Newbie needs tips and tricks

fitnurse28

Hi all,
I'm a mum of 4, student nurse who has recently been on bed rest and really ill for 3-4 months. Getting better now but need to loose this weight I've gained and get fitter. I am starting from a very low level of fitness because of being ill. Plus I'm a massive foodie... Any tips and tricks you guys can share ??
Much appreciated x

SezxyStef

buy a food scale.
Log accurately and consistently by weighing solids, measuring liquids and choosing correct entries.

Goal should be to set a reasonable weekly weight loss goal...
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

and eat as much food as you can while still losing your reasonable weight amount.

Don't eliminate the foods you love, want and crave...just stay in goal while eating them.

For example...I love to cook and I love food and chocolate. If I want chicken wings...I eat chicken wings but that might mean no chocolate that night...I am okay with that.

I prelog typically for the week which makes it easier to know what is in the plan but I don't feel the need to be rigid with it. For example no leftover chicken from last night (was in my plan) so was going to eat a burger that was left over from the other night...sister text and said lunch today...okay I'm in.

As for exercise find something you love to do and that way doesn't seem like "work".

If you can do some form of resistance training I would do it. It will help preserve muscle mass as much as possible while losing fat.

Remember...take it at a reasonable pace, don't beat yourself up for stuff...and change your life don't diet.

Jams009

^ amazing post.

perkymommy

Weight and measure everything that goes in your mouth. It seriously sounds extreme but when guesstimating what you are eating you will always get it wrong. I only lose weight steadily when measuring/weighing my foods.

Good luck to you!

quiksylver296

Everything @SezxyStef said.

Buy and use a food scale. Log everything. Once you get an idea for where you currently are, start making small, sustainable changes. Sustainable meaning you can do it for the rest of your life. Because if you hit goal weight, and then go back to your old ways, you'll gain it all back.

ETA: Take before pictures! You'll never regret it!

Good luck!

bigdish71

Agree with many parts Stef's post. I am a believer in meal prep for the week, takes a lot of the stress out of it all, less likely to slip. Workouts, push yourself but don't kill yourself anywhere near the beginning. Prevents rapid burnout. Focus on inches not weight, weight is just one number and often misleading early on. Measurements in multiple areas is more points to celebrate victories and see gains!

You will do great!