losing weight?how do i go about it?

[Toni_no12002]

Hi in the new year im going to start a diet.I want to lose weight and tone up.

 

Ive read that you have to do things like aerobics and weight training.So you can build up lean muscle.

 

I cant afford to go to a gym id have to do things in my house.I have some weights and things but whats sorts of exercise should i do(i dont have any machines)Also how often should i do these things to see results?

 

Thankyou

[Outcast]

Start with how you eat. Banish junk food from your house and quit stopping off for burgers with fries. Avoid deep-fried things. Eat more veggies and fruit and stay away from fat.

 

You can buy videos that have training programs. You can also google 'exercising with weights' and find tons of exercises. Some even have animated illustrations.

[penkitten]

this is going to sound stupid i know

but heres how my fiance is losing weight and hes not exactly trying

 

1 add veggies to your diet

hes always drank skim milk and things like that but before we lived together he ate things at home that were convienent due to it just being him at home.

now he lives with us and i make balanced dinners. hes been eating lots of veggies that he hasnt had in years and i think it helps and so does his mom.

although he wont try cabbage or okra or squash, he will eat peas and corn and green beans and brocolli.

 

2 walk walk

we walk around our block after dinner with the kids if the weather is nice for fun. its great exercise. i also park the car far away from things where we must walk further to get to a store or back to the car.

 

3 eat at designated times.

snacking when hungry is ok i guess but if you set a certain time for breakfast lunch and dinner and stick to them your body gets in a routine. then you dont seem to want to snack that much either.

alot of folks say its great to eat five small meals a day, which is nice if you had time but some of us cant due to work. if you must snack, try to keep stuff around that is light like crackers, vegggies like carrots or celery, cheese, yogurt, cereal bars, and even popcorn rather than candy or chips.

 

 

4 stop getting on the scales, it doesnt seem to help looking at it everyday. i dont know why.

 

5. yoga! yoga is great for relaxation, exercise and personal growth. we arent doing yoga yet but i recently saw a ton of yoga material at walmart and i plan to start pretty soon .

 

 

as far as toning up, my best friend believes in sit ups and that taebo. she looks great but i am rather lazy and honestly i dont think i could do two sit ups in a row haha. but i remember when i was in high school that in gym we did sit ups and jumping jacks and leg lifts and we all looked really great because of it so it must work.

[fomerlyniceguy]

Ok. I think I can help you out a little, I have lost 40 pounds in the last 3.5 months. It is tough but you can do it. First of all it is a way to changing your lifestyle not just a temporary change. So yes people will say do this and that to your diet etc. You have to start slow and build up or you will not stick to it. First of all to lose one pound of weight you have to burn about 3500 calories. So you need to shoot for a a deficit of about 500 calories a day. Roughly speaking that might mean skipping a dessert, or cutting out soda, something that is not radically different but enough to make a difference. That maybe say 100 - 300 calories or so a day(It helps to write down what you normally eat for a few days). So to make that magic number you then increase your activity level. Cardio exercise is what you need to burn those extra calories. Luckily on a tight budget cardio is easy to get. Walking(very good to start off with), running, swimming, jumping rope, etc. Ideally you want to get your heart rate on the target zone of 65% - 85% of your max heart rate(Max heart rate is 220 - Your age). If you are say 20 years old then your max is 200 Your zone is 200 X .65 = 130, 200 X .85 = 170. So you would work to get your heart rate up above 130 for say 30 to 45 minutes, occasionally throwing in higher intensity to reach up closer to 170 for say 1 to 3 minutes intervals(This is actually for strengthing your heart).

 

Now weight training is also needed. The reason is lean muscle burns more calories that fat. A pound of muscle burns 50 more calories a day than fat. Doesn't sound like much but if after working out a while you gain 10 lbs of muscle that is 500 extra calories a day you burn. Not to mention that you aren't losing the weight just to be skinny looking you want the oppisite sex to uh.... notice. While it is much easier in the gym, mostly because of variety and being able to choose a different routine each time getting fit at home is totally doable. A good set of dumbbells that the weight can be adjusted on, also you can get resistance bands and physioballs fairly cheaply that often have videos that will give you a good workout. Also look online for workouts good old callestenics still work really well.

 

Things to watch out for. Yes don't weigh yourself everyday. Our weight fluctuates day to day. You might weigh one day and the next be heavier. About once a month is enough. Sooner or later you will plateau and it is frustrating. You seem to stop losing weight for weeks at a time. KEEP WORKING OUT, it is temporary and you will get through it. Somethings that help are varying your routine, time of day, exercises, intensity, etc. Don't fall for magic machines, pills, etc none of them work. Sustainable weight loss is hard work diet and exercise. Make sure you keep and eye on what you eat. After while things will creep back into your diet that shouldn't slowly increase vegetable consumption, leave off the cheese occasionally, drink lots of water etc. Do all this slowly and it will be part of your life, not something you are trying. I wish you good luck, and let me know if you have any questions.

 

Oh one other thing keep looking for activities another thing that can kill and exercise regimen is boredom keep trying new things. Also make sure you have someone to act as a cheerleader so when you say hey I lost another 1.5pounds this week they say "Go on with your bad self".

[bicyclejunk]

Can I just add, that it's HARD AS HELL to lose weight

and keep it off???

 

So you gotta set your goals and be strong. Be strong!

It's so easy to get sick of it in the first week or so

because you're not seeing an instant change in body

appearance, but just keep working at it...

 

Always remember, you're not only reconditioning your

Outside, you reconditioning your inside as well...and for us

humans, when we start exercising and eating better, were

basically improving ourselves from the inside out. So we'll be

feeling better before we'll be looking better, if we keep at it..

 

**I just started exercising and eating better this past monday..

It's been tough, and hell, it was tough to get started, but

i'm determined to get in shape and look good. I'm going to

cut out the sweets and sodas and junk food for a while

(because god knows you can't stay away from those things forever)

and work off some of this unhealthy weight i've acquired over the

past year. Then moderate exercise and sweet/sodas in moderation

won't be so bad, once i'm in better shape.

 

It's mental too...I believe in the Yoga/strectching/meditation thing

too...it helps get you in a good mental state and ready to

tackle the weight loss...

 

i'm rambling...okay...watch what you eat, sacrifice a few things

and start walking and/or jogging and lifting some light weights...

Stick with it and see a difference.

[Toni_no12002]

Hi thanks for ya comments one thing that gets me is that.I love carbs yea i know hat a bad thing but i eat brown bread,brown rice,pasta i love veggies!I even walk everywhere and quite alot.Do diets always work?

[slubberdegullion]

It's not rocket science.

 

Eat less.

 

Exercise more.

[fomerlyniceguy]

Can I just add, that it's HARD AS HELL to lose weight

and keep it off???

 

Yes it is very hard. The first couple of weeks can be decieving because you lose weight pretty rapidly, mostly water weight. Not only that it is new so motivation is no problem. When I started I knew there was no way I would succeed unless I gave it my all the first few weeks I went to the Gym everyday just to make it a habit. Now I take a rest day once a week. I had to change my routine because of boredom though. I added a martial arts class and indoor rock climbing. After that intial rush of the first few weeks you have only your dedication and hopefully the routine has became a habit. If you miss a workout you will notice, you act and feel differently. When you go out to eat you instinctivly stat looking for the smartest choice on the menu. I had to lose weight I was was faced with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, impending diabetes and felt terrible. Keep it up even if you don't feel moivated that day, do at least a little something just to keep up the habit, most often that is the motivation you need to do a full workout. After you become aware of what you are eating you realize then a burger, fries and coke takes appoximately 2 hours of high intensity cardio on a treadmill to burn off, suddenly it not as appetizing.

[fomerlyniceguy]

It's not rocket science.

 

Eat less.

 

Exercise more.

 

Yes in it's most simple form this is true, but if you have never had to lose a lot of weight then other things come in to the equation, like boredom motivation, etc. Losing a few vanity pounds is different than losing 100 pounds. People need to know how to start and stay with it. Right now I spend about 22 hours a week in gyms, it takes a lot of effort to stay motivated. Especially when you have a full time job and a life outside the gym you care about.

[newbby]

cut out the wheat. brown rice is great, eat more of that and less pasta. eat porridge instead of toast for breakfast. cut down on dairy. eat more beans and complex carbs like that. fish oil helps you lose weight. use honey instead of sugar. lots of fresh veg. salads make your own dressing with cider vinegar (also speeds up metabolism) and olive oil. drink lots of water. excercise alot. eat smaller amounts more frequently, rather than large meals infrequently.

[JS17]

If you don't have any medical problems that have caused you to gain weight then diet and exercise should work.

 

Different diets and different exercise regiments work for different people. The best thing you can do is try different things out to figure out what works best for you. The trial and error period could take months to years but any positive change in your diet and exercise routine will help.

 

If you're already eating a lot of starchy carbs try cutting back on them. If you're already doing a lot of cardio try some light weight lifting.

 

Good luck, hope it works for you

[Outcast]

I love carbs yea i know hat a bad thing but i eat brown bread,brown rice,pasta i love veggies!I even walk everywhere and quite alot.

 

Carbs are good for you. They run your brain - and it sounds like you're eating the better sorts of carbs.

 

Do diets always work?

 

No. They have a huge failure rate. What works is changing your lifestyle permanently. You can't exercise for a while and then quit - it has to be a longterm commitment. And you can't just lose the weight and then go back to pigging out on bad foods or you'll gain it all back.

[fomerlyniceguy]

Sounds like you are eating the right carbs, it might be how much you eat. Shoot for a 40\20\20 mix 40% of calories from whole grain carbs etc, 20% proteins the leaner the better(chicken turkey and fish) and 20% fats preferable the unsaturated variety olive oil is the best. Writing down what you eat the calories, proteins, carbs, and fats. Look online and find out how many calories you need daily for your weight, also find your basal metabolic rate(that is how much calories you burn just while sitting around). Once you have that you have the information you need to continue. The math would be something like this. (how much you eat now - basal metabolic rate) this tells you whether you are over eating(positive number), under eating(negative number), or maintaining(zero). Now remember if it is highly positive most people don't sit around doing nothing all day. Most of the sites that show basal metabolic rates also let you choose what kind of lifestyle you lead giving a more accurate count. Now that you have your number of calories you burn on a given day subtract 500(the amount needed to lose one pound per week). Now you may think a pound per week isn't much but is the way to best sustain your weight loss(Basically meaning you haven't done anything too radical that can't be continued for the rest of your life. Once you have capture what you eat for a few days or a week most people eat the same things on a fairly regular basis so knowing how many calories you ate that day is second nature you just need to work on shedding those extra calories. Also remember as you get closer to your goal weight losing weight gets harder. You don't burn as many calories so compensate by working a little harder.

[Toni_no12002]

Hi thanks for all you info.Ive come up with an eating plan.Do you reckon you can have a look and see if its suitable?Thanks

 

7.30am breakfast-porridge/shredded wheat and semi skimmed milk

8.00am workout-cardio 30-40 mins

10am-piece of fruit/carrot sticks if hungry

1pm lunch jacket potato with beans

3pm -snack if hungry ie carrot stick

6-6.30pm dinner-fish with veggies

 

i mean i know i cant eat that everyday but basically.Is that ok or should there be things i should change?

 

does everyone know about portion sizes?I read somewhere that you can compare food size portions to objects so its quick and easy to workout if your out or something.Thanks for ya help

 

oh yea and if i did cardio for 3 times a week and 2 days of weight training would that be ok?also what time of day should i work out?

 

sorry theres so many questions

[newbby]

my opinion is,

add some yoga to that, as it is good for both body and mind. as far as the rest of the excercise plan, i am sure someone else could help you better with that.

as for the diet, more complex carbs. you need brown rice, lentils, millet etc for amino acids to prevent you getting depressed. also keep nuts and seeds around to snack on, and if you are doing alot of excercise you will need alot of iron in your diet, since you are not eating red meat you will probably need a supplement. lentils are great for iron, but you would probably need even more than that.

[Outcast]

Here's a list of food portion sizes and comparisons

 

ex:

An ounce of hard cheese is about the size of a standard matchbox.

 

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0826/is_6_19/ai_111111456

[fomerlyniceguy]

Hi thanks for all you info.Ive come up with an eating plan.Do you reckon you can have a look and see if its suitable?Thanks

 

7.30am breakfast-porridge/shredded wheat and semi skimmed milk

8.00am workout-cardio 30-40 mins

10am-piece of fruit/carrot sticks if hungry

1pm lunch jacket potato with beans

3pm -snack if hungry ie carrot stick

6-6.30pm dinner-fish with veggies

 

i mean i know i cant eat that everyday but basically.Is that ok or should there be things i should change?

 

does everyone know about portion sizes?I read somewhere that you can compare food size portions to objects so its quick and easy to workout if your out or something.Thanks for ya help

 

oh yea and if i did cardio for 3 times a week and 2 days of weight training would that be ok?also what time of day should i work out?

 

sorry theres so many questions

 

The plan looks good as long as this is not a radical departure from how you eat now. If you are used to eating one way (I.E. certain foods) and you completely change the way you are eating you are more likely to give up because you are missing things you crave. Start slowly changing your diet a included foods you enjoy from time to time but maybe less frequently. Over time you will find you can phase out certain unhealthy foods and replace them with healthier substitues without feeling like you are denying yourself. Most diets fail because it is too radical a change up front.

 

As car as comparisons most say that for protien sources such as meat that you need about a 4 to 6 ounce serving. That is about the size of a deck of playing cards(The more weight training you do the more protien you will need so keep that in mind).

 

Sure that is about the recommended minimum of exercise, that sounds bad but a large portion of people don't get that much exercise in a month so certain go for it. In time you will find yourself doing more. Time of day is your choice really I tend to workout after work for about 3 hours, but depending on my schedule I may wake up and go workout at 5 in the morning, or take my stuff to workout during lunch. It all depends if your a morning or night person really. I find it very tough to left weights in early morning workouts, I just don't have what it takes.

 

One last thing to remember you seem like a very attractive person from your avatar make sure you know healthy weight zones for your age and height. I think most will agree too skinny is not attractive at all.

 

Keep us posted.

[Toni_no12002]

Hi thanks i dont want to be skinny i think it looks awful when people are really skinny its stupid.I just want to slim down abit.

 

Thanks outcast for the food portion sizes

 

Ill give it ago hopefully it will work! :)wish me luck

[Outcast]

The plan looks good as long as this is not a radical departure from how you eat now. If you are used to eating one way (I.E. certain foods) and you completely change the way you are eating you are more likely to give up because you are missing things you crave. Start slowly changing your diet a included foods you enjoy from time to time but maybe less frequently. Over time you will find you can phase out certain unhealthy foods and replace them with healthier substitues without feeling like you are denying yourself. Most diets fail because it is too radical a change up front.

 

TOTALLY agree! I wasn't overweight but wanted to eat better so I have made changes very gradually and am pretty pleased with my nutrition regimen now. I need to tweak a few more things, but it's been fun and enjoyable. I hunt down healthy substitutes for foods I love. I certainly don't go without treats, but I have them occasionally rather than constantly so I don't feel deprived.

[fomerlyniceguy]

Ill give it ago hopefully it will work! :)wish me luck

 

Good Luck !!!! keep us posted on the progress. If you need motivation let us know we are more than willing to give ya a swift kick in the arse...

[Toni_no12002]

ha lol might need it

[sophia34]

Hi Toni,

 

The one thing I noticed about your eating plan is that it seemed very bland. If you eat like that for too long, I think you might get bored and feel deprived. Not good! You won't be able to sustain it.

 

Make sure you allow for TASTE--make it oatmeal with HONEY, have some almonds for a snack (carrot sticks would drive me batty). If you love oatmeal cookies, make a low-fat version and have one for dessert. If you love ice cream, include a half-cup of low-fat ice cream after dinner. Stir fry your veggies with spice and creative ingredients and make sure your fish is well-seasoned.

 

Or just have your favorite flavor of jello and fat-free pudding. Include SOMETHING in there that is a version of something you love and that gives you a treat for the day.

 

And once a month or so GO OUT AND HAVE A NICE DINNER. You need to eat healthy and mindfully 90 percent of the time. 10 percent of the time (holidays, special occasions, etc.) you can relax the boundaries a bit (a little bit...just don't go on a complete binge!)

 

Don't make the food you eat bland--healthy does not have to mean tasteless.

 

The only other bit of advice I have: Don't focus on the weight loss. Focus on developing a permanent healthy LIFESTYLE. Don't say, "I have to exercise to lose weight." Say, "I have to exercise today--and most days--because it's what I do to stay healthy. It's what I do to live a long, active life." Not, "I'm lifting weights because I have to to boost my metabolism and lose weight," but "I'm lifting weights because it makes me feel strong and in control." Using weight loss as a motivation is a temporary goal. Using lifelong health as a motivation is a permanent goal.

 

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[Toni_no12002]

The thing is i love eating rice and pasta,chicken veggies potatoes and things like that and i also love eating brown bread toasted.Its lovelylol i think im weird i dont like sweet things like chocolate and ice creams ok but i dont crave it.I think i love me carbs lol

[Outcast]

The thing is i love eating rice and pasta,chicken veggies potatoes and things like that and i also love eating brown bread toasted.Its lovelylol i think im weird i dont like sweet things like chocolate and ice creams ok but i dont crave it.I think i love me carbs lol

 

Lucky you - you don't have to make yourself eat healthy stuff

[Toni_no12002]

Lol why the hell am i not skinny then? lol well i think i did put on weight when i went on the injection pill.My doctor said that leads to weight gain.Grrr