I want to lose 125 lbs

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datboi_ern
datboi_ern Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Im 24, 5'9 and 309lbs. I've tried several diets and can not find anything I can stick with. There are a few habits that I kicked and picked up that I continue to do like no fried foods, no soda, and I hardly eat red meat. I know what i need to do to get the ball rolling again to lose weight but i want to lose fat weight, not muscle. Any dieting and exercise guides you can give me? Thanks

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  • xlostdecember
    xlostdecember Posts: 7
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    Hi there,

    I feel you. I was at the same place. After my first pregnancy, my weight sky rocketed and I could NOT get it off. I tried diet after diet and I hated it. I'm not a fitness professional, but what I recommend is not going on a "diet" but making healthier choices in general. For me, I want to keep the weight off so making permanent changes was the best thing for me. Like you, I nixed soda for water. Green tea has some huge health benefits if you are dying for that flavor. I switched from cow's milk to soy or almond milk (actually not that bad), etc, etc. Use websites like Pintrest and allrecipes to search for healthy recipes that you like. Love on your veggies and fruits. DON'T touch 'diet' foods. Like 100 calorie packs, etc. There is usually stuff that's worse in those things. Always, ALWAYS remember portion control. It's okay to reward yourself. If you choose to eat something naughty, eat a cupcake. ONE cupcake isn't bad. You will find as you work out and your metabolism increases, your calorie intake also increases and it will enable you to be able to have naughty foods.. within reason. This is later down the line. Make sure to keep clean proteins in your diet.

    For working out, I utilize youtube. There are a lot of personal trainers out there that you can work out with for free that way. I use this lady most often ( https://www.youtube.com/user/joannasohofficial ). Make sure you don't over do it in the beginning. Stay away from jumping exercises till you lose a bit. Make sure you do both strength training (for making muscles stronger, increasing metabolism) and cardio (for weight loss). You will be very happy with how your body looks at the end if you remember to incorporate BOTH strength and cardio. Even if you start with just walking up and down the street, getting active is getting active. I hope this has helped. Good luck to you in your journey. Please feel free to add me for more support. :)
  • datboi_ern
    datboi_ern Posts: 5
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    Thanks,
    What's challenging for me is the fact that I'm such a picky eater. I dislike so many fruits and veggies that it doesn't leave me with much variety to eat. I'm trying to learn to like more fruits and vegetables but that has not been going so well. Lol also my job requires me to be on my feet and moving most of the time so I'm lightly active. Been trying to find/make time for more exercise and what not. And lastly I find myself having great days but giving up at night and end up binging. I know it's self discipline, it's just hard for me to get a grip again. Last year when I hit 300 I pushed myself and lost 40lbs, this time around I just can't seem to get on track.
  • stacynoell
    stacynoell Posts: 41 Member
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    I suggest you see a nutritionist or a wellness coach to look at what you eat, how often you eat and what type of exercise fits into your day. Also start by making some changes and work on the first 10 pounds. Then take it 10 at at time. Join a group to make you accountable. A real group that you have to weigh in or meet with, not an online group. I do Herbalife shakes for breakfast everyday bc they are easy and taste good. Make sure you eat enough during the day so that you do not overeat in the evening. Once I fixed that I started losing again. I have lost 25 since January and although that is slow, I can enjoy foods I like...Good Luck...:smile:
  • christinablow2014
    christinablow2014 Posts: 11
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    i'm a picky eater, too, but i've been FORCING myself to keep trying. i got rid of all white flour and white sugar. i replaced pop with water years ago. . . i was never a breakfast eater, i pretty much drank coffee until 2ish and then ate like crazy, mostly bread. this time my motivation isn't size, it's HEALTH, i WANT to be healthy, i don't want diabetes, so that motivates me more. i've found that i do like some vegetables, not all, but the preparation matters. keep trying, YOU CAN DO THIS!
  • datboi_ern
    datboi_ern Posts: 5
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    Thank you! This is very encouraging and much needed! Thanks
  • xlostdecember
    xlostdecember Posts: 7
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    I understand being a picky eater. I was NOT a salad person before weight loss. In reality, I had never found a salad I actually enjoyed. It's all about trial/error. With regards to dinner, maybe look into some chicken breast recipes for the crock pot. That way, you can prep your meal in the morning. While you're at work, it'll be cooking and by the time you get home it'll be ready. I pre-make some of my meals because if I'm super tired and there's an easy unhealthy option, it's tempting. Remember things like popcorn (not buttered or VERY light) are low in calories and help fill you up. You can do this. Once you get that strength in there, your body starts changing and it's nuts. You'll be motivated by what you can do that you couldn't, or never thought, you could do. You've got this in the bag. Make the change for a life time of rewards.
  • botch74
    botch74 Posts: 11 Member
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    i struggled for decades with my weight, this time I decided to do something different. I went the no preprocessed foods rout. I limits what you can eat, but I've lost 45 pound since the beginning of the year. side effects are My Bp is down and I feel much better. I found that fresh is better and my body knows what to do with the food I eat. ( and not just store it as fat.) good luck on your journey.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    Suggestions?

    Here ya go:

    1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
    2. Make sure you eat enough.
    3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
    4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
    5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
    6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
    7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
    8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
    9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
    10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
    11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
    12. don't set time restrictions.
    13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
    14 BE PATIENT.
    15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
    16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
    17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
    18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

    pretty much that.

    ...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

    the typical MFP users does this:
    1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
    2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
    3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
    4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
    5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
    6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
    7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
    8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
    9. Argument ensues about who is right.

    Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

    I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

    Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

    Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ...and here's another approach.

    Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

    From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

    Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.
  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
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    The one thing I noticed that helped me was figuring out when I was hungry which is always at night. Learned that if I eat a little in the AM then I can eat at night and I'm rarely hungry. Also, clean out the pantry of all the stuff you don't want to eat anymore. Helps with the willpower with food, which very few people have.
  • LinDiSm26262
    LinDiSm26262 Posts: 234 Member
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    Check out the one meal a day program. From what I've read, you lose your cravings and can eat a healthy meal with desert if you want on a 10" plate. You have to pick a four hour period and eat your meal within an hour during that period. Also, once a week you can splurge and have two plates of food if you wish just as long as it is within your time frame. A guy posted the other day that he lost somewhere around 170 pounds doing this. You can't do the program if your diabetic so check with your doctor first. I believe the post was on the "success" section. You can do a search to find it. Good luck!

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