Anonymous wrote:If all efforts fail, just get weight loss surgery. I did it, and it was the best decision I've ever made. I am 44, 5'6 and currently 129 lbs. before surgery I was 214.

That seems extreme and unlikely to last

A friend of mine swears by Weight Watchers

If all efforts fail, just get weight loss surgery. I did it, and it was the best decision I've ever made. I am 44, 5'6 and currently 129 lbs. before surgery I was 214.

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Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of recommendations for WW but I personally find it super restrictive and too taxing of filling, whole fat foods and occasional sweets. I prefer just staying under a reasonable and very gradual calorie budget where I can still eat all the foods I like. Plus logging through WW is way more painful than LoseIt.

Just my experience!

Weight watchers exposes you to foods and amounts that teach you to eat healthy and don't make you fat. Eating "all the foods you like" if they are sugar and starch laden is not going to help in the long run.

No, it teaches you to manage calories like a bank account rather than listen to your body and it reinforces the thinking that certain foods or good or bad. There’s nothing wrong with having a serving of starch or sugar per day and you can even lose weight while doing so. You’re also more likely to follow through on a diet that embraces food you like.

Weight watchers is constantly tweaking the program as a way of saying it’s “better now,” but explain to me why a diet program has to change so much every couple years if it’s actually effective

If you are obese, intuitive eating is not for you. Most people that are obese have a genetically linked disconnect with food intake, appetite, and feeling full. Which is why they NEED to keep track of what portion is, how much they are eating, and place limits. The only people intuitive eating works for are those that are "naturally thin" which is a large part of why they are thin.

As someone who is "naturally thin" but a binge eater, I am not sure this is true. I am thin first, because I was very active growing up, and second, because if I sense my pants are tighter and I weigh myself and I have gone past my upper limit on weight, I immediately make changes. I am a sugar addict most of the time, but try to fit in healthy foods. I just take action the very moment I have gained a few pounds.

Then you aren’t naturally thin. You are thin because you track your weight and adjust your eating/food/activity accordingly. I consider naturally thin to be people are that are thin with zero thinking or effort into what and how much they are eating.

Those people don't actually exist. You are either thin because of scarcity, or thin because you adjust for the glut of food we have now. "Naturally thin" is made up to absolve people of their responsibility to keep themselves at a healthy weight.

I mean... there are gene variants/SNPs that make it more difficult or easy to be thin. There are obviously also personal control/action components, food availability, SES factors, etc etc etc but there are people who 'naturally'/genetically have an easier time staying thin because of genes affecting appetite, satiety, hormones, metabolism, body-fat distribution, and psychological issues/coping with stress. "Research suggests that for some people, genes account for just 25% of the predisposition to be overweight, while for others the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%."

From Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-people-become-overweight

You're wrong about naturally thin people, or at least you're not describing me. I've had people shove leftover sweets on me because they say "You can eat anything and you won't get fat" Not true -- if I did that, I'd be as overweight as anyone else. What's true is that I when I'm full, I don't eat anymore, no matter how good the food is. And I know when I'm full and don't want anymore.


I've known people who seemed to be able to eat a lot without gaining, but I've also noticed that it eventually catches up with them

Physician here. Just a reminder that when you are dehydrated, the body can confuse hunger adn thirst. make sure you are drinking at least 64 oz. of hydrating fluids daily. Also, poor sleep can affect you weight and ability to lose weight as well. get your sleep. And if you're at risk for sleep apnea, get tested because untreated sleep apnea makes it harder to lose weight.

Rough rule of thumb is that your weight in pounds x10 equals the calories needed to maintain that weight. Weight loss comes from calorie reduction.

Weight stays off with the help of exercise. Your muscles send a signal to the hypothalamus in the brain to maintain a lower weight set-point.

Fiber, fat, and protein keeps you full.

Good luck. It's not easy and I've struggled my entire life as well trying to maintain a healthy weight.

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Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of recommendations for WW but I personally find it super restrictive and too taxing of filling, whole fat foods and occasional sweets. I prefer just staying under a reasonable and very gradual calorie budget where I can still eat all the foods I like. Plus logging through WW is way more painful than LoseIt.

Just my experience!

Weight watchers exposes you to foods and amounts that teach you to eat healthy and don't make you fat. Eating "all the foods you like" if they are sugar and starch laden is not going to help in the long run.

No, it teaches you to manage calories like a bank account rather than listen to your body and it reinforces the thinking that certain foods or good or bad. There’s nothing wrong with having a serving of starch or sugar per day and you can even lose weight while doing so. You’re also more likely to follow through on a diet that embraces food you like.

Weight watchers is constantly tweaking the program as a way of saying it’s “better now,” but explain to me why a diet program has to change so much every couple years if it’s actually effective

If you are obese, intuitive eating is not for you. Most people that are obese have a genetically linked disconnect with food intake, appetite, and feeling full. Which is why they NEED to keep track of what portion is, how much they are eating, and place limits. The only people intuitive eating works for are those that are "naturally thin" which is a large part of why they are thin.

As someone who is "naturally thin" but a binge eater, I am not sure this is true. I am thin first, because I was very active growing up, and second, because if I sense my pants are tighter and I weigh myself and I have gone past my upper limit on weight, I immediately make changes. I am a sugar addict most of the time, but try to fit in healthy foods. I just take action the very moment I have gained a few pounds.

Then you aren’t naturally thin. You are thin because you track your weight and adjust your eating/food/activity accordingly. I consider naturally thin to be people are that are thin with zero thinking or effort into what and how much they are eating.

Those people don't actually exist. You are either thin because of scarcity, or thin because you adjust for the glut of food we have now. "Naturally thin" is made up to absolve people of their responsibility to keep themselves at a healthy weight.

I mean... there are gene variants/SNPs that make it more difficult or easy to be thin. There are obviously also personal control/action components, food availability, SES factors, etc etc etc but there are people who 'naturally'/genetically have an easier time staying thin because of genes affecting appetite, satiety, hormones, metabolism, body-fat distribution, and psychological issues/coping with stress. "Research suggests that for some people, genes account for just 25% of the predisposition to be overweight, while for others the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%."

From Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-people-become-overweight

Anonymous wrote:New beginnings can start any day.

Do WW - use the plan with a coach - a bargain! Lots of great success stories on the WW connect platform.

Good luck.

I’ve lost over 30 pounds on WW. Sometimes it sucks, but overall it’s not too difficult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BMI is garbage psuedo-science.

Eat healthy foods. Do exercise you enjoy. Get good sleep. Stop worrying about the scale.

wow, you should become a nutritionist

Honestly, I think actual nutritionists are BS. The above advice is pretty good. Except I DO worry about the scale, although more so the pants I can fit into.

I was 233 and 5 ft tall. The day I struggled to wipe my ass because my arms were too short to get around my girth was the tipping point. I am now 70 pounds smaller and still losing. It has taken three-plus years of focus but I am not walking around with a dirty asshole because I eat too much.

Sign up for BodySmart Fitness. I'm not kidding. It will change you. It's diet, coaching, mental wellness, and personal training in one. It's an online program.

Also, listen to or read Atomic Habits. This book really helped me figure out how to stick to a program (any program) and make big changes slowly

No, I think some people do not have the desire to overeat the way most of us do. They are more interested in other things.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of recommendations for WW but I personally find it super restrictive and too taxing of filling, whole fat foods and occasional sweets. I prefer just staying under a reasonable and very gradual calorie budget where I can still eat all the foods I like. Plus logging through WW is way more painful than LoseIt.

Just my experience!

Weight watchers exposes you to foods and amounts that teach you to eat healthy and don't make you fat. Eating "all the foods you like" if they are sugar and starch laden is not going to help in the long run.

No, it teaches you to manage calories like a bank account rather than listen to your body and it reinforces the thinking that certain foods or good or bad. There’s nothing wrong with having a serving of starch or sugar per day and you can even lose weight while doing so. You’re also more likely to follow through on a diet that embraces food you like.

Weight watchers is constantly tweaking the program as a way of saying it’s “better now,” but explain to me why a diet program has to change so much every couple years if it’s actually effective

If you are obese, intuitive eating is not for you. Most people that are obese have a genetically linked disconnect with food intake, appetite, and feeling full. Which is why they NEED to keep track of what portion is, how much they are eating, and place limits. The only people intuitive eating works for are those that are "naturally thin" which is a large part of why they are thin.

As someone who is "naturally thin" but a binge eater, I am not sure this is true. I am thin first, because I was very active growing up, and second, because if I sense my pants are tighter and I weigh myself and I have gone past my upper limit on weight, I immediately make changes. I am a sugar addict most of the time, but try to fit in healthy foods. I just take action the very moment I have gained a few pounds.

Then you aren’t naturally thin. You are thin because you track your weight and adjust your eating/food/activity accordingly. I consider naturally thin to be people are that are thin with zero thinking or effort into what and how much they are eating.

Those people don't actually exist. You are either thin because of scarcity, or thin because you adjust for the glut of food we have now. "Naturally thin" is made up to absolve people of their responsibility to keep themselves at a healthy weight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of recommendations for WW but I personally find it super restrictive and too taxing of filling, whole fat foods and occasional sweets. I prefer just staying under a reasonable and very gradual calorie budget where I can still eat all the foods I like. Plus logging through WW is way more painful than LoseIt.

Just my experience!

Weight watchers exposes you to foods and amounts that teach you to eat healthy and don't make you fat. Eating "all the foods you like" if they are sugar and starch laden is not going to help in the long run.

No, it teaches you to manage calories like a bank account rather than listen to your body and it reinforces the thinking that certain foods or good or bad. There’s nothing wrong with having a serving of starch or sugar per day and you can even lose weight while doing so. You’re also more likely to follow through on a diet that embraces food you like.

Weight watchers is constantly tweaking the program as a way of saying it’s “better now,” but explain to me why a diet program has to change so much every couple years if it’s actually effective

If you are obese, intuitive eating is not for you. Most people that are obese have a genetically linked disconnect with food intake, appetite, and feeling full. Which is why they NEED to keep track of what portion is, how much they are eating, and place limits. The only people intuitive eating works for are those that are "naturally thin" which is a large part of why they are thin.

As someone who is "naturally thin" but a binge eater, I am not sure this is true. I am thin first, because I was very active growing up, and second, because if I sense my pants are tighter and I weigh myself and I have gone past my upper limit on weight, I immediately make changes. I am a sugar addict most of the time, but try to fit in healthy foods. I just take action the very moment I have gained a few pounds.

Then you aren’t naturally thin. You are thin because you track your weight and adjust your eating/food/activity accordingly. I consider naturally thin to be people are that are thin with zero thinking or effort into what and how much they are eating.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BMI is garbage psuedo-science.

Eat healthy foods. Do exercise you enjoy. Get good sleep. Stop worrying about the scale.

BMI is NOT garbage pseudo science. and it's not "worrying about the scale." It's quite a wide weight range at which a person is considered in a healthy range for their height. I've been both near the top and the bottom of my BMI weight range. The look is quite different, but both are healthy weights.

You are not at optimal health if you are below or above the scale.

NP here: No really, the BMI is pseudo science. Do you even know how it was developed? Go listen to The Maintenance Phase podcast. There’s an episode devoted entirely to the BMI.

Yes, a doctor I saw specifically for weight loss agrees with you. But I think we can all agree that weighing 230 at 5'7" is not optimal for health.

OP, I topped out at 228 at 5'6". The obesity/COVID severity link freaked me out and I got down to about 205 early in the pandemic. More recently, I have gotten down to 200 and I am determined to lose at least half a pound a week until I get below 185 (the obesity line for me). Then I will work on getting down to the healthy range.

op here, intuitive eating is what got me here in the first place. that unfortunately is not going to work for me.

I appreciate everyone's advice!