# Lost 70 lbs last year



## AutumnOfMyLife (Feb 29, 2016)

I did it by eating whole foods mostly.  No wheat, no dairy and no sugar.  Used gluten free bread for toast.  It seems I missed toast the most.  Ate Trader Joes Black Bean and Quinoa tortilla chips for a snack with home made salsa.  Ate as much fruit, veggies and nuts as I wanted.  It was an interesting journey that started out slowly.  I found that as I eliminated processed foods, I didn't crave them.  The weight just seemed to fall off.


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Feb 29, 2016)

Beebee8236 said:


> Congratulations!  I watch my bad carbs and try to eat lots of veggies.  I'm not a big fruit eater, except watermelon.
> 
> Trader Joe's is a great store, especially if you are on a diet.



I put an apple and a banana in the blender each day with some soy milk, soy protein powder and flax seed.  Gives ya two servings of fruit right off the bat.  I also ate a lot of dried figs and dates and cranberries.  I just love them.  Also diced up apples in my salad.  Never restricted salad dressings, usually saute'd my veggies in olive oil.  It's important not to give up the good fats in our healthier eating plans, they create a great feeling of satiety!


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## vickyNightowl (Feb 29, 2016)

Congratss!! That is not an easy thing to do!

I quit smoking over a month now and gained 10 lbs,I started having smoothies in the morning instaed of coffee. I've dropped 3 lbs.not easy!
Any suggestions would be great.did I say I love me my meat and potatos? Lool


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Feb 29, 2016)

An easy way to get healthy fats is saute'd veggies in olive oil and avocados.  I ate nuts also.  Lots of good fats in nuts.  The dried fruits helped me not to crave unhealthy sweet snacks.  I drink my coffee black so that wasn't a problem for me.  The biggest thing I found to be important was to not eat it if it had dairy, sugar or wheat in it and for me that meant reading labels because these two seem to be in every processed food.  It was challenging at first, but I took it slowly and learned gradually rather than taking on the whole shabang all at one time.  I made the changes that I felt I could live with right away and then gradually made other changes.  I ate, eggs and meat liberally.


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Feb 29, 2016)

Beebee8236 said:


> VickeyNightowl, I eat sweet potatoes but even white potatoes aren't too bad if you watch what you put on them.  Of course if you are doing a low carb diet, white potatoes are a no no.  I mash cauliflower or turnips sometimes too.



I just naturally eat very few white foods, but I did eat potatoes that I would saute' with other veggies.  I never counted calories, ate small portions naturally and was never hungry.


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## vickyNightowl (Feb 29, 2016)

I do love sweet potatoes.
Ii also have seen cauliflower latkes to try out.


Sugar is an issue.


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Feb 29, 2016)

vickyNightowl said:


> I do love sweet potatoes.
> Ii also have seen cauliflower latkes to try out.
> 
> 
> Sugar is an issue.



Sugar is an issue for me too.  I find it best to avoid it all together or it will spark a binge and then a craving.  I eat dried fruits liberally tho.


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## BlunderWoman (Feb 29, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> I did it by eating whole foods mostly.  No wheat, no dairy and no sugar.  Used gluten free bread for toast.  It seems I missed toast the most.  Ate Trader Joes Black Bean and Quinoa tortilla chips for a snack with home made salsa.  Ate as much fruit, veggies and nuts as I wanted.  It was an interesting journey that started out slowly.  I found that as I eliminated processed foods, I didn't crave them.  The weight just seemed to fall off.


Awesome!!!! That is FABULOUS!!! *clap clap clap* Very happy for you.


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## NancyNGA (Feb 29, 2016)

Congrats, Autumn!


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## fureverywhere (Feb 29, 2016)

That is quite impressive, you should congratulate yourself. Alas Trader Joes is a great store if money is no object as well.


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## Debby (Feb 29, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> Sugar is an issue for me too.  I find it best to avoid it all together or it will spark a binge and then a craving.  I eat dried fruits liberally tho.



Congrats on losing so much weight!  You're amazing!

And you know, maybe if you give up the dried fruit for snacking, you could get a handle on the 'addiction' to sugar?  Because that dried fruit is loaded with sugar too.  I am a very healthy weight but I lost a few pounds when I quit making a fruit smoothie everyday.  I was sweetening them with blended dates and then of course the banana and the apple and assorted fruits and actually got a little fatter because of them.  All told, way too much fruit and sugar. Nowadays I just keep a bag of pecans in the freezer and dip into that for a little mitt-ful when I have an urge to nibble.  I think because they're frozen, they are a little chewier too so they seem to satisfy that need to chew on something.


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## chic (Mar 1, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> I did it by eating whole foods mostly. No wheat, no dairy and no sugar. Used gluten free bread for toast. It seems I missed toast the most. Ate Trader Joes Black Bean and Quinoa tortilla chips for a snack with home made salsa. Ate as much fruit, veggies and nuts as I wanted. It was an interesting journey that started out slowly. I found that as I eliminated processed foods, I didn't crave them. The weight just seemed to fall off.



Congrats on a job well done. I eat whole foods too purchased at Whole Foods - great store, not a GMO in the place. It's so true that the cravings for unhealthy foods disappear once you make the first step.


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Mar 2, 2016)

Thanks for the comments everyone!:glitter-heart::glitter-heart:


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## Ameriscot (Mar 2, 2016)

Congrats, Autumn!


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Mar 2, 2016)

Thanks Ameriscot!


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 2, 2016)

Congratulations Autumn, that's a big accomplishment, well done! :coolthumb:


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## Ruthanne (Mar 5, 2016)

Congratulations Autumn.  I lost 70 pounds once and gained it all back.  Next time I lose weight I'm going to have a back up plan for the time that comes after losing it.


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## Kitties (Mar 6, 2016)

Wow. Very good job and I know it's hard work. Because I'm always working on it myself with limited success.

Your story is inspirational.


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## mariana (Mar 7, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> I did it by eating whole foods mostly.  No wheat, no dairy and no sugar.  Used gluten free bread for toast.  It seems I missed toast the most.  Ate Trader Joes Black Bean and Quinoa tortilla chips for a snack with home made salsa.  Ate as much fruit, veggies and nuts as I wanted.  It was an interesting journey that started out slowly.  I found that as I eliminated processed foods, I didn't crave them.  The weight just seemed to fall off.



Wow, that is so impressive--really well done. As someone who puts on weight very easily, I am forever trying various ways to cut down. But since New year-i have taken a new Approach---I have cut out bread completely---eat Ryvita or rice cakes only and i have cut down on as much sugar as I can. I have cut all meat out of my diet--so now I eat from a selection of cottage cheese, salmon, some white fish, quorn, tofu, eggs.hoummous, supplemented with veg and fruit, yoghurts, sugar free jelly.  I drink mostly redbush tea--so no milk. I figure im getting all the calcium i nedd from the cottage cheese and yoghurts. I am losing regularly now---one or two pounds a week, but im happy with that. As a bonus, I am actually feeling much much better healthwise too, even though I still have a good way to go.


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Mar 9, 2016)

mariana said:


> Wow, that is so impressive--really well done. As someone who puts on weight very easily, I am forever trying various ways to cut down. But since New year-i have taken a new Approach---I have cut out bread completely---eat Ryvita or rice cakes only and i have cut down on as much sugar as I can. I have cut all meat out of my diet--so now I eat from a selection of cottage cheese, salmon, some white fish, quorn, tofu, eggs.hoummous, supplemented with veg and fruit, yoghurts, sugar free jelly.  I drink mostly redbush tea--so no milk. I figure im getting all the calcium i nedd from the cottage cheese and yoghurts. I am losing regularly now---one or two pounds a week, but im happy with that. As a bonus, I am actually feeling much much better healthwise too, even though I still have a good way to go.


Way to go Mariana!


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## mariana (Mar 9, 2016)

AutumnOfMyLife said:


> Way to go Mariana!



Oh thank you so much--a little encouragement goes a long long way.


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## mariana (Mar 12, 2016)

Just an update--still losing steadily and slowly---all my clothes are feeling really loose on me now, and some are way too big---so its all good. !


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## drifter (Apr 20, 2016)

Autumn, let me add my congratulations.

And to you too, Marianna. Over the past year or so I have lost a few pounds but nothing like you two. Great job.


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## AutumnOfMyLife (Apr 21, 2016)

Thanks Drifter and way to go Mariana!


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## Pinky (Apr 21, 2016)

Wow, thanks for sharing, Autumn. I feel inspired to make some dietary changes in order to lose some weight now!


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## tnthomas (Apr 21, 2016)

Congratulations Autumn!


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## Debby (Apr 23, 2016)

mariana said:


> Just an update--still losing steadily and slowly---all my clothes are feeling really loose on me now, and some are way too big---so its all good. !




Congratulations mariana!  You've obviously also been really dedicated to your cause!  Loosing weight is so hard because it means changing those things that are habitual and basic to survival, i.e. eating and activity levels.  And let's face it, we all love to eat and most of us would rather be 'lazy'.  I know I've often said to my daughter (who loves the whole gym scene), that I wish there was a pill that I could take that would preclude me having to make time to work outlayful:!  She just laughs at me and reminds me that I probably wouldn't take it because I'm not keen on anything with side effects (and most pills have a laundry list of side effects).


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