Time to care of me

Drink lots and lots of water.

Yes, drink a LOT of water! A person is sopose to drink 50% of their body weight in ounces! I weigh 235 so I drink atleast 118 ounces of water a day (it is possible!). Also, I would NEVER eat less than 1,200 calories a day so your body won't go into starvation mode making it even harder to lose weight. And, the calories you do allow yourself, make sure you don't get in the mind frame of eating a 500 calorie candy bar and calling it good...make sure that EVERY calorie is used wisely. BUT...make sure that you do allow yourself something atleast once a week (if you want). And remember that excersise is excersise...just becuase you might not be running marathons for excersise remember that even a 15 minute walk will do you good!!! And gradually those 15 minutes will turn into 20, 30, etc minutes!!! GOOD LUCK! Also remeber that if you get unfocussed with this, don't wait a week or more to get back on track, get back on track the second you realize that you got off track...and it'll make you feel great for having so much will power :flowerforyou:

:flowerforyou: Welcome!:flowerforyou:
Come & log your food daily.
Check the food data base to plan your meals.
When you're feeling munchie, come & look at the successes & inspirational posts.
Log what you eat, even if it isn't the best choice. At least you can look back & chart your progress accurately.
Drink plenty of water.

as far as tips i dont have many. just stick to the plan even when u are discouraged. and when u are discouraged, picture urself how you WANT to look.

So...
how are you doing?
:flowerforyou:

Hi,
I'm new to my fitness pal and any tips and encouragement you have would really be appreciated:flowerforyou:

Hi Jalin! Your first step was admitting you want to lose weight :flowerforyou: I went from 189 pounds to 172.8 (I weigh myself every 15th of the month). Here are MY tips for you:

Drink 64 oz of water daily; work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes. I suggest you eat 1,250 calories at the beginning, take your vitamins/supplements, talk to your doctor before exercising/dieting, use extra virgin olive oil (this is yummy to dip wheat bread when you make your wheat spaghetti); speaking of "wheat" eat wheat products: bread, spaghetti, cereal, etc., eat fruits and veggies, snack on "any" type of nut (walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds are best), drink skim/soy milk, eat yogurt, eat fish/chicken/turkey/lean meats, have salads WITHOUT dressing (ask for extra virgin olive oil @ restaurants/use at home), stay away from POPS/SODAS (drink diet sodas/pops once a day if not, once a week), don't eat "fried foods" (french fries, potato chips, etc), try eating Baked Lays, air popped popcorn, buy a pizza stone ($29.99) and you can create your own delicious home made pizzas with Boboli wheat pizza crust (already made); veggies to your hearts content, one can of refried beans (protein), one can of whole kernel corn (drained), and lite mozzarella cheese...yum! You can eat the Oreda crinkle cut fries that you bake in the oven, stay away from the salt shaker, stay AWAY from processed foods, foods made with hydrogenated oils (cookies, cakes, pies, etc). For dessert you can eat a skinny cow chocolate w/peanut butter ice cream sandwich....yummy!

Stop eating 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to sleep. I learned from Oprah's Boot Camp you have to STOP eating 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to sleep because your metabolism shuts down (as everything does when you're in a REM (rapid eye movement).

Go to www.prevention.com. They have yummy recipes and is another souce of website for motivation. Did you know that if you pay for your subscription to Prevention they give you a free pedometer? One should walk/step 10,000 steps daily. Check them out! They have a free website w/the magazine there in front of you in case you can't suscribe just yet.

Don't drink COFFEE. Drink Chai black/green tea instead. Chew gum all day. It keeps your mouth "busy". I've also heard/learned that before you eat a meal eat your soup first since it helps fill you up before the main course.

Please, please, please weigh yourself "monthly". Why? Because we women have PMS, we cramp, we retain water, we have mood swings, etc., two weeks BEFORE we mensturate. I swear (Eva crossing her finger and doing a "cross" by her ) you WILL lose 3-4 pounds every month. If you do the "math" that's THE average of 1 pound a week. This helps you from NOT getting discouraged IF, if, you weigh yourself daily/weekly as alot of women in this site tend to do (weigh themselves daily/weekly and then get discouraged and give up on dieting/exercising). I have also exercised before/during/and after I mensturate. "They" say working out during this time helps w/cramps, burns more fat, and shouldn't deterr you from working out

Thirty minutes before you work out eat one of the following (check out the OR), one apple, OR one small box of raisins with a handful of walnuts, OR soup, OR yogurt. Why? "They are packed with high-quality carbohydrates, which provide a quick source of fuel for your muscles, but they have just enough protein and fat to help you maintain a steady, elevated energy level" (source: Prevention Magazine April 2007).

AFTER your work out, drink a protein shake (Slimfast, Special K, EAS Myoplex, etc). Why? "After a workout, your muscles need protein to repair microscopic muslce tears, plus another shot of carbs to help restock energy stores. Cyclists who drank it after a tough racing session had improved endurance and recovered fast than those who drank an ordinary sports drink (which supplies carbs and electrolytes, but no protein)" (Source: Prevention Magazine April 2007).

Stay away from alcoholic drinks (includes wine).

Set small goals for right now. Start with the FIRST 10 pounds. If you work out and eat right (the first month WITHOUT cheating), you'll lose 5-6 pounds (mainly water retention weight) because you are flushing your body (detoxing). THEN the weight will be HARDER to lose. Remember, it's soooo easy to gain the weight, but hard to lose it. "No pain, no gain!" No worries if the weight is harder to lose since it means that it is time to "up" your exercise regimen (1 hour 3-4 days a week). When you've lost the weight, then you can go "up" to 1,500 calories (maybe for the last stubborn 10 pounds). If you closely watch "THE BIGGEST LOSER" they have to lose more than 50 pounds; their calorie intake is 1,000-1,100. Wow! Bless their for doing that!!!

If you want more "tips" let me know as you know how to reach me. Blessings and good luck!

Eva