Weight loss tips?

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I started up on MFP a few days ago and according to the website i should be eating 1280 calories a day.. before i go on, can I ask isn't this a bit low?

Anyway.. what can I do to lose weight, currently I walk 24 mins to school every day and back (burns 149 cals i think) but because I've been doing this for 6 years i don't think this really helps a lot with weight loss. So what can i do? I'm planning to go on the treadmill like 20 minutes a day. However, I don't want to calorie count or anything as I don't want to get obsessed, as I did before and it only lasted a week and i gave up.

But my main thing is is that i really want to lose like 10lbs by july (2 months) but I have exams so wont have A LOT of time to exercise, so are there any small tips, like drinking a certain amount of water? Or eating a certain amount of a particular fruit?

And... last thing, is there a fun way to lose weight.. including chocolate as I want the weight loss to last :)

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance :)

Replies

  • LillysGranny
    LillysGranny Posts: 431
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    Make sure you drink plenty of water and get plenty of fiber -- like 30-35 grams/day (even if that is over your reccommended amount). Find something fun to do that is a little more intense -- try a Zumba class or tennis or sprint interals. I know how tough it is to balance school and a healthy life. I work 2 jobs and am currently taking 2 classes (on quarters, so a whole semester's worth of work in 10 weeks). It is tough, but I still find time to exercise about an hour a day 6 days a week. You can do it, you just have to figure out where you're wasting time and try to get all those little bits lumped up together so you can have a good workout. Good luck!
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
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    1280 might be low, but you could have it set to lose 2 lbs a week. If you adjust that, it could increase your calories.

    Monitoring your calories is really important for weight loss, and really the most important component. If you don't think you can stick with a plan if you have to count, I would make slight adjustments to it.

    Maybe sit down once a week and give yourself a tentative outline of what you're going to eat for the next week. Or compose some groups of foods that are about the same calorie contents, so you can eat foods out of those groups without needing to think too much about the calories. Or, just do it anyways! You need to work to lose weight!

    For exercise, adding more than you currently do should help. I like going to the gym and using the elliptical, but there are a lot of other work outs, like dance or kickboxing, that are effective and fun.

    Good luck!
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    First off, what's your age, height and weight?

    What do you do? Student?

    On average, how many days per week are you exercising, for how long and at what intensity?

    All of these things will go into determining how many calories you should be eating. Keep in mind everything in this business "depends" as there are so many variables with the human body.
  • Sigra
    Sigra Posts: 374 Member
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    Depends what your body wants, and you won't know until you try. I tried out the whole 1200cal and my body wouldn't lose any weight (went between 197-194), then I kicked it up a notch, 1570cal a day and now I can lose weight!

    Again, just depends on what your body needs as an individual. Best of luck!
  • brittneyjo89
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    I try to do something new all the time that way I dont get bored or tired of doing the same thing. I do exercise every day. But its something new every day like mon, wed, fri, i do 30 mins of yoga and 30 mins of aerobics yoga in morning and aerobics in evenings after school. Tuesday and Thursdays i go to a boxing gym bcs is something i had never done before. I also do p90x when i get real bored with my routine. Basic thing is just do something. 30 mins a day of anything is better than none. Im a full time nursing student and a single mother. The workout is a must for me, cant live without it now that i have got it in my routine. It calms my stressed nerves and gives me my "me" time that I need. Not to mention for the first time in years i feel great about myself and my body! Good luck to you! I hope you are able to find something that works for you and your schedule.
  • warcado
    warcado Posts: 7
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    Impressed about all the replies, thanks everyone! :)

    I'm 18, 5ft2, weigh 9st think it's around 126 pounds from memory and I'm a sixth form student.

    And I will try to lump the times together, that's a useful tip as I do waste a lot of time doing nothing.

    Also, currently I only walk back and forth from school and go for family walks every so often however I want to start doing everyday exercise but i do seem to get bored easily - well not bored, just i miss a day then when i have to catch up i remember it as hard work and boring. I might try to start doing 30 mins of treadmill a day - and maybe something different every so often. Also, something I used to do is i'll work really hard one day on the treadmill and do say an hour then the next day it's impossible to do an hour and i feel like it's gone down hill.

    In terms, of calories what I've been adding up has been about 1200 but it still seems low, as the GDA's on food say 2000, but i spose that's the max.

    Also, sorry if I don't sound very dedicated as I have tried so many times and it's never worked! I did lose weight once and thought it wasnt working though and when i look back i see it did. Anyway, I got an account so i can hopefully become committed to it for once, so wish me luck.
  • mkateweis
    mkateweis Posts: 24 Member
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    Losing weight is hard work, it just is. That said, I really enjoy using my wii. Good luck!
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    5'2" 126 lbs, and I'm estimating your body fat to be around 20%. Your BMI is 23, which falls within the "Normal" range.

    My advice would be to consume 1500 calories per day, and increase your activity level.

    Also...I'm no expert :)
  • warcado
    warcado Posts: 7
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    Thanks this is really helpful, I will try to increase as much as possible