I feel this incredible need to loose 43 pounds (which would put me at 180) by my graduation. The only problem is i have no direction or plan. Any advice on how i can manage this? i have about 4 months to do this. I also have a great gym membership and my parents are supportive of my weight loss. I just need a push.

I'm a huge fan of calorie counting. I love myfitnesspal.com for that (there's an App too). For me it's the easiest way, no special foods, just portion control. Good luck!!

I like calorie counting. Just GOOGLE "how many calories do I need", and you will get some calculators for how many calories you need to loose weight.

In a perfect world you will choose lots of healthy, nutrient dense food, but you can eat anything you like as long as you count it.

I am also a calorie counter and use myfitnesspal on my iPhone. Good luck!

Try mypyramid.gov It's free online and when you input your info, it will give you a plan. You might start there.

Kathy

I am also doing the calorie counting route -I've discovered it's the only thing that works for me and I am really enjoying it this time around. I bulk meals up with roasted vegetables (which are so yummy and sweet) so I never feel starving and I make sure to drink LOADS of water for the evenings when I want to snack and my brain is telling me I'm hungry.

On another note, it's great to have a goal to aim for, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself to lose X pounds by X date. Your graduation will be on that date regardless of what you weigh - anything you can lose in the next four months will make you feel better and more confident on that day. More than 10 pounds a month is doable, but many people would find that a very big ask.

What if you lose 10 pounds between now and then? Or 20, 30? Maybe even that 43? You'll feel better! No matter what you lose between now and then you will feel better - just starting that journey and the number going down on the scale is success.

Good luck - you can do it!

Hi there,

Given your age, height and starting weight, I think you have a shot at reaching your goal if you eat 1,500 cals per day on average, which is a reasonable amount. (Obviously there's no way to predict exactly how much you'll lose.) The first few days will be an adjustment, though, and you may feel hungry. In order to minimize your hunger while losing weight, eat lots of salads or cooked nonstarchy vegetables and make sure you include at least some protein in all your meals (meat, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, tofu, nuts, legumes). If you eat grains (which I do in abundance), choose whole-grain varieties.

Good luck and keep us posted!

F.

I'm with all the gals above who say that calorie counting and My Fitness Pal worked for them. It's so easy and keeps me on track.