I need some help please!!! I just don't know what to do.

Ok a little background on me,
I turned 30 in april. I have entered into a weight loss challenge in oklahoma, and I am trying desperately to win a car. I've had to put $4000 dollars into my car to keep it running this year. new car would be awesome. i have 2 weeks left in the challenge. I have lost 30 lbs since starting the challenge, wanting to lose hopefully 20 more in 2 weeks...I know over shooting.

I work 2 fulltime jobs, about 78 hours a week. I do have a membership at a 24 hour fitness place..although after working from 8am-10pm at night sometimes its hard to motivate myself to go do the elliptical for an hour.

I need help figuring out WHAT to eat, I am doing well maintaining 1200 calories a day, and easily burning 500 daily (one of my jobs is as a waitress, the other is sedintary at a desk, but i jog up the stairs in our office building 3 times a day, 3 times a week.)

What on earth can I do to lose more faster I have seemed to plataued. I drink 5 quarts of water daily. I know tmi but I am trying to give as much information as possible to get the best help possible.

I eat at the hospital daily, usually breakfast is fresh fruit and the occasional fat free chocoalte milk, lunch varies, but I know none of our food is prepared with salt.

I just need some guidance. THANKYOU!!!
«1

Replies

  • debbiestine
    debbiestine Posts: 265 Member
    put your carbs and proteins to 100 grams a day. google mark's daily apple and read about it. also lift 3-5lbs weights for 30min. a day or do push ups and planks...and cut out sugar or keep under 25grams/day.
    and don't worry about eating more protein- it's healthy and it's making me lose my fat! (i'm down to 110lbs)
    you can do it!
  • JustAmyRenee
    JustAmyRenee Posts: 80 Member
    thanks!

    i did leave out that I do the cardio at the gym 3 times a week for an hour ish (until that damned elliptical reads 500 calories)
    and I do a weight training circuit.

    yea bisucits are my enemy....I try to keep it down to 5 a week.
    we make very good biscuits at my 2nd job...but I ration it out to maintain my calorie count.
  • tonilizzy88
    tonilizzy88 Posts: 920 Member
    try the running machine instead of the elliptical machine? i found since running it burns more wuicker and i bet running or even walking up hill on an incline will burn twice as many cals for ya
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
    This is a challenge! I would not do this continually but for 2 weeks if it were me I would: cut all dairy, all sugar, all process foods, limit fruit to 1 serving/day in the AM, cut all starches (breads, grains, even gluten free). Double or triple my leafy vegetable servings, limit oils, limit nuts and avocado, limit protein to egg, chicken, lean fish or turkey and only max at 3 servings a day. I would try to double my cardio and double my water intake. I would also make sure that I got as much sleep as possible.
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
    Low carb is the way I lost weight the quickest. The fewer carbs you eat, the fewer insulin spikes you will have and the more insulin sensitive you will become. Consequently, your body will be in so-called fat burning mode all day long.

    I still rarely go over 125 grams of carbohydrates a day and I'm 6'0", 209 lbs.. The overwhelming majority of my calories come from fat and protein.

    If you're eating 1,200 calories a day, limit your carbohydrate intake to as low as you can stand it -- between 30 and 50 grams a day would be my recommendation. You should experience rapid weight loss. An added benefit is that you will hold very little water when limiting your carbs because for every 1 gram of carbs you eat, your body retains about 3 to 4 grams of water. You must, however, drink lots of water (as you are) for your body to trust you and not hold onto this water. It's also important for you to drink lots of water, living in the Oklahoma summer heat, for you to keep hydrated. Expect to urinate quite a bit. As you get closer to the final contest date, also limit your salt (sodium) intake to rid yourself of any remaining water weight. Be careful, though, because if you don't get enough salt you will become dehydrated very easily and get lightheaded. It's a careful balancing test.

    Another thing I would recommend is intermittent fasting (IF): once you are finished eating dinner, don't eat again until breakfast the next morning. Most advocates of IF recommend 16 hours; so, if you finish dinner at 6:30, don't eat again until 10:30 the next morning.

    Finally, don't go too far below 1,200 calories because it will end up being counterproductive. If you do, it won't be long before your BMR drops and weight loss stalls.

    In sum, eat like a bodybuilder preparing for a contest: no sugar, no soft drinks, no juice, no white bread, no white rice, no potatoes, no flour. Eat meat, fish, vegetables, and a limited amount of dairy and fruit.
  • JustAmyRenee
    JustAmyRenee Posts: 80 Member
    ok so I dont eat eggs...so what can i eat for breakfast since currently I either eat oatmeal, or watermelon and grapes.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    ok so I dont eat eggs...so what can i eat for breakfast since currently I either eat oatmeal, or watermelon and grapes.

    Canadian bacon and veggies? Good luck! :)
  • GoMissBeth
    GoMissBeth Posts: 3 Member
    From my pageant days ---I offer the following suggestion...It works although the part of the results will be temporary. :sad:

    The Cabbage Soup Diet:

    Beverages are limited to water, and unsweetened fruit juice on days when fruit is allowed. This is a typical outline of the diet:[4]
    Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas
    Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 jacket (baked) potato with a little butter
    Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas
    Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like
    Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 10 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes
    Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like
    Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice

    I suggest that you also invest in Beano and take it...Do the diet 8 days before your challenge weigh in---take a laxative the day before weigh in ( as gross as it sounds---you don:t want to anything to add to your weight)...as well as limit food and beverage intake the day you weigh in.

    You can get more details by searching the diet online...Good Luck!
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
    ok so I dont eat eggs...so what can i eat for breakfast since currently I either eat oatmeal, or watermelon and grapes.

    My normal breakfast is a smoothie. I put 5 cups of baby spinach leaves, 1 cup of frozen rasberries and 2 tablespoons of hemp protein powder with water in my Vitamix.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I don't think what those 1200 calories is composed of will matter much, for weight loss purposes. Obviously, if you're hungry you could optimize by picking less calorie dense foods but you said you're fine. So in that regard, don't stress the 'what' so much.

    But when it gets closer you'll probably want to dehydrate and do some carb management stuff (not sure what they do here, google up what figure competitors do before a comp, or Biggest Losers even) and also drop the cardio and anything exercise-like the last few days. You don't need the water retention.

    Good luck!
  • JustAmyRenee
    JustAmyRenee Posts: 80 Member
    Thanks everyone!! I appreciate the gudiance.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
    I don't think what those 1200 calories is composed of will matter much, for weight loss purposes.

    I respectfully and strongly disagree with this. Nutrition needs to always be of primary importance especially when you are running a calorie deficit. It should trump everything. Your body, energy level, blood sugar levels, exercise recovery, etc... are much more sensitive during this time and every ounce of food you now eat becomes MUCH more important! Over time, with better nutrition you will have less hunger surges and less fatigue and better sleep- just to name a few things.
  • papastu
    papastu Posts: 737 Member
    do you eat 1200 and burn off a further 500 ?

    so your surviving on 700 ?

    am i reading that bit correct ?

    :noway:
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    I don't think what those 1200 calories is composed of will matter much, for weight loss purposes.

    I respectfully and strongly disagree with this. Nutrition needs to always be of primary importance especially when you are running a calorie deficit. It should trump everything. Your body, energy level, blood sugar levels, exercise recovery, etc... are much more sensitive during this time and every ounce of food you now eat becomes MUCH more important! Over time, with better nutrition you will have less hunger surges and less fatigue and better sleep- just to name a few things.
    i agree with this statement i cannot understand why people eat complete rubbish while trying to lose wait just because you get skinny on the outside doesn,t mean your healthy on the inside choosing the right nutrition combats all kinds of illnesses plus provides essentisl vitamins and minerals
  • PhilipByrne
    PhilipByrne Posts: 276 Member
    do you eat 1200 and burn off a further 500 ?

    so your surviving on 700 ?

    am i reading that bit correct ?

    :noway:

    That was my reading too, plus two full time jobs one of which is physically demanding. That's just farking nuts.
  • Cgrnlaw
    Cgrnlaw Posts: 84 Member
    All the tips will help me too....Thanks everyone
  • MtnKat
    MtnKat Posts: 714
    From my pageant days ---I offer the following suggestion...It works although the part of the results will be temporary. :sad:

    The Cabbage Soup Diet:

    Beverages are limited to water, and unsweetened fruit juice on days when fruit is allowed. This is a typical outline of the diet:[4]
    Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas
    Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 jacket (baked) potato with a little butter
    Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas
    Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like
    Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 10 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes
    Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like
    Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice

    I suggest that you also invest in Beano and take it...Do the diet 8 days before your challenge weigh in---take a laxative the day before weigh in ( as gross as it sounds---you don:t want to anything to add to your weight)...as well as limit food and beverage intake the day you weigh in.

    You can get more details by searching the diet online...Good Luck!

    No offense to the poster....but I would NOT follow this diet. I saw a documentary on this once. It did more harm than it did any good and it is more of a fad diet than a lifestyle change (I mean really, you going to eat cabbage soup for the rest of your life AND take laxatives??)

    Good luck to you. I agree that you need to NET 1200 calories or your weight loss will stall and it DOES matter what you put in you if you want to be truly healthy.
  • Mrswakes
    Mrswakes Posts: 1
    Well done on what you do anyway. The day of the competition have a sauna. That is what a bodybuiler friend of mine does. You sweat a load. Also avoid excercise the last couple of days as this builds muscle. Good luck
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    From my pageant days ---I offer the following suggestion...It works although the part of the results will be temporary. :sad:

    The Cabbage Soup Diet:

    Beverages are limited to water, and unsweetened fruit juice on days when fruit is allowed. This is a typical outline of the diet:[4]
    Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas
    Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 jacket (baked) potato with a little butter
    Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas
    Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like
    Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 10 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes
    Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like
    Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice

    I suggest that you also invest in Beano and take it...Do the diet 8 days before your challenge weigh in---take a laxative the day before weigh in ( as gross as it sounds---you don:t want to anything to add to your weight)...as well as limit food and beverage intake the day you weigh in.

    You can get more details by searching the diet online...Good Luck!

    No offense to the poster....but I would NOT follow this diet. I saw a documentary on this once. It did more harm than it did any good and it is more of a fad diet than a lifestyle change (I mean really, you going to eat cabbage soup for the rest of your life AND take laxatives??)

    Good luck to you. I agree that you need to NET 1200 calories or your weight loss will stall and it DOES matter what you put in you if you want to be truly healthy.
    I can say from experience that the cabbage soup diet works for weight loss. I can also say that the results are EXTREMELY temporary. AND, I can say that you feel TERRIBLE by the end of it. I lost nearly 20 lbs in 14 days on this diet when I was around 20 years old.

    However, since you are looking for temporary results, this is a fairly nutrient-dense way to shed crazy lbs over a short period of time. Remember to drink water constantly, too.

    Just please - PLEASE - the day after your weigh-in, eat a CRAP-TON of good-for-you foods. You will immediately put on a bunch of the weight you lost, but your body will need it. Good luck, and please be careful.
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    From my pageant days ---I offer the following suggestion...It works although the part of the results will be temporary. :sad:

    The Cabbage Soup Diet:

    Beverages are limited to water, and unsweetened fruit juice on days when fruit is allowed. This is a typical outline of the diet:[4]
    Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas
    Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 jacket (baked) potato with a little butter
    Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas
    Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like
    Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 10 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes
    Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like
    Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice

    I suggest that you also invest in Beano and take it...Do the diet 8 days before your challenge weigh in---take a laxative the day before weigh in ( as gross as it sounds---you don:t want to anything to add to your weight)...as well as limit food and beverage intake the day you weigh in.

    You can get more details by searching the diet online...Good Luck!
    i cannot believe anybody on this site would recommend LAXATIVES to anyone that is the most irresponsible advise i have ever heard
  • jeanninecurran
    jeanninecurran Posts: 63 Member
    I use wonderful products from Walden Farms. They make 0 calorie( 0 everything) salad dressings, pasta sauce, jelly, peanut spread, syrup, bbq sauce, ect. It's really good (espically the salad dressing which is delicious) and saves my butt when I'm hungry but want to save calories. Try it. You can find it in supermarkets. The salad dressing is in the refridgerated produce dept. If not in your local supermarket go online
  • PhilipByrne
    PhilipByrne Posts: 276 Member
    I use wonderful products from Walden Farms. They make 0 calorie( 0 everything) salad dressings, pasta sauce, jelly, peanut spread, syrup, bbq sauce, ect. It's really good (espically the salad dressing which is delicious) and saves my butt when I'm hungry but want to save calories. Try it. You can find it in supermarkets. The salad dressing is in the refridgerated produce dept. If not in your local supermarket go online

    Zero calorie peanut spread? Presumably contains no peanuts then.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I don't think what those 1200 calories is composed of will matter much, for weight loss purposes.

    I respectfully and strongly disagree with this. Nutrition needs to always be of primary importance especially when you are running a calorie deficit. It should trump everything. Your body, energy level, blood sugar levels, exercise recovery, etc... are much more sensitive during this time and every ounce of food you now eat becomes MUCH more important! Over time, with better nutrition you will have less hunger surges and less fatigue and better sleep- just to name a few things.
    i agree with this statement i cannot understand why people eat complete rubbish while trying to lose wait just because you get skinny on the outside doesn,t mean your healthy on the inside choosing the right nutrition combats all kinds of illnesses plus provides essentisl vitamins and minerals

    Did you guys read the original post? This isn't a lifestyle change, it's a 'lose weight in 3 weeks contest to win a car contest'. She's not asking for advice about nutrition and health.

    When you eat 1200 and burn off 500 it doesn't mean you're 'taking in' 700. It means you're eating at a deficit. Which is the definition of weight loss.
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    I don't think what those 1200 calories is composed of will matter much, for weight loss purposes.

    I respectfully and strongly disagree with this. Nutrition needs to always be of primary importance especially when you are running a calorie deficit. It should trump everything. Your body, energy level, blood sugar levels, exercise recovery, etc... are much more sensitive during this time and every ounce of food you now eat becomes MUCH more important! Over time, with better nutrition you will have less hunger surges and less fatigue and better sleep- just to name a few things.
    i agree with this statement i cannot understand why people eat complete rubbish while trying to lose wait just because you get skinny on the outside doesn,t mean your healthy on the inside choosing the right nutrition combats all kinds of illnesses plus provides essentisl vitamins and minerals

    Did you guys read the original post? This isn't a lifestyle change, it's a 'lose weight in 3 weeks contest to win a car contest'. She's not asking for advice about nutrition and health.

    When you eat 1200 and burn off 500 it doesn't mean you're 'taking in' 700. It means you're eating at a deficit. Which is the definition of weight loss.
    yes and also not eating enough and taking laxative advise will make her ill have some common sense
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I think that if she believed that crash dieting for 2 weeks was going to ruin her health, she wouldn't be doing it. I don't think she asked for anyone's advice on IF she should be doing it.

    BTW, OP, nothing here is going to kill you for 2 weeks, which I think you know. That's how Biggest Losers crash diet for a year and survive.
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    i think you are very wrong crash dieting can cause a lot of long term problems not least kick starting eating disorders of which there are alot of recovering aneroxics on this site i wonder if you would like someone to give your daughter /granddaughter this advise and yes i realise the op is 30 years old and i hope she is intelligent enough to ignore half of this advise she can still lose the weight eating for optimal health which means that the cals she is having should be nutrient rich to get her to her goal and all these foods are low cal low fat fruits and veggies lean protein then at least she won,t collapse at the weigh in
  • JustAmyRenee
    JustAmyRenee Posts: 80 Member
    I am looking for both long term, and short term. I am making a lifestyle change, or Iwouldn't have stuck with this weight loss challenge for 10 weeks so far, and I wouldn't have committed myself to losing $60 a month to a gym.

    same token though I only have 2 weeks left and really want to win. and need to lose the most lb's that I can.

    my NET caloric intake varies depending on the day of the week. on sat and sun when im working 14 hours at the restaurant, and burning 8,000 calories doing everything from jumping jacks between tickets, to walking lunges to make the drinks for my tables to just never stopping and standing still like i used too, I have a huge defecit because I am working all day and have little time to eat and when i do I don't want to put the deep fried, covered in gravy cook everything with pork renderings food we serve. so on those days I have like a 7,000 calorie defict.

    on days I only work my office job I go burn 500 on the elliptical and have consumed 1300 calories, so a combined 800 calories.

    and if I work both jobs I will usually be even, because I'll eat when I get off work. 1340 calories for the day.

    I'm not a good crash dieter so even though I appreciate the advise I have very little self control and a whole heck of a lot of cravings.

    I have already cut table salt from my diet, and drink stritcly water, about 5 quarts aday right now.
    and the food prepared in the cafeteria at my desk job is usually salt free (hosptial)

    I like the sauna idea, can i do that the night before? because I was wanting to do a 6 am weigh in, because I am always lighter in the mornings.

    oh and on the laxatives,.... I have to have a colonoscopy soon, and was thinking of scheduling it for later in the day on my weigh-in lol...2 birds 1 stone?
  • Ok guys I need help. I'm 20 years old and have been struggling with my weight for a while. I normally workout 5-6 times a week. I lift and do a HIIT workout M-W-F and then do long cardio T-R-S. I try to eat all the calories that MFP tells me to eat and I haven't lost any weight the past month I hit a wall and I changed up my exercise and diet to try to get over the plateau. I keep hearing about how for cardio you should only do 30 mins of one thing and then change to a different cardio exercise instead of doing an hour long on just one machine? I don't know do you guys have any tips I'm completely out of ideas and I don't know what to do.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    20lbs in 2 weeks?

    You could cut off both arms.

    I'm only partially joking. It's practically physiologically impossible to lose 20lbs of fat in 2 weeks. And it's absolutely unhealthy to even try. Of the more rapid 30lbs you lost already, you will find that a large percentage of it was initial water weight.
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    I am looking for both long term, and short term. I am making a lifestyle change, or Iwouldn't have stuck with this weight loss challenge for 10 weeks so far, and I wouldn't have committed myself to losing $60 a month to a gym.

    same token though I only have 2 weeks left and really want to win. and need to lose the most lb's that I can.

    my NET caloric intake varies depending on the day of the week. on sat and sun when im working 14 hours at the restaurant, and burning 8,000 calories doing everything from jumping jacks between tickets, to walking lunges to make the drinks for my tables to just never stopping and standing still like i used too, I have a huge defecit because I am working all day and have little time to eat and when i do I don't want to put the deep fried, covered in gravy cook everything with pork renderings food we serve. so on those days I have like a 7,000 calorie defict.

    on days I only work my office job I go burn 500 on the elliptical and have consumed 1300 calories, so a combined 800 calories.

    and if I work both jobs I will usually be even, because I'll eat when I get off work. 1340 calories for the day.

    I'm not a good crash dieter so even though I appreciate the advise I have very little self control and a whole heck of a lot of cravings.

    I have already cut table salt from my diet, and drink stritcly water, about 5 quarts aday right now.
    and the food prepared in the cafeteria at my desk job is usually salt free (hosptial)

    I like the sauna idea, can i do that the night before? because I was wanting to do a 6 am weigh in, because I am always lighter in the mornings.

    oh and on the laxatives,.... I have to have a colonoscopy soon, and was thinking of scheduling it for later in the day on my weigh-in lol...2 birds 1 stone?
    i wish you all the luck in getting to your goal but please be as sensible as you can on the least amount of cals you are consuming please please don,t make your self poorly in the process it can still be yours i think the body building way as suggested will be the best but at the end of the day your choice :drinker: :drinker: