People Who Lost 20+ Pounds Swear By These 13 Weight Loss Tips

[OctoberRed]

If you're in need of some inspiration in the new year, read some of these pieces of advice.

Finally, 2022 is upon us. If you're looking to shed some pounds or get healthier this next year, you're certainly not alone.

For those embarking on a weight loss journey this year, you may need some helpful inspiration to get you started. That's why we've collected 13 different pieces of advice from people who have successfully been down the tough road of weight loss.

Continue reading for some helpful weight loss tips, and for more healthy weight loss help, make sure to check out 15 Weight Loss Tips That Are Evidence-Based.

1 Take the leap

"If you're hesitant, that means you're ready for a change. It's okay to be nervous. Take that leap. The day you start is the day your life will change forever. When you look back 11 months from this day, you will be so proud that you started and did not give up."

–Amma Okrakru, who lost 72 pounds using WW (formerly Weight Watchers)

2 Don't rush the process

"WW is a tool to help you live a balanced healthy lifestyle. It's not all or nothing. You can and should eat what you like! If this is going to be the way you live the rest of your life, you've got to find a happy medium where you are eating foods you enjoy and moving in ways that feel good to you! Have patience – this is not a race and there isn't an endgame – this is about changing your mindset forever."

–Jenni Crutcher, who lost 27 pounds with WW

3 Take it one day at a time

"Take it one day at a time. I know that sounds really simple, but on my first day, I felt so overwhelmed about how long it would take to hit my goal or to 'get healthy' but I then realized I didn't have to worry about the future, I just had to worry about today. And just focusing on my meals and exercise for that day made it easier to do it that day, and the next day, and the day after, and the journey became less daunting."

–Meghan Fernandes, who lost 58.4 pounds with WW

4 Give up meat (depending on your dietary needs)

"One key weight loss tip that helps me stay on track is refraining from eating meat, which also greatly improved my gout. I am now more active, going for walks, and doing yoga for exercise."

–Paul Kirchubel, who lost over 200 pounds with Lose It!

5 Be realistic

"My main tip is to stick with something that is realistic for you. Cutting out something entirely is not always realistic and you could end up binge eating afterwards."

–Zoey Rowe, who lost 130 pounds with Lose It!

6 Eat enough protein

"Becoming more active was key for me, and now I feel physically much better and more confident. Since I began weight training, I hits my protein goals every day to help build muscle along with fat loss."

–Nestor Rene Williams, who lost 92 pounds with Lose It!

7 Make sustainable changes

"I've been using a program from a company called MetPro. They help you hack your metabolism. There are no pills or shakes or anything. I've never eaten healthier. I'm a very picky eater. I always joke that I have the palette of a 10-year old boy at a theme park. I eat five times a day (three meals and two smaller snacks). I've learned to eat in a way that's sustainable. I think that's the biggest change."

-Tom O'Keefe, who lost 50 pounds this year with MetPro.

8 Start now

"I first lost weight by using a weight loss meal delivery service to get some weight off quickly and then started heavy lifting 4 days per week to build muscle. I worked with a trainer over Skype and set up a gym in my garage so I could work out without having to drop my kids off at a child watch. So, my number 1 tip is just start and stop putting it off!

–Maggie Sutherland, who lost 35 pounds

9 Focus on building muscle

"My #1 tip for lasting, sustainable weight loss has always been taking the focus away from weight loss and more on muscle growth. Before I lost 60 pounds, I was stuck on the yo-yo cycle of "eating less, exercising more" in the hopes I would see the number on the scale drop. But, I had no idea what this does to sabotage your metabolic rate. It was only once I started focusing on building muscle (and everything that came along with it—like eating enough calories and protein, consistently strength training, and getting adequate sleep) that I started watching the fat and weight melt off with ease."

–Larissa Nicole, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who lost over 60 pounds

10 Develop lasting habits

"In hindsight, I think the number one tip is to do it slowly. Developing good habits that can last a lifetime rather than rush and starve yourself and gain it right back. Two pounds per month rather than two pounds per week."

–Leslie Saul, who lost 22 pounds

11 Tackle your emotional eating

"I lost weight by learning thought management techniques to overcome emotional eating. I did this with the help of a life coach who inspired me to go on to become a life coach myself."

–Natalie Fayman, CPC, who lost 85 pounds

12 Try intermittent fasting

"8 years ago, I read up on low carb diets and about 4 years ago discovered intermittent fasting. I also started interval training and running regularly. At this point, I was 30 pounds overweight. Through the low carb/intermittent fasting combination, I lost all the weight and have kept it off."

–Jonathan Bennet, certified wellness coach who lost over 30 pounds

13 Limit your sugar intake

"My number one tip is to cut sugar out of your diet. Sugar was the culprit behind my food cravings. Once I cut it out, the cravings were gone."

-Gregory Cole, who has lost 100 pounds

[markusmod]

I do some of those, not all.

[Quercusalba]

I'm 6' 3" and have been walking around between 190 lbs and 195 lbs for the past six years. Prior to that, I was usually around 215 lbs but have been over 230 lbs on several occasions. I've been able to maintain this much healthier (and better looking weight) a number of ways. The biggest is that I don't eat meat and eat little dairy. It isn't just cutting out meat, though. It is replacing it with lots of whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. These foods fill you up and super nutritious to boot. Another key is cutting out the restaurant food. It is nigh on impossible to get a healthy meal from fast-food joint or even a nice sit down restaurant. Too many people eat take-out every single day. They're setting themselves up for failure eating such rubbish so often. Sure, take your lady out to dinner on occasion, but every day, or even every other day, is too much. Exercise every day. I call BS on (most) people who say they haven't the time. Anyone who can't find 45 to 60 minutes a day to work out is an insanely busy individual. Mix it up. Go for a jog one day, do yoga the next, hit the weights the following day, hit the bags the day after that, work on push-ups and core the next, go for a hike, go for a bike ride, go for a swim...

The biggest thing, as mentioned in the OP, is not going on a diet, but making a lifestyle change.

[YGriffith]

I lost 10 lbs in less than 2 weeks by just removing bread and sugar from my diet, and working my ass off.

[OctoberRed]

I'm 6' 3" and have been walking around between 190 lbs and 195 lbs for the past six years. Prior to that, I was usually around 215 lbs but have been over 230 lbs on several occasions. I've been able to maintain this much healthier (and better looking weight) a number of ways. The biggest is that I don't eat meat and eat little dairy. It isn't just cutting out meat, though. It is replacing it with lots of whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. These foods fill you up and super nutritious to boot. Another key is cutting out the restaurant food. It is nigh on impossible to get a healthy meal from fast-food joint or even a nice sit down restaurant. Too many people eat take-out every single day. They're setting themselves up for failure eating such rubbish so often. Sure, take your lady out to dinner on occasion, but every day, or even every other day, is too much. Exercise every day. I call BS on (most) people who say they haven't the time. Anyone who can't find 45 to 60 minutes a day to work out is an insanely busy individual. Mix it up. Go for a jog one day, do yoga the next, hit the weights the following day, hit the bags the day after that, work on push-ups and core the next, go for a hike, go for a bike ride, go for a swim...

The biggest thing, as mentioned in the OP, is not going on a diet, but making a lifestyle change.

Here, here!

[Blond Beast]

I cut out skim milk when I want to lose weight. I’ll drink a minimum of two litres a day if I keep it in the house. Plus cookies and milk is my favourite. I count my calories. I give myself one higher calorie day a week. It’s plenty extra, but it’s not like three times the calories. I have the protein at a high percentage and keep up with training. Getting lean looks best when you have some muscle to shine through. Keep it at a pace that doesn’t ruin your mood constantly, something you can maintain for a while once you get used to it. You have to suffer a bit more than what you are used to, it’s the only way. A crash diet will leave your fearful and reluctant to try again.

[TheBoxGod]

lol these tips are horrible for the most part.

Give up meat? eat more protein? and build muscle?
my counter to that is how will you eat more protein to build more muscle if you gave up meat? the amino profile needed in the right ratio to build muscle exist in animal protein (meats) naturally, if you try that with a plant based protein the amino profile is not a complete profile. So yeah you will lose weight going plant based or whatever but you are severely handicapping yourself on building muscle and imo you want to add the most muscle your frame can naturally handle as more muscle = better metabolism = easier time keeping your weight under control. Not to mention how important muscle is as you start getting into the later years where it becomes extremely difficult to ADD muscle. you want to add all the muscle you can now before its too late.

Its hard for overweight people to keep their weight under control cause the muscle to fat ratio is extremely off so in-return their metabolism is extremely off. So the calories their own body burns just idling isnt much; where as a higher muscle to fat ratio causes their metabolism to work better and now their own body burns more calories which means less outwardly effort on your behalf to make up the difference to stay lean where as the fatter person will need to put in more outwardly effort to make up the difference their metabolism didnt do.

The only way to stay lean through diet is to never eat above maintenance, if you eat above maintenance you are getting fatter and the amount above maintenance is what is determining how fast you are getting fat. Now you can offset the surplus calories above maintenance through activity which we usually do through exercise however if your added activity doesn't burn more than your surplus you will still be getting fatter.

My tips will be to... Be discipline, take 4-5 months of your life and get dedicated to the goal. Stay consistent and have a real plan to achieve it.
Step 1) Figure out your Maintenance Calories
Step 2) Make yourself a meal plan where you are hitting maintenance everyday.
Step 3) Add in the exercise of your choice daily.
Step 4) Stay consistent and Disciplined.

Thats it, you will 100% lose weight, no matter what you eat, how many times you eat, when you eat, you adhere to this steps and are guaranteed to lose weight.

* this all from the point of view of you are 20+lbs overweight. If you werent overweight my advice will be different.

[markusmod]

lol these tips are horrible for the most part.

Give up meat? eat more protein? and build muscle?
my counter to that is how will you eat more protein to build more muscle if you gave up meat? the amino profile needed in the right ratio to build muscle exist in animal protein (meats) naturally, if you try that with a plant based protein the amino profile is not a complete profile. So yeah you will lose weight going plant based or whatever but you are severely handicapping yourself on building muscle and imo you want to add the most muscle your frame can naturally handle as more muscle = better metabolism = easier time keeping your weight under control. Not to mention how important muscle is as you start getting into the later years where it becomes extremely difficult to ADD muscle. you want to add all the muscle you can now before its too late.

Its hard for overweight people to keep their weight under control cause the muscle to fat ratio is extremely off so in-return their metabolism is extremely off. So the calories their own body burns just idling isnt much; where as a higher muscle to fat ratio causes their metabolism to work better and now their own body burns more calories which means less outwardly effort on your behalf to make up the difference to stay lean where as the fatter person will need to put in more outwardly effort to make up the difference their metabolism didnt do.

The only way to stay lean through diet is to never eat above maintenance, if you eat above maintenance you are getting fatter and the amount above maintenance is what is determining how fast you are getting fat. Now you can offset the surplus calories above maintenance through activity which we usually do through exercise however if your added activity doesn't burn more than your surplus you will still be getting fatter.

My tips will be to... Be discipline, take 4-5 months of your life and get dedicated to the goal. Stay consistent and have a real plan to achieve it.
Step 1) Figure out your Maintenance Calories
Step 2) Make yourself a meal plan where you are hitting maintenance everyday.
Step 3) Add in the exercise of your choice daily.
Step 4) Stay consistent and Disciplined.

Thats it, you will 100% lose weight, no matter what you eat, how many times you eat, when you eat, you adhere to this steps and are guaranteed to lose weight.

* this all from the point of view of you are 20+lbs overweight. If you werent overweight my advice will be different.

I actually know a few people who lost a lot of weight just by giving up meat. I can't do that. I feel sick when I eat too much salad and not enough meat for several days.

[Quercusalba]

lol these tips are horrible for the most part.

Give up meat? eat more protein? and build muscle?
my counter to that is how will you eat more protein to build more muscle if you gave up meat? the amino profile needed in the right ratio to build muscle exist in animal protein (meats) naturally, if you try that with a plant based protein the amino profile is not a complete profile. So yeah you will lose weight going plant based or whatever but you are severely handicapping yourself on building muscle and imo you want to add the most muscle your frame can naturally handle as more muscle = better metabolism = easier time keeping your weight under control. Not to mention how important muscle is as you start getting into the later years where it becomes extremely difficult to ADD muscle. you want to add all the muscle you can now before its too late.

Its hard for overweight people to keep their weight under control cause the muscle to fat ratio is extremely off so in-return their metabolism is extremely off. So the calories their own body burns just idling isnt much; where as a higher muscle to fat ratio causes their metabolism to work better and now their own body burns more calories which means less outwardly effort on your behalf to make up the difference to stay lean where as the fatter person will need to put in more outwardly effort to make up the difference their metabolism didnt do.

The only way to stay lean through diet is to never eat above maintenance, if you eat above maintenance you are getting fatter and the amount above maintenance is what is determining how fast you are getting fat. Now you can offset the surplus calories above maintenance through activity which we usually do through exercise however if your added activity doesn't burn more than your surplus you will still be getting fatter.

My tips will be to... Be discipline, take 4-5 months of your life and get dedicated to the goal. Stay consistent and have a real plan to achieve it.
Step 1) Figure out your Maintenance Calories
Step 2) Make yourself a meal plan where you are hitting maintenance everyday.
Step 3) Add in the exercise of your choice daily.
Step 4) Stay consistent and Disciplined.

Thats it, you will 100% lose weight, no matter what you eat, how many times you eat, when you eat, you adhere to this steps and are guaranteed to lose weight.

* this all from the point of view of you are 20+lbs overweight. If you werent overweight my advice will be different.

Nah, it is easy and beneficial to get enough protein and build muscle without meat. Within a few hours after a workout, combine plant-based proteins like legumes with whole grain carbohydrates such as brown rice, bulgur, or whole wheat, and boom, one has their complete profile. Plus, if someone gets their protein this way, they get all the added benefits of the fiber and the anti-oxidants that aren't present in meat or other animal based proteins. The human body is going to spend as much time dealing with the bad stuff (cholesterol, fat, even carcinogens) in animal protein as it is the good stuff.

There is exists a tremendous amount of misunderstanding and misinformation about protein and how it relates to our heath. Dr. T. Colin Campbell's research, as published in The China Study and Whole has shown time and time again that plant based protein making up 10% of total calories consumed is what the human body needs. His research has clearly demonstrated that high protein, animal protein diets lead to cancer at a 95% higher rate than plant based diets. Not to mention the higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke associated with animal protein. So yeah, go ahead and consume animal protein at a 15%, 20%, or 30% clip. For sure, people can pack on muscle with steak and whey-protein shakes, but they'll also be packing on cancer and heart-disease risk. Unless one is trying to be a body-builder or power lifter, they simply don't need as much protein as is so often claimed.

I, for one, have no trouble adding muscle and increasing strength and stamina on a plant-based diet. In fact, I've never been stronger. It works for world-class athletes, too. Just ask David Haye.

[TheBoxGod]

Nah, it is easy and beneficial to get enough protein and build muscle without meat. Within a few hours after a workout, combine plant-based proteins like legumes with whole grain carbohydrates such as brown rice, bulgur, or whole wheat, and boom, one has their complete profile. Plus, if someone gets their protein this way, they get all the added benefits of the fiber and the anti-oxidants that aren't present in meat or other animal based proteins. The human body is going to spend as much time dealing with the bad stuff (cholesterol, fat, even carcinogens) in animal protein as it is the good stuff.

There is exists a tremendous amount of misunderstanding and misinformation about protein and how it relates to our heath. Dr. T. Colin Campbell's research, as published in The China Study and Whole has show time and time again that plant based proteins making up 10% of total calories consumed is what the human body needs. His research has clearly demonstrated that high protein, animal protein diets lead to cancer at a 95% higher rate than plant based diets. Not to mention the higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke associated with animal protein. So yeah, go ahead and consume animal protein at a 15%, 20%, or 30% clip. For sure, people can pack on muscle with steak and whey-protein shakes, but they'll also be packing on the cancer and heart-disease risk. Unless one is trying to be a body-builder or power lifter, they simply don't need as much protein as is so often claimed.

I, for one, have no trouble adding muscle and increasing strength and stamina on a plant-based diet. In fact, I've never been stronger. It works for world-class athletes, too. Just ask David Haye.

This conversation was strictly about losing weight and adding muscle not a deep dive into health. You can find studies that say everything if you want, 90% of studies are funded by the market. Plus all Meta-Analysis (which is the best) finds no difference in consuming meat vs other diets i.e. plant based etc.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/...1111/apt.12678
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30958719/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full...8.2021.1974336

Now first off my point was from a "optimally" point of view, sure you can get by, by eating plant based people do it all the time but its not the optimal way to build muscle while trying to lose weight as you have to piece together more items to make a complete protein profile where as with meat it is already a complete profile as is. For instance

for a 25g protein serving
you need to eat 278g of boiled pinto beans (legumes) which is 397 calories.
vs
you need to eat 82g of chicken breast which is 123 calories.

all the while the body is utilizing ~17% of the plant protein.
vs
all the while the body is utilizing ~30% of animal protein.

Why? Because the animal protein amino profile is in a ratio that our tissue can use already because we are animals tissue not plant tissue.

and dietary cholesterol has no bearings on LDL (the bad cholesterol everyone thinks about), your body needs fat to function and in fact higher fat diets are healthier than low fat diets (low fats are unhealthy diets), and carcinogens exist regardless of diet... or do you think no vegan has ever had cancer?

and oh yes the old argument of "look at this world class athlete he did it". Genetics play a huge role in what one is able to accomplish with what. Also are you 20+Lb overweight? or are you in shape? Remember my advice was for what will be the easiest way for someone to lose weight and put on muscle.

Also being obese will pose more risk factors to ones health than all the benefit of eating some plants while being obese will provide. Its more important that the person drop the weight first, get out of the danger zone of obesity and THAN from their they can get more advanced with their diet, However the first goal and the goal that trumps everything else is getting out of obesity.