Hello from Texas

Hello and welcome! I'm not that far from you, in Lewisville!

Hello Texan! I live in San Antonio, TX! I HAVE lost 20 pounds...here are my tips for you:

Drink 64 oz of water daily. 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, 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 (use extra virgin olive oil), 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), eat Baked Lays, air popped popcorn, go to www.pilsbury.com and buy a pizza stone ($29.99) you can create your own delicious homemade pizzas with Boboli wheat pizza crust (already made); veggies to your heart's 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 are another source 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 subscribe 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.

Weigh yourself "monthly". 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 allot of women in this site tend to do (weigh themselves daily/weekly and then get discouraged and give up on dieting/exercising). Why do I weigh myself monthly? Because we women have PMS, we retain water, have mood swings, etc., two weeks before we menstruate. Thus the reason why I allow my clothes to do the talking for me.

Thirty minutes before you work out eat one of the following: 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 muscle 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. Later, 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've watched the Diet Detective, he gets rid of all the "fat" foods in your fridge and pantry (cakes, cookies, pies, etc). He fills those places with veggies, fruits, wheat products, dairy products, low fat cheeses, olive oil, etc. I LOVED that show, but you can still check out his website: www.dietdetective.com/lose-weight.aspx

I WAS at 189 pounds (January 2009) and NOW 15 October 2009 I weigh 169.4 pounds!! (Eva doing a jig). You CAN do it, too! I power walk 2 miles M/W/F during my lunch hour at work. I am training myself to run/jog. On Tuesdays I drive to the post gym (free) during my lunch hour and do upper body strengthening and sit in the hot tub for 15 mintues. I shower, change, and head back to work!

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

Welcome! I'm in Alvin (between Galveston & Houston)!

Enjoy MFP - it's a great site for recipes, motivation and friendships!

Eva! Thanks so much for all of these great tips! Very interesting about eating an apple before my workout. I'm going to do that.

Agh, I already workout 60 minutes everyday, up my workouts in 10 pounds, I'd have to quite my job. :sad:

Again, thanks for the warm welcomes.

Question: is it okay to drink more than 64oz a day? I am a big water drinker.

Hi. You're welcome. I'm always here to help! :flowerforyou: I have my blue bowl here at work filled with apples! At 10:30 every morning before I work out I eat my apple, leave the office at 10:55, grab my gym bag, go to the ladies room, change, grab my Academy sports bottle, put on my Sony Walkman, and head out the door to the PT track. I work for the Army/Civilian so don't salute me

Yes! It helps to "flush" your body from all the fat. Tip: After you pee, turn around and look at the toilet water. If the pee is the SAME color as the toilet water, you are drinking PLENTY of water. You should pee once every hour (sometimes twice if you drink cold water). If the toilet water is DARK then you have to drink more water. I'm so glad to have met you and I'm always here for tips!! Blessings!

Eva

The problem I have recently is I wake up to pee. :noway: I drink plenty of water, but I always feel so thirsty. Sorry, personal rant.

NP. I also wake up at 3:00 am to pee and the alarm goes off at 5:30 in order to get ready (as well as the baby), drive to my mom's, then work. They also say you should STOP drinking water 2-3 hours before going to bed. I LOVE drinking cold water after I either brush my teeth and/or remove my make-up I WANT to drink water....but have to FORCE myself not to! I know it's hard, but I cannot afford to wake up at 3:00 am to pee every morning and then wake up in the wee hours of the day to get ready for work. I want to keep sawing on them logs (KWIM?). When I DON'T drink water, and I wake up at 3:00 am, I just smile to myself, hug my pillow, and go BACK to sleep . Blessings!

Eva

welcome to the site, i just joined monday and love it so far. good luck with your goals but know you already look great! you can know me as the man from Iraq, lol.

Garrett

Welcome! I'm in San Antonio!

Hey, Girl. LOL! You requested to be my friend 3 times and when I DELETED the extra ones, I lost you! :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: Come back!!!! Come back!! I sent you an e-mail talking about how my hubby and I met :flowerforyou:

Please ADD me as YOUR friend, and I'll accept! Blessings!

Eva