Hi all!!

I am new here and I am 23, 5'5, 138, 27% body fat, and have a goal weight of 118. I wanted to know if there wa anyone in here that doesnt have much weight to lose but has begun a diet and exercise program that has worked for them on losing weight. If so, what does your meal plans look like? exercise? How long did it take you? I wiill work hard to lose my weight but I get nervous you have to be PERFECT and eat zero crabs in order to lose the last few pounds...

I would really appreciate this!! Thank you somuch!!

it's true, you can lose weight eating no crabs or any other shellfish!!



said that, you can read the stickies and find out more about weightloss. keep in mind your bmi is very healthy atm and you want to take it to the marginally low-end of the healthy scale.

grrrkgrrrl

Oh haha oopsy. I meant to say carbs!

Yes I know I am not technically overweight but i do have weight to lose and my body fat percentage is a little higher. Is the only way to get to 118 by eating no carbs?!

What about just incorporating exercise to tone your body and get your body fat down that way?

But dont you have to eat less to lose weight? I mean, I eat HORRIBLE. I probably consume over 4K cals a day. And its not healthy food. I binge eat. Its terrible.. Maybe i dont need to be so extreme with my diet? and just slowly eat healthier? and add in exercise..Im just afraid that will only allow me to maintain, not lose fat..

Ditto!
Good luck.

And yes, eat healthier but eating healthier doesn't mean you can't eat carbs.

If you are binge eating, that is what is keeping you at the higher end of the healthy BMI scale. I suggest you search on the forums for support on that and also try to incorporate exercise, and take it one day at a time.

If you starve yourself then binge that can really wreak havoc on your metabolism not to mention your mental state. Best of luck!

yes you are very right!!

I am really trying hard to take it a day at a time. I need to learn to control my eating and how much i eat. I get full easily, but that doesnt matter, I keep eating. The luxury of eating only lasts 5 minutes so i just keep eating and eating. Its ridiculous. I only do this when i feel deprived. Which is when i am not getting my carbs. Im sure on an average bad day for me im consumber over 400g of carbs UGH! Its pathetic and so unhealthy.

carbs are not bad, you just have to find a diet and routine that works for you.

if you say you eat that many calories try scaling it down you would be amazed... my best friend dropped 20 pounds by only limiting her calories and not working out and she started at a fairly normal weight for her height.

you also said it yourself, you binge when you deprive yourself, so dont.... eat healthy carbs and consider counting your calories

Unfortunately by restricting yourself severely you are setting yourself up for binges. Honestly I am sad to say I have BTDT, and it sounds like you are using food as a control outlet- You might do really well to pick up one of dr becks cognitive therapy books. Her books are mainly for cognitive therapy for weight loss, but you can apply the principals to other areas in your life

I was way bigger than you when I started. I lost about 30lbs in 3-4 months by basic lifestyle changes. Like you, I used to binge and just eat whatever I wanted. As far as diet goes this is what worked for me:

I started off strictly counting my calories and keeping them between 1300-1500 a day.
I didn't have any foods that were off limits, but when you are keeping track of your calories properly I learned never to overindulge.

However you are a similar weight that I am now, and I am not nearly as strict.
And FYI depriving yourself of carbs is one of the worst diets you can go on.. You drop definitely drop weight quickly, but a diet with limited carbs is impossible to maintain. I watch my carbs now by attempting to keep them around 100g a day. Well more accurately keeping my carb intake within a very small margin of my protein intake.

If you are eating 4000 cal a day you really need to adjust your diet. There are days where i have trouble eating 1500 cals a day with really large portions bc healthy food is typically low in calories and extremely filling.

I guess my main point to you is you don't need to have some elaborate diet plan.. If you eat healthier foods you will definitely have a lower caloric intake per day, and with that comes weight loss.. But make wise food choices without depriving yourself.. But eat the junk in moderation

Thank you all so much for that! Each and everyone of you are right. I think I do use food as a control tool and an outlet. Especially when I am stressed, feel deprived, etc. My main problem when going on "diets" is I feel caged. I feel like I have nothing to look forward to. Cant look forward to food, cant look forward to drinking with friends, just work, eating healthy, and home. lol Sorry debbie downer moment. I will take all of your advice and figure out where my eating issue comes from (psychologically) and I will not deprive myself! Thanks again!

Oh and congrats everyone for your weight loss successes!!

I think we have all felt like this at some point. A lot of times that is the problem is that we work ourselves up so much with the "Oh no I CAN'T have this or that" that we obsess over it and finally give in which in turns makes us feel like we have no control and never will. The difference is that a lifestyle change is something you have to stick with and also it's not about depriving yourself. Even if you cut out carbs that doesn't mean you can never have another piece of bread or a potato again... I think planned diversions are an integral part of this process.

Also, I personally struggle with hanging out with friends and feeling like "well they can eat/drink this why can't I?" I can't because it doesn't allow me to work towards my goals, but that doesn't mean that once a month I can't have a day where I go out drinking with my friends. I just know what I am making a choice and will pay for it later. All actions have consequences and it's about owning them.

Good luck with finding something that will work with you. I think the big things for you is probably cutting calories which is also good because you can work treats/drink into your calorie range without feeling guilty.

and dianne- i havent cut out drinking completely..

when i first started losing weight i cut out drinking completely for about 6 weeks. once i realized that that wasnt something i was going to be able to maintain with my job and friends any everything i started only drinking ketel one and soda with limes.. and then i upped it to ketel one and cran and now i pretty much drink whatever i want when i want to.. but to make up for that HUGE jump in empty calories for the day/weekend/whatever i will plan my workouts for the week accordingly. i am going to be at a lake party all weekend so i have been busting my butt in the gym all week doing cardio and weights and burning anywhere from 500-700 calories a work out when typically i burn about 200-400 so after 4 days of working really really hard in the gym for the week i dont feel as bad about drinking away those calories. And i dont look at it as reversing all the work i have done all week.. i look at the work ive done all week and think of fun with my friends as a reward )