Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Exercise tip: cancel the gym membership, buy a used exercise bike, put it in front of TV and ride for 30 minutes 5-6x a week. It's hard to get to the gym, but easy to pedal in front of TV. That eliminates excuses not to exercise.
For food stuff, drink nothing but water, learn to love vegetables and stir fries, avoid fast food and say goodbye to fried stuff and junk food. Cheese bad, ice cream worse. You'll lose.
By the way, I'm talking just as much to myself as I am to you!
I shoveled in the chow during the holidays and my stomach's resembling Santa's right now. I did go to the gym today, and will try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Healthy eating started up again now, too. But I enjoyed every morsel of that good holiday grub. No regrets.
Location: Chi-Town soon to be NYC and eventually Ireland
291 posts, read 1,075,290 times
Reputation: 371
Quote:
Originally Posted by meeks715
I need help and advice on eating habits, exercise suggestions, and some motivation. I am only five feet tall and weigh 169 pounds (31 yo). I am overweight and feel unhealthy and unattractive. I love eating junk and barely exercise. I even pay for a gym membership but NEVER go. I can't go to the gym after work because I have to pick up my daughter and she usually has tons of homework. I go home clean, cook, and help her with her homework... Bottom line, I am lazy and full of excuses. I am always tired and never motivated to wake up early and go for a jog/walk/run. I don't even think i could jog right now.
I would like some assistance with breakfast, lunch and dinner suggestions.
Also, what would be good exercise tips?
First off, congrats on your decision to change your lifestyle for the better! I'm certainly no expert, but if I were you, I would stop telling yourself negative things like "I am lazy and full of excuses." If that were true, you would not be holding down steady employment, picking up your daughter everyday, cooking, cleaning, and making your life run efficiently in so many other ways! You just need to transfer that sense of responsibility and duty to your health as well, and change your mind about what you can and cannot do.
This is such a chicken/egg thing- you feel tired because you're not in optimal health, so you resist doing the tough work of getting up and getting your body moving. When you start doing that, I promise, you WILL feel more energized, and it will seem a little less daunting every day.
If you're not comfortable working out in public, or if the weather is miserable where you live for much of the year (like where I am), I would suggest picking up a yoga or pilates DVD. It's such a nice introduction to fitness, because it's all about flexibility, and building strength. A wonderful side benefit is that yoga in particular makes you think long and hard about how you treat your body and what you put into it. After a few weeks of steady practice, you will WANT to treat your body better, because you'll be much more attuned to what *feels* good and healthy, so the urge to eat better will become stronger. For some intro cardio that can be done at home, pick up a jump rope! It's a great way to work up a sweat, it's super cheap, and can be done at home.
For food suggestions, get RID of the junk food- NOW! If you have it in your house, it will be a temptation, and it's not good for your family to have easy access to unhealthy foods. It doesn't mean that you can never have a treat again, it just means that when you decide that you want one, you will need to go out and purchase one. And you might find that the prospect of getting in the car to go out and buy cookies, cake, chips (whatever your weakness is) will be less appealing.
You also need to change your mind about what tastes good. I swear, it can be done. As you become accustomed to healthier food, sweet stuff will start to taste too sweet, salty stuff will start to taste too salty, greasy food will start to taste too greasy, etc.
Take your focus off of "I want to lose weight" and put it on "I want to eat nourishing, nutritious food so that I can be around for my family for many, many years to come." Don't count calories, don't obsess about carbs and fat grams, and all of that. Look at the whole picture. "Is what I'm about to eat feeding my body the kind of food that it requires to keep me in good health, with lots of energy?" There are some wonderful websites out there that break down the nutritional content of foods for you. This is one that I refer to ocassionally: The World's Healthiest Foods
Eat for color. You ideally want lots of green, purple, yellow, orange, etc. Look at the mediterranean diet, which is full of veggies, fresh fish, fruit, and a low amount of dairy products. Cut out soda- completely. Including diet soda, which brings with it a whole slew of other problems aside from the lower calories. Stay away from processed foods with artificial colors, additives, etc. Stay away from foods labeled "low fat" or "diet." Stay FAR away from anything with high fructose corn syrup. Fill up on high fiber foods first, they are nutritious and filling, so you will be less inclined to stuff yourself later.
If all of this is daunting, and you can't make it to the market all that often, see if Peapod (or any other grocery delivey service) delivers to your area, and schedule a weekly delivery so you have a constant supply of fresh fruits and veggies. They almost always have coupons online that cancel out the delivery fee. See if a neighbor wants to join you to reduce costs.
As for a sample menu, you have to see what you like to eat, and when in order to find something that works for you. Perhaps something like this"
Breakfast:
Coffee or green tea
oatmeal (2 packets if you're starving in the AM like me!)
orange or banana
or whole grain english muffin with peanut butter and sliced banana on top (yum!)
mid-morning snack
almonds or cashews (small handful)
piece of cheese (preferrably orangic)
handful of raisins
green tea
Lunch:
baby spinach salad with tuna, tomato, cucumber, feta cheese, and oil/vinegar dressing with a slice of whole grain bread or a cup of yogurt
or
whole grain sandwitch with grainy mustard, smoked turkey, 1 piece of cheese, and baby spinach or lettuce, and an apple or side of carrots and celery with plain yogurt for dipping
Dinner:
steamed peapods with salt, pepper, and lemon juice
poached salmon with BQ sauce
saffron rice with raisins or even hash browns cooked in a small amount of healthy oil.
or
brown rice with veggie (or lean chicken with veggie) stir-fry and a big green salad (I mean a *real* salad made with baby spinach or other nutritious greens, and lots of veggies- I load mine up with cucumber, tomato, yellow squash, cauliflower, green pepper, raisins, walnuts or almonds, hearts of palm, feta, etc)
Evening snack:
piece of cheese, with a handful or almonds, or
an apple with a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, or
fruit sorbet
Cut down carbohydrates. I reccomend an "Atkins type" diet. You need to eat fat/protein/carbs in that order. The only carbs you eat should come from vegtables and fruit. No sugar, bread, pasta, or rice. The results on this diet come QUICK! Best of all is due to the fat intake you feel full more often. Don't believe all the BS you have been brainwashed to believe that fat is bad for you. The only fat you should never eat is trans fat (partially hydrogenated oil). By eating unprocessed food you won't have to worry about it though.
Monounsaturated fat is the best fat (olive oil), followed by saturated fat (depending on the source), then some polyunsaturated fat (preferrably from walnuts/salmon).
Will power and inner strength are the most important aspects of dieting. Its your health, your body! You only got one. Do you wanna see grandchildren one day?
Walking is a good exercise. Are you able to walk or exercise. You said you don't but did not say why. Do you have small children or don't have a safe place to work. I just went shopping today and had to go down a dress size and the only thing I have really been doing is exercising daily. I haven't lost any weight but evidently I am gaining more muscle and losing fat.
I know a person who started walking a lot and the weight just started falling off. Is that a possibility for you?
I saw the diet above and I would gain weight on it and I am 5'4" so here is a more realistic diet for someone your height.
Breakfast: fruit and low fat fruit flavored yogurt--try to fine the Activia that has 110 calories
Lunch--Meat the size of a deck of cards
3 cups salad with 2 T. dressing of the lowest calories you like. I buy dressing at Olive Garden because it is the only dressing I like. Use spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, slaw mix, etc.
Fruit
(I sometimes substitute a can of Healthy choice chicken soup and then have a fruit later in the afternoon. It is good to keep your blood sugar up.)
Dinner--Chicken breast or choose another meat you like using the deck of cards rule.
Broccoli or another cup of cooked vegetable with 1 T. fat if desired. Butter buds would be better for seasoning or a slice of cheese.
fruit
I save bread until something is just not editable without it.
Nighttime snack is something about 150 calories such as 1/4 cup grape juice and diet ginger ale or a cup of mini carrots. Something you like that has food value. These snacks have a lot of sugar so they will help you get to sleep if eaten before bedtime.
I am not a professional diet person, so check with your doctor about this amount of food.
Calorie count for Breakfast is about 150.
Lunch is about 300
Dinner is about 300
Nighttime snack is about 150.
Never exceed 1200 calories per day.
You can do a search for Scarsdale Diet and do it if that works for you. I just don't like the foods he uses on a daily basis, so I prefer to choose my own.
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,309 posts, read 38,779,335 times
Reputation: 7185
Quote:
Originally Posted by meeks715
I need help and advice on eating habits, exercise suggestions, and some motivation. I am only five feet tall and weigh 169 pounds (31 yo). I am overweight and feel unhealthy and unattractive. I love eating junk and barely exercise. I even pay for a gym membership but NEVER go. I can't go to the gym after work because I have to pick up my daughter and she usually has tons of homework. I go home clean, cook, and help her with her homework... Bottom line, I am lazy and full of excuses. I am always tired and never motivated to wake up early and go for a jog/walk/run. I don't even think i could jog right now.
I would like some assistance with breakfast, lunch and dinner suggestions.
Also, what would be good exercise tips?
Probably the most important thing to change is your diet. You're actually teaching your daughter to be overweight later in life and I know you don't want to do that.
Have you thought about setting up an appointment with a nutritionist? He or she will be able to work with you and give you some great information about how often, how much and what you should be eating. It really helps to have a coach and a gameplan, and that's exactly what the nutritionist does.
Something that could free up a great deal of time in your life and ensure that you are always eating healthy meals would be to dedicate one or two afternoons (on weekends for example) to preparing a few days' worth of meals, refrigerate one or two and freeze the rest. In this manner you have taken care of the most important and time consuming daily ritual in weight loss: eating right.
You have about 45 pounds to lose. The first 20 will be pretty easy. Simply adjusting your diet will probably do it. You'll have to start an exercise program to get the rest (while maintaining your diet). If you are serious about getting healthy, you are going to have to change your lifestyle. There are no easy fixes here, this has to be a sweeping revision to the way you live.
Probably the most important thing to change is your diet. You're actually teaching your daughter to be overweight later in life and I know you don't want to do that.
Have you thought about setting up an appointment with a nutritionist? He or she will be able to work with you and give you some great information about how often, how much and what you should be eating. It really helps to have a coach and a gameplan, and that's exactly what the nutritionist does.
Something that could free up a great deal of time in your life and ensure that you are always eating healthy meals would be to dedicate one or two afternoons (on weekends for example) to preparing a few days' worth of meals, refrigerate one or two and freeze the rest. In this manner you have taken care of the most important and time consuming daily ritual in weight loss: eating right.
You have about 45 pounds to lose. The first 20 will be pretty easy. Simply adjusting your diet will probably do it. You'll have to start an exercise program to get the rest (while maintaining your diet). If you are serious about getting healthy, you are going to have to change your lifestyle. There are no easy fixes here, this has to be a sweeping revision to the way you live.
Awesome advice!!
The only thing I can add is that, as far as diet goes, you need to re-train your metabolism. Cut out carbonated drinks, red meat (only for the first 6-8 weeks then in moderation only), white/refined breads and any and all junk foods. Eat 5-6 times a day (small meals packed with protein). This, by itself, will retrain your metabolism to burn fat faster thus, allowing you to loose body fat. Working out is the other half of the equation....you can only go so far by doing one you have to incorporate both in order to achieve and maintain. Use that gym membership girl!!! Most gym memberships come with at least 1-2 training sessions....this, you should definitly take advantage of as a PT will be able to customize a workout plan for you based on where you are now and where you ultimatly want to be......they will work up a routine for you and show you proper form (which is soooooooo verry important).
Hello everyone, thank you for your support. I have been doing some small changes in the last couple days...taking the stairs instead of the elevator, drinking tons of water, and rethinking my food choices. Tomorrow might even be better. I look forward to advice and encouragement everyone is giving me. Thanks so much!
generally to loose body fat and pounds you need to burn more calories than you consume while being cautious of your DCI......go too low and you retain fat so restricting yourself isn't the way. R U looking to just burn fat or did you want to gain muscle and tone up? Advice would depend on your goals.
You don't. Its an underweight goal that is not suitable for your height.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm certainly no expert, but if I were you, I would stop telling yourself negative things like "I am lazy and full of excuses." If that were true, you would not be holding down steady employment, picking up your daughter everyday, cooking, cleaning, and making your life run efficiently in so many other ways! You just need to transfer that sense of responsibility and duty to your health as well, and change your mind about what you can and cannot do.
