Can it be done in a month and a half, healthily??

I went up to 240 something during my pregnancy, but lost all of that, and am back down to what I started as when I first became pregnant. Now I'm around 200-210, give or take (have a faulty scale.) I want to get down to 150 but I don't want to pressure myself too much because I've failed so many times in the past. I haven't always been overweight, I used to look quite good. It was during my 19th year that I started gaining weight due to always drinking beer, smoking weed (I know that was wrong, it is a part of my past), and binge-eating. And I haven't been able to shake this weight since. I am almost 5'9 so I don't even look fat, but thick I guess you could say. I want to be toned and healthy and honestly, for all vanity purposes, look hot in short-shorts and a tank top. But I just don't know where to get started. I always fail. I'll eat well for a few days but then fall off the bandwagon by overeating. Plus with a limited food budget it is hard to buy all the right foods, because my skinny boyfriend (baby's daddy, lol) wants to eat bratwursts, hot dogs, hamburger, and stuff like that all of the time. I have made some great chicken dishes that he liked and a fantastic fat free flavorful vegan sausage lasagna, but this is not always an option. Seems eating healthier is a lot more expensive. Any tips for eating healthy on a budget??

Any tips whatsoever on what I should do to lose this initial 20lbs? Anybody that also wants to start with an initial goal of 20 lbs and would like to motivate eachother? (Not a diet buddy, not so into that, but just people to chat to while we give eachother tips that work and such.)

Well first welcome to 3FC.

And the general guideline about weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week. So that's 8 pounds a month, so 20 maybe a little bit ambitious. But 15 seems like it could be doable. I've been battling the same 5 pounds for almost 6 months now, so...

Also, you mentioned hot dogs, Morningstar Veggie Dogs are a gift from God I kid you not. 80 calories and like 10-11 grams of protein. Find a low cal bun, mustard (although I have to have ketchup too) and it's a life saving snack.

First, in many ways it isn't more expensive to eat more healthy. I think in a great many cases that really is only in peoples minds. We eat smaller portion sizes and that saves us money right off the bat. We don't buy all the junk food so we have more money for good food. Second, don't look at this as wanting to lose weight. Look at this journey you want to take as getting healthy. Eat the required amounts of the four basic food groups each day. It takes me from the time I get up until I go to bed to eat enough food to fill the required amounts. There is no time to get hungry and no time to over eat because you are eating every couple of hours. Did you know a half a banana fills one of the two required amounts of fruit for the day? Didn't know it was that easy did you? I sure didn't. Exercise. Rather it is taking a fast paced walk down the street or doing a walking/aerobic video in your living room ( I happen to love Leslie Sansone ). This doesn't cost much and is good cardio. A cheap set of dumbbells ( less than 5 bucks ) and you have weight training right in the privacy of your own home. You will find, if you think less about losing weight and more about getting healthy. You lose weight because you are eating properly. Eating properly and exercising has a great side effect. You lose weight

It's a good thing you want to start slow, that means a higher chance of success!

I would start with one diet and one fitness goal. Maybe give up pop or eat 5 fruits/veggies per day and then do 30 mins cardio per day. Don't go all or nothing with eating, you can still have treats! Instead of a herseys bar, have a small dove dark chocolate square. Things like that. Start avoiding elevators and take stairs instead.

Weight lift twice per week and then increase once you are comfortable.

Or you can start a training plan like the couch to 5K running plan. Even if you think you can never run (like me), you can successfully run 3 miles in 9 weeks if you follow the plan. There are great podcasts for the C25K too.


If you're into podcasts, download Fitness Rocks and Inside Out Weight Loss podcasts. HOURS of motivation by experts on healthy living. I just turn on the podcasts and end up walking miles. AND I learn something!

Keep posting on how you're doing too! I tend to avoid posting when I don't do well, which I think the two are correlated. Post more = higher success!

I love the Morningstar Veggie Dog suggestion....sometimes i just want something SALTY, and it's hard to satisfy that craving without something full of carbs or oil!

SavingServo, Good suggestion, I just adore Morningstar farm products. I LOVE those chikin patties on a roll with lettuce and tomato and pickles (and a slice of swiss cheese, when I'm being bad.) They are just too good to be true, so hard to imagine that it's not a real chicken patty! I also love their ground 'beef' to use in spaghetti sauces, their veggie burgers, and etc, etc. Definitely am going to try the hotdogs, I have never tried them before. Will my man be fooled by them?? Everytime we go to the store, we never know what we want... and we end up idling around for 30 mins while he keeps suggesting "hot dogs", "hot dogs," "hot dogs."


Shy Moment, I like Leslie, I had a tape (the 30 minute walking one) but I've lost it. I give up on exercise so easily though... I would like to eat more fruits and veggies, because I love them, would it be less expensive to just buy a bunch of canned ones?

JulieRN, what sort of weight lifting should I do? Every now and then I will do things such as bicep curls, shoulder presses (or whatever you call 'em), lying leg lifts, crunches... but then I give up really easily and start skipping days.

canned fruits n veggies are so heavily processed, in my opinion they taste like cr@p too!

if you plan meals and write out a grocery list from that it IS cheap.

whats your budget?

Melanie,

Make a list! It's so helpful to have a list.

Another suggestion for the grocery store is to stay around the outside of the store, don't venture into the inside aisles. The healthiest food is around the outside of the traditional american grocery at least... produce, whole grain breads, meat, dairy, and some frozen pre-prepared foods are great.

I love the STEAMFRESH veggies. They are ina bag you just pop in the microwave and they cook up in 5 minutes steamed fresh. Yum, easy, healthy, and fast.

I buy all my fresh fruits/veggies on the weekend so I can prep them and they are ready to go all week. Theres' not time for washing, cutting etc. during the week, but if they're there and ready to go, I eat them instead of junk!

Just a few hints, I hope they help!

I haven't had a real hot dog in so long I'm not sure he'll be fooled. But on the other hand they're not made of pig butts and guts. So you can tell him that.

Lists are so key. Keeps your spending down too, whenever I just go for "food" I end up spending about $20-$50 more than I would have otherwise.

Yeah, I agree, a lot of canned stuff tastes really weird. I do prefer to buy frseh and frozen veggies (I always buy frozen and fresh to put in my stirfrys) but sometimes it seems more expensive.

Sadly, our budget is about $50 a week. I try to write out grocery lists and plan delicious healthy meals, but always go over. Any suggestions? I need help! hehheh.

Thanks for the tips, I'm definitely planning on cutting up veggies and fruits for the week. I also thought if I always had some cut up and frozen, I could always have them on hand for a dish.

I really love those steamfresh veggies too.. there is a brand with asian flavor that I really love.

Same here, I always go way overboard.

I was a vegetarian for 3 years.. I would soo go back to being one if my man wasn't a hardcore meateater. He thinks a meal HAS to consist of a meat. I tried to make veggie soup before, which he liked, but didn't find filling. Then when I made this incredibly filling potato-broccoli-onion-brown rice soup, he wouldn't eat it. But it was so good. Mmm, I want some morningstar.

This is a little devious but have you ever tried just telling him there's meat in something when there isn't.

Also I know if it was my guy and I was the one doing all the cooking I'd tell him to stick his meat where the sun don't shine or cook his own.

My DH also says he can't get full unless he's eating flesh of some sort. But, in both of our quests to get healthy, I am using lean ground turkey meat insteead of ground beef and at least once or twice a week I'll prepare a bean or tofu dish. He says he needs more to fill him up, but he's not rebelling.

How about starting with trying to avoid red meat and seeing how that goes? Also, I dig the sneaky meal approach. He's not cooking, right? So go for it!