I don't mean to be a downer, but until you learn other ways to cope with stress, you will not be successful long-term. I know this because I can be an emotional, mindless eater. Have you tried visualization, meditation, Overeaters Anonymous or other support groups?

We have had monthly health check-ins which included weight loss.

I know you want to do Paleo, but I would suggest Weight Watchers. I really believe that your body needs a well balanced diet. I am a life time member and visit once a month. Moral support is very important.

There was a thread started on Diet and Nutrition, but I don't think it's taken off. Not enough traffic.
If you want to be in charge of the thread, I think many members will participate. But, will this really be enough for you?

The best diet is no diet because diets dont work in the long term. You need something that is life time otherwise whatever weight you lose will only return as it has in the past

Forget about Paleo or any other diet and think about strategies to satisfy your hunger for FEWER calories, Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help manage your appetite. Divide your daily calories into 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Good Luck!

I seem to have the opposite problem with eating. I eat very little but I have been carrying 20 extra pounds for three years. My weight doesn't go up but doesn't go down either. Ten years ago I went on the Atkins diet and lost not only the 20 lbs but another ten. I was a skinny Minnie. After the initial weight loss I gained ten pounds back over a period of time. About five years ago I started gaining weight then it leveled off. I don't eat too much but I don't get any exercise. There is a weight loss group in my area and she focuses on changing the way you eat not a diet and she stresses healthy eating. Now if I can just get motivated to take that first step.

The problem is defining healthy eating. People bring a lot of assumptions into that definition. Not all assumptions are true. Certainly the low fat high carb approach is not looking very healthy in the most recent research literature, but a lot of people still think a skinless boneless chicken breast with a side of plain steamed kale is the best thing going. Also, you can eat all the veggies, fruits and lean proteins you want and still be fat as a rhino.

The problem with weight loss is that everyone has a different answer and they're all trying to sell you something. The only time I've seen people really lose weight and keep it off, they've made a major change in lifestyle. And by lifestyle, I mean big things, not buying a smoothie maker. Things like moving. Everyone I know who has moved from a suburb to a walkable city has lost a lot of weight and kept it off. Partly that's from walking, and partly it's from being more on display in daily life. I also know a person who rearranged his life so he could eat dinner at lunch and lunch at dinner time. This involved rearranging his job as well as his habits at home. Most people are unwilling to make such major changes.

What has worked for you, Marcolo?

I agree that major changes in lifestyle are needed to lose weight and keep it off. I have never had a weight issue, but my husband did. Around 10 years ago we committed to changing our diet to eliminate processed carbs and substitute whole grains, cut out sugar, and be mindful about the amount of alcohol we drank. Another thing we do is use smaller plates for dinner, and put a reasonable amount of protein, vegetables and whole grains on the plate. And once we eat what's on the plate, that's the meal. We wrap up and put away any extras before we even sit down. Americans in general have a strange idea of what a reasonable portion is.

He lost 70 lbs in a little over a year, and has kept it off for 9 years now. But the changes we made were permanent changes. We cook every meal from scratch, eat a very varied diet, and do not count calories.

Hi Laura,
I'm in! After losing 15 lbs last year, it's back with a vengeance. I have found paleo eating has been the best way for me to control cravings and satisfy my hunger. Last year I had great success using My Fitness Pal, a Fitbit and a lower carb plan.

If there's a thread for healthy eating, I'm sure we can all participate in a general way without arguing about "the best way" to keep weight off. I think we're all mature enough to decide what works for our own bodies. Reporting in fun activities and exercise will maybe help encourage us to join in.

Beth

I'll let you know when I figure it out!

I definitely see a big difference based on where I live. A few years ago I not only went to the gym three times a week, but I also walked half an hour each way. Plus I walked to grocery shop, go to the grocery store, get keys made, buy stamps, etc. My life was spent on my feet, even though my job is all sitting.

I personally did not like the new WW at all. I tried it after the holidays a couple of years ago. I like the idea of eating anything you want but just keeping track of it. However, I think their point system skews too carb heavy for me. I was starving out of my mind the entire time. There are still a couple of missing throw pillows I'm suspicious about.

I am also planning to make it a priority after the holidays. I have been gaining and losing the same 10-30 lbs for years. I love carbs and dairy, and hate exercising, so it's no big mystery how it happens. Ideally, I'd like to lose 50.

I have used My Fitness Pal, done WW, exercised like crazy, and don't stick with it long term. I really want to find a strategy that works for me. At the minimum, I'm planning to get back to the gym, cut out sweets, and take my lunch to work more often, instead of eating out. I'd love to participate in a weekly thread.

"I was starving out of my mind the entire time. There are still a couple of missing throw pillows I'm suspicious about."

LOL, I coughed water up my nose at that, Marcolo! DH looked over and asked is that that home site you're always reading? Yes, I said, but it's so much more than that!!

Does anyone here wear a fitness band? I bought a Jawbone fitness band a couple of weeks ago. It counts your steps, tells how many calories you're burning, reports on your sleep patterns, etc. If you use it as an alarm, it will wake you up while you're in light sleep rather than deep sleep when possible. But the neat thing is that it partners with the myfitnesspal app, which is a great calorie counting app. So you see exactly how many calories you're taking in and how many you're burning. I have been walking so much! I have been losing weight almost daily with it. It syncs with your phone if you buy the wifi one (jawbone up24).

You'll be doing this again next year if you don't make a change in lifestyle and diet - not going on "a diet".

We got a bit off-track with our healthy eating the last several months. I love sweets and it doesn't take much to get me off track. I finally just stopped the iced coffees (funny, I don't like regular coffee, but give me an iced caramel coffee any day) and chocolate. So far this holiday season, I've had very few sweets. On Thanksgiving, I ate just a spoon or two of cheesecake. At a brunch the other day I had a taste of a pastry and a coffee cake. And you know what? That has satisfied me. I had that and no more. That's what I have to do. Find something I can live with - long term. Not a "diet" per se. What I've done lately to lose a few pounds and get back on track is: smaller portions, little to no sweets. We rarely eat fried/breaded foods. We've been eating a little more bread than we normally do, so cutting back on that. We concentrate on veggies, fruit, whole grains and lean meats and chicken/turkey. We rarely eat white potatoes and use whole grain pasta and brown rice, but these are also limited. It seems to work for us. And of course, exercise will only help in your weight loss plan.

Good luck!

tina

My problem is that I'm often not hungry. Obviously my body hangs onto each and every calorie that I consume, I seriously have no problem skipping breakfast and lunch when I get busy. I know that is terribly unhealthy but that's the way it is. I am also tired all the time and absolutely cannot make myself exercise when I get home from work.

Lol, Marcolo!

Last May my daughter and I started the Fast Metabolism diet and had great success. We eat food that does not come in a package. We eat fresh foods--fruits, meat, veggies, things that don't come in a box! We both gave up caffeine and feel so much better. I have a migraine history and joint problems. Both of these issues are rarely a problem now.

I lost 30 pounds rather quickly (over a few months) and have maintained since then eating a little freer. Many of us peri/post menopausal have had great success with this way of eating. Dr Oz has had the author of the book, Haylie Pomroy , on his show a few times and most of the diet is on the web.

As I tell many of my patients, I just had to stop eating certain foods and make big changes in my diet. Cutting back on food wasn't working for weight lost. And truthfully, sodas and those foods we used to eat don't even taste refreshing or appealing now.

Marcolo,
LOL at your comment. That is why I have a hard time with straight WW. I find myself using my points on bread. I can remember frantically searching the bread aisles for the most "bread bang" for my buck.

What has worked for me in the past has been to first cut out sugar. Give that a good two weeks. Dh and I don't eat pasta or much bread usually, but after the no sugar weeks I get serious about cutting out bread/tortillas etc. From there it seems to get easier, as I am feeling better, less achey, more energy. By then I've lost a little weight, and get more and more motivated. Then I'm more likely to let some fruit in, more veggies...calorie counting with My Fitness Pal helps so much. Eventually it becomes ingrained.

Anyway, that's the hope, Right now I'm hoping to get through the holidays relatively unscathed. It is Waffle Season at the ski resorts and DH and I are trying to get our places open and running. Flying back and forth between home and jobs on Cape Cod and the cabins in NH is pretty stressful and if I don't plan well, prime opportunity to eat poorly.

My best theory is Don't Give Up. I'm a little porky right now, whatevs,,I'll keep working on it. It's bound to be the story for the foreseeable future. I just won't ever give in.

Mad respect to all who are making a real effort!!

I think the 3 meals and 2 snacks a day is an awful suggestion. Eating 5 times a day is how you gain weight. I'm only hungry at the times of day when I'm used to eating. I eat 3 meals a day of about equal calories. If I stick to that I'm not hungry at night after the last meal.

But it's not that simple. I've exercised 10-12 hrs a week for 55 yrs. Do that and eat three healthy meals a day. It does pay off in greatly improved health. No meds here, blood pressure is 110/60, cholesterol 125. It's not rocket science.

If this were rocket science, it would be easy, based on math, lol!

I started early, but I will be supportive after New Years! I used to be a real believer in WW, I am lifetime, but the plan no longer works for me. NO plan seems to work. I have never cut out anything but sweets before, but now I have cut out almost all sugar, and most gluten, plus eating as low on the glycemic index as possible. I am still struggling to add more vegetables. DH is not a veggie fan, and I am doing this even more for him than me.
Diabetes runs in his family, not mine.

We did that Fast Metabolism diet, but as soon as I got to week 3, the little bit I had lost came back, but I persisted! and never lost another ounce.

Marcolo, that was hilarious!

"I think the 3 meals and 2 snacks a day is an awful suggestion. Eating 5 times a day is how you gain weight."

Its not the number of meals you eat, it is your overall calories you consume. Most people get hungry between meals and need something. If you consume 1800 calories a day for example, it is better to eat those in 5 meals, than in 3. Keeps your bloodsugar more level, which is key to weight loss

I already eat 5 times a day lol! That's the problem! Also that I don't get exercise. It is all about lifestyle. When I was walking the kids to school and home again, those few blocks kept me in check, if not totally fit. Once they started taking the bus, the weight came on. Once I quit my preschool work, more weight stacked on. I've never lost or gained weight intentionally, only by incidental lifestyle changes. (A relative's doctor wrote him a prescription: "Get a dog. And walk it.")

One intention, though, was that DH and I altered our wine consumption a few weeks ago. We used to have a small glass with dinner (okay, and maybe an ounce for the chef and a little while watching a movie later). We changed to even smaller glasses, and only on the weekend, and only one glass. I've lost 4 pounds! Ah, but I had to replace my glass with something, so I found San Pellegrino water in a small wine glass is a great substitute. Now when we are out to dinner, that's what I order instead of wine right off the bat, and I may not even remember to ask for wine with the entree.

I still need to get in some incidental exercise, though. Maybe I should get a job as a caddy? How much do you think an out-of-shape, over-50, non-golfer can bring in in tips? Maybe I'll just get a dog.

When i first joined WW the plan was a bit different. They have tried to change and modifye throughout the years. I don't really follow it per se.

What I take from the plan is to eat a balanced diet, in appropriate amounts, and mentally keep track (I haven't written things down for years) of point values. Drinking water is hard for me. The eight recommended glasses never works. And actually I found a formula that works for your height and weight but it still said seven glasses. So, the water is my struggle.

Why I recommend WW is the support you get while you sit there. If you look around, there are people who are heavy and never get to goal. I don't want to be the one sitting there making excuses!

Then, there are lifetime members who are at goal (like me). I learn from these people and get ideas. It's really from the members that I get my motivation. Since WW wants to portray healthy, most leaders are not thin, but average! (To me, some even look over weight.)

You can go to a meeting and vent and share your struggles. By weighing in once a month, it has kept me honest.

I do weigh myself as soon as I get up in the morning. But will give myself a free pass if I had particularly caloric meals the day before.

It is all about the food for me. Yes, exercise helps, but if I don't watch what I am eating all the exercise I do will not keep the weight off.

My typical day: As soon as I get up, I do over 200 stomach exercises, with a few other things thrown in. About a ten minute routine. I walk the dog once or twice for a mile to two miles per walk. At night I will do my lifecycle for a half hour.
Once or twice a week I do a weight training class.

If this stays constant my weight can go up if I don't watch what I am eating.

Weight doesn't matter as much in regards to one's health as fitness. There isn't one truly healthy person on earth who isn't at least reasonably fit, just many who aren't sick yet. That's the nature of human metabolism as set by our evolutionary history. We evolved to be active creatures.

Every bit of exercise helps but 4-5 hrs a week is a good goal.

We saw a dietician about 3 years ago. She showed plastic examples of serving sizes and they seemed so small! We were told how many carbs to eat at each meal and snack. It was the first success I ever had and I never got hungry. My husband's cholesterol and blood sugar got in normal ranges with six months and I lost 40 pounds. When I began to anticipate one strip of bacon, one egg, one piece of toast, a small serving of fruit for breakfast, I suddenly realized this is the way to eat! My husband only lost about fifteen pounds but he is tall and slim anyway. It does take more time for planning and prep but it is worth it. Treat yourself occasionally, too! It won't hurt a bit!!

It is amazing what WE think a serving is, and what the LABEL says a serving is, and how the calories mount when you realize that your bowls and glasses are bigger than the label does. That's one reason we dropped down on the wine, but even my bowl of Cheerios is bigger than the label thinks.

And I need to use a timer for my exercise, because what I think is a good workout is really pretty lame.

Another vote for exercise rather than a "diet" per se. An active life will not only burn calories, but it will give you energy, dissolve stress, give you a lovely endorphin buzz, and tone your muscles. Plus it's fun! You can learn something new, meet new people, and gain a sense of accomplishment. As adults we don't often get to experience the steep part of the learning curve in life. It can be scary, exhilarating, committing, motivating, and profoundly rewarding.

I'm a ski instructor and I teach a lot of women, and many/most of those are long-term folks who have made skiing a part of their lives. The benefits of doing a sport regularly are just amazing. It can be any sport though, from the mundane to the extraordinary.

How about some of these ideas to jump-start a more active pattern into your life?

- Are there any activities that seem fun or are on your "I wonder if I should try that?" list? Like horseback riding, swimming, diving, rock climbing in a gym, yoga, or martial arts? Some novelty and excitement go a long way.

- What about multiweek classes? I've found that because those are prepaid and at a set time every week, they are easier to really pull off amid a busy life.

- Do you have a workout buddy? Someone to meet at the park thrice weekly for a morning hike and chit-chat?

- Is there an instructor, trainer, or class that are particularly popular? There's a reason certain things are popular. What's the buzz in your area?

- Is there an event or specific goal you could train for? A triathlon? I multiday hiking trip with the Sierra Club? I always like that, and making little notes and check-boxes as I get closer.

- Do you like gear? Some people love equipment-centric activities and that can be part of the motivation. (Can become hella expensive though!)

- Do you like sporty clothes? If you don't now, you might find yourself eying some of the cool sport-specific fashion. I have a real weakness in that department. ;)

- What about travel with an activity in mind? Cycling in Ireland? Scuba in the Carribean? Hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains? That could be another big goal to provide both motivation and reward.

Can you tell I am a tireless advocate for this lifestyle? :)

Good luck - hopefully you will find your stride.

Karin

I have lost 30 lbs over the last year and a half. How did I do it? No diet.

1) I don't eat between breakfast & lunch and then don't snack until about 4:30 or 5 when I get home from work. I don't eat the usual snack stuff you find at offices. I say NO to ALL food offered except if it is a special meal catered by the company ( a few times a year). You could easily add 500 to 1000 calories a day just from office junk food.

2) I eat a lunch that is small but keeps me full until I get home. I have a cliffbar which I know many will say is junk but it works for me.

3) I give myself smaller portions of food (compared to the rest of my family) at any meals cooked at home. I keep refining this and making the portions smaller. Don't take 2nds. I eat what my family eats just less. That includes pizza once a week and chicken fingers, again less, just keep making your portion smaller and smaller. Don't do it dramatically, a little at a time.

4) At restaurants I automatically ask for a box to take half of it home.

5) I do tai chi and in warmer months I like to walk.

6) I rarely go through any drive through.

7) Drink green and herbal tea or water constantly. If you feel hungry drink tea or water.

I do not deprive myself or make special meals. I eat dark chocolate every day (probably too much). I like a glass of red wine everyday.

#1 and #3 are huge for me. I feel so much better!!!

In 2010 I lost 40 lbs. and have kept it off. I already ran 3 times a week and went to a strength gym 3 times a week but was carrying extra weight. Exercising more certainly wasn't an option.I didn't eat junk food or drink pop or eat a lot of cookies or cakes but what I did do was just eat too much food. I just simply ate too much food!

So I researched and what I discovered was that if I wanted to lose a pound a week I had to cut out 3500 calories a week or 500 a day. I had to stop "rewarding" myself with a scone or muffin a 10:00 in the am because I had gone for a run. I wasn't hungry I was just rewarding myself. I had to cut out the crackers and cheese and 5:00 in the afternoon. I do get hungry at that time so I substituted an apple or some carrots and humus.

Doing those two easy quick things added up to 500 calories a day.

The other thing I did was that I stopped eating dinner leftovers for lunch (although most dinners are stir-fry or fish) and actually taking the time to plan an actual lunch for myself. That allowed me to keep better track of calories and the proper nutritional component of my lunch.

It isn't hard but it does take discipline. For me, it also helped that I did an analysis of why and when I ate.

Having now heard and read research about sugar my next goal, which I have started, is to cut out what added sugars I do eat. I have arthritis in my hands and there seems to be some research that indicates a correlation between too much added sugar and the inflammation of arthritis.

I lost 55# six years ago by doing two things. 1. Eat ONLY when I'm truly physically hungry. 2. Stop eating when I'm comfortably full. I did not "give up" any specific categories of food. I did not change my activity level. I continue to maintain my weight if I do these two things consistently. If not then my weight fluctuates. I lost weight with various other methods but could never keep it off and I felt deprived and "hangry" (hungry + angry) much of the time. With this strategy if I feel physical hunger then I am free to eat whatever food I want until I am comfortably full. Again if I eat due to stress or boredom or if I consistently overeat my weight will go up and this has happened on occasion. And right now I am up a few pounds though I also have gained freedom from the scales with this. I know because my jeans feel a little more snug. But if I get back to these two basics then the weight comes off and stabilizes. It really is a wonderful feeling of freedom. I hated counting fat gram/calories/etc, etc, etc. and constantly thinking about what I could/couldn't eat. It consumed so much of my time and energy. Now I don't have to think about it until my body says I'm hungry then I can eat whatever I like - birthday cake or a salad or both as long as I don't overeat. I agree with the poster who made the point that what works for one person may not work for another. This really worked for me and so I just wanted to share it. Also let me clarify that while I did not increase my activity level I am a physical therapist and therefore a big proponent of fitness in general. I just did not use exercise as a means of weight loss. The loss came from the changes I made in when/how much I ate. As others have mentioned portion sizes will be much different when you eat this way. The basic premises came from a couple of different sources. Two books - Thin Within and Weigh Down. Both are faith based but the principles work whatever your beliefs. There are statements in both of these books that are counter to my beliefs but following these two basic tenants have given me a freedom that I never experienced with any other diet attempts. While this is simple it certainly is challenging especially in the beginning. It takes a while to know when to start and when to stop eating. But each mistake helps you learn. Also I did have the support of a group for the first 12 weeks. As a further note - approximately two years ago I quit eating meat and cut most of the dairy out of my diet due to my concern about the treatment of animals by the food industry. This did not make my weight maintenance any easier or more difficult. I hope this info is helpful.

Based on the many success stories above, there are many paths to achieve a weight loss goal. We are all different sizes and fitness levels and we each achieved our goal by what worked for us. One size does not fit all just as one method of weight loss does not work for everyone.

The first step is deciding you want to make a change to improve your health, and you've made that first step. Good for you!

The second step is to find a system that you can live with and sustain. After a reasonable trial period, if your first choice doesn't get results then tweak it. Stay focused on the goal of better health and better fitness.

Whatever path you choose, it needs to include better eating habits and more movement. Good luck. Stick to it and you'll see results.

The nyt has a 7min workout app that is great for people who think they don't have time to exercise. It is based on the latest science and is very convenient.

I do agree with everything HHireno and everyone one else.

We all put health as a reason and it is a good one. But, the main reason if we want to be really honest here is that we want to LOOK GOOD.

We need to understand that this is a lifetime commitment. I had a friend say that she couldn't wait to get to her goal so she could eat whatever she wanted. Uh, no!

Find your personal motivation. Getting into your favorite jeans and feeling comfortable, being able to get down on the floor and play with your kids or grandkids, or just being able to see your reflection when you are walking by a glass storefront and feel okay with what you see.

Side story: I recently had my height checked at the doctor's office. I was shocked (and saddened) to learn that I was 5 feet! I always thought I was 5'2''! So, maybe I was never 5'2'' and I rounded up, but even so, as we age we do lose height. Which means the weight you were in your younger days that looked fine, no longer looks fine now.

I have this situation that has been going on for years. I get disgusted after all I ate at Christmas and at the beginning of the year get disciplined about how much I eat and exercise and then I lose 10 lbs. Then over 2-3 years I gradually become less disciined and gain some of the weight back. Then the cycle repeats. This year I got disgusted before the holidays and have lost 5 lbs. So now I am controlling myself through all the holiday feeding frenzies. My problem this time around is that I've been exercising about half as much as I did before so I'm very focused on that again.

I never really go on a diet. I just cut out extra unnecessary stuff that I've added to what I consume as my discipline decreased. The main thing is dessert and other sweets but also being more careful about eating out. I log all my food and exercise in MyFitnessPal. If you've never done that I highly recommend it. It's very eye opening in terms of portion size and calories in restaurant food. I also measure and weigh a lot of my food to manage portion size.

I'm 57 with a sedentary job. When I look at how much I can eat and not gain weight it's not much. I think it would be impossible to maintain weight, let alone lose it, without some kind of regular exercise.

KSWL - Checking out the NYT 7 minute workout! Looks interesting. Think I will try it. Thanks for the tip!