What do you guys think?

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ShioriSan
ShioriSan Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys, I'm new to MFP and am loving the community so far. I happened to stumble upon this website while Google searching something else, and am glad that I did! =P

Anyway, I have a quick question for all of you. Do you think that following this tentative schedule/plan will be effective for me?

Bit of information for you in case you need it:

I'm 20 years old, female, am 5'8", weigh 271.4 lbs and am trying to get down to about 120-125 lbs (I have tiny bones). I'd like to lose between 4-5 lbs a week for a good while, but I know that probably won't stick once I start getting down in size.

I, after many years of struggling with my weight, have finally decided to hunker down (or get up, haha) and lose some weight! I'm planning on joining Jenny Craig because I like the idea of having my meals ready-to-go all the time. My main issue is not having the time/being too lazy to cook for myself, so Jenny Craig it is. For now, anyway - I might switch over to something like Weight Watchers near the end of my weight-loss journey so I'm able to better adjust to eating healthily without prepackaged, portion-controlled meals being provided for me.

Along with Jenny Craig / Weight Watchers, I plan on exercising. I've heard a lot of good things about Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, so I was thinking about giving that a go and repeating the process until I reach my goal. I like that you don't need anything other than the DVDs (which I already have) and some cheap free weights. In addition to the 30 Day Shred, I was thinking of throwing in some cardio. Maybe some walking, biking or jogging for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 times a week depending on what I can handle off the bat and what I'm able to work up to.

And (let's hope), if all of this goes well, at the end of everything, I might even tack on a run through Tony Horton's P90X program for good measure.

Sooooooooooo, what do you guys think? Any input is much appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)

Replies

  • carysj
    carysj Posts: 22
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    Hi, welcome to the site. I've read through your post and it sounds like you've got everything planned out, good luck with your journey. There are a few things I'd consider before starting:

    1) If you go down the road of meal delivery are you confident that you won't be tempted to eat extras? I have a friend that did Diet Chef for a few months and she really stuck to it but its not suitable for everyone. She then moved onto cooking for herself but hired a personal trainer with the money saved. One of the best things about this site is the accountability you feel, if you know that you're going to have to update your diary everyday it makes you think twice about the extra snacks you may be tempted to have. The problem is that if you have a bad day(s) right at the beginning you may not want to log it and will drift away from this site. By committing to seeing a PT every few weeks you will have real life accountability and they can help motivate you and set goals.

    2) You already have the 30DS DVD- did you try it before and did it suit you? Is it worth starting with the gentler walking/biking/jogging to get you into a habit of regular workouts before jumping into a DVD where you may feel guilty if you don't stick with the schedule?

    3) I have no idea about P90X, sorry. Hope somebody else can advise on that.

    Anyway, good luck to you once again :)
  • sixfootaliw
    sixfootaliw Posts: 62
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    Hi There!

    I started at around 250lb and doing no exercise at all. I'm finding MFP is working well for me because of the accuontability I feel knowing my friends can see into my diary!

    One tip from me though is to find an exercise that you enjoy. 30DS and P90X are certainly popular and I am sure they are good, but unless you enjoy it you will struggle to stick with it. Maybe you'll love 30DS, I hope so, but for me fitness in front of the tv doesn't work.

    I get out and walk. I love being outdoors, it is easy and cheap and I can do as much or as little as I have time for. It's an exercise that works for me and that I can consistently stick to. So far so good anyway!

    Best of luck!
    Ali
  • phinphanbill26
    phinphanbill26 Posts: 574 Member
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    Welcome to the board. Keep in mind that this journey will require a lifestyle adjustment...not just a diet to get where you want to be. So, if you can make the commitment, we can help you make this happen.

    Best of luck!
  • MustBeTheRows
    MustBeTheRows Posts: 377 Member
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    I was going to say what I thought, but it's so much reading, and I'm so laz
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    It sounds like you have a good game plan but a couple of things concern me...
    I'd like to lose between 4-5 lbs a week for a good while, but I know that probably won't stick once I start getting down in size.

    That's a lot to lose per week, even when you have a lot to lose. Most people have an initial big weight drop in the first week or two then it levels off. Expect 1-2 pounds a week and be happy if it ends up being more than that. You don't want to start off with unrealistically high expectations because if it doesn't pan out you may get jaded and quit. Also, remember weight loss is NOT linear. You will not consistently lose every week. Some weeks you may lose nothing, then all of a sudden drop more pounds than usual. It is normal and you have to be mentally ready for those kind of fluctuations. Many people aren't, hence all of the panicked posts you'll see on MFP daily.
    Along with Jenny Craig / Weight Watchers, I plan on exercising. I've heard a lot of good things about Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, so I was thinking about giving that a go and repeating the process until I reach my goal. I like that you don't need anything other than the DVDs (which I already have) and some cheap free weights. In addition to the 30 Day Shred, I was thinking of throwing in some cardio. Maybe some walking, biking or jogging for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 times a week depending on what I can handle off the bat and what I'm able to work up to.

    Start slowly. I say this because if you go too gung ho out of the starting gate, you may find that much exercise unsustainable for the long haul and just give up. Baby steps are key for long term success. Build up to whatever exercise routine you can see yourself sustaining for the long haul.

    Lastly, welcome to MFP! It is a great place to learn and, quite honestly, commiserate with others who are going through exactly what you are going through. I intended to just use MFP as a calorie counter but ended up finding the message boards and support aspect of the site to be just as valuable.
  • Kaimana94
    Kaimana94 Posts: 165 Member
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    All I'm going to add is remember it is a life style change not just a diet. It is because of this site that I have lost 60 lbs and my goal now it to continue to eat right.. Good luck.
  • RilantheFirebug
    RilantheFirebug Posts: 207 Member
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    Welcome to MFP! Here are my thoughts -

    1. I'm 5'9 and my goal weight is between 160 - 150. I'm sturdily built, but are you sure 125 isn't too low for someone your height?

    2. A meal delivery service sounds good in theory, but are you planning to use it forever? What happens when you stop having meals delivered? A big part of my, and others, success has been learning about food and how to make healthy food at home. I've seen several people do meal delivery services, such as Nutrisystem, and then gain it all back when they get off the meals because they don't understand how to cook healthy for themselves. Also they tend to be very expensive.

    3. I'm with the others. Is there a gentler exercise you can think of to start? Walking, cycling, etc? Suddenly changing your diet and your fitness and adding a ton of new intense workouts (like P90x) might be too much too fast and you won't stick with it.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Props to you for formulating a plan, but unless you subscribe to Jenny Craig for the rest of your life, can you see yourself maintaining your weightloss? Being 'too lazy' to cook is never an excuse, because if you want something, you will work for it.
  • LeellenMack
    LeellenMack Posts: 141 Member
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    Like some of the others I am concerned that you expect to lose 4-5lbs a week, this likely will only happen the first week or two if at all. If you set your goals too high you will most likely crash and burn.
    If you want to start with JC that's a good way too start just make sure you are learning what the portion sizes are and why, then when you hit a certain goal, lower the number of JC meals you are eating and replace them with your own so that you are learning how to maintain this forever.
    I do the 30DS and like it (love is too strong when I want to die from it everyday), its short enough that I can make it through most of it and yet intense enough that I feel the benefits. I was considering adding more exercise as well but I won't maintain that forever so why start, I'll need to change it up and the other exercises will be used for that and as I lose I will need to add exercises to keep the same burn rate and I have room for that when it happens.
    There are a lot of great forums here to learn different ways and a lot of great people. Above all good luck, I too am 5'8" and small boned, I'm going for 150lbs only 97lbs to go (was 94 but gained 3lbs at my weigh in since I started exercising and gained water weight :-/)
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    ... the end of my weight-loss journey...

    ...at the end of everything...

    There is no "end"-except when you die. You need to change the way you eat & exercise forever-not just until some set point in time when you can "stop" eating better and exercising. That's a critical point for long-term success.

    As for the rest-you stumbled on mfp-which has awesome tools to help you learn to eat better & "properly" right now-and eating regular foods you can get at the grocery store. But lots of people have success with Jenny Craig or other ready-meal stuff, so give it a whirl if you want.

    Any exercise is better than no exercise. A load of people use dvd's and have had fantastic results. The most important thing is that they use those DVDs. Whatever exercise you chose-make it something you enjoy and something you can continue to do-be it DVDs, walking, etc. There is no "end"-so find something you can do for the long term-not just a 30 or 90 "round" and be "done".

    To echo a poster above-if you're ready to commit to changing your lifestyle-the mfp peeps will be behind you 100% every step of the way.
  • LeellenMack
    LeellenMack Posts: 141 Member
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    Forgot - feel free to send a friend request if you'd like :)
  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
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    Hi OP! Congrats on taking your weight and life into your own hands! You can add me if you like. I log in everyday and am active on my news feed =)
    Props to you for formulating a plan, but unless you subscribe to Jenny Craig for the rest of your life, can you see yourself maintaining your weightloss? Being 'too lazy' to cook is never an excuse, because if you want something, you will work for it.

    Once again, I totally agree with Iron Animal, although I am guilty of drinking meal replacement shakes on my very lazy days.

    Also, have you tasted on of those meals yet? Can you get a sample first to see if it's something you would enjoy eating for an extended period of time. Maybe I watch to much Food Network, but those meals just don't seem appealing at all. After a while, you MIGHT become tempted to binge on something comforting. Or not. Just throwing that out there.
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
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    I did nutrisystem -- great to have a system, lost all the weight I wanted, but as soon as I went off it, I gained all the weight back. It's a great jump start, but even more successful for the long term is a more sustainable plan that you can stick to. MFP has been super helpful for that. I've now lost the weight again -- without Nutrisystem -- and have added a ton of exercise. A word to that, though -- start out slow. If you dive right in and it's all too hard, then it will be too easy to not do it. Start exercise slowly and then build. I don't know about the 30 day shred, but P90X is SUPER hard, even if you're pretty fit. I'd stay away from that one for a long time until you know your body can do it. (And believe me, you'll know.)
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
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    Why don't you just start WW right away? It can get you in the groove of preparing your own meals and get you into the lifestyle of eating healthily. I'm very anti-jenny craig or any other prepared meals type of thing...it may work for a while but when you come off the weight may come back if you're not careful. You might as well start from the get go.

    Losing 4-5 lb is a lot but int he beginning your numbers will definitely be higher because you'll be losing water weight...don't get discouraged when those numbers drop.

    If you have never exercised before (sorry if you stated this--but I skimmed your story...I have the attention span of a goldfish) you should definitely start slow and start building your way up. Walk a lot, get this to an eventual jog, jump rope, incorporate weight training, etc.

    Good luck!
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Welcome to MFP,

    It sounds like you have a plan. Great!

    My experience is that a 4 -5 lb per week target is high. I suggest aiming for a 2 lb per week loss. Once you get going you will probably see some weeks with a 4 - 5 lbs/week loss. But, 2lbs/week is a target where the initial impact on your system will be more manageable. Thus less feeling "hungry" so less chance of getting frustrated and falling back into old habits.

    As for the food. It would not be my choice to join any "Diet Plan" food source. I thought about this when I started my journey. The examples provided present the notion that there are huge successes. And, I am certain that there are! However, these are in the end, businesses whose main concern are there sales & profits. Not your health. And, in my case, I needed to watch my sodium intake. So, just about every possible processed food combination was out of the question. Lastly, I thought about what I needed to do to live beyond any weight loss. My feelings were that instead of joining any program that provided meals or told me exactly what I needed to eat. I would muddle through on my own and work towards a way of life that I could "live" with once I had lost the weight.

    However you proceed.

    All the best on your journey!
  • Boomer1946
    Boomer1946 Posts: 124
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    God love you my child. Your excitement is refreshing however, losing more than couple of pounds a week isn't healthy. Pre packaged meals are a quick way to take off your weight BUT these programs are the best in the country at helping you to return to your former self quickly. As a veteran of the Nutrisystem plan, I can tell you that the weight comes off rapidly. I lost 90 lbs in 6 month, logging a loss every single week. Sometimes i would lose as much as 10 lbs in a week. When I finished the program Nutrisystem was able to help me quickly gain all the weight back plus add a few pounds to boot. These type programs teach you nothing about changing your eating habits.

    Changing the way that you look at food and acknowledging that you're making a lifestyle change is THE ONLY program world wide that will work for you.

    You must not LIVE TO EAT. Decide that you are only going to EAT TO LIVE. I hope that offering realistic information hasn't dampened your spirits. Unless you intend to buy and eat Jenny Craig foods, (and they would love that), until you are well into your 80's, you won't be able to keep the weight off. As far as taking it off quickly, remember how long it took you to put on this much weight. There is no quick fix.

    BTW, the ideas about exercise are good. Keep it up and friend me if you need support.

    Tom

    :smile:
  • kimfield99
    kimfield99 Posts: 22 Member
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    Echoing what has been said earlier - 4-5 lbs a week is probably not realistic. Shows like Biggest Loser make it feel like it is, but in the long run the slower you loose the more likely it is to stay off so 1-2 lbs. a week is a more logical expectation. I also agree that easing into exercise is important. If you have not yet talked with your doctor, I would talk to her/him to make sure you have an understanding of what you can manage starting out. He/She can also help you develop a realistic goal adn time frame. I am a very small frame as well and 5'6". At my lowest weight of 124 lbs. I was entirely too thin. As you loose pay attention to how you look and feel. You may find that you love the way you look at 135 lbs. - don't push so hard to get to the goal if you have already achieved it:)
  • Leslie85
    Leslie85 Posts: 265 Member
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    As far as eating goes, do what you think will work best for you. Even though I think making your own food is best, if you think having prepared meals is what will work for you, then I say go for it! I've been trying to encourage my mom to do NutriSystem or something like that because she hates to cook, so she NEVER cooks, and doesn't really know how to eat- so in that case, I think prepared meals might help her jump start her weight loss and maybe even teach her a little more about how to eat.

    As far as working out goes- I'm going to agree with most people on here. Have you done the 30DS yet? I'm in pretty decent shape, and the first time I did level 1 I thought I was going to throw up. I've worked up to it now, and can do all 3 levels, but you might want to start off walking or something a little more low impact. I would hate to see you start the 30DS and get discouraged and not do it anymore.
  • laurenbausch
    laurenbausch Posts: 146
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    Congratulations on taking your health into your own hands and becoming accountable! It's the hardest step to take. Just getting the courage to step on the dreaded scale takes a bit of gusto.

    I also am not a talented chef or particularly enjoy cooking, so I eat a lot of salads. No cooking there...I include fresh berries, carrots, onions, and all the veggies I can pile on. Frozen veggies are also great. Just pop them in the microwave. Eat more natural, whole foods, and the weight will fall off, and you will detoxify your system! Drink tons of water too. My skin glows now and I sleep better and awake energized.

    As for exercise I walk, bike and lift dumb bells for a good at home work out. I've bought 30 DS, but I didn't like it. I did however like belly dancing. It made me feel sexy and confident and gave a major leg and ab burn. House chores also burn calories! Do what you enjoy!

    Focus on the health benefits you are receiving and not the initial weight loss. This is hard for me too. My husband had to hide the scale from me until Monday. Now I can't wait to weigh in!
  • ShioriSan
    ShioriSan Posts: 11
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    Wow, wow! xD

    Thank you all for the fast and friendly replies, I have a feeling I'll love this site.

    For those of you concerned about my not being able to adjust after I'm finished with Jenny Craig - No, I don't plan to be on it for the rest of my life. I was on it for maybe a month or two a loooong while ago, and I didn't dislike the food. It was good, and it even seems like they have some more meals available now than they did when I was on it the first time. I just wasn't willing to put into it what I wanted to get out and dropped off the plan really quickly (but I did lose about 20 lbs while I was on it). And I know that I'd probably have a bit of trouble getting off it, so that's why I said I'd be switching to Weight Watchers eventually, a program that I think would help me adjust to cooking healthy food for myself.

    For those of you concerned about my exercise plan - Yep. Don't worry, I'm not planning to go from nothing to P90X over night, it's going to be a process. I'm planning on starting out with some nice cardio, just to get used to actually moving on a regular basis. Maybe walking my dog (she needs it as much as I do, if not more - I feel so bad that I haven't been walking her), and if that's too much, just walking her to the dog park and letting her run around! Haha. I'll eventually work up to getting into the 30 Day Shred, and once I'm comfortable with levels 1 and 2, I'll give level 3 a go and, in addition to the cardio, just repeat level 3 of the 30 Day Shred. And once I'm good with that, and down to maybe 150-160 lbs or so, I'll throw in a bit of P90X to give my muscles an extra boost. Once I can handle it, that is. I plan on working my way up through all of this over the time span of about a year, not a week or something like that. xD I'm pretty sure I'd die if I tried the 30 Day Shred and P90X tonight.

    And as far as weight loss goes, I don't plan on losing 4-5 lbs a week forever. Like I said, I only expect it to last for a little while - maybe a few weeks - then I'll be happy with 1-2, maybe 3 lbs a week. And I also know that I might not even lose some weeks, and that the losses might YoYo a bit. None one week, 4 the next, 1 after that, and maybe even gaining a lb or 2 now-and-then. Just as long as I don't spontaneously gain 10 lbs in a week, I'll be happy.

    Again, thank you for all of your replies! I hope you're all doing well and I wish you the best of luck on your journeys. :tongue:

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