Weight loss.

I'm almost 18. And this time next year im gonna go to college. So i want to lose this weeight. I've had a pooched out belly for years and never really cared about my weight but now im like 180 and i want it to go away. Because this summer I want to lose it and keep it off because i could be wrong about this but i think it might be the reason that i have no energy during the day.

So what im asking is for help, like ways i should eat and exercising help. Because next year i wanna fit in a bikini. And look nice and slender, not skeletor but just like a size 5 or something.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
35 replies since 12th May 2011 • Last reply 12th May 2011

I would suggest instead of going on a diet you modify your diet. Not trying to push vegetarianism but most people lose weight when they cut out meat. Just eat more veggies and fruit until you feel full. Cutting out carbs for a little bit would help as well.

When I went vegetarian I felt so energetic and good, it made me realize how sluggish I had been before (I also cut out soda and junk food)

As for working out P90X is awesome and if you can handle it the new Insanity workout is supposed to be really good, I haven't tried it yet.
Tip if you do sit-ups flex your ab muscles not just when you pull up but the whole time, It really makes the workout more effective.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

Diets don't work. You have to make a life change if you want to lose weight because going on a diet will only cause your weight to be unsteady and unbalanced.

If you don't want to cut out meat you need to limit how much you eat. Your stomach shouldn't be larger than the size of your fist, but if you are overweight you can guarantee that your stomach has stretched and is bigger. Luckily the stomach is very elastic and by shrinking how much you eat you can also shrink your stomach.
The portions on your plate should be no bigger than the palm of your hand and you should always leave some of your food on your plate (you don’t have to clean your plate). Eat 3 regular meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism so by skipping breakfast you are slowing it down. Also eat two healthy snacks a day like fruit or a nutria-grain bar. Never eat past 10 pm at night because this slows your metabolism and food eaten late at night does not digest as well. Cut back on your soda and drink more water. Water can fill you up and flush your system. You’ll notice a huge change in your skin and teeth if you drink water more and soda less. Soda is full of carbonation which leaves you bloated so cutting it from your diet will help you to feel healthier and less sluggish.
I’m a naturally skinny girl (with a lot of curves) and I eat whatever I want. If I want chocolate, I have chocolate, if I want mcdonalds French fries, I have it. As long as you aren’t over-indulging on these items or eating them daily they won’t hurt you. Eating less fried food and more steamed and baked food will help. Cutting back on the amount of butter, salt and condiments you use will also help.
Of course making good food choices will help and you will lose weight just by changing your diet and the way you eat. If you exercise daily you will see the weight loss faster. Changing your diet will lower your weight but it’s a slower process, exercise will push the change even harder and allow you to really see the pounds come off. It doesn’t have to be difficult; doing crunches, walking, riding your bike or playing in a sport will all help you to lose weight. Just find a routine that works for you and keeps you active.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

I feel your pain. I've always been a chubby girl and it doesn't help that I'm so completely non-athletic. I seriously can't play sports to save my life so I have to rely on things like walking, riding a bike, swimming. I also have to watch what I eat like a hawk because I'm quick to gain weight. I've never been a big eater all my life. I have half a chicken breast with steamed veggies and I'm good to go but my downfall is sweets. I used to drink soda like mad but I cut it out of my life completely because I was going overboard with it drinking up to 5 a day.

Did you know that drinking 1 can of soda a day for a year will make you gain 10 pounds a year! I haven't had a soda since December 15th this year and I'm pretty proud of that because I was addicted to it like people are addicted to their coffee. I've cut out soda and started drinking a lot more water and although I don't think I've lost any real weight I feel less bloated and my clothes feel better.

I have to admit that I was hit with the "freshman 15" a couple years ago. Most people gain about 15 pounds in their first year of post-secondary and I was totally one of them! But I guess it's important not to get down about it if it does happen.

Here's some advice that I was given (and Pinkweeds totally hit the nail on the head) you should eat 5 times a day. 3 of those times are your well-rounded and healthy trio of breakfast/lunch/supper and you should have 2 snacks between those times. I find it horrible to stick to this because I'm not a big eater and I think my biggest problem is that I don't eat enough. I will seriously go 12 hours without eating anything which anyone will tell you is horrible because it completely stops my metabolism and makes my body "hold on" to anything I do put in it. At least that's what my doctor said. She also said that soda is like glue. When you drink it what ever you eat sticks to you. Whereas water helps wash it away.

I'm not a very good example for healthy eating because I find it very hard to practice what I preach but those are the things that I try to stick to.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

I know it sounds weird..but I've been on this diet for about a month and I've lost a lot of weight - like inches & I plan on trying to keep going.
It's a 3 day diet - I'm on it every mon, tues, wed - then take a break thurs, fri, sat, sun & I go back again every monday.

My dad got me on the diet, he & I do it together.
What I love about it - I promise you - you will not be hungry!! Plus you get ice cream every day after dinner ^___^
It fills you up & you still drop weight - provided you don't cheat the diet.

I hate working out, but I dance fairly regularly - and the diet has really helped me along.
Good luck! Let me know if you try Happy

First Day

Breakfast
1/2 Grapefuit or Juice
1 Slice of Toast
1 tbsp. Peanut Butter
Black Coffee or Tea

Lunch
1/2 cup Tuna
1 Slice Toast
Black Coffee or Tea

Dinner
2 Slices (3 oz.) of any Meat
1 cup String Beans
1 cup Carrots or Beets
1 small Apple
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Second Day

Breakfast
1 hard-boiled Egg
1 Slice of Toast
1/2 Banana

Lunch
Black Coffee or Tea
1 cup Cottage Cheese
or: 1/2 cup Tuna
5 Saltine Crackers
2 Wieners

Dinner
1 cup Cabbage or Broccoli
1/2 cup Carrots
or Turnip Greens
1/2 Banana
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream



Third Day

Breakfast:
1 hard-boiled Egg
1 Slice Toast

Lunch
Black Coffee or Tea
1 Slice Cheddar Cheese
5 Saltine Crackers
1 small Apple
Black Coffee or Tea

Dinner
1 cup Tuna
1 cup Carrots or Beets
1 cup Green Beans
or Cauliflower
1 cup Cantaloupe
or 1 small Apple
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream

You MUST Follow The Rules!

* This diet works as a chemical breakdown and is proven to work
DO NOT VARY AMOUNTS
OR MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS TO THE DIET MENU!
* You are allowed diet soda or tea with sweetener on this diet.
* Salt and pepper may be used, but no other seasoning.
* Use this diet for 3 consecutive days each week.
* After 3 days of dieting, you can eat your usual food,
But Do Not OVER Eat!!!
* After 4 days of normal eating, start back on your 3 day diet.
* Don’t change the rules!

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

That's way too much Tuna! Tuna contains mercury and eating it 3 times a week will cause your mercury levels to go dangerously high! I would be super careful about that diet if I were you as it is really scary stuff to be messing with.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

Im glad I posted this you guys are pretty helpful. In this fitness magazine it said to eat breakfast lunch and dinner. Plus a snack and dessert. I've started eating breakfast and during the day i dont even feel like eating a snack or a dessert cause i feel full. So hopefully i'll lose the weight i want.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

I lost a lot of weight simply from switching to a mostly vegetarian diet =]

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

I always had problems with my appetite so when I decided to go on a diet i also started doing bikram yoga classes.it helped me to tone my body and lose my appetite.also ,just because it's essential to properly do the postures during the class,i started to eat much healthier and less.check out bikram or hot yoga,it's really worth of trying.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

Strangely I'v never managed to lose a single pound through dieting, including those boring slim fast and special k diets but I started excercising 4 times a week an lost nearly 3 stone/40 pounds and went down 2 dress sizes.

Exercise is really good for stress levels too and at the moment I'm running 5 days a week after work along the river where I live which is lovely.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

But I definetly agree with Pink Weeds, it's a change you need to make for life. Once I've lost the few pounds I have left I'll cut down to exercising once or twice a week rather than just stopping, I think I need it as I work in an office environment.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

Cutting out meat (if you eat it already) will likely make your energy levels drop during your first few weeks of weight loss.
Usually, diet doesn't always mean you'll lose weight.

Being active is more important.
Usually, to change your diet shouldn't mean that you change the foods you eat, but you should change the amount you eat. If you normally eat 2000+ calories a day, you should probably cut back to 1300 or so if you're inactive or don't want to exercise.

Cutting out junk foods and foods that aren't healthy will help as well, as they're usually packed with crap your body doesn't need, and they rack up the amount of calories you eat pretty quickly. Pizza, candy, and snack foods should probably make their way off of the list of foods you eat on a regular basis. And fast food should be first on that list since it's just all-around bad for you.

Eating a cereal for breakfast every day is going to help you feel more energized, so don't skip breakfast. I'd recommend Special K cereals with some apple slices on the side.

What takes the longest with weight loss is setting up a regular diet of foods your body needs. If your body is telling you it needs an apple or an orange, eat that even if something less healthy sounds better to your brain.

Some foods that have helped me lose weight include rice, lean meat, and tons of veggies (usually without something to dip it in).

Drinking tea can also help you lose weight, especially green tea.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

I don't have much to add to this since everyone else has covered all the bases but I'll reiterate
*Cut out/reduce soda intake
*Increase water intake
*exercise
*Portion control
**One of the biggest mistakes people make is completely cutting out junk food. oddly enough: Bad idea. If you declare something off limits the more likely that when you slip you will over indulge. instead(this is a piece of advice from my mom, she was a personal trainer for 20 years) pick a day out of the week and make that your treat day. this is the day you can have that slice of cake, load your potatoes down with butter and sour cream, whatever you deprive yourself of during your diet. Make it a standing date: That way you won't be tempted to over eat when you do get unhealthy food because you won't be as deprived as if you cut it out all together.

As far as exercise: if you're pressed for time its better to do short bursts of intense cardio than a long slow session. Mixing cardio and weight lifting helps to up your metabolism and tone your body. I second Izabela on the Bikram yoga front and Felecity for P90X: both are amazing but very intense.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

what has worked for me is weight watchers and exercise. i have to use portion control. if i don't i will graze all day long. i also have to write down what i eat and keep tract of the portions. any type of exercise is a big help, especially if you aren't currently lifting a finger.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam

The biggest thing I can say is cut back on meat... look at the old (and less confusing) food pyramid. I suggest truly looking into MyFitnessPal for a support community.

My biggest issue is that people start heavy training regimens, and then stop and get angry when they get fat on top of muscle... you have to keep activity going.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam


Reply