First time dieter in need of advice!

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DeliVibes
DeliVibes Posts: 67 Member
in Introduce Yourself
So recently I moved away from home and have been eating takeaways, drinking a lot of alcohol, not exercising and unfortunately it's taken a dramatic toll on my body.
I used to be 117lbs and now I'm 130lbs. It's quite noticeable around my face, tummy and back.
I feel so disgusted that I've done this myself over such a short period of time!! I went through a really bad phase of binge eating and I think that's when the weight started to pile on.

My aim is to be 120lbs by mid November and ideally 115lbs by Christmas.

Anyone have any ideas what I should do to lose the weight? I've never ever dieted before so I've no idea what will work for me.
I'd love to hear anyone's opinion.

Thanks :)

Replies

  • skiextrm
    skiextrm Posts: 144 Member
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    Hi. I recommend you read the first 3 "stickies" (red thumb tacks) under the Getting Started Forum and read around the Community for a while. Tons of good stuff! Good luck!
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    Log everything. Get a food scale, weigh all your food, and track every bite that goes in your mouth.
  • pita7317
    pita7317 Posts: 1,437 Member
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    Hi. For starters, this is not a "diet" you need to change the way you think about food/drinking.
    Bottom line calorie deficit is needed to lose weight. You need to use your TDEE # and reduce that by 15-20%
    And it takes patience and dedication.
    One pound a week to reach your goal by Christmas....is probably not impossible but going to be very difficult at your current weight.
    You want to feel good and be healthy. Not starve yourself to reach a number.
    Just my opinion, no expert by any means.
    Good luck on your journey !
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    I used to be 117lbs and now I'm 130lbs...
    My aim is to be 120lbs by mid November and ideally 115lbs by Christmas.
    Anyone have any ideas what I should do to lose the weight? I've never ever dieted before so I've no idea what will work for me.
    I'd love to hear anyone's opinion.
    First, welcome aboard. :flowerforyou:

    Second, don't diet. Change your life permanently. Diets are temporary & when you go back to your old habits you'll gain weight again.

    Third, useful posts:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read


    There are 10 weeks to mid-November, not quite 16 to Christmas.
    You want to lose 10 lb by mid-NOV, 15 by Christmas.
    With having so little to lose, 0.5 lb per week would be reasonable. 1 lb will be a struggle.
    To lose 0.5 lb per week, you need to cut 250 cal per day from your current intake.

    And is 115 a healthy goal weight?
    Here's a BMI chart; you want to be in the green range. http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf
    If the weight isn't reasonable for you, it's going to be more of a struggle.

    This calculator will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain that weight.
    If you enter your healthy goal weight from above, this will help you plan your food intake.
    https://www.bcm.edu/research/centers/childrens-nutrition-research-center/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html


    "Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake.
    However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.
    To maintain your weight: work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week."
    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html

    Walking is great, and easy, and free.
    Look for body weight workouts (google, youtube, free e-books on Amazon & B&N).

    Most importantly, persevere.
  • cookmtn
    cookmtn Posts: 156 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/737101-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner?page=2%252523posts-19474154

    Please read the stickies as suggested but this one may help, also.
  • lvsglass
    lvsglass Posts: 90 Member
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    Log everything. Get a food scale, weigh all your food, and track every bite that goes in your mouth.

    Ditto!!
  • DeliVibes
    DeliVibes Posts: 67 Member
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    I've read through all your post and links - they're really informative, straightforward and helpful. I'm definitely going to approach this as an overall lifestyle modification rather than a temporary diet.
    I'm going to begin to log everything I consume rigorously from this moment onwards.

    My biggest struggle is going to be learning how to cook satisfying meals for myself so I don't fall into the binge eating trap! I need to research simple, healthy meal ideas with relatively cheap ingredients. I also never ever exercise so I'll try incorporate calisthenics and more walking into my life.

    Thanks everyone for all your help and best of luck with maintaining your own healthy lifestyles :)

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