Pamela: I've lost various amounts at different times. The most I lost was 50 lbs.
The best advice I have is to look at your own needs and priorities and find a way of life (including an eating approach) that you can live with for the long term.
The other thing I believe is that many people need to get their inner rebel on board with the chosen program. The inner rebel is the pouty voice that says how unfair it is to have to restrict eating/exercise more. This may be a bigger problem for women, but it's something that can lead to rebound binging.
I am now in my mid-fifties and I've been
able to lose weight successfully many times with calorie counting and logging,
but I don't necessarily recommend that approach. Both calorie counting and
logging are very successful strategies for weight loss, however, for me
they were just not something I could do forever. I had to design a plan that
didn't involve counting and logging, which is why I turned to Intermittent
Fasting and Volumetrics for maintenance.
Nina: It makes one wonder why I would ever quit doing what I know I need to do! But I do. I have a strong rebellious streak and after a number of months of eating well and losing weight, usually after I've lost about 100 lbs., I suddenly lose my mind and decide I don't want to think about what I put in my mouth any more, I just want to eat whatever I want to eat. It wouldn't be so bad if I just did that for one meal, like Christmas or my birthday, but I keep on and on with it. Like this last "off" period I regained 14 lbs.
Sharon: I lost 80 lbs using volumetric style eating, but by counting weight watchers points. We are really a very whole-foods type of family, so it's easy to maintain while feeling satisfied by eating mostly plant based foods.
I rely on freezer/batch cooking because there is no way for me to cook from scratch every single day for every meal.
This is pretty much the gist of how we are able to eat. I consider each plate to be complete when it has 50-75% vegetables, and if that's by individual components or sides, it doesn't matter to me (though I prefer the former).
Sheila: Did I lose weight? Yes. When I became more conscious of the types of foods I was eating and how I could "fill up" the right way, I did lose weight. Of course, you have to stick with it, which I am horrible at, and I eventually stopped doing. Not because it was hard, or bad, but because I'm lazy.
Ben: Yes, I lost almost all of my weight on the program I did.
Elizabeth: I think it's suitable for anyone. It's a healthy way of eating. I lost 50 lbs., from 187 to 137 (goal) with a Weight Watchers program that was heavily based on it, around 2006 or so. I try to use the principles when I need to lose still. At it's very simple, I'd say it encourages you to have most of your diet come from produce and lean proteins, and some whole grains. It also encourages soups and other “watery” foods because they are more filling than dry foods. Baked goods are something to try to limit except in small, occasional portions. Also limit sugar, alcohol and animal fats. But use produce and lean protein all you want to satisfy hunger.
Anna: Well again, I want to reiterate, Volumetrics isn't really a diet. You shouldn't think of it as a diet. If you think of it that way, it's easy to end up in a cycle where you lose weight, gain it back, lose again, etc. Instead it's best to make small changes that lead you towards an overall healthy lifestyle where it's easy to maintain weight and you never feel like you are on a diet.
Dieting or choosing to eat healthier will definitely not impact your health negatively. The only people who have negative side effects from losing weight are people who do it too quickly and use supplements or starve themselves. If you are smart about it, you will only have positive benefits. I had no side effects. Everything I experienced was good.
One thing I will say right off, 1,200 calories that some apps recommends is not sufficient for most people. To figure out the right amount for you will take some experimentation, but that's part of the process. You might lose weight at first with that approach, but eventually most people stall out and stop losing. Plus it's not realistic to eat that way for a long time, so again it goes back to something you can maintain.
Donna: What I did was basically the Weight Watchers simply filling plan (which is Volumetrics really). Those were broth based soups, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nonfat dairy, light whole grain breads, etc. I found books at the library about Volumetrics and read about it. It's basically eat this (like air popped popcorn), instead of that (potato chips).
It's OK, and I liked it for the most part. I was hungry during the day and felt the need to snack (which is OK to a point on those foods). But, when I really felt like I lost weight and wasn't hungry was when I was doing a low carb approach. I didn't go too crazy on the low side, but did notice when I do my calories on my calorie calculator and keep my carbs say, under 50 a day, I lose weight more easily and am not hungry.