Eternal Sunshine Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Since I moved out from my parents to live by myself, I have gained 5lbs. I HATE it. Every lb shows on me and I am disgusted. It seems like I spend a lot of time snacking on various things, like chocolate and other sweets while working or watching a movie. I do exercise a lot but still, my eating is ****ed. I woke up at 5am this morning and I weighed myself as I went to the toilet. Upon discovering 5lbs weight gain, I am in panic mode and can't get back to sleep.... It seems like as soon as I am not strictly controlling what I eat, everything goes to hell. Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Chill, ES. 5 lbs isn't the end of the world. Any man worth his salt will not reject you for that. And you do want men who are worth their salt, right? Try just not stocking your house up with chocolates and sweets. Maybe 'one' bar of chocolate for emergencies. If they aren't within easy reach, you won't be so tempted to have them. If you DO want one enough to go to the nearest grocery store and buy a sweet, eh, you deserved it that time. Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Edirol Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Get dark chocolate, its healthier. If you like to snack on finger food, get baby carrots, nuts, raisins, once you get used to eating that stuff, you wont have a taste for the bad stuff as much. All willpower. Remember sugar turns off the body's fat burning switch. Link to post Share on other sites
Mme. Chaucer Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I don't know about you, but my body is capable of close to a 5 pound fluctuation depending on hormonal and water weight issues. Don't freak out, just make sure you are handling your eating well. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Get dark chocolate, its healthier. If you like to snack on finger food, get baby carrots, nuts, raisins, once you get used to eating that stuff, you wont have a taste for the bad stuff as much. All willpower. Remember sugar turns off the body's fat burning switch. Yeah, definitely second the dark chocolate. Get the good-quality type, too. You'll get your cravings satisfied for much less calories that way. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
carhill Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 It seems like as soon as I am not strictly controlling what I eat, everything goes to hell. To me, the word 'strictly' is a canary, indicating attention outside what is normally healthy concern about diet. Also, watch what you drink. Guys don't get 'beer bellies' by drinking water, if you know what I mean. I've been guilty of that, simply by joining in with the other guys too often after work for a couple weeks. Alcohol (and sugared sodas) can add empty calories too. As with most everything in life, there's a balance. Getting away from it once in awhile isn't a death-knoll. It's easy enough to find again. Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I'm trying to eat more fruits to satisfy my sweet cravings and more vegetables generally. Being single, though, I wind up throwing most of it away because it spoils before I can eat it unless I eat the same thing everyday. I've been meaning to watch Mimi Kirk's videos on youtube for some of her raw food recipes. She is 72 and has been a vegetarian for about 40 years and a raw food vegan for the past ten years, I think. She has beautiful skin. No surgery or botox. Great energy. And a boyfriend who is twenty years younger. Voted PETA's sexiest vegetarian a couple of years ago, too. I'm someone who also doesn't like to get heavier than 5 lbs. over my ideal weight. I don't want to spend more than a couple of weeks losing it. I can't imagine dieting for months or years like some people do. I'd be miserable. Link to post Share on other sites
D-Lish Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 ES, Don't stress over 5lbs. I'm in the same boat, since leaving my job I've put on almost 10lbs. I made the decision yesterday to take it off. I've just been eating badly and indulging after midnight- I got a rude awakening when I had to lie down on my bed to do up my jeans yesterday:eek:. In my experience 5-10lbs is easy to lose if you put your mind to it. Up your water intake and stay away from sugar- my over 40 body responds well to that as a starting point. Water helps me to stay full so I don't get cravings. It will come off if you put your mind to it and make some effort. Link to post Share on other sites
fucpcg Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Buy the book The Zone Diet. Link to post Share on other sites
thehead Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 If you're exercising a lot how do you know the extra pounds aren't from muscle? Don't weigh yourself too much or else your mood will dip with every fluctuation (and fluctuation's normal). As the other posters said, it could be water so don't think the worst. 5 pounds is really nothing. Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 5 lbs is nothing. View it as extra padding for all the exercise you do so you don't get too skinny. Just make sure what you do is effective, there is anaerobic aspect to it as well, not just aerobic. Use the extra weight to your advantage. Link to post Share on other sites
peterjohn Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Well You need not to be worried on 5 lb increase of weight . It is possible to lose that fat about which are worried. Just keep yourself away from fast foods and also from oily foods . Moreover, You also need to drink water more and more. Simple exercises such as walking , running would also have a positive effect in form of fat loss . In this way you would definitely achieve your goal which have set . Link to post Share on other sites
silvermane187 Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I wish I could magically put on 5 pounds. Link to post Share on other sites
DuchessKaye Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Wow! I just love how some girls are complaining about gaining weight. I am striving to gain weight but no matter what I do, no matter how much fatty foods I eat, still I am as thin as a bamboo! I want to have some fats cause I'm like bone, haha! And only dogs want it Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Eat your well balanced meals and healthy ones, get snacks like yogurt and fruit/organic granola mixed together. Exercise. Even if you do brisk walking for 20 minutes it can make a difference. 5 pounds isn't that much. I recall you being on the skinnier side from one of your pictures, so putting on a bit of weight is healthy. Link to post Share on other sites
TigerCub Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 ES, Since you're living on your own, remember, now YOU control what's in your house. If you skip the junk food isles at the store - you wont be bringing any of that bad stuff home with you. When you crave it at home, it wont be there and you'll have to "settle" for something healthy but still yummers. Also, agree with everyone that 5lbs isn't the end of the world, but I totally understand where you're coming from. Drink lotsa water!!! Good luck Link to post Share on other sites
Imported Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 5lbs is 5lbs, pay attention to it. You can only say, "oh, it's only 5lbs" so many times before you're obese. Link to post Share on other sites
FeelingLonely98 Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 The best thing you can do is switch to a 100% plant based (vegan) diet. You WILL lose weight and you will not be hungry. As an added bonus you will probably become the healthier than you have ever been in your life. Link to post Share on other sites
spookie Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 If you put more muscle on, it will be easier to keep your shape and keep off the fat. Lift more weights! (Don't you love all the contradictory advice you are getting. ) Link to post Share on other sites
Author Eternal Sunshine Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 Well...it turns out that I now lost those 5lbs. Perhaps it was water retention or something... I was just a little careful of what I ate. HOWEVER... I want to lose more. I am not really happy with my current shape. I mainly want to gain muscle and increase fitness with a little bit of weight loss. Link to post Share on other sites
EasyHeart Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Lift weights and eat lots of meat and vegetables. It's the carbs that make us chubby; they're mostly empty calories. Link to post Share on other sites
Leigh 87 Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 (edited) Oh PLEASE... " go vegetarian" " go paleo and eat meat and veggies" " avoid carbs" " don't eat after midnight"... BULLSH8T. When a person wants to lose weight, the least helpful thing to be hearing is conflicting information about what is right; being told veganism is ideal, meat is evil; paleo is the ONLY WAY, dairy is evil; carbs are evil: that carbs are actually ok and a moderate diet is better; oh, dont forget the zone diet, and the 100000000's of different diets that are " the best way"....... .... I have been thin and super fit for 6 years now, and also been over weight, too thin, and average. I am currently 130 lbs 5 ' 6 and look thin and my best at 125 ish, working out a lot and eating 80% healthy. I have tried it ALL pretty much, in terms of diets! I have have tried all types of diets; high protein, macrobiotic, vego, pesco, raw veganism, paleo, moderation not thinking but clean diet...... Oh, and I always eat a midnight snack, because I cannot sleep without a little fuel in my stomach and I am a night owl and love my nidnight snack. I did it when I was skinny. the most stand out diet I tried while skinny, was raw veganism, and my hair fell out...then again I was 110 with a large- medium build and 5'6, so it was too thin for me, even though I was eating a lot. It works for some people perhaps, but it is NOT recommended for people tryingt o simply lose weight without the stres or FUSS of eating 5 apples in one sitting, and hearing the DOGMA of some raw foodist about how fats are evil, and fruit and plants are mans optimal food.. YIKES. ALthough I can, for one, say eating at night or nidnight will NOT make u gain weight; the amount of calories does. However, the fact eating at midnight keeps u awake if the meal is huge, and in turn makes u crave more fatty foods due to sleep depreivation, is one of the reasons late night eating is " bad" and attributed to weight gain, among other reasons. it should be about calories and HEALTH; finding and seeking out natural, chemical and sugar free dressings sauces and etc. U lose weight with the calories controlled, and gain health through eating REAL food, not a bunch of chemicals daily. Really, u just have to have a clean natural diet, get your vitamins in ( take a multi if u have trouble getting enough veg in... modern conventional food are bad any way only organic is free of nasty chemicals, short of that I would take a multi and stille at a lot of conventional veggies) Just eat plain, natural food... and instead of chemical ladden, organic and health food type shops have mayo, mustard, dressing, even tomato sauce and etc, that are free from white table sugar, chemicals.... Ultimately, knowing how many calories you roughly need, tweeking the estimated values until u lose weight at a healthy weight ( 1 - 2 lbs a week), and sticking to the plan = weight loss. When it comes to maintaining, try to get a FEEL for what u need to do. If your like me and mOST people, u will need to watch what u eat and not eat an extra portion at meals because it taste good. Try to learn to love the taste and like less. truth is, MOST people struggle to maintainm and the key is trying to make it a true, enjoyable way to eat. I have conditioned myself, psychologically, to enjoy less food. I self talk, t and think of people with NO food ( including stray dogs LOL I ama dog lover...) and I do what I have to do, to mentally make me LIKE the way I eat; which is, to be thin, I have to eat not too much and work out every day. I have lernt to enjoy less food ( not starve or deprive) but leaving the meal not totally full, but satisfied.... I tell myself the next meal will taste better and FOOD will tase better, if I do not just eat a little more for the tasted all of the time; that TREATS and occasions where U DO over induldge, will be so much better, if you normally restrain yourself. That said, I did ask myself recently; is it WORTH being thin, if u have to watch what u eat and eat a certain way? WHAT is too much effort? WHEN do u accept being heavier, so u can eat more? WHEN is are you truly too miserable to stay thin? ES - what does it take u to be the way u prefer? For me, losing weight sucks, but I can be thin which is 125 lbs for my curvy body type, and STILL mantain on what feels like enough food; 2000 cals with working out, 1500 not working out. ROUGHLY it could be more or less ( prob less LOL) Can u maintain your slim weight without feeling bad and frustrated constantly? Lastly: an hour of cardio is really needed most days, unless your an ectomorph like our skinny friends in this topic :p:mad:. If u eat normally, and do an hour of cardio, even just walking most days, and toning of some sort, u will be your slim version of your natural body type. My parents are naturally BMI 24 - 25, as are my entire family. So, I like to be BMI 21 or 20.8 ish, it is super slim and hot on my body type, therefore I work extra for it. There you go, I have tried to tell you a bit about what I know, after years of trying to tweek my diet and exercise regieme, and being too skinny, average,and too fat. I am going through the process of losing weight right now myself, but i think it will be not too bad, as I was pigging out, never eating veggies, and eating way too much at night and messing up sleep etc etc.. NOT healthy!!! and not working out at all. What did YOU do to gain, do u think? Edited May 2, 2012 by Leigh 87 Link to post Share on other sites
RiverRunning Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Most members of my family, including all the women, look best with a BMI somewhere between 23 and 26. We're all very tall with large builds. I had a cousin who, at 5'6" and around 150 pounds, was approached about becoming a model. Sounds like some of the weight in this case was mostly water weight. Around periods...or really stressful times in general, I can sometimes gain up to 5 pounds overnight. A few days later, after limiting salt intake and drinking water like I would normally, it vanishes. I think people need to give themselves 5 or 10 pounds of leeway. I'm striving to get into the 150s or 160s and plan to keep it in that range (150-159, 160-169) for life. The 5 pound mark would be my big warning bell. If I went at all past that first 5 pound range, it would be time to lose weight. But I'd give myself up to 5 pounds before I'd start going, "Ok, this is not water weight." Link to post Share on other sites
Stupid Girl Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 (edited) the most stand out diet I tried while skinny, was raw veganism, and my hair fell out...then again I was 110 with a large- medium build and 5'6, so it was too thin for me, even though I was eating a lot. If you were eating a proper vegan diet your hair would have been healthier, not falling out. Unfortunately a lot of people that try veganism short-term have no idea what they're doing and miss out on a lot of essential groups of foods, and the lack of nutrients can have negative health effects. But done right, there is literally no better way to fuel your body, get healthy, and lose weight. I've been vegan for close to 10 years. Before I turned, my hair was limp, dull, unhealthy. My skin tone was uneven and blotchy. I was average-to-above-average sized (5'5" & 130-135lbs). Now my hair is shiny and healthy; my skin is basically perfect (I get compliments on it ALL THE TIME); I'm constantly confused for being way younger than my actual age...and of course, my weight is very close to my ideal, and has barely fluctuated in the past 10 years (120lbs). And I'm most certainly not an anomaly - someone earlier linked to Mimi Kirk, who's a great example of what every woman can only dream of looking like in their 70s. So yes, I'd recommend a vegan diet to anybody who wants to get healthy/lose weight and is willing to do the research to have it done properly. Edited May 5, 2012 by Stupid Girl Link to post Share on other sites
shorty7 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 (edited) Here's some easy things people can change about their eating habits that they've likely heard from Grandpa or Grandma: CHEW YOUR GODDAMN FOODDon't take more than what you can eatEat at the table to have a meal, don't be doing your homework, reading the paper, or watching no TV while you eat Ha~, you thought these were old-school manner things Grannies were being old-fashioned about, right? Think again. Studies have shown that if you eat in smaller portions and take your time to eat a meal, the more likely you'll eat less but with the same amount of satisfaction you get as if you had normally eaten. If you chew every bite of food in your mouth at least 30~40 times before swallowing, it elongates your meal time by an average of 30 minutes. Which means, your brain is getting a more real-time reality check on your stomach as to how "full" it is. You also get the added benefit of your body not having to work as hard to digest food (less gastronomical problems), and since you're using your jaw muscles more, it helps slim down your face (theoretically). Also, if you are watching TV while you eat, you're less focused on the meal, more likely to unconsciously eat or swallow too fast, and potentially over-eat. EDIT/ADD: http://mindlesseating.org/ is a fabulous resource on how not to over-eat without having to sacrifice your favorite foods. Edited May 8, 2012 by shorty7 Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts