Share Your Weight Loss Tips!

1nspiredgirl

Hi Guys!

Like most of the others, I am desperately want to lose weight, like really want to be sexy. For those who are already lose more lbs, please share your diet and weight loss tips.

What did you eat for a month? Did you still eat 3 times a day?
How many times you workout in a week?
After how many months or weeks did you see the result?

I tried fasting but I just can't make it.

Problems: Thigh, Waist, Hips and Arms

Thanks in Advance!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Lift
Eat at a small to moderate deficit
Eat a balanced diet
Eat when hungry
Drink plenty of water
Make sustainable changes

royvor

Hi,

I started by tackling one problem I had at a time. So if you think that you need to work on portion control, exercise habit, cutting out soda, not skipping breakfast break it up into week goals so you can build good habits and replace old ones.
My tips are to start small. Set a goal. Like this Monday- Sunday You comit to working out 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Then once that becomes a habit. Add in a new habit. Next week I will still workout for 3 times a week but wake up 15 min early to pack my lunch early in the morning and cook my breakfast.

I used to skip meals, but now I make sure to cook my breakfast and pack my lunch because I would get home after work then binge and over eat becuase I was starving. It is all about building good habits and replacing the old ones with time.

Also I measure out my portions using measuring cups, and spoons. I don't count calories that just doesn't work for me, but if that helps you then do it. I just mentally am aware that I have to eat 3 healthy meals and two healthy snacks.I try to eat every three hours.

AS far as my eating that was the hardest thing to conquer and over come, and it is still most difficult for me.
I eat basically the same things that I love and revolve through out the week.

In the morning everyday. 2 egg omlet that I load up with veggies and I will eat 1/2 cup of beans. or I make ooatmeal I prep it the night before pop it in the fridge with your measured oats, cut up fruit like strawberries, frozen blueberries, cinnanmon, sweetner agave nectar honey. then in the morning I take it out pour water/milk in the micro and in minutes I have my breakfast. You can do it, it just a matter of starting small. Then you takle the next thing.

Then for lunch I am lazy and just eat cereal which I switched from 2% milk to Almond milk because it has less calories and I eat 1 cup of Special K Almond Vanilla or Special K Pecan Cinnamon ceareal for lunch since I only have a 20 minute lunch,

My snacks can be any combination of these things and again I rotate them through out the week. I either eat a grapefruit, any fruits, a cheese string, 1 cup of some light and fit vanilla yogurt, 10-12 almonds, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, I love peanut butter so I eat the substitute of it which is a powder called PB2 because it has lower calories,

For dinner I eat lots of protein, tuna, or chiken and brown rice with broccoli, and non fat greek yogurt I swap that in for Mayo since it taste just like sour cream.

These foods are the staple of my diet. I take the guess work out of my lunches and they are predictable and healthier than I used to eat and fufilling. I suggest you try find foods you like to eat that can be your staples of your food through out the week.
As far as working out I do only youtube videos. I don't like the gym. I am to self concious.

I have an account on YouTube and I compiled a playlist called (workout stuff)

There are all different kinds of videos, like (Zumba where people go to the gym and video themselves in class or the instructor, it feels like you are there in a club setting just dancing and having fun but getting a great workout)

( Tae Bo videos are great if you like cardio kickboxing),
(Jillian Michaels videos are on youtube as well for free, her 30 day shred videos for level 1, 2, and 3 are on there. She is brutal but does get you results because she combines cadio, and circuit training with strength.

( On days when I want to take it easy I do Leslie Sansone Walk Away the pounds 3mile walk or 5 mile walk with dumbbells for more of a burn).


This is my playlist link to all differnet kinds of videos that you can check out and see what you would like to do on certain days.

I change it up. https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL814DB0F7CF63B324

I hope these tips help.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Remember that you can do it because everything in life worth having is worth fighting for. The process won't be easy but the end result will be worth it. Successful people are not people who never failed its people who never gave up. Tough times don't last, tough people do. "Being overweight and out of shape is difficult; losing weight and getting in shape is difficult. Pick your 'difficult.'"

I love quotes and above are some quotes that I love to remember and reference.

terri_journey

agree with a lot of what royvor said. She is great!! I always eat breakfast. Usually egg white omelet with some veg's. Sometimes Oatmeal with blueberries or banana. Three hours later I always eat or drink something with protein, greek yogurt, Protein shake, tuna/half apple. Lunch, I Love the Boca Burgers (meatless burgers ), one pc of Sargento's light Swiss cheese (40 calories a slice), slice of onion and I have a burger(usually without the bread) sometimes with it. Baked tilapia, Couscous& Broccoli, Fat Free Cottage Cheese & 1/2 cup low sugar peaches, pineapple, or mandrain oranges, your choice, either one taste good.
Dinner, varies A lot. Grilled chicken, Grilled hamburgers, Grilled fish,& shrimp (yes grilled) Grilled squash, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, I LOVE GRILLED FOOD!!!
I drink tons of water. I drink atleast 11-14 glasses a day !! No Diet Soda!! I quit cold turkey last march when I started this journey.
Exercise, I started Zumba in Nov of last year. I LOVE IT!!!! I go 2x a week for 60-75 min's. it burns about 460-600 calories (maybe more) depending on the intensity. I use Leslie Sansome Walk away the pound DVD's, I have 3 different one. The 5 mile walk is really a great cardio burn. I have recently started Kettleball workouts, wow, they are intense. I started with a 15lb ball. I would recommend a 5lb ball to start. Now that warm weather is here I spend a lot if time in my pool. Swimming is a low impact but high calorie burning exercise. We live on 5 acres so I cut the grass about every week in a half. it takes about 4 hrs and I usually burn over 1000 calories. I go to the gym sometimes to workout on the machines but I get bored with them.
I hope this helps. I will be glad to help in any way I can.

RaggedyPond

Lift
Eat at a small to moderate deficit
Eat a balanced diet
Eat when hungry
Drink plenty of water
Make sustainable changes

This

bajoyba

Lift
Eat at a small to moderate deficit
Eat a balanced diet
Eat when hungry
Drink plenty of water
Make sustainable changes

Sounds good to me!
I try to exercise at least 4 times a week, and I eat pretty much the same foods I ate before I started trying to get healthy. I try to eat lots of whole foods, but primarily, I just track all of my calories and try to hit my macros. There's really no trick. Just eat at a moderate calorie deficit and move your body more. Drink lots of water, and don't base your fitness plan around anything you can't see yourself doing for the rest of your life.

cheesyrunner

Lift
Eat at a small to moderate deficit
Eat a balanced diet
Eat when hungry
Drink plenty of water
Make sustainable changes

This is really good advice.

leebesstoad

First of all, fasting is absolutely the worst thing in the world, so don't do that.

Remember the Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare? What was the lesson of the story? Slow and steady wins the race. Same thing applies to weight loss. You didn't gain weight overnight. You aren't going to lose it overnight either.

I was on about a 1300 calorie a day diet for about 4.5 months. I lost a total of about 35 pounds (give or take a couple). I went from 31% bf to under 20% bf. I lost 7 inches on my waist, 7 inches on my hips, 3.5 inches on my thighs, but my chest, shoulders, and arms actually stayed the same or increased. I actually added muscle while losing weight.

First biggest tip: log everything you eat. Absolutely everything. Don't cheat, don't lie, because the only person you are lying to is yourself. You have to be accountable to yourself.

Try to plan your meals ahead of time -- the day before if you can. It was easy for me because I'm the world's most boring eater. I had the same thing for 3-4 of my meals every day for the entire time. So I could plan. But being able to plan certainly helps.

Spread your meals out, eating 4-6 smaller meals. And especially don't skip breakfast. The more frequently you eat, even if it is smaller, will rev up your metabolism. If your body gets used to knowing it will be fed soon, it won't have to hold back and can just go ahead and burn.

Don't be afraid to treat yourself once in a while. And when you do, or when you hit a wall, or when you hit a plateau, don't sweat it. It happens to all of us. Weight loss isn't a straight line. Celebrate your successes. Make sure you give yourself room to congratulate yourself on what you have accomplished but don't beat yourself up if you take a step or two back or sideways.

At least that is what has worked for me. Good luck.

1nspiredgirl

Thank you guys so much for those awesome tips! I really appreciate them. Although I'm just confused if I should eat MY DAILY GOAL calories a day or minimize the foods I eat.

I really want to lose weight fast like in 2 weeks or a month. Do you think that eating fewer calories than my daily goal calories and exercise two times everyday will help me to lose weight faster than following MFP Tips? Any experience with that?

tricksee

Don't give up. That never works.

00Simone00

I don't eat my full allowance. I have 1200 cals a day and I could have 1300. They say you should not go below 1200 if you are a woman. Use the food diary on here and it adds it all up for you.

CassieReannan

Set long term and short term goals, acheive them
Reward yourself when you see fit
Never punish yourself after eating something wrong, learn from it and continue
Mix up your meals and experiment with new foods you would never have thought of trying before
Eat balanced meals and never skip any
Educate yourself on TDEE, BMR and adjust your goals accordingly
Exercise daily and move more! Switch up your routine and work things you haven't before
Invest in a heart rate monitor or device such as a fitbit
Push yourself and challenge yourself
Drink lots and lots and lots of water
Get into a positive mindset
Remember the scale can be your best friend or worst enemy

and remember that smaller changes each day contribute to a big success!

1nspiredgirl

Well that made me sad. I thought there's a way to lose weight faster than my goal.

1nspiredgirl

There is, you can starve yourself... for a while, get so hungry that you start to binge, and eat and eat and eat and gain back the weight you lost and more.

You have to understand, people are overweight because of bad habits. You need to develop better habits. Habits take time, people say it takes 21days to build a habit which is a lie. There have been many times I have worked out for 21 days or more(6 months too) and still stopped exercising eventually.

Habits take time to develop, if you have positive habits, you will naturally be at a healthy weight for the rest of your life. Weight loss is not a crash course... it's a long term plan.

I tried starving for a day and the next day, I just ate all our foods and still wanting for more so I guess you're right. That's not the best thing to do. Maybe I'll just have to wait. Am I still gonna lose weight if I ate calories fewer than MFP calories suggestion? Because I think I'll have to eat more to achieve their calories suggestion. I don't understand.

and remember that smaller changes each day contribute to a big success!

I love the last line! it motivated me more. Thank you!

bethanylerew

What really helped me...

I had to get real.

I needed to stop lying to myself and when I started journaling my food it was a true eye-opener of what I was eating and why I was the weight I was. granted, I did just have a baby so I can't be too mad at myself, but I did let myself go and gained 40lbs during the pregnancy when I was really only supposed to gain 20-30.

Journal, journal, journal. weigh and measure your food. It's the only way you're going to get accurate readings.

best of luck to you!

colivingcy

I stick to a healthy eating and living system. It's really easy. I also think that when you live your life by certain principles its easier to stick to them. I learnt it from reading the book 'The Med Life Diet'. You can even sign up for their free mini e-course and there is enough info there to get you started . Education is key for long term health and weight loss success !

1) Have a fruit meal in the morning. i.e. a smoothie, a fruit salad or 2-3 pc's of fruit
2) A salad meal a day - with toppings. Notice your plate portions. 3/4 of the plate is salad. 1/4 is topping. A topping maybe, grilled chicken, fish, baked potato, shrimps, tuna, cottage cheese etc
3) Herbs -- drink at least 4 mugs of herbal, caffeine free tea a day.
4) Wholefood supplements. Include wholefood supplements into your health regime. i.e. bee pollen, aloe vera, spirulina, chlorella, acai berries etc
5) Exercise ! At least 20 mins a day even if its a walk around the block.
6) Humour ! Laugh, smile - don't sweat the small stuff.

Hope this helps. )

dianamatienzo

My main tip is never give up We all struggle in different ways, some more than others, but always push yourself and remind yourself of what your goals are! Also remember that it should be a lifestyle change. Fad diets will only mess up your metabolism and offer temporary change (if any). You should make permanent changes if you want permanent change

After that, I would say that diet is the most important thing. You can't exercise a bad diet off. You need to nurture your body and give it the nutrition it needs and deserves, and that (just like everything else) is personalized to you. What you eat, when you eat it, and how you eat it should be customized to fit your lifestyle and goals. You may choose to eat organic, or go vegan, or just eat everything in moderation :] (or many other things!)

As for working out, same thing! Customize it to fit your life! You can hike, walk, run, bike, dance, skate, or join a group of people doing something like crossfit, zumba, at-home dvd's (or youtube videos), join a gym, whatever! I would recommend some blend of cardio and weight training though Cardio will burn calories and get your heart rate up, while weight training will build/maintain muscle that in the long run will help build up your metabolism and make you stronger and "toned."

I hope that's helpful! I would be more than happy to build up on anything I've mentioned ^_^ Good luck!

tedsmama

First of all, fasting is absolutely the worst thing in the world, so don't do that.

:noway:

Achrya

Eat slighty less. Move a bit more.

tricksee

First of all, fasting is absolutely the worst thing in the world, so don't do that.

Wrong. Keep walking, brother.

55in13

Really do it.

Do what? Doesn't matter that much which diet you pick and whether or not it includes exercise. If you pick something that others have had success with, it will work for you also IF YOU REALLY DO IT. Only a very small percentage of the population has problems that really prevent them from losing weight on a restricted diet. If you are part of that percentage, you should already know it because it would be due to a serious medical condition that is hopefully being treated. The vast majority of the postings you see here every day that say they are doing all the right things and have been for weeks or months without losing weight are not providing accurate information. I don't know whether it is usually unknowingly or not, but I am sure there are some of each. When my diets failed in the past, it is because I didn't really stick to them. I launched the torpedoes. This time I made a very strong commitment not to fail. I cut out weekday day time snacks and have not had one all year. I eat a light breakfast, a light lunch and have a "regular" dinner with my family. I allow myself a fruit snack at night and on rare occasions a single dessert.

I run 3 times a week and I really run, usually over 3 miles (ran 10 the other night without stopping or walking - woohoo!) and come in soaked to the skin with sweat. I use dumb bells to keep some tone in my shoulders and chest and I use them daily and do a few quick reps that end when I can't do another.

Does this sound hard? If it doesn't, read it again. It is hard. I decided it is worth the effort. If you don't make that decision, the odds of success go way down, IMO. If you bounce around looking for the diet that lets you eat the most and the exercise that takes the least time to do and recover from I think you are far less likely to lose the weight. I will not say anyone is doomed to failure. I hate the posts that say that you will absolutely gain it back if you do it that way or that you'll never reach you goal because you're not doing it the "MFP way" or whatever.

alisonlynn1976

I'm vegetarian. I usually eat cereal (some type with whole grains and dried fruit) with soy milk for breakfast. Some combination of sandwich, salad, fruit, and sometimes yogurt for lunch. Home-cooked vegetarian meals from recipes for dinner. Most of the time I eat 3 meals a day with no snacking. I'm not counting calories, although that is one of the primary features of this site. I joined here more because I was looking for a site with weight loss/fitness-related discussion boards. If I find that I reach a plateau, I will probably start counting calories at that point, but I don't find it necessary right now.

I work out every day, unless I'm traveling or my schedule just doesn't permit it that day (which doesn't happen often because I put a lot of effort into making my workout a priority).

I've lost 29 pounds in about 5 months so far. I've been consistently losing about a pound a week based on what I'm doing. I started noticing that I needed new, smaller clothes after I'd lost about 15 pounds.

I couldn't fast! I've failed with low-calorie diets in the past. I don't find that sustainable. Eating a reasonable amount while exercising a lot works so much better for me. I don't feel hungry and I feel like I have much more energy than I did when I was heavier, and I feel like I can live this way long-term.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

First of all, fasting is absolutely the worst thing in the world, so don't do that.

:noway:

This stuck out to me as well. Now, I would never suggest someone do something rediculous like a month long water only fast, but intermittent fasting has played a major role in my success. I do a daily 20 hour fast and occasionally a 2-3 day fast every few months or so.

supplemama

What did you eat for a month? Did you still eat 3 times a day?
I ate regular food, just stayed under calories. I eat 5-6 times a day. My diary is open feel free to check it out. I haven't been hitting my macros lately though.

How many times do you workout in a week?
I've worked out every single day since January 2012. I did miss this past Wednesday June 5th :indifferent:

After how many months or weeks did you see the result?
I started seeing results by the end of January 2012.

I tried fasting but I just can't make it.
You don't need to fast to lose weight. You just need to stop overeating. Eat less than you are now, not drastically less, just try reducing 2-300 calories a day. Add in some exercise at least 3 times a week. You will lose weight.

diwijo13

Bump

jillyk89

Water water water!

ChanceTakr2131

Strength Training and Protein!!

sunnyskyjb

Count those cals!

AllonsYtotheTardis

Thank you guys so much for those awesome tips! I really appreciate them. Although I'm just confused if I should eat MY DAILY GOAL calories a day or minimize the foods I eat.

I really want to lose weight fast like in 2 weeks or a month. Do you think that eating fewer calories than my daily goal calories and exercise two times everyday will help me to lose weight faster than following MFP Tips? Any experience with that?

If you want to damage your metabolism, go right ahead. Otherwise, stick with the recommendations. You are 115 lbs - you do not have enough extra on your body to try and lose that amount of weight in such a short time. If you manage to succeed, you will put it all back on, quickly, and more with it. You don't want to fall into that cycle.

momzeeee

I did alternate day intermittent fasting for weight loss and now do 8:16 intermittent fasting for maintenance. Love IF and will always do some version of it

h9dlb

Eat less, move more