A complete newbie to MFP, really need advice and support!

Nimaal
Nimaal Posts: 3 Member
Hi my name is Nimaal, but my friends call me Nemo. I am a University Student residing in Toronto, Canada and I'm 26 years old.

I've been reasonably healthy all my life, up until 7 years ago when I went to University. Within the first 9 months on residence I blew from 175 to 230 lb. Since then, I have fluctuated between 230-250lb. I'd like to say that I've "tried" dieting and exercising, but honestly, I am completely unmotivated and give up easily. My problem is putting a lot of effort into a workout and eating well, only to see that I haven't lost a single pound (and often GAINED weight).

I am heavy on top, and so running often gives me joint pains running between my knee and ankle. Under the advise of gym goers I did 4.5 months of strength training [Weight Training burns more calories??] last summer and ended up bulking up [definitely not what you want, when you want to trim down].

Summer is here, and I want to give this another shot. I hope to see this through and see a real difference in the way I look and feel. I REALLY need support from member's that have been where I am and made it to where I wish to be.

I am South Asian and so a large portion of my meals contain white rice and curry. I have tried cutting it out, but when I don't see results, I give up and return to my eating habits. I don't eat many meals; usually 2 meals and a snack per day; where one meal is Rice and Curry.

Again, I'm a complete newbie to MFP, and need some solid advice on Eating and Fitness. I don't have a gym membership at present but live in a Condo that has a fitness room in it [Treadmill, Elliptical, Stair Master, Front Lat Pulldown and a few Freehand weights]

Age: 26
Height: 6'0
Weight: 250lb
Waist: 38-40 inches

My Username is: Nimaal. Thank you in advance for the support :)

Replies

  • Crumleygirl
    Crumleygirl Posts: 86 Member
    I find the eliptical helps with a tummy. You'll have to slowly work your way into a decent workout with it though. My advice on your heritage diet honestly I would keep eating the foods you love. That's what I do and I've lost 14 pounds. However my portions are smaller. I went out to a restaurant and only ate half my meal and brought the other half home. I love macaroni so I eat a serving of it instead of a box. Also listen to your body and stop eating when you're full. It's tough at first but eventually you get used to it. Good Luck
  • Hello Nimo,:smile:

    Welcome. I am fairly new here too and really like this place. Hope you will too.

    All the best with changing weight...
  • nursenightmare
    nursenightmare Posts: 5 Member
    Just stick with it! I'm 45 days in and have lost 9 pounds. I was skeptical at first. Once you get into the habit of recording- it becomes just that, habit. I use the app on my iphone. Its always with me so its easy to record as I go. I love the bar code app to scan foods for calories. I can honestly say the biggest change for me was portion control. I have not altered my exercise (which by the way is nearly non-existent) just the portions I eat. I eat everything that I like, just in the correct amounts- so don't stress too much over the rice. I tend to eat out alot on the weekends, so if I know I'm going to have a calorie filled weekend, I tend to behave a little better on Thursday and Friday. My weakness- Dairy Queen Midnight Truffle Blizzards made with Choc Ice cream. I now know they are 440 calories and I make sure I allow myself room for one every other week! Good luck, and I'm sure you'll do fine.
  • jeturner4
    jeturner4 Posts: 11
    Hi, Nimaal! I am also very new to MFP, but so far I like it a lot, and I'm super excited!

    I am only 28 and I've tried everything under the sun but this just makes sense: To do it the right way without gimmicks or pills or crash diets or 30-day trials or any of that nonsense. Just eat right and exercise. It's so simple to me now that it's kind of embarrassing that it took me this long to realize that the food pyramid I learned about in second grade really is the way to go. Haha!

    As far as the problem you have with your knee, I am kind of the same way and for that reason, I LOVE the Elliptical machines at my gym. It takes all that impact out of running and puts less strain on your joints while still being able to get some really effective cardio in. I'm not an expert, by any means, but I know that that the more I sweat, the better I'm doing! :) At first it's kind of a weird feeling, especially if you're used to the treadmill. It's like you're cycling while bobbing up and down in water or something, but after a while, you get the hang of it and it can be a really good strain-free workout.

    I don't know what to tell you about the rice and curry, but I do know that there are healthy alternatives to just about anything. The one thing that I've learned is that as long as it is real food (and good for you), you can't go wrong. Don't ever cut any food group out of your diet because our bodies need them all. Want carbs? Eat whole grain rice (without the high fructose corn syrup), sweet potatoes, millet, or quinoa instead of pastas and "healthy" cereals, or crackers, or granola. Want fat? Eat bacon and toast with real butter instead of cheeseburgers or toast with margarine. The former are fats that help burn fats, and the latter are fats that help store fats, which is what we're fighting against, right? Use coconut or olive oil instead of vegetable oil (or any hydrogenated oils). The key is finding the right things to eat and if you do, you really can eat as much as you want, within reason, if you're active. You can never get too many fruits and vegetables, no matter what any diet tells you. Want to get a sweet fix in? Try adding pure honey to some of your grilled chicken instead of barbeque sauce. Any way to get in those cravings in a GOOD, natural way is better than running out and having fast food or a candy bar (my worst enemies).

    Also, you need to eat more! I know it sounds crazy, but eating twice a day is no way to lose weight. You should eat six small meals a day instead of two large ones. Eating healthy snacks throughout the day will increase your metabolism AND if you are hungry, your body will naturally go into starvation mode and start storing all the calories you eat as a means to protect itself. My snacks include maybe a boiled egg, some cashews or pistachios, a handful of grapes, or even a cup of tuna. Even if you're not hungry, remind yourself to eat. All these things are delicious and will keep your energy up. And of course, hydrate. The more you work out, the more calories you will need, and the more fat you will burn!

    Hang in there and keep at it - I welcome any tips or suggestions you may have as well, as I am a newcomer myself. I am nowhere near my goal weight, but I know that by the beginning of NEXT summer, we can both look like our new, healthier, happier selves!!!

    Best of luck to you, you can DO IT!!! :D

    Jessica
  • Nimaal
    Nimaal Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks for the great advice!
  • Nimaal
    Nimaal Posts: 3 Member
    Hi Jessica,

    Thanks a bunch for the great advice. It's great to hear that I'm not alone :smile:

    Staying motivated and focused will be the hard part, but this flood of support definitely makes it easier.

    Being a student, I get home around 11pm on weeknights and I'm starving. I know it's not healthy to eat late, but the way my schedule is built I don't have time to eat, till real late.

    On a regular day:
    - Breakfast [9-10am]: Cup of tea and Toast w/ butter & jam.
    - Lunch [1-2pm]: A sandwich with a cup of juice.
    - Snack [6:20pm prior to class]: Bagel w/ Cream cheese and a Coffee/Cold Beverage.
    - Dinner [11pm]: USUALLY - A plate of rice and curry.
    - Sleep [2-2:30am]

    I completely agree that "portion size" makes a huge difference on this journey and like you deduced my two meals are BIG MEALS. It's gonna be really hard to break it down into 5-6 smaller meals. Starting tomorrow, my goal will be to incorporate an hour of Cardio into my routine and keep track of my Calorie Intake using the MFP app on my iPhone.

    Long were the days when shopping for cloths was fun and not dreadful.

    Good Luck on your journey as well. You are so informative, I'm sure you will reach the goals you've set for yourself.

    Regards,


    | - - [Nemo] - - |
  • I definitely know what u mean!!! i'm also a university student in southern California...and once i graduated high school I gained 50 pounds really fast from 135 to 185. I was in shape doing sports for my high school then all of a sudden got lazy.. but i do know how to workout and eat right but after so many years it has been hard to do it all over again. Since I am a full time student, work 20 hrs. per week, and volunteer for a suicide helpline..i hardly have time to workout..but my advice to u is to make it a part of your schedule.

    We can do this together!!! I hope that by next year I will be 135 lbs again :) and i'm doing the 30 day shred as my workout sooo i hope it works!! good luck
  • ruby_red_rose
    ruby_red_rose Posts: 321 Member
    Hi there,

    Congratulations on taking the first step in being healthy by joining this site and reaching out for help. I have been doing this for a while now (11months) and have lost 59 lbs, and the following things have really helped me, and you can try them out as well:

    1. Stop giving up. Patience is key. Your weight loss may stall, or you may even gain a few lbs. But if you give up, then you are done. If instead, you are patient, and continue doing the right things, the weight WILL come off. For me, this meant that I had to stop weighing myself for a bit, because every time I weighed myself, if I didn't see a loss, I wanted to give up. So maybe you can just try eating well and exercising for 2 months without checking your weight. That way, there's no way a stalled weight loss will make you want to give up.
    2. I count every calorie that goes into my mouth. To make sure the calorie count is accurate, I weigh everything with a digital scale. And I stay under my calorie goal (which is 1600 at this time). This is probably the most important thing you can do to lose weight.
    3. I keep my protein high (140g a day). I came up with this number with my dietician, so the numbers will be different for you. But I have heard that 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass is a good starting point. You can do some research to figure out what the best protein intake is for a man your height and age.
    4. I limit my carb intake to approximately 100g a day. Again, I worked with my dietician to come up with this number. For me, higher carb usually means less weight loss. I am also South East asian, and most of my meals used to be white rice with curry. I had to make significant dietary changes to achieve this goal. For example, in the last year, I have probably only had rice and curry a handful of times. All my meals now consist of a lean protein (like chicken breast) with grilled/sauteed vegetables.
    5. I do cardio 6 times a week (mix of zumba, swimming elliptical).
    6. I strength train 2-3 times a week. I started with gym machines. Now I do body weight routines.
    7. I wear a fitbit and walk 7-10 thousand steps every single day, in addition to the cardio I do. This is non-negotiable normally, but now that I have an injured knee, I have been only doing 5K a day for the last couple of months.
    8. I drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
    9. I go to bed early and try to get 8 hours of sleep on average. The effect of good quality sleep on weight loss is really significant. I have noticed a huge correlation between getting adequate sleep and my weight loss.
    10. I take a multi vitamin, fish oil, and calcium every day. I want to make sure I do not get a deficiency while trying to be healthy.
    11. Sometimes I screw up. I binge, or I injure myself and can't work out. I then promptly forgive myself, and start making the correct choices. Giving up in not an option. Going back to how I used to be is not an option.

    I hope this helps. Obviously, if you have any medical conditions, you should talk to your doctor. If you have access to a dietician, they can help you figure out how many calories, proteins, carbs etc. you should be eating. If not, go with the MFP default.

    Lastly, if you want, feel free to add me as a friend. I am passionate about being healthy, and would be happy to help you out with any questions you have.

    ~Rose
  • anjullah77
    anjullah77 Posts: 4
    Welcome! I use to be a sucker for rice and would serve it as a side for just about every meal. You should try quinoa and curry instead of rice. The protein in the quinoa will fill you up quicker than rice would. Quinoa had alot more health benefits also. Soak the quinoa and rinse well before cooking to get rid of the bitter taste that can also upset your stomach. Pack healthy snacks incase you skip a meal. Think ideas that contain fiber and protein. I suffer for hypoglecemia(low blood sugars) so I always keep snacks on hand in case I can't get a meal in me. I love fiber one brownies(90 calories!), tubes of peanut butter, Chobani greek yogurt, a palmful of almonds, apple and PB..etc..Tracking your food is key! I have had 3 kiddos and have tried several different things in loosing weight. Knowing how many calories I have ahead of time allows me to know how much I need for dinner or to work my butt out if I go over on my calories. I have a hardtime staying motivated so I look at pics of my inspiration EVERYDAY( my friend Brianna that has had 2 babies and is rock hard!) I also post up quotes of inspiration and also ones of my thoughts when I am down and think I need to do this or work on that. I shouldn't have caved into the chocolate bar because althought it taste great and satisfied my craving for 4 minutes. It is not satisfying my health and well being. It is just going to lead to a spiral of hateful thoughts on how I look and how I feel. Dang it, I wanna feel my legs when I squat down to get on my kids level!! Look up Bodyrocktv. Their videos seem hard but I do what I can and tailor things to my liking. I dont have all their fancy gear just try and make do with what I have...as long as its targeting and doing what they are doing. It takes 15 min at most and MAN I am amazed at the sweat I drip and how many calories I burn.Yesterday in 12 minutes it was 457 calories. I use to spend an hour on the treadmill and would not hit close to that mark. Once again, welcome! YOU CAN DO THIS!! Stick with it and don't give up!!!
  • Hey there! You made the first step and that is a great accomplisment:) Although I have not been on MFP long, I have been working on losing weight for two years. The best way for ME was to take it slow and cut certain things out of my diet. For instants, I cut out pop, candy and surgary drinks like juice when I first started my weightloss. Then I added more fresh foods to my diet, like veggies and fruits. Next I cut out most frozen foods that are way high in cal.sal and fat. I hope this helped some:)