Im 20 years old and aprx 280 lbs. I need help to loose this weight.
i really struggle trying to get a meal plan in order and do everything myself, i have a pretty good workout plan (every day 2 hours in the gym), but i desperately need help with getting a diet together thats perfect for me. i want to rid this weight more than ive ever wanted anything in the world. please please help me. even if its just to share what helped you. thats why im here, to get advice from people struggling with the same thing as me.
Hi, good on you for losing the weight Now ~ don't wait to my age!
My way (not experienced enough to recommend it):
spend a week recording everything you eat and drink. I use DietPower but that's not totally free (1 off $49 Years ago), there are others like Sparkpeople and Dailyplate.
Don't make a particular effort to 'diet', just log it. I find about half way through the week of doing this I'm so appalled at what I've been eating, I automatically start making better choices.
get weighed. Nothing helps weightloss success more than knowing how many pounds you've lost; if you don't know what you started from, you won't know how well you've done.
find a site that will give you a recommended number of calories for weightloss - and Believe It! It's almost always much higher than we imagine but don't be tempted to go ridiculously low, it's not sustainable.
i really struggle trying to get a meal plan in order and do everything myself, i have a pretty good workout plan (every day 2 hours in the gym), but i desperately need help with getting a diet together thats perfect for me. i want to rid this weight more than ive ever wanted anything in the world. please please help me. even if its just to share what helped you. thats why im here, to get advice from people struggling with the same thing as me.
Perfect for me, will be different though from what's perfect for you. Keep in mind that instead of abandoning your plan, you can keep on tweaking it and developing it and making it your own.
Here's an old post that I've just recycled that gives a look into how I devised my plan....
I knew the only way this weight loss thing would *work*, permanently that is, would be if I could find something that I could stick with LONGTERM, forever in fact, because not only do I want to lose the weight, but I want to keep it off - forever. It simply won't *work* if you dont' stick with it. Consistiency, consistiency, consistiency. STICKING with it is of course the key. Lifestyle change. Creating a new normal. No going back to the old ways. Permanent, sustainable lifetime changes.
But never mind being able to stick with something, I think the most important factor is finding/developing something that one is WILLING to stick with. Because at some point one has to be WILLING to change their routine and adhere to a sensible plan.
Things I needed/still need to be on my plan:
- I could never, ever be hungry. Just not for me. I despise that feeling and need to AVOID it all costs. It would only set me up for failure.
- I need LOTS of food, volume that is.
- I love food, always will and need to get enjoyment from it. So eating delicious, very tasty, satisfying foods was a MUST.
- I am terrible with portion control. I have no boundaries. My intuitive eating button is totally broken or just missing completely. So I need to fake it. I need something that forces me to set limits.
So therefore, let's see if I can do this with one breath - I eat frequently, every 2 hours or so, choosing low calorie/high volume items (veggies), lots of protein and fiber (to keep me full longer), I count calories (forced portion control/accountability), I eat foods with high nutritional values, I've found foods that I LOVE, not *diet* foods per se, food that any one and every one can eat.
I also set myself up for success. By ridding my home of the junk (very crucial in the beginning, and still is). I got rid of the sugar, the rice, pasta, bread, cookies, cakes, ice cream, etc... Sure I love the stuff, but I have no control with it. I figured I can not have it both ways. I simply can not have those foods in my life (very strict with it especially in the beginning, cold turkey in fact) and be that healthy, fit person I so longed to be. I have no control over them and realized I was just better off without them.
I keep my home fully stocked with tons and tons of veggies. I discovered fabulous ways to prepare them and now enjoy them more then the other garbage I was eating prior. Amazing how ones tastes change when you stop feeding it junk. Fruits and low fat proteins are my other main foods. I cook fabulous meals that my whole family enjoys. So finding yummy recipes that you like is essential. No reason to go off plan, when on plan is so good.
I also prepare ahead, as it is the ONLY way to succeed, IMO. Eating healthy does not happen by accident. Therefore it MUST, MUST be planned out in advance. I know what I'm having for my meals and snacks days in advance. I pack food with me, taking it with me wherever I go, leaving nothing to chance. It's just THAT important.
I drink lots of water. It's something to do with my mouth; a delaying tactic and it keeps my tummy full. I also drink hot tea and 20 calorie hot chocolate.
And of course, there is the calorie counting. Would be nowhere without it. Nowhere. Since I don't know how to set limits for myself, counting calories is my answer. Counting and tracking my calories keeps me honest and keeps my food in check. It is built in accountability and forced portion control.
Exercise has now become part of my life and is a big part of "my plan". I started out slowly and built up. Cardio & strength training. I make sure there is some kind of daily movement going on, 7 days a week.
Probably the biggest part of my plan though, was making a commitment. Deciding once and for all that I was going to "do this". I told myself enough is enough. I realized, once and for all that I didn't have to be fat if I didn't want to be. That it was something that I did indeed have total and complete control over. No reason on earth for me to waste another second of my life being miserable, worrying about my health and not living up to my full potential. Not being the very best ME that I could be. So I made a commitment to good eating and good health.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 09-28-2010 at 06:46 AM.
Location: Purdue University area, near West Lafayette, IN
Posts: 647
S/C/G: 210/194/140 Rd 2 beginning 3/7
Height: 5' 3.5"
Morning Ashley, I highly endorse the Metabolic Research Center medically supervised program. It is somewhat pricey, but if you were to compare to a weight-loss surgery, not even in the same ball park. It works well and quickly. You eat well, very high protein, and you lose 3-5 lbs a week (at least at start). MRC has a thread on here that you could look over. You can do this plan without going to a MR Center, but I believe, at the beginning, the accountability of two weigh-ins a week kept me motivated, so that route is preferred to start. Went from a size 22-24 to a 12 in 5 months. Have not been on plan for a bit, but have started pre-conditioning again this week for another round of loss. My goal is 130.
It is HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARB, LOW SODIUM, NO SUGAR. And believe it or not, you can eat this way very comfortably. The most difficult part of this is the first week or two as you get familiar with the plan. Once you do, it all just falls into place.
Be happy to share more info if you are interested. You can private message me if so.
It sounds like you're very motivated to lose the weight! Good for you for getting started! I know you can do this!
I mostly just count calories (I stay right around 1200 usually) and try to exercise at least 4-5 times a week. Like others have said, you should do what's working for you and what you're comfortable with. I think writing everything down is a great habit to get into. Writing down everything I ate really helps me stay motivated and accountable. Working out is a great thing to do as well, so you're great on that one!
Good luck to you! There are a lot of very helpful and inspirational posts on this site so you've picked a good weight loss tool!
It is great that you want to get a handle on this now while you are so young. You will have years to reap the rewards. It will take some experimentation to find out the best diet for you. I have found calorie counting to be the best for me, especially at first. You can adapt it to foods that you like but you may need to learn to like some low calorie foods.
I dont have a laundry list of diet suggestions - but you sound very aggressive in your plan.
Working out 2hrs a day and finding the "perfect" diet for you is a lot of pressure. It is great to be excited, you can harness that for motivation for sure! But you may want to consider setting slightly more toned down goals at first, to set yourself up to succeed.
Maybe try to say at a min go to gym a few times a week for 1 hour?
Maybe try to identify problem areas in your own diet and eliminate, instead of doing a crazy instant overhaul.
Everyone works differently, but I find when Im getting back on track with my fitness from a bit of a break, I am the most successful when I am the nicest to myself and set small goals
If you're in school, you might want to consider finding a nutritionist (through school), or if your covered by insurance, to go that route. I think a nutritionist could help you get a good basic idea of the amounts to eat and the foods to include. The one on one help really can make a difference, and I do think it's good to start off working with someone who has a real background (it could help you avoid fads and yo-yo dieting).
Im 20 years old and aprx 280 lbs. I need help to loose this weight.
