Help...What's the best way to lose weight?

bh34

Hi,

As you all know, I've been doing Slim Fast for about 2 1/2 months. I've really been watching my calories. The only thing I'm not faithful to doing is exercising and drinking my water. What types of meal plans do most of you follow to watch your calorie intake and what's the healthiest way to lose weight? Any advice is appreciated.

Italian

for breakfast i normally drink 2 - 3 glasses of water and eat special k ceral
lunch is normally a lean cuisine, yogurt, and some fruit. maybe some cottage cheese instead of yogurt i also drink 2-3 glasses of water
dinner could be a lean cuisine or smart ones dinner, or you can eat a fresh chicken salad with tom. italian dressing, carrots, anykind of veg you like, you could eat a turkey burger on wheat buns. maybe some grilled chicken with some vegtables and fruit. also i drink prob around 4-5 glasses of water at night because i go to the gym for an hour just about everyday you are supp to drink 8 glasses a day but i drink anywhere from around 8 to 15. if you dont like water striaght you can get some crystal light packets. they only have 5 cal per pack and are very tasty!!!! hope some of this was a little helpful.

bh34

for breakfast i normally drink 2 - 3 glasses of water and eat special k ceral
lunch is normally a lean cuisine, yogurt, and some fruit. maybe some cottage cheese instead of yogurt i also drink 2-3 glasses of water
dinner could be a lean cuisine or smart ones dinner, or you can eat a fresh chicken salad with tom. italian dressing, carrots, anykind of veg you like, you could eat a turkey burger on wheat buns. maybe some grilled chicken with some vegtables and fruit. also i drink prob around 4-5 glasses of water at night because i go to the gym for an hour just about everyday you are supp to drink 8 glasses a day but i drink anywhere from around 8 to 15. if you dont like water striaght you can get some crystal light packets. they only have 5 cal per pack and are very tasty!!!! hope some of this was a little helpful.

How much weight have you been able to lose doing this? That sounds reasonable.

slimkitty

How many calories a day do you consume with slim-fast? Try slowly switching to natural whole foods with-in the same calorie range.

What's the healthiest way to lose weight? No body here is going to agree on a one single way. There are Atkins followers, low fat, high fat, vegan and vegetarians. Whatever you do, has to work within your family dynamics. You have a husband and two kids right? You cannot cook separate meals for yourself and them. Keep it simple. Fresh fruit, vegetables (startchy and fibrous), whole grains, legumes, meat, fish, poultry, a little bit of butter and olive oil. Keep your portions small and journal your calories. Just start simple and workout the smaller details later. Don't get yourself caught up in a complicated meal plan. Eat what you and your family like (try to make it a healthier version), add lots of vegetables and fruits. Slowly very slowly start eliminating processed foods (boxed and frozen meals, crackers, chips, pretzels, puddings and jello, overly sweetened yogurt, candy, overly salted nuts, jams and jellies, anything labeled sugar free or fat free, stimulating foods, sugar, coffee). Eat real food as close to it's natural state as possible.

You also have to add exercise. Walk, jog, jump rope, do jumping jacks, run up and down the stairs, push ups, squats, lunges - just get moving.

Good luck.

havingitall

For breakfast I have fruit, yogurt and all bran
Lunch is usually veggies, hummus, 3 oz of chicken
snack of fruit
Dinner is a lean meat, lots of veggies and something like brown rice, couscous or quinoa

Watch the pre packaged stuff...it is very high in sodium

MDF08

I've gone both ways: Working out and not watching my diet / dieting with no excercise. They go hand in hand!!

Right now I'm doing my Tae Bo (It's so dang fun and one of the few things that will get me out of bed at 4:45am!) and watching my diet.

This weekend I had a revelation when I walked into an Aeropostale store with my hubby and knew, without a doubt, that NOTHING in that store would fit. Talk about a smack on the back on the head!!

I've noticed that my eating is better when I don't have more than one small drink a night and I plan ahead. I switch up my meals often because it is WAY too easy to get bored.

:flowerforyou:

thejarviclan

I agree with pps who said to dump the SlimFast calories and eat them instead.

When I was losing I ate between 1200-1400 calories a day and exercised away between 400-800 calories a day. I lost 24 pounds and 3 pants sizes in 18 weeks. Years ago I used the same "plan" to lose well over 100 pounds.

Exercise is key...try not to slack on that.

MyaPapaya75

Cardio Cardio Cardio...well for me anyway..1200-1400 firm in my caloric intake..I know that if Im hungry I can eat a little over that amount but I try to stay firm...I workout anywhere from 1-2hrs daily mostly all cardio. I also watch my sodium and carbs..I keep sodium below 1500mg and I avoid bread,rice,pasta or potato....I do eat them but just not on a weekly basis.....I eat very lean meats and high in fiber foods....I wish you luck:flowerforyou: .....slim fast works the only problem is it doesnt cure the bad relationship we have with food..but regardless of how you do it..stay 100% accountable and excercise

AJCM

MHO...

I've lost 30 lbs on MFP. And it took almost a year (first 20 lbs came off in 3 months, last 10 lbs took half a year!)

I've been down every diet road, and my answer is not exciting, and very predictable....

Cut calories, and exercise. Eat less, move more. Feel full by eating plenty of foods that are high in fibre and low in calories (veggies, fruit). It is a slow road. Many times I wishes the weight would just melt off, and I thought about doing a "quick fix" plan. But, statistically, quick fixes fail just as quickly.

I just read about a study on Yahoo News that stated people who lost over 30lbs, and kept it off for over a year, ALL exercised to lose the weight and continued the exercise after the weight was lost - they averaged an hour of walking DAILY. This speaks to the idea that it has to be a lifestyle change. I know that sounds cliched, and borning, but it's the reality of permanent weight loss.

Good luck and stick it out. I always thought of it this way - I could either continue with my bad eating habits, and be fat a year from now, OR I could work slowly toward my goal, and be slim and healthy a year from now. I chose slim and healthy, and I'm so thankful I did.
:flowerforyou: