Obesity and weight loss: What weight loss plan worked for you?

@fatlikeus , Congratulations on your previous loss! Are you still near Durham? I ask because the Duke Fitness Center that is located on the Integrative Medicine Campus, has a machine that weighs you and determines not only BMI, but much more. I can’t recall the name but it’s something about Body…… It calculates calories you need to lose. I had it done last year and found it helpful. It’s available to nonmembers of the center for about $60.00.

I used that information when I met with two different nutritionists (Duke Endocrinology and Duke Gastroenterology) , who helped me tweak my diet. I lose almost 100 pounds (no surgery or shots, though there’s nothing wrong with those methods) and find the last few pounds very challenging. Good luck with meeting your goal!

50 years ago, I lost 100 lbs on the Rice Diet at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. I have kept off 70 lbs. I would like to lose more so I can have knee surgery. When I go to the bariatric doc, all she does is put me on protein shakes. I never lose weight on protein. I eat 1300 a day, and exercise (Pilates, walking, water aerobics), but all of those things are just to maintain weight. Don't know how to lose more. Frustrated.

One thing that helped me finally lose weight was using protein drinks. That said, you have to be very cautious about their calorie counts. It used to be even a couple of years ago that there were choices of protein drinks that were more water like than milk like. They would have high protein levels and many of them Were relatively low calorie. I am having tremendous difficulty locating this type of drink now as many of them are no longer sold. I always read the labels and if a protein drink has high calorie it is not the protein drink for me. It seems that you can buy packets to add to bottled water That are not high calorie, meaning they may have 80 some calories when you add it to the water,. One of the benefits of increasing protein intake throughout the day at least for me was that it helped suppress my appetite. The other thing that I learned is that when I am stuck someplace, like an airport, hungry and need something quick to eat when there aren’t a lot of really good options my go to are peanut M&Ms. Sounds crazy that a candy would be helpful, but the biggest difference is that a lot of the calorie in a peanut M&M is in the nut. The amount of chocolate and candy coating is very thin. There have been very few other options like this that I have located. Often, energy drinks, energy bars, fitness drinks, fitness bars are all filled with calories, and based on the needs of men who are weightlifters! That’s my take on it. So I always try to look at the amount of protein of food contains, and the amount of calories it contains. Like with the peanut M&Ms or the calorie count may be higher than I would like, in a pinch, the higher protein from the nuts is a good thing. Meeting with a nutritionist is a really good idea to try to figure out how to live in a real world with real issues and balance, food intake, weight, calories, protein needs, etc.. It’s really complicated. Hope this helps.

@celia16
What a great tests.
You can read what the norm is for calories but does not specifically address the person on what is their numbers.

I few months ago I went to Duke Fitness Center and had a body analysis. Their device is called InBody 570. You stand barefoot, holding the handles and the device analyzes your fat/muscle/water composition. It also tells you how many calories you need per day in order to lose weight. I was surprised how low my number was….. Barely over 1300 calories per day for me to lose weight.

@roch I am having problem tagging you using your @roch. MCC comes up with Roche and other examples but none @roch

Laurie @roch, The article was excellent. Thanks!!
I just read the article you posted. I can see I am not alone. There are many that don't respond to these drugs like me. I am going on my 4 month now on it and no reduction. Two weeks from now will go on highest dose of WEGOVY the 2.7. That is a bigh jump from original dose of .25, then .50, 1.0 and now on the 1.7.

I do exercise 6 days a week from 1-2 hours. I do not do much weight training exercise most is aerobic. Really trying hard to find ways on my own to get this weight off. I just found a snack I can eat to make me feel full. It is a type of corn chip that has 110 calories for 21 chips. Unlike other chips the chips are quite big and are type of popcorn. My wife makes a homemake salsa that is excellent and I use it as a salsa dip.

By accident it appeared to me if I ate something substantial prior to a planned meal my appetite was down as well as getting fuller. So I have added this low calorie snack prior to lunch and dinner.

I did lose 1 pound this week. I know not much at all but better than seeing the medical scale I have stay with no movement for over 3 months. I think I was leaning on WEGOVY to do it all and see I can't do that.

I am already on a thyroid medication but very very low. I take half of the lowest dose of the medication. My PCP says my thyroid test shows my brain is talking to my thyroid more than normal but the other tests he does do not show a thyroid problem with the very low dose of thyroid medicine I am on. I will have new tests done December 29th.

Thanks again for the web site information. I saw that WEGOVY was going to start a pill form of WEGOVY which will really help those like me that don't like injections.

@celia16
No don't drink any regular sodas. I do allow myself on Coke Zero a day. I drink as a dessert. Not a big eater of cakes, cookies, etc. but love starchy foods.

@roche
Laurie,
First I am extremely lucky to have the PCP I do at Mayo Jacksonville.

Yes he is doing the thyroid test you mentioned. He does several types of them because he needs to see the wide range of thyroid test that are available not jus the one.

He did tell me that I could be one of those that needs the high does of WEGOVY to work. There is only one dose higher than I am on now. It seems to me that my taste for items like snacks did not go down at all but my dinner meals did.

I did have COVID that evoled into sinus infection (bad) and then bronchial (bad) that was pretty well down or 3 months. I have heard so much about COVID causing other problems but have no idea is could be culbrit. I took every singe shot and booster, washed my hands stayed away from anyone coughing or sneezing and still caught it. BUMMER!

Thanks for the web site information. I am going to click on it as soon as I write this reply.

Do you drink any energy drinks or soft drinks? They can have a lot of calories. My brother recently cut out nothing but his 1 soft drink per day and lost 8 pounds!

@jc76
I can understand why your frustrated. I would think with all the exercising and reduced calories, you would be losing weight.

I found an article that talked about why weight loss medications may not work for everyone.
4 Reasons Weight Loss Drugs Aren't Working for You
https://www.verywellhealth.com/signs-glp-1-drugs-dont-work-for-you-8637276
You mentioned your PCP is going to run some test, that is good idea.
Do you know if he included a thyroid (TSH) test ?