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From Sara, Age 23 - 08/10/12 - IP#: 67.193.221.xxx  go to original board
Ht. 5'5", Start: 173 lb, Today: 149 lb (BMI: 25), Goal: 130 lb - Just a random piece of information I thought I would share with you all. It may be helpful for those of you who are trying to lose weight to record your measurements rather than simply rely on a scale. I would get very discouraged when I would step onto my bathroom scale and the numbers wouldn't budge. Once I started taking my measurements using a measuring tape I could see the inches drop even when the number on the scale would remain the same. I was able to see that I was losing fat, but I was also gaining muscle. My added muscle was the reason the numbers stayed the same for so long. I have only lost 12 pounds since January, but that does not tell the entire story. Using my measurements I can calculate that I have went from 42% body fat to 26% body fat. This means I have changed 29 pounds on my body. I have lost 12 pounds of fat and gained 17 pounds of muscle!
Any ways, I ... (view more)


Reply From Sara, Age 23 - 08/01/12 - IP#: 67.193.221.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Start by making small changes, that's how habits are formed. You won't need to think positively about something once it's become second nature to you. You said it's only been three weeks since you've started, it's no wonder it's been so difficult. All I can suggest is that you try to keep your head up and push past your challenges. It will be hard, but each day it will get a little bit easier. As long as you can get past the days that are especially difficult for you then you will make it and you will be healthier for it. Supposedly it takes about a month or so before a habit is formed. Start with small changes, and gradually increase them. It won't be so daunting that way. I used to tell myself, "I'll start my diet on Monday" and then I'd binge all weekend until Monday hit. I'd work so hard all week trying to do everything... (view more)

Reply From Brittany, Age 19 - 06/21/12 - IP#: 76.186.201.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
For one, it is awesome that you realize the bad habit and are wanting to change your life. I myself was in the same position as you for so long and at my heaviest in January i was 350lbs. I had weight loss surgery in march, but it is true that it is only a tool. The biggest advice I can give is do like the others told you. Drink water and no fast food or junk. Count calories religiously. I know trust me it gets annoying and it is time consuming, but you have to. The second big thing I have learned is eat protein first! get as much protein in as you can a day, because it helps to burn fat quicker and builds muscle which burns more fat. Also, do not get discouraged necessarilly about the pounds on the scale. You should measure yourself and go off of inches lost more than pounds. Also it was great advice to just start walking maybe 30 minutes a day around your neighborhood, then work up to ... (view more)

Reply From Miranda, Age 18 - 07/19/11 - IP#: 208.107.170.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Amanda- a health specialist told me recently that it's not a good idea to weigh yourself every couple of days, she said maybe every week/week and a half. She explained that your weight can fluctuate a few pounds up or down and that you may be retaining water. And it's always best to weigh yourself in the morning. Hope this helps (:

Reply From Marina, Age 23 - 04/17/11 - IP#: 70.54.150.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Hey Kris! When I started out, I was your current weight (& I'm shorter than you (5'7")! I'm currently 130 pounds....It was a long journey (and not always an easy one) but I made it! I was quite out of shape, so before I even started exercising I started watching my food intake. I started out by drinking only water & eliminating all juice & pop. I still drink coffee often enough, but with no sugar & only a little bit of unsweetened soy milk. I also started slowly by just choosing healthier options of what I was already eating..for example, if I ate a sub...I'd choose whole wheat bread instead of white, eat 6inches instead of 12, vegetarian instead of cold cuts & mustard instead of subsauce/mayo. There is almost ALWAYS a healthier option and that change makes a big difference. After working on my diet for a few weeks, I joined a gym. I started going every other day and only for about 45... (view more)

Reply From Marina, Age 23 - 03/17/11 - IP#: 174.91.64.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Your body NEEDS carbs! Breads, pastas, potatoes...they're all good to keep in your diet in moderation. You need the carbs to have energy to work out! I've lost 97lbs in 48 weeks and I still eat all of those things you're avoiding! I don't think following these outrageous diets are the way to go about weight loss...You need everything in your diet for a reason & need to make healthy choices that you can LIVE with on a regular basis. Good food choices are something you'll have to make your entire life, so don't feel trapped in a "diet" that keeps you from things you like. Keep at it & you'll get there in the end - good luck & take care :)

Reply From Marina, Age 23 - 03/17/11 - IP#: 174.91.64.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Good for you, that sounds like a great idea. It sounds like you've chosen something you like and will be able to stick to. Can I make a suggestion? You mentioned your next "small goal" is 9lbs - why not make it 2 instead? The smaller the goal the easier it is to get to & feel successful. I've found that by taking the weight loss process only one day at a time makes it SO much more manageable. I weigh myself weekly & losing 2 pounds a week is exciting & you feel really good about yourself once you do it & feel motivated enough to lose 2 more the following week! :) keep it up!

From lish, Age 21 - 03/02/11 - IP#: 174.150.209.xxx  go to original board
Ht. 5'7", Start: 260 lb, Today: 240 lb (BMI: 38), Goal: 170 lb - So I am officially down 20 pounds!!! Feels good. Despite my cheat day and my slip ups today. That goes to show you that for long term weight loss results, in my opinion you should allow yourself one cheat day a week. It helps you stay on track by the fact that you won't feel deprived plus the high calories for that day with shock your body and cause it to work burning those calories because you figure the other 6 days you are normally eating low calories. My opinion and it seems to work for me. I wish everyone continued success its hard and a long process but it well worth it.

From Bianca, Age 20 - 02/28/11 - IP#: 72.151.101.xxx  go to original board
Ht. 5'4", Start: 239.8 lb, Today: 186.7 lb (BMI: 32), Goal: 135 lb - so i've had some diet success and thought i would share what works for me.....
1) I eat 3 small meals a day on a six inch dessert plate----> instant portion control,and i still satisfy my need tofinish my plate.
i eat slow, enjoy what i am eating,and don't go for seconds!
2) this is kinda weird but when i first started dieting i took my bed and my sofa out my bedroom no where to be lazy and you won't be lazy i literally slept on the floor for 5 months to break me of the lazy habits. it's not coomfortable at all believe me you won't be chillin on the floor lol
3)i honestly lost all the weight up until this point without "exercising" i just move extra....when no one is looking i do little dances or stretch or tap my hands or swing my legs, it adds up i am sure cus i never had to enter a gym or step on a treadmill. the weight fell off lol
now that i am in the 180's i want to start moving and toning so my next endeavor is to run. i am starting a walk/run/jog plan that hopefully will speed up some weight loss-----> i wanna hit my goal by august!!!

From Bianca, Age 20 - 02/28/11 - IP#: 72.151.101.xxx  go to original board
so i've had some diet success and thought i would share what works for me.....
1) I eat 3 small meals a day on a six inch dessert plate----> instant portion control,and i still satisfy my need tofinish my plate.
i eat slow, enjoy what i am eating,and don't go for seconds!
2) this is kinda weird but when i first started dieting i took my bed and my sofa out my bedroom no where to be lazy and you won't be lazy i literally slept on the floor for 5 months to break me of the lazy habits. it's not coomfortable at all believe me you won't be chillin on the floor lol
3)i honestly lost all the weight up until this point without "exercising" i just move extra....when no one is looking i do little dances or stretch or tap my hands or swing my legs, it adds up i am sure cus i never had to enter a gym or step on a treadmill. the weight fell off lol
now that i am in the 180's i want to start moving and toning so my next endeavor is to run. i am starting a walk/run/jog plan that hopefully will speed up some weight loss-----> i wanna hit my goal by august!!!

Reply From Ally13, Age 23 - 02/22/11 - IP#: 74.92.246.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Welcome back Elisea!
If your mom and sister are pressuring you, I would say it most likely stems from a sincere desire to see you become a healthier version of you - that's generally why loved ones help. That said, if it bothers you, you need to sit them down and tell them how it makes you feel. When I was overweight, it only discouraged me to have other people refer to it, even if they were only trying to help.
Your goal sounds a little outside of reasonable, with an average of 2.5-3 lbs. a week (health experts recommend 1-2 lbs. a week). The good thing is that the pounds come off a lot easier in the beginning than they do by the end so it's possible that with hard work and perseverance, you can reach your goal of a 70 lb. weight loss in the time allotted.
I would highly encourage you to not let your one and only focus be on the scale numbers. Yes, they are important in ... (view more)


Reply From Marina, Age 23 - 02/02/11 - IP#: 70.24.26.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
That's a little tricky...does it get REALLY cold in your area?
I found that sometimes wearing a pair of leggings with some warm boots were always a good choice...and top it with a flowy shirt or sweater.
As for keeping the weight down in the winter - you just need to be as active as you can & avoid overeating. Having distractions really helps.
Just remember that EVERYTHING counts! Everytime you drink water instead of juice/pop and everytime you eat vegetables instead of chips...all these things SAVE your caloric intake which helps keep the weight under control. If it's too cold outside, only go for short walks...shovel your driveway and do lots of house chores...you'll find this helps with getting some activity in your life.
Good luck :)

Reply From Marina, Age 23 - 12/11/10 - IP#: 24.36.93.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
GREAT! & you can do it! I used to weigh 237lbs...and I found that at that time the most helpful thing for me was setting small goals. So instead of thinking, "I want to lose 100lbs" just think to yourself, "I want to lose 5lbs"! This is a much more manageable goal and you'll feel ecouraged when you get to it, then just keep at it in 5lb increments. Eventually you'll get down to where you want to be. Also, as I tell everyone, remember that everything counts...walking instead of driving, drinking water instead of pop/juice or skipping dessert...they all will lead to weight loss eventually. (in the same way remember that it works oppositely as well...everytime you choose the pop or drive it adds unneeded calories). Good luck...YOU CAN DO IT!

Reply From Ally13, Age 22 - 06/24/10 - IP#: 74.92.246.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
The main thing (and the hardest!) you'll have to work on is your willpower - mind over matter and all that =). Seriously, I've been on countless diets, lifestyle changes (both healthy and unhealthy), etc. and, now that I'm finally losing and keeping the weight off, I've come to a realization: I really have to want to lose the weight in my MIND. If you're head's not in the game, it's pretty hard to get anywhere. When I initially began losing the weight, I'd have to consciously think about what I weighed and how fat and ugly I felt - like, 24/7 I thought about that. And I know it sounds terrible to only think bad things about yourself (and in retrospect, it probably was), but honestly, being really tough on myself all the time was the only way I knew how to break through the initial 'I don't want to diet because food is too awesome!' way of thinking. And once I broke through that mind... (view more)

Reply From Ally13, Age 22 - 05/12/10 - IP#: 74.92.246.xxx   show message replied to go to original board
Hi Amanda. It sounds like you're in a pretty tough situation and believe me, I feel for you. It's hard being overweight and you're right, carrying around an extra 200 pounds on your bodyframe isn't something your body was meant to do.
Here's the thing though: whether you realize it or not, you DO have willpower. You think you don't, but honestly, that's just because you probably haven't been working on building it up.
At this point, for your health and well-being, you NEED to lose weight. Forget the body image issues everyone has...that much extra weight has to be strenuous on your body and that in turn can potentially cause serious health issues for you.
I'm sure you've seen enough articles/posts/whatever on foods you should eat and exercises you should perform to lose weight so I'm not even going to go into any of that. What I would like to say though, is that you... (view more)