[F24/5'5"/SW: 197 LB/CW: 174 LB/GW: 135 LB(ish)]

Earlier this year (April-ish) I hit my highest weight ever. I was a fattie, and it was obvious- the extra weight on my hips bulged out, giving me a spare tire even in loose clothing. My stomach and upper thighs were... Unsightly. I was struggling to fit into most of my clothes... And realised I needed to make a change.

I started calorie counting on MFP, and while I 100% think it's an extremely useful tool, and I lost weight on it, calorie counting was not for me. Yes folks, this amazingly useful and straightforward method of weight loss was tedious and made me resent eating. I don't like math, I don't like weighing/measuring my food, I don't like the prep involved, and ultimately abandoned MFP, and turned to mindful eating.

First of all, this does require SOME math for success- if I'm eating pasta, I measure out a 1-cup portion, if I am using oil, I measure with a tablespoon, as to curb excess. I keep track of my meals, snacks, drinks, in rough estimate of calories. I try to keep it under what I estimate to be >1500 calories a day, on most days. I also have increased my exercise by 50% , just walking and stretching and some moderate weight lifting at home.

Secondly, I pay much closer attention to hunger pang vs cravings. If you are hungry, your stomach growls, and you start to feel uncomfortable and salivate more. If you are merely 'munching', the psychological desire to eat will be there, and you may salivate a bit more, but there will not be discomfort in your abdominal region, or growling. Sometimes I cave to my food cravings- hey, chocolate is something I really enjoy!- but normally I exercise control over here cravings, and they pass, I swear. Most of the time.

Thirdly, I have stopped eating when I am comfortably sated, but not full at meals. I think my stomach capacity has shrunk, because I no longer can even finish an average dinner at times! So I just put it in the fridge to eat later.

My findings are that mindful eating is slower than calorie counting. I lost 5 lbs in the 2 weeks of MFP, and 19 from mindful eating over 4 months, give or take a pound a week. I have gained weight back at times, as much as 5 lbs, cause it's easier to 'fall off the wagon' than stringent calorie counting or meal planning. But despite all this, I prefer it to those two methods, because it feels natural. Sometimes people just cave and eat and EAT for a day or a week- that's life and I will be dealing with it long after weight loss is no longer my goal. Also, I just didn't enjoy counting/fretting over every piece of candy or midnight snack, it was no bueno, and stressed me out.

Today, I'm -24 lbs, getting back into my old wardrobe, and feeling fab. Spare tire is greatly diminished. My s/o finds me sexier, and I feel much better about myself all around. I even had to buy new underwear because my 'fattie' underwear was all too loose! I project I will be at my GW next May or June, possibly a bit earlier or later.

I posted this as an assurance that there are in fact other methods of weight loss than calorie counting it it just isn't your bag and losing weight FAST isn't really a big deal to you. But it still requires effort and, well, mindfulness, as well as a basic knowledge of human thermodynamics and calorie values. But it can work!