when youre dieting what do you eat/what exercise do you do....ideas/suggestions please

locolady · 01-28-2009, 11:03 AM

Hi all, i'd like to lose a bit of weight and am looking for practical anad real suggestions for diet/exercise. I know there is loads of info online but just wondered if people would share any tips and honest diaries etc. I just want to guage whether i always eat too much! I always did lots of exercise growing up so think ive got used to eating too much!

I'm 5ft 5, about 132lbs (9st, 7lbs) ish, eat relatively healthily at the moment but too many carbs as i love toast!

I run twice a week at the moment and do sit ups, am in reasonable shape so hard exercise suggestions please!

Any tips welcomed, thanks!

**BellaDonna** · 01-28-2009, 11:11 AM

Hi. Based on what you posted it does not seem like you need to lose weight. But if you are looking to be more fit- you could try adding some weight training exercises to your routine. This will lower your bodyfat percentage and make you leaner.

If you love carbs, just be sure that you are only eating whole grains and that you are getting enough protein and good fats as well.

If you really want to get in optimal physical shape, try a plan like Body For Life. Any time I have followed that plan I have gotten excellent results.

servedcold · 01-28-2009, 11:19 AM

Flexibility-Cardio-Resistance, blend those three together, and at your age, if there is extra weight, it will melt off.

My results improved drastically once I increased stretching time from 5 to 15 minutes, and am considering doing even more, maybe as much as 25 minutes of rigorous stretch. Regardless of weight, over time, this will make your body look much better. Stretches are so easy to incorporate into daily life also. IMO, this is the secret behind pilates and yoga.

Cardio is overrated, what I mean by that are treadmills, bikes, jogging, spin, classes etc. Any activity that gets your heart rate in the 80% of max zone for 15 minutes is enough. Now if you just enjoy long runs, classes or bike rides, totally fine, but the resistance and stretching will bring much faster results while also getting you into cardio range when done right.

So, for me, cutting the treadmill/cardio time down to 15 minutes, and increasing resistance time (weights, fast circuit, pushups, pullups, etc) gets the fastest results. If you have say, 1 hour for exercise, 15 minutes of stretch at least, 15 minutes of jogging/typical cardio and 30 minutes of fast circuit/resistance seems to burn weight faster. Results may vary.

Scorpion Fury · 01-28-2009, 11:21 AM

I am 5'5 also. Healthy weight for 5'5 can range from 120-150, so if you do lose weight, I wouldn't lose more than 12 pounds. eat often, so you don't binge on empty carbs and sugar because you're starving. Eat filling foods, like fiber

purpleduckie · 01-28-2009, 01:24 PM

ok first, you don't "go on" diets. i know that sounds kind of elitist but you have to make a change in your life style as a whole. if you go on diets and then get off, all youre doing is making your body go through a roller coaster and you'lll just gain all your weight back.

the 2nd thing you need to do is to educate yourself. read about nutriion, understanding what carbs are, what are simple carbs, complex carbs, the diff fats, what you need and what you dont.

in nutrition, there's sooo much bs out there. especially with advertisement. it's ridiculous.. we do live in a capitalism world after all. people will buy into things that have no result... like.. omega3 eggs... you can't digest those omega 3 but people saw an opportunity to make a profit out of the omega3 craze so they did it! and they sell twice as much as regular eggs. ridiculous right?

Ananas · 01-28-2009, 02:08 PM

I am also trying to lose weight I put on during the holidays. Personally, I prefer following a low carb diet, but it is not for everyone. I have no problem giving up rice and pasta as long as I can have cheese (my absolute favorite food). As for exercise, I think it is very important to 1.) Do an activity you actually enjoy 2.) really incoroporate it into your schedule. For example,during the warmer weather I will walk home from work at night. It takes me about an hour but that is just as long as it takes for me to sit on a bus. I also vary the route to make sure I see different things every day. That is very easy to stick to since it doesn't in any way disrupt my schedule. Exercise time just replaces commuting time. Also, focus on how you FEEL better with diet and exercise. I find focusing on how much better you feel is very motivating. Also, if you can recruit some friends or family to walk with you or do another type of exercise, you can have some social time and exercise time.

01-28-2009, 11:03 AM	#1
locolady Offline Bronze Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: England Gender: Female Age: 25 Posts: 495	when youre dieting what do you eat/what exercise do you do....ideas/suggestions please Hi all, i'd like to lose a bit of weight and am looking for practical anad real suggestions for diet/exercise. I know there is loads of info online but just wondered if people would share any tips and honest diaries etc. I just want to guage whether i always eat too much! I always did lots of exercise growing up so think ive got used to eating too much! I'm 5ft 5, about 132lbs (9st, 7lbs) ish, eat relatively healthily at the moment but too many carbs as i love toast! I run twice a week at the moment and do sit ups, am in reasonable shape so hard exercise suggestions please! Any tips welcomed, thanks! __________________ "Bitterness damages the vessel in which it's stored far more than the container to which it's poured." Its not about my make-up or how i try to shape up.....he loves her because she moves in her own way.

01-28-2009, 11:11 AM	#2
BellaDonna Offline Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: U.S. Gender: Female Age: 29 Posts: 6,583	Hi. Based on what you posted it does not seem like you need to lose weight. But if you are looking to be more fit- you could try adding some weight training exercises to your routine. This will lower your bodyfat percentage and make you leaner. If you love carbs, just be sure that you are only eating whole grains and that you are getting enough protein and good fats as well. If you really want to get in optimal physical shape, try a plan like Body For Life. Any time I have followed that plan I have gotten excellent results. __________________ "Well behaved women rarely make history." "Friendship should be a refuge, not an ordeal." Please see the forum rules for posting on enotalone:http://www.enotalone.com/forum/forum-rules.php Last edited by BellaDonna; 01-28-2009 at 11:36 AM.

01-28-2009, 11:21 AM	#4
Scorpion Fury Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: The states Gender: Female Age: 26 Posts: 4,525	I am 5'5 also. Healthy weight for 5'5 can range from 120-150, so if you do lose weight, I wouldn't lose more than 12 pounds. eat often, so you don't binge on empty carbs and sugar because you're starving. Eat filling foods, like fiber __________________ Your attitude determines your altitude.

01-28-2009, 11:19 AM	#3
servedcold Offline Platinum Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,489	Flexibility-Cardio-Resistance, blend those three together, and at your age, if there is extra weight, it will melt off. My results improved drastically once I increased stretching time from 5 to 15 minutes, and am considering doing even more, maybe as much as 25 minutes of rigorous stretch. Regardless of weight, over time, this will make your body look much better. Stretches are so easy to incorporate into daily life also. IMO, this is the secret behind pilates and yoga. Cardio is overrated, what I mean by that are treadmills, bikes, jogging, spin, classes etc. Any activity that gets your heart rate in the 80% of max zone for 15 minutes is enough. Now if you just enjoy long runs, classes or bike rides, totally fine, but the resistance and stretching will bring much faster results while also getting you into cardio range when done right. So, for me, cutting the treadmill/cardio time down to 15 minutes, and increasing resistance time (weights, fast circuit, pushups, pullups, etc) gets the fastest results. If you have say, 1 hour for exercise, 15 minutes of stretch at least, 15 minutes of jogging/typical cardio and 30 minutes of fast circuit/resistance seems to burn weight faster. Results may vary.

01-28-2009, 01:24 PM	#5
purpleduckie Offline Gold Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Canada Gender: Female Age: 20 Posts: 1,309	ok first, you don't "go on" diets. i know that sounds kind of elitist but you have to make a change in your life style as a whole. if you go on diets and then get off, all youre doing is making your body go through a roller coaster and you'lll just gain all your weight back. the 2nd thing you need to do is to educate yourself. read about nutriion, understanding what carbs are, what are simple carbs, complex carbs, the diff fats, what you need and what you dont. in nutrition, there's sooo much bs out there. especially with advertisement. it's ridiculous.. we do live in a capitalism world after all. people will buy into things that have no result... like.. omega3 eggs... you can't digest those omega 3 but people saw an opportunity to make a profit out of the omega3 craze so they did it! and they sell twice as much as regular eggs. ridiculous right?

01-28-2009, 02:08 PM	#6
Ananas Offline Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Massachusetts Gender: Female Posts: 15	I am also trying to lose weight I put on during the holidays. Personally, I prefer following a low carb diet, but it is not for everyone. I have no problem giving up rice and pasta as long as I can have cheese (my absolute favorite food). As for exercise, I think it is very important to 1.) Do an activity you actually enjoy 2.) really incoroporate it into your schedule. For example,during the warmer weather I will walk home from work at night. It takes me about an hour but that is just as long as it takes for me to sit on a bus. I also vary the route to make sure I see different things every day. That is very easy to stick to since it doesn't in any way disrupt my schedule. Exercise time just replaces commuting time. Also, focus on how you FEEL better with diet and exercise. I find focusing on how much better you feel is very motivating. Also, if you can recruit some friends or family to walk with you or do another type of exercise, you can have some social time and exercise time.