Need to lose weight

[fluffybuttons]

i was in the exact same position. keep journals is the best thing i can give you. about how you feel, what your eating, what youd like to eat, plans, etc. Keep up on it and whenever you feel hungry do a physical activity. like singing , screaming , punching things , etc and its a good way to relieve stress also. what what additives are being put in your food that has everything to do with weight. buy, not even necessaryly health food, but things that dont have preservatives and unhealthy added substances lol au natural in other aspects. if you can you should buy the 7 day belly blast diet by josh bezoni. it will really help he tells you all of the bad aditives their putting in food to make people gain, and want MORE food(just like the tobacco companys right flippin disgusting)7daybellyblastdiet

[itsallgrand]

Ok, I hear where you are coming from. You are thinking it's too much time and effort to keep track.

 

Yes, it does take more time and effort to track. Though with programs available for free all over, half the work is cut.

 

If you decide to kick it up a notch though, you can give it a try. I know for me, it has worked. I get an exact lay-out of where I am doing well, and where I am making mistakes or indulging, and it makes it a lot easier to adjust accordingly that way and see faster results and the right kind of results I am looking for. It's especially important when you get down to a 10 or five poundish drop - where it is so much more difficult to get over plateaus and sometimes the difference in getting results or not is in some little thing. A very small change in there can make the difference.

 

May I suggest another route to kick up your weight loss then as well? More strength training - fresh, before you are tired from cardio. Then kick your own ass with various cardio the day following. So basically; a kick ass day of all over strength training, then a kick ass day of cardio, repeat.....with maybe one day of rest in there doing nothing in the week. (or something light along the lines of yoga or a stroll).

 

Strength training really helps with building up your muscle, toning, and keeping that metabolism going. So your cardio will go further.....and you seem to favour the cardio, so why not get extra bang for the buck?

[rocio]

i know the calories given by the machines is a ball park figure, i don't go by that and even knock some of the calories out in my head

 

Tracking my calories--i am basically eating mostly the same thing every day--breakfest a fruit cup or a small cup of oatmeal, lunch--fruit with veggies, little bit of salmon--chicken

 

and then dinner would be salmon at times, a pork chop

 

I am not ignoring anyone's suggestions. There is nothing really off the wall about my diet right now..and i know people who lose weight and they aren't driving themselves crazy counting everything; they are just working out and eating less or eating more healthy stuff.

 

I am not against counting calories but i really don't want to count every single thing like a vegetable that is going in my body.

 

I'm with you 100%. Being in shape shouldn't require complex adding and weighing and journalling. I know people who have counted calories every day for years. That's a LOT of work.

 

But it's just hard for us to watch your posts. We see you putting SO much work and effort into this and you're spinning your wheels. The only reason this can be happening (with the exception of a rare medical condition) is that you're consuming more calories than you think. The solution is to get a better idea of how many calories you're consuming, and then figure out what you need to adjust.

 

You don't have to do it forever. Just get in the habit of reading labels, knowing how the caloric content of your food compare, and keeping a tally in your head for a couple of days. It's so much easier than killing yourself on the treadmill day after day with no results.

[MakeItCount]

I totally agree with you, counting calories isn't a must if you're seeing results, but like you said, it seems to be the only answer in this case. however, if people don't want to put in the effort, nothing we can do about it.

 

My friend lost 15lbs in about 5 weeks of exercising regularly and eating better. His gut is going away. I went to the gym with him and gave him a few pointers, and I gotta say I'm proud of his progress, he's really sticking to it.

[rose35]

well i increased my cardio the past few days...yesterday morning i weighed 178.6 which i think is my lowest in a long time..i went to the gym yesterday as well..this morning i was 182.6 unfortunately..i know i shouldn't be weighing myself everyday anyway but i was just curious.

 

I wanted to go to the gym tonight but i just feel really tired..going to try and wake up in the morning and if that doesnt work i will go tomorow after work. Been going the fast few days so i am guessing its ok to take tonight off although i still feel bad..

 

not much time left from now til my trip.

 

I also find friends not very supportive so i have been keeping it to myself..i know i could lose a few lbs especially with summer coming and being uncomfortable in the heat wearing a tank top where my arms looks too big or my stomach is too big..i told one friend today that i might be go to the gym and they just say you are fine. I have been wearing black stretchy pants that flatter me for a long time now and i am tired of it..i should be able to wear regular blue jeans and feel confident. And noone seems to understand that. Another friend would just tell me I am find and need more confidence..i find that it is rare for someone to genuinly support a decision to lose a few lbs.

[MakeItCount]

Sorry, but cardio doesn't require days off unless you're training for a marathon. You seem to keep making excuses. I don't want to be harsh, but if you don't stick to it, there's nothing we can do to help you. You have a goal. People sacrifice for goals. 45-60 mins of cardio will just help you fall asleep faster and feel better in the morning. I've repeated this too many times. I don't care what your friends say,this is your own personal decision. Either you stick with it, or you listen to them and be unhappy. You constantly make excuses.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[rose35]

last time i checked you aren't supposed to be working out 7 days a week?...i worked out 4 days in a row and yesterday i was tired...

[rocio]

They are being supportive but you're putting them in an impossible position. If they tell you, "yeah, you could stand to lose a few pounds" they risk hurting your feelings and possibly losing your friendship.

 

When I go to the gym or eat right, I don't moan about it to my friends because I know exactly what people would say - "you don't need to lose weight. You look fine." It's pretty much the standard response whenever a woman starts complaining about her weight.

[rose35]

yea i definitely avoid telling friends; it has happened in the past or just from overhearing them that i know. I feel they tend to not be supportive when you tell and they just put you down saying you need more confidence and have these brownies i made lol

 

but anywho..i am thinking of doing alot of cardio today and then squats each day since my butt is a main trouble areas.

[annie24]

I'm with you 100%. Being in shape shouldn't require complex adding and weighing and journalling. I know people who have counted calories every day for years. That's a LOT of work.

 

I think for some people, they naturally eat healthy, eat small portions of fatty foods, and they stay slim without really 'trying.' or they do try and they don't really talk about it and publicly complain about the struggle. in high school, there were all these people who said that they never studied and got As, whereas I really feel like i had to struggle and study hard. i complained to one of my teachers and she said they were lying - they were studying, but trying to seem 'cool' by saying they didn't.

 

i think weight loss is a bit of the same way - a lot of slender women might go out and eat a burger with their friends, but when they are eating at home, they might have a cup of soup for dinner or lunch and that is it. or they don't have breakfast. i guess what i'm saying is that you don't see what people are doing the other 23 hours of the day.

 

for me, i know whenever i don't track, i gain. it's so easy to say 'i ate healthy today' but forgetting that you ate half the cookie here, or you had an extra serving of potatoes there.....

[Ariel85]

MJJ - you are a perfect illustration of why people don't lose weight, when they *think* they are doing everything right.

 

First off, you said that you don't think 184 is very overweight. Depending on your height, it actually puts you anywhere from obese, to morbidly obese (or higher). If you are 5'5", most women are 135-ish at this height, so consider yourself 50 pounds overweight. I would figure you are easily carrying 35% body fat (if not more) by the way you describe yourself.

 

Secondly - I'm amazed that you say you want to lose weight, yet you seem to blow off workouts constantly. That's not dedication.

 

Thirdly - your diet. Um, I call BS on it, sorry. You report you're eating about 1,500 calories a day, yet you aren't dropping weight. I somehow think there is a lot more emotional eating going on. The way our bodies look is the result of 90% nutrition. Even if you weren't working out at all, you would still be losing a few pounds a week, based on the food you claim you are eating.

 

If your friends aren't supporting you right now, I suspect it's because they've been through this before, so they've lost the investment in believing you're commited to losing weight.

 

Lose the weight now, MJJ. I'm sure you're young enough so major health problems haven't developed yet, but continue on at this weight, and in your late 20's, you'll be ripe for diabetes, heart disease, weight-bearing injuries, neuropathy, etc. Your motivation shouldn't be so you can look good on a beach trip (short-term goal). It should be for your health, and longevity.

 

Seek out the services of a good personal trainer. Most have the knowledge to write you a proper diet, as well as monitor and guide your physical fitness.

[MakeItCount]

^^ Totally agree. I just hear a lot of excuses and denial. Don't mean to be harsh but..it is what it is. You've said you've gone through this before. WHy not follow through for once?

[rose35]

Excuse me but i have been going to the gym practically every day except for maybe 2 times a weekl; have been avoiding dinners out simply to avoid not having good will power right now; no alcohol. I just don't think i am totally for counting every single calorie because i know a few who lost just simply by eating healthier and working out. I am trying to pay attention though especially to carbs although i need some b/c i feel like i will pass out otherwise and also sodium i read the labels for.

 

i have done alot of reading on being "obese"---i have seen pictures of people with the same height but they just look very different being at the same weight..they are fast to say you are obese. I know if i weighed 135 pounds i would probably look like something was wrong with me. I don't even want to be 135lbs; i wouldn't look healthy. I am not constantly blowing off workout so i dont even know where you are getting that from...i have been marking down in my calendar each time i worked out and the times i didn't wouldnt be considered a day break which was only 2 the most each week for weeks

 

People are judgemental even on here..wow

[rose35]

oh and by the way the rant about friends being non supportive is a general statement of what i have seen from personal and also from other people it happened to--they aren't saying this because i have "failed" before.

[annie24]

how tall are you? obviously, your body frame really depends on what weight will look good on you. your BMI "should" fall between 20-25.

 

link removed

 

again, some people say you need to do this, or exercise 7 times a week or whatnot. from my own experience, i've been able to lose weight even when i've only exercised 1 day a week, but i kept my calories about 1500-1700 a day. I think ambrella commented on this. when you exercise, you do need to eat a little more on those days, but not so much as to kill the effort you made while working out. again, calories in vs. calories out - it's all math.

 

right now, your goal of losing 5-7 lbs is quite reasonable. i think it can be done in a few weeks, but you just have to.... track. sorry. track your food, figure out your consumption. i like link removed. it's free. WW is great too.

[rose35]

thanks annie.

[MakeItCount]

Tough love isn't being judgmental. I can understand your frustration, but can you understand why this makes no sense to us?

[rose35]

it's not tough love when people are making wrong statements such as i am blowing off going to the gym and making excuses for it which isn't true or i am obese or my friends have given up supporting me b/c i "failed" in the past..nothing mentioned here is true and that's why i replied the way i did. Thanks.

[Aldrich]

Hey buddy now in this age all the guy's wanted to lose weight and wanted to be fit, slim and smart forever... For that have some fat free diet and have some exercises like cardio and swimming is must... Water is essential and some fat burner's like the green tea...

[Firiel]

1) Weigh yourself once a week, at the same time of the day.

2) Your weight fluctuations day-by-day are on the high side, which probably means you are pretty consistently consuming too much sodium. I'd cut down on that.

3) Water. Are you drinking at least 8 glasses a day? It doesn't directly contribute to weight loss, of course, but it is just good for your health in general.

4) Be active every day. You don't need to do a hard workout every day, but even on your one or two days off in a week, go for a long walk or play sports with friends.

5) Start a food journal here. Plenty of people have health/food journals in the journal section. Just start posting what you eat every day, without leaving out anything.

 

Track your daily excercise and food intake for a month or two. That's all. If you are eating a reasonable amount of calories and consistently working out and STILL not losing weight, go visit your physician about it.

 

Listen, you don't have to track forever, but you need to be 100% certain about what you are eating. If you work out hard 4x a week and eat ~1500 calories a day, you will be losing weight unless something is medically wrong with you and you should be visiting a physician and being checked for thyroid disorders, etc.

[MakeItCount]

Swimming would actually be another wicked thing you could do. If you can get yourself up early and start the day off with a swim, it'll keep you energized for the rest of the day. Not the easiest thing to accomplish, hell even I haven't found the time.

[Scylla]

Have you thought about hiring a personal trainer? Even for a month?

 

I recently did this at my new gym, Anytime Fitness, and although its costing around $162/mo (plus $35 monthly gym fee), I have about 8 trainer sessions (half hour each), and I've been doing great! Incorporating weight/strength training has been the best thing! I meet with him 3 times a week (usually M/W/F), and after 30 min of him pissing me off (lol, because some of the things I do are grueling!), I stick around and do some cardio (usually walking briskly on the treadmill for 2 miles @ pace of 2.7mph). I've lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks. Not too much, but at a healthy pace of 2-3 lbs/week.

 

As far as my eating habits go - I've manage to have a lo cal breakfast daily of 1/4 egg beaters on low calorie bread/english muffin, or a banana, some water and/or coffee with no milk/splenda. I drink water ALL DAY. ALLLLL DAY.

 

Lunch is usually cut up baked chicken breast on lettuce w/ 2 tbsp of light dressing, some side of fruit, or tuna salad or even a Smart Ones if I'm in a hurry.

 

Dinner is anything from leftover salad from lunch, to whole grain pasta with cup of sauce to shrimp mixed with veggies, to light Campbell's soup with reduced fat crackers... to baked porkchops and loaded up on veggies.

 

I might treat myself to a 100 calorie snack bar or cup of pudding if I'm in the mood.

 

Again, I know there are nutritional GURUS out there that might find many faults with my line up, and how i do it, but hey - it works for me, and has always been fine. Cutting out soda, fast food and 2nds for dinner has helped quite a bit. I still have a long way to go (trying for a good 50 more lbs off), but I have more energy to hit the gym even on my off days (Tues, Thurs, Sat/Sun) to get some cardio in of 45 min of elliptical AND 45 min of treadmill.

 

MJJ- look into getting a trainer even for a month so you can learn how to bring weight training into the mix because I have read and learned firsthand it really does help burn fat after awhile. If you have any Q's on anything, PM me. I too am transitioning from getting off the couch to actually getting my body healthy/energetic again. It feels great!

[rose35]

thank you!!

 

I don't think i met my weight loss goal before the trip but i know i did slim down a little b/c i am able to fit into a pair of jeans i wasn't able to in a very long time--they aren't fitting me perfectly which tells me i have more work to do but a few months ago i wasn't able to get them all the way up my legs.

 

I am worried when i go on this trip though..i want to enjoy the food but it's going to be hard not working out for a week. I am sure i will be active..lots of walking, no junk food at night at the hotel so i wont really be tempted. But it will be the actual food when out and the desserts..gonna have to try to taste the dessert but then that is it.

 

I have been taking whey protein and i think it does help..i take it in the morning with skim milk to get my metabolism going and then i sometimes take it at night depending on the type of work out i had. It also makes me feel like i am having a snack.

 

Should i take the whey protein in my luggage or forget it for a week? I like the powder b/c it's about a 100 calories for a spoon full and i sometimes don't take the whole thing..the protein bars have a lot of calories. I don't want it to be a hassle with security.

 

Maybe get some protein bars but eat half in the morning or mid morning and the other mid afternoon so i have some protein in me?

[rose35]

i weighed myself this morning..it will probably fluctuate back up but it said 175.9..lowest i have been in awhile..so i think the increased cardio and whey protein might be helping.

 

I need tips for my trip! lol

[rocio]

Yeah, actually most of those protein bars are junk. They usually have a lot of fat and carb calories compared to the protein, so you're not getting anywhere by eating them. The powder is better because it's usually almost pure protein with little carbs or fat.