[New to dieting]

Hi, my name is Jenny. I am 25 years old 5'4" and weigh 200 pounds. A couple of weeks ago I decided to start the south beach diet and that is how I found this website. The sbd only lasted about a week when I decided if I can go to all of that trouble to drop weight why can't I just do it on my own. Watch portion control and still enjoy my favorite foods. I was just wondering if anybody else out there did it this way. Also I was wondering how many calories should I eat a day to lose and how important was excercise in your success? As of now I am pretty sedatary.

I would appreciate any advise anybody can offer. I think I could go alot further with some support or maybe a buddy. That way I could maybe be acountable for what I put in my mouth. I am happy there is a website like this.

Hope to hear from somebody. Thank you!

[kellibee2000]

I just started counting calories instead of a restrictive diet. I calculated mine w/ the calculators on www.self.com. For me, I'm shooting for 1,750 a day for a 140lb. goal weight. I'm 20 & 5'6". For your age,weight & activity, you are probably consuming 2,050 cal per day. To lose a lb a week, its healthy to subtract 500 calories, so shoot for 1,550 to start & reevaluate as you go. I just found this site a couple weeks ago, too. If you need a buddy to help you stay on track or talk, I'd be happy to help.


Kellibee

[ElisabethCK]

I do calorie counting and I have had success so far. I use http://www.fitday.com to track what I eat. Simply being aware of the nutrition value of what I am eating has had a huge impact on me.

Exercise is important. I do 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week and I have started weight lifting too. I was the most sedentary person you will ever meet, but it really has been easier to get acclimated to than I expected. I exercise before work, and by then end of the day I barely remember that I did it.

If I can do it you can do it. Good luck!

[laura_on_a_bike]

i lost 70 pounds counting calories. i have gone nback and forth from fitday to an old fashioned food journal. i like the food journal the best because i can cary it with me everywhere.

i try to keep my calories between 1500 and 1800 a day. i'm 23 5'8'' 150 pounds. i also work out regualrly. cardio 4 times a week and yoga and strangth training on off days.

i still use fitday to help me calculate how many calories are in some of the things that i eat. i also have a calorie dictionary of sorts that tells me the calorie count in just about every food imaginable.

[funniegrrl]

Yes, plenty of people lose weight through counting calories. I am in a program that uses exchanges, which is just another way to count calories while ensuring a balanced, healthy diet.

Just make sure your calories are not junk, and that you are getting adequate amounts of all food groups. This will help you feel fuller and better since you will be improving your overall health through nutrition.

I like Fitday because they have LOTS of good information on how to construct a healthy diet. Once you log in, just click on GUIDELINES at the bottom of the left navigation bar.

Also, you can go to http://www.jimkaras.com/loss_math01.cfm to calculate how many calories you need, and this site has some good info as well. You want to cut enough calories from your current needs to enable weight loss, but you also don't want to cut too much or your body will rebel and slow your metabolism.

[tattooedmommy]

Hi Jenny,

I am just starting my diet as well. I am 25 and 5'0 and 206lbs. I am calorie couting and still trying to figure everything out! If you are interested in a buddy please email me at [email protected].

Alicia

[chaoticfish]

I've been counting calories since the end of May of this year and have had great success. I eat about 1200 calories a day and either look up online how many calories are in the things I eat or on the packages they came in. After all this time I'm pretty good at calculating without having to write everything down or look it up. It's very possible to lose weight this way and I personally think it's the best way (for me anyway) because it teaches you how much food is the right amount to eat to lose/maintain and that's the key to this whole thing since the reason we're all overweight is because we ate too much and we have to learn to eat the proper amounts

I do wanna say though that sometimes it gets SO frustrating having to keep track of every little thing you eat. I'd gotten very down about the whole thing recently but I'm hanging in there and it's getting better. I guess we're bound to go through mood swings like that with all the changes going on in our bodies and heads!

Good luck... you CAN do it! Feel free to message or email me. I'd be glad to help if I can.

[New to dieting]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to my questions. You have all given me really great advice. I went to fitday.com and tracked everything I ate yesterday. I guess I am eating around 2000 calories a day. I am going to start my new low calorie lifestyle in the morning. I picked up some things like Lean Cuisenes. I thought I could use as much help with portion control as possible. It was a bit discouraging yesterday when I wasn't exactly sure how much of something I ate. Makes you just want to say well I allready messed today up might as well throw in a pizza and crack open a six pack. Does anybody else get to feeling that way?

Thank you all. Seeing everybody is on the way to there goals gives me hope that I can do the same. I will write again to let everybody know how it went.

Jenny

[chaoticfish]

Makes you just want to say well I allready messed today up might as well throw in a pizza and crack open a six pack. Does anybody else get to feeling that way?

I used to. If I messed up at all I'd call it a free for all and eat whatever I wanted for the rest of the day saying I'd, "start over tomorrow". NOW if I go hog wild and eat more than I should I "start over" immediately and carry on for the rest of the day as if I'm right on track.

Hey try the seasme chicken Lean Cuisine. It's yummy! But remember to use meals like that sparingly as they have a lot of salt which will make you retain water. I keep a few around for those nights when I really, really don't wanna cook but try to cook low fat, salt dinners most of the time.

[New to dieting]

This isn't going to be easy is it? How long did it take for you before you quit thinking about food? Or do you ever? Snacking I should say. It seems like the friends that I have that are fit don't think about food. They eat when they are hungry and then don't give it a second thought. Me I can't go more then an hour without digging in the fridge having a bite of this and a bite of that. Then I always think well if I'm going to start my diet tomorrow I might as well finish this up. Then tomorrow never comes. I know that sounds pathetic. Did you worry much about fat grams? I know some people are on low fat diets but that all has to do with calories to right?
Congratulations on your weight loss. You must really be so proud of yourself.

Jenny

[Suzanne 3FC]

Losing weight isn't as easy as gaining it, lol. But it can be done. Look in our Maintainers Forum for some serious inspiration and proof Only the first part is difficult, and it really gets easier as you go along. Take each day one at a time at first, if that makes it easier. Make it a daily goal to go to bed tonight and say to yourself "I did good today". Just today, don't think about tomorrow!

Diets don't start tomorrow, they start now It doesn't matter if you ate a breakfast buffet spead, and lunch at Pizza Hut. Dinner can still be the start of your diet!

Jenny, you are eating out of habit, not hunger. Find something else to do with your hands and time. Take up needlework, chat online, give yourself a lot of manicures. Also brush your teeth a lot and use strong mouthwash. You won't be as tempted to nibble then.

Clean out your fridge and cabinets. If you don't have unhealthy food in the house, then you can't eat it. Stock your shelves with better choices. If you like sweets, buy sugar free pudding, or other acceptable snacks. Don't buy a lot, just have a few things on hand.

As you go along, you'll find what works best for you. Learn from each day, and tomorrow will be a little easier

[Suzanne 3FC]

Originally Posted by New to dieting

I know some people are on low fat diets but that all has to do with calories to right?

Yep When you restrict your food choices, you consume fewer foods - and fewer calories. Weight loss is all about how many calories you consume, and how many you burn. Add exercise to your routine. People that lose weight through diet AND exercise are more likely to be successful and keep it off. People that don't exercise and just restrict calories more, usually don't reach their goals, and they frequently gain it back.

[laura_on_a_bike]

Originally Posted by New to dieting

This isn't going to be easy is it? How long did it take for you before you quit thinking about food? Or do you ever? Snacking I should say. It seems like the friends that I have that are fit don't think about food. They eat when they are hungry and then don't give it a second thought. Me I can't go more then an hour without digging in the fridge having a bite of this and a bite of that.
Jenny

i have always wished for more studies to be done on the brains of overweight people versus skinny people. i am the same way, food is always on my mind but my husband never eats, never wants a snack etc. finally i realized that if food was always going to be on my mind, then ijust needed to find helathy snacks and filling low calorie food so that i could eat as much as i wanted.


it is definitely not going to be easy. it is an extremely mentally taxing thing to change your whole life around, to critically analyze yourself and your weight (something all of us would like to ignore), and your reasons for being over weight.

what you have to realize is that it takes time. every step you take in the right direction is a victory. every step you take backwards is not a failure but a stall in your plan.

everyone can do this. i think the biggest road block that most people face in the weight loss battle is lack of self confidence. when i started losing weight i said " i'm going to count calories and start walking" i never in my wildest dreams thought that i would even start losing weight. then one day i weighed myself and i had lost 10 pounds and i was in absolute shock. my confidence shot throught he roof that day. i knew there was no stopping my progress.

you have to know that you can do this. once you develope that confidence things will seem so much easier for you. just posting on this board is a push in the right direction.

don't start tomorrow, start today.

[Bev]

if you subscribe to self magazine they a real cool site that you can find out how many calories you should eat and track your food. IT is at selfdietclub.com. If anyone would like to get a group together for suppor either here, email or PM I could use all the support I can get.

Beverly

[icecreamjunkee]

I've been counting calories for a little over 3 months (since I gained 2 pounds after 25 of success!) and have found that I feel I have more control over my weight when i do this. Yes it sucks to write everything down, but after a while you just know that when you put something in your mouth you have to count it, and this makes you more aware, the key to weight loss.
exercise is important, on days I exercise I eat more, on days I don't I take it down. but its always good to get some activity in.
good luck and if you need a buddy, I can help