Share Your Weight Loss Tips!

Hi,

I started by tackling one problem I had at a time. So if you think that you need to work on portion control, exercise habit, cutting out soda, not skipping breakfast break it up into week goals so you can build good habits and replace old ones.
My tips are to start small. Set a goal. Like this Monday- Sunday You comit to working out 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Then once that becomes a habit. Add in a new habit. Next week I will still workout for 3 times a week but wake up 15 min early to pack my lunch early in the morning and cook my breakfast.

I used to skip meals, but now I make sure to cook my breakfast and pack my lunch because I would get home after work then binge and over eat becuase I was starving. It is all about building good habits and replacing the old ones with time.

Also I measure out my portions using measuring cups, and spoons. I don't count calories that just doesn't work for me, but if that helps you then do it. I just mentally am aware that I have to eat 3 healthy meals and two healthy snacks.I try to eat every three hours.

AS far as my eating that was the hardest thing to conquer and over come, and it is still most difficult for me.
I eat basically the same things that I love and revolve through out the week.

In the morning everyday. 2 egg omlet that I load up with veggies and I will eat 1/2 cup of beans. or I make ooatmeal I prep it the night before pop it in the fridge with your measured oats, cut up fruit like strawberries, frozen blueberries, cinnanmon, sweetner agave nectar honey. then in the morning I take it out pour water/milk in the micro and in minutes I have my breakfast. You can do it, it just a matter of starting small. Then you takle the next thing.

Then for lunch I am lazy and just eat cereal which I switched from 2% milk to Almond milk because it has less calories and I eat 1 cup of Special K Almond Vanilla or Special K Pecan Cinnamon ceareal for lunch since I only have a 20 minute lunch,

My snacks can be any combination of these things and again I rotate them through out the week. I either eat a grapefruit, any fruits, a cheese string, 1 cup of some light and fit vanilla yogurt, 10-12 almonds, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, I love peanut butter so I eat the substitute of it which is a powder called PB2 because it has lower calories,

For dinner I eat lots of protein, tuna, or chiken and brown rice with broccoli, and non fat greek yogurt I swap that in for Mayo since it taste just like sour cream.

These foods are the staple of my diet. I take the guess work out of my lunches and they are predictable and healthier than I used to eat and fufilling. I suggest you try find foods you like to eat that can be your staples of your food through out the week.
As far as working out I do only youtube videos. I don't like the gym. I am to self concious.

I have an account on YouTube and I compiled a playlist called (workout stuff)

There are all different kinds of videos, like (Zumba where people go to the gym and video themselves in class or the instructor, it feels like you are there in a club setting just dancing and having fun but getting a great workout)

( Tae Bo videos are great if you like cardio kickboxing),
(Jillian Michaels videos are on youtube as well for free, her 30 day shred videos for level 1, 2, and 3 are on there. She is brutal but does get you results because she combines cadio, and circuit training with strength.

( On days when I want to take it easy I do Leslie Sansone Walk Away the pounds 3mile walk or 5 mile walk with dumbbells for more of a burn).


This is my playlist link to all differnet kinds of videos that you can check out and see what you would like to do on certain days.

I change it up. https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL814DB0F7CF63B324

I hope these tips help.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Remember that you can do it because everything in life worth having is worth fighting for. The process won't be easy but the end result will be worth it. Successful people are not people who never failed its people who never gave up. Tough times don't last, tough people do. "Being overweight and out of shape is difficult; losing weight and getting in shape is difficult. Pick your 'difficult.'"

I love quotes and above are some quotes that I love to remember and reference.

Lift
Eat at a small to moderate deficit
Eat a balanced diet
Eat when hungry
Drink plenty of water
Make sustainable changes

This

Lift
Eat at a small to moderate deficit
Eat a balanced diet
Eat when hungry
Drink plenty of water
Make sustainable changes

This is really good advice.

I don't eat my full allowance. I have 1200 cals a day and I could have 1300. They say you should not go below 1200 if you are a woman. Use the food diary on here and it adds it all up for you.

What really helped me...

I had to get real.

I needed to stop lying to myself and when I started journaling my food it was a true eye-opener of what I was eating and why I was the weight I was. granted, I did just have a baby so I can't be too mad at myself, but I did let myself go and gained 40lbs during the pregnancy when I was really only supposed to gain 20-30.

Journal, journal, journal. weigh and measure your food. It's the only way you're going to get accurate readings.

best of luck to you!

My main tip is never give up We all struggle in different ways, some more than others, but always push yourself and remind yourself of what your goals are! Also remember that it should be a lifestyle change. Fad diets will only mess up your metabolism and offer temporary change (if any). You should make permanent changes if you want permanent change

After that, I would say that diet is the most important thing. You can't exercise a bad diet off. You need to nurture your body and give it the nutrition it needs and deserves, and that (just like everything else) is personalized to you. What you eat, when you eat it, and how you eat it should be customized to fit your lifestyle and goals. You may choose to eat organic, or go vegan, or just eat everything in moderation :] (or many other things!)

As for working out, same thing! Customize it to fit your life! You can hike, walk, run, bike, dance, skate, or join a group of people doing something like crossfit, zumba, at-home dvd's (or youtube videos), join a gym, whatever! I would recommend some blend of cardio and weight training though Cardio will burn calories and get your heart rate up, while weight training will build/maintain muscle that in the long run will help build up your metabolism and make you stronger and "toned."

I hope that's helpful! I would be more than happy to build up on anything I've mentioned ^_^ Good luck!

Eat slighty less. Move a bit more.

Really do it.

Do what? Doesn't matter that much which diet you pick and whether or not it includes exercise. If you pick something that others have had success with, it will work for you also IF YOU REALLY DO IT. Only a very small percentage of the population has problems that really prevent them from losing weight on a restricted diet. If you are part of that percentage, you should already know it because it would be due to a serious medical condition that is hopefully being treated. The vast majority of the postings you see here every day that say they are doing all the right things and have been for weeks or months without losing weight are not providing accurate information. I don't know whether it is usually unknowingly or not, but I am sure there are some of each. When my diets failed in the past, it is because I didn't really stick to them. I launched the torpedoes. This time I made a very strong commitment not to fail. I cut out weekday day time snacks and have not had one all year. I eat a light breakfast, a light lunch and have a "regular" dinner with my family. I allow myself a fruit snack at night and on rare occasions a single dessert.

I run 3 times a week and I really run, usually over 3 miles (ran 10 the other night without stopping or walking - woohoo!) and come in soaked to the skin with sweat. I use dumb bells to keep some tone in my shoulders and chest and I use them daily and do a few quick reps that end when I can't do another.

Does this sound hard? If it doesn't, read it again. It is hard. I decided it is worth the effort. If you don't make that decision, the odds of success go way down, IMO. If you bounce around looking for the diet that lets you eat the most and the exercise that takes the least time to do and recover from I think you are far less likely to lose the weight. I will not say anyone is doomed to failure. I hate the posts that say that you will absolutely gain it back if you do it that way or that you'll never reach you goal because you're not doing it the "MFP way" or whatever.

First of all, fasting is absolutely the worst thing in the world, so don't do that.

:noway:

This stuck out to me as well. Now, I would never suggest someone do something rediculous like a month long water only fast, but intermittent fasting has played a major role in my success. I do a daily 20 hour fast and occasionally a 2-3 day fast every few months or so.

Bump

Strength Training and Protein!!

Thank you guys so much for those awesome tips! I really appreciate them. Although I'm just confused if I should eat MY DAILY GOAL calories a day or minimize the foods I eat.

I really want to lose weight fast like in 2 weeks or a month. Do you think that eating fewer calories than my daily goal calories and exercise two times everyday will help me to lose weight faster than following MFP Tips? Any experience with that?

If you want to damage your metabolism, go right ahead. Otherwise, stick with the recommendations. You are 115 lbs - you do not have enough extra on your body to try and lose that amount of weight in such a short time. If you manage to succeed, you will put it all back on, quickly, and more with it. You don't want to fall into that cycle.

Eat less, move more