What's worked for you? What hasn't?
a2902c
Posts: 96
I'm so happy this group is growing! I hope everyone will find it useful and motivating :laugh:
So I was wondering, do you guys have any weight-loss tips/advice? What has worked for you? Any particular favorite exercise regimen or diet? What hasn't worked?
For me, I found that restricting calories to a very low number is a recipe for disaster. Definitely eat enough, so you don't binge later. Also, you lose muscle, rather than fat! Also, drinking water definitely helps. I have a long way to go, and I just started...but it feels good to finally get on the right track!
So I was wondering, do you guys have any weight-loss tips/advice? What has worked for you? Any particular favorite exercise regimen or diet? What hasn't worked?
For me, I found that restricting calories to a very low number is a recipe for disaster. Definitely eat enough, so you don't binge later. Also, you lose muscle, rather than fat! Also, drinking water definitely helps. I have a long way to go, and I just started...but it feels good to finally get on the right track!
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Making sure I eat a big breakfast, otherwise I know I'll overindulge for lunch and then likely dinner. Drinking as much water as possible, for me this means making sure I have a bottle of water next to me at all times because I actually rarely feel thirsty so if its not there I won't drink for hours. I don't drink anything but water and usually one iced coffee a day.0
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This is what has helped me lose 35 pounds (before signing up for MFP):
1.) Cut calories, but not too drastically. When I felt myself feeling tired, cranky or dizzy it was time to up the calories a bit!
2.) The basic workout stuff has shown me slow but steady results. Jogging, Zumba and heavy housework combined with squats and other strength training at home. Just pushing myself harder on the workouts has made a drastic change in my inches lost (though the weight actually went up for awhile!)
3.) Cutting soda/carbonated beverages. Doing this has helped me SO MUCH. I had restricted myself to diet sodas at first, but soon switched to tea when I needed something with caffeine/flavor. I am way less bloated and it definitely shows in my face.
4.) Allowing myself treats. I do not deprive myself of anything my body (or my mouth) really wants. I just make it a series of choices. For example: if I eat this cookie that's 200 calories I won't have for dinner OR I can really push myself with my workout when I get home and make fewer sacrifices with my food choices. And me and the FH have pizza night once a week because without it I would go insane. I just watch how much I'm eating and push myself harder the next day :-) I seriously think those pizza days have made this journey much, much easier.0 -
For me it is absolutely lifting weights. For a few months I was going hard on cardio (typically doing a 45 minute routine: 5 minutes rowing machine, 20 minutes treadmill and 20 minutes stationary bike, usually 350-400 calories burned) and seeing very little results. I started lifting and saw results within a week. For a little while I was doing the first half of the workout FH was doing (Hugh Jackman's Wolverine workout: first 1/2 is compound & functional workouts like deadlifts, chest press, dips, etc and second 1/2 is supplementary workouts like bicep curl, tricep pushdown, calf raises etc) which usually takes me 20-25 minutes and then walking on the treadmill @ 3.5mph & 5.0 incline for the remaining time until FH was done his workout, usually another 15-20 minutes.
I quickly got bored with that workout however, as for a two week span I managed to skip or miss out on every workout EXCEPT chest/shoulder day... So I started my own workout which I found at http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beginner-training-guide-5-fitness-mistakes-women-make.html. I just started it yesterday so I can't tell you if it's working yet!
I also am sure to drink A TON of water, I gave up drinking my calories (I used to enjoy a hyper sweetened "mochachocalatte" each morning and a can of Pepsi each night) except for on one weekend day, and I don't add salt to any of my food anymore. I have lost very little weight but I have noticed less bloating in my face, less jiggling in my arms and my belly has lost a couple of inches.
I realized today that I have about 10 weeks before I start the wedding dress fitting/alteration process so I need to work as hard as I can to get where I want to be by then and maintain afterwards. FFIL freaked me out today by reminding me that FH and I moved in with them 10 weeks ago already, which felt like only 3 or 4 weeks to me... Time flies when you're having fun right?0
