question to those who were formerly 200+ pounds

[dalesgirl]

How did you lose the weight?

 

My major hurtle is that I lack self discipline. I don't have access to a gym nor do I have any equipment at home. I know I eat all the wrong foods, but I really don't eat much of anything. Everything I eat is high in calories though. I only have access to what is brought into the house which is normally cheap, quick-fix type things. I want to lose 100 pounds and keep it off. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[YellowLioness]

Also, walk for like 20 minutes in the evening time.

 

Drink only water.

 

Snack on fruit (its cheaper then buying tons of candy bars, anyway)

[Fayebelle]

Eat very slowly- it takes your brain 20 min to recognize when your stomach is full- Do you know how much extra crap we consume in those 20 min?!

[tattoomytoe]

not that i am condoning developing an eating disorder, but it sure did shed those pounds!

 

the last i remember weighing was 240-255 when i was 16, i am 5'8 and a half.

 

But i think i was fat because of an eating disorder too, compusive over eating, plus we do a lot of emotional feeding in my family. then at 16 i started cutting out foods, and was soon eating Deskinned grapes, cause the skins freaked me out. of course at 90 pounds and starving, i was super neurotic, would not touch foods, for fear of caloric osmosis, or use chap stick. I was 18 by this time.

 

after a year in the hospital, numerous years of therapy....i am still bulimic, but not so much anorexic anymore.

 

i am 25 and weigh about 150.

 

The Moral BE CAREFUL!!!!

[goodnbad]

dalesgirl, your diet is partly to blame. You don't have to eat a lot of food to gain weight if what you are eating is high calorie. I eat pretty much every hour and a half or so, and still lost 85 pounds. It is WHAT you are eating, not how much, that matters.

 

If you are not responsible for the food that is in the house, it is possible to suggest some lower-cal ideas? Even if you only get some frozen veggies or something like that to start with, it would help. You could start out by eating those veggies first, to help fill you up so you won't feel so hungry when eating the 'bad' foods. I also go by that 20-minute rule. After you have had one serving, wait for 20 minutes beore deciding if you really want more.

 

When you do have seconds, be sure that the seconds are only of the lower-fat choices. So no seconds on fatty/sugary foods, only healthy veggies and the like.

 

You don't need to have a gym membership to lose weight. Nor do you need a lot of equipment at home (although something cheap like a set of hand-weights would be a bonus). You can always just walk, like someone said. I would say, start out at 10 minutes per day, very easy to do, at an easy pace. Each week, add a few minutes to your walking until you can go for 30 minutes. Then start picking up the pace. You can easily burn 300 calories in 30 minutes if you get your heart-rate up.

 

The self-discipline, well, that is something that has to come from within. No one can give it to you. Maybe if you start by making a deal with yourself though. Tell yourself, "I can't do *this* until I get my walk in today." *This* can be whatever you like.....watching your favourite tv show, going on the computer, having a snooze."

 

Losing weight is not easy, though, I gotta be honest about that. It takes a commitment. There are quick fixes, sure, but they aren't permanent ones. Your best route is to lose weight slowly and sensibly, IMO.

 

Like tattoomytoe, I also would not recommend any 'eating disorder'-type fixes. Been there, done that, and that kind of cure is worse than the original problem. Once you have an eating disorder, it is with you for life. You may be in recovery if youget lucky, but you will always battle those ED demons throught your life. Please don't go that route. You can't turn it back.

 

Take care and best of luck!

 

goodnbad

[dalesgirl]

Is it better to walk in the evenings or mornings before breakfast? I started walking a mile a day, but I've been doing it when I get up in the mornings. I've been thinking about doing it twice a day, once in the mornings and again in the evenings. Would it be better to do that or all at once either in the morning or evening? Does anyone really know??

 

According to the website I've been using to calculate my calorie intake and burned, I'm doing good with cutting down on the cals. Just wish my BF was around more cause I've noticed I eat when I want sex. Is anyone else like this?? Sorry, that was probably TMI, but it's true.

 

I am going to try to stick to this and not get depressed when it doesn't work out right away. Two pounds a week should be feesable right? Not that I have a scale right now to keep track. I'm avoiding getting one so I don't get too depressed if my expectations aren't met.

 

Thank you all for your help and support.

[Leikela]

Congrats to you on taking steps to change your life for the better!

 

As for when to walk, it's better to walk in the morning before you eat breakfast because you'll be burning stored fat. When you eat during the day and then exercise, you're just burning off the calories you already ate for the day. However, if you want to walk both times, that's great too!

 

Let us know how you progress!

[flannelpajamas]

Hey dalesgirl, I struggle with my weight too. I just wanted to tell you to check out a site called normaleating.com . It's pretty good. Keep up the good work.

[goodnbad]

----"Is it better to walk in the evenings or mornings before breakfast? I've been thinking about doing it twice a day, once in the mornings and again in the evenings. Would it be better to do that or all at once either in the morning or evening?"----

 

It all works out the same in the end. What you eat during that day takes quite a few hours to get through your system, so whether you eat before makes no difference in this sense. But some people exercise better on an almost empty stomach, or with a small energy-inducing snack. Either way you are burning X amount of calories.....whether your body pulls them from fat just stored or not. It's the burning that counts.

 

Some people say that their metabolism is faster during a certain part of the day, but I think that the difference would be small. Whatever way keeps you motivated to walk is what is best for you.

 

I usually do my run (which started out as slow walking a year ago) in the early morning because I found that if I put it off, sometimes I would get too busy or tired to do it later as planned. Whether you do it all at once or split up makes no big difference, unless you are working towards some major endurance stuff, in which case being able to go long periods non-stop would matter more. Starting out, I would say, no big diff.

 

----"I've noticed I eat when I want sex. Is anyone else like this??"----

 

Never heard of that one, but I would guess that maybe you are missing the closeness and companionship of sex, and that in this case, you are eating out of boredom.

 

----"I am going to try to stick to this and not get depressed when it doesn't work out right away. Two pounds a week should be feesable right?"----

 

Yes, don't get obssessed over losing too quickly, it is not safe and probably not permanent. Better to lose a pound or two a week, but sometimes your body is funny, you will get weeks where you might lose more.....and some where you will lose less. I always considered those non-loss weeks my 'shifting' weeks. I might not have lost weight, but felt as if my remaining weight was rearranging on my frame due to previous weight-loss. I did feel as if my center of gravity was changing on those weeks---or maybe it was just my mind tricking me, but it did make me feel more content with it.

 

I would say that if you are losing more than 3 pounds per week, it is too fast. Don't be telling yourself that you MUST lose 2 pounds a week, you will be disappointed. And don't set yourself a date that you must lose by. Things could come up that set you back and it will make you feel you've blown it. Just tell yourself you will add a little health into your daily routine, and see where it takes you.

 

Oh, and if you have a meal where you've overdone it, don't throw in the towel. One slip doesn't add pounds to your body. I've had days where I overate and actually lost weight....and also days where I was extra good and gained weight. The human body is a funny thing!

 

Good luck!

 

goodnbad

[dalesgirl]

Thank you all.

 

I was doing good with my walking every morning until one day my shin cramped up something aweful. Ever since then I haven't been able to make it around the (1.35 mile) block without pain. So I tried rollerblading. So far this seems to work out alright, and burns more cals.

 

I do have one question though. I've cut back to a below 2000 cal diet. It's been averaging about 1800 cals over the past two weeks. I've been buring an average of about 2300. I don't feel hungry after I eat or anything and I do eat when I feel hungry. Thing is, if I do anything (even showering) my body starts getting all weak and shaky, but not feeling hungry. I don't eat much junk food. Haven't had many sweets in a long while ('cept I just can't quite cut out the cokes though I have cut down a LOT). Is this a normal hurtle that I just need to get through?

[goodnbad]

dalesgirl, you can't walk because of shin pain, but roller-blading is okay? That is very strange. My thoughts would be that roller blading would actually be harder on your legs. But I suppose everyone is different.

 

As for the walking though....perhaps if you did some specialized stretching exercises beforehand? If you want to resume walking, that is. The shin problem sounds like a muscle cramp. At a 2300 cal burn a week, that would be a little over 300 cals per day=approx. half hour of exercise. Maybe you are just pushing yourself to do too much too soon.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about the showering and shaky feeling. Do you mean that you get shaky during those times that you haven't eaten lately? That might mean low blood sugar levels.

 

Anyhow, you should try to eat something every 2 or 3 hours, if only a little bit, to keep your blood sugars level. IMO, it is the healthiest way to go. It will also counter any problem you may find in the future in regards to wanting to eat too much (something you obviously are not experiencing yet).

 

If you are drinking cokes every day, you have not cut out sweets at all. Colas are full of sugar. Could you maybe try diet cola? Maybe even if you just had a diet one every other time, that would be a good change.

 

I personally don't subscribe to the idea that a person must cut out all sugars. From what I can see, most people I know that have done that end up binging on it eventually. I've found that I can make out just fine as long as my sugar use is moderate and not excessive. Really, overindulgence on anything is what makes or breaks your plan.

 

Wishing you the best of luck, dalesgirl. Sounds like you are doing a fantastic job!

 

goodnbad

[katie79]

...are you eating? Pls don't take this the wrong way, but when I was heavy, I didn't think I ate that much either. Then I lost weight, kept most of it off, and realized I ate quite a lot.

At most, you might have hypothyriodism. THis is a disfunctional problem w/your thyriod gland not producing enough T4, which helps your body burn the calories correctly. If this was the case, you would be at most 10-15lbs overweight, eating and exercising normally. I thought I had this and looked into it deeply. Doc's told me even with no thyriod a person could waste away if they wanted to. However, it also makes it much harder for you to lose weight. But there is a cure for it. Get tested, if you have it, they give a small pill to take everday of your life. It's made of hormones to help the thyriod produce more T4 so the metabolism speeds up. It's very effective. Many people get very skinny after being on it a while.

There are some of us, like me, who have to work hard at staying normal/near normal weight. Some have it easy and consume more than us and stay a size 2. Deal with it and accept it.

Before you begin a diet, investigate WHY you tend to overeat and turn away from normal exercise. Maybe you are depressed about something latent. This is your first step to conquer and it's harder than losing weight physically. Work on this and solve your emotional problem.

You next step is to work on getting your body healthy again. Cut out the soda (diet too!), the whole milk (reduced fat is the best, 1%), the fried foods, pay attention to your portion size (use the back of the nutrition panel for a guidline), and get on a treadmill. If you can't afford exercise equipment, go for a walk around your block or buy exercise dvd's and do it 3X a week (take it easy). Continue this and you will lose weight. No, you don't need the atkin's diet. Just pick healthy meals and not too many.

[Papillon]

Here's what you do:

 

Firstly, stay away from fast food, at all costs. Not only are you gonna lose weight, your purse is going to gain weight.

 

Secondly, empty your fridge and switch it off. You don't need it. Not even for milk. The fridge is a calorie bank vault, which you can open at will. If it's empty, there's no calorie currency to splurge on.

 

Fill up your larder with things like pasta (lots of it) and tuna and sardines, wholewheat rice, lots of freeze-dried herbs, spices, herbs, noodles, soya mince, etc.

 

Only make food when you're hungry, and then only make a little bit. Force yourself to make just a little. Don't tell yourself I'll leave some over for tomorrows lunch, because you're not going to. You're going to eat it all. Trust me. Only make enough for one portion.

 

Lastly, get a bicycle, a good road-type MTB with a comfortable seat. Go cycling every day. The pounds will peel off and stay off.

[goodnbad]

katie is right, sometimes (heck, MOST of the time) people are eating way more calorie-wise, than they think. Which reminds me of one of the most helpful tips I was ever given and probably THE most enlightening:

 

Keep a food diary.

 

I was so shocked to realize just how many calories per day I was putting into my body. No wonder I was gaining weight.

 

Keep a diary for a month, just writing down what you eat and in what amounts. During this month, also get informed about calories, how many you need, what at your weight you ARE consuming, and get a nice big book on calorie counting.

 

READ EVERY LABEL on the foods you are eating. Food companies are the biggest sneaks I've ever seen. They are legally required to report on the calories in most foods, but they often make those labels very misleading. For example, on a bag of chips...they count portions in ounces.....get a food scale and see just how little an ounce of potato chips is. If I were to eat the whole bag, which I could have easily done in those days, I would have eaten pretty much my whole calorie requirement for the entire day. Verrrrry sneaky, those companies.

 

At the end of the month, figure out just how many calories per day you are consuming. But make sure you are sitting down first. You will probably be as amazed as I was.

 

Being informed is the first step to eating healthier. Go for it!

 

goodnbad

[Haunani]

Yes, journal journal journal, not only your food that you consume, but how you are feeling about it. Moods, what you eat or not eating that makes you mad. Learn what your body needs to just function in a day. Losing weight slow over a period of time is the best, 1-2 lbs a week. Its a lifetime journey, not just a diet. Be informed on the foods. Yes, and count everything. Mindless eating, especially when you think it's *healthy* stuff add up.

 

Choose your foods wisely;

 

Would you rather fill yourself up with a nice fat free tortilla wrap with turkey breast and cheese and tons of veggies and a nice tall glass of cold water - approx. 250-300 cals.......

 

or with 2 oz. Pringles - (22 chips) same amount of calories, but your still hungry.

 

Eat in moderation - WATCH your portions, when they say 3 oz. chicken breast, they mean just one about the size of a deck of cards. And if you were like me, I could easily polish off 3 of those - that went my allotment for the day.

 

And if you fall of the *diet*, get back on and dust if off, and keep doing the same thing day after day after day, until you *get it*. And it becomes part of your daily routine.........

 

and you will...........

[ktrout]

My pet peeve about excercise:

 

Don't automatically assume excercise means going to a gym or walking a mile a day. Choose something that you will want to do because it will be fun for you. It has to be something that you will want to do for the fun of it and, strictly as a side-benefit, it will burn calories and help you lose weight.

 

The trouble with most people who "work out" (a term I loathe) is they treat it as such a chore, a thing to dread, endure, struggle through ... something that obviously only masochists enjoy.

 

It won't be easy to find what activity it is that will be ideal for you, but I consider it essential for anyone who wants to get on a regular excercise program for life.