I need weight loss tips!

[february2003bride]

I haven''t been serious about losing these last 25-30 pounds of preggo weight and with DS being 6 months old now, I have no excuse.

So please, give me your weight loss tips! My weakness is sweets and Chick-Fil-A sweet tea

Thanks so much!

Carrie

 

[Mara]

stop eating sweets and chick-fil-a tea.

no seriously...eating right is a huge tip for weight loss. i have a sweet tooth so i have to keep it in check!

as well as just starting to exercise a bit, even if it's just walking a mile every day or going to a yoga or pilates class etc.

my mom was saying she wanted to lose 10 lbs. i said mom stop eating the sweets and cookies and candy you keep in the house. she was like 'omg no way'. go figure.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

.... And eat 1 1/2 brownies while watching American Idol.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Water and exercise and everything in moderation. The hard part is sticking to it!

 

[soulsis]

Mara....what is a chick-filet-what???

I have tried and tested all methods of weight loss. At my heaviest I was 269 lbs at 5''10". I held it well, nice and curvy, but I smoked and ate crap. That was at my daughter''s 1st birthday. Five years ago.

Last year I decided to turn my life around. I quit smoking (9 months now)I eat well and exercise 4 days a week. I also make a point of eating whatever I want. I just don''t eat too much. This method is the only one that is tried tested and true. So now...when I get married in 8 weeks I will (hopefully) be down 100 lbs. I can''t wait. When I broke 180 I almost cried. You have to make the decision to change your lifestyle. Do it.

Oops...and only eat between 7 and 7. No snacking after dinner and drink lots of water. Try a herbal detox as well and that will flatten a belly.

 

[diamondsrock]

staying away from sweets is key but is the hardest for me! Moderate exercise is great, too. I like to go for walks with my dog and I really feel good when I''m outside walking. I couldn''t stick to a crazy exercise regime at the gym so I dont'' even start one.

 

[Mara]

it's true about changing a lifestyle...or else you will just yo-yo up and down as you start and stop your 'diet'...

i agree with eating whatever you want, in serious moderation, but for me i have a method, aka during the week i typically eat very healthy...for breakfast i have a high-fiber cereal, for lunch i typically have salads or sandwiches (with no mayo!), and make us fish, chicken, salads for dinner, etc but on the weekends we go out and splurge if we feel like having pasta or fish and chips, and i have dessert if i want it etc. we also have a marie calendars chicken pot pie once every 2 weeks or so, my TOTAL weakness!!

also drink tons of water and cut out any sugary or high-calorie drinks. i love coke but i only have it 2ce a week. sometimes i drink pure black tea (tejava) in the summer if i need something flavored.

i semi-quick walk about 10 miles a week and do kickboxing 1ce to 2ce a week typically. that combined with my eating habits keeps me pretty fit and decent looking, i won't be winning any Victoria's Secret model awards but as long as i don't have bumps and bulges in my clothes, i'm happy!!

 

[JulieN]

this is what I do...just for weight maintenance, of course. Cereal and nonfat or soymilk for breakfast. Or oatmeal. and a piece of fruit is ok. I cut all of my fruit juices with half water. Drink a whole glass before eating. And I walk between 15-20 miles a week. sparing on beef, cheese, and fried foods. Other than that, I eat whatever I want, however much I want. Dessert every day. Of course, it is important to pay attention that I don't eat more than I want.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

If you don''t want to or don''t have time to go to a gym, consider investing in a good piece of cardio equipment. A pretty good treadmill can run you about $1000. If you use it a lot it will last you 3-5 years. That is less than $17/month over 5 years.. Consider a gym membership at $60/month + gas over 5 years and you''ll have spent about $4000. I have a treadmill at home and I have a bowflex, bowflex weights, and the core secrets program, which uses weight training on a stability ball. I love staying home. I can wear whatever I want and grunt and sweat like a pig without feeling self conscious! Well worth the money!

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

soulsis! Congrats on losing all that weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT! is AMAZING!

 

[rainbowtrout]

My only weight maintenance obsessions are a) my oatmeal for breakfast. I am truly obsessed. (Mom is Scottish) and b) cutting out processed food and c) if I don't bake it I don't eat it....



C has kept croissants out of my waistline quite sucessfully for about six months, as well as other pastry goodies that are a pain to bake.


Exercize is good too of course. I keep a yoga mat by the computer and do situps and pushups, stretches every hour or so.

ETA: And absolutely no soda or juice, pretty much ever. I have OJ if I'm sick but that's IT. Water is the best.

 

[hlmr]

Date: 3/22/2006 8:35:18 PM
Author: rainbowtrout
My only weight maintenance obsessions are a) my oatmeal for breakfast. I am truly obsessed. (Mom is Scottish) and b) cutting out processed food and c) if I don''t bake it I don''t eat it....



C has kept croissants out of my waistline quite sucessfully for about six months, as well as other pastry goodies that are a pain to bake.


Exercize is good too of course. I keep a yoga mat by the computer and do situps and pushups, stretches every hour or so.

ETA: And absolutely no soda or juice, pretty much ever. I have OJ if I''m sick but that''s IT. Water is the best.

Good for you! That''s great! You are inspiring me rainbowtrout!!!!!

Heather

 

[monarch64]

I agree with the above posters who say that lifestyle change is key. You really have to set your mind to eating healthy, and now that you have children to care for, you HAVE to be healthy so you can be there for them! It''s not just about weight loss (for me, either--I''m working on losing 20 lbs. of post-marriage weight gain), it''s about disease prevention, living longer, and having a better quality of life. I''ve been walking religiously the past 7-8 weeks (been going to my gym, but as the weather gets nicer I will get outside more), and I recently joined e-diets (ediets.com). I''ve lost 5 pounds in the past 6 weeks, by walking 3-4 times a week, strength training 2-3 times a week, and writing down everything I consume in a little notebook. Writing down what goes in my mouth keeps me accountable for what I put in my body. It also seems to keep me from mindlessly munching when I''m bored, and keeps me from forgetting to eat and then bingeing later. I eat 4 times a day--3 meals of my choice, and 1 snack. I stopped drinking soda, mainly because of the sodium content, and only have one cup of coffee in the a.m. The weight is coming off slowly, but then again, it took me two years to put it on, so I can''t expect it to just melt away in 6 weeks and be gone forever. Six months ago, I switched to a vegetarian diet (I still eat dairy though), and it''s not for everyone, but it''s forced me to eat more veggies and fruits. I also try not to eat too many processed foods with lots of sodium and preservatives.

I could go on and on! I have noticed an increase in energy, my skin looks better (I drink lots of water), my nails are stronger and grow faster than ever, etc. Oh, and my "bedroom" life has shown major improvement, too, lol!

 

[tawn]

I need to lose 15lbs+ as well! I''ve only gained weight 3 times in my life, once when I was pregnant and then 2 rounds of fertility treatments 6 years apart!

The first 2 were in my twenties and the weight came off so easily, but I''m older this time, and my body obviously is loving the extra lbs because it doesn''t want to come off! I''m not really heavy, but I don''t feel comfortable in my own skin and my clothes aren''t fitting the same...and the worst is that I feel so unsexy! My chest is also the size of Arkansas...and that makes me really uncomfortable.

I don''t eat sweets, but love the potato chips!

Are you going to do a specific diet? I''ve heard good things about South Beach...

 

[dani13]

First of all, congrats on losing all of that weight- good for you!

Coming from someone who has struggled with weight my whole life- I have lost 25 lbs on my own- here are my wt loss tips...

- Drink TONS of water.

-No sugary drinks- no soda, no juice, etc. Stay away from high processed, sugary foods. Eat mostly protein- chicken, lean beef, or fish, with veggies. Eat every 3-4 hours- 3 larger meals and 2 small snacks per day. Stop eating for the day 4 hours before bedtime. ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST.

-Exercise 5 days per week (cardio) for 20-30 mins at a time. After a few weeks, add weight training, 20-30 mins, 2-3 days per week. Try to hit all of the major muscle groups on those 3 days.

And most importantly, remember there is no secret formula- JUST EAT LESS, MOVE MORE. Easy, isnt it???

Good luck!

 

[koko]

I think South Beach is the way to go. I lost 9 lbs. in two weeks when I strictly followed "Phase 1"......Once you get to phase 2, the weight loss slows to 1 - 2 lbs. a week (about like Weight Watchers). Phase 2 is really just healthy substitutions. You can get your Chick-Fil-A tea, but it will have to be sweetened with splenda or sweet-n-low.....On phase two, I get the Chick-Fil-A ckn. sandwich, but on WW bread & with a side salad instead of fries.....I didn''t exercise at all when when I lost the 1st 9 lbs. My M.D. said you should add exercise after you''ve lost some of the weight through diet because otherwise your body will adjust to requiring a certain level of exercise to keep losing the pounds(??).....I have a treadmill that I will start using after I lose about ten more pounds..... Bottom line is I''ve never been successful at any weight loss program until South Beach. Your cravings go away because the diet focuses on keeping your blood sugar stable. Good Luck!

 

[E B]

Water, water, water. SO important. Drink a LOT. When we go out to restaurants, or even when we''re at home, I ALWAYS just drink water. I might have a glass of soda once a week.

Since I''m allergic to dairy, I can''t have all the fun stuff everyone else can (cake, cookies, donuts) unless I find a vegan version, and the vegan versions are usually healthier (but few and far between!). Cutting out the sweets has really made a difference regarding maintaining my weight.

 

[hlmr]

There are so many ways to lose weight and what works for one person may not work for the next.

One great diet is to eat the same as you are now, just cut it in half. Have your burger but only half, etc. The only thing I wouldn''t half is the fresh veggies. Also, as mentioned, drink lots of water to help flush the fat out of your system as you lose weight.

Good luck to you....you can do it!

Heather

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I started weight watchers (my own version. I don't go to meetings) and think it is great. You can eat anything you want but like other posters have said, in moderation. Also exercising is key. My goal was to loose 10 lbs and I have lost 5 lbs so far (in almost a month). So I am half way there! Mara also mentioned an important fact. It should be a lifestyle change not a temporary diet. That is why I think WW works so well. My sister went from a size 14/12 to a size 6/4 in a year using WW ideas. It is really cool seeing your body firming and changing. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Mara]

personally, i am not a fan of structured 'diets' like south beach or the atkins or whatever...i do believe in something like weight watchers because it advocates you can eat as you like, but in moderation, it's not about cutting out something entirely or only doing 1-2 food groups for a week etc.

for me it's just moderation and knowing yourself, aka i know for me personally that carbs are a huge downfall of my gut area. carbs bloat you out regardless but that is where i carry extra weight. so for me not to look like i have a little gut, i just can't have alot of carbs. it doesn't mean that i don't eat a sandwich 2 times a week or that i won't have pasta once a week but just that we don't really eat alot of bread, i only have super high fiber cereals for breakfast, i don't drink sodas or wines or similar which have tons of carbs in them. i know that if i eat a big ole burger and a thing of fries that i get a little belly.

i think alot of it just knowing your body, knowing what works for it, what doesn't..what exercises do what for your particular body. i do alot of walking and it is making me 'leaner' and making my butt (which has always been a little bubbly) a bit flatter and more attractive to my eye than before! when i do alot of kickboxing i tend to bulk up with muscle so the walking is keeping me leaner and i find i am happier with that kind of ratio of kboxing to walking than when i was just trying to do 3-4 days of kboxing and wondering why i felt bulkier and not thinner.

bottom line is that if you eat less and do more, like someone else said, it will be a positive change. eat more fresh fruits and veggies, less processed items, less white bread and more wheat and fiber and less sodas and more water etc and you WILL see positive changes in your body. you may not lose 20-40 lbs or whatever (which alot of times i think people's goals are seriously unrealistic for their bodies!!) but you will feel better and look better and it's a positive life change regardless of the weight.

 

[msdarlinjoy]

Everyones given varied advice ... which is great!

The only other thing I didn''t see mentioned is ...

Eat slower. Take smaller bites ... chew longer before swallowing. It usually takes your stomach 20 mins to realize that you gave it food, and to start realizing that it isn''t as hungry as it was earlier.

Another is self talk. Ask yourself, are you really hungry and stomach growling ... or ... do you just want it because your brain is telling you that it tastes damn good and go get some. If your hungry ... eat, if it''s your brain ... you need to retrain it ... talk back and say "I know it tastes good and you would like some, but I am not hungry right now, maybe later."

Another thing is ... if you are having a sweet tooth moment ... why not just tell yourself "You can have one bite, or two?" I used to have a big sweet tooth ... It was so hard to pass up dessert etc... so I started to tell myself, ok you can have x # of bites, and then I would throw it in the disposer so it wouldn''t tempt me any more. Of course after years of doing this, I can actually now ... pass up dessert and "really" be ok with it.

The eat half your food idea is good too, however, even if you only eat 2/3rds of your plate, in the long run you will notice a small difference.

Best advice was the move more, drink plenty of water, eat in moderation. Just my 3 cents.

 

[iceprincess]

Great advice here. It''s nice to know that I''m not alone here struggling with my battle of the bulge. Losing weight BEFORE health issues arise is so much better than doing it in reaction to a disease process.

During my recent pregnancy, I developed a really bad case of gestational diabetes and had to go on the super strict diet they recommend to diabetics. I don''t mean to whine, but this was SO hard. I had to eat every 3-4 hrs. and limit my carbs to no more than 120 grams a day.

During my first 16 weeks, I exercised rather faithfully walking 15-20 miles per week. However, late in my second trimester I developed signs of pre-term labor and was put on a no exercise, modified bedrest. I think the inactivity combined with my genetics (dad is a diabetic) made me really insulin resistent. My last month of pregnancy I was doing 6-7 shots of insulin a day. I was a pretty model patient and kept my pregnancy weight gain to 25 lbs.

Unfortunately in my case, my gestational diabetes became a permanent condition. I am now forced to stay on this diabetic diet indefinately. I lost all my preg weight within two weeks after my delivery, but my doctor and I think that I could lose another 20 lbs. to be at a healthier weight.

The irony here is that I never really had a real sweet tooth. I just developed bad eating habits like eating too infrequently and too late and more at restaurants than homecooked meals. I guess you can order healthier fare at restaurants, but I didn''t do that often enough. I did not practice moderation enough. The end result was that I gained weight slowly over the years and was 20 lbs. overweight before I got pregnant, which certainly didn''t help keep the gestational diabetes at bay.

I like the water recommendations here. Juice is forboten for me- it has the same amount of sugar as soda. When I get tired of plain water, I''ll add a flavored vitamin powder to my water like Emergen''C''. Afterall, I need my daily recommendated dose of Vit C, Bs, and minerals. You need to replace those electrolytes especially if you sweat a lot during exercise. Those flavored waters put out by Glaceau are tasty, but they contain sweetners.

Good luck to all who are working at becoming healthier by losing unhealthy excess weight.

 

[bethan]

Looks like you have many folks with great ideas here. I wanted to jump in and share some factors that have recently helped me drop 20 lbs and shock myself and those around me. On Jan 10th my company started a "Biggest Loser" contest. Pay $5 to join and have a designated person weigh each participant weekly. If you gain you pay $5. Lose or stay the same and you don''t.
It''s a 12 week program and we are near the end when those who have lost 10% or more will split the pot of $.
Here is what has worked for me:
1. The community around the contest and the competitive spirit
2. Using a fre website called www.fitday.com to log all my food and excercise
3. Eating right - Lots of fruits, veg, whole grains, lean proteins
4. Excercise - Not moderate, but intense cardio and weights 5-6 times a week.

If you are serious you can make a big change. What started out as a fun experiment has really made significacant change for me. Cross fingers that I can maintain this!

And GOOD LUCK to you!

 

[bling*diva*]

Date: 3/22/2006 7:04:33 PM
Author: soulsis

Last year I decided to turn my life around. I quit smoking (9 months now)I eat well and exercise 4 days a week. I also make a point of eating whatever I want. I just don''t eat too much. This method is the only one that is tried tested and true. So now...when I get married in 8 weeks I will (hopefully) be down 100 lbs. I can''t wait. When I broke 180 I almost cried. You have to make the decision to change your lifestyle. Do it.


Oops...and only eat between 7 and 7. No snacking after dinner and drink lots of water. Try a herbal detox as well and that will flatten a belly.

~~That method really works!! I had gained 13 pounds last year, went from 122-135 in ONE quarter (college freshman 15...LOL), and even though it might not sound like much, I am pretty petite (a curvy 5''3"), and I wasn''t happy with the way I looked. I am not really a big exercise or diet person, so I just decided to eat smaller portions, but not deprive myself. To me, it''s all about portion size, and control. I am also a social eater, so I had to learn to tell myself, that it''s okay to turn down food. Also, in terms of excercise, I don''t go to the gym or anything, but I try to turn everyday activities into exercise; like I''ll take the stairs instead of an elevator, I will park a little farther away from my destination to get some extra walking in, and I try to do a little dancing everyday. Dancing is a great workout, and it makes me feel good!!! Hope this helps!!

 

[MissAva]

Date: 3/22/2006 6:31:42 PM
Author:february2003bride
I haven''t been serious about losing these last 25-30 pounds of preggo weight and with DS being 6 months old now, I have no excuse.

So please, give me your weight loss tips! My weakness is sweets and Chick-Fil-A sweet tea

Thanks so much!

Carrie

Oh I feel your pain, I tried out several brands of sweetner, but I like 1 sweet and low and one equal to try and get that sweet tea taste. After 5 years of this I only miss sweet tea a little.
If you still want to indulge you could try the Points system.

There are points calculators all over the web. Link

 

[february2003bride]

Thank you so much everyone!! These tips are awesome!!

When I had my first baby (DD) over 9 years ago I was 19 years old and was back to pre-preggo size weight(and actually, was even lower than that) in 3 months because I was breastfeeding and my mother would bring me a 32 oz. water bottle every single nursing. I only ate fruits and veggies and natural chicken. Then I found out my DD''s reflux was caused by a dairy sensitivity so I cut out everything that had any type of dairy in it and lost a few more pounds. When she was 6 months old I had 2 wisdom teeth removed and couldn''t eat solids for days. By the time she was 7 months old I was 115 pounds and I''m 5''6"! Very Jennifer Aniston-ish

So 7 years later when I was married (gained 12 pounds in 2 years when I meet DH because we ate out once-twice a week) and then got preggo right away. We thought that would be my last pregnancy and so I really splurged and got totally addicted to Chick-Fil-A! So it took a lit of fighting with myself to get my second preggo weight off. And when I found out I was pregnant (by surprise- nursing AND on the pill. I''m very fertile

) I still had 10 pounds to lose. That being my third pregnancy plus an extra 10 pounds, plus I slid right into the bad habit of fast food (although I can''t go to Wendy''s McDonalds or Taco Bell after watching Supe Size Me) and we buy the kids sweets (that we end up eating) I''m still carrying around 25-30 extra pounds.

I FEEL gross. I FEEL heavy. And we moved into a new neighborhood and so far most of the women here (All moms) are gorgeous! Athletic, thin, beautiful. I went to our book club meeting last night and I realized I was the heaviest one there

Now, granted, two of the other women were not there and they are heavier than I am but I know for them, that''s their genetic make up. For me, its not, it''s just bad habits!

So today, I told DH, is D-Day.

I''m breastfeeding so I can''t just drop a ton of weight without it effecting my milk supply and honestly, nursing my DS to one year (or longer) is more important. But I talked to my OB and she said I should and can, safely lose 1-2 pounds per week.

I read everyone''s replies (thank you!

) and today I have to go grocery shopping No soda, no junk. We have an exercise bike, I have exercise DVDs and I have a double Baby Jogger jogging stroller. There''s no reason for me to skimp exercise, even with three kids.

I saw on Primetime Live this women who photographs people in the nude but the catch is, they have 60 days to lose 15 pounds. IF they don''t, their nude pictures will be posted on that person''s website. I''m not doing THAT but I did take pictures of myself in bra and undies and oh.my.god. I can''t deny that cold hard truth! I may look "fine" in clothes but naked is another story!

Thank you again and maybe we can start a PriceScope weekly weigh in group, lol.

Carrie

 

[Mara]

You may want to join the Daily Workout threads over in the LIW...they arent'' really a LIW thing, lots of married people and others post to them too. It''s like a ''daily check'' for workout and food and the motivation and ideas from the other gals can help!!

 

[anchor31]

I wasn't looking to lose weight because I didn't think I had that much fat to lose, but I started yoga (ashtanga "power" yoga) again after Christmas to get in shape. I do half an hour after my morning shower three times a week, and I must have gone down a whole dress size around my waist!! I absolutely adore yoga...

I also drink tons of water, always cook my own food and stopped snacking "just to snack". As a student, I have a strict budget for groceries, so I never buy non-nutritional/unhealthy foods either. And I walk. A LOT. I don't have a car, so I have no choice!

The difference is amazing, I have so much more energy and feel so much better!! My sister told me I looked really good when she saw me on Spring Break, even if I was nowhere near fat before.

Hope that helps!

 

[kenny]

Burn more calories than you eat.

That''s it.

 

[hlmr]

Kenny, that whole eat less, move more only works for men!!!

Women''s bodies react to that formula by crying out "must fight back! - must hold on to fat at all costs" lol

j/k Kenny......what you said is the answer in a nutshell.

Heather

 

[kenny]

Excuses Excuses.

The human body, male or female, is an energy storage machine.

Put in less energy, or take out more.

It is that simple.

For everyone.

The multi-billion dollar diet industry is a scam.

Eat less, move more.