How are you doing on PT--success or failure?

Hi, just wondering how many people are having success in losing weight here on PT. I am stagnated at this point and need to hear some success stories, how you did it, what made it click, was it a lifestyle change or just a "diet"?
I have been on PT for about 6 weeks and havent lost anything, at first i did and then gained it all back. I lack the discipline to stick to a routine. My shortcomings. Working on that.
What are you doing that makes it a success, or what are you doing that makes it a failure for you. Would love to hear what works or doesnt work. It may give me an idea on how to succeed.
Thanks to all who respond to this post.

Fri. Aug 14, 6:59pm

I have had great success using PEERtrainer over the past 4.5 months.

As of today, I have lost 76lbs since my weight loss journey began last Halloween. 40 of those lbs were lost while using PT. I have found wonderful support in both my groups and teams.

Although I made a "life style change" officially last Halloween, I don't think that it really "clicked" until I joined PT. While here, I had to be held accountable. I shared my up's and my down's with my group members and I found myself not wanting to disappoint anyone....I wanted to prove not only to myself, but to my team members as well that I could do what I SAID I was going to do and not only that - but that I would truly excel at it! When other members send me private messages and say, "Wow - you're such an inspiration!" or "You've done a fantastic job!" or "I know that I can do it too!".....it just makes me smile knowing that my success has given them the encouragement they needed to push just a little bit harder to reach their own goals.

As far as things that work for me....
1) I got rid of the idea of an "end date". I'm in this for life - it doesn't matter whether it takes me 1 month to lose 10 lbs or 10 months to lose 10lbs. I can't think like there is going to be an official day when I'll finally weigh my goal weight and then tada! My weight loss journey is over. My journey will no longer be for weight loss, but will become a journey for maintenance.
2) I log every day. Even when I don't want to and I'm embarrassed about something I've eaten. I log it anyway, get over it, and try again the next day.
3) I learned to do the math.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

4) I stopped comparing my success, goals, failures with others. I'm an individual...unique in every way. No one's journey is going to be like mine so I can't compare myself to them. I can't say, "Why are they losing so quickly when I'm not?" because our bodies work differently...
5) I don't limit my food choices. I've taken the philosophy that Cindy Crawford has, "I eat what I want, when I want, just not as MUCH as I want." -- Nothing can be forbidden, other wise it will be the only thing you think about and eventually (because we're all human) you'll cave, have whatever it is that's forbidden, beat yourself up over it, think you're a failure and sabotage yourself.
6) Exercise every day, even on the days I really, really, really don't want to. I'll rest 1 day a week but still do something active.
7) Believe and KNOW that I can do it. I changed my life when I weighed 295 pounds. I've already lost 76lbs -- so I KNOW I can reach my goal weight of 150 because, HEY I'm more than half way there! If I can lose 75+ lbs, then I can do it again.

samshan19

Saturday, August 15, 2009, 12:06 AM

Im tired.. and its late so I will answer this post in detail tomorrow when I get home from work, but I echo everything sammy said.. and sammy girl.. Im proud of you!!!!

*lynneta*

Saturday, August 15, 2009, 12:29 AM

A short note to say that since joining PT, I lost about 45 lb. in two years (this is called slow but sure!) and am now maintaining for about one year. I did not go on a diet, I changed my eating patterns (hopefully for life). I agree with the 12:06 poster: I eat everything, just MUCH less of it. And though I do eat everything, I have changed the proportions of what I eat: much less cheese, much more veggies + fruit. I've gone from virtually eating no fruit to 1-2 pieces/day. And always lots of veggies - raw, in salads, and cooked in a zillion ways.
I also exercise a lot -- both aerobic (walking and biking) and weight lifting to build muscles and strength. This is a very important part of the weight loss/weight maintenance routine.

Good luck!

Saturday, August 15, 2009, 7:30 AM

I LOVE pt. I love this site so much, I've lost 75 pounds (breezed right past my goal of 64) and I keep logging every day. I had a lifestyle change though. AT first I missed my old unhealthy habits, but now I don't.

Saturday, August 15, 2009, 10:53 AM

I love PT as well. its like a big family here..in my groups and teams we talk about our lives.. not JUST weight related issues. we help each other celebrate good times and hold ach other up during the rough ones.

I wish I had a place like PT from the beginnning of my journey.. it would have been so much easier. I released over a 100 pounds on my own and maintained that for over 7 years.. than I found PT and have continued with my journey.. to date I have released 191 pounds.. I am working on the last 44 pounds to reach my goal of 135.

like sam said.. it doesnt matter how long it takes me to get there.. I wil get there.. baby steps= big goals.. I didn't get this way overnight and it wont disappear overnight. I reccommend starting out with some goas.. I took ine 5 pound at a time.. 5 pound sounds alot more doable than over a 100 pounds..

give yourself credit on things you do. even if you had a slip.. you still should have credit for the things you did accomplish.

this is a journey a climb up the mountain is what I compare it to.. there will be slips and slides.. were human, but the important thing is to get right back on track with your next choice.. dont wait for a special reason to get healthy.. YOU are reason enough.

this is a lifestyle change not a diet. I have a diet, but I am not ON a diet.. a diet is what we eat to nourish our bodies.

I don't deny myself anything.. I eat in moderation, but now that I eat clean.. mostly plant based foods.. high nutrient dense foods.. I find my cravings for the other food or processed CRAP as I usually call it have diminished greatly. I love fruits and veggies now... a treat to me is a ripe strawberry or a huge salad.. yes that may sound weird, but its true. like for instance wed was my birthday.. I had three bites of my birthday cake and ha some fresh fruit while everyone ate a huge piece of my cake lol

movement is important.. find something as exercise you enjoy and can stick with.. consistancy is key.. so no mater what plan food wise or exercise wise you go with . stick to it even when you dont feel like it.. your body will thank you for it.. me I need a wie variety.. I am a leo.. I get bored easily... I go to the gym, do the wi, dvds, have other exercise equipment in my room.. I keep shaking things up to keep my body guessing.

we are each different.. we will release weight differently so sam is right .. concentrate on you.. if someone is doing well get some tips from them.. if you start stalling shake things up.. surprise your body.

I have had many plateus, but I keep going.. never giveup.. keep exercising, drinking your water and making healthy choices.. shake up your routine. just keep fighting against it. you CAN break it, but not if you quit.

logging is key.. I need to be accountable.. be HONEST if you bite it you write it.. good or bad.. than do a U turn.. make the next choice a healthy one.
a plan without action is just words.. so are you a talker or a doer.... thats what I ask myself when I get frustrated..

portion control- if you dont know portions. get a set of measuring cups and a food scale.. right portions are important.

one last thing.. dont define yoursef by a number.. sure the number we all want, but remember how your clothes fit, how you feel and inches you are losing are progress as well. so look at the scale as just another tool on your journey. do not become a slave to it.

if you can conceive it you can achieve it.. believe in yourself.

Eat, Drink and Exercise like the person you are meant to be.

ok I am jumping off my soap box..

just keep cimbing your mountain.. w ecan all climb it together

*lynneta*

Saturday, August 15, 2009, 4:07 PM

i really want to thank all of you for your feedback. i have been floundering with how to do a major shift in my lifestyle and listening to you all has given me some ideas on how to do the shift. once again, thanks for taking the time out to answer and give me your ideas.

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 9:23 AM

How are you doing on PT--success or failure?

I have lost 10 lbs in the last month thanks in significant part to PeerTrainer's Eat to Live/Eat for Health team plus daily logging, and am only a few pounds away from my ideal weight of120 lbs. However the real key for me was taking a hard look at my own behavior and psychology and getting my 'walk' in sync with my 'talk'. Deciding to get my actions in line with what my real priorities are in life and being very honest with myself has made all the difference. I put myself in 100% charge of what goes into my mouth and stopped blaming stress, circumstances, family, finances, work, school, etc. for my being out of shape. Sure, I still want to have wine with lunch and dinner and eat cheese every day, but I want to be thin, healthy and clear headed for grad school even more. So I choose to eat and move in the way that will take me toward where I want -- really want, deep down -- to be, not in ways that take me further away from there. Finally, I just wanted health more than anything else and the rest is falling away naturally. Good luck to you, finding the 'want behind the want' that will carry you to lifelong change.

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 10:36 AM

If you don't quit, you can't fail. No matter how long it takes; persevere, slow and steady wins the race. There is no rush in the great journey of lifestyle change.

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 11:31 AM

I am so glad this topic was brought up and the timing couldn't be better!! I have been floundering for the past month after losing 80lbs of the 200+lbs I need to lose. I will be taking these words of wisdom and experience into this next week (begiinning RIGHT NOW). Esp. just concentrating on losing 1 to 2 lbs. Thanks for taking the time to share!!.

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 7:46 PM

Motivated

I just started and right now I feel pretty gun ho on the whole event. A chance to be honest and actually have someone to chat with. I read an article about the type of person that I am when it comes to dieting and I eat on emotions and stress so I hope that maybe this helps me. It is called the Beck Diet along with the diet of my choice which is going to be the Weight Watchers. I have the items that I need maybe this time I will be successful. Hang in there.

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 9:04 PM

I was talking with my sister-in-law about what things I've changed, just this weekend.

Portion sizes was the biggest learning for me. Weight Watchers was a big help with that one. I was shocked to learn what a true "serving" really is and how much I was unknowingly overeating.

I also learned that I canNOT be hungry so I never leave the house without a lunch bag filled with fat free yogurt, fruit, a salad and low-fat cheese whether I think I'll only be gone 5 minutes or the whole day. It's always longer than I think. If I get hungry, I make poor choices.

I found substitutions for the full fat things I used to love which still have the creamy or chocolate taste and that way I don't feel deprived.

I log every day. I went through a few weeks not long ago when I slacked off in this regard and I gained 2 weeks straight. The week I started logging regularly again, I lost almost 2 pounds.

I reduced my expectations for "speed". I'm only looking for a half to 2 pounds loss per week. Sometimes it IS more than than but I don't EXPECT more than that and like sam, I accept it will take longer than 30 days to get the weight off despite what all the fancy ads say.

Exercise. EVERYthing counts. Some days I'm in my gym, doing resistance exercise, other days I'm riding the stationary bike, other days I'm swimming, other days the "exercise" is 2 hours of housecleaning or yard work. JUST MOVE.

Finally, I continually remember how bad I felt about myself before I finally kicked my butt into gear and changed the way I eat and move AND I keep a visual picture l of what I want to look like in my head all the time. Any time I get lax, I pull up my "visual goal" and remind myself I'm not going to get there by lapsing back into poor lifestyle habits.

Read PT. The successes, the tips, the "what worked for me/what didn't". Ask people for their input, just like you did here. I have found this to be a very sharing and supportive community. It's one of the rare places where you can truly be yourself and get help from people who are ALL in the same boat.

Good Luck!

j1964 (37 pounds in 7 months, 13-23 to go) (which is a drop in the bucket when you look at lynetta and shamshan19 and many others - take a look around).

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 9:11 PM

I love peer trainer. I am losing slow and steady, but I am doing it. I have found such kindness in my group( 50 plus Christian gals). I find logging and gettin support is really helping. I lost 14lbs since the end of June, but believe me, I probably would be up 5lbs., I love peer trainer.I have times I feel like throwing in the towel, but I just loggin and get past whatever I am going through. I know we can all get healthy together!
CathyO

Sunday, August 16, 2009, 9:44 PM

RE: j1964

".....talking with my sister-in-law about what things I've changed...."

I know exactly what you mean! I wrote in my log a few months back about all of the things that I have changed in my life:

Wednesday, May 6:
"I've just been thinking about how much my diet has changed in the last 6 months....

My boyfriend and I used to drink 1 gallon of milk a week - just between the 2 of us. Now we're down to 1/2 a gallon and it's grocery day and there is still some left! -- We don't drink milk anymore! Only soy milk!

We used to use buy a 32 oz package of cheddar cheese (for tacos, snacks with crackers, etc) - now we buy an 8 or 16 oz and it lasts just as long as the 32 oz did! -- Just the 8 oz now!

I used to buy 2 quarts of ice cream every week. My boyfriend would have some, but the majority of it would be devoured by me. I haven't had ice cream in over 7 months....if I do want froyo or soy cream I buy a pint and make it last all week. --This past Wednesday I completed a personal 2 week challenge to not have any sweets...the weekend before I started this challenge I had bought 2 pints of frozen yogurt. They are still in my freezer, untouched :)

I used to eat peanut butter toast all day. My breakfast would be pb toast with chocolate soy milk. I didn't eat sandwiches and I could go through a 16 oz jar of PB in a week. Now that same jar lasts me 3 weeks. :)

I didn't eat fruits and veggies. Now I buy 2lbs of baby carrots a week, 5 or 6 apples, and I try a new fruit and veggie every week! --I found a new favorite veggie: BROCCOLI!

My boyfriend and I have a "pizza night" every week to coincide with our favorite TV show -- we used to make 2 whole pizzas. Each pizza has 1,600 calories!! Now I eat 1/2 a pizza with only 2/3 cup of mozz cheese with turkey pepperoni -- Stopped making them :-p

Are you getting the picture? Do you see how strange this is? It's hard to grasp at times just HOW much these little things make such a big (and good) difference. Can I just say that I'm proud of myself? :) -- Still am!"

Making such small changes doesn't seem important - but look at me now!

78.5lbs lighter and still goin'!

samshan19

Thursday, August 20, 2009, 10:34 PM

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