What’s the single most effective thing you have done to lose weight?

[noitsachicken]

I am struggling with the last stone, which is now more like a stone and a half since lockdown 🙄
What one single thing did you which most helped with weight loss?
Drinking more water?
Cutting out bread?
???
Thanks

Weighing food - being really accurate with what you’re eating (not cheating 😀)

Cut way back on processed sugar - cook from scratch most of the time

Using MyFitnessPal - and using it honestly!

Stopped drinking 😭

Recording what I’m eating in a diary or MFP.

Weighing my food so I can record the calories accurately!

Calorie counting accurately, meticulously and honestly. I also found eating more protein less carbs a good way to curb hunger.

Learned about the calorie content of lots of different foods. Educated myself on the benefits of different types of exercise and not just as a means of weight loss.

scribbly do you mind explaining what you mean by different types of exercise? I have such an unhealthy relationship with food and my body and have done since I was a teen. I’m finally in a place where I can calorie count without being obsessive and have bad days without wanting to punish myself and during lockdown have rediscovered the fact that I enjoy exercising. Now I do a half hour workout at least five days a week - either HIIT with Joe or a ballet style stretch and cardio - and we do a good walk three times a week but I’m just not losing weight I’m beginning to wonder if it’s genetics.

Another vouch for very honestly using my fitness pal to track calories and weighing food. Also giving up alcohol unfortunately!

16/8

Ruthlessly logging everything I ate in my fitness pal. Accountability at its best!

Fasting and SW combined

Using MyFitnessPal to record my food (and a scale to verify portions) - if you can't see yourself doing that long term just do it for a couple of weeks to "reset" your thinking, your concept of what a portion is, how many calories are actually in that latte you make every morning etc. Just the act of recording made me choose healthier options - i.e. I didn't have that second coffee as I was shocked at how many calories the first one was when I entered it.

I also ditched milk for almond milk to greatly reduce the calories in my cereal/tea but it's not to everyone's taste. I lost three stone a few years ago and since lost my pregnancy weight once, just gearing up to do it again.

Sticking to my calorie limit (1500) everyday without fail, no excuses. If I have a celebration like the kids birthdays then I do have a slice of cake but I just plan my other meals around it, same with a few drinks on a Friday night. I've lost 4.5 stone since January.

Stopped thinking about the weight. Instead focused on feeling healthy, building strong and eating food to nourish my body.

Judge by how my clothes fit rather than by what the scales say

More exercise and less food in general and be patient. I now walk about 2 hours per day and have cut out all crap food (biscuits, sugary cereals, crisps, chocolate bars). I don't do "proper" dieting or fad weight loss schemes - used to fall for that crap but not any more. I've lost 6 stones so far but it's over a very long period of time. Quick fixes don't work - the weight comes back straight away. I lose just a pound or two per month, so it's taken years to lose my 6 stones - it's not a quick fix. It took me a decade or two to put it on and if it takes a decade to get back to a healthy weight and stick to it, that's fine with me. Sometimes there isn't a quick fix!

Stopped eating sugar. Completely.

Cut carbs

Cutting down on the amount of carbs I eat.
I've always been a toast, sandwich, pasta meal kind of person.
When I worked out my macros, almost 80% of my daily consumption was carbs when it should be closer to 50%.
So far I've lost half a stone over 7 weeks.

Cooking from scratch

Not drinking alcohol during the week

Not eating shite/snacks in the evening

Going to bed hungry.

I had a piece of toast every evening at about 10pm but if I deny the urge it does make a difference.

Alternate day fasting. Steadily losing the final stone, generally one pound loss a week.

Keto/low carb. I'm not doing it right now and have gained half a stone in lockdown but it's the only thing that's ever worked for me. I've restricted calories, tried meal replacements, WW and SW, etc etc and nothing has any effect til I cut carbs out. Fast and simple and if you don't try doing the keto versions of sweet stuff, no more expensive than a usual shop. Eggs for breakfast, protein and salad for lunch, meat and veg for tea. Snack on meat and cheese.