How to lose weight -- why we wrote the story

Last week, we explained in the catchily headlined Why It's Hard to Maintain Weight Loss exactly why a newly svelte figure almost never stays that way. The picture wasn't pretty. As Shari Roan reported, the body has several systems designed to preserve weight at its highest level -- it likes those extra  pounds.

But it wasn't our intention that readers abandon their weight struggles -- and hope -- and stock up on barrel-sized bags of chips, hot dogs and assorted "stuffed" foods. So we felt morally compelled to offer a "don't give up" message.

Thus, for this week's "How 6 people lost weight and kept it off," Jeannine Stein tracked down some of the relatively few people who have managed to keep the weight off long-term.

What she found is that they changed their lives completely. They didn't diet. They didn't go for an after-dinner walk for a couple of weeks. Nope. They consistently eat far less than they did before, they've made exercise part of their routines, and they're constantly working to maintain their weight loss. Weight-control is now second nature to them.

It's daunting, I know. And tiring just thinking about it.

But the folks profiled seemed ... happy. And healthy. And generally positive about themselves. ... Even without stuffed food.

So because we want to fulfill our journalistic mission of improving people's lives -- and because we've got a whole passel of research saying readers want useful information -- we offer up these stories on how to fight your body's best efforts to regain the fat.

(Besides, there's a limit to the number of stories any of us can stand bemoaning the "obesity crisis" -- not to mention the use of the word "overweight" as a noun. Enough already.)

-- Tami Dennis

Photos: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[DR]

Great post. Hopefully other people will share their stories of weight loss/maintenance.

My own transformation was built on lots of sweat and finding a meal plan that I knew I could stick with for the long term. I also had to deal with my tendency to eat mindlessly - watching tv, in front of the computer, driving, when I was mad,happy,confused...

A lot of the things I learned during my transformation (even more since then) I have blogged about here - http://healthhabits.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/dieting-what-a-tangled-web/ - It's a 2 part post due to the length.

Looking forward to hearing some success stories.

[Jonni]

I've lost 65 lbs in the last 15 months...ATKINS...it's the most BRAINLESS diet I've ever been on and I've been on all of them...I have not had a piece of bread, potato, french fry, cake, milk in 15 months..IT'S just so mindless...I need to lose 15 more lbs to be what I was in high school 40 years ago. I feel so good. No counting calories, or the number game or frozen food... there are tricks to this diet. Prepare a salad for 3 days, bbq pork spare ribs for a week..I eat 2 to 3 a day for lunch. Cook a lb of bacon all at once and eat 3 slices a day at breakfast with 2 eggs, soft boiled, scrambled, fried....dinner is meat, salad, strawberries...and yes, I do popcorn at night when I watch Two and a HAlf Men....yes, it's been a long process, but I'm in a size 12.....LOVE ATKINS

[jaleh]

I have a sister who is not capable of losing weight. She tries a different diet every two months, then she gives up. She looks very unhealthy. I am being selfish in that I know if she gets sick I will have to take care of her, so I want her to start taking care of herself. I don't know what to do. She is about 70 pounds overweight. Is there any kind of intervention for someone like that?

[fedrik]

Hi,

Here is one more useful information I would like to share with you all. I found a website that has helped me (so far) with organizing my workout routines and weight loss efforts. Check out TabUp (http://www.tabup.com). You can customize your own page around many categories (including weight loss), calendar your workouts and keep a journal on your progress (I added pictures to show my progress). You can join others that are trying to lose weight and get in shape as a group. The latest tips from the internet are available on your TabUp page. Check it out!!