Need to lose 30 pounds, but LOVE FOOD!!

horsegirl18

So I am 21 years old, and I need to lose about 30 pounds, but the problem is I love food. any suggestions?

deedzzz

we all do! that's why we are here in the first place!
I love food, and i still eat food (!!!) and lost 20 lbs!
The secret is portion control! you can eat anything you want as long as you don't go over your daily calorie budget!

stt43

I do 700-800 calories worth of exercise most days, meaning that I usually have around 2700-3000 calories to eat each day. Today I ate 1200 calories worth of cookies, and was still able to fit in seven portions of fruit and veg, cereal, eggs, fish, etc.. Tomorrow I think I'm going to eat a tub of Ben & Jerry's.

86muffintop

I agree with deedzzz! Portion control is key- I know it sounds so unfortunate, but really! It works! I have lost about 11 pounds by JUST counting calories since the end of September (Ticker reads differently since I never entered my highest weight).

Keep in mind that you WILL fall off the wagon, but never beat yourself up over it- that was a major snowball effect for me when I was gaining all of this weight. If you go over your calorie range, OH well- just get back up and try your best. It will work.

AnninStPaul

I do 700-800 calories worth of exercise most days, meaning that I usually have around 2700-3000 calories to eat each day. Today I ate 1200 calories worth of cookies, and was still able to fit in seven portions of fruit and veg, cereal, eggs, fish, etc.. Tomorrow I think I'm going to eat a tub of Ben & Jerry's.

I hate you.

86muffintop

I do 700-800 calories worth of exercise most days, meaning that I usually have around 2700-3000 calories to eat each day. Today I ate 1200 calories worth of cookies, and was still able to fit in seven portions of fruit and veg, cereal, eggs, fish, etc.. Tomorrow I think I'm going to eat a tub of Ben & Jerry's.

NICE! I NEED to start working out.

stt43

I do 700-800 calories worth of exercise most days, meaning that I usually have around 2700-3000 calories to eat each day. Today I ate 1200 calories worth of cookies, and was still able to fit in seven portions of fruit and veg, cereal, eggs, fish, etc.. Tomorrow I think I'm going to eat a tub of Ben & Jerry's.

I hate you.

I hate me too, especially when my alarm goes off at 3am to go to the gym.

meeper123

thats great you can keep eating food. here is how!

1) do not set your goals too high ( aka losing 2 or more pounds a week) the reason: If you start at 1200 calories expecting to loose 2 pounds a week consistently you are giving yourself no were to go. To keep losing weight at a consistent rate you will need to keep either lowering your calories or burn more calories. At a certain point ( and in those that do not have much to lose like you) this can cause plateaus that are hard to recover from. These will ultimately slow down your progress.

2) there is no such thing as a demon food. No you shouldn't live off cookies and cake, but if you eat a cookie or cake don't have a cow. You want to keep off the weight right? Can you really see yourself never eating the food you love ever again? Instead learn to portion and eat with control. Enjoy the food it is there to be eaten

3) Buy a food scale as soon as possible. They are not too expensive ( mine was 16 bucks). The reason the number one reason most people have trouble losing weight on this site is they do not accurately log their food. Measure it and be diligent! Every taste, nibble, sample. Don't be ashamed even if you go over log it!

4) Don't get hung up on the scale. It will go up and down daily if you weigh constantly you can get very discouraged by the "lack" of progress. Weight is not the only indication of success! Measure, take photos, or even set milestones for yourself.

5) Move your butt. I know it sucks and at first it can be very daunting. But if you find yourself having a hard time with this start small. 10 mins a day can build to great things. Besides that was 10 mins you were not going to be using anyways right? Could be in-between commercials to just running up the stairs to work rather than using the elevator. You have to create your own time sometimes.

6) forgive yourself. You will mess up. You will make mistakes. You will go over and you will fall down. You have to learn to get back up and keep going.

I have made every single one of these mistakes int the 470 days I have been on this site. I hope that I have saved you some heartache and maybe helped you get there a bit faster than I will. :flowerforyou:

waltcote

Yeah. We all are here because we like to eat. When I was in my 20s and 30s I ate pretty much what I wanted but I was running alot, usually twice a day. I was running races and marathons. Then my knees started to hurt so I backed off on running but not eating. Fast forward to my 50's. Still eating sorta working out or so I thought. A few doc visits and physicals. Cholesterol medicine. Eh ok. Metformin. Huh!? Uh oh time to get serious. That was July and 40 pounds ago. Still working. Pay me now or pay me later. :bigsmile:

waltcote

thats great you can keep eating food. here is how!

1) do not set your goals too high ( aka losing 2 or more pounds a week) the reason: If you start at 1200 calories expecting to loose 2 pounds a week consistently you are giving yourself no were to go. To keep losing weight at a consistent rate you will need to keep either lowering your calories or burn more calories. At a certain point ( and in those that do not have much to lose like you) this can cause plateaus that are hard to recover from. These will ultimately slow down your progress.

2) there is no such thing as a demon food. No you shouldn't live off cookies and cake, but if you eat a cookie or cake don't have a cow. You want to keep off the weight right? Can you really see yourself never eating the food you love ever again? Instead learn to portion and eat with control. Enjoy the food it is there to be eaten

That pretty much sums it up. Nice post!

3) Buy a food scale as soon as possible. They are not too expensive ( mine was 16 bucks). The reason the number one reason most people have trouble losing weight on this site is they do not accurately log their food. Measure it and be diligent! Every taste, nibble, sample. Don't be ashamed even if you go over log it!

4) Don't get hung up on the scale. It will go up and down daily if you weigh constantly you can get very discouraged by the "lack" of progress. Weight is not the only indication of success! Measure, take photos, or even set milestones for yourself.

5) Move your butt. I know it sucks and at first it can be very daunting. But if you find yourself having a hard time with this start small. 10 mins a day can build to great things. Besides that was 10 mins you were not going to be using anyways right? Could be in-between commercials to just running up the stairs to work rather than using the elevator. You have to create your own time sometimes.

6) forgive yourself. You will mess up. You will make mistakes. You will go over and you will fall down. You have to learn to get back up and keep going.

I have made every single one of these mistakes int the 470 days I have been on this site. I hope that I have saved you some heartache and maybe helped you get there a bit faster than I will. :flowerforyou:

cjheb94

Eat better food, Forget the pizza make a salad. At first its not so good but once you go a week or two salads are just as good as pizza. Go to the gym. If your skeptical at first that's fine perfectly normal. Just remember everyone is there for the same reason improvement. Anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Don't forget to splurge every once in awhile if you don't you'll go mad!

horsegirl18

Thanks everyone! :