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Old 09-04-2011, 12:24 PM   #1  
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Since I’m new to the site and far from an expert when it comes to the whole weight loss thing, I thought I’d ask for the one best dieting tip you have to offer. The only thing I’ve pseudo done in the past is count calories, but only when they’re clearly marked on the frozen meal/packaged foods I’m about eat. Not sure how you go about it with homemade stuff.

Plus I hate hate hate exercise! (is there a non-exercisey exercise out there? one where you don’t sweat yet still lose weight?) The most adventurous I’ve ever gotten is walking around my neighborhood.

So basically I’m an empty (if somewhat heavy) slate sitting here with paper & pen in hand, ready to take notes. Hit me with your best stuff!
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Old 09-04-2011, 12:35 PM   #2  
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Drink lots of water and do not give up
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Old 09-04-2011, 12:36 PM   #3  
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Hi there! Welcome to the board!
Calorie counting is great and best of all it doesn't cost anything. There are some homepages that help you calculate and apps for smartphones. I am not an expert but check the calorie counting section of the board. There are tons of people you can help you.
There are other options like Weight Watchers (which I am doing) and most of the have a section on the board. Start browsing. :-)

On the exercise part, try to find some sport that you find interesting and try it! The key is to find something you love or at least not hate. I had a hard time with that too. I was a serious couch potato and hated anything that make me sweat. Now I actually enjoy a good workout and being all sweaty and hot because I feel great after accomplishing an exercise!

Walking is just fine. There are people on this board who have lost a tremendous amount of weight just by walking. Anything that gets you moving! I started with walking but soon discovered "couch to 5k". It is a program that gets you into running. Never thought I could even run a minute and 2 months later I was running 30 min. without stopping! Check it out: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml (scroll down) It took me a couple of weeks longer (no problem) and I am a slow runner (doesn't matter either) but I am burning a ton of calories. Right now I am bridging to 10k because I learned to love running!

Good luck!
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Old 09-04-2011, 12:40 PM   #4  
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1) If you are serious about weight loss, you have to make a find a plan that YOU can stick to.

2) You have to make a commitment to that plan. To be successful, you have to be able to consistently create a calorie deficit. For example, if you're going to calorie count, you have to figure out a way to record everything you eat (that will allow you to be consistent).
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Old 09-04-2011, 01:47 PM   #5  
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Come up with a plan that is realistic, something you can stick to on your worst days.

Eat a great variety of foods in moderation.

Walking is just fine, i've lost most of my weight from walking, still i sweat at the pace i set though.

Do little things to get more mobility in your life.

Eat 5 or 6 times a day, saving the bulk of your alloted intake for when your body demands fuel the most, in my case thats late in the evening. Don't fight your natural inclinations listen to your body.

Commitment and patience... Take every day as it's own challenge, don't think of the whole battle just one day at a time, much much easier IMO.

Be accountable to yourself. Find things you enjoy that will provide exercise while taking your mind off eating, don't be bored.

I'm rambling, sorry could'nt pick just one, changing your lifestyle is key, what we were doing was wrong, one needs to realize this, instead of looking at this like food derprivation one needs to see it as a relearning/training how to live properly, education is of the utmost importance, teach yourself about nutrition and your bodies needs and wants.
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Old 09-04-2011, 02:12 PM   #6  
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There are many things you can do that may not seem like exercise - like walk your dog.. rake leaves.. garden... take your kids on a hike... mix up walking with some fun... believe me the more you lose the more you want to move!

Best wishes..

Lisa
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Old 09-04-2011, 02:29 PM   #7  
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My favorite non-exercisey exercise were leg ups (don't know if that's the technical term). You raise your legs up like you are marching in place but you raise them as high as possible. I used to do them every morning for like 15-20 minutes to my favorite songs but also walking is a good way to start!

My best tip is to just journal your experience because it's easy to forget the mini journeys you go through to reach your goal. I often go back and reread to see where I was progressing well and how.
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Old 09-04-2011, 03:24 PM   #8  
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I'm also a person who can't exercise for exercise sake. I have to be having fun, or I just don't see the point.

Things I do or have done to incorporate activity in my life in fun ways


Swimming and water exercise (I would live in the water if I could). I hate most weight lifting/resistance exercises, but I love using the styrofoam water barbells. I swim a variety of strokes, and even tread water; but because I still carry so much fat (and couldn't sink if I wanted to) treading water isn't necessarily exercise - I have to intentionally work harder, so I'll move my legs as if I'm on a bicycle or running (the water is the only place I can "run").

Walking - I either have to have a destination in mind, or the walking has to have a purpose other than exercise. Shopping (especially the farmer's market), museums, walking dogs for the humane society, listinging to music while I walk.... all help me enjoy the walking. Music helps me stay interested in moving, whether it's dancing or walking (I want to get a water proof MP3 player so I can listen to music as I swim).

Bicycle - I bought a bike because I thought it would be fun. And it is, except that my health issues result in very poor balance and hand-eye coordination, so I'm rarely fit for biking. I'm hoping as I get thinner, my coordination, balance, and stamina will make biking more practical.

Stability ball - I love my stability ball. When I first bought it, just sitting on it while watching tv was a workout (the first day, I only did about 5 minutes of exercises and then sat on the ball for about an hour watching tv. The next day I was so sore I could barely move, and I know it wasn't from the 5 minutes of exercise, but from the hour of sitting). It has really helped my balance and coordination (I didn't realize there were so many muscles involved in sitting/keeping my balance).


Pedometer- When I started weight loss, I could barely move let alone exercise, but I bought a pedometer anyway (one that counted steps), and wore it all day. I didn't do any intentional "exercise" but my goal was to always meet or beat the previous day's step count (even if only by a couple steps).
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Old 09-04-2011, 03:38 PM   #9  
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Make small changes in your life. Park at the far end of the parking lot rather than right next to the door of the store. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. That sort of thing.

Be patient. It would be lovely if we could drop a lot of lbs. the first week we try, but it doesn't happen that way. It takes time.

Pick an eating plan that you can live with. Eat a healthy mix of lean meats, veggies, fruits, whole grains - that sort of foods.

Don't ever, ever give up. Keep trying, and trying, and trying.
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Old 09-04-2011, 03:43 PM   #10  
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Start very slow.

I did a pre-diet plan before I started my diet. For 6 whole months I consciously changed my habbits little by little.

I drank more water, ate just a little bit smaller portions every day, moved just a tiny bit more. Even going up and down the stairs a couple of times more than you usually do is a start.
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Old 09-04-2011, 03:56 PM   #11  
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Don't make drastic changes all at once that you hate doing. You'll get fed up at some point, and be more likely to just quit entirely.

Especially with something like exercise. As an example: If you don't like exercise DVDs, then don't do them. Dance to music, use a treadmill, take a walk, go to the gym, etc. But, don't force yourself to do an activity that you really hate doing. And keep in mind that movement of any kind is good. I'm a walker. If walking is your thing, then walk!

That's not to say it's always easy to get up and get going, but at the very least if you pick up an activity that you enjoy or that you've always wanted to try you won't have to fight yourself every step of the way.

As for eating. Pick up a plan that makes sense for you and your life, and tweak it to fit you perfectly Don't pick something that obviously won't fit you. Eating healthfully to start is hard enough, so if a plan you were looking at says "You must eat 10 cups of cottage cheese a day"... and if you hate cottage cheese.. then that's clearly not a plan for you so don't force it.

Whatever happens. Recognize every single healthy step you take. No matter how small.

Emotions about weight loss and healthy habits wax and wane over time. Sometimes everything's perfect. And sometimes it feels like the world is against us.

We're changing ourselves for the better forever. So when you make a mistake, don't let it ruin all the good you've done. Just kick that mistake away and get back to your healthier habits immediately.
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Old 09-04-2011, 04:03 PM   #12  
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Welcome!! I haven't been working out/being healthy for that long either but I would say if you don't like exercising AT LEAST don't stop walking around your neighborhood! Get a pedometer or an App on your smart phone (if you have one ... I dont!) that counts your steps/calories/miles etc so you can have an idea of what you are accomplishing each day. Start tracking it in a journal and make a game out of it .... that works for me .... I did two miles yesterday so I'm pushing it to 3 miles today! (I think of it like a video game to level up or something, it makes me feel accomplished!) If you start keeping track and see what you are accomplishing each day whether its in steps, miles, time or calories you are probably bound to keep that number in your mind and want to top it the next day!

Just do not give up and keep walking, walking, walking if a serious exercise routine or a gym is not in the cards just yet.
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