stop eating would be a good place to start  : )

I disagree with the last person's comment. The last thing you want to do is stop eating. It's a common misconception that starving would lead to weight-loss, but starvation diets are a fast way to stall your weight loss progress, and maybe even send you on the road to gaining even more weight. Your body shuts down in starvation mode, conserving energy (making it very difficult to find the motivation to work out — a key to losing weight) and calories — out of panic, actually holding on to the very weight you're so desperately trying to shed! There's a host of info on this out there on the internet. Best way to lose weight is to count your calories, as the first responder mentioned, and then do what you can to modify your diet to swap fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean protien for whatever processed, carb-laden foods are making up the bulk of your diet right now. If you're a soda-drinker, just stop drinking it, and see how much you lose. Drink tons of water... more than 8 glasses a day. Then incorporate working out into your week... 30 minutes of vigorous walking, free weights at the gym, the treadmill, the elliptical, a high-intensity yoga class, hiking, dancing... there's tons to do. Good luck!

Don't be so hard on yourself and take it one day, one meal at a time. Like somebody else mentioned, there are tons of resources available on the internet to help with making healthier food choices.

Add in some daily exercise like walking, taking classes, find something you enjoy doing without thinking about how many calories you're burning. If you enjoy it, you'll keep doing it and that's most important. Also, I don't believe in placing external goals on physical appearance that I can't control (ie, losing 20 lbs. in 2 months) but making goals I can control (what I eat, how I exercise, etc.) because then it becomes a lifestyle change.

My two cents, good luck!

Dina

http://getexercised.com/

 

Be good to yourself..we as women have the tendency to be very harsh critics of our bodies...There is so much media hype on being skinny.

I would suggest you look at what got you to where you are in the first place. You mention not having regular meals, what is going on in your life that keeps you from being good to you? Eating well is treating yourself well.  Counting calories is such a drag!  It's not only what you eat, but more so what is your life like? Do you feel balanced? I noticed in your profile that you spend a lot of time making sure others are happy...do you spend that much time on your own happiness?

Remember nothing worthwhile happens over night..small steps to real change...

Do you have the support you need to reach your health goals?

 

janein

www.vidawellnesscounseling.com

Exercise,  go for a Walk everyday,  If your not use to exercise take it easy  at first and increase how far  you walk  everyday, and when I mean get your heart rate up, but not to much at you want it where you can still talk.  Don't go out and act like you have been doing this for years.  You be the judge.  You know your body better than anyone listen to it.  Drink lots of water to help flush out toxins and to keep you hydrated.  Eat good healthy foods, lots of veg and fruit.  Weight Watcher works they also offer support and you just might find out like I did that you actually need to eat more to lose weight.  Maybe your metabolism is slow from not eating enough and lack of exercise.  You might also think about doing a cleanse.  If you have never done one before I would start with a first timers cleanse that is for only 2 weeks not a month.  Go to your nearest health food store and ask  your I can tell you what brand I use.  This really helps things along.

 

Good Luck!!

 

Jillebean1119

Your Health, Your Life, Your Future!!

www.LiveTotalWellness.com/JillE

I have been dieting since I was in middle school. Right after you hit that puberty stage it seems as if everything around you starts screaming that food is the enemy. Thats when I started noticing food.... and craving food... and oh my gosh i have to eat all of that right now because i'm going on a diet tomorrow and i'll never have it again. Its also when you start comparing your body to other people's. Its around this stage I started gaining weight. Go figure. Dieting made me overweight. Now I'm in college (ok not that far away from middle school - i'm still a two year old trying to figure this whole life thing out) and I've come to some realizations. Just recently I started losing weight and getting the body I wanted. Here are some things that helped me. It is all stuff you have heard before but it actually does kinda make sense:

 1. Think in positives. Love your body how it is right now. Sounds lame but its so true. When you start loving your body and becoming patient with yourself it starts loving you back. This is when you can finally work together and change for the better. when you try to control your body or put yourself down or deny it of things. Well... it gets pissed off. Instead of thinking "I can't eat that its fattening" ... think "I'm choosing to refrain from eating this and choosing to put something more wholesome and healthy in my body so my body will love me."

2. Think about the ingredients. As with most things in life... The closest it is to its natural form the better it is. Overly processed foods are missing a lot of the key life forces and nutrients that bring you wellness. I suggest reading up on raw diets. I'm not necessarily raw but it has radically changed how I think about my eating habits. You can read the labels for the calorie content... etc. but you can also read it for the ingredients and try to pick things with ingredients you can pronounce. I've also found Vegan literature to be very informative. you don't have to be vegan or raw or want to be vegan or raw to get something out of reading up on it.

 

3. Pick up some kind of exercise regimen. It doesn't have to be rigorous.  Starting off with something super hard or rigorous can just make you cranky. Try something gentle like Yoga. Yoga was my choice. It made me more connected with my body which made me more aware of what I was putting into my body and how I treat my body. And its an activity that grows with you. You can always challenge yourself more or modify to fit your needs. Or you can park far away in the parking lots. Just those few extra steps help. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Go walking with a friend or volunteer to walk dogs at a pet rescue (this is a mood lifter as well !) (that is if you like dogs). 

 

4. DRINK WATER. I know you've heard it a million times but its true. I lost 4 or 5 pounds alone by just drinking enough water and giving up soda. (Soda is bad for you. Everyone knows it. You know it.  Diet is worse than regular. Again. Everyone knows it. We let the media trick us into drinking it but its not good. At least try and limit them). If you can't drink water alone try fresh juices and green tea. If you are a coffee junkie drink more water to make up for it. And switch to lower calorie drinks... cappuccino and latte have less calories than say mochas... plain is obviously preferred. 

 

5. I like guided meditations. Its a good motivator for when you feel poopy and run down or need to focus. you can find free ones on itunes podcasts. Or go to mythoughtcoach.com and try some by Stin. i think they are great. Because when you have good thoughts its easier to make good changes.

 

6. Don't listen to any of us. Or do. It doesn't matter. This is about you and your body and what you want. If something doesn't feel right make changes until you find what makes you feel comfortable. One of my yoga teachers always tells us to find the right comfort level "you should feel challenged but sucessfull". You are not being punished. This is a choice to grow and become healthier and happier and more comfortable.  

 

I hope this helps some.

 

:)  

 

 

See if there are low cost or free workout classes in your town/city Parks and Recreation. There are small grants that certain areas are given for weight training and healthy eating classes that are at low or no cost to you. I tried one 5 years ago and am now hooked on Yoga and Pilates. They also had a cross training class with low impact aerobics and weights to build strength. Just getting out with others will make you feel amazing and progress even if it is slow will be worth it. Start small and you'll lose big (burdens that you carry around) !

freechild13's #6 is sooooo right. I too have been on the weight roller coaster since middle school. It's not easy being 5 foot! As far as a scale goes, get rid of it! I haven't owned a scale for about 20 years, since my 1st son was born. I find a scale rules my life. If I gain a half a pound I feel defeated, not taking into consideration the time of the month, how much celery I may have eaten-even my homemade spaghetti sauce will cause water retention-- or the fact that an extra 2 workouts a week may have built muscle which weighs more that fat (at least that's what my boys try to tell me.)

I'm a computer designer/illustrator and I love being busy with my work, but the down side is being trapped seated at a desk, sometimes 16 hours a day! I've recently forced myself to set a schedule for work, which, since I'm my own boss, I can do. This also has it's down side, given my bent toward total absorption in my work, I have to set a timer to remind me to break. During my lunchbeak in good weather I do some of my yard work to be sure to get Vitamin D and movement in. I take stairs wherever I can and park as far as I can from entrances for the extra exercise.

Don't give up eating. Everyone that tells you about your metabolism slowing and your body going into starvation mode is on the right track. I recently had a doctor tell me the same thing and that I should try adding100 calories (healthy whole foods) to my diet gradually till I was eating at least 1200 calories a day. My average is between 500 and 750. Up until 2 years ago, I was running 2 miles at least 5 days a week and doing a thirty minute Tai Bo workout. I had to stop briefly for minor surgery and haven't been able to return to that level since. I developed unexplained pain and was eventually diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I've been trying to return to regular exercise and recently joined a gym which has a "Bodyflow" class which is a combo of TaiChi, Yoga and Pilates.

Since I had increased stress level the last few months my pain level increased again and all things considered I'm glad to have gotten out of bed. The gym became a chore---too much pain to go ---duh! --- the pain was what caused me to join in the first place, but my brain was playing tricks. Due to the intensity of the pain, I was given a shot of Prednisone because my family dr didn't know what else to do(NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!) and blew up an additional 20lbs. in 2 weeks which I learned during a follow up dr's visit. I knew I was blowing up, glad I didn't know to what extent, I would have camped out on a scale if I owned one. Don't ya just hate when they tell you not to worry, it's just fluid retention and it will go away in 6 weeks or so!?! Since I don't use a scale I rely on how I feel and how my clothes fit. If they're tight, I'm cranky because it means I'm putting on weight or I need to workout more because my muscle tone is falling by the "weigh-side". The Prednisone doesn't help with the crankies either, especially when this is not my usual demeanor. Boy do I understand the beached whale feeling.

Something I find that works great to regulate a toxic internal system is to mix 2 T. of pure cranberry juice concentrate (unsweeten, comes in a bottle from various distributors, be sure to refrigerate after you open it) with 2T. ground flax seed in a juice glass of cold water and drink this 1st thing in the morning. Then in 15 minutes make a cup of warm water and add the juice of half a lemon (or whole) . I found this to be a help with my skin, nails and hair texture as well. Since I was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism about the same time as the fibromyalgia, I haven't returned to this morning ritual. I'm not to have anything to eat or drink for an hour after the synthroid in the morning. My doctor wasn't certain how drinking this 1st thing would work given that calcium and Vit. C are to be avoided for at least an hour following the synthroid.

All things considered, you know what makes you tick. Be true to yourself, eat a healthy, well rounded diet, do what you enjoy for exercise or you'll see it as punishment. Find something that will take your focus off of your "challenge", the less you actuallyt think about it the more free you'll be then fill this space with something positive.

Oh yeah, lastly, my most guilty area, DRINK LOTS OF WATER! The best kept secret : )

Blessing~Kim

Hi Debora,

I think it's great that you want to lose weight and get healthy. 

You don't mention what your diet consists of, but like the others have already said, cutting out the calorie laden junk is the most important issue to deal with first.

Overeating at each meal can totally overload the body with calories, making the liver work extra hard to eliminate all the sugar and fats from your food.

When I used to live with my parents, I ate huge meals which left me bloated and feeling sick, as the ethic in our house was to 'clear your plate'. Once I moved out, my diet changed and I lost about 10lbs in a few months. I cut out high calorie desserts and biscuits, replacing them with fruit and eating little and often.

By eating smaller amounts frequently, your metabolism will be far more regulated, and prevent your body from storing up fats incase you starve it again!

Also, moderate exercise is great. Instead of getting in the car or on a bus, walk some of your journey. Walking is great for stamina, as it increases your heart rate and improves your circulation too.

Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, replacing coffee/soda/beer whatever, to flush your system out. Your skin will improve and you will have more energy.

Fruit and vegetables should make up a large amount of your diet, but also replacing refined products like white rice with brown rice and reducing bread consumption will help. Fiber will also help clear your system of toxins, but don't overdo it!

If you are a meat eater, try and choose lean meats such as turkey which will provide you with a great source of protein and B vitamins. If you want a meatless alternative, try tofu for protein, which can be eaten in stir fries and stews. Beans and pulses are good protein providers, and there are many types available which can be added to your meals in small amounts. You will have to work up gradually to eating them in bigger quantities otherwise they will cause bloating. Some of my favorites are black eyed beans, chickpeas and kidney beans.

Also give yourself treats from time to time, and enjoy eating your food. I like dark chocolate which has fewer calories than milk chocolate, and it's difficult to eat too much in one sitting, as it's so rich! 

Don't think of yourself as being 'on a diet'. It's a gradual lifestyle change, which if done slowly, should be enjoyable and stay with you in the future.

Good luck, and  happy eating!

I find that when people give out diet/food/health/fitness advice, it usually tells you more about who they are than it tells you about diet, food, etc. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just interesting.

I suggest going vegan, so I'm sure that communicates something about me.

While weight loss is not the best reason to omit animal flesh and secretions from your diet, you can lose 5-10 pounds in a few weeks just by cutting out certain foods, and you don't have to get off the couch.

I've never understood the value of counting calories, carbs, points, fat grams, or whatever the fad is. Just eat good food, real food, however you can. 

In my experience:  

Cutting out dairy products, you can lose 2-3 pounds a week (including anything white you put in your coffee).

Cut out meat = 1-2 pounds a week. If you can cut back to even once a week, you will feel a difference.

Cut out sugar and artificial sweeteners = more or less depending on your consumption. If you already drink a lot of water, you probably aren't hooked on soda, which is the downfall of many people. Someone I know cut out her usual two sodas a day, and did nothing else, and lost three pounds in just the first week.

A glass of wine in the evening helps stop the munchies if that's a problem for you.

Taking a handful of vitamins every day makes you feel like you're doing something incredibly positive for yourself, even if there's no correlation in weight.

When your diet isn't based on meat or dairy, you're going to eat more plants - veggies, fruits, grains, beans, all those things your body is literally dying for. 

And all this is especially helpful if you're not into getting cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, etc.

Try pcrm.org (Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine) for some excellent guidelines on what to eat and why.

Sorry this post isn't the most literate or thorough - it's late and I wanted to get it out there. 

Best,

Ev