Hey Everyone, I've just joined the site, and it looks really great so far!
I am looking to loose 20-25 pounds in the next 2-3 months or so...and hopefully keep it off!
I was a serious athlete in high school so that meant I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted and never gained weight...now I can't always find the time or motivation to work out, I still exercise regularly, but nowhere near the extent that I used to. This means I have been steadily gaining weight for the past two years or so...it's not extreme, I have probably put on 15-20 pounds, but I would really love to lose that weight now and keep it off.
I have a hard time motivating myself to lose more than 10 pounds, when I diet I usually do weight watchers flex plan for 2 weeks and then get fed up and quit. I really feel like I need a new system that I will actually stick to. I want to go somewhere I can actually sign up and go to meetings/consultations. I think this will motivate me A LOT more than just doing it by myself at home. I am thinking maybe actually register at weight watchers and go to meetings....but I wanted to know if anyone had info about Herbal Magic or LA weight loss, or any other suggestions!
I kindof want to do something more intense than weight watchers, a program that keeps me losing 3 pounds a week, I get really fed up with weight watchers after 2 weeks when I stop losing fast.
Thanks so much for the support and help! good luck to everyone!
No plan can guarantee that you continually lose quickly. Why the need to lose so fast anyway? If you're willing to stick with it forever, then you'll get it off and keep it off no matter how fast. From your own post, the reason you stop losing at all is because you stop losing fast. Just think, if you can stick with something even if you aren't losing fast, you're ahead of the game!
I strongly suggest group support. I'm a WWer member who attends weekly meetings, and I love it. One of the reasons I believe I've been able to get as far as I have is due to the meetings and to 3FC. If you're interested there are a number of areas that you might want to check out under Diet Central. There's a section for LA Weight Loss & for Weight Watchers.
Have a look around, post wherever you're comfortable. You'll find something that you can live with for the rest of your life.
just my 2 cents here, you said you've been slowly gaining weight for the last 2 years, but your only giving ww 2 weeks b4 you ditch the plan. 2 weeks isnt enough time to give any plan time to work effectively. i really love ww, but there are lots of success stories here at 3fc from MANY different plans, i think they are all great! whatever works for you, but i'm guessing most of the people here didnt shed the lbs super quick and been able to maintain.
also i think the less you have to lose, the slower the process, no way to really change that i suppose. when i first started ww i was dropping weight like crazy, 5 lbs here 6 lbs there, but now when i lose 3 lbs a week, i'm having a good week remember healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs a week, but again the less you have to lose the longer the process takes.
I think WW could help teach about food and portion control. To keep your weight off probably means you need to change your habits for good as your current diet is making you put on weight.
I put on lots of weight myself as I too used to exercise so much it didn't matter too much what I ate. When I realised I was mildly overweight, I hadn't a clue what to do, but cutting down on the amount of food I ate, and eating more fruit&veg(low in calories and filling) has helped!
Last edited by tiggy123; 04-07-2008 at 12:56 AM.
Reason: typo
There are some articles with some good facts @ runnersworld.com (even if you don't run). I don't run, yet, and found the site to be interesting and very factual. I was in the same boat as you. I have tried several diets throughout my life and wanted something I could actually stick to and continue throughout my life. I believe if you look under the nutrition and food link at the site it will go through different facts about foods and different diets.
I am starting to calorie count because I believe I read in one of the articles on this site that the majority of people who don't stick to their diets are usually not learning a healthy lifestyle, but trying a fad diet. Fitday.com helps keep track of calories, fats, carbs, etc. I hope this helps!!!
I agree 2 weeks isnt enough, wieght lose, needs patients and strong will power... give your self time, and continue for 5-8 weeks, before deciding to ditch it.
Is there a specific reason why you're wanting to lose the weight so quickly (a special event happening in two to three months)? The weight loss from a "quick fix" diet is going to be hard to sustain. If you're depending on packaged food or shakes or a very limited diet, do you have a plan to transition back to "real life"?
I went from 155-130 a few years ago over the course of about eight months. Yes, it seems like a long time, but I've been able to sustain that weight loss for over five years--through graduating college, a divorce, a knee injury that kept me from exercising much, another marriage, a new stressful job, etc.
If the weight went on slowly, doesn't it make more sense for it to come off relatively slowly as well?
Hi there, and welcome!
As everyone asked- is there a particular reason you want to get it off SO quick? I don't actually recommend that... if you're losing 3+ pounds EVERY single week (weeks of it here and there are totally fine) it might mean you're not eating enough (because you're not starting off at a very high weight).. and that will be hard to maintain in the long run, which is what you goal is/should be. It took TIME for the weight to come ON your body, it will take time for it to come off. We ALL want to wake up and be at our goal weight, but it won't happen... kwim?
Look around the different forums, there are many different plans that everyone uses here.. I'm sure you'll find the one that's right for you!
thanks everyone for the advice....maybe I should clarify myself, I'm not in dire need to lose the weight that quick...but even on weight watchers I usually DO lose the weight that fast. I know that if I stayed on WW for 2 months I would lose 20 pounds...in the past when I did it for a month i lost 15. the only problem is....I always get so sick of it after around 2 weeks that I start cheating! I don't want to quit...I just end up cheating and then it's a slippery slope. I think though if I start attending meetings it will help me out a lot with support. What do you guys think? Have the meetings been really helpful to you if you've gone to them?
I'm really glad I found the site though and found other people who are serious about dieting....I think another one of my problems is that I usually diet with my mom or my roommate and they always cheat or give up so fast that it makes me do the same!
First things first. Don't do this "with" anyone else. Especially if it's giving you reason to fall of the wagon. Changing our lives is often a slightly lonely road. Not that that should deter you! Honestly, it's a fantastic feeling. And doing something as great as this for yourself can really help you keep on plan, even when others around you might be tempting you to do differently.
Next, if you're really on program, nothing is cheating. Are you telling yourself you can never have certain foods? Are you eating all your points (if you're using Flex)? If you're truly changing your life, then there is no "cheating". I mean, there are certainly poor choices that are made. (I've made my share and then some.) But, a couple of poor choices cannot keep us from making better ones at the next meal. And I've never once called anything that I've done cheating. The other way to look at is, is that if you're "cheating" the only person who is cheated is yourself.
Perhaps you're diving into it way too fast! Sometimes we need to work on some small sustainable changes that we know we can do forever, first. And then build on those changes. For example, with WW there are the Good Health Guidelines. Perhaps starting with simply drinking all of your water, or getting in your fruits and vegetables for the day, every day, for a couple of weeks will help you to ease into the process.
No more "diets". Thinking of this as a diet, as something temporary, may be what is leading to fast weight loss at first, but then quick re-gain.
I find the meetings & group support to be the most valuable thing about WW. I urge you to go for a few meetings and get a feel for it. You'll have to decide if it's right for you.
When you were doing WW before, was Core an option? There is an alternative to Flex that you can follow, if you think your problem is with the program itself. If you follow Core you're still on WW and still go to the meetings to get support and such (which I highly recommend). I'm a Flexer personally but you keep saying you get "tired" of Flex. perhaps you might try switching between Flex and Core to keep yourself "in" the program? Every couple of weeks change things up, perhaps that will keep you interested.
Otherwise I agree with what others have said - No matter what, you're going to have to deal with the reality of slow weight loss at some point if you want to be able to stick with it for the long-term. Expecting the weight to fly off is short-term thinking, and there's very little short-term about this kind of lifestyle change! If motivation is your problem, you're going to have to find other ways to stay motivated other than the feedback you get from the scale, cos that's not always going to give you what you need! Things like making a list of what you're missing out on now due to your weight, or the benefits to your health in weight loss, or finding photos of clothes you'd love to wear when the weight is off, setting goals and rewards for yourself... All these things can act as motivation when the 3lbs/week doesn't happen.
I usually DO lose the weight that fast. I know that if I stayed on WW for 2 months I would lose 20 pounds...in the past when I did it for a month i lost 15. the only problem is....I always get so sick of it after around 2 weeks that I start cheating! I don't want to quit...I just end up cheating and then it's a slippery slope.
I think this might be the "issue" you're having? Is it possible that you're 'depriving' yourself during the first few weeks? Not having enjoyable food? That's a reason you might get sick of an "eating plan". You HAVE to pick a way of eating that you'll never get sick of.. because it's a way of life, and something you have to do forever. If you're losing weight at such a fast pace (3 pounds on a weekly basis) I can only make the assumption that you're cutting too many calories .. not eating what you truly enjoy, thus getting sick of the plan and quitting.
Even though you don't prefer to do so, I think losing the weight at a slower pace is really beneficial for you. No need to "cheat" on weight watchers, you CAN have what you want.. in moderation. Don't give up what you LOVE, just have smaller portions (and less frequently).. lose 1-2 pounds a week doing so, and I think you'll succeed!
Thats a really good idea to switch between core and flex...I've always done flex but maybe switching every few weeks will allow me to go between having foods I really LIKE and being able to eat enough to keep me full.
What are the unlimited foods on core? I know you can have one pasta/rice/potato serving a day....is it unlimited veggies? what about fruit?
I am always so great at dieting all day and then at night when I am watching tv or studying I pig out! I was considering trying to tell myself to never eat after 8pm or something like that or try to stick to three meals a day and two snacks so that i don't go crazy....
I'm definitely going to try the meetings though. I'm hoping they work out. And in the past 2 weeks I haven't been point counting or anything but I have been trying to limit my portions to smaller than I would usually have, and I've been drinking my 8-10 glasses of water which is good. Hopefully this starts to get me into gear.
thanks again everyone!
When you go to meeting, your leader will be able to explain all that goes into both the Flex & the Core plans.
Don't be mislead about Core, though. While foods on the list are unlimited, it also involves eating mindfully until you're satisfied, not stuffed. Though, that might mean for many people eating a little more often during the day in order to stay satisfied throughout.
New Member...Advice on what diet to choose!
remember healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs a week, but again the less you have to lose the longer the process takes. 
