I have had great success in the past with journalling my food intake in a calorie journal, staying under 1500-1800 calories a day (depending on my size), exercising at least 45 minutes a day... but now can't seem to get with it.

Background -- I lost 30 pounds about 7 years ago (it was ALL about vanity when I did this!). I kept it off for 3 years and then gained it all back when I moved here and quit exercising for a few months. Yikes.

Now -- I want to lose 20 pounds; be a comfortable size 10/12 (I'm a size 14, 5'8" amazon woman!). It is very hard to get motivated... mainly because I honestly really am very comfortable in my own skin now! But, I know that for health reasons, a lower weight would be ideal...

Do any of you have any tried and true ways that you have lost weight and KEPT IT OFF! I guess I answered my own question but thinking that maybe something *new* would be incentive for me?

It's not about vanity at all with me anymore. Now, it's about health so please no fads... I can't/won't do those. I changed my feelings a LOT after dealing with the near death and long recovery of my beloved niece with Anorexia. That experience has really changed my focus.

Any long term tips?

I dont know the secret...AS you know I've been loosing weight...Right now, I'm down to a size 10/12...I really honestly STOPPED counting the calories as obsessive as I was, (which made me gain almost 5 lbs overnight...but holding steady there) but I upped my daily exercise to almost an hour a day (5-6 days a week) I was walking but now last couple weeks, I've thrown a little jogging into the mix, slowly building up my endurance to just run/jogging.....

I think, (note the word THINK) the secret may be finding an excersize YOU LOVE and want to do daily that keeps you active. That and eating sensibly "most" of the time will keep the weight off... I'm still struggling and I dont ever see me loosing that last 20lbs I had for a goal, I think now I have to work on being happy where I am, and keep active.....

Have to say, I think i LOVE TO RUN!!! I feel so good after I do my walking/running combos....(just got back right now!!)

I started the only diet that ever worked for me last year. It's the 3 Hour Diet (3HourDiet.com). You eat every 3 hours. Eat breakfast within one hour of waking
Breakfast - 400 calories
snack - 100 calories (200 calories if you are more than 200 pounds)
Lunch - 400 calories
snack - 100 calories (200 calories if you are more than 200 pounds)
Dinner - 400 calories
treat - 50 calories

This was the only diet that ever worked for me. You loose about 2 pounds a weeks and I lost 50 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 6.

Just thougth I would share my little story.

WOW!!!!
Way to go.

__________________
@@@
l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

The three hour thing actually does work, and I need to get back to it. I just need to not be so sedentary, but it's already 100+ degrees here, which makes that tricky. I have sympathy, though I do sort of envy you height.

I'm in Arizona too!! It's been harder lately to loose weight. I would love to loose another 10 pounds but I don't think it will happen. The only thing that saves me when it's over 100 degrees out is that I have a treadmill at my house. If it weren't for that I don't know what I would do for exercise during the summer.

momtatwo, how long (timewise) do you walk? At what speed? Is it every day?

__________________
@@@
l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

I usually do about 30 minutes at least 4 days a week. I usually walk at about a speed of 4.2 give or take. I have a bad back so I sometimes have to go a little slower or a little less time. I've tried so many other diets before and this has been the only one that I have done that I have had results and the pounds have stayed off. I've been on it for about a year but I lost the 50 pounds in about 6 months. After you reach your weight you can adjust the diet to maintain your weight.

Thanks momtatwo! Also thanks for mentioning the site. I'll have to check it out.
And congrats on your weight loss.

__________________
@@@
l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

Your welcome. I never thought that I would ever be able to give dieting advice :}
Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions or you need a weight loss buddy. The buddy system makes it nicer. I met a girl on the website and we have been talking for over a year now and she lives in Canada and I live in Arizona. It's nice to help each other along and have that support system with someone who is going through the same thing.

Good Luck!!
Lori

I don't have any tips, OP. I'm currently struggling with the I NEED to be on the treadmill every day thing myself. I lost 44 pounds before I found out I was pregnant w/Naysa. I've started back on the treadmill twice since she's been born (she's 10 months), but just am NOT motivated at all. I gained 19 pounds w/her and lost all of it, but did manage to gain a few pounds back again. So far, I've kept off 34 pounds since November 2005. Right now, I'm so busy and stressed out from lack of money that I just don't FEEL like getting on the treadmill or giving up the foods I love. I read my Bible while I'm on there, so I've been slacking there, too. I started back last week on the treadmill for 30 minutes every day but two. I told hubby that I wasn't ready to stop eating junk food (my weakness), but was mainly doing the treadmill so that I would read my Bible.

In order to lose those 44 pounds I cut back to 1200 calories a day. I used the treadmill almost every day. I was up to 2.6 miles per day (45-60 mins). I gave up soda and ALL my junk food (donuts, candy, cookies, etc). I counted every calorie I ate. I really don't have it in me to do that again, at least not right now.

I'm so unmotivated it's not even funny. I don't have a job so I should be able to squeeze 30 mins on the stupid thing every day. I get so frustrated with myself.


Maybe after my middle one starts kindergarten (my oldest will be in 8th grade and Naysa will be just over a year then) this fall, I'll have more time??

__________________
Amy
Mom to Lauren, Eryn, Naysa
and announcing......
Gavin Michael Chase, 9 lbs 10 ozs
and 21 3/4 inches long on 10/13/09!

Thanks for posting this. I usually only eat once a day (hubby has a fit since I don't eat enough). I'm going to check this out. Congrats on your weight loss!

__________________
Amy
Mom to Lauren, Eryn, Naysa
and announcing......
Gavin Michael Chase, 9 lbs 10 ozs
and 21 3/4 inches long on 10/13/09!

is weight watchers a fad?? if not then I highly recommend for several reasons.. It teaches about portion control and how to read the labels.. It brings attention as to what you are putting into your body... my friend lost 60 lbs, mil lost 40lbs, and sil lost 20 lbs on this system. I am going to start after vacation this month and look forward to it.

__________________
Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

I lost 70 pounds 5 years ago and keep it off by following a diabetic diet (yes I am diabetic). I have in the past year lost another 10 pounts for a total of 80 pounds. I still have more to go but I am not worried about it. I keep my resolve to never go over 230 pounds again and that is keeping me beloew 230.

__________________
Laura
Please visit my blog
http://mylifeinlaurasworld.blogspot.com/

I was on weight watchers 4 years ago and lost 35 lbs in less than 4 months. I went from a 12 to a low 6. Then I realized that I couldn't really ENJOY life at a size 6 because I wanted to be able to have more flexability in what I could eat without worrying about exercizing daily if I couldn't. So, I have been a size 8 ever since. I pretty much use the tools that WW taught me. I have learned to omit higher fat food and I actually can barely eat anything friend anymore because all I taste is oil....yuck! Learning to read (and understand) labels and what's in your food is great. I DO NOT buy any of those hamburger helper crap things or box meals....sodium and preservatives up the ying yang. I don't bury stuff in fatty sauce or cheese either. I use a high fiber pasta when making mac & cheese for the kids and I drink a fruit smoothie every morning when I can and I put wheat germ in it. Kids love that too. I don't have "crap" around my house to eat. We have dried fruit and high fiber crackers to snack on. I got addicted to the lite laughing cow cheese on triscuits and love my low cat/low cal pita pizzas for lunch (whole grain high fiber pita bread, tomato sauce, a sprinkling of asiago romano cheese - more flavor than mozz - and turkey pepperoni).

I did join a gym this year and I GO (which hasn't been the case ever!). It's a gold's gym and they have a "movie room" so you can walk on the treadmill for 2 hours watching a movie. It's dark (so you don't feel like you are being watched) and they show good movies. It motivates me to go and walk 3 times a week

__________________
Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I'm gonna add...though its gonna get pretty hot soon (back to the boring treadmill)....I HATE HATE HATE using the treadmill, its so boring to me..I HATE it!! For the last couple months I've been going to the local park every morning and using the walking path they have....There is some hills and some straight aways.....each lap is 1/2 mile...I have NO problems and actually enjoy going and walking there. There is other people walking in the morning, fresh air.....so much nicer than walking on a treadmill....I'm gonna keep going until its just to hot to bear. I figuere just keep getting up earlier and earlier....

A friendly word of advice.. Eating once a day backfires. You will lose weight at first then you'll slowly gain the weight. I have gotten into the habit of doing this (years ago) ....it is very difficult to break. It has lead me to eating one meal a day & high carbs at night. I save all my calories during the day so I can still eat junk food at night

__________________
Angels may not come when you call them, but they'll always be there when you need them.

Kinda hate to bring this up, but I'm thinking of trying that new Alli that has been publicized. It is a weight loss medication that was previously prescription only and does not allow your body to keep all of the fats from foods. You must eat under 15 g of fat per meal or you have some pretty nasty side effects, but it looks very promising. I went to myalli.com last night to check it out. I guess it depends on the $$, but it is for those who want to lose a few pounds safely. I figure it will have me keeping an eagle eye on my fats so that I don't have the nasty side effects from the meds. Anyone try this in script form?

I used to HATE treadmills too until the movie room at Golds. It's not like walking on a treadmill at all (at least for me). There are just too many bugs and it's too hot to walk around here in the summer. Plus I have two little kids and they DEFINITLY don't want to do it with me but they love playing basketball at the gym in the kids club

__________________
Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Yeah summer is coming and back to the treadmill soon.... My kids are NOT going to let me walk much with them around...BUT I will get to swim more!!

I wish that were my case. My kids aren't tall enough to stand in our pool's shallow end. Our HOA had the bright idea to make the shallow end 4 feet deep so it will be some time before my youngest can stand with her head out of the water and they don't swim well enough on their own for me to get in "real" swimming for myself

__________________
Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Thanks Lori. You are so sweet!

__________________
@@@
l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

Not a problem. I know how hard it is to loose weight.
Good Luck!

I was recently diagnosed w/ pcos & have had a really hard time loosing weight. I cut out soda, snacks, etc- nothing. It is hard for me to see myself the size I am- esp when the dr says it may be months/years before my hormones get right enough for me to loose more. Going to the y has really helped me to feel better though.

I joined the ymca about a month ago and have lost 7 lbs. I do 30 min cardio at least 3 days a week, and have a routine I do with the weights.

They have a graduated payment scale based on your income, and a 12 week fitness plan where you meet with someone, and they design a workout plan for you. It has been helpful to me.

Thank you so much for all of the responses.

We returned from vacation and I'm ready to hit it. I think that the '3 Hour Diet' sounds very sensible and fits in very well with my hunger patterns although I'll go by your advice (momtatwo) and not sign up at the website. I'm really good at budgeting money; time to budget the calories!!!

I'm going to give it a try and will up my exercise within the next week or two as well. It really is time for me to get healthy for myself and for my family.

Again, thank you for the tried-and-true suggestions!

I have been pretty lazy with the diet lately but I just started yesterday strong. I have about 15 more pounds that I need/want to loose.

I do reccommend looking into the 3 Hour Diet books. You can even check them out at the library. It just help you to get a clear plan. Like I've said before, I love this diet, although I now call it my New Way of Life. DOn't forget about the freebies with eating (ie. pickles, cucumber, celery) they work great when you need a little something between mealtime and snacks.

Good Luck!!!