[kathy0529]

Hello everybody! i just joined a couple a days ago and i really need help. I need to lose weight but i need all the support i can get. I weigh 164 and im 5'1 so i really am overweight. I used to be thin before and had no problems with my weight, but that was before i got pregnant. i was 200 pounds when i went into labor and i thought i would just loose the weight but no. A year has passed since i had my baby and im still stuck at 164. I just joined a gym but im not sure what type of machines or what excersice should i be doing to loose the weight.I also need to know what type of diet i should get on. What's worst of all this is that im only 18 and i feel as if this weight is just ruining my life. I get really upset and depressed so please if theres anybody out there that can give me some advice i would really appreciate it. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MorticiaAddams]

Make sure you are eating enough. Hunger will get ya every time. Make sure your eating the right stuff.
Get to know your food and know what you are putting in your body.
For a couple weeks even a month. Get a small journal or just a notebook of any sorts and write down what you eat for breakfast snacks lunch & dinner even the sauces or even the small stuff.
I would track your calories , fat grams and protein. Make sure you are drinking alot of water.
You need some form of exersise to work out to and build up on.
You can start with a workout video and going outside for small walks and build up on that. Remember you will not see weight come off right away it wont be a week and it wont be weeks. It takes time and it takes your will to want to be heathly.
You dont need to think of this as a diet. You need to think of this as a life style change.
Depending on which eating plan and style you decide to go on for yourself.
I dont eat any red meat, I dont eat any flour pasta of any kind, no pop, no candy, no high fat foods, no greasey foods at all.
I give my self one meal a week and have what I want. I call that my cheat meal and its the only time I indulge.
When I started I would keep track of the fat grams I was eating and eat no more then 20 to 25 a day. That was me. Thats what I did so I would not have to count the calories.

Good heres and theres to get ya going until you learn on what you need to eat and when
Tuna is a great sorce of protein.
Of course Veggies are awsome.
Chicken is also only non breaded and no skin.
Keep a good variety of Spices they are a great way to get some taste to your food.
Extra lean turkey meat is what I use when I either make Whole Wheat spagetti or I make a Sloppy Joe on Whole Wheat bread buns.
Or Tyson Chicken Chunks I put them in a skillet to get warm and then I use a wheat pita bread with some BBQ sauce and I put the chicken on that and a little non fat mozarella cheese and throw that in the over until cheese is melted for a BBQ Chicken Pizza
Yorgurt is a good treat.
Watch the % of the milk you drink go al low as you can. Im at 1% now but I was at whole.
I will have egg beaters for breakfast I cook them with some Louiasana Hot sauce and a little oregno then when they are done I will put them on my place with some Ortega Smokey Chilpote Sauce.
I snack on PineApple Chucks when I want something sweet or a small handfull of almonds which I carry with me incase I need a quick snack.
Some pretzels ,oranges strawberries.
When we go out to eat I always eat the most heathy thing I can and I keep it to places I know I can get a heathly meal from.
I havent been to a McDonalds or Taco Bell type place Since Last September I believe... The only fast fast places I will eat it is either Subway or Quizons.
You must not let yourself talk yourself out of anything you need to do.
Working out is a must if you want to lose.
You must make the time to do the things you need to do. Keep your workouts to a specific time so you know you have no choice but to get there or put in the cd and do what you need to do. After things start to get easy bump up your levels.
I would try to incorporate some weights into your workouts , if you cant right now thats fine build up to what you can do.
I started off walking around the neighborhood then to a 30 to 45 minute exersise video then now to a 5 mile cardio workout and a 30 minute weight workout 6 to 7 days a week.
And if your a emotional eater you need to work out your problems and any diffrences with the people who upset you and not take it out on yourself by eating something to make you feel better.
Losing weight not only deals with your body but your mind as well.
I know some of the other girls can offer some more really good advise also
I hope some of this helps and you can get to where you want to be at this point of your life.
Cindy

[stephmcm]

Kathy,

I remember that feeling. I was 21 when I had my daughter, lack of sleep and feeling overwhelmed by the residual weight of the pregnancy, but not enough energy left to look after myself.

You are doing so many of the right things. Joining the forum for support, joining the gym.

You need to ask for help at the gym. In my experience, and I'm huge, most of those fit gentlemen and ladies who work at the gym love the chance to work with a challenge. It's a big thing to approach them, but honestly they love being asked. It's what they trained for.

The next thing is just what Cindy said. Keep a food diary. Just for a week write everything down, and how you are feeling when you eat. Then just think about the results. Do you always reach for a cookie when you are tired? Is it a bar of chocolate when you get angry? Try to find substitues for the fattening food, or another avenue for the emotion. ( A telephone call to a friend or family member, or keep a journal on 3FC.)

Then decide how you are going to lose weight. Most people get good results in a group approach like Weightwatcher. You make friends, and other people can cheer you when you've lost weight (believe me, it is great) or sympathise and offer solutions when you are finding it difficult. But be choosy. Not every group is great, shop around. Find a group of people you relate to.... daytime groups tend to have more young mum's in them.

If cash is an issue, count calories and tell all your friends and family that they are your support group, and you expect to be cheered as the pounds disappear. Most food cartons have the nutritional information on them. The foodpyramid link on this site also gives the basis for a good nutritional diet. A pencil, a small notebook and a calculator, and you will be able to eat anything you want, but only upto a certain value. Healthier foods will be larger portions, because they are lower calorie, and you will feel more full.

Most importantly, and this really is the key to losing weight. BE KIND TO YOURSELF. You need to give yourself some time, kind words, plenty of sleep and take your time in losing the weight. It may take 3 or 4 weeks for your clothes to feel more loose, and it might be another 3 or 4 weeks before anyone else comments that you look thinner. It might take 18 months to get to the weight you want, but that just means the pleasure of all that attention on you success goes on a long time. Take it slow, concerntrate on getting fitter, and learn what your body likes, and what it doesn't. Everyone is different and every diet is different. But there is one thing to know... if you don't eat enough, you will not lose weight. Starvation is not the answer.. your body panicks and will avoid burning up the small amount of food you do eat. Exercise more and I wouldn't go below 1500 cals. Little and often is good.

So, chin up and enjoy being in control.

[kathy0529]

Thanks for the suppport and advice it really made me feel better. Like both of you said i will keep a food dairy and watch what im eating. I think its going to be a hard challenge but i really want and need to do this. With support like this Im sure i will loose the weight easier and BE KIND TO MYSELF AND BE PATIENT. Congratulations on the weight loss keep it up because that inspires people like me to do the same. Thanks alot.