How did you lose a lot of weight and keep it off?

[anchovies]

Just that really.

Have always had a weight problem. Am a very emotional eater and generally quite greedy. I excercise a reasonable amount but not enough to keep my weight down. Am now in a situation where I need to lose about 4 stone and need to decide how to do it. Have tried most things in the past with varying degrees of success :(

Honestly? Without being harsh - put down the fork!
Only thing that works for me, and if you're an emotional eater then the same will apply to you.

I stopped eating anything with more than 5% fat. (I gave up cake, crisps, cheese, chips and alcohol, all of which I like). I also upped the amount of vegetables I ate and restricted myself to two pieces of fruit a day. (The exceptions were if friends came for a meal or I was eating at someone else's house).

I walked around town instead of taking the bus or driving, and took up hill walking as a hobby. I lost over 50 lbs in 7 months. I was then rather too thin but have restored the balance now and am 35 lbs lighter than I was originally. The walking stayed - in an average week I walk around 35 miles, some of it up and down hills.

You need to change your eating habits rather than diet
then when you get to your desired weight you won't put it all back on.

Keep a food diary for one week on (I used myfitnesspal).

You will be horrified at the excess in your diet - I was. I started cut out out refined sugar and processed food. Continued to use my food diary for a month as it taught me to eat in a healthier way.

I drink 3l of water a day and don't drink any soft drink at all. I do drink low calorie wine on the weekends. I look at everything I eat and try to imagine where it came from - if the answer is a factory I don't touch it. My diet is full of fat - avocado, coconut milk/oil, nuts, seeds, good quality meat - I eat the whole lot - skin and all.

In four months I have lost 30lbs - now at 133lbs I am still listing weight and have had to eat more to stay healthy looking.

Summary:

Loads of water
Cut out processed food and refined sugar
Cut out diet products entirely
Increased intake of natural oils and fats

I have never felt better.

I didn't phrase that well - although I increased natural fats I also vastly increased my veg intake. Dinner will always consist of 1 third meat/fish &!2 thirds veg/salad. No potatoes or white rice.

MrRected - are you pretty much low carb then, or do you eat pulses, legumes etc?

Dotty - I eat loads of pulses/legumes.

I eat homemade hummus by truckload. Also loads of lentils, couscous, quinoa, brown rice, kidney beans etc

Change your eating habits as listed above - but don't expect to see change for a few weeks or so.

OK, probably not useful but I got pregnant - didn't gain any weight during my pregnancy and lost a shedload sitting on my bum eating cake - when I then decided to take advantage of that I joined weight watchers but essentially I don't follow it anymore but if I want somethin I have it - just maybe only half or a little bit of it when previously I'd of eaten 3.

Also I don't eat 'in secret' anymore - no more scoffing sweets on the train home, etc.

Agree with Professor. I am five months in and it's only really in the past 6 weeks that I have really noticed the weight loss (clothes very much too big and lots of comments).

Patience is so very important. If you have a day where you hit the biscuit tin - enjoy the bickies, then make sure you get it right the next day. I eat dark chocolate every day - because I enjoy it.

I lose 3 and a half stone about 2 years ago and tbh I never relax really. Always log on mfp what I eat as it's astounding how many calories there are in the tiniest piece of cake! That sounds a pain but it's a million times better than being 3 stone + heavier.

I'm same OP

Vik, that looks a bit like advertising to me....

Find a sport you love, that raises your metabolism. Take vitamin tablets so your body isn't craving anything essential, and eat healthily. Cut down on the artificial additives/sweeteners, and eat smaller portions of real food. It's more satisfying, more filling, and you eat to live, rather than living to eat.

Agree about the vitamin, thing, it does smooth things over a bit. I don't know if those multivits advertised, can't remember the name, you get them for men and women, are a good all in one. Otherwise, Chronium Piccilionate is good to curb cravings, esp Solgar, though not cheap. Magnesium is good to curb chic cravings. Vit D3 is a pick me up at this time of year.

But often people want quick results in the same mindset as wanting a snack bar as that instant fix.