This week’s question isn’t as random as some but whatever, my blog my rules.
I want to know what your plan is to reach your health goals. Are you a Weight Watcher? Do you stick to a routine or do you mix things up every few days? And what is it about your system or plan that really works for you? What is it that makes you successful?
I do my best when I’m working out in the morning at least four-five times a week, and when I’m tracking my calories on DailyPlate.com. Best case scenario I get all of my meals for the week loaded in on Saturday, go to the grocery store on Sunday, and stick through it the whole week. I jot everything down in a little notebook that I keep in my purse so I don’t have to run back and forth to the computer each time I need to eat or make a meal. And if I know ahead of time I’m going out to dinner sometime that week it gives me a chance to look up the nutritional info for whatever restaurant ahead of time.
Your turn. What’s your plan?
My plan sounds similar to yours. I go to Weight Watchers meetings and use the Etools to keep track of what I eat. Anything I have ever read about losing weight suggests that you keep a food journal, and I think that is the key to success.
My best friend is diabetic since childhood, and she routinely records everything she eats so she can keep track of the carbs for insulin purposes. This is second nature for her, and I want my food logging to become second nature to me, too!
I just started my weight loss plan a little over 3 weeks ago, so I’m still in the honeymoon stage. I’ve been through this 3 times before and now I’m at my heaviest ever.
In the past I went to Weight Watchers. Great way to lose weight, then I gain it all back.
My plan this time:
1) Weigh myself everyday to keep it in the forefront of my mind. This is difficult to take at times. I’ve been tracking my results on an Excel spreadsheet/graph. I find looking at it each day to be motivational.
2) Exercise everyday at something I enjoy. I can’t stand intense/mindblowing workouts. I enjoy walking. I’ve been walking everyday since I started.
3) Pay attention to my hunger. Eat three meals a day and stop when I’m full. If I get hungry between meals, snack on as much fruit & veggies as I want. If I truly want to make changes, I need a plan I can stick with for the rest of my life, and I can’t do WW for the rest of my life.
Since I started 3 or so weeks ago, I’ve lost 3.6 lbs., so it will be a slow go, but hopefully one that will last this time.
Now, I’m off for my walk! Good luck to you in your efforts!
Amy
I am currently a calorie tracker and exercise like crazy. I am training for a half marathon. I use tweetwhatyoueat.com to track calories. I also use calorieking.com for rough estimates on sometimes along with my food scale and measuring cups. I also have an Iphone so I can type what I consume right away and go back to the websites later if need be. I try to rarely eat out as well. I can make meals at home and eat the whole casserole dish or get the a smaller meal for 2x the calories. Crazy!
I stick to whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean proteins and low sugars and healthy fats. No processed foods. It works for me and I feel great, so why quit?!?!
I just try to keep it all in my head. I need to get back in the habit of writing down what I eat. I’m not on WW, I honestly think I know what I should/shouldn’t be eating…and sitting around in a group of overweight adults cheering eachother on with stickers and handclaps…doesn’t appeal to my better nature.
Hey, I just started reading your blog and thought I’d answer this one.
I am a Weight Watcher but beyond that, my plan to get and stay healthy is to do everything in moderation and in a way I know will be sustainable for me. I work out in the mornings for 30 minutes on weekdays as opposed to trying to force myself to go to the gym for three hours a day, I eat all foods I love and gradually try/incorporate more healthy foods (instead of jumping into all-diet-food-and-flax-all-the-time) and I try my hardest to listen to my body and to learn from others. For me, the number one rule for success seems to be to find ways to make everything enjoyable. If I can find ways to make myself happier sticking to my plan than not, then why would I ever go back???
Oh, and in terms of the gritty details, I plan out a week of meals and snacks at a time and do all my cooking/prepping on Sundays so that I never have to think about food during the week. A pain on Sundays, but SO AWESOME for the rest of the week!
It sounds like a hassle (and it is — although much less so now that I’m used to it), but it’s nothing compared to the stress I used to feel knowing that I had to come up with something for dinner every day after work (when the last think I wanted to do was cook).
Good question! My approach has changed over time. When I was overweight with the college 25 or so 8 years ago, I started WW. I needed a set plan to follow and some guidance on healthy eating as I was eating a diet mainly consisting of beer and pizza. When I was on WW I recorded everything I ate. That helped me lose about 15 or more pounds over the summer and put me at a much healthier weight.
I eventually found WW still allowed me to eat poorly and be within my points so I moved on. I have tried South Beach and other random things in the years since. For a while I had an Excel spreadsheet that I put my calories into every day, along with protein, carbs and fat. Now, while I loosely follow the plan from a Canadian book called The Last 15, I mostly just try to ensure I eat whole foods wherever possible and limit my carbs. The Last 15 sets things up in very simple terms (eg: lunch consists of 1 protein, 1 fat, 1 carb, 1 or more veg and 1 fruit. Easy!) I no longer record anything as I have a really good idea of portion sizes and I find I’m a sporadic recorder anyway. I read labels the whole time I’m in the grocery store and try not to buy anything with things I can’t pronounce in it. And I’m currently (and have been for 5 months) the lowest weight I have ever been since I started weighing, so it seems to be working!
As for what leads to success for me, I find flexibility to be the key. I can’t stick to a really strict plan, bc I get a lot of enjoyment out of food. So I just try to balance it out and indulge sometimes and cut back a little at others. My diet now is not that different from what it was when I was 9 pounds heavier in December. I just indulge a little less often. Everyone has to find the style that works for them!
Hey lady! I just discovered your web siteblog not too long ago (clicked from some other food and health blog — forget where!) and I think you are awesome.
Okay — plan is really simple. WAS doing WW for like the 3rd time, did well, the whole points thing, gained more than half of it back after vacation, birthday getting off track etc.
Right now I’m thrilled if I can stick to this plan for the next 4 weeks or so:
– eat 3 healthy wholesome yet substantial meals (small healthy snacks are OK too)
– make sure to actually get hungry* for the next meal
– do some light strength training and yoga a couple days a week**
– stay off the scale for a bit and just see how I feel (it’s obvious by how my pants fit and how I look)
* when I went through my vacation / b-day binge phase for a couple weeks off and on I was eating so much that I never really felt hungry ever, especially after eating late at night. It feels healthy to get back a natural appetite.
** I sprained my knee exercising recently so no carido for me until it’s better.
I’m on Weight Watcher and I love to track food and activity ahead of time. That way I feel guilty if I have to add some bad food or take away activity points I didn’t do! Also, having a plan for the week completely avoids the “what’s for dinner?” question which can lead to pizza.
Hope you are getting settled and that your house hunt is going well!!
My plan is to do it “right” this time. I’m using WW online just to keep track of how much I’m eating, but I’m trying to eat healthy, fresh food. And I’m exercising, three times a week with a personal trainer, and then one or two times by myself. Going to add in some classes for more cardio (which I hate, but I figure if I’m in a class, I’m there for an hour and can’t get out of it!), and am thinking about doing a boot camp later this summer.
My plan is basically paying lots of money to my gym for a personal trainer. Yeah it’s a lot of money, but I guess to me it’s worth it because I would never push myself that hard, and I would never do the things that he makes me do. BUT despite it being really hard and expensive, I am getting the results I want. I need those results to feel good, and they keep me going.
Oh and I following the south beach diet phase 2 most days
Hilarious – I just blogged my new plan. I guess in the blog entry I forgot to mention I’m tracking the calories in a spreadsheet. I used to do Livestrong.com but I like the super private privacy in a spreadsheet for some reason.
I always plan, but a lot of good it’s doing for me lately. I plot out my workouts for the month on the 1st. I actually love sleeping in on Sundays, then sitting at the computer with a cup of coffee, Food Network on the TV and the online sales fliers for my favorite grocery stores. If I know a particular veggie is in season or something special is on sale, I will crack open my cookbooks and find a new recipe to try. I chop up a load of raw veggies on Sunday after grocery shopping and keep them in my fridge for snacks throughout the week–often pairing it with LF cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt or onion dip made with FF Greek yogurt (I SWEAR you can’t taste the difference!). If I’m really on point, I’ll cook up a big batch of whatever grain is going to be in my dinners throughout the week (often brown rice, cous cous or quinoa), so I can cook it once for the week and simply warm individual serving sizes up. But that’s only on REALLY good weeks. Oh–and I use the Flogg Daily journal to plan and track my food.
I’m not dieting, but I’m really trying to make smart, healthy choices — without stressing out too much when I indulge in something. I hear middle-aged women say that they’ve been on a diet for their whole lives, and I just don’t want to constantly be that way, constantly worrying about those last five pounds.
I read Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel (of Real Housewives fame), and found it to be incredibly helpful. She gives a lot of smart tips about eating healthy and making good choices — things you could think of yourself, if eating weren’t such an emotional thing for most people.
In addition to watching what I eat, I’m currently aiming to work out 5 times per week. Whether it’s going to the gym, doing a workout DVD or going for a walk — I try to mix it up. I jot it down in my day planner when I’m done, so I can look back and see how I’m doing.
Also! I really try to get through the recommended eight 8-oz. servings of water per day.
My plan is to start off by cutting out bad foods and exercising 3-5 times a week for at least45 minutes. That’s just to start. I am actually going to develop a plan. Thanks!
http://www.mrsweightloss.blogspot.com
Well, my plan is kind of up in the air right now with back issues and now traveling for two weeks. Hopefully this won’t derail my progress.
My plan is basically eat as clean as I can, around 1800 cals, exercise 30 minutes daily even if just walking.
I use SparkPeople to track my calories and distribution. I aim for 50% carbs, 30% fat, 20% protein. I keep my calories around the 1,600′s range, and give myself one meal a week to eat whatever I want.
I try to get to the gym at least 3 times a week, and now I’m aiming for 4. Eventually, I would like to go 5 times a week.
I plan on evaluating my calories and workouts as I lose more weight to make sure I’m not eating too much.
I also try to find out where I’m going to eat beforehand so I can look up the menu and plan. Luckily, we don’t eat out too often!
The plan is to eat healthy and exercise. Figure this has to be a 100% lifestyle change so I am keeping it simple.
I don’t count calories anymore, which is nice. I am struggling with getting into the gym. I need to work on that, I am losing weight but looking really flabby.
Something very simple that has been working for me is that i have a GIANT calendar in which i write down each day the calories I’ve consumed and exercise completed. it keeps me accountable. i tend to exercise 6 days a week and stay within 1400-2200 calories a day depending on how active i am. i alternate running and strength training along with walks, rollerblading and classes at the gym. i eat more “clean” foods than processed foods and have learned the art of saying “NO” many more times a day than i had thought possible (i.e. “no, i don’t want to go out to dinner, i’m eating in today.”) This has been working for very slow but inevitable weight loss and plenty of muscle gain! hope this helps!
I’m not really sure what keeps me motivated. I thought about it after I read your question and I think I might just be one of those annoying people that are motivated from within. I do find that I can do anything if I know I have an end, a light at the end of tunnel. Whether it’s 4 minutes, an hour, 3 months, or a year. I guess I like having an attainable goal to check off.
I’m not over weight, never have been. But I had a spinal injury and surgery (about 14 months ago) and that dramatically changed my lifestyle. I limit a lot of movement, even doing laundry and dishes is hard. I spend a lot of time resting my back by lying down because I can’t do anything else. No more random jogs, batting cage trips, or just fun stuff in general. And I gained some weight that I want to get rid of. I never had anything formal. I lifted weights occasionally at work, but I did pilates at home all the time and walked everywhere. But it turns out all those insignificant movements were significant!
I can do cardio at the gym now, but not like I could have before. I am able to maintain, but not lose the 10-15 I want to get rid of.
I was a physiology major in college so I wanted a plan that makes sense scientifically. I asked a college friend what he used to lose over 100 lbs and keep it off (for like 5 years so far). He told me to read Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. It’s really good and shows why burning calories through exercise is better than just with holding them at meals. And why you can’t just lower calories and stay there, because the body will adjust and then when you go off your diet you’ll gain weight back at a “normal” calorie intake.
Even on bad, tired days at the gym/therapy when I feel like I can’t do this, I immediately say I AM DOING THIS so get started! And I start on the elliptical and and keep saying it. I can do five minutes of anything forever. I just keep saying it. And somehow on days when I don’t know how I even got out of bed, I manage 40 minutes on the elliptical at a difficult setting. Maybe that sense of accomplishment is what keeps me going for the next time. I’m not sure, but I’m going to let it ride!
I’ve tried losing weight a million times before – or at least it really seems like that – but up until now, the most success I’ve had was about 10lbs, and then it all came right back. There are a lot of things I’m doing differently this time, and I know they’re the reason I’ve been able to lose 30lbs in the last 4 months.
Healthy eating. Right off the bat I cut out chips, candy, cookies, ice cream, and anything else bad for me. Initially I was eating around 1100 calories a day, but that was way too low for me. I felt cranky and hungry all the time. So I’ve upped it and eat 1300-1500 calories a day, which I log in my day planner. I eat very healthy most of the time, but I also don’t deprive myself. If I go to the movies, I’ll have a small popcorn, because that’s something I love. Not being ridiculously strict on myself also helps me stay on plan, because I don’t feel like I’m stuck in some awful diet.
Working out. I’m very lucky to have my own treadmill – thanks dad!! – which I use on a daily basis. I love running, which makes it a lot easier to get motivated. For my birthday last month I got a wii and the EA Sports Active game, which has been awesome for changing up my workouts. I find that the best way for me to stay focussed is to have goals with my exercise. Like doing the couch to 5k program, and the 30 day challenge on the wii. I’m competitive, and I hate to fail, so it keeps me motivated.
Weigh in day. This seems like a small thing but it’s made a huge difference. Last summer when I was trying to lose weight I would weigh in on Fridays, and then often cheat on my diet all weekend, because I thought I had all week to make it better. Instead, I usually just ended up cheating more during the week. Now I weigh in on Mondays, and it helps me to stay on track on the weekends, because I know a weigh in is just around the corner and I have no time to work off any junk I eat.
I think the biggest thing that I’m doing that is leading to success is making this a part of my life. I have nothing but respect for the people who follow plans like Weight Watchers and South Beach, because I know those take hard work and committment, but they just aren’t for me. I want this to be something I can maintain for the rest of my life. When I’ve lost all of my weight, I’m not going to suddenly start eating ice cream by the gallon, and stop working out. I’m taking all of these steps to make healthy eating and daily exercise a part of my life so I never have to deal with weight issues again.