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Ariel_O
Ariel_O Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I'm Ariel! Nice to meet everyone here. I am going to enter my senior year soon, and my goal is to lose 80lbs before i graduate highschool. I've been sticking to a low carb diet, and mostly eating vegetables and proteins, and only drinking water and green tea. I started off weighing a little more than 250lbs (i didnt weigh myself when i started), now now im currently at 236lbs after 3 weeks. Everything was going smoothly until i started to excercise last week, and when i went to weigh myself today (i weigh myself every sunday) i ended up gaining a pound! I was eating fruit this week and a small amount of grains, could that be it? Does anyone have any Weight loss or nutrition tips or something that could help me out? I started eating healthy at the end of June, and I wanted to lose 40lbs by the middle of August, but now I don't think that is realistic...I am a bit discouraged. :(

Replies

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Your weight fluctuates day to day. If you weigh yourself every week you're bound to see it go up, but if you're in a caloric deficit, then it's water weight, you're not gaining fat.

    Weigh yourself every day and take the average of your weight for the week. This will normalize out any fluctuations.

    Find some other metrics to chart your progress. I suggest body fat calipers or a tape measure to measure your waist and around your navel area.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    If you're under 18, you need to go to sparkteens.com. You're too young to be here. And yes, 40 pounds in a months is completely unrealistic.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    You need to be 18 to be on this site. Try spark teens.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    You need to be 18 to be on this site. Try spark teens.

    I was 18 when I finished my junior year of high school. Or did she say she was younger somewhere?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177910/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    galgenstrick wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    You need to be 18 to be on this site. Try spark teens.

    I was 18 when I finished my junior year of high school. Or did she say she was younger somewhere?

    Cuz everyone is honest right?
    Very few people enter into their senior year over 18. We have no business giving advice to someone underage and until it's clarified, then my comment stands.
  • Ariel_O
    Ariel_O Posts: 4 Member
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    I actually just turned 18.... Anyway, if you weren't going to post something helpful then don't post at all. All I wanted was to do was ask for some advice.... -_-'
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    You need to be 18 to be on this site. Try spark teens.

    I was 18 when I finished my junior year of high school. Or did she say she was younger somewhere?

    Cuz everyone is honest right?
    Very few people enter into their senior year over 18. We have no business giving advice to someone underage and until it's clarified, then my comment stands.

    True, but I didn't want to make assumptions about anyone's age. If she said she was 17, that's different. If she got held back in school, had a late start or whatever she could be sensitive to that, and it's not our place to judge or pry for information. I guess it would be more polite to just ask op if she is 18 rather than assume she's not?
  • Ariel_O
    Ariel_O Posts: 4 Member
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    If you're under 18, you need to go to sparkteens.com. You're too young to be here. And yes, 40 pounds in a months is completely unrealistic.
    I am currently 18 and that was my original goal that I set in June. This past month I've been losing weight at a much faster rate, thats why I still wanted to play around and see if it could get somewhere close.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Weight fluctuates on the scale. You can't let the minor ups and downs get to you. As you lose, the weight may come off a little slower than it did at first. Don't get discouraged.

    Any time I pick up a new way of exercising, I gain a pound or two for a bit. Again, minor fluctuations. Can't wig out over it.

    Eat normal amounts of healthy food. Don't try to starve it off. Starving leads to binging and that's just craziness. Do it the smart way. See your doctor, follow the mfp guidelines. I'll bet your school library has a book on nutrition. If not, whoever teaches Health probably could hook you up with one...or a reliable website for students.

    Hang in there. Don't quit. :)
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    40 pounds in a month really isn't a healthy, attainable goal.

    My recommendation is to set your loss for 2lbs/week and follow the calorie goals that MyFitnessPal gives you. Eat sensibly and remember that properly fueling your body is important!

    Weight gain with a new exercise routine is very common, so don't be alarmed about it. It's generally water weight and will disappear in a few days.

    Be gentle with yourself, you've already made great progress.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Ariel_O wrote: »
    I actually just turned 18.... Anyway, if you weren't going to post something helpful then don't post at all. All I wanted was to do was ask for some advice.... -_-'

    It's the internet. If you're old enough to be here, then you're old enough to understand there are rules we strive to abide by. Giving out weight loss advice to a child wouldn't be in anyones best interest as they have physiological needs that no one here is equipped to deal with.

    The only requirement for weight loss is a caloric deficit. New exercise can mask a loss as its common for one to retain water.
    You should expect to lose no more than 2 pounds a week, as it's unhealthy. Make sure you're getting enough protein to ensure you maintain as much muscle mass as possible.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Ariel_O wrote: »
    I actually just turned 18.... Anyway, if you weren't going to post something helpful then don't post at all. All I wanted was to do was ask for some advice.... -_-'

    Just to be clear, @Liftng4Lis is one of the more helpful people on the forums. While I didn't agree with her assumption on your age, I do agree with pretty much all the advice she's given on the forums and I think it would be wise to listen to it.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    I want to reiterate learning about nutrition. As a student, you have access to reliable sources that not every Joe Weightloss has. Take advantage of that!

    When you get to college, take Anatomy & Physiology for your Science requirement, if you can. Squeeze it in - even one very basic semester. You won't be sorry. :)
  • jesikalovesyou
    jesikalovesyou Posts: 172 Member
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    I just want to say how amazing it is that you're working on your health at your age. I went through my senior year 8 years ago and I regret all the time that I didn't try harder to be healthy. I was 260# and while I wasn't introverted, I was self conscious all the time.

    You won't regret any (healthy) step you take towards improving your fitness/weight.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Exercise can appear to stall the scale somewhat. Consider taking your measurements and rechecking them every month. That is where exercise will help - with inches lost.

    80 lbs is lot of weight to lose in 10 months. IMO, that may be a hard goal to hit but not impossible.

    Good luck! At the very least, I am sure you will put a HUGE dent into those 80lbs. :)
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    Weight loss is going to take as long as it takes. So try not to get too hung up o getting to a specific goal by a specific date. It sounds like you have been doing great so far and you have a lot of time between now and graduation. So I think you can definitely do it.

    Now gaining a pound or even a few pounds is going to happen now and then. It's water. Don't sweat it and just keep doing what you are doing. It will come back off and then some as long as you are doing things the way you should.

    1) make sure you are using a food scale to correctly log your intake.
    2) be honest and log everything you eat
    3) enjoy some of those exercise calories
    4) Don't deprive. Work foods you love into your eating plan.
    5) Don't cheat. I know a lot of people here think cheat days and "rewards(excess calorie type)" are necessary but really they aren't and they can set you up to fail. If you enjoy a little junk food within your daily budget you won't feel like you need to sit down and gorge on a pile of it which just leaves you feeling sick and sad.
    6) Do be reasonable about your deficit. As you loose be sure to reevaluate your deficit. As the number you need to loose goes down you will need to slow down your rate of loss.

    You can totally do this. You have already accomplished much to be proud of and even if you don't hit your goal exactly when you want to, you should still be proud of yourself for doing it.

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