5'4, 24 yrs old, 156 lbs HELP!

CollegeKid

Hello Everyone!

I am trying to get back into MFP because I recently went to the doctor and found out I had gained 6 lbs in less than 2 months, yikes! Wake up call! I have always fluctuated weight a lot, but with a BMI of 27, I think it's time for a real hardcore life long change. I would really like to get to 130 lbs, but I feel like that is impossible. I enjoy working out, but I'm always exhausted after work, how do all of you do it?! Also, I have to come up with meals for one and that is extremely difficult. I am now in a bad habit of eating out because I'm so worried about my groceries going bad. Does anyone have any suggestions for this? I will need all the help I can get if I am really going to do this! Look forward to hearing from you, your journey, and success stories!

Thanks!

Ashley

mandasalem

Hey, Ashley!

I'm a few years older than you (I'm 32), but we'll just count that as an added degree of difficulty

I started out three months ago at 162 lbs. Today, I weighed myself and was at 146. You CAN do this.

Meals for one can be challenging, but it's all about planning ahead. I'm happy to discuss some of the things I cook with you if you'd like to shoot me a note. I'm married, but we're still only cooking for two, and my husband isn't exactly Mr. Huge Appetite My biggest suggestion as far as that goes is not to think about cooking for one-- think about how many meals you can get out of what you're about to cook. If I cook chicken, I often cook extra to pair up with a salad or cottage cheese or fruit the next day. Today, I had leftover crock pot pork barbecue (yum!) over a salad.

What's your fridge/freezer situation like?

Also, a lot of my "working out" is just finding ways to increase my movement during the day. Desk jobs are the devil. Feel free to friend and email me-- I'm happy to chat, and my diary-- while far from perfect-- is open to pals.

LadyElby

Hi Ashley,

I know exactly what you mean about cooking for one. The best advice I can give you for that is, take advantage of your freezer. Many prepared foods can be frozen and reheated. Another thing you could do is go grocery shopping with a friend and for things that come in packs larger than you can eat before they soil, split them.

As far as working out goes; I'm always tired after work, but I just have to keep "gym" in my head all day long to stay pumped. It took some time, but now, once I've packed my gym back in the morning, I'm looking forward to the gym all day. I used to go to the gym before work. Yes, that meant getting up around 5am most days, but it was well worth it to me. In fact, I kind of miss doing that. The only reason I don't anymore is because I now live with my boyfriend and he's a night owl, so many times I find myself staying up too late with him to be able to function at 5am.

Good luck, and feel free to add me if you need some extra support!

Erika

PixieGoddess

Hello Everyone!

Hello! Welcome (back) to MFP! Here's what I do, in regards to your questions, and maybe it'll work for you too. Remember to always do what works for YOU!!

I enjoy working out, but I'm always exhausted after work, how do all of you do it?!

I exercise in the mornings before work. It actually tends to put me in a better mood and more awake the rest of the day. (Today is my rest day, and I have felt exhausted all morning!)

Also, I have to come up with meals for one and that is extremely difficult. I am now in a bad habit of eating out because I'm so worried about my groceries going bad. Does anyone have any suggestions for this?

I cook family-sized meals and portion out the leftovers for future lunches/dinners. The same meal can get old after several days, but I try to have 2-3 different meals in the fridge at any time so that I'm not eating the same one over and over all week.

Good luck in your journey! :drinker:

DawnieB1977

Hi Ashley! Well done for joining MFP! You don't have a lot to lose, so it should be easy for you!

I've been into exercising for a long time now, but I let myself go a bit in my 2nd pregnancy and 7 weeks after my daughter was born in May 2011 I weighed 220lbs. Eeek. I'm 5'6 and I was 33 at the time.

I started going back to the gym 5 times a week, 2 of those times were personal training sessions. My husband does shift work, so I just fitted my gym sessions round his hours. I'm English, and over here we can take a year for maternity leave, which I did.

I've always eaten healthily so that part isn't a problem for me, but after a year of losing weight I joined MFP in July 2012 and after a bit of reading the forums I realised that 1200 calories a day wasn't a good idea so gradually upped it to 1500-1600. I'm so active with my kids, and exercise, that I must burn a lot of calories every day!

I went back to work April 2012 - I work part time as a teacher. I could still continue with my exercise as on my working days my kids a at nursery until 6, and I finish work at 3 so can get to the gym. I also started adding classes, so now do a combination of spin, Zumba, boxercise, aerobics, step, LBT etc. I do one PT session a fortnight as I can't afford more than that now.

As for food...when I used to live on my own I ate jacket potato with salad and tuna a lot, and things like fish and vegetables, or chicken risotto with veg. I just went for quick, easy, healthy things.

Forgot to say, I now weigh 154 which puts my BMI at 24.9. I'd like to lose a little more, but mainly I need to tone up. I wear a UK size 12, a US 8, sometimes a size smaller.

tlcfit40

I'm also 5'4" and have been as heavy as 180 before. I'm 41 and am now at 137. My goal is 130 also, but I've been stuck around 135-140 for a couple years. It feels better than being stuck at 155 though. I agree with Mandasalem, below....you can make one bigger meal & eat it for lunch the next two days. I don't eat many leftovers past the third or fourth day, but I know people who eat leftovers all week. They tend to do most of their food prep on the weekend and then they're set. I cook extra chicken breasts to keep in the fridge & throw onto a quick spinach/tomato salad for lunch. I cut out soda a long time ago. That helped a lot! I cut back on cheese, bread, pasta, and alcohol. Those were big calorie challenges for me. I cut lots of fresh fruits & veggies when I get a chance & snack on those...canteloupe, strawberries, watermelon, red peppers, carrots, sugar snap peas. Boiled eggs are easy to prepare ahead of time & eat all week long.

I need friends to get motivated to work out. A running partner if I'm short on cash....or a group class if I can. Boot camp and Zumba are favorites. Honestly for me, once I got started on this journey, I had a lot more energy. So, if you can just get past the first week or two, it will get easier. Also, thinking about whether or not what I was eating would help or hinder my next workout (premium fuel for your body) helps to keep my energy levels up.

Best of luck to you....and if you want to send a friend request & chat more, that's great.

alohaaliha

I'm 22 and 5'0" and weighed ~140 several months ago (now down to 127!). My biggest strategy is of course using MFP everyday (it makes me think twice about eating anything in large quantities, or eating really rich foods); but like you, I also eat out a lot. My advice there is:

(1) Buy a book like "EAT THIS NOT THAT" (http://www.amazon.com/This-Thousands-Simple-Swaps-Pounds/dp/B002M3SP6O) which highlights the best and worst choices at many fast food and restaurant chains. There are probably other such books, but this one is my favorite.

(2) Next, take half of your entree home in a to-go box, especially if none of the "healthy" (<500 calorie) options sound appealing. If you eat the rest of it the next day, it will also save you a lot of money over time. Sometimes that means you should be strategic by getting something you know will taste good the next day (i.e., avoid soggy lettuce).

(3) My cooking-for-one advice: You can find a lot of tasty, low-calorie recipes from Hungry Girl (http://www.hungry-girl.com/) and other blog sites if you look for them.

To keep my energy up, I tend to eat the most in the morning, even if it means eating a very small dinner. I also eat ~1500 calories a day... 1200 makes me too lethargic.

sarahertzberger

as far as working out, I would just get it in anytime you can even if you're exhausted after work it will be worth it, or if you have to get up early and workout before work, and as far as the food issue, see it as a blessing, I have to make healthy meals for 5 which is HARD So my advice is just go shopping once per week or if you have to go every few days so your fresh produce doesn't go bad, trust me if you switch from eating out to using healthy fresh foods you will love it and once you get into the swing of things it won't seem hard at all, just remember this, it takes 30 days of doing something to make it a habit so don't give up

ced1389

Hi Ashley!

I'm also 5'4", around the same age, but I've had a lot more to lose. In college I actually got up to 200! Couldn't believe it. But you CAN do it, and there's lot of tips, pointers, advice, etc that people on here can offer you. Feel free to add me as well if you'd like What kinds of things are you interested in? I noticed you said you're exhausted once work is out - I find that if I do things that I enjoy, it doesn't feel like a workout really, just having fun (ie rollerblading, walking my dog, kayaking, etc). Start small, experiment, build from there.

Meals for one is easy peasy! I'm with everyone else that a lot of things can be frozen. There's also a lot of ways to put a healthy spin on your favorite meals. If you brainstorm a few, let everyone know and we'd all be glad to help!

Good luck!

IGbnat24

Hi Ashely!

Try working out before work. It's hard to get used to giving up an hour of sleep but so worth it! Even 30min would be a start. Google body weight exercises--you don't have to go to a gym to get in shape!

As far as meals go, invest $20 in a slow cooker. On Monday mornings, I throw in 5lbs of of chicken or beef, 5 potatoes cut up, a couple onions, 1lb of carrots, and 1c of water. Set on low. Dinner will be done when you get home and you'll have enough leftovers for several lunches and dinners (I don't mind monotony if it means less prep!!). I also will do the chicken or beef with a couple onions 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce, and 2c water. It's great on its own, as a sandwich, or over salad. You can cook everything in a crockpot. I just perfected lasagna

Good luck and welcome (back)!

phyllisbobbitt

:flowerforyou: hi, i am glad you are back! what i do is make a weekly list of meals & go to the grocery store every week, that way you will not get spoiled food! when i worked i would make up certain foods a head of time on the weekend & freeze until i needed to pull it out & microwave it! that saves a lot of time during the week! once you get into this routine it is rather simple to do! i joined in june of last year & have a total of 87 pounds lost! i will send you a friend request to help each other to get to our goals!

CollegeKid

Hi MandaSalem,

First of all congrats on the weight loss! You are a great inspiration for me

Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions! I have a normal fridge/freezer, the old school one with the freezer on top and the fridge on bottom. Desk jobs are definitely evil! I will add you and hopefully you can share some recipe ideas with me Thank you for the feedback.

-Ashley

atcomom

Good morning,

I'm not sure if this would help but I work out really early in the morning. Also, if I had to cook just for one person I probably wouldn't do it. I would likely buy ready meals set for one like Lean Cuisine or those types. They usually have all the info listed as far as nutrition and calories. It would be much easier and more convenient and I think some of them are pretty tasty.

CollegeKid

Hi Erika,

Thank you for replying to my post! To be honest, I never really realized how efficient a freezer can be. I always figured freezer foods are not good, but I now see how helpful a freezer can be when cooking for one! I love the idea of grocery shopping with a friend too! That's pure genius!

Working out after work is by far my biggest killer lately, I can think of a million other things I should be doing and usually find a reason not to go. I do love the gym too, I just feel guilty if I know I have other errands to run. I need to make it a priority instead of second hand on my to do list. I really want to try waking up early and going before work, I feel like that would take a lot of added stress off my plate. Do you have any tricks of getting out of bed? Haha, I am big on the snooze button.

Thanks for all of your wonderful feedback, I will definitely add you!

-Ashley

misstammy123

hi

my name is tarmara and I am 31yo weighing in at 153 with a height of 5'3". at the start of the year I was 190 so it can be done you just need a lot of patience as it does not happen quickly.

I too wish to get to 130 eventually but this last bit for me is really difficult...I just need to keep at it.

I have sent you a friend request, so if you need any support or a big nudge in the right direction.... just shout

good luck and stay focused

hananah89

I second the crock pot idea! I cook something on the weekend then have several meals to eat all week (and I portion them out when I put them in the fridge). Also, for the food going bad thing, I realized both my heads of cauliflower were going bad last night and made "mashed potatoes" and "alfredo" sauce out of them. I'm freezing the sauce and will reheat it later on for whatever I need. But prepping on the weekend makes the week that much easier when it comes to eating. As for eating out, I also choose places like chains that provide nutrition info on their sites. That way I know what to order before I even get there (and won't be as swayed by the other tempting choices since I know they are just calorie bombs). Feel free to add me if you like, and good luck! You can do it!

Edit: I'm also 23 and work full time (including lots of car travel) so its possible!

sara819

HI Ashley! I started 2 years ago at 5'5 and 155lbs so I was right where you are. It took me 2 years to get 40lbs off, but you can definitely do it. I usually have to cook for 1 because my roommate and I have different schedules so one thing I do is go to the store every 2-3 days and get exactly what I'm going to eat. I work across the street from a Kroger so that is helpful, but in going every couple of days, I don't run the risk of my food going bad and I don't have the excuse to eat out as much. Also, use this site every. single. day. It will make you more aware of what you put into your body. I'm awful about working out (probably haven't done it in like 2 months ) but one thing helps me go in the mornings is to sleep in my workout clothes and then all I have to do is literally roll out of bed, brush my teeth, put my hair up and go. Hope some of that helps! Oh, and feel free to add me if you want some extra encouragement! Good luck to you~

CollegeKid

Hi PixieGoddess,

Thank you for all of your wonderful suggestions! How do you get out of bed in the morning to workout? I love the snooze button as I have mentioned before and I feel like I would be out of it and not as focused/motivated to get an actual good workout in.

This is an awesome suggestion-"I cook family-sized meals and portion out the leftovers for future lunches/dinners. The same meal can get old after several days, but I try to have 2-3 different meals in the fridge at any time so that I'm not eating the same one over and over all week."

I will be adding you as a friend and hope you can help me through this journey will all of your great advice

Thanks!

-Ashley

cassienoe

I'm 5' 4.5"....27 years old...starting weight was 150 and currently 134.4. I am in college and I do work full time. But I live with someone so we eat food quicker. I try to find time to work out but it usually comes down to work out or get an extra hour of sleep...and when I'm currently on 5 hours of sleep...I learned that I can still lose weight by just eating less and trying to be active when I can. I'm going to take online classes in the fall which should free up some time so I can get workouts in. I try to average 1450 cals/day, and if I work out I will eat more. If you have to eat out it won't kill you as long as you make good choices. I had one week where I was doing nothing but eating out because I did not go shopping. Weighed in the following Tuesday and was down 1.5 lbs. I use this website to help guide my choices if I do eat out http://www.eatingrules.com/menu-mondays-index/

toshie333

Hi Ashley
It's positive to see your post as it sounds just like me. I'm 24 too, always exhausted from
Work
Yet like to exercise.
Do you want to check out my diary for some ideas? Add me as a friend maybe x will be happy to check in.
There seems some good responses in the thread already so
Will take a closer read through.
I've only been back at mfp
For a week but have lost 3lb, waiting till wed to weigh myself to enter first week / 10 days losses.
Let me know if you want to support each other.
Thanks

wendycromwell

I love cooking for one - much easier than trying to stay on plan than cooking for others who don't have a problem.

PixieGoddess

How do you get out of bed in the morning to workout? I love the snooze button as I have mentioned before and I feel like I would be out of it and not as focused/motivated to get an actual good workout in.

I can relate to one of your other statements: that I will find a million excuses to NOT exercise after work! (I'm too tired, I need to eat, I need to digest, it's too hot, it's too dark and I'll get attacked, etc.) I actually use these as my motivation to get out of bed in the mornings, because I KNOW that I DON'T want to exercise after work!! And sometimes I still don't get up anyways. :ohwell: At those times--like just last week!--I tend to force myself to go after work, because just that one miserable workout in the heat when I'm already tired will once again keep me motivated to get up in the mornings.

I also lay out my workout clothes and/or equipment the night before, for 2 reasons: 1) I don't have to find them in my sleep-addled state in the morning. 2) I know that they're sitting there...waiting....judging me if I don't get out of bed in time... :laugh:
Side note: I also know people who will sleep in their workout clothes, but I can't stand that, esp. in the heat of summer (no A/C in my bedroom!) but if it works for you, give it a try!

And of course, there's nothing wrong with exercising in the evenings if you decide you're really not a morning person. (I have a friend who does most of his workouts around 10pm to midnight because he hates getting up early.) You just have to find what works for you and make sure you do it! Good luck! :drinker: