Has anyone else's early 20's crappy eating caught up to them?? I need to lose 25 pounds!!

GinaK516

I'm 29, 5' 8" and 177 lb.s-I want to get back to the slim-for-my-height 150 I used to weigh in my early 20's and am determined to start portion controlling my meals and cutting out excess sugar and junk food. I know exercise will be unavoidable, but I would like to believe cutting carbs is easier than burning them.lol Not looking to be a bikini model but I have a naturally athletic build and would like to get back to what I deem an acceptable weight for myself!

MsAmandaNJ

Exercise is unavoidable if you choose for it to be so. You can lose weight just by modifying your diet, no exercise. Personally, I have really come to enjoy exercise...when you find what you like, it's easy to keep doing it.

Here's a tip: take $10-15 that you'd spend on "junk food" and weigh your food, learn portion control that way. Don't cut out things you really enjoy, rather, practice self control when eating them. Log what you put into your mouth.

Keep an open mind with regard to your goal weight; because 150 worked for you in your early 20s doesn't mean it'll work for you in your early 30s. You'll know what you like looking like without the scale giving you a number.

CafeRacer808

My crappy twentysomething eating didn't start catching up to me until my mid 30s but yeah, it definitely happened.

It's probably worth pointing out that you don't need to cut carbs to lose weight. Calories are calories, no matter which macro group they belong to. Just log everything you eat into MFP and make sure you're eating at a calorie deficit every week and you'll lose weight. Of course, regular exercise makes it easier to stay at a deficit so add that to your weight loss plan and you should be golden.

GinaK516

Great points, MsAmandaNJ! Didn't think about it that way. I should add that I've also had my son who's almost 8 months old, which contributes to my weight gain/flabbier-than-I'd like, tummy! 'Everything in moderation' is definitely a good rule.

GinaK516

Thanks for your input CafeRacer808! I think I should've said *calories are easier to cut than burn. I agree with what you said about carbs. I do believe everything in moderation coupled with exercise will be a good plan for me. (Though I've always hated working out so I have to find an activity that works for me/keeps me motivated! lol)