nkfrench 

First big one was 105 pounds (12 hours swimming/gym each week, low-fat diet, food diary). Failure in 5 years.
Second big one was 70 pounds (10 hours swimming/gym each week, low-fat diet, food diary). Failure in 5 years.
Third big one was 80 pounds (10 hours swimming/gym each week, low-fat diet, food diary). Failure in 5 years.

The food diary is a valuable tool for me. I can't tell by feel if I've overeaten or undereaten.
I rebel against having to log everything I eat and drink after a few years. Life feels as if it revolves around the diary.
Personal accountability can be tough.

Nikon shooter

I went from 309 to 230 in two years. I used the Lose-It app and rode my bike. I found eating relatively clean, no sugar, or processed foods, very little gluten and dairy was my best path. Tracking the calories and exercise was right up my alley, I love that kind of thing and it keeps me accountable. Now that last 30 pounds to my goal weight is really hard and coming off very slowly. The first 60 pounds came off pretty quickly.

Keith

Ghefty

When I returned to riding 15 years ago I weighed #365 . I had forgotten how much I loved the freedom of riding a bike, my early rides of 5 to 10 miles were a real accomplishment and I decided to try and eat better so I could ride more. With a healthy diet and daily bike rides the pounds began to drop off. Eventually I was riding 200+ miles every week and in a year made it to #240 . Fast forward to today not riding as much due to other obligations, not eating as healthy as I should, so I have added #20 back. Now that the weather is getting cooler in South Florida I think I need to get back on my bike and drop those #20 and maybe a few more. So in answer to your question, yes you can do it through diet and exercise, start small, don't get discouraged and keep with it, it does work.

Ride safe,
George

travbikeman

I have gone from 537lbs at Feb of 2014 to currently 315lbs without stomach surgery. This next year I'm working hard on getting my weight down to 220lbs.

I have counted my caloric intake on loseit, although lately I have kind gotten away from that. Has felt so very redundant....but am possibly going back to doing it.

Dec of 2013 and Jan of 2014 I had 7 out patient surgeries on my right leg to fix painful vein issues that had prevented me from walking. Plus I also started using a bipap sleep machine, not cpap, the more powerful bipap. For years I wasn't sleeping properly before I started this therapy. Now I sleep really well.

I got so big because of being so sedentary and drinking and eating so much to stay awake. Never realizing that I had a problem with sleep. Plus I had no idea until finding the right doctor about my leg issues.

Cheese Head

Nice job!

GravelMN

80 pounds in about a year.

There is no magic formula. The best tips I can give you are:

1) Keep a written log of what you eat for about a week without trying to change your eating. Do this again about one week out of every month as you make adjustments to your nutrition. Add notes about how you feel and perform.

2) Get a set of measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale. You don't have to measure everything, all the time, but do use them frequently as a reality check. Portion creep is a silent enemy of weight loss. That cup of cereal becomes a cup and a half, that 3-ounce patty gets closer to 5 ounces, the level tablespoon of sugar becomes a heaping tablespoon, etc. Many small errors can add up to a lot of calories that you don't even realize you are eating.

3) Watch out for forgotten calories, those nibbles and sips, that are not part of meals or planned snacks, that you don't even think about. Licking the peanut butter off the knife after making your kid's sandwich, downing that last swig of milk before throwing the container away, tasting while cooking (yes, you need to but remember the calories count and a big spoonful is not a taste), samples at the grocery store, etc. It adds up. Some estimates say the average person consumes between 250 and 400 kCal/day in forgotten calories.

4) Stay active and ride lots but remember, you cannot outride a bad diet. Count everything you eat or drink pre, during and post ride. Don't rely on ANY of the calorie burned calculators online or on your phone or computer, every one I have tried has overestimated actual calories burned by 25-50%, maybe more. Don't consume excessive amounts on the bike for fear of bonking, and don't wipe out all your hard work by overindulging in "recovery" drinks.

5) Most of all, remember to have fun.

jlcop

I have lost over 100 lbs. since last September using Jenny Craig. My low was 200.4 last month when we left the program. I am currently 203.4 . I started at 305.5 This is not an endorsement or criticism. I don't think it matters much which program you pick as they are all similar. My advice would be to be just to start! The first day is the hardest day, the first week the hardest week... The other's comments about life style changes are all spot on. I am currently using My Fitness Pal for tracking and trying to follow as many of the characteristics of long term successful weight losers as I can ( Eat breakfast, weight daily, etc.) It's absolutely true you cannot exercise away bad eating choices.
John

Willbird

Over 100 for me, day 600 is tomorrow from the day I started myfitnesspal. The first 450 days or so I was a monk food wise, now I just keep the average at a sane intake number :-). On the low carb deal now, it was no magic bullet but at least I do not feel like I'm starving to death all the time :-).

RomansFiveEight

Surgery is no magic bullet. It's a desperate, last-ditch attempt. But all it ACTUALLY does, is restrict your caloric intake. By modifying appetite and indeed your GI tract, it limits how much food you CAN eat.

So restrict your diet yourself and skip the knife.

122lbs down. Calories in, calories out, that's it. No fad diets. No restricting certain types of food (but high calorie foods, like sugary foods and fried foods, naturally escape your diet sheerly due to their high-calorie-ness!). Just keeping my calories restricted. It works because it's basic physiology, and you CAN do it.

I gained some back (about 20 lbs, over a year) and am currently losing it back again. Two lessons learned: React quickly. When my shirt was a little tight, that's the time to act NOW. And two: Don't stop logging. People with heart problems have to take pills, people like me need to record their food. No excuses, no whining that it's too tedious. I need to log 100% of my food 100% of the time. It simply works.

Midgen21

I lost 70lbs or so over the course of a about a year. Simple concepts. Exercise more, eat less. Especially carbs/sugar.

My motivation was type 2 diabetes. I was just lazy and fat. Eating whatever I wanted. Then one day I woke up with a blind spot in my right eye. It turned out it wasn't related to my blood sugar, but it was still very frightening.

I used to do a lot of cycling in my younger days, and am well suited to it, so I decided to give it another try. At first I found it hard to motivate myself to get on the bike (my "want to" was lacking). Eventually, as the weight came off, I started feeling better, sleeping better. It made me happier. It made the people around me happier. Eventually it got to the point where cycling was the default activity for any spare time I had.

I did have a set back. In June I got hit by a car and severely injured my shoulder. I've been off the bike since (until last week or so). I gained some weight back, and lost some of the 'want to', but it's started to come back now that I've knocked the rust off.

I'll be doing a lot of indoor cycling (Zwift, etc...) this winter.

VCSL2015

Sorry to hear you were in an accident thats horrific! Happy to hear you want to get back on the bike =)

FrenchFit 

I just have to say, that's about the most ignorant post I've read on the BF. Living with my spouse who struggled for 20 years, then had success with surgery, I'd say this sort of stupid talk belongs at a Trump rally. Yes, there are lazy people, and there are committed people with genetic dispositions, and then there are people are just clueless about other peoples struggles.

I control my weight through IFing, long distance running, HITT. I consider myself pretty lucky, it's not a plan that will work for everyone.

spoiledrotten

I'm really not concerned about what you think is the most ignorant post. I have my opinion and you have yours. It's what makes the world go round. I've been around many over weight people that "want" to lose weight, but they don't want to put down the fork, the remote control to the TV, or the computer playing candy crush saga or some crap like that. Losing weight after it's gotten out of control usually is a struggle. Did you expect anything else. It's not a struggle to gain it, though. If someone has an issue with weight in the genes, then they have to try harder, but in this day of do what's easy, then many do go after the surgery, but they can get just as overweight if they don't change their way of life. If one wants to lose it, they can. I've watched that show "The biggest loser", although I don't have much sympathy for people that eat way past the point of seeing the truth in the mirror. If those grossly obese people can loose weight without the surgery, then your wife and other can do the same thing. I have my own struggles, but I don't make excuses for them, and I don't expect my spouse to make them for me, either. Left coast.... yeah. I'm not surprised you think like that. Go give pelosie a big hug. You'll feel better. And if you or the moderators think this is some kind of personal attack, you and the mods need to re-read what you posted. That was a personal attack.

ECB1

I dropped 140 lbs by cutting my food intake in half, riding, skiing and going to the gym. It is hell to keep off.

RomansFiveEight

THIS.

Your metabolism is probably fine, it's not "slow". You're either less active and/or eating too much (probably both). Actually, the heavier you are, the faster your metabolism.

There's no bill, piece of magic food, or super-easy workout that's going to do it for you.

Whatever Dr. Oz says, do the opposite.

Eat healthy, eat balanced, and restrict your calorie intake. It's the single most effective form of weight loss, it simply works for people.

There is no magic formula.

bbbean 

So you're saying there is no magic formula? Do I understand correctly?

I know people who've lost weight with diets, surgery, or boot camp exercise programs, but what worked for me (lost 165 lbs over 2.5 years, have now maintained goal weight +/- 5 lbs for 2.5 years), was a lifestyle change that amounted to "eat less, exercise more." There's more to it than that, but that's essentially it. If I had to write a "formula" for losing weight it would be:

1) Develop a good BS filter
2) Do a lot of research
3) Commit to doing some sort of physical activity every day
4) Eat more healthy foods (however you end up defining that for you) and fewer unhealthy foods
5) Make changes you think you can live with for the rest of your life.
6) Monitor your results and make changes as necessary as you go along
7) Stick with it for the rest of your life.

RomansFiveEight

Absolutely. It's a lifelong commitment.

ypsetihw

FWIW when I went totally low carb it made me feel like crap and my performance during training and workouts went to hell. I do agree that you should try to eliminate all processed sugars and artificial sweeteners if possible, but "no carb" is unnecessary and might reduce your performance and make you feel like garbage. Keto diets (high protein, no carb, high fat) have other drawbacks as well if you do your research and don't work for a lot of people.

I have reintroduced things like sweet potatoes, brown rice, agave nectar, honey, lots of beans, fresh organic vegetables and fruit. It makes my diet much more interesting, I have better energy, workouts are improved, and it increased my fiber intake (which helped digestion) without taking a fiber supplement. Nobody likes to talk about the fact that Keto style diets make it hard to poop, which can keep weight on (in the form of stuff in your bowels).

dkyser

I am down 105 lbs and still working at it. I had tried ever diet I could think of finally started counting calories and staying with in my allowed food.
I also cut down on my drinking alcohol.

Hosstyle

I am currently in this process and I can share my story and what has worked for me. I have currently lost 85 lbs, starting at 440 and currently sitting at 355 and have another 100 to go. Here is what I have done and it may not be for everyone. I ate terrible, didn't exercise, drank alcohol on a regular basis, basically everything to gain weight and not take any off.

1. It takes a complete mental transformation that you are changing they way you live. There is no easy fix. It is hard. It takes a long time. I never called it a "diet" because diets are temporary. This is a lifestyle change. The mental hurdle of wanting to make the change, and really make it is the hardest part.

2. I needed help "rewiring" my brain to eat better. I didn't like salads or vegetables. My body was not programmed to function with these. I started my change with a 2 week cleanse program. It was a combination of shakes and juices. It was absolutely the hardest and best decision I ever made. Once I broke the dependency on food and was able to function on a much lower calorie count, losing weight and getting healthy was much easier. Once you get hungry enough, you have a brand new appreciation for an orange or an apple.

3. Accountability--This can come in any form. Writing down your food, a weight watchers program, etc. For me it was daily weigh ins. I weight myself every single morning without exception. That is what works for me. The key is to find what personally works for you.

4. Don't starve yourself. This has to stick. I have one meal a week where I have the option to eat whatever I want. The beauty of this is some weeks I don't even do it because it makes me feel terrible and isn't worth it. But on those challenging weeks, it is something to look forward to and helps to feel human again.

5. It is pretty simple. Eat less and move more. Find a daily calorie number that works and stick to it. Start slowly incorporating exercise. I started in Nov. of 2015 and the weather was horrible in Ohio so I bought a used stationary bike off Craigslist and did at least 20 minutes everyday. After I dropped 60 lbs or so I made the decision to buy a bike and have been biking almost everyday for the last two weeks. I do some form of exercise everyday.

6. I drink 100 ounces of water every day. Increase fiber intake. Your body is going to go through some drastic changes. I had issues with my digestive system. It was an interesting few months until things got more "regular".

7. There will be bad days. It is going to happen. The key is not to have 2 bad days in a row. I think about this everyday all day because it is the most important thing in my life right now. The first month is the worst. Once the new habits are formed it just becomes how you live your life.

Good luck!

bobwysiwyg

Hosstyle,

Hope you don't mind, but copied the text of your post as inspiration and created a doc on my Kindle so I can refer to it occasionally. I was a pretty much a lifelong smoker until a year ago. Finally decided to quit, asked my PCP for a Chantix Rx which he was happy to write since he'd been after me for years. It worked! Now I'm almost a year into cycling and still stuck at 235#'s and desperately wanting to lose 20 of them. Thanks.

Hosstyle

I don't mind at all. Glad my words can help someone.

Trikegypsy

Being a noob here I'm a bit hesitant, but what the heck.

Almost 62, have struggled with weight my entire life. I'm on my feet and moving almost 6 hours a day all summer long, even weekends. This was still not enough. Had a mishap at work which caused me to tear my medial meniscus. Part of it was weight. At the time I was 240, and at 5'2" was not a pretty picture. Knee surgery on Dec 4, and part of my rehab was cycling. This was not a hard thing for me...I've followed pro cycling since the 80's. Well, I was hooked.

Since surgery (4 months) I've gotten better control of my diet using MyFitnessPal. I've also increase the speed and distance, albeit indoors, every week. I'm now up to 35-50 minutes every day at around 17-20 mph at a 5-7 resistance level. So far, I've dropped over 40 lbs, and am still going. I'm also missing 4" off my waist. Treated myself to a new pair of Castelli Bibshorts as a reward....the old ones were getting too big.8-)))

Quantities/volume is a key element. I bought a food scale, and track every gram that goes into my mouth. I'm finding that these 300-400 calorie meals are actually just enough (for me), and am hungry when the next meal is about due. If I need a little bit of something in between to hold me, I'll grab an oz. or so of non-salted nuts or seeds. Takes the edge off until mealtime, and adds fiber too!

I've got around 50 lbs more to go, but now that the snow SHOULD be over, I'm getting outside. Just don't get discouraged. It is a long, slow process. Healthier lifestyles are always worth the effort. That will give you many more years to enjoy your cycling!

Best of luck all.

D1andonlyDman

Dropped 120 lbs, from 285 to 165, over two years, through a combination of diet, swimming, and bicycling. And beat Type II Diabetes in the process (now free of all Diabetes meds, with A1C regularly around 6).

macpolski

Another noob here looking to learn more about cycling and its super effects on mind and body. I started at about 305 lbs in Aug of 2014 when I decided to quit drinking beer *I really liked those empty calories, as my wife use to put it* and started with nutri-bullet shakes, better eating, less carbs. The weight started to come off nicely. As far as exercise, it was mainly some yard work and handling of firewood; cutting splitting and stacking. The clothes fit better and then of course I had to purchase new clothes. I'm at that point again for new clothes and my weight is now holding at around 245 lbs. I am happy but would like to lose another 30-40.
My wife and I decided to start riding bikes June of 2015. I had a older mountain bike for which I had new road type tires installed and off we went. The weight started to creep down a bit more. I purchased a new road bike in Dec of 2015 and have started to ride more miles as I am enjoying the bike and cycling. In addition, I'm watching the diet a bit more: avoiding grains, sugars, reducing carbs, increasing veggies, meats and fats. It seems as though the weight is not moving very much but the body is getting smaller. Anyway, I'm happy with the progress, 60 lbs., as it is a life change.