Looking for people with long term weight loss

[Hectorsmum2]

I am interested in hearing from people who have lost weight and maintained for over two years and how they did it. It would be good to see what is working long term.

[Dippyeggs SS Supercook 1st 7lbs 2024 August]

Hi, have you checked the Maintainers Group on here? TeamAdmin would send a link please?

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor in reply to Dippyeggs]

Thank you. didnt know about this.

[Gizmocat Moderator 13kg Maintainer in reply to Hectorsmum2]

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

Here it is. Do pop over and reply to RG07 who is hosting.

[Dippyeggs SS Supercook 1st 7lbs 2024 August in reply to Hectorsmum2]

You're welcome and thanks Gizmocat

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor]

Thankyou. I have had a look at the post but it doesnt really answer my question. Do I repost my question in the maintainers club?

[Gizmocat Moderator 13kg Maintainer in reply to Hectorsmum2]

The maintainers club is a monthly post and people tend to post less often as maintaining is long term which is why it's quiet there at the moment. Do introduce yourself and post your questions and RG07 and others will be happy to chat and offer advice.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I suspect my method of losing weight and now maintaining that loss for 8 years is similar to what you are doing/have done, Hectorsmum2.

I followed an LCHF way of eating while I was losing weight and continued on into maintenance without having to change. I have never counted calories, or carbs, just removed grains, rice, potatoes, sugar from my diet. To start with I also steered clear of higher carb veggies (roots, pulses and legumes), but now eat them in moderation. I drink almost no alcohol, rarely eat fruit or nuts, but eat masses of vegetables. I am an omnivore, so eat meat (including red) and fish, but eat very little processed meats. I cook all my meals from scratch and stick to an 18:6 eating window - unless I'm really hungry, or not hungry at all. Basically I eat when hungry, stop when full.

This method has suited me to a T. I cannot follow 'everything in moderation', because I have an all or nothing psyche. A little leads to a lot! I stopped smoking on the day I started here and would never consider just having 1 cigarette because it's the weekend, my birthday, Christmas - food is one of my greatest pleasures and my greatest nemesis and I choose to control it, rather than it controlling me.

I have posted lots of my meals on the forum and you'll see that I eat large meals that fill me, I can't be doing with smaller portions that leave me fixated on food and my next meal. I am not the weight that charts tell me I should be, I'm still in the overweight category, but this is where my body is happy and also my mind. I don't need scales to tell me how I should be feeling, if I can fit into my clothes and lead a normal life, then all's well with the world

I hope this gives you hope

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor in reply to moreless]

Thank you. You are doing so well. Apparently people in the over weight catagory according to the charts live longer.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hectorsmum2]

Yaaay for me!

[rjb112 Visitor in reply to moreless]

Very nice post moreless. Very interesting.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to rjb112]

Thanks rjb112

[Alexagain57 Visitor]

hi I went from 12 to 9 stone using Noom and Michael mosleys recipes. I have stayed at 9 for 2 years. I eat regularly and do not count calories. I eat healthy home made foods but avoid processed foods apart from a weekly treat. I eat high fat healthy foods such as avocado and nuts but avoid red meat. If I eat out at restaurants I choose fish or salads or chicken and always have a dessert. I try not to restrict the odd treat as otherwise I feel deprived and then overeat later. I exercise 3 times a week but only do things I enjoy like Zumba Pilates yoga or aqua aerobics. I walk when I can rather than take the car.

I eat a LOT of fruit and veg and only eat wholemeal bread, rice and pasta.

I’d recommend Michael mislead books and podcasts. If anyone helped me most, it was him.

[springersrule Moderator 76kg in reply to Alexagain57]

Hi Alexagain57 and thank you for getting involved and supporting one of our members. I've given you a visitor badge for now but if you would like to get more involved I am more than happy to give you a full welcome. xx

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor in reply to Alexagain57]

Thankyou Alexagain. You eat in a simailr way to myself except I eat red meat. i tryto buy food at the supermarket that only has one ingredient, helps me avoid the processed. It is good to hear peole have found a way to eat that is sustainable. I also eat a lot of fruit and veg. I allow myself it in between meals and i have treats as well but i tend to plan them well inadvance. I will have a listen to micheal moselys pod casts.

[amykp Visitor]

What Moreless says.

I dieted for YEARS--I've probably lost 1000 lbs. The problem was, I gained it all back. What I learned was: whatever diet works for you to lose weight is pretty much what you have to be willing to do for the rest of your life. Basically, a "maintenance diet" is the same diet that got you down in the first place.

Here's what else I learned: I couldn't stand to feel hungry, I couldn't stand stopping a meal when I wasn't really full, and it was hard for me to have "just a little taste" of anything. It was one thing to do it for a year or two, and then relax into some mythical reward called "maintenance". For the rest of my life? it was impossible.

I eventually decided to try a very low carb/high fat diet (keto) which worked amazingly well for point number two (never hungry at all!) but of course, the instant I got on my "maintenance diet" and snuck in just a few carbs, I gained a lot back.

So, I've now been on a strict LC/HF diet for nearly 10 years. I skip breakfast. I'm 5'9", used to weigh 86 kilos, now down to 61...my Dr. is nagging me to gain a little! (I'm eating berries now :0)

IMO a keto diet is far, far easier to maintain than anything else, because you are never hungry. You don't measure anything, or stop eating until you are good and full. Nowadays there are workarounds/substitutes for most foods you love, bread, beans, pasta, sweeteners...they're not perfect, but they're good enough to cure the cravings. The hard part is the education--understanding what you can eat and what you can't, ignoring the news reports about healthy whole grains and such.

It makes me sad to read about people struggling with portion sizes and hunger...terrified to even TRY low carb.

[Flagship Visitor in reply to amykp]

100% agree with your comments- it can be life changing, and I will never go back

[mld78 Visitor]

Hi, I have been the same weight now for 3 years (allowing +500g and -500g occasionally over festive periods etc). I was 98kg, now 66.5kg. I weigh myself every Tuesday morning. I took 3 years to lose the weight - so slowly, about 200g per week. But then I sort of plateaued. I had been eating ok, but just too much. So I halved my breakfast and my lunch. I have kept to those sized meals, and have one piece of cake etc per week. And my weight has stayed constant. I just have to make sure I eat enough carbohydrate, otherwise I get hungry and will eat - eat anything! I do have 50g of protein once a day. Some people suggest to cut out the carbs and focus on the proteins. My body just puts on mega weight when I do that! So I have one slice of toast for breakfast, with marmite. A slice of toast with a low calorie cuppa soup for lunch, and 75g of carbs with 50g of protein for dinner - with at least two veg. My BMI is still 27.3, but I'm happy with my size and weight. I wear M&S size 10 or size 12, and I look and feel good. And I enjoy going out for a cup of tea - used to drink a Latte, but my body now prefers an Earl Grey with skimmed milk!!

M

[Flagship Visitor]

I started a LCHF (Keto) was of eating over two years ago. Having coeliac disease many of the forbidden foods were already out of my diet

I was surprised how easy it was to follow this lifestyle, losing 42 pounds, without hunger. Several side effects were very welcome. My migraine headaches which I have had since I was 11 completely disappeared. I’m 68 now.

Acid reflux also gone, and lowered blood pressure

I can only say how well it worked for me and reversed my friends pre diabetes