Questions...

m0mmytiff

I am new here (I posted my introduction in the intro spot if you are interested in reading it). I am wondering, what are some good foods to eat? Like a weekly schedule of foods. I need to make out a meal plan and stick to it. I am the only person in my house that will be dieting, so it will be hard for me to eat different meals than my family. Also what are some good exercises to do? I am scared if I lose the weight that I will have that "flabby" skin? I am 5'6 and currently weigh 181.4lbs. My goal weight is 150lbs. Need some suggestions on good eating habits and exercises! Also, how long do you think it would take, on average, to lose 30lbs? I am trying to lose the weight by summer! Thanks!

PinkGamer

Personally, I still eat many things that my family eats but I just eat smaller portions. You shouldn't have to worry about flabby skin from 30 lbs. If you tone and do cardio then you will find that your muscle helps you look more sculpted and if you did happen to have flabby skin it helps. Most people lose about 1-2 lbs a week but everybody is different. Try to find exercises that you ENJOY. Many people run, do dvds, games on popular gaming systems. There are so many different ways to exercise it all just starts with getting off the couch. Good Luck!!

AnarchoGen

www.bodybuilding.com has a lot of exercise demonstration videos to help you out - I think they have it categorized by muscle group or body parts.

AnarchoGen

you want to use the calculators MFP has, measure all your food - that helps, and you'll want to lose no more than 2lbs per week so I think you'll be able to lose 30lbs by summer

switch up your exercises to avoid plateaus
drink water
get a good amount of sleep (which reminds me I'm going straight to bed after this)
be sure to do stretching prior to warm ups and after cool downs to avoid injuries
incorporate more raw foods (majority of them being vegetables) in your diet
With the exception of fruit, make sure your meals have no more than 5g of sugar. That includes hidden sugar too like salad dressings, sauces, seasons, condiments etc.
opt for unsweetened almond milk instead of cow milk - it has less sugars in it...
hmmm I can't think of anything else

speedycakes

good foods: Fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, rice, hummus, whole wheat bread, low carb wraps, pita bread. Lean meat and low fat dairy (if your not vegetarian or vegan).
You can really eat almost anything as long as you use moderation.

As for exercise, running, biking, climbing, skating, walking fast, work out videos, dancing, yoga and anything that get your heart rate up. You want to do strength workouts too. It's important to build muscle along the way, you'll look smoother and more fit.

Demwitted

Make some friends with open food diaries Lots of good suggestions there.

pucenavel

I think I do a good job of eating a wide mix of healthy foods in the proper proportions. My diary is open to the public, feel free to peruse.

I prefer a long, moderate workout to a short high-intensity one. If the goal is weight loss, you need to burn and going for longer periods (60 minutes or more) at a moderate heartrate, for me about 140, burns a ton.

As a result, I generally get to eat more since I typically will burn 500+ calories from exercise several times a week.