I Want to Lose Weight Forum & Chat Board | How I easily lost 70 lbs in eight-nine months

How I easily lost 70 lbs in eight-nine months

Just by walking, drinking lots of water and tea, increasing fiber in my diet, and eating breakfast I was able to lose 70+ lbs in about 8-9 months.

First thing in the morning around 6:15 am, I get up, put on my sneakers, grab my iPod and hit the sidewalks, walking at a comfortable pace for 40 minutes to 1 hour a day, a minimum of 5 days a week.

After my walk, I make myself a big blender smoothie (filled with pomegranate/cranberry juice, banana, pineapple chunks, fresh berries, a tablespoon of powdered fiber and a few ice cubes) and drink the whole thing down slowly. Next, I have a hard-boiled egg, then shower and go into work. (Feel free to substitute different fruits/juices per your taste and in season, but don't leave out the fiber!)

I also eat my lunch early every day, around 11:30 am. Lunch usually is a very large salad, lots of romaine lettuce, fresh spinach leaves, broccoli, chick peas, kidney beans, another hard-boiled egg, occasionally a dollop of cottage cheese or a slice of provolone, swiss or cheddar, and as many different veggies as I like. I'd top it with some balsamic or cider vinegar and a small amount of full-fat ranch or blue cheese dressing and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds or nuts. Because I use the non-diet dressing, I find the taste much more satisfying (I also use full-fat mayonnaise, real butter and raw sugar too, but sparingly).

If I want a snack because I'm hungry, it's a handful of nuts (limited to once a day) or an apple, orange or other whole fruit. Another snack food I always have on hand are the Kashi chewy bars as they are full of fiber. I do not limit myself to one snack a day, sometimes I have up to 3-4 snacks a day if particularly hungry.

I constantly drink water and/or tea (iced or hot, using a little sugar) to keep myself hydrated and to flush my system. I also take the long way in from the parking lot, or the stairs, and frequent little breaks away from my desk and the computer throughout the day.

For dinner (eaten before 7:30 pm at the latest) my choices range from another healthy salad, or a bowl of soup and a half of a sandwich, or a small portion of meat or fish with lots of veggies on the side. If I have bread, it's only one slice and usually whole grain. I sometimes have rice, potatoes or pasta, but only in small portions and not very often. When I drink alcohol, I keep it to 1-2 glasses of red wine or beer a week at the most. Stay away from sweets, no candy, ice cream, soda pop, or desserts (if it's your birthday, do have a small piece of cake, otherwise you will feel deprived and overindulge indiscriminately).

Oh another thing I do, or should I say don't do, is not weigh myself for months at a time. I just keep at it every day, doing the best I can. Yes, I slip up and go off the routine here and there, but get myself up and out walking first thing the next day and eating healthy again.

For me, especially because I know I am being good about the routine, I don't worry so much about the number of pounds I have lost, that's not my focus. Instead I focus on my ideal weight, that is the number I keep in my mind. I know I am losing pounds and feeling better each day. So the scale goes out the window along with the pressure of weighing myself and possibly being disappointed, and that is very freeing.

Yes, I started out with a lot of weight to lose, probably about 100 lbs total and I am also over 50 years old. I haven't weighed myself in over 4 months now, but I know I am still losing by the way my clothes fit and by the way my body feels. 

This may not work for everyone but it certainly has worked for me. It hasn't been difficult either. I don't think or dwell on it as a chore, in fact I try not to think about it at all, I just get up and do it every day. The outdoor exercise first thing makes me feel good physically and mentally too, because I am putting myself first, before all my other obligations in my busy life. Plus, it jump starts my metabolism for the day.

Try it out, I bet you will start to feel better within the first 5 days. Good luck to everyone.

 That is fantastic!  I plan to take a walk in the morning after putting dd on the schoolbus.  I am hoping I can make it a habit.

WTG and thx for sharing

have you tried any supplements or any other diets. i've been trying out this green tea diet thing, i wasn't losing any weight and i was willing to try anything and now its working. got it from this site, green tea .

 I drink tons of green tea rather than taking it in pill form. I'm glad it's starting to work for you. I have tried Weight Watchers too, but don't like the "weighing in" factor.

you seem to really know what you are doing. I really am going to take some of your ideas and put it in my life

 Good luck, and try not to get discouraged. We all have good and bad days, just keep to the routine as much as possible and you'll see results plus you'll feel good too.

Tell me what clicked for you - what made you finally decide to do it and more importantly how were you able to stay the course?  Thanks

 ok, what clicked...

I was going through a lot of major changes in my life... a nasty divorce and my father recently being diagnosed with terminal cancer. I decided, "who's kidding who"... so got real with myself, faced the facts, and just did it.