Back at it!

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PanMetronAriston
PanMetronAriston Posts: 12
in Motivation and Support
Hello everyone! Just wanted to say I am finally ready to get back to MFP! I started in the summer and it worked well but once I went back to college things did not go as planned. I have been trying to eat healthy but I have realized without MFP it is very difficult to really lose weight because it does come down to how much of what you eat regardless of how healthy! Just wanted to see if some of you kind people on MFP had any motivating words! I am 21 years old and by my 22nd birthday I would like to have reached my goal. That gives me more than enough time. About 10 months! I have about 25-30 pounds to lose! Please write any suggestions or motivating words from your own experiences it truly would help me! Take care and good luck on your journeys!

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  • smccully88
    smccully88 Posts: 36 Member
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    Great to hear that you are back at it! I commend you! There is no way when I was in College that I could have been as dedicated as I am now! Please feel free to add me! We can cheer each other on!
  • Paul_Owen
    Paul_Owen Posts: 5
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    keep going, it s abig step to jump back on once you stop for a while, it helps to look at what others have achieved on here. I would say remember its a change for life so treat it that way. keep on working!!
  • cc_126
    cc_126 Posts: 47
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    Hi, Im new to this but know exactly what you are going through as im a student too, and when im under pressure with deadlines and eams and have little time i find it so hard to steer clear of bad foods and to exercise, what i have realised tho is energy drinks etc are bad news, i will only exercise if i set specific times, eg going to a class etc, its better to tell ur classmates u are trying to be healthy, it makes lunch time easier, drink water all day , walk as much as u can, take ten minutes before bed to do some sets of dumbells or some small exercises and be patient, u will get there :)
  • PanMetronAriston
    PanMetronAriston Posts: 12
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    thank you for the responses!! have a great day!
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    Well, 10 months is definitely enough time to lose 20-30 lbs. I successfully lost 35 lbs at the age of 38 and you're young so your metabolism should still be going strong.

    1. If you aren't eating lots of vegetables now...start with 5 servings per day and work your way to 1/2 of lunch and 1/2 of dinner being vegetables.
    2. Of course fruit is also important....keep it to low glycemic (since high glycemic raises your blood sugar quickly, then it crashes just as quickly leaving you unsatisfied an hungry again too soon.

    Here are a few sites to help with that (b/c there are other foods that are high vs low)

    http://www.glycemicindex.com/

    http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/the-glycemic-index-of-foods.html

    http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/lowglycemicfoodlist.htm

    3. Plan, plan, plan....plan your menu for the week on the weekend (or whatever day you have off that you can) and shop. Pack your meals and snacks so that you always have something healthy and within your calories at hand

    4. Plan exercise: When, where, how long and the routine you will do (this helps save time)
    - How many days of cardio per week and which days? Which cardio are you going to do? Run? Walk? Dance? Aerobics? Take a spinning class? Kick boxing class? Step Aerobics class? Zumba? Swimming?
    - How many days of weight training and which days? What is the routine or workout you're going to use? Have a few and rotate every 3-4 weeks

    5. Get yourself a exercise partner...who can you be accountable to and they can be accountable to you? This really helps stay on track, if you have a set appointment (even if it is with a personal trainer); you don't want to be rude and skip on them, so ALWAYS (unless you're dying) keep the appointment

    6. Get involved in a challenge or register for a race or other event that will give you a goal to work toward. Challenges really get the competitive spirit going in you and you don't want to let your team down (if it's team) and you definitely want to kick butt if it's just you....or if its a new race...you want to compete and do your very best....this really helps to keep focus.

    Hope this helps!!!

    I know all the above helped me be successful at losing 35lbs in 6 months and like I said; I was age 38 at the time, so I KNOW you can do it (oh, did I mention I was a full time mom, worked 60 hours per week minimum, commuted 3-4 hours per day and I still managed to workout 30-45 every day?)

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