New to dieting.

signalzero21

Just browsing through and figured I'd post an introduction.

I am 25 years old, married, and looking to drop 50lbs. Really never dieted before, so this is new to me. I'm 5'9 and I started out at 230lbs. I am now at 225lbs, and would like to get down to 175. Doctor also told me that's where she would like to see me. I am in Law Enforcement, and while in the academy six years ago, I weighed 180. I stayed in very good shape through that 5 month experience (running 3-5 miles, calestenics, etc). However, once leaving there and going to shift work (nights, odd hours, no schedule) my eating habits went to crap, and I made excuses not to exercise like I was. While I still hold my own at work ( can still chase people and catch them. lol), I want to be in better shape.

A year ago my uncle at 45 years of age dropped dead of a massive heart attack in the middle of his sleep. As did my great grandfather, and my grandmother has suffered 4 heart attacks by her age of 65. I would like to be around with my wife for the next 60 years or better, in good health. Depending on how this calorie counting utility goes, I may try to see if the wife want's to do this with me.

So, Hello.

nancy0365

Hello --

Whereas I too am new to this site, and I do not readily have a weight problem, at the ripe age of 45, I am finding it a challenge to keep my weight where it is....I was hoping that "tracking" what I did, and understanding what has either a negative or positive impact on my weight might help me to manage it better. If I could offer just a bit of advice -- because I am petite, I've spent my entire teenage and adult life watching everything I put in my mouth and that helped me to simply keep things in check. One rule of thumb I had was never to eat after 8:PM -- I think I had heard somewhere that if you do not burn it up within two hours of eating it, well, you can just assume it will turn to fat -- true or not -- not worth taking the chance. Another thing I did, which may sound really silly was I would exercise ONLY during commercials on TV. So, perhaps I would do sit-ups, or jump rope, or lift light pound weights. Doing it during commericals did not feel like exercise at all but it was definitely affective. Anyway, those are a few of the tricks I worked with at your age -- and for many years--and it definitely made a difference. Finally, I would add that I never really deprived myself of anything but I did cut back -- so for example, if I ate a bagel with cream cheese, I began to use less cream cheese. Little things made a difference and essentially helped me to stay at 110 from probably age 16 to age 40...and putting on a pound here and there occurs with simply smelling food!

And at 45, well, things just take a great deal more to work off ; - )

Good luck,

Nancy