Weight loss tips/advice?

KrisMariex

Hello, everyone. I'm new to this, though on a few instances I have gone on here to read a few different posts. I started losing weight and changing things up mid July of this year. I started out at 280 pounds (I'm 5'6''). As of September 30th (last time I weighed myself), I was about 266 lbs. I wear a size 20/21 size jeans. So it's about 14-15 pounds lost so far (my timer on here starts from today with 0 pounds lost). I've hit a bit of a plateau with weight loss and trying to lose it. I was wondering if anyone can help me get past that with any tips for exercise and diet (kind of a picky eater and lose energy after about 40 minutes of exercise) My goal is to fit into my size 17 jean shorts by my 19th birthday ( very end of November). Obviously that's my short-term goal, but ultimately would like to drop about 100 pounds by next summer. Feel free to add your success stories and such on here to help me. Thank you in advance! -Kristina.

GingerLolita

If you have difficulty exercising for long periods of time, you should work out for 30-minute intervals two or three times per day. As for the picky eating, you may just have to get over it. I struggled with my weight for a long time when I was younger because I was really picky, but once I started experimenting with new, healthy foods, I was able to lose weight and become healthier.

Cindyinpg

I have lost 121lbs in 15 months, eating at a moderate calorie deficit, finding exercise I enjoy and have recently added weight training. I do not cut out any foods, or worry about salt or sugar. In fact, I eat ice cream everyday. This is a fantastic read to get you started:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

NaomiJFoster

I very rarely exercise for more than 20-30 minutes a day. Sometimes 40 or 45, but that's it. It can still be very effective.

As for food, don't force yourself into an instant lifestyle change all at once. You'll hate that. Someone once told me "Think of the Pros." As in increase PROtein, increase PROduce, decrease PROcessed foods. It's a silly little ditty, but it really works for me, lol. As I'm preparing a meal, or even as I'm grocery shopping, I keep that in mind. I try to make larger portions of a protein and a vegetable, and smaller portions of other things. And I'm trying (though not always succeeding) in limiting foods that are highly processed. Some are easy to avoid, some are harder for me to avoid.

As for new foods that you're picky about? Start small. Maybe try to taste one new food per week. Or combine a food that you already like with something you're unsure of. Sometimes in combination with other things, those iffy foods end up being OK. You might surprise yourself. Just try to keep an open mind. Playing with your food can be fun!

bwogilvie

Welcome! There's an old saying that you get fit in the gym but you lose weight in the kitchen. Or, you can't outrun a bad diet. Exercise is great for feeling good, getting in shape, improving your stamina, and a bunch of other things, but for weight loss it's at best a moderate factor. I bicycle 75-120 miles each week, but until I started counting calories, I wasn't losing any weight, because I was eating all the calories I consumed on the bike, plus a little extra.

30-40 minutes of exercise a day is plenty. If you can combine it with other activities, so much the better - for example, walk to work/school, or ride your bike on errands.

Being a picky eater isn't necessarily a problem, as long as you are honest and accurate about counting calories. Use a scale, not estimates.

Don't try to make too many changes at once; you're trying to change your lifestyle in a sustainable way, and the more radical your initial shift, the harder it will be to sustain in the long run. About the only change I made was to count calories, which meant eating smaller breakfasts and lunches than usual, and foregoing cheese or dessert for most dinners.

Good luck!

KrisMariex

I'm open to trying new things, I was just stating that I am a somewhat picky eater, just from years and years of having the same things with my family. And as far as exercise, I can go up to maybe an hour, with a minute break in between, but that's it. I'm afraid if I split my workout sessions up, I won't have the motivation to do another session after the 1st one. Thank you for the advice!

KrisMariex

@NaomiJFoster (Still not sure how to properly reply to the messages directly lol) Thank for your advice! Its very helpful. And congrats on your weight loss! What kind of exercises did you do? And I plan on opening up my horizons as far as the food thing. Its been like a 'habit' in my family to basically have the same meals (mostly dinner I am talking about) every week. Thanks again!

NaomiJFoster

I'm open to trying new things, I was just stating that I am a somewhat picky eater, just from years and years of having the same things with my family. And as far as exercise, I can go up to maybe an hour, with a minute break in between, but that's it. I'm afraid if I split my workout sessions up, I won't have the motivation to do another session after the 1st one. Thank you for the advice!

Taking a small break in the course of your workout is a great idea. It gives you a chance to catch you breath so you can keep going. That doesn't mean that you are getting any less of a workout, or that you don't have enough stamina. The opposite, really. You've found out what your body needs, and you are honoring that need while pushing yourself further at the same time. Great coping strategy. Keep doing that!

LunasTheLimit

Hey honey! Glad you're here! I am 5'7"and started at 201 lbs. I'm 169.8 lbs as of today.

I agree with bwogilvie that diet is extremely important.

Here are some rules I (try to) live by:

- ALWAYS hit your water goals. Take your current weight, divide it by 2, and drink that # of ounces in water daily. Drink more if you exercise that day or it's a hot day. (example if you weighed 200 lbs you would drink 100 oz of water a day).
- Limit or avoid dairy.
- No canned veggies or fruits. Use frozen or fresh. If you MUST buy canned, get "no salt added."
- Multi-vitamins every day, including omega-3 fatty acids.
- Aim for 30 grams of carbs or less per meal. This one is really hard for me because I'm a vegetarian and almost everything I eat has carbs. If I can't stick to about 120 g of carbs or less a day, I try to at least limit carbs after 4pm.
- Take a fiber supplement with both insoluble and soluble fiber at least 3 times a week. This makes a surprisingly big difference. Drink tons of water the days you do.
- Get used to healthier alternatives! Use plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Use spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Cauliflower instead of potatoes for mashed potatoes. Coconut oil instead of vegetable, canola or olive oil. Use coconut oil instead of butter when baking. Use olive oil mayo instead of regular or light mayo. Use a low carb high fiber wrap by La Tortilla Factory instead of a tortilla. Sweeten with honey or dark amber maple syrup instead of sugar when you HAVE to use a sweetener. Agave nectar is not healthy. Use salsa for salad dressing (it's yummy if you like it).

I know you said you're a picky eater, but really do some research. Find your favorite foods and google a healthy alternative to it. Some of them are total letdowns but some taste just as good or better!


As for the exercise... you don't NEED to do 40 minutes a day. 15-30 minutes is about all I do. It's more important that you're doing interval training. Strength training is great for fat burning, too. Don't focus solely on cardio. I never used to believe that but it truly does make you lose weight faster. Some weeks you gain a lot of muscle and the scale doesn't budge the way you wanted, but your measurements and body shape changed.

I wish you the best of luck!

jeffpettis

Hey honey! Glad you're here! I am 5'7"and started at 201 lbs. I'm 169.8 lbs as of today.

I agree with bwogilvie that diet is extremely important.

Here are some rules I (try to) live by:

- ALWAYS hit your water goals. Take your current weight, divide it by 2, and drink that # of ounces in water daily. Drink more if you exercise that day or it's a hot day. (example if you weighed 200 lbs you would drink 100 oz of water a day).
- Limit or avoid dairy.
- No canned veggies or fruits. Use frozen or fresh. If you MUST buy canned, get "no salt added."
- Multi-vitamins every day, including omega-3 fatty acids.
- Aim for 30 grams of carbs or less per meal. This one is really hard for me because I'm a vegetarian and almost everything I eat has carbs. If I can't stick to about 120 g of carbs or less a day, I try to at least limit carbs after 4pm.
- Take a fiber supplement with both insoluble and soluble fiber at least 3 times a week. This makes a surprisingly big difference. Drink tons of water the days you do.
- Get used to healthier alternatives! Use plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Use spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Cauliflower instead of potatoes for mashed potatoes. Coconut oil instead of vegetable, canola or olive oil. Use coconut oil instead of butter when baking. Use olive oil mayo instead of regular or light mayo. Use a low carb high fiber wrap by La Tortilla Factory instead of a tortilla. Sweeten with honey or dark amber maple syrup instead of sugar when you HAVE to use a sweetener. Agave nectar is not healthy. Use salsa for salad dressing (it's yummy if you like it).

I know you said you're a picky eater, but really do some research. Find your favorite foods and google a healthy alternative to it. Some of them are total letdowns but some taste just as good or better!


As for the exercise... you don't NEED to do 40 minutes a day. 15-30 minutes is about all I do. It's more important that you're doing interval training. Strength training is great for fat burning, too. Don't focus solely on cardio. I never used to believe that but it truly does make you lose weight faster. Some weeks you gain a lot of muscle and the scale doesn't budge the way you wanted, but your measurements and body shape changed.

I wish you the best of luck!

I have a few questions about your response but the main one I have is why limit or avoid dairy products?

OP: Don't try to make huge changes all at once. To start with the only way to lose fat is by eating in a calorie deficit. Start there. Figure out, as close as possible, what your maintenance calories should be then eat at about a 20% deficit. You will have to play around with your calories a bit to find where the "sweet spot" is but if you are persistent fat loss will happen if you are eating at a deficit. Obviously there are other aspects to all of this but getting a deficit figured out will get you started.

NaomiJFoster

@NaomiJFoster (Still not sure how to properly reply to the messages directly lol) Thank for your advice! Its very helpful. And congrats on your weight loss! What kind of exercises did you do? And I plan on opening up my horizons as far as the food thing. Its been like a 'habit' in my family to basically have the same meals (mostly dinner I am talking about) every week. Thanks again!

Do you see at the bottom of this little comment box, it says "Report post/Comment/Reply." Click "Comment" and then your it will put the other person's words in a littler box, and you will type below that. I'm not sure of the difference between Comment and Reply, I just always use Comment.


As for exercise, I work out at home, using online exercise videos. You Tube has a bunch of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds videos (I also own some of those DVDs). They vary in length from 20-60 minutes, so there are many options. I also love Fitness Blender (fitnessblender.com). They have all sorts of videos, cardio, strength, combination, high impact, low impact, stretching, etc. And also various lengths and intensities. I try to mix it up a lot, I think I do better mentally and physically by doing different things. Sometimes, it's just a walk around the neighborhood with my husband or playing Frisbee in the park when it gets cool enough.

But like someone else said, exercise isn't what makes you lose weight. It's the food choices and amounts. The calories. Exercise helps you manage those calories a little easier. And exercise is just plain old good for you in other ways too.

LunasTheLimit

I have a few questions about your response but the main one I have is why limit or avoid dairy products?

OP: Don't try to make huge changes all at once. To start with the only way to lose fat is by eating in a calorie deficit. Start there. Figure out, as close as possible, what your maintenance calories should be then eat at about a 20% deficit. You will have to play around with your calories a bit to find where the "sweet spot" is but if you are persistent fat loss will happen if you are eating at a deficit. Obviously there are other aspects to all of this but getting a deficit figured out will get you started.

JeffPettis the reasoning behind limiting dairy is that it is a digestive irritant to a large portion of the population. We eat it on a daily basis so we are used to the side effects. For many they notice a dramatic decrease in sluggishness, bloating and some even experience a loss of bad cravings after a few weeks without dairy. Also, not all dairy is created equal. It's too long to go into all the reasons.

I recommend people try it. The ones who notice a dramatic change keep the change. Others don't notice a dramatic change and go back to eating dairy like they did before. There is no one-size fits all.

LunasTheLimit

For me personally, I eat greek yogurt on a near-daily basis (I like it) and high quality protein shakes. I never drink cow's milk (coconut or almond milk) but it makes me very sick so that's why. I limit cheese and choose hard cheeses over soft. I choose frozen yogurt or sorbet over ice cream.

kellyskitties

I would agree with making small changes. You are at your starting point/routine. Making huge changes quickly can backfire.

Try adding a new thing in every week - or two. Then adjust to it - and repeat. It will start to add up very soon.

When I first came here I just was going to log - then I started making small changes. Then I pooped out and went to maintenance (not at goal weight but as a way to salvage my efforts and hold my place until I was ready to go again). It has worked out well. Now I am moving towards goal again.

Look at how your foods fit now - all fast food, all junk food, all meat/potatoes - whatever. I'm not against any of it - but it gives you an idea what can be adjusted.

I would suggest trying to add things instead of subtract for awhile. It's easier to add a salad to a meal than to remove part of your serving. Maybe every meal includes a vegetable?

Try eating at least one fresh fruit per day.

Get 10 mins of activity a day - whatever you want at whatever speed (or more if you are already there).

Just keep adding tweaks. You'll find your way. Friend me if you want - I'm not much thinner than you are now so I'll be around for awhile. I'm going the low and slow method.

SLLRunner

I have lost 121lbs in 15 months, eating at a moderate calorie deficit, finding exercise I enjoy and have recently added weight training. I do not cut out any foods, or worry about salt or sugar. In fact, I eat ice cream everyday. This is a fantastic read to get you started:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

I absolutely LOVE reading posts like this. Portion control without cutting any foods out.

SLLRunner

Hello, everyone. I'm new to this, though on a few instances I have gone on here to read a few different posts. I started losing weight and changing things up mid July of this year. I started out at 280 pounds (I'm 5'6''). As of September 30th (last time I weighed myself), I was about 266 lbs. I wear a size 20/21 size jeans. So it's about 14-15 pounds lost so far (my timer on here starts from today with 0 pounds lost). I've hit a bit of a plateau with weight loss and trying to lose it. I was wondering if anyone can help me get past that with any tips for exercise and diet (kind of a picky eater and lose energy after about 40 minutes of exercise) My goal is to fit into my size 17 jean shorts by my 19th birthday ( very end of November). Obviously that's my short-term goal, but ultimately would like to drop about 100 pounds by next summer. Feel free to add your success stories and such on here to help me. Thank you in advance! -Kristina.

Just set your profile up in MFP, plug in how much you want to lose each week (I think your options are .5, 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds per week), and work toward making those lifestyle changes. Remember--unless you have a food allergy or intolerance or your doctor tells you otherwise, nothing is off limits. The secret is eating in moderation within a certain calorie limit.

My success story is that I grew up very overweight, yo-yo dieted in my twenties and thirties,then finally gave up when I kept gaining weight back. Finally, when I was in my late thirties, I signed up at a gym, hired a trainer, and got this wonderful "99 per year" deal (in other words, I pay $99 a year for unlimited use of the gym for the rest of my life unless I don't pay my yearly dues, or the gym goes out of business). Trainers taught me how to keep a food and exercise diary, how to eat smaller portions, and to exercise. I lost a good 60-70 pounds that way and kept if off for quite some time.

It started creeping back on about five years ago due to me "forgetting" all the good habits I had learned. This last year, the scales said I'd gained 30 pounds. I knew I need to start keeping my diet/exercise dairy again but dreaded doing it by hand like I used to do. That's when I found MFP, and I haven't looked back since.

For me, logging in exercise and food and making sure I stay within a calorie limit is something I will do for the rest of my life if that's what it takes for me to stay healthy. I am 11 pounds away from my goal (which is what I'd reach the first time I lost weight) and fitting into ALL my old clothes, and I'm darned proud of myself.

I'm rooting for you. If I can do it, anyone can.

KrisMariex

@NaomiJFoster (Still not sure how to properly reply to the messages directly lol) Thank for your advice! Its very helpful. And congrats on your weight loss! What kind of exercises did you do? And I plan on opening up my horizons as far as the food thing. Its been like a 'habit' in my family to basically have the same meals (mostly dinner I am talking about) every week. Thanks again!

Do you see at the bottom of this little comment box, it says "Report post/Comment/Reply." Click "Comment" and then your it will put the other person's words in a littler box, and you will type below that. I'm not sure of the difference between Comment and Reply, I just always use Comment.


As for exercise, I work out at home, using online exercise videos. You Tube has a bunch of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds videos (I also own some of those DVDs). They vary in length from 20-60 minutes, so there are many options. I also love Fitness Blender (fitnessblender.com). They have all sorts of videos, cardio, strength, combination, high impact, low impact, stretching, etc. And also various lengths and intensities. I try to mix it up a lot, I think I do better mentally and physically by doing different things. Sometimes, it's just a walk around the neighborhood with my husband or playing Frisbee in the park when it gets cool enough.

But like someone else said, exercise isn't what makes you lose weight. It's the food choices and amounts. The calories. Exercise helps you manage those calories a little easier. And exercise is just plain old good for you in other ways too.

I love her videos! I sometimes will do her 20 minute 1-mile walk or go on my tredmill for 30 minutes or so, then add some random strength training videos I can find. And I'm pretty good as far as counting calories and making sure I never go over 1500 (I aim for 1200 a day since I used to eat like 2000). As far as the types of food, I'm cutting out junk food and most processed food. more fruits and vegetables. And more protein. But as far as carbs, which I always had a question about and anyone can reply if they have experience or suggestions, is that do I have to completely cut them out? Because cutting them out in my house will be really hard (not me per say, but my parents and sister don't necessarily eat really healthy). I mean, as long as I don't have them ALL day, everyday, like have them in moderation, will it be okay to still lose a good amount of weight? Thanks for all the advice everyone! xx

KrisMariex

Hello, everyone. I'm new to this, though on a few instances I have gone on here to read a few different posts. I started losing weight and changing things up mid July of this year. I started out at 280 pounds (I'm 5'6''). As of September 30th (last time I weighed myself), I was about 266 lbs. I wear a size 20/21 size jeans. So it's about 14-15 pounds lost so far (my timer on here starts from today with 0 pounds lost). I've hit a bit of a plateau with weight loss and trying to lose it. I was wondering if anyone can help me get past that with any tips for exercise and diet (kind of a picky eater and lose energy after about 40 minutes of exercise) My goal is to fit into my size 17 jean shorts by my 19th birthday ( very end of November). Obviously that's my short-term goal, but ultimately would like to drop about 100 pounds by next summer. Feel free to add your success stories and such on here to help me. Thank you in advance! -Kristina.

Just set your profile up in MFP, plug in how much you want to lose each week (I think your options are .5, 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds per week), and work toward making those lifestyle changes. Remember--unless you have a food allergy or intolerance or your doctor tells you otherwise, nothing is off limits. The secret is eating in moderation within a certain calorie limit.

My success story is that I grew up very overweight, yo-yo dieted in my twenties and thirties,then finally gave up when I kept gaining weight back. Finally, when I was in my late thirties, I signed up at a gym, hired a trainer, and got this wonderful "99 per year" deal (in other words, I pay $99 a year for unlimited use of the gym for the rest of my life unless I don't pay my yearly dues, or the gym goes out of business). Trainers taught me how to keep a food and exercise diary, how to eat smaller portions, and to exercise. I lost a good 60-70 pounds that way and kept if off for quite some time.

It started creeping back on about five years ago due to me "forgetting" all the good habits I had learned. This last year, the scales said I'd gained 30 pounds. I knew I need to start keeping my diet/exercise dairy again but dreaded doing it by hand like I used to do. That's when I found MFP, and I haven't looked back since.

For me, logging in exercise and food and making sure I stay within a calorie limit is something I will do for the rest of my life if that's what it takes for me to stay healthy. I am 11 pounds away from my goal (which is what I'd reach the first time I lost weight) and fitting into ALL my old clothes, and I'm darned proud of myself.

I'm rooting for you. If I can do it, anyone can.

Thank you very much!! x I figured how to do most of the stuff on here. I think the hardest thing for me is to log in every day and record everything. But I think I will be able to do it. :happy:

KrisMariex

I would agree with making small changes. You are at your starting point/routine. Making huge changes quickly can backfire.

Try adding a new thing in every week - or two. Then adjust to it - and repeat. It will start to add up very soon.

When I first came here I just was going to log - then I started making small changes. Then I pooped out and went to maintenance (not at goal weight but as a way to salvage my efforts and hold my place until I was ready to go again). It has worked out well. Now I am moving towards goal again.

Look at how your foods fit now - all fast food, all junk food, all meat/potatoes - whatever. I'm not against any of it - but it gives you an idea what can be adjusted.

I would suggest trying to add things instead of subtract for awhile. It's easier to add a salad to a meal than to remove part of your serving. Maybe every meal includes a vegetable?

Try eating at least one fresh fruit per day.

Get 10 mins of activity a day - whatever you want at whatever speed (or more if you are already there).

Just keep adding tweaks. You'll find your way. Friend me if you want - I'm not much thinner than you are now so I'll be around for awhile. I'm going the low and slow method.

Thank you very much!! I will try and do that! I'll just have to force my parents to go get me more stuff. Love, love, love grilled chicken salad. :happy: I wish you the best of luck with your journey also! I will friend request you just in case you have a few more tricks up your sleeve, lol!

NaomiJFoster

@NaomiJFoster (Still not sure how to properly reply to the messages directly lol) Thank for your advice! Its very helpful. And congrats on your weight loss! What kind of exercises did you do? And I plan on opening up my horizons as far as the food thing. Its been like a 'habit' in my family to basically have the same meals (mostly dinner I am talking about) every week. Thanks again!

Do you see at the bottom of this little comment box, it says "Report post/Comment/Reply." Click "Comment" and then your it will put the other person's words in a littler box, and you will type below that. I'm not sure of the difference between Comment and Reply, I just always use Comment.


As for exercise, I work out at home, using online exercise videos. You Tube has a bunch of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds videos (I also own some of those DVDs). They vary in length from 20-60 minutes, so there are many options. I also love Fitness Blender (fitnessblender.com). They have all sorts of videos, cardio, strength, combination, high impact, low impact, stretching, etc. And also various lengths and intensities. I try to mix it up a lot, I think I do better mentally and physically by doing different things. Sometimes, it's just a walk around the neighborhood with my husband or playing Frisbee in the park when it gets cool enough.

But like someone else said, exercise isn't what makes you lose weight. It's the food choices and amounts. The calories. Exercise helps you manage those calories a little easier. And exercise is just plain old good for you in other ways too.

I love her videos! I sometimes will do her 20 minute 1-mile walk or go on my tredmill for 30 minutes or so, then add some random strength training videos I can find. And I'm pretty good as far as counting calories and making sure I never go over 1500 (I aim for 1200 a day since I used to eat like 2000). As far as the types of food, I'm cutting out junk food and most processed food. more fruits and vegetables. And more protein. But as far as carbs, which I always had a question about and anyone can reply if they have experience or suggestions, is that do I have to completely cut them out? Because cutting them out in my house will be really hard (not me per say, but my parents and sister don't necessarily eat really healthy). I mean, as long as I don't have them ALL day, everyday, like have them in moderation, will it be okay to still lose a good amount of weight? Thanks for all the advice everyone! xx

When you say 'carbs' I'm going to assume that you mean processed grains and starchy foods. Because carbs are in veggies too, and you certainly don't want to cut those out. Personally, I don't believe in cutting out the starchy carbs 100%. I've cut back a bit and I try to choose more wisely. Whole grain bread instead of white bread. No more random crackers and cookies made with white flour (which I never cared about anyway, I just ate because they were there). Not as large of servings of rice or potatoes. Smaller bowls of cereal (and only cereals which are lower in sugars and higher in fiber). I like these foods, I don't want to live a life without them. Again, it's about learning how to choose foods for the rest of your life, not about eliminating certain foods for a short period of time. You want to learn how to incorporate the foods you like into your daily diet. You'll have to tweak some things from you previous ways of eating, but it's all about adjustments not restriction or deprivation. I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me, but that's my personal opinion. And it may explain why I'm losing more slowly than others might be, but I'm OK with that.

KrisMariex

@NaomiJFoster (Still not sure how to properly reply to the messages directly lol) Thank for your advice! Its very helpful. And congrats on your weight loss! What kind of exercises did you do? And I plan on opening up my horizons as far as the food thing. Its been like a 'habit' in my family to basically have the same meals (mostly dinner I am talking about) every week. Thanks again!

Do you see at the bottom of this little comment box, it says "Report post/Comment/Reply." Click "Comment" and then your it will put the other person's words in a littler box, and you will type below that. I'm not sure of the difference between Comment and Reply, I just always use Comment.


As for exercise, I work out at home, using online exercise videos. You Tube has a bunch of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds videos (I also own some of those DVDs). They vary in length from 20-60 minutes, so there are many options. I also love Fitness Blender (fitnessblender.com). They have all sorts of videos, cardio, strength, combination, high impact, low impact, stretching, etc. And also various lengths and intensities. I try to mix it up a lot, I think I do better mentally and physically by doing different things. Sometimes, it's just a walk around the neighborhood with my husband or playing Frisbee in the park when it gets cool enough.

But like someone else said, exercise isn't what makes you lose weight. It's the food choices and amounts. The calories. Exercise helps you manage those calories a little easier. And exercise is just plain old good for you in other ways too.

I love her videos! I sometimes will do her 20 minute 1-mile walk or go on my tredmill for 30 minutes or so, then add some random strength training videos I can find. And I'm pretty good as far as counting calories and making sure I never go over 1500 (I aim for 1200 a day since I used to eat like 2000). As far as the types of food, I'm cutting out junk food and most processed food. more fruits and vegetables. And more protein. But as far as carbs, which I always had a question about and anyone can reply if they have experience or suggestions, is that do I have to completely cut them out? Because cutting them out in my house will be really hard (not me per say, but my parents and sister don't necessarily eat really healthy). I mean, as long as I don't have them ALL day, everyday, like have them in moderation, will it be okay to still lose a good amount of weight? Thanks for all the advice everyone! xx

When you say 'carbs' I'm going to assume that you mean processed grains and starchy foods. Because carbs are in veggies too, and you certainly don't want to cut those out. Personally, I don't believe in cutting out the starchy carbs 100%. I've cut back a bit and I try to choose more wisely. Whole grain bread instead of white bread. No more random crackers and cookies made with white flour (which I never cared about anyway, I just ate because they were there). Not as large of servings of rice or potatoes. Smaller bowls of cereal (and only cereals which are lower in sugars and higher in fiber). I like these foods, I don't want to live a life without them. Again, it's about learning how to choose foods for the rest of your life, not about eliminating certain foods for a short period of time. You want to learn how to incorporate the foods you like into your daily diet. You'll have to tweak some things from you previous ways of eating, but it's all about adjustments not restriction or deprivation. I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me, but that's my personal opinion. And it may explain why I'm losing more slowly than others might be, but I'm OK with that.

Yeah, the 'bad' carbs, as some would call them. The ones in potatoes, bread, pasta, ect. I want to cut back on a lot of them because I ave a weakness for grabbing bread sometimes. Its the worst! But, I know the main thing to do is control every thing I consume. How many calories do you normally eat in a day? But, thank you once again! Your advice is probably some of the best I have received in awhile!