Help! I need to lose some serious weight!
I got on the scale yesterday (was afraid to do so) and I discovered I need to lose close to 30 pounds.
I always say I will change my eating habits but don't. I always say I must exercise but don't.
Please offer some good eating tips and exercise tips.
I know lack of sleep and stress make you hang on to weight. I sleep about 4 hours a night and am trying to change that. My goal is 6 to 7 hours.
Not sure how I will work on lowering the stress in my life right now.
Any suggestions for low calorie meals, exercise motivation and more sleep hours would be highly appreciated.
I do not like to cook. So I snack. I find making lunch a chore although I want to start making my lunches and bringing them to work.
I am ovo lacto so do eat cheese and dairy although I hate milk.
Please guys, offer some suggestions. I can't fit in to any of my clothes. I am disgusted with myself that I let myself get so out of control. I don't even eat a great deal but obviously what I am eating right now is not good for me.
I also drink and know if I cut down on that, calories would be saved. This is egg nog season and I love egg nog. Both the types. Non veggie and soy nog. The rum doesn't help the equation.
I do not make New Year's resolutions so need to get my eating habits in check before January 1st.
Thanking you in advance.
Di
what is your main source of stress/takes up most of your time (to maximize sleep)
if you hate cooking you could do more raw/juicing (i know you love juice fasts!)
i find when i am busy raw is really easy because i eat pretty much fruit all day and have a huge salad with nuts and lots of veggies at night. this always seems to help, and i really want to do it full time, have you ever given something like raw a try?
can you give us some same "menus" for what you eat on a typical day for meals/snacks? that would help me (at least) offer some suggestions.
Get up at 6:20 am. Eat nothing. If I am hungry at about 8:30 I go to the little restaurant in my building and get toast with peanut butter or a bagel with egg, cheese and tomato or a bagel with cheese and tomato.
I often skip breakfast and get lunch. It could be anything meatless. Egg salad sandwich, soup or the special without the meat.
I have been so tired and stressed in the last many weeks, I do not cook supper. I nibble on anything in my fridge. Way too much cheese. I seriously have to cut down on the cheese.
Yet, I faithfully cook a good meal for my 4 cats and dog nightly.
I hate to admit but in the last month, I have probably only eaten 4 or 5 fruits.
Basically I just eat when I am hungry and eat crap. I am rarely hungry so can go without breakfast. Always eat something for lunch. No snacks while at work.
Nibble on crap at night. I don't eat a huge amount but obviously my choices are making me gain weight.
I sleep about 4 hours a night. I know I need more.
It is egg nog season and I do know that booze is only empty calories.
I need a plan that I write down and stick to.
I can't even give you a sample menu because I don't have one. I nibble when I feel hungry, I have fasted for 32 days which shows I can go a long time without food. I don't often feel true hunger. :(
Yet, I know I have to get more sleep and eat whether I am hungry of not. Lately, I know I am not giving my body the nutrients it needs. Probably why I can't fight my cold/cough/bronchitis I have had for over 4 weeks.
I do not enjoy cooking. So when supper comes around, I just graze!
I need a plan that I write down and stick to.
It may work for you, but I feel like plans=sucky. I am a big proponent of just having GOOD foods on hand. That is always when I eat the best, especially if you don't have much time to shop (no time to buy bad foods). Are you good at planning? If so, maybe do green smoothies in the morning (good energy for the day, quick to make... DON'T skip breakky!), soups and salads are good lighter snacks or meals in larger portions. I love fruit to snack on, especially bananas (so easy--peel and eat). Do you ever have days that you can devote to cooking and maybe freeze some? You could probably make yourself some higher%age produce meals that way...
what is your main source of stress/takes up most of your time (to maximize sleep)
if you hate cooking you could do more raw/juicing (i know you love juice fasts!)
i find when i am busy raw is really easy because i eat pretty much fruit all day and have a huge salad with nuts and lots of veggies at night. this always seems to help, and i really want to do it full time, have you ever given something like raw a try?
My main stresses are work, my home renovations are far from complete and it has been over a year, my BF is hugely busy and our time together is limited right now, I am 30 pounds over weight, every friend I have seems to have a huge problem right now and I am the one they share it with and the list goes on and on.
None the less, I am a night owl. That has to change and soon!
I am stressed that I am still smoking.
Because I am always tired, I haven't cleared out the rooms that need to be finished. If I cleared out my livingroom, I could set up my exercise equipment. I get home from work, walk Cali and then want to sit down and veg.
I should start juicing again. Or eating an apple.
Right now I feel too many people need my help or need things and I am being stretched too thin. I don't know how to say no when it comes to friends and family. I put their needs before mine.
Don't get me wrong, I love being there for people although right now, I think I need a time out.
Just don't know how to say NO!
I need a plan that I write down and stick to.
It may work for you, but I feel like plans=sucky. I am a big proponent of just having GOOD foods on hand. That is always when I eat the best, especially if you don't have much time to shop (no time to buy bad foods). Are you good at planning? If so, maybe do green smoothies in the morning (good energy for the day, quick to make... DON'T skip breakky!), soups and salads are good lighter snacks or meals in larger portions. I love fruit to snack on, especially bananas (so easy--peel and eat). Do you ever have days that you can devote to cooking and maybe freeze some? You could probably make yourself some higher%age produce meals that way...
Hee hee hee. I wake up and rush out the door to get to work, I have had no spare time to plan a cooking day. With my mom and uncle being basically terminal, week-ends are shot. However, I do like bananas as long as they are flawless. I could bring one to work every day.
I guess I just have to say no more often to requests that I actually don't want to do and plan some 'me' time.
I have to agree with the not skipping breakfast. Believe it or not, what it seems like you need to do is EAT MORE!!! (Just do it a little more healthy) I'm lacto-ovo as well, what I've found though (and there are various studies that prove this) is 1) starving (i.e. not eating regularly) your body sends it into panic mode where it stores fat as if it is going out of season whenever you do eat BREAKFAST IS KEY to this, it kick starts your metabolism and you'll find you'll be hungrier through out the day if you eat it. 2) fasting sends out endorphins that keep you up at night, which then begins the cycle of body starvation.... Do you like oatmeal? How about avocados? (yes, you need to eat GOOD fat to get rid of all fat). What you're actually doing is very similar to the diet plan I follow whenever I want to GAIN weight. Do you have a rice cooker? They're pretty cheap, and all you have to do is throw in some rice, frozen veggies, stock (or water), and maybe some legumes (my fave's lentils), and go do something for 30-40 min, then you have days worth of either a complete meal, or a jumping off point for other dishes. A dollop of sour cream (light, in this case) and some salsa and you have an easy no fuss tex-mex meal. I tend to like oatmeal at night over morning, it contains small amounts of tryptophan, and you get the added bonus of the warm milk added to it as well, it really does help with the sleeping, especially when coupled with a cup of herbal tea. Hope this helps!!
Thanks for posting this Di, I am in the same place. I have re-gained almost all the weight I had lost and am really down. The thyroid supplements will help but it will be slow.
Hanashi those are great tips. I don't like "food journaling" either because it makes me obsess so I think about food and eating all the time, which can't be good either.
In my case, I have got to get to the nutritionist sometime in January because each thyroid case is different and I really need some good guidelines, not just something they give everyone in the doctor's office. I need to find out which are the "good" carbs and what to avoid. I think it will help me be "more veggie" because if he says something like "brown rice/ww flour only" I will have to cook my food separate from DH...he won't touch them. He can cook his own useless carbs, right? LOL
May I suggest the humble microwaved potato for breakfast? They're quick to make, you can top with whatever (I like olive oil and Herbamare herb salt, but anything goes) and filling. Potatoes in their jackets are full of vitamins, too!
Okay, I'm no expert, but I do have some tips that helped me when I dieted before and help keep me slim now.
-Don't skip meals! I agree with the above posters, eating more will be a step in the right direction. Eating every 3-5 hours keeps your metabolism up and also gives you energy. Breakfast is especially important.
-Exercise! I know, that's a "duh" piece of advice, but exercise will help with everything else. It revs up your metabolism so you won't skip meals - you'll be too hungry! Exercising increases your desire to drink water too, helping you get your minimum water needs. Exercise also helps you sleep better and gives you more energy during the day, especially if you work out in the morning. I'd recommend Denise Austin's aerobics show or her DVDs, because her workouts are effective without being exhausting, and she also gives a lot of great tips. She is the reason I switched to soymilk! Power yoga is also a good way to stay fit
-Do muscle-toning/conditioning exercise. Machines are okay and I lost weight with an exercise bike, but I would recommend more full body workouts like aerobics or power yoga - I lost an additional pants size after my diet when I began working out with Denise's aerobics show because of all the toning. Plus, muscles help raise your metabolism
-Develop the mindset that only water, plain tea (no milk or sugar), and maybe black coffee are drinks; and that all other so-called beverages (lattes, fruit juice, soymilk, etc) are food. I find that thinking this way prevents me from casually picking up a soda or a bottle of juice when I'm thirsty, preventing empty calories; it also helps me rightly consider something like a latte to be a snack.
-DRINK WATER! This is the big one. And while plain tea and black coffee and certain fruits and veggies can contribute to your daily liquid intake, water is the big one. Drink the 64 fl oz a day (not that hard - I have a water bottle that holds 24 fl oz, so just three of those gives me more than the minimum). Carry a water bottle with you all day so you can sip while you go about your routine. My nutrition teacher rightly says that you can lose ten pounds by drinking more water alone. Not to get too TMI, but an indicator of hydration is if you have to pee about every 2-3 hours (average).
-Designate one day a week as your dessert day. This helped me when dieting because I wasn't completely sweet deprived. Mine was Friday. I would usually have a pudding cup or some ice cream and it was a big help.
-Some other little tips: use a small bowl for cereal, make a sandwich with one slice of bread, use a small spoon to spread peanut butter instead of a knife, carry healthy snacks in your purse like almonds or a breakfast bar, eat actual fruit rather than just juice
Good luck and keep us posted on your success! :)
My theory is that if you do not change the way you live, never to return to the old ways, you may lose some weight but it will return when you revert. So, you need to look at your life. Point out things you want to change. Set about changing them in a positive way.
You do not like to cook. Ok, to get around that buy prechopped things like onions, peppers, celery, carrots. Most grocery stores offer this convenience food. Find some quick recipes which involve tossing said prechopped items into a pot, adding a liquid, a good carb like brown rice or quinoa and a protein like beans or lentils. You could even toss in smoked tofu or seitan. Simmer covered until the carb is cooked. Voila! Simple, easy and you can do this while you are cooking for the furries.
Next, clear out your fridge of grazing triggers. Put in healthy things like nuts, veggies (you can buy crudities pre cut!), fruits and beans. Hungry? Grabbing a bowl full of mashed black beans and salsa for your chips will be a lot healthier than just salsa and chips! Snacking on a carrot is better than a hunk of cheese. If you dip it in store bought hummus then you will have some of that creamy mouth feel that cheese satisfies and the carrot wont.
Third, take time for yourself. Set aside time to unwind. If you are stressed out find fifteen minutes to take a bubble bath, or sit in front of the fire. Do something you love that helps wash away the stresses of the day.
Finally, turn your outlook around. Does exercising seem like a chore? Does the thought of having to get up and cook make you want to hide under a blanket? Well, turn it around in your head. Think of how much more energy you will have if you do even just 15 minutes of exercise. Turn on some music and dance around the house if nothing else. The fur babies will think you are silly but come on, they already think that!
I find that my own mind is what gets in my way first and foremost. "Its too cold, I'm too tired, I stayed up too late last night, I will do it tomorrow...." Trust me, I use them all. But an amazing thing happened. Once I started working out regularly, I discovered that I felt better, more awake, more energetic and happy. If you can get to that feeling then set it as the benchmark. "I am doing this to feel good!" Say it out loud and do not take the excuses!
I have also found motivation in the oddest of places. On Wednesday nights on TLC the shows are my motivation. I only had to watch Big Medicine and the 750lb Man once to know I did not want that bowl of soy cream.
Even if you are sitting on the couch have a small hand weight near by to work on biceps, triceps and shoulders. It gives you a little something to do rather than just lay inert.
Please realize that while I made these suggestions tailored for you Di, I am really speaking mostly to myself. I have those 30lbs to lose as well and need to kick it back into gear. This morning it was "I got up too late and its cold downstairs, I will work out when I get home." (Yeah, right that will happen. *rolls eyes*)
If you have access to it (and money to join) I'd definitly try weight watchers. I went on it several years ago after getting my wedding photos back and realized I was fat! I lost 35 lbs easily following their plan, and I've kept it off almost 4 years later.
They do have an "online" program which I did last year after I quit smoking and it helped me keep my weight under control when I quit.
DONT STRESS that your still smoking, it's only going to make you smoke AND eat more. It will come when your ready.
Yay! I don't like to cook either.
What I eat tends to be low in calorie, naturally - so while I don't have any great ideas about weight loss, I can give you some ideas about my day.
I looove tomatoes. (Sidenote: My mom recently gave me a box of my stuff to go through and in it was some things from grade school. When I was in third grade (8 years old), I listed tomatoes as my favorite food. That reminded me of the day. Everyone else listed things like pizza, and there I was with tomatoes.)
Here's what I do for work:
On the way to work I grab a tub of cherry or grape tomatoes and a box of Imagine brand cream of tomato or cream of broccoli soup. At work I have mint & milk thistle tea (milk thistle supports a healthy liver - a third of Americans have compromised livers), instant black beans & bullion (to make black bean soup), and a bag of small organic apples (organic apples = smaller apples = better). I can eat every couple of hours or make two big meals a day out of that. Either way I'm full and all of it totals about 1,200 calories. I at work or commuting about 13 hours a day, so I don't eat at home on workdays. If you work shorter shifts, you might eat less at work than me. Your body might like different foods, too, but if they're relatively healthy they're likely not total a lot of calories.
Cooking, Minimized:
Now that we're in the winter months, I cook a bit more to help warm the house. I only cook on a weekend day. This past weekend I made the Cheesy Bean and Cheese Enchiladas. I cut the recipe into pieces (it says it serves 6, but it serves at least 8 large servings), freeze the pieces and then take one to work to replace the bean & broth soup and the Imagine soup. I probably wouldn't eat this for long term because it's so carb heavy, but it's a nice, hearty alternative that adds variation. The nice thing about it is that if I have eight servings, it's good for more than a week of work. So, if next weekend I make something else, I might have a month's worth of lunches out of a few hours in the kitchen. I can't eat alternatives for too long of a time because I miss my soup.
Cheese:
Cheese is not your friend. I'm not saying don't eat it, but be really selective about how you use it. There's a difference between sprinkling some slivered havarti with dill on a salad and making a quesadilla. If you like it and cut it out entirely you're going to crave it and cravings suck.
Cheese:
Cheese is not your friend. I'm not saying don't eat it, but be really selective about how you use it. There's a difference between sprinkling some slivered havarti with dill on a salad and making a quesadilla. If you like it and cut it out entirely you're going to crave it and cravings suck.
From a former serious cheese-a-holic, cravings suck, but if you stay strong they DO go away! It took me about a month to cut cheese out entirely, then the cravings stopped maybe 2-3 months after that when I discovered that I am now dairy-intolerant. I fell off the wagon one weekend and almost immediately I had a horrible sinus infection. So, the desire to avoid sickness is much much stronger than any cheese craving. I lost 20 lbs when I cut out dairy. And that was without increasing my exercise level.
I agree with all the breakfast fans on here, starting out with a healthy breakfast not only fills me up and boosts my metabolism, it starts me out on a healthy track for the day that I am usually reluctant to "mess up" by eating things that are bad for me.
Having a game plan might be good, but I find I waste time planning when I could just be jumping in to changing my unhealthy habits. JUST START SOMEWHERE. Start making small and large changes and they will snowball.
Good luck!
diver-di... you need to take care of yourself! sure, figure out calories, etc, and plan your menu, but don't forget to plan some personal time to de-stress. I find herbal tea really calms me down. if I'm feeling stressed, anxious, or unsettled, all I need is a cup of chamomile or peppermint tea, and I'm good.
and what's better, nighty-night tea. Traditional Medicinals is a good brand, and I drink a cup of their organic nightime tea often before I go to bed - it might even help with your bedtime routine!
...
and the cheese? get some really strong stuff - you don't need so much, so you'll eat less. or at least, that's what I've heard... I don't eat cheese. and if you LOVE egg nog, why not try some of the soy versions? they have a lot less calories than real nog, and all the benefits of soy. it's a nice, fairly guiltless, treat.
I'm sending you some happy vibes. good luck my dear - and happy holidays!
I know in weight watchers, cheese has one of the highest points/serving size ratio. I mean, if I can eat a big salad, bowl of soup, and some baked tortilla chips or half a grilled cheese (using lowfat cheese, which SUCKS), what makes more sense?
The transition to vegan was really easy for me because I didn't like cheese.
Good point about the food comparison. If you're looking at you total day of eating and decide you want something unhealthy, then you have to cut out A LOT of healthy food to make up for it. Realizing something unhealthy/less healthy cuts out two or three mini-meals for me really puts things in perspective. Especially since if you're trying to lose weight you want your metabolism to be going. If I eat something small and unhealthy and I give up three mini-meals to compensate, then I've kept healthy food out of my body and, because I'm skipping eating, I'm also slowing down my metabolism.
DONT STRESS that your still smoking, it's only going to make you smoke AND eat more. It will come when your ready.
i agree. if you smoke that cig, accept it. don't make it a battle after the fact!
I want to thank each and every one of you for all your helpful hints, tips and suggestions.
Although I don't enjoy cooking, I don't mind chopping up things. Love my knives. I do have a rice cooker. Have had it over a year and never used it. Now is the time to start!
I drink a lot of water. I have a 14 ounce mug at work and drink a minimum of five mug fulls a day. Usually more like eight to ten.
I love carrots but am very allergic to them. More so when they are raw. The little baby ones make my throat close. :(
I also truly do not hate exercise. As my place is being renovated, the floor in my livingroom is covered in boxes and stuff. I like to exercise in front of the TV. Either to watch the video for the machine or to just watch TV and exercise.
After reading all your threads, this weekend, I AM going to clear a huge space so I can set up my Gazelle and my Body Shaper. http://www.theshoppingchannel.com/product/health+%26+fitness/fitness+equipment/easy+shaper+pro+w-elevated+design+%26+2+dvds+293330.do?&N=100354&Ns=P_DATE_CREATED
I have numerous exercise videos. I just don't have the room to exercise. So...I have to make the room.
Yabbit, I loved your baked potato for breakfast idea. I can throw one in the microwave before I get in the shower.
I do not like oatmeal. Actually can't stand it but I try it every two years in the hope I will finally like it. I bought some and will try it yet again. I want to like it.
I know I won't cut out the cheese but I am going to make a real effort to cut down on it. Maybe at some point in my life I will give it up but now is not the time.
For all of you recommending I make some 'me' time, thank you! I really need to do that. I haven't sat down a read and book in over a year (other than Skinny Bitch that I read while camping this summer). I love to read. Somehow, I look at the mess and feel guilty if I do something like read. That must change.
I know I feel great when I exercise. I know I look better when I exercise and I know I am not as stressed when I exercise. So, this weekend, I truly must make it a 'clear out the livingroom weekend'.
Oh, as for the egg nog, I love the soy eggnog. Bought some the other day but it appears no one has got the silk nog out yet ( I really love that particular brand). Right now, I am buying President's Choice Fat Free nog.
So, thank you one and all! I appreciate the time you took to give me some wonderful ideas.
Hugs
Di
I'm so glad - it sounds like you feel motivated!
Oh, as for the egg nog, I love the soy eggnog. Bought some the other day but it appears no one has got the silk nog out yet ( I really love that particular brand). Right now, I am buying President's Choice Fat Free nog.
you're in toronto, right? I'm in southern ontario too, and haven't seen the Silk nog - ever. I recommend Vitasoy, or maybe So Nice soy nog (I'm drinking some So Nice right now, but I can't decide if I like it or Vitasoy better...). I'm sure you could find either of them easily.
let us know how things go, ok?
Everyone has provided some awesome advice. Now I'm going to be a jerk and suggest something that just about no one on here is going to agree with.
Oh, and if you have an eating disorder, do not even bother looking at this post.
You mentioned that you're still in the process of kicking the habit. Have you tried Zyban? (aka Wellbutrin). It has some interesting pharmacological effects. It is not a magic pill by any means. But, it can help take the edge off of withdrawal symptoms while you quit the smokes.
Now, the main reason why I bring up Zyban is that it might be an effective weight loss drug. So much so that GlaxoSmithKline is looking to get it FDA approved for weight loss. It's actually used for off-label for this purpose. Again, it's no magic pill. What happens is that you get a boost in energy, and it kills your appetite. When I took it (I actually took it for depression, but it just didn't work for me), I lost my sweet tooth. I had no urge to drink. And I didn't want caffeine. And I only wanted to eat healthy foods when I was hungry.
You still have to exercise, eat right, and do all of the other good stuff that everyone else has mentioned. Zyban just might help you a bit along the way.
The reason why I said "if you have an eating disorder, do not even bother looking at this post" is that your doctor will not prescribe it to you if you have or have ever had an eating disorder. It's not going to make you do anything that you can't do yourself, if that makes sense.
Not everyone reacts well to this medication. So, if you do decide to give it a shot and feel like crap after a few days, you can stop. No big deal. It does seem to be a bit safer than some other medications (Like, you won't get those funky side effects you would get if you took Alli). However, you absolutely cannot drink while taking this medication. So you might have to stick with virgin Soy Nog.
I just wanted to throw that idea out there as an option. Also, I do honestly think that pharmaceutical companies as a whole are the devil (the individuals who work at pharmaceutical companies are a different story). And I am by no means a take a magic pill to fix it kind of girl. But I did hit a point in my life where I had two options - take Western drugs or die. Not everyone has to make that decision, and I am not implying that you are at that point in your life. I'm just saying that my views on some of big pharma's products have changed a bit now that I find myself alive and more or less functional.
Whew, that was a long post.
I wish you the best and know that you will make positive changes in your life.
Here's some advice I got from a friend, and it seems to help: Eat your main meal for breakfast. Or as she put it, "Eat your supper for breakfast". A hearty breakfast gets you going and fills your needs after a night of nothing. And yes, you can eat anything you want for breakfast. Spanish breakfasts are usually cookies or plain old toast and I find that just yuck for breakfast. So I've been doing this for a week, as the old Victorian saying has it: Breakfast like a king, lunch like a yeoman, dine like a beggar. And I've lost a whole pound, which given my slow metabolism is nothing short of miraculous. For supper I mostly have had hot soup, which is satisfying and doesn't have to be too calorie-laden.
I am with you there. I joined a gym and started doing the cycling classes. I don't see any improvement yet, but maybe it will eventually help. My problem I have is sweets, I can go without cheese, but I am such a carbohydrate addict. I love cookies, cakes, muffins, you name it, and that is something that I have been trying to cut out. So I am with you on those struggles.
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