[tom s]

I took off 72 lb in 12 month and have keeped it off for 2 1/2 years now.Calories was the way for me.Im 66 now and have fought weight my complete life.If I have 2300 a day I gain slow,if I have 2000 I maintain.If I have 1800 I loose about a lb a week.I exresize 5 days a week for about 230 carories.I eat virtually everything I ate before except for frenchfries.I just eat a lot less,still weigh my food.I dont cheat,if I have something more for lunch or breakfast I take it away at dinner.Staying hydrated is a HUGE part of it and also keeping something in your stumach all day long.The mini pretzeles where and are my savior.If you drink it will be twice as hard.Good luck,Tom

[disc0monkey]

Originally Posted by tom s

I took off 72 lb in 12 month and have keeped it off for 2 1/2 years now.Calories was the way for me.Im 66 now and have fought weight my complete life.If I have 2300 a day I gain slow,if I have 2000 I maintain.If I have 1800 I loose about a lb a week.I exresize 5 days a week for about 230 carories.I eat virtually everything I ate before except for frenchfries.I just eat a lot less,still weigh my food.I dont cheat,if I have something more for lunch or breakfast I take it away at dinner.Staying hydrated is a HUGE part of it and also keeping something in your stumach all day long.The mini pretzeles where and are my savior.If you drink it will be twice as hard.Good luck,Tom

good job man! being in CA must make it slight better to be thin because it seems like more people are concious about healthy foods then other places in the US.

[tom s]

I really dont eat heathy.Had a plain buger with let and onions for lunch toady.DRY!I usually have a side salad with 1oz of dressing with it.Im in SC on vacation so did not have it so dinner can be a little looser.You HAVE to be committed to a life change or it will go back on.I still have a steak,only a 6 oz one.Still have a baker but with just salt-pepper and maybe mushrooms as they are free.Tom

[Cobrabill]

Yep-simple stuff.I eat at Subway a lot.I've dropped cheese & mayo.Instead i use vinegar.

[pggto]

My mistake, the Weight Watchers program is $35 a month.

I eat about 5 meals a day, 7 AM protein mix in the morning sometimes with strawberries and with a granola bar (good one),9:30/10 breakfast is 4 hardboiled egg whites, 12 lunch is a salad or chicken, 2:30/3 afternoon I have celery or a protein bar, 6ish dinner is chicken, veggies, rice, or scrambled eggs, minus half the yokes. I buy a LOT of chicken and make it various ways. I use mustard and salsa instead of mayo and ketchup. I like the flat breads for making rolls up instead of sandwiches. I still eat pizza and steaks but just not as often, but when I do I make sure it’s a good one! I still enjoy a cocktail once and a while, but use diet soda or seltzer.

Like I said earlier, keep a journal it’s amazing what you learn, and then you can see where to change things. You also feel guilty when you have to write something down, so it has a mental effect as well. My recommended calories for the day are 2000-2100, carbs 150g, fats 72g, protein 200g, fiber 30-35g, sugar 36g or less. This was calculated by some program they have for my age and weight.

But just starting out your day with a bike ride or a walk helps, I lost 25 lbs very quickly just doing that, but then plateau a little and had to move on to other things.

[b777d]

Stay active.. No food after 7 PM that means no food...

[limejudge69]

All through my late 20's and 30's I had very physical jobs that kept me in great shape no matter what I ate or drank. When I hit 40, I relocated and took a job riding around locating utilities. I went from 200 lbs to 260 lbs. My blood pressure shot up and my bad cholesterol was high. I started Insanity about 10 days ago and have lost 8 lbs already. I've eliminated alcohol, limited carbs and keep my daily caloric intake to around 1200-1500. It's been fairly easy so far, but I do miss a cold beer at times.
This formula can help figure the daily calories you need to lose, gain or maintain your weight: Step 1: 66 + (4.35 x weight in lbs) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in yrs) = X
Step 2: Take X and multiply by your exercise factor. Factors are:
1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle with little or no exercise
1.375 for lightly active with light exercise 1-3 days/week
1.55 for moderately active with exercise 3-5 days/week
1.7 for a very active lifestyle with 6-7 days/week of heavy exercise
1.9 for extremely active with daily exercise and/or physical job
Step 3: This number is your daily caloric needs.
To lose weight subtract 500 calories from step 2
To maintain your weigh just use the number from step 2
To gain weight, add 25-300 calories from step 2
If you suck at math like I do, this formula is tough and I would strongly suggest a calculator!

[67drake]

I've been exercising more,that's where I start. If I had more TIME I'd get even more though. I right now run about 18 miles a week,as well as walk another 5 or so to warm up and cool down. I would love to hit the gym again,just no time. Lost about 15 lbs in the past month 1/2 or so.
Eating..... I just quit chewing tobacco late last year so it's real hard to NOT eat. I have gone back to my old running diet. Fruit and veggies the first 8 or so hours I am awake,I eat heavier stuff later in the day. I try to chew gum to keep my mind off of the tobacco. (works so far).
Be patient though. It always takes me a few weeks when I start exercising to notice a change in weight. Also if you are exercising you can be gaining muscle mass as well as losing fat,so don't pay too much attention to just the scale,pay more attention to how you look,feel,and how lose your clothes fit!
I will say at 47 it does take more work to lose the weight though. Years ago I could melt fat off at will by running and working out.

[W72-Bandit]

I'm 48 and never stepped on a bathroom scale in my life until last July. Always ate what I want when I want. Since last July I gave up all sweets and soft drinks, added fruits and veggies. Still eat what I want just small portions and eat 3 meals a day, nothing else...no snacking. Do about an hour a day on the tread mill (3.5-4 miles). I've lost 42lbs! 219/177

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by W72-Bandit

I'm 48 and never stepped on a bathroom scale in my life until last July. Always ate what I want when I want. Since last July I gave up all sweets and soft drinks, added fruits and veggies. Still eat what I want just small portions and eat 3 meals a day, nothing else...no snacking. Do about an hour a day on the tread mill (3.5-4 miles). I've lost 42lbs! 219/177

WOW, that's great Paul. Now I won't be able to recognize you . . .

[David Holmberg]

I work out (Insanity) and eat right, then about a two weeks later I remember how much I love Bacon, House fried rice, chocolate, ice cream, etc...

I am down to 225 and holding from 260+...

[shawn e.]

Go on a strict Clam Diet!

Shawn

[Ben M.]

I work out 5-6 days a week for 50 minutes of hard cardio. Got my weight down from 295 to 200 over the years and now I'm mostly just maintaining without having to do serious diet restrictions (already don't do soda or fried food).

[Keith Vrabec]

when you realize how little food 2000 calories really is, you will be suprised,,,,

look at a few labels and put 2000 calorie piles on the kitchen counter.

An old VA doc friend of mine always said..."why are you fat?...Because you eat too much."

nutra system and a lot of vegetables helped me drop 26 lbs since the beginning of the year. And all my metabolism numbers are normal again.

I have big problems at night being hungry from late afternoon until bedtime, and have lots of difficulty with working night shift.

Best thing to do for weight loss...blast then wire wheel polish bolts. Keeps the mind off the stomach. and the bolts are shiny.

[iceman411]

I am in my mid 40's and noticed a steady weight gain towards my late 30's(typical). Started hitting a gym and learning. After three years of this I hit a wall and didn't see any more gains, weight loss or muscle. I'm now in my final week of P90X and love it. I was never a real big guy, 5'9" 198 and I love swiming in my clothes now. Best dollar for dollar fitness I could get and like any fitness program, it you really apply yourself and don't cheat you will see results. It's really easy to get home, sit down and before you know it it's soon time to go to bed. A big thing for me is not eating out, period except for Subway. I love the salads! It's amazing how bad food can be for you, watch what you eat.... More organic the better. Mike

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by b777d

Stay active.. No food after 7 PM that means no food...

This is probably the #1 TIP on HERE!
Being very involved in Jenny Craig, and my wife runs one, I can tell you that each person has "what works for them". That said, they all made a lifestyle change.
There are a couple tools to make this Extremely easy.
1 a metabolic armband that keeps your functions and steps in count
2. a wrist band that is blue tooth to the armband and a PC.
At a glance you can tell your calorie burn, cant lie to yourself, or rationalize it.
tells you if your in the negative, so your burning and loosing.
Jenny is successful because people cant be accountable to themselves,and you go see a consultant and have your food figured for you.
Many can and do it on their own.
Ensure you are getting plenty of vitamin D somehow. Many cut milk as its loaded with a sugar ( lactose). You may want a small daily vitamin D pill.
Truvia is a Great natural sugar substitute.
good luck, if you need any info feel free to PM me

[TempestFugit]

Eat something every 3 hours. I'm down to my target weight and eat everything I want but I only eat a fraction of what I used to eat. (Except vegetables, fill up on veggies.) Instead of a piece of pie for dessert take one fork-full and nibble at it like a bird make it last as long as that cup of coffee. If you must have a whole piece of pie sometimes, go ahead! but skip that meal and enjoy the pie instead. after a while you'll be satisfied with 1/2 a piece and half a meal. If you normally eat a doughnut or a cookie break it in half, have the other half three hours later, soon you can get by on a quarter piece. A doughnut at work now lasts me about a week. I also use roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds as a filler. Also break off any excess bread from hamburger and hot dog rolls Just eat a little bit with the meat. I push the dog thru from one end while eating it so I get a bite and only a taste of bread. when it's finished, more than half the roll is left on my plate. same thing with potatoes leave more than half on your plate.

[LeighP]

Sugar is the killer....its in everything processed....even things you wouldn't think.
Read the labels on the packets.....stuff like bread is laced with sugar...healthy sounding yogurt is often full of added sugar. I occasionally have yogurt where I've found a brand that has about 1/3 of the sugar content of the rest of them.
Even fruit.....stay away from juices, eat the real fruit, but don't eat a lot of fruit as it's still sucrose (suger) filled.
Small portions!

[grandville455]

Originally Posted by shawn e.

Go on a strict Clam Diet!

Shawn

Bearded Clam?

[spartazoo]

Originally Posted by tom s

I took off 72 lb in 12 month and have keeped it off for 2 1/2 years now.Calories was the way for me.Im 66 now and have fought weight my complete life.If I have 2300 a day I gain slow,if I have 2000 I maintain.If I have 1800 I loose about a lb a week.I exresize 5 days a week for about 230 carories.I eat virtually everything I ate before except for frenchfries.I just eat a lot less,still weigh my food.I dont cheat,if I have something more for lunch or breakfast I take it away at dinner.Staying hydrated is a HUGE part of it and also keeping something in your stumach all day long.The mini pretzeles where and are my savior.If you drink it will be twice as hard.Good luck,Tom

This is almost exactly my same story including the numbers. If you have a smart phone try the Ap I mentioned in my earlier post. It is free and does exactly what Tom mentions here. I have been doing this about 6 weeks and the difference is really getting noticeable. I still eat what I want but more carefully.

My downfall was milk. Even skim milk has a lot of calories and I was drinking too much. I cut that out and am monitoring what I am eating. I am trying to ride my bike 5 miles 3 times a week but with 3 kids playing baseball, finding the time is difficult.