http://www.everypony.com/blogs/entry.php?371-Weight-Loss-Easier-than-you-think Posting because it's relevant. Not my story, a friend of mine! To all who's going for it here, good luck and keep motivated! I should really start to work out and get this extra flab off...
I missed being on the site when I didn't have computer access- I haven't met a single mean person on here. I've been doing alot of walking, more than I usually do so I know that's helped, plus it's low impact so it's not going to cause my health to take a downward spiral. I cut down on my 3x a day workout like I was originally doing when I started having pain in my back. My doctors know I'm obsessive (part of my charm I suppose) and they sent me to pulmonary rehab where I could work out in a safe environment for my lung problems instead of unsupervised and excessively as I was doing. I also started doing petite person diet, since I'm a short girl (4' 11") and that has helped alot. Reducing calorie intake for a petite body is way more helpful. I've also cut out alot of calories from drinks; chai, coffee, frappe, smoothies. I think I've made good progress and it's so great to hear how many others have made such wonderful progress too. It's nice to have support from good people.
Thanks. I missed being on. I was walking to the library nearby to use the internet for awhile but then they changed systems and it wouldn't load Everypony *sigh* I'm just glad everyone has worked so hard on weight loss.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/ There's a fantastic calorie counter and weight tracker on here. I use it everyday and it's surprising to realize how many calories you've consumed if your not keeping track. I think that was a big shock to me when I did one day several months ago of eating whatever I wanted and then journaling it later in my log only to realize I was eating alot of crude. I'm really proud of my mother though, she's lost about 30lbs these past couple of months by eating smaller portions every couple of hours and staying away from the junk food.
I would advise you to condense those three posts into one for future reference. c: Congrats on the weight loss!
Great resource! Thanks for the link. And yes, food journaling can be a VERY eye-opening experience. Also, congrats on the weight loss. I've struggled with weight issues my entire life. Some things I've learned. Forgive me if I sound like a corny self-help book. - It isn't about weight loss. It shouldn't be, anyhow. Weight loss can be achieved through both healthy and unhealthy means, and an unhealthy obsession with losing weight can be worse than simply being obese. The key is to live healthier. Loss of excessive weight is a by-product of this process. It is important to orient yourself toward a healthy living mindset, as opposed to a weight loss mindset, because once you inevitably stop losing as much or, god forbid, gain back a few pounds, it can be very easy to become discouraged and fall back into old habits. I speak from experience. Years and years of experience. The mindset you adopt is incredibly important. - Make small changes, and don't continue making changes in your lifestyle until you've comfortably integrated the previous change into your daily lifestyle. Too many changes too quickly will send you back to the ice-cream and ho-hos in no time. - Keeping your metabolism up is important. Eat smaller meals more often, and make a point to eventually cut out the midnight snacks altogether. - The ultimate goal of healthier living is to establish a set of new habits. It is more important to make exercise, especially, a regular, daily habit than it is to continually challenge yourself by running longer or doing more push-ups in one sitting and risk burning yourself out. - There is a role for spirituality in this process, too. If you're religious, you can seek guidance from scripture and use God as a confidante. You might also find a supporting church community to help you. If you're an atheist or agnostic, like me, then you can learn meditation and learn how to change your internal narrative so that it is supportive. The primary thing is to remember that you are a worthwhile human being at any weight. There is no more potent tool for discouraging someone from the path of healthy living than fat-shaming them. - Cut out sugary beverages altogether, if you can. Water, water, water. Teas and zero-calorie water flavorings like Mio are a good way to break the monotony at times, but the majority of your fluid intake should be plain old H2O.
If you're addressing me, I'm a guy, not a girl. xD Might as well update while I'm at it. I'm 300 lbs now. :3 And congrats on your weight loss!
Back from my athletic days, I was very, very into rollerblading, biking, and swimming. Those don't build muscle so much as tone you and endow you with endurance, though. However, a 'fat' person that exercises is far healthier than a skinny person who doesn't. I still believe the trick at the core revolves around your diet. When I'm at work and my boss has money to spend, we usually end up with fast food. I've gotten into the habit of skipping cheese (on top of not eating mayonnaise), and typically passing on fries (or going light on the salt if I do eat them). Though, I still indulge myself quite often, I go home and eat a sandwich on wheat bread with no condiments, or something of the like for dinner. Other things like snacking on carrots, or trying to eat a healthier cereal choice for breakfast like generic Raisin Bran usually helps balance what I eat. (Most sugary cereals today are bloody awful anyway.) I also mix in canned fruits like peaches from time to time, but I don't drink the "heavy syrup" that comes with it. Edit: How could I forget drinking water? Probably cause I never drink it by itself... I drink a lot of Luzianne tea (since my uncle likes it), as I cannot stand something without flavor (save for the ever-expensive Fiji Water). The entire, large pitcher we have is made with only 1 cup of sugar (usually slightly less). Gatorade is great for exercising, as it was designed specifically for replenishing you. That's why it's also great for hangovers and most athletes drink it aside from being sponsored. I can't speak for Powerade, though.
No, I didn't mean you. But congrats to you as well. Good job on your hard work. It's amazing how fast the weight can come on when you don't pay attention- that's my problem.
My biggest issue has been cutting out cereal. I eat alot of cheerios and special k, but eating to much of that still makes you fat. To stop myself eating when I'm bored, I haven't been keeping food in the house and when I want something to eat, I have to walk a couple blocks to my local co-op to pick up something to eat. I think alot of us get bored and use food as something to keep us busy. I'm sure many of you on here have issues with depression, and chronic depression is one of the major issues for me in my eating and it's still just as destructive a behavior as my past ones. Starting next year, probably in the spring I'm going to go back to doing pet therapy at the community mental health clinic once I get my new rabbit (my rabbit died a couple months ago). It was nice to bring my bunny in and let the kids have cuddle time with him. Thanks for all the replies and it's great to hear about your guys stories. I'm glad we can help each other out and give each other ideas.
I usually bite my nails (bad habit, gotta manage it) or keep myself engaged with stuff on my PC, or reading. However, instead of food, I've grown to replace any desire to eat while idling (when not distinctly hungry) with drinking, particularly with a straw. Chewing gum would probably work in place, as well as smoking, which I don't do. However, conveniently, my uncle sells e-Cigs should I ever feel the desire to occupy myself that way.
My weight problem comes from stress, depression, and my antidepressants. After coming out of Thurderbird, I was less than 200 pounds, then I had get on antidepressant to deal with my anxiety and depression that led me to over eat. I went from 190 ish to 415 as of April of 2012. Now I am 320 and my goal for April is 280, for mid-June, 250, and for the end of 2013, 210. I hope to reach my goals . Good luck to you ma'am.
Actually, cereals like that are ridiculously good for you under the right circumstance. I think an adequate comparison would be something similar to gatorade, in a sense; if you eat too much of this cereal, and by comparison drink gatorade, without putting in the physical stimulance they're designed for they can become pretty detrimental to your health. Instead of cutting down on what you eat, simply eat the same amount of stuff but eat it in higher frequency. Mixed with proper exercise and a decent diet, this will cause your metabolism to skyrocket. On a different topic, since I last posted in this thread I've lost about 10lbs and lowered my 5k time by about 2 minutes. (22:00 -> 20:00) I also raced up a mountain. Tons of fun. 10/10 would die again. Protip: I'm sure I've said this a million times by this point, but for those of us feeling depressed, running has been proven to help alleviate this sort of thing. This isn't just me being a runner going "do it it's the best, brah", but it in itself is excellent for your emotional health. Here's an article on it.
Well time to get back in the saddle so to say. I'm currently at 415 lbs and I have 195lbs to lose to be where I want. I want to start running again but it's cold. What should I wear to go out in this crap?
If it's under 60 degrees, you want to have your knees covered by either long shorts, or some other material. Gloves are recommended on because your hands will freeze Long sleeve shirts are good for mildly cold days, but it's probably best to either wear a warm-up suit, or just a hoodie. Rock a beanie if it's bitter.
