Thought it might be helpful/informational if some of our successful weight losers could check in here with a couple of simple stats. Your height/age/starting & current weight and how many calories you typically consume in a day. And for one last note, what do you think was the most important factor in your weight loss (counting, exercise, support, etc).
Thanks everyone!
Reason: 9/3/08: released as a featured thread
Age: 24
Height: 5'10"
Start date - Oct 07
SW: 218
CW: 137
GW: Undecided
Cals: < 1k (not recommending this)
Most important factor was / is I am committed and don't make excuses. I have a weekly calorie limit and I dont go over it. If it you want it bad enough its not that hard.
Age: 22
Height: 5'0"
Start- Nov/Dec 07
SW: 155
CW: 115
GW: 110
Caloric intake: ~1000-1200 (seems low, but I'm pretty small)
I started out with the decision to make myself healthier, so I started working out semi-regularly. With the support of my boyfriend, who decided to get healthy, too, we started exercising at least 5 days a week, vigorously (i.e. running). That dropped about 10-15--next step was to change our eating habits and be more health concious. That dropped an additional 5 or 10. Started biking to work and calorie counting over the summer, and it's added about 15 to 20. I think calorie counting helped to get rid of the last amount of weight I wanted, but the key to my success has most definitely been exercise. I run 2 to 3 miles a day now at 7 to 8 mph, and I do strength training for 30 minutes. Trust me, I've never been atheletic before. It was sheer determination (with the help of a little close support!).
Start date: 7-10-08
Beginning weight: 148.8 Age: 36 Height: 5'2".....
I now weigh 132.00... I started eating 800-1000 calories per day, but quickly learned from this site that was a big no no... I increased my calories to 1200-1400 calories... I walk/run combo 4-5 days a week for 30-60 minutes.. I just started strength training 3 days a week... My weight loss has slowed because I have lost 17 lbs so my calorie burn estimate with exercise is only 1700-1800... Its harder to make my 500 calorie deficit so that is why added strength training to build muscle.. Muscles burn more calories which is another fact I have learned from this great site.... I make sure I eat 5-6 meals a day to keep my metabolsim moving.....
My goal weight is 115.....
Age: 37
Height: 5'8"
SW with CC: 317.5 (highest weight ever was around 340)
CW: 257
GW: 164
Cals: 1800-1950
Most important, for me, was making a lifetime commitment to my health and changing my eating and excercise habits to be consistant with that. I count everything I eat, no matter how small, and do the best I can to reach my daily calorie/macronutrient targets. Knowledge is power...and I finally feel I have control over what I eat. I don't know if that was a fundamental change in myself, or if it was more due to behaviour modification...but I feel like I am on the right road and will get to my goal with consistent dedication. It's not an all-or-nothing thing - I finally realize I can be dedicated to a healthy lifestyle and still have the occasional slice of cake. I just have to count it and move on.
Age: 36
Height: 5'10
Starting Weight: 205lb
Current Weight: 185lb*
Calories per day: 1200 - 1900 (I really like pizza)
* achieved over the course of just over two months.
Discipline is the most importaint thing in losing weight. Know that changes in your diet are importaint, and definitely don't overthink it. Too many people count every single molecule of food, then stress out over how many grams of this or how many grams of that are in it. STOP! Eat what you like, within reason, and excersise discipline. There's nothing wrong with an occasional slice of pizza, or an occasional soda pop, or a big piece of cake. Just make sure you balance things out accordingly. Losing weight is really not that hard at all, it just takes discipline.
Height: 5’ 2.5”
Age: 39
SW July 2006: 205
CW: 150
GW: 125
Calories: 1600 avg, range about 1400-2000
Most important factor was really “getting it” that I had to change my LIFE. Not “lose weight” or “go on a diet”. I had to get and stay healthy, and I could only do that by becoming active and eating a balanced diet. And that’s why it doesn’t bother me that it’s taken me over 2 years to lose 55 pounds. I’m doing this for life, so it doesn’t really matter how long it takes.
Age: 42
Height: 6'2"
Start date - Jul 08
SW: 223
CW: 208
GW: Probably 195, maybe lower (I'll see when I get there)
Cals: CC recommends 2150, I usually do a little under that
Most important factors: the Hacker's Diet mentality, logging on most days, cutting out the snacks, daily workout (5BX plus between 1/2 to 3 miles of running), and the CC toolbar on my browser!!!
Age: 20
Height: 5'11
Gender: Male
Starting Weight: 265lb
Current Weight: 205lb*
Calories per day: 1200 - 1500 (I really like pizza)
Running 2 miles a day 5 days a week, No eating sweets
Height: 5'3 1/2"
Start date 03-2006
SW: 269
CW: 165.4
GW: 140
Caloric intake: 1400-1600 daily
I started out with a new years resolution to be healthier and lose weight. I was done being so heavy and my job helped by having a small fitness center that wasn't used a whole lot by everyone. I started out by just exercising for about an hour and a half a day. I then challenged myself to eat healthier and developed a spreadsheet to record my input and output. Then I started looking online for ways to help myself keep up the weight loss and that is where I found Calorie Count. Since that time I changed jobs, gained a little back but then took it off plus more.
Now I do an hour and forty minutes on the elliptical 3 days a week, I do 70 minutes on Saturday, and either a half hour to an hour on Tuesdays along with doing weight lifting twice a week.
I have 25 pounds to go to get to a healthy BMI and the best advice I have to give is maintain a simple saying in your mind, "Input less than output." In addition, you have to be ready to change your life style. Until then it's all talk and let's face it, we all get tired of hearing about how people need to do this or do that.
Uhhhh that's all I have for now.
Age: 39
Height: 5'6 1/2"
Start date 11-2006
SW: 287
CW: 170.4
GW: 140-145
Caloric intake: 1200-1600 daily
I think the most important factor for me in my losses was that I started off very slow. I made small changes a little at a time. I tried not to go from eating whatever I wanted to sticking with a strict diet. I took it one step at a time. I didn't go from no exercises to a full exercise regimen.
Food-I picked one thing and changed it over time. For example: I ate out a lot, I slowly brought that down to once a week. I'd pick a common food I'd eat and look at different ways to make it less fattening (iow less caloric).
Exercise-I went from hardly any movement (besides coming and going to work) to 15 minutes walking a day. That increased to 20 minutes that later increased to 25 minutes and finally went to 30 minutes. At that point I worked on my speed. I went from a slow pace (2mph) and slowly went up in speed in half mph increments.
Support-I found a forum thread that I could relate to, found some very good friends in there and that helped me stay focused on me and the fact that I DID want to lose weight. Being here on CC regularly also got me to remember to log my foods and activities.
Height: 5'9
Start date 04-2008
SW: 180
CW: 155
GW: 140
Caloric intake: unknown, decided by hunger (I stop to eat before I'm not hungry anymore)
I generally eat well and learned to run around 25 miles a week, thanks to the "couch to 5k" plan. When not running for days I just eat a lot less. I follow my hunger and the averaged weight log to fix my eating goals, even if some calorie counting and nutrient learning did help in the beginning (especially for running, i didn't want to break down because of a lack of some nutrients at the very start, now I'm more relaxed about it since everything's okay.)
height 6'0 (edit: not 6'8)
age 48
starting weight 266
current weight 175
calories 1500-2200
I try to get to the gym most days, and tend to burn off around 650cals on the CV machines. I also walk wherever it is practical, including when I'm out doing the shopping. I've also started swimming again and generally swim 500m, sometimes more, after a work out in the gym. This soon mounts up in a day, and often exceeds 1200cals expended.
The most important thing though is to be sensible in your goals.
Starting weight: 224 lbs (& inactive)
Current weight: 165 lbs (& fit!)
I've outlined my journey and what works for me in my profile... it's a little long so I won't copy & paste here... Check it out!
Most important key to my weight loss: EXERCISE, eliminating bad foods and controlling food portions.
26, male, 5'11
Started to change my life on July 19th, 2008
Weight: 229.x pounds, I was moderatly overweight, not obese. I worked hard at work but mostly my bad diet over the years caught up with me.
Through simply diet and exercise: stopped drinking regular soda and switched to diet. Drinking bottled water mostly and no more fast food.
Eating lean turkey alot, some less fatty steaks, lean beef, fat free milk and cereal, shrimp and seafood, egg-whites, fat free light&fit yogurts, whole grain bread, protein cereal bars (south beach ones), lots of green veggies, and 1 - 2 fruits a day mostly strawberries. All simple and easy stuff to buy at walmart or giant. I have been saving money instead of going out and eating alot, espeically restuarants.
Exercise every day: walking, jogging, biking, and weights every other day.
Today I weigh 196 and seem to be dropping a few pounds a week still. I have gained some muscle as well, but mostly trying to fling off the fat.
My goal is 190 range and then I will bulk up my muscle mass and try for some abs.
Began my journey last June, Calorie Counting since July 2007.
Beginning weight on CC, 290
Current weight, 171
Goal weight, 155
Calories: 1600 on average, some days a bit more, some days a bit less.
In the beginning, walking around the block was a struggle. But I kept walking...and walking...and walking and before I knew it I had lost my first 25 pounds!
By last October, I began to venture into the gym-so scary! Lo and behold, it became a habit that is hard to break.
Today, along with walks 2-3 times a week, I do yoga once a week, mat pilates once a week, a body sculpting class once a week and other classes such as step as time permits. I also incorporate more strenuous cardio on the eliptical at least twice a week. I am here to tell you that I have never felt better or more alive. Calorie Count really saved my life.
I may still have a few pounds, lumps and bumps and loose skin to work on, and they may or may not ever completely go away. But you know what, I'M HAPPY!
Height 5'
Age 45
SW 213 (oct. 07)
CW 174 (this morning)
Calories 1200-1350
Exercise: i do alot of yard work and gardening. and i walk 1 mile everyday. more if my ankles feel up to it.
most important to me is wanting to be healthier. and with all my booboos its hard to do alot of exercise.
5'1"
Started Aug. 2006
SW: 160
CW: 110
Calories: around 1500
I exercise almost everyday, sometimes 2x/day. I do P90x and X+, along w/running and taking tae kwon do classes 2x/week. Exercise has become a very important part of my life along w/this website. Educating myself on eating healthier has been the most important part of this journey. I'm a calorie count addict:)
you guys are an insperation.
6'1
SW 250
CW 198
My goal was 200 so now my new goal is no fat on my belly for the first time in my life. (53 years) I plan to get a nice little 6 pack and then maintain that for the rest of my life.
calories 1200
Every morning I do abs and the gym at lunch time. take sat off except bike ride with the kids and go hiking for 4 hours every sunday morning at 5 am up a steep mountain range. CC has to get most of the credit. I have learned so much from everyone here and I have really been strick on weighing all my food and entering it all in the site. That really helps when I want to eat some junk and I know I must write it down.
Successful loser here checking in! :)
5'5.5"
SW 126
CW 113
Calories: 1600-1900
Biggest helping factor: Upping my calories when I didn't lose weight for a while! Trust me, it works!
- Age: 22
- Height: 5'3.5"
- Start date: August 2007
- SW: 265
- CW: 205 (Got down to 190 in May 08)
- GW: 140
- Caloric intake: 1400-1700 per day
I'll go with valsgoal's set up :)
Food: I choose foods with lean protein (egg whites, chicken breast, fish, skim milk, etc), I try to stick with high-fibre foods, plenty of veggies and fruit and lots and lots of WATER. Believe me, your body won't need to detox if you're eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water.
Exercise: I do a range of workouts that keep my body guessing, aquafit bootcamp classes, walking, hiking, spinning classes, cardio kickboxing classes, jogging, strength training and sometimes elliptical trainers.
Support: My entire family, boyfriend and friends all encourage me to be the best me. My grandmother, mother, and close friends have gone along this journey with me. When I started eating healthier, my boyfriend did as well, and he ended up losing 35 pounds along with me, what a lucky bastard, lol. And of course, I can't forget the great people here on Calorie Count, plenty of people I've chatted with on this site haven't given up on me, even when I had, it's so great to have that kind of support. Thank you!
Since I've gained back some weight over these past couple months, I'm kickstarting this fall season by getting back into a routine along with going back to school. I hope I can reach my goal by this time next year, that would rock
Great job to everyone else who has posted on this forum and reached their person goals and dreams, keep on keepin' on!
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