I have failed at diet after diet - HELP!!!

[snowwhitesmom]

I NEED to lose 20 pounds!

 

[Octoberbride03]

My advice is Don't Diet!

Do what i did. Start with 1 really unhealthy habit and try to eliminate it or cut back severely on that habit. I started with cutting back on soda. I used to drink gallons a week, now only a few glasses on the weekends. Or pick up a healthy habit like drinking more water.

20lbs isn't a lot to lose. I've lost about 35lbs by slowly trying to make myself better. More exercise, less sweets is the way I did it. GL

 

[Tiggerkeeper]

I have to agree with Octoberbride. Make some healthy changes! I have recently lost 75 pounds by doing just that! And exercise...like walking, daily. Don't be in a rush the weight will come off if you are consistent with the good changes.

 

[dcox931]

Diets are only as sucessful as your willingness to change..

All the diets in the world wont change someones mindset if they wont make healthy changes to effect their life.

I would suggest small changes at first. If you are a soda drinker, stop. 1 20oz soda a day = 15lbs a year in fat!

Its all baby steps

 

[snowwhitesmom]

thanks for all the help and advice - I really am going to try - and I think I had better keep checking in here!

 

[escape]

Set goals each week. That really helps me alot. Just think, if you lose a 1/2 pound a week, you'll lose that 20 by summer.

Remember - you didn't gain 20 extra pounds overnight so you won't lose them overnight as well. (I have to keep telling myself this. )

 

[snowwhitesmom]

you're right Susie - I hate accepting that too though -

 

[tiggerlover]

Diets only work for as long as you follow them. I think after years of dieting ups and downs I have learned that a "diet" per se is not the way to go, making changes in your eating and exercise habits make all the difference. For simplicity sake I some times answer a persons question with I am on a diet, but really I am just living as a healthier person, making healthier choice, but a lot of times there isn't enough time to give a long explanation, so being on a "diet" works as a stock answer.

 

[snowwhitesmom]

again, oh wise women of WISH - you are right - I have to make a lifestyle change - actually - MANY!

 

[tiggerlover]

again, oh wise women of WISH - you are right - I have to make a lifestyle change - actually - MANY!

My advice would be not to make too many changes all at once as it may be overwhelming, try making little changes. Best of luck to you.

I have also found that hanging around WISH really helps with those changes!

 

[snowwhitesmom]

again - thank you. my mentors!

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

My advice is Don't Diet!

....20lbs isn't a lot to lose. I've lost about 35lbs by slowly trying to make myself better. More exercise, less sweets is the way I did it. GL

I have to disagree with you - 20 pounds IS alot to lose. I am not extremely overweight/obese, so 20 lbs may not seem like alot to some, but for me it is. So for us who don't need to lose huge amounts of weight, saying 20 lbs isn't not alot is kind of insulting.

 

[samjktrasher]

Melissa, (tiggerkeeper) so, you really lost 75 pounds by cutting out soda? Help me with what you did. I also need to lose 75 pounds. Thanks!!

 

[Octoberbride03]

I have to disagree with you - 20 pounds IS alot to lose. I am not extremely overweight/obese, so 20 lbs may not seem like alot to some, but for me it is. So for us who don't need to lose huge amounts of weight, saying 20 lbs isn't not alot is kind of insulting.

I wasn't after offending anybody. Honestly if you ask the govt. I need to lose somewhere around 100lbs. So hey 20 doesn't seem like a lot to me. I won't be losing 100 though. Simply don't want to. I'm sorry if i offended anybody. Wasn't easy for me to lost the weight i lost. But i did.

 

[Chernabog#1fan]

After loosing 110lbs, I have found there is a simple equation for weight loss. The equation is Movement > Amount Eaten = Weightloss. Try what I tried. Buy a nice pedometer (should be able to get a decent one for around $20.00) and challenge yourself to take 10,000 steps a day. Doing that along with eating a healthy diet will show you the results you want.
Hope this helps

 

[tinkamom]

Hey Michele! Did you see the add a wish challenge!

 

[AlaskaMOM]

Hi Michelle

I didn't see you had a post here, I guess I would have had to get off the private boards long enough to get here to be able to see it.

I'm glad you came on this is a great place to get the support you need. And as Debi said check out the addawish thread, you'll fit right in!!!!!!

 

[nbodyhome]

I have to disagree with you - 20 pounds IS alot to lose. I am not extremely overweight/obese, so 20 lbs may not seem like alot to some, but for me it is. So for us who don't need to lose huge amounts of weight, saying 20 lbs isn't not alot is kind of insulting.

I'd not have taken it as insulting - there are a lot of people who have a couple of hundred or more to lose (I lost 80, I should really lose 20 more - which is much less). At 20 left, I'm not morbidly obese, and I'm really not considered obese anymore either.

Of course, picking up a 20 pound bag of anything feels heavy! But for me, 20 pounds is the home stretch, I'm just taking it a little bit at a time.

 

[DisneyDancin7]

ugh...i hate dieting...

 

[JudyS]

I'm not sure how this thread got revived?

Reading through it, though, I want to point out that having a healthy lifestyle is no guarantee of being at a "normal" weight. I used to be morbidly obese (according to the BMI charts) despite regular exercise and following a vegetarian diet with lots of fruits & veggies and very little junk food. I tried WW Core, which is generally considered a healthy diet, and I gained weight. I even tried a vegan diet of nothing but whole grains, fruits, veggies, and beans for several months -- didn't lose anything. So, it's not like every fat person has unhealthy habits.

I've now lost some weight, but it's been very difficult. I've had to exercise an hour a day, cut back my food to where I'm hungry a lot, and take ephedrine, as well as injecting myself twice a day with a prescription diabetes drug (Byetta) that has reductions in appetite as a side effect. I'm down almost 40 pounds, but I'm finding further weight loss to be nearly impossible, even though I'm technically still obese.