I'm having a really really tough time getting started on my diet. Because I have tried every darn diet known to man with no results, i'm just left with zero willpower to get started again. In case some of you don't know i'm 20 years old, 360 lbs, dealing with PCOS (Poly Cysytic Ovarian Syndrome). I bought a book called Look Great Feel Great by Joyce Meyer and I'm hoping that will help to encourage me. She just has a way with words that are comforting to the spirit. Anyways, I don't even know what kind of diet to do. I guess I should just eat what is healthy, like follow the food pyramid or something. Any of you know of a good diet plan that actually works????
First of all, don't bother witha diet. You need to find something you can stick to for the rest of your life.
I am 20 years old too. I have tried all those diets and the thing that has worked best for me is calorie counting. I can still enjoy everything I want but I work it into my day. If I want that pizza at dinner I just eat less for breakfast and lunch. Of course you don't want to use all your calories on stuff like pizza you need to have good calories too, like veggies, fruit, protien, etc. Everything in moderation. I eat like I know I can eat for the rest of my life.
This morning for breakfast I wanted a pop tart so guess what - I had one! But just one. If I deny myself that pop tart and everything other little thing, sure I would lose weight faster but would I be able to keep it off? Can I really say no to that pop tart or pizza for the rest of my life? No way!
Anyway, calorie counting works best for me because it doesn't feel like a diet. I used fitday.com and I log everything I eat and it is working. I am not losing as fast as the people on here that as super strict, but I am losing and I will keep losing and keep it off.
You can do it, just find something that works for you. But I am definatly all for the calorie counting and think you should give it a try too!
I agree diets just don't work for me, I need to be able to have that smokie or whatever once in awhile or I will get completely obsessed with having it and end up blowing the whole diet. I just try to eat in moderation and chose foods that are healthy, like pasta with a low glucose sauce or even better homemade with fresh veggies. But i still have my garlic toast, don't deny, enjoy eating but do the right way. Exercise helps to but start slow, I started with a month of walking during lunch, now I hike down from the river valley to work about 1.5-2 mile hike, I also never use the elevator to go down the 8 fl at work, and gradually I am adding taking them back up 3-4 times a day. I also try (and I mean try) to jog once a week at a very slow walk/run pace. It taken me since March to incorporate this much activity but since I have slowly added to it I don't feel like this is too much for me to do as part of my everyday life. Just remember take it slow and you will get there in the end! And you won't be miserable doing it.
Ok thanks. I really haven't tried the calorie thing. They seem so unimportant. But I guess they are after reading a whole bunch of stuff on this site. What's a healthy amount of calories I should start with??
I am now 21 (as of few days ago, too bad I can't join you and courtney in the 20!) and I NOW FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE that I'm kind of past the point where I can eat bags and bags of chips and it won't kill me (The 14 year old complex).
Once you've adjusted to your "new lifestyle" you'll wonder why you didnt start it before.
About the "diet plans"; its been said over and over again- choose one that you can LIVE WITH, because a diet isnt a temporary adjustment in your eating habits, a diet is truly your nutritional lifestyle; how you choose to nourish yourself. Now, sticking with someone you might like to keep forever is something only YOU can do, and the first step is to consider exactly what you can live with (meaning, sacrificing some food and then incorporating some sort of physicial activity) GOOD LUCK
Christina - Welcome to 3FC! I am a calorie counter too and it has worked really well for me. I can eat anything as long as it fits into my calorie limit, which means I don't have to deny myself anything. Even so, I find I am making better and better choices. I am constantly weighing the "cost" of everything and deciding if it is worth it. For me, the best way to count is to use an online/software tracker like fitday or nutridiary. Start tracking, start seeing where your calories are coming from and see what you can add and subtract to start and get yourself around where you need to be.
At 360 you probably want to start off at about 2000 calories per day. One of the things that has made this work for me this time around is that I didn't try to cut back so low that I was hungry all the time. The heavier you are, the more fuel your body needs just to maintain itself and if you cut back too much too soon you will just end up really hungry and wanting to grab the first high calorie thing you can get your hands on.
Exercise is important too. I started just walking in front of the tv and at first I could barely do 10 minutes. After 6 months I now work out at the gym 5 days a week and can exercise for an hour. A good place to start is a tape/dvd called Walk Away the Pounds (WATP).
Christina - I would aim for 2500-2800 calories and exercise. I believe you body needs 10 calories per pound to maintain. You don't want to start to low because then you have no where to loser it to! I am sure someone can give you a bit better advice.
I started at 215 and was going around 1800 or so. I would think you definatly need more then 2000 as Andrea mentioned, but I could be wrong.
I agree that you shouldn't look at this as a diet. You will have to do whatever gets you to your goal weight for the rest of your life so it needs to be sustainable and enjoyable to YOU. Read all about what is working for the rest of us, pick and choose the bits and pieces that seems to fit your lifestyle and put them into place. If it works stick with it. But, if it doesn't, try something else. Flexibility is key. You will have to make at least minor alterations to your program as you progress. At 215 pounds I didn't have to do much more than cut out a few calories to lose weight. As I began to shrink I had to throw in more exercise too. Now that I'm close to my goal weight things are changing again. Prepare for there to be a decent amount of trial and error along the way. And don't give yourself a deadline. You will reach your goal when you reach it. In the meantime, your body will be making plenty of positive changes. Don't get too hung up on a number.
Finally, don't make losing weight more complicated than it has to be. Eat less, move more, live well and the weight will take care of itself. At 360 pounds there is no need to eat a drastically low number of calories to see results. So, start with as much food as you can and still lose pounds. As your weight decreases you will need fewer and fewer calories so it is important to have some wiggle room. If you try and restrict yourself to 1200 calories now not only will it be difficult to maintain but you've got nowhere to go from there. Also, concentrate on calories in vs. calories out for now. Once you build some confidence and start to feel better you can pay more attention to things like protein, carbs, fats, etc. I don't mean you shouldn't eat as healthily as you can in the beginning just that you shouldn't over think the whole process.
Calorie counting is working well for me, and you have to start making healthy choices in food, because nutrient dense food runs you out of calories too soon during the day and you have to go hungry if you are going to stay under your limit for the day, and that really, really sucks.
There's a casserole recipe that I've been cooking for my family for almost 20 years, and whenever I make it again, I can only take one cup of it and it costs me as many calories as a whole meal. Days like that are hard, and I usually end up exercising extra, so I can earn more food for the day.
But most of the times my choices are reasonable nowadays, and I hardly notice that I'm on such a low budget. I've been on 1300 calories per day since January, and doing fine now. Except for the casserole days!
I count calories too! Fitday totally rocks my socks ... I cut out refined sugar and processed foods and I'm noticing I'm getting a LOT more bang for my calorie buck during the day. I'm getting better nutrition and hardly any empty calories and I'm rarely hungry now. Why didn't someone tell me this 10 years ago? lol
or how about counting calories and carbs??? Does that sound healthy?
Carbs get a lot of bad press. Carbs are not bad - they are energy for the body. I eat over 200 grams of carbs a day and have lost nearly 70 lbs and kept it off for over a year. I concentrate on foods with high nutritional value and avoid foods with low nutritional value.
For carbs, that means I eat a lot of healthy carbs - beans, fruit, brown rice, whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, peas. These foods are HIGH in carbs but are so good for me, I would never cut anything that is good for me out of my diet, plus I love them!! I could never cut out anything healthy that I loved.
I avoid carbs which are nutritionally not as powerful - white rice, white pasta, sugary soda, booze, packaged baked goods, chips, pretzels, candy, etc. It is a goal to eat more nutritionally powerful food, but I occasionally indulge in the not so great food, this is my diet for my life and what is life without birthday cake?
So, in short - most carbs are good for you and are not to be avoided. I think counting calories is a great idea since that is what I do and I am biased You should find a good calorie counter online and get an estimate of how many calories it would take someone of your height/weight/age/gender/activity level to maintain your weight. Then, make a minor reduction in daily calories. Here is a decent one (it will be just an estimate though, since everyone is unique):
Learn to read labels. A lot of products that people consider "healthy" are just well marketed (low fat yogurts with tons of high fructose corn syrup and Special K with low fiber AND high fructose corn syrup are good examples of not so healthy "healthy" foods). All that fake stuff never satisfied me.
Gradual changes for better health that you can stick to forever. That is what sounds healthy to me! Lots of fruits, vegetables, lean protein (chicken, turkey, fish), whole grains (oatmeal - not the stuff in packets! brown rice, whole ehat tortillas), low fat dairy (yogurt - pick versions with a high number of active cultures and not so many fake ingredients, low fat cheese, cottage cheese), healthy fats (avocado, nuts/nut butters, olive oil, salmon). Find healthy food you love. I love salmon, I love natural peanut butter, I love fresh blackberries, I love sweet potatoes. Find what you love!
I count calories too! Fitday totally rocks my socks ... I cut out refined sugar and processed foods and I'm noticing I'm getting a LOT more bang for my calorie buck during the day. I'm getting better nutrition and hardly any empty calories and I'm rarely hungry now. Why didn't someone tell me this 10 years ago? lol
That's what I say now too, although for me it would have been 20 years ago So much time wasted when the answer turned out to be so simple.
Hi Christina! I agree with you....it is just so doggone hard to get in gear and get started. I sat around for years waiting for someone to push a magic button and make me start eating healthier.
You are so young you have years and years to look forward to, looking like you want to look & feeling so much better than you feel right now. You kinda have touched a "soft spot" with me...My daughter's name is Christina, too, she's about your age..and how I wish she would take the step that you did...coming on to this message board.
You have definitely made the right step by coming here; just read and read and see all of the other people that are in the same boat that you are. There is more help and support available on this board than you can imagine.
Hard time getting started
Days like that are hard, and I usually end up exercising extra, so I can earn more food for the day.
Except for the casserole days! 
