Arm fat, belly pudge, thick thighs, and cellulite help?

delalexandre
delalexandre Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am currently 256lbs, and very unhappy with that fact. I had lost weight before, maybe 6 months ago, and was under the 200 mark, just from a small diet change - no sugar! Or least, not as much. I completely denied soda and anything I KNEW would be terrible for me, except for on Sundays. Sundays were my guilty pleasure days. ;)

But now, I'm back at that weight. My food and exercise habits have gotten worse again, and I can't seem to find the right motivation to make them better. :(

The thing is, I have this extreme people phobia. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE running, biking, walking, all that good stuff... but when it comes to doing any of that in public? You can't get me to do it. I freeze up and it feels as if I'm going to faint. I don't know why...

BUT. I didn't come here for a psychology analysis. :) I came here to see if any of you lovely people could help me out. My arms (my WINGS, more like), my thighs, and my belly are the problem. My belly isn't huge, mind you, it's just pudgy, and definitely unsightly... My boyfriend has been amazing through all of this. He's been with me through my best and my worst, and I love him so much for that. <3 He insists that I'm "not fat", but I know in my heart that he only says it to make me feel better, and maybe just a little to get me to stop complaining. ;)

It's too cold now to go swimming, although I do love to, and there's nowhere around here with an indoor pool. I can't join a gym because gym prices can get ridiculous, and as of right now, I'm unemployed, to much of my dismay. :(

I know that it's 80% diet and 20% exercise, especially for belly fat, but I'm not even sure where to begin with the whole "diet" thing... and I also have a very weak will. Sometimes I'll catch myself eating bad-for-me foods and I'll just stop, like, "when did I start eating this...?" It's terrible and makes me feel so unhealthy.

I'm not picky about foods. I just need to know WHAT foods. Not just generality like "protein, whole grains, etc etc", but actual foods that might come into those categories, so that I know EXACTLY what to look for. Also, price can be a bit of a problem. So, salmon and things like that could be out of the question for now.

This might seem confusing, haha, sorry. I just basically want to know how to get rid of those particular problem areas the quickest. Also, any workouts that are great for those areas? Arm fat, belly pudge, and thick thighs. :) I have a bit of cellulite, and that's a serious self-image downer. :( Any help for that?

THANK YOU SO MUCH, I LOVE YOU ALL. :) Good luck to you all!

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Fat loss is about a calorie deficit. Genetics determine where it comes from and the order. High protein and resistance training will mitigate muscle loss which will help with the skin issue, especially when weight loss isnt aggressive. So weight train at least 3 days a week, and go heavy for strength, and some exercise.

    Foods protein (eggs, all meats, beans,legumes, or nuts) is good for muscle retention and satiety. Fats (oils, nuts, red meats) are also good for satiety and healthy skin and brain function. Carbs (breads, rice, fruit and veggies) are food for energy.
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    Fat loss is about a calorie deficit. Genetics determine where it comes from and the order. High protein and resistance training will mitigate muscle loss which will help with the skin issue, especially when weight loss isnt aggressive. So weight train at least 3 days a week, and go heavy for strength, and some exercise.

    Foods protein (eggs, all meats, beans,legumes, or nuts) is good for muscle retention and satiety. Fats (oils, nuts, red meats) are also good for satiety and healthy skin and brain function. Carbs (breads, rice, fruit and veggies) are food for energy.

    Yes all this. Unfortunatley (as much as most of us would love to!!) you can't spot reduce. So losing weight will gradually reduce fat from all your problem areas. Good luck!
  • donnadondon
    donnadondon Posts: 16 Member
    Hi first thing good for you for wanting to change :) as for working out etc I highly recommend jillian micheals I started it a few months ago after going running for so long needed a change I have never looked back in about 3 months I have lost 2.5 stone and 2 dress sizes I have loads of her dvds and mix them up so I dont get used to them to keep body guessing :) hope tjis has helped you a little bit as for affording them you can do them on you tube too if you have acess to the web I would say to do 30 day shred to begin with and banish fat boost metabolism is a really good one good luck :)
  • jellybeanhed313
    jellybeanhed313 Posts: 344 Member
    As far as spot reducing exercise, you can't really. Cardio and weight training will work all over and eventually you will get those problem areas taken care of. If you cannot get out in public and exercise, try an at home routine. Workout dvds are great. I like Jillian Michaels 30 day shred/ripped in 30. It is a nice beginner level workout. Something a little more advanced is Insanity or P90x. I recently got Chalean extreme, which is supposed to be a little easier version of insanity. I haven't even looked at it yet.

    For food- it doesn't have to be expensive, but it can be. If you have a local farmers market or international market, those can be cheap for fruits and veggies. Also, Aldi, if you are near one of those, great produce prices.
    A lot of times there are managers special/mark downs on fish and meat that is nearing its best by date. Those things are safe to eat and if you freeze it right away will last a little longer.

    Chicken
    Lean beef
    Fish-tilapia is usually affordable and delish. can be cooked basically any way you would cook chicken breast-just cooks faster
    Shrimp
    Lean pork
    brown rice
    whole grain/wheat bread, wraps, pasta- check ingredients! the first one should say "WHOLE wheat" not "enriched"
    sweet potatoes
    all fruit and veggies(choose green veggies over starchy ones)

    I think its important to eat real, whole food, not processed. The less processed food, the better. I know these things are easy and fast, but they do your health no justice. Especially if you are exercising, you want to fuel your body.

    Feel free to friend me and message me any questions or whatever. I'm always willing to help. :) Good luck.
  • lottewiegeraad
    lottewiegeraad Posts: 64 Member
    Fat loss is about a calorie deficit. Genetics determine where it comes from and the order. High protein and resistance training will mitigate muscle loss which will help with the skin issue, especially when weight loss isnt aggressive. So weight train at least 3 days a week, and go heavy for strength, and some exercise.

    Foods protein (eggs, all meats, beans,legumes, or nuts) is good for muscle retention and satiety. Fats (oils, nuts, red meats) are also good for satiety and healthy skin and brain function. Carbs (breads, rice, fruit and veggies) are food for energy.

    all of this.
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
    Fat loss is about a calorie deficit. Genetics determine where it comes from and the order. High protein and resistance training will mitigate muscle loss which will help with the skin issue, especially when weight loss isnt aggressive. So weight train at least 3 days a week, and go heavy for strength, and some exercise.

    Foods protein (eggs, all meats, beans,legumes, or nuts) is good for muscle retention and satiety. Fats (oils, nuts, red meats) are also good for satiety and healthy skin and brain function. Carbs (breads, rice, fruit and veggies) are food for energy.

    Yes all this. Unfortunatley (as much as most of us would love to!!) you can't spot reduce. So losing weight will gradually reduce fat from all your problem areas. Good luck!

    THIS IS ALL THE TRUTH!!!!!! If only people could truly understand this and realise spot reduction isnt possible
  • coral_b
    coral_b Posts: 264 Member
    Firstly well done for getting back into it. There are some really good arm exercises on Fitness Blender website. For cellulite (and general health) drink lots and lots of water. Also invest in a good body brush to improve circulation in your lower body... and Squats!
    In regards to diet you just need to be at a deficit in calories. If you can't face running in public just yet- take a walk, or go to a park at a quiet time when you only see a few people. That's how I started. Now I just stick music on head down and get on with it; busy or not.
    Eat lots of protein, and don't cut out every treat. If you allow a small treat a few days a week you hopefully won't feel like you're on a diet. There's plenty of support and information on here; we just have to learn what works for us long term.
    Good luck!
  • BeckyMBisMe
    BeckyMBisMe Posts: 215 Member
    " I'm not picky about foods. I just need to know WHAT foods. Not just generality like "protein, whole grains, etc etc", but actual foods that might come into those categories, so that I know EXACTLY what to look for. Also, price can be a bit of a problem. So, salmon and things like that could be out of the question for now."

    If you want someone to tell you what to eat you may as well buy a Nutri-System program or one of those other rackets.:huh:

    What you should do is some research, lots of good stuff here on MFP. (Lots of garbage too :frown: ) Set your calorie goal accordingly, set proper macros for the health benefits, buy a treadmill if your afraid to walk/run in public. Log everything!!!!! and learn which food items that YOU LIKE work for you.:drinker:

    Do you have a Y in your area? they usually have discount programs and scholarship programs for those who need help with the joining fees.
  • cleotherio
    cleotherio Posts: 712 Member
    Yes, what everyone already said. You can't spot reduce, but adding in some exercise can help create a bigger calorie deficit and help you lose fat all over, and make you feel better. There are lots of workout videos on youtube; I think most of the Jillian Michaels ones are there. You can do them in your house with minimal equipment and they're a good start if you're not used to exercising. Or look up body weight exercises, like "You Are Your Own Gym". If you have a smart phone, there's an an app (I think it was $2) that takes you through the program.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    As others have said, you can't spot-reduce fat, so a calorie deficit is really what you need for losing the fat.

    I know that it's 80% diet and 20% exercise, especially for belly fat, but I'm not even sure where to begin with the whole "diet" thing... and I also have a very weak will. Sometimes I'll catch myself eating bad-for-me foods and I'll just stop, like, "when did I start eating this...?" It's terrible and makes me feel so unhealthy.

    I'm not picky about foods. I just need to know WHAT foods. Not just generality like "protein, whole grains, etc etc", but actual foods that might come into those categories, so that I know EXACTLY what to look for. Also, price can be a bit of a problem. So, salmon and things like that could be out of the question for now.
    It's not specific foods that are the problem. Instead of looking at certain foods as "bad for me" (and therefore forbidden fruit), try looking at food in terms of getting the best amount of nutrients for the amount of calories you have, and cutting down on foods you know make you feel physically not so great. That doesn't mean cutting out everything you love, and in fact, making sure you incorporate all the foods you enjoy (barring any obvious medical issues) is a good way to improve your chances of sticking with new habits. Losing weight isn't easy, but it doesn't have to be torture. You can absolutely eat the food you like, and lose weight.

    So: look at your diary as you track your meals and see where you can make tweaks to get a better nutritional balance. It may be increasing the amount of eggs, or chicken, or tuna you are already eating, if you're not meeting your protein goal. Or, if you notice you're not eating many vegetables, focus on having one more portion a day than you are now, then two more. Try to make small changes that you're going to stick with long term. don't try to radically overhaul your diet overnight because chances are, once the initial weight loss momentum wears off, and this gets boring, you'll find that really hard to stick to. No one food or food group is going to stop you losing weight, and no one food is going to be the magic bullet either.
  • micheleld73
    micheleld73 Posts: 914 Member
    It's not specific foods that are the problem. Instead of looking at certain foods as "bad for me" (and therefore forbidden fruit), try looking at food in terms of getting the best amount of nutrients for the amount of calories you have, and cutting down on foods you know make you feel physically not so great. That doesn't mean cutting out everything you love, and in fact, making sure you incorporate all the foods you enjoy (barring any obvious medical issues) is a good way to improve your chances of sticking with new habits. Losing weight isn't easy, but it doesn't have to be torture. You can absolutely eat the food you like, and lose weight.

    So: look at your diary as you track your meals and see where you can make tweaks to get a better nutritional balance. It may be increasing the amount of eggs, or chicken, or tuna you are already eating, if you're not meeting your protein goal. Or, if you notice you're not eating many vegetables, focus on having one more portion a day than you are now, then two more. Try to make small changes that you're going to stick with long term. don't try to radically overhaul your diet overnight because chances are, once the initial weight loss momentum wears off, and this gets boring, you'll find that really hard to stick to. No one food or food group is going to stop you losing weight, and no one food is going to be the magic bullet either.

    ^^THIS^^ Even the mention of the specific proteins are great because these are usually less expensive and a lot of times on sale! There are tons of recipe threads on here (MFP) to help you to make a diverse menu to keep the "same foods" interesting.

    The advice about youtubing videos is great!! you can exercise at home for free and the JM videos are awesome (I prefer the ripped in 30 or the 6 pack in 6 weeks) but find what YOU ENJOY doing and stick to it!!

    Good luck!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    You have some good advice in here. I'm gonna throw in a couple more cents:

    Don't make sugar an enemy. It wouldn't surprise me if, once you started eating sugar again, that's how you gained back almost 60 pounds. Not because sugar makes you fat, but because you missed it, and once you were allowed to have it again, went crazy and ate it all.

    Like everyone said, eat at a calorie deficit, but make sure you don't eat too low since that may lead you to gain it all right back once you stop counting calories. If you can't stand to work out outside, get an exercise dvd. You've lost the weight once, and you can do it again for good this time.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    You can't spot reduce. You need to eat in a calorie deficit. Once you start losing the fat it will start coming off, but where it starts coming off first is an individual thing.
    Here are some foods I like to eat for protein: Greek yogurt, chicken, beef, eggs, protein powder, salmon (but you can substitute other fish like tuna - I don't think canned tuna is as expensive), dry pressed cottage cheese, cheeses generally (but watch the cals).
    I don't really limit fat as long as I'm within my cals.
    I eat certain carbs sparingly such as bread, pasta, etc. this is because it's easy for me to overeat these items as they're not very filling and leave me hungry for more. Occasionally I will eat a lot of it and gain a bunch of water weight lol

    Good luck!

    Ps I'd see a professional about your social phobia, it can't be an easy way to live. If I'm feeling self conscious I find a pair of sunglasses helps. Silly but true.

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