Weight Loss

[CagneyDog]

So I'm playing soccer this year (I suck, but it's getting pretty fun) and we are doing track and field in schools so I figured now that I'm active I'm going to make an effort to lose weight. I'm going to try to remain really active through out the summer etc. For some reason I find it so hard to start because I always think I wont be able to lose weight on my own. So, does anyone have any tips, things that are good to eat, things I should stay away from. How much exercise per day would result in a good wieght loss? And is it possible for anyone to estimate how much weight I will (or what would be a safe amount) to lose in four months?

Anyways, I'm hoping I can do it. I don't understand why I always figure that I just wont be able to. I've thought about every way to lose weight. It even crossed my mind to fast for awhile and stop once I've lost a bit. Which is dumb, so anyways.

Anyone have tips?

[chocolatepuppy]

I'd say eating healthy and staying active is your best bet. Watch out for junk foods, at least limit them. Good luck!

[Karen]

Drink lots of water every day - it'll keep you hydrated, and keep you mistaking thirst for hunger, which lots of people do. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (which I wish I could, but am allergic to so many of them now ), and one thing I read recently was eating an orange is better than drinking the equivalent orange juice, in that you'll feel more full, and you still get the vitamins and more of the fiber than you'd get from the juice.

[Alysser]

If you feel you can't lose weight by yourself then lose it with Cagney! Take him for a walk. Maybe longer walks or something?

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Drink lots of water, graze on fruit and veg during day instread of crisps and choccie - bit more exercise and don't weigh yourself more than once a week!!

[*JTM*Coco*pi*Caramel*]

Water water and more water! I swear it is the key!
I go to the gym 5 days a week for an hour, but the running or walking is what will help you lose the weight.
Stay away from fried foods and just eat sensible really.
It is safe to lose about 1-2 pounds a week to get to your goal/normal weight.
Best of luck to you!

[jackie]

I have been trying to lose weight for about a month and a half now. So far i have lost about 7 pounds just by walking more, and eating fish three times a week. My biggest vice is dairy. I am trying to really cut back on cheese, and eating low fat yogurt and skim milk instead.

You can safely lose about 2 pounds a week. How much you can lose in 4 months depends on your size and how much you need to lose.

Good Luck!

[finn's mom]

I have been eating much better the last couple months, and, reading up a lot on what types of food are good for helping you lose weight...for different reasons...this is a list of foods i remember reading about...they called them "super foods." keep in mind, though, different sources tell you different things, so, just create your own thing, and, it will be better than trying to be so strict. you set yourself up for failure if you try to do the right thing every second. i'm lucky in that i love veggies. anyway, here's what i can remember of the list that they called "super foods" - broccoli, spinach, bell peppers, tomatoes, almonds, olive oil, grapes, berries (blue- and straw-), etc...i can't remember any of the others right now. try to avoid sugar altogether. unless it's natural sugars, and, even with fruits, it's better to eat the ones lower in sugar. like strawberries. eat smaller meals. i eat every three or four hours. perfect example of eating six smaller meals instead of three large ones...the other day, i bought a turkey club with a side of coleslaw. i ate the coleslaw and an apple first. a few hours later, i ate half the sandwich (it was a big sandwich, though). a few hours later, i ate the other half. eating smaller portions like that will help your stomach to shrink and help you feel fuller faster. eat slower, too, so that your body has time to realize it's actually full. i have a tendency to eat really quickly, and, end up feeling over stuffed about ten minutes later, because i didn't take my time. but, then, that's also when my dad cooks dinner and i don't eat smaller portions like i should, either. drink tons of water. everyone is different, find what works for you - meaning, if i try to drink water from a cup or glass, i might drink one or two glasses a day. but, if i drink water from a bottle (doesn't matter if it's tap or bottled in the bottle), i'll drink at least four 20 oz bottles a day. i can chug a bottle of water, but, i find i can barely drink a glass of it with a meal. not sure why. eat wheat bread. and, look at the ingredients, make sure it's 100% wheat, not the enriched wheat or however they word it...where it's says wheat and then in parentheses it tells you what **that's** made of. i usually just buy bread that says on the package "100% wheat." i love bread too much to cut it completely out, but, i compromise by making sure it's at least the wheat. oh, and, make sure you eat breakfast. i swear by it. even if it's just a piece of toast with some peanut butter, and, an apple or other piece of fruit. doesn't have to be huge, again, i eat every three or four hours, so, my breakfasts are usually small, but, i eat a small meal again before lunch. like an apple cut up with peanut butter on it. i'm sorry this is so wordy, it's just something i've been trying to do, and, working at a gym, i get tons of help and advice.

as for working out, do cardio, but, lift weights, too. if you have leaner, stronger muscles, you will burn more fat. like at our gym, we have a circuit where the women do sixty seconds on a step for the cardio, then sixty seconds on a weight machine, then sixty seconds on a step, then sixty seconds on a different weight machine, etc...they go around to all the machines (there are about ten, i think), doing a step in between each one. but, it is better to incorporate some weight training in with cardio. good luck with everything. again, sorry for being so wordy. this is just what works for me.

but, i will say that i am not that strict on myself. you know yourself, though, if you think you can stick to a strict diet, go for it. i personally can't. i do better if i allow myself to screw up sometimes. i do better if i don't totally beat myself up for eating a bag of doritos right before bed. i just say, oh well, it's not the end of the world. but, i do snack mostly on veggies and fruits all day. and, with that, i just make sure i cut up my veggies at the beginning of the week or whatever, and, that makes it easier just to grab them as you run out the door. keep a bowl of fruit in plain sight, too, that helps. for me, it's got to be about convenience or i don't do it. i just grab a baggie of veggies i cut up the day before or a couple days before, throw them in my jacket pocket or purse or whatever, and, i snack on them. bell peppers are great for curbing cravings. ok, i'm really shutting up now.

[Russian Blue]

For some reason I find it so hard to start because I always think I wont be able to lose weight on my own. ................So, does anyone have any tips, things that are good to eat, things I should stay away from.

When people need to lose weight they think they need to make drastic changes, start eating lettuce and carrots and will starve. Instead, the reality that maintains your ideal weight for long periods of time are portion control, eating as naturally as possible and moving your body!

Some basics to get you started. You don't even have to do all this at once, try some of these things 3/4 days of the week and go from there.

*The first step is to start keeping a food journal. Write down everything you eat and when you eat and do this for a 2 week period. Examine the findings....what types of food are you eating? Are they healthy?
When do you eat? Do you go for long periods without eating and then eat fast food or preprocessed food because it will fill you faster? When is your weakest time when it comes to eating unhealthy? In front of the tv or computer in the evenings? In the afternoon before dinner? Once you see what you're eating and when you are eating you can start taking some control.

* As finn's mom noted the body is better controlled when you eat smaller meals throughout the day. Eating good carbs,protein and fibre will fill you for longer periods of time.

* Eat as naturally as possible. This means try to avoid anything that comes prepackaged. Anything that is prepackaged has preservatives, extra sodium and sugar that your body does not need. Try to prepare as many meals as you can from scratch. Morning cereals are the worst...loaded with sugar and sodium.

*Try to stay away from empty carbs. Anything like bagels, muffins, doughnuts, white bread, potatoes, rice, white pasta etc. If you are going to have these carbs, eat them either at breakfast or lunch and avoid them at the end of the day. Replace your typical pototoe or rice at dinner with a double helping of veggies and salad.

*Snacks...again stay away from processed foods. Instead have nuts, whole fruit (not fruit juices), cheese, etc.

* Proportion control has gone crazy in North America....we are eating way too much food and the wrong types of food. Reduce your proportions that you eat. 1 serving of rice/pasta should be 1 cup (not 3 cups), 1 serving of protein should be the size of the palm of your hand etc. I just read that one bagel equals 4 pieces of toast.

* Drink, drink, drink as much water as you can. I personally don't believe every single person needs 8 glasses of water a day. Drink as much as you feel comfortable with in a day. Also, if you are hungry, drink one glass of water and wait 15 minutes. If your still hungry at that time, then eat but usually our body sends us a hunger signal when really we are dehydrated. Stay away from soda, fruit juices etc. Loaded with sugar, empty calories that will not fill you with what you need. This month I totally stopped purchasing fruit juices and am drinking water, green tea and eating whole fruits for their added nutrients and fibre.

* Move your body! What do you like to do? Run, walk, swim, play sports, yoga? Pick something you would enjoy and participate in that at least for 1 hour 3 times a week to start.

Wow, I wrote a novel! Time for me to go get a snack....

[Anita Cholaine]

I don't have any advice, but all the things you guys said are wonderful! I will try to put them in practice too, drinking more water instead of eating snacks, for example...

Good luck on losing weight!