.

I'm debating buying a peloton, are they worth it?

Just picking up on the comment in the OP re SW - I think people can focus too much on avocados being counted as a syn on SW - it just means that you need to eat them in a moderated amount. Far better to use your syns to have avocado than biscuits!

Just considering what I've eaten today (calorie counting) against slimming world .

B - two weetabix, skimmed milk, half a banana, teaspoon peanut butter

L - salad with brown rice, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, quarter of avocado and feta cheese .

That would all fit in with SW - weetabix, cheese and milk as healthy extra and counting syns for the peanut butter and avocado would still leave some of your allowance left.

I couldn't do a low carb diet - but I think cutting sugar as much as possible is helpful whichever approach you use - particularly with regard to any snacks.

Finding a balanced diet that i can stick with and doing some exercise.

Normal healthy eating diet with the odd sweet thing thrown in
Watching portion sizes
Watching what snacks i choose
Not eating after 18.00.

@lousia564 i love mine. I use it regularly apart from when we are away

I've lost a stone and a half with an intermittent fasting (16:8)/ low carb/ low sugar mash up. I eat loads of meat/ veg/ salad between 12.00 and 8.00. I've kept going since early April. It's slow progress and I plateaued for 3 months but it seems to be slowly shifting again. I walk an hour a day (to and from work). I tend to relax a bit over the weekend (cake and wine) but get back on it again on Mondays 😊

I think the key is finding lifestyle changes you could comfortably keep up for the rest of your life. Very small changes and one at a time so it doesn't feel overwhelming. I think what a PP said about these big lifestyle changes that involve eating a completely different way like keto or low carb, lots struggle because they are unable to do the maintenance bit. I disagree with some in that it simply is to do with calories in and calories out, although some people with hormonal issues etc burn less calories so will need to take that into account in their plan and when working out their TDEE and setting their daily calorie goal. Anyone with a slow metabolism for whatever reason will hugely benefit from weight training properly and building muscle rather than tons of low impact cardio x