Need a diet that REALLY works. (work out, recipes, protein, lose weight)

[blossom4792]

We have a freezer full of Lean Cuisine meals because, not only are they yummy, but there was a mega sale that made them $1.50/each, even the large ones (and the Stouffers large ones). I just can't say one way or another if they have helped with weight loss (I am on all of this migraine medicine which causes at least some weight gain so dieting only stabilizes my weight). I would consider three things: eat a lot of red apples. This gives you fiber and a feeling of fullness. Drink a lot of water. This of course flushes your system and gives you a feeling of fullness. Oh yes, be careful about alcohol. [As I take another sip of my chardonnay]. I think that is a huge culprit. But, I have to say that to a large degree it has always seemed out of my control - sometimes my body is just burning calories and other times it is storing. And I don't know why.

[newtoli]

No white flour, no salt, no potatoes, no corn, no butter, no margarine, no diet soda, no sugar of any kind.

For drinks? Green Tea w/ Stevia or Splenda. Water w/ lemon or lime.

Example:
Breakfast
Egg Whites w/ unlimited veg/herbs
Banana

Mid-morning
Apple

Lunch
4oz lean no sodium turkey or chix breast on salad (no dressing, plain balsamic vinegar ok)

Afternoon
Pear

Dinner
6 oz lean protein
3/4c Brown Rice
Unlimited veg

Lean Cuisine is HORRIBLE for your health, loaded with sodium and preservatives.

[BioAdoptMom3]

I know this is not what you want to hear, but DH and I joined a gym and go at least five days a week. Strength training really makes a difference in increasing your metabolism, to the point where you will burn calories even when you are doing nothing. It takes six to eight weeks of regular work outs to get to that point. We also are eating less, period. We eat what we want. We take the kids to McDonald's and we eat, but we get the smaller portions now. We take the kids to Pizza Hut and limit ourselves to two slices now. We eat ice-cream, but have only one scoop instead of the usual two or three we used to have. I have lost 30 pounds and he has lost 37. The best part is, we do not feel deprived at all and because of the work outs we feel healthier and less stressed.

Nancy

[kelly237]

My husband and I were where you are 3 months ago.
I had tried everything to get from 150 to 130 and nothing moved the
scale. My husband was 270 . He had done alot of Atkins which was hard to cook for and meant he ate different than the rest of the family.
We watched a show on Weight Watchers Core Diet and tried it.
What I like about it.
1) I felt better within 3 days..more energy
2) you never need to go hungry..just eat the core foods
3) the whole family eats the same ..heathy
4) it really works. he has lost 20/ me 10 so far
5) by following the list we are learning what to eat freely and what
to only eat in limited amounts...
6) no forbidden foods...just have to count/limit certain foods
7) I feel less that I am dieting and more that I am learning to eat
different.

There is a web site called "3 fat chicks on a diet" that has a ton of info
on different diets and forums for recipes and support.

ps..I would have lost more than 10 but I decide to just maintain during our vacation.

Good luck and keep us posted

ps.. I forgot to say that basically the plan is unlimited fruits,vegetables, lean meats, fish other protein, fat free dairy
and whole grains. Most other foods are on a limited basis.

[sgresident]

we are writing down our food choices along with calories. Not so much what we are expending in exercise, though. I seem to be stuck at the 10 pound range. I am having trouble incorporating an exercise plan and sticking with it. then, I seem to cave into the cravings! right now I would kill for some candy.

[rlbarth]

A couple of suggestions that are free . . .

There are several websites out there that calculate calories for food you are eating.

One is Fitday.com . . . you just have to put in the food you're eating and the amount and it spits back the number of calories. You can also input custom foods when you have the nutritional information from the side of a box.

Another site that actually offers meal plans is SparkPeople.com . . . this site is more community based in that you can chat with other people, track nutrition, track exercise, etc. I really like this site and have used it to lose weight in the past.

As others have said, the key is consuming fewer calories than you burn. The first key is knowing how many calories you're consuming in a day.

Hope this helps!

[dragonfly0428]

I've heard - but can't swear by it - that the easiest way to lose weight through diet/lifestyle change is to cut flour and sugar from your diet. I have to assume that sugar means refined sugar, not natural sugars found in fresh fruit. And flour is tough - no bread, pasta, crackers, breading, etc.

Has anyone ever tried this? What was the result? How long did you do it, or has it become a lifetime diet?

[puntin]

When I was first really trying to watch what I ate I used FitDay to track all my calories. It really helped me to learn how much I ate, and what real portion sizes are.

[SifuPhil]

I agree with most of what the posters have said here, but if you still want to use ephedra (and I'd urge great caution using it), you can get it at websites like this.

[jimboburnsy]

Adjusting your diet is absolutely necessary to lose weight and keep it off, but as some other posters have mentioned, permanent lifestyle change is required. The key is cardiovascular exercise. I know some people who have had success just counting calories, but that doesn't work for most people and certainly not for me.

Cardio, cardio, cardio, some sort of strength training and portion control will get your weight down and keep it there. You have to carve some cardio time out of your TV watching time (assuming you are like me) and you have to sustain a workout heart rate for at least an hour each day. I suggest that you and your husband also start doing push-ups every morning as follows: Do as many pushups as you can in 30 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, do as many pushups as you can in 30 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, then burn yourself out by doing push-ups until you are stuck to the floor. It takes about five minutes or less and involves a lot of muscle groups. You will notice a change in your shoulders quickly. If you are sore afterwards, think of it this way - that soreness is your muscles demanding resources from your food that would otherwise be stored in your legs and butt as fat. As far as cardio is concerned, take the dog for a briskly paced 1 hour walk, get a stationary bike and ride for an hour, swim for an hour, whatever you like to do and is available but it has to make you uncomfortable or you aren't helping yourself. The old adage "no pain, no gain" is exactly right. Don't kill yourself the first day, but push yourself. That discomfort is addictive if you stick with it. Eventually you will crave it.

If you don't increase the calories you burn, you will have to starve yourself to lose weight. Starving yourself causes your metabolism to adjust down and induces cravings for high-calorie foods. Don't do it. It's unsustainable. Don't take ephedrine either, it's extremely bad for you and appetite suppressants are counter-productive as you are really just starving yourself.

Don't eat fast food. Cook for yourself absolutely as much as you can. Your diet probably does not have to change drastically, but your portions do. Most people overeat egregiously. It's ok to feel full, but you need to feel full on good grains like quinoa and buckwheat, vegetables and high-fiber fruit. Cut your meat portions in half and make up the difference with grilled asparagus (which is really good tossed with olive oil and lightly salted and peppered) and quinoa with sauteed red onions and tomatoes.

Good luck and happy hunting.