So, I guess the title says it all.... I don't want to have to be losing weight. It's no fun. Boring. Hard work. Time consuming. But, I NEED to do it. If I don't do it now... I never will. Everyone always talks about how much ~Fun~ working out is. How it feels so great and rewarding. I don't think I'm there yet...

Hi, I'm Tiffany! 22 year old female from Phoenix Arizona. I've always been a little heavier... but never overweight. I never thought it was much of a problem until I got older. I have always found curves to be sexy and appealing to me. I do not feel my curves are appealing anymore, and I want to change that.

I enjoy spending time with my cats. They are a huge part of my life... I also love coming on the internet, watching movies/tv, love going to mexico, to the mountains, riding quads, camping, and many more... I'm not really active at all. I sit at a desk 10 hours a day/5 days a week for work. When I get home I sit in front of the TV and stuff my face. I'll admit it.

I was in a 4 year relationship with this guy and you are probably wondering what this has to do with anything but.... I didn't take care of my body and that's when everything went down hill. I didn't have to dress to impress anyone..and he was happy with how I looked. Well, i recently broke up with him to explore the single life and I'm not happy. I don't look attractive and I know it. Plus, I haven't seen my mom in almost 2 years ( I grew up with my mom, so this is the longest I've ever gone without seeing her) so I want to go home and see her this summer and really just amaze her and my family. But most importantly- I'm doing this for me!!!!

So, for me to actually get motivated me and my dad made a pledge together that we were going to go start working out. It was our new years resolution. We started working out I think on Jan 3, 2008. We got a membership at the YMCA about 5 mins from my house. We also started eating healthier, but not necessarily dieting... just healthy foods... veggies, fruits, you know all that good stuff.

My Weekly Plan:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Go to YMCA. Do weight lifting Schedule that was set up for me by YMCA staff. I do this for around 20-30 minutes to get through whole schedule. Then I do some cardio work which could be bike, treadmill, etc for around 20 minutes-30 minutes. I end up being there working out for around 1 hour. Sometimes we will play raquetball/go swimming before we leave for a little added fun in the routine.

Tuesday,Thursday: I do a DVD workout at home by myself. I have hip hop abs, yoga, and a couple varios DVD's. I usually do this for 30 mins. (I'm having a hard time staying commited to this)

Saturdays: This is my reward day. This is my day to look forward to all week. I usually go out drinking or out to eat on this day to kind of give myself a pat on the back for sticking through it the whole week. Sometimes I will also do some work outs on this day if I feel like it.

Sundays: Nothing. I dont reward myself, and I also don't work out.


So we are on our what... 3rd week!?! I have not lost any weight. Last time I weighed myself I actually gained 1 lb. Very frustrating.

OK, so enough rambling. Here's what I've been up to. Any suggestions/comments/whatever feel free to let me know! I need encouragement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Shorty!

As for not losing weight - it can be really difficult to maintain a loss without counting -something-, whether it be calories, points, what have you. Plenty of people have become and remained overweight on very healthy foods. Most people require more than just regular exercise for weight loss..usually food intake has to be restricted as well. So you may want to start tracking your food intake more carefully.

I don't know if the idea of eating out/drinking as a "reward" is really the healthiest. I mean, for me, it was very important to consider my new healthy lifestyle the reward...eating the way I do isn't a punishment, and neither is exercising, as both make me feel great. Watching what you eat and exercising doesn't need to be torture! I love the foods I eat every day and keep my exercise fun, so I don't need to reward myself for "getting through the week". It is surprisingly easy to undo a whole weeks worth of work with one blowout night out of drinks and food, too. Maybe you need to experiment, find some new activities or new recipes, etc to make this a little more enjoyable? You're going to have a hard time sticking to this for life (which you have to do to maintain lost weight) if you feel like it is torture.

Anyway, I'm glad you found us. Stick around and keep posting...can't wait to get to know you better!

You may want to head over to the "20 Somethings" forum...we have weigh-ins and check-in threads, if you want to establish yourself in a group.

It is very hard for me to do it. Every day I look forward to working out- just because I want the weight gone. But to be completely honest I dont want to do the work behind it. I could have just easily come on this website and said how exciting and fun working out is... but come on... I'm not here for lies- i'm here for help. I came here to help me get in the mood to do this, for tips and advice. Thank you so much for welcoming me into the forum! I can't wait to get to know everyone!!!

Are you having particular trouble with exercising at home? I find it easier to do that when I have it scheduled in. I do a fitness video and weight lifting during my lunch break on Mon/Wed/Fri. I don't do it whenever I feel like it because then I'd never do it. I browsed through a few fitness videos until I found a couple that I like. For me, it's kickboxing and dancing. Kickboxing is my way of letting out my stress and aggression. Dancing is just fun, and I love learning the routine so I look like a real dancer instead of just someone flopping around. So, find something you like - not just something everyone else likes.

You also might want to take up walking. It's an easy cardio exercise that will get you moving. It is also a nice time to be alone and think about things. I invested in an iPod so I can jam to my favorite songs while walking. Within a week of walking, I looked forward to it. It was me time where I could listen to my music and get some fresh air without anyone bugging me.

Don't push yourself too hard at first or you won't like anything and you'll end up sabotaging yourself. I did that with my strength training, and I dropped it for over a year. Now that I've picked it back up, I'm taking things a bit slower, and I'm still seeing huge results.

And like Mandalinn said - You might want to start counting the calories (or points) in the food you are eating. I keep a log of the food I eat. I stopped writing my food down for several months, and I didn't lose a single pound, even though I was making an effort to eat healthy things. Once I start writing my food down, I start losing weight. Maybe that will work for you. Just keep a little notebook with you. Log what you have throughout the day and add it up before bed. Try to aim for a calorie range. I try to keep mine between 1600 and 1800. However, you should play around and find what works best for you.

Good luck with your weight loss journey, and I'm sure everyone around here will be happy to lend you support and answer questions.

Hi! Thanks for the welcome!

My biggest struggle with working out at home is that I have so much to do around the house that I don't seem to fit in time. I try to do it as soon as I get home from work. I get home at 5pm and then try to do that. I do hip hop abs, because I like doing the moves to learn to dance. Also, I have heard that you should eat before you work out, and I have also heard to eat after you work out.. What is best in your opinion? Personally, I am the type of person that wants to see results RIGHT NOW...and when it doesn't happen I get discouraged. That's to the point I am right now. I've worked out and ate healthy for almost 3 weeks- and seen nothing. It's almost like a waste of time to me... but I dont want to give up. So that's why I'm here. I want to do this!!!!! Thanks again for the welcome and can't wait to get to know everyone!!

Definitely start keeping track of what you're eating. I thought I was eating healthy until I started looking at the calories and fat grams, then I realized why I wasn't seeing lower numbers on the scales. As for eating before or after, I'm not sure. I usually eat before, but sometimes I'll exercise and then eat. I remember reading an article that said the best time of day to work out is when it best fits into your schedule. However, someone more knowledgeable here might know better.

If you are having trouble fitting in a 30 or 40 minute fitness video, then try something shorter. Something is better than nothing after all. I have a couple of great videos in a series called 10 Minute Solutions. You can find them at Target or order them online for pretty cheap ($8 to $12). They consist of five 10-minute routines. You can do one or all five, depending on the time you have. Or you can mix and match them in any order you'd like. I usually do one or two routines before my weight training. It's surprising how fast my heart rate climbs and how much I sweat just a couple minutes into the 10 minute routine.

As for wanting to see results, I know what you mean, but you've got to be patient. If I had my choice, I'd be at 160 right now, but that isn't possible. I'll get there eventually, but I'm not going to put myself on a strict timetable because then I'll just end up disappointed that I didn't make my goal. I started lifting five-pound weights at the beginning of the year. I also started doing the most pathetic push-ups you've ever seen. They weren't pretty, but I still tried. Fifteen days later, and I can do five push-ups with great form. I couldn't even dream of doing that on the first day. So, sometimes the results aren't always in the form of a lower number on the scale.

Hey Shorty, I think I'm going to have to agree with what the ladies said so far, you need to monitor your food intake somehow. Be it through calories, protein/fat/carb ratio, something. Also, you need to make sure that you're eating enough food. Sure, 1000 calories a day might sound great if you're trying to lose weight, but it's simply not enough energy to fuel your body and your metabolism shuts down (a tad bit counterproductive). I know how hard it can be to fit workouts in too, especially if you're just starting. It's like...no...me no wanna sweat and work hard. You just have to find some form of physical activity that enjoy doing, even if it's walking for 20 minutes a day with some friends or something. I always try and plan my workout in the next day the night before, that way I know I'll have time to do it. It's really frustrating to not see the scale moving too, you think all your work is for nothing. Try taking your body measurements and recording them though, try to measure your body fat percentage each week. The scale may not be moving, but that doesn't neccesarily mean that you're not losing fat and replacing that weight with muscle. As for post workout nutrition, fast absorbing protein and carbohydrates will help your muscles recover. Good luck!!!

Hi Shorty,

OMG you sound so much like me not that long ago!!
I've been there so I know that you are looking for that "magic bullet" that's going to turn you into a fit, trim, beach babe but I can tell you from experience (years, and years of dieting and failing experience) that the very first thing you have to do is readjust your thinking about what you're doing and why you're doing it. Are you wanting to be smaller so you can attract a new boyfriend? Wrong reason hun! As soon as you find one and settle in to the relationship you're going to end up right back here again. You do this for you so you will feel better about yourself and it'll be a heck of a lot easier to stick with a program.

You can see from my screen name that I've been fat and I've been "scary" skinny (115lbs at 5' 8" is not healthy and, in all honesty, doesn't really look that great) and now I'm fat again because I got that thin using those "magic bullets". I don't want to scare you off but you have to understand that it is probably not going to be easy. You might have to really work at it. You are going to have to do some research on your own and you might have to try a couple of different meal plans until you find the one that's right for you; and you have to be totally (brutally) honest with yourself about what and how much you really eat - I'm not good at keeping track of calories and carbs but I write down everything I eat (and drink) and how much. No I don't weigh it all but I consider a "serving" as being an amount I can hold on the palm of my hand without spilling and without curling my fingers around to hold it; and no rationalizing that it's OK to eat the whole half gallon of Ben and Jerry's because all you had for breakfast was dry toast . The forums have some great ideas and offer great support for those days when you want to give up and "attaboys" for the accomplishments but in the end no one else can make the weight come off for you. But if you want it bad enough to hang in there and commit to an actual lifestyle change, it WILL happen.

And, no, when you first start an exercise program, it is definitely NOT fun, it's work! The fun starts when you get that "wow, I did that?" feeling and that doesn't happen unless you are wholeheartedly putting out your best effort; and it doesn't happen if you expect to look and move like the instructor after the first week - have you ever done anything that you did perfectly the first time you tried it? I haven't. This is where some of the research comes in. You need to find a program that you think is interesting enough to stick to - I like bodyweight workouts on DVD because I can pause them to work on getting into the correct postion before I start trying to do reps - but I can't stand running so for cardio I jump rope to my favorite music.

Last but not least - I totally agree with mandalinn - you can't use a night out drinking as your reward. If you want to call it your "cheat" or "fat" day fine (and you still have to write down all those beers and shots) but you have to have something more tangible as your reward - like new jeans in a smaller size? Something that is still going to be around to motivate you to get another one.

You can do this!!!

Ok this whole "me drinking on saturday nights" Keeps coming up. I used to drink like 3-4 times a week. Not to get drunk, but just to drink. I cut myself back to only Saturdays. I feel that if I don't just enjoy it once a week- I'm going not be able to stick to the plan during the week. Make sense? Or am I just making excuses to get drunk?

My goal is to get to a nice size before summer. Maybe not the 120 I want..but to a nice healthy size where I'm not so FATTTTTTT!!!! Ok, a little over exageration i will agree. But, I just want to look a little attractive. BTW I'm not doing this for a bf or whatever. i want to feel good about myself!

hiya again,

Didn't mean to harp on the drinking on Saturdays (and bravo for already cutting back) I'm not exactly a tea totaler either (#&!! I live in Vegas, I'd have to leave town if I didn't have a drink once in a while ) but I just don't think something so intangible makes a good reward. Pick something you really like: doesn't have to be expensive a charm for a bracelet or a fancy hair clip or a pair of nice undies; a book? anything that you can take out and look at when your motivation lags - And, depending on what you are drinking you can really be setting yourself back. Kind of like me saying "I want to save $1000 dollars for a vacation but for every $100 I save I get to play $20 in a video poker machine" I'll eventually save up my grand but I'll get there a lot faster if I only put $5 in the machine. Don't deny yourself your Saturdays out but maybe modify them a little - If you drink Red Bull and vodka, switch to vodka and cranberry - even reconstituted juice has less sugar than those energy drinks. What works for me is ordering something I don't really like that much (maybe scotch and water ) - takes me longer to drink it so I have fewer. I just recently started making myself alternate a bottled water between cocktails so I might end up ready to go home after only two drinks and I've been a good girl with my water servings. And hey, if you're going out anyway, go to a club that has music so you can dance - get that exercise while your at it

Gotta run - hope to see you back tomorrow.

I have to agree with all the girls as well. I am like you, I hate to exercise, but I am at a point where I know I HAVE to do it. The more I do it the easier it gets, and I am starting to enjoy the break I get when I am at the gym. Do you have a friend who can accompany you? I find that taking my mind off of the exercise part and chatting or watching a good tv program helps the time to fly.

I also think keeping track of your intake is very helpful. I eat 5 smaller meals a day. Try to find lower calorie versions of things you like. You don't want to not be able to enjoy your foods, becuase it will be impossible to stick to. Weight control oatmeal is a great breakfast food, low in calories. I thought it was bad at first but now I like it. It took me a few days to adjust to the less sweet taste, but now it is fine. Try toast with it,(Sara Lee Multi Grain bread is fantastic and only 90 cal for 2 slices) and you can use that butter spray with no cal. It tastes great and is a filling meal. I alternate with a scrambled egg, or 2 scrambled whites, instead of oatmeal. Snacks can be anything; fruit, a low fat granola bar, yogurt, etc....I try to stick to 5 300 cal meals. Find some combo's you like and rotate them for variety. I also like the Lean Cuisine meals, and they are all around a 300 cal meal and are filling and it seems like a good sized portion to me. I have been dieting for about 2 weeks and have lost 7 pounds. I am 193, so in your neighborhood. I am working out 4-5 days a week, and trying to burn about 500-600 cal per workout. This is working well for me and maybe it could help to kick start your weight loss too.

As for the drinking...we all need to celebrate, but drinking can ruin the whole week of exercise. If you are drinking juice drinks you could be looking at 200+ calories per drink. I would try diet coke mixed with something as an alternative. Then you are not taking in as many calories and still getting to drink. I got to 165 lbs from drinking beer. I was a petite 115, then I moved in with roomates who partied all the time and gained about 50 pounds in 3 months!! I was drinking 8-10 beers every night and... all of a sudden I was fat and didn't even know I was getting fat! A friend of mine had told me at the time (he was a fitness buff who didn't drink) that there was a pork chop in every beer!!! Scary huh?! That is a lot of calories just to have a little fun. When you do go out, I agree that alternating with water is a great idea. Also, if you eat out, remember that a portion is about the size of your palm. There are a lot of places that have healthy choices, ie: Applebees has a weight watcher's menu. One night of drinking is not a good trade off when it ruins all your hard work! Also, pop is a big contributor. All weight loss experts say you should not be drinking ANY of your calories. If you are like me and love soda, then try crystal light. It's 5 cal and I really like the lemonade.

Hope some of this helps you and good luck on your weight loss journey!!! I am here if you have any questions or concerns! Take care, Jaimie

Yes thanks guys! It does help! Well I just got back from YMCA and weighed myself today. Only try to weigh myself like once a week... well today it showed that I lost 3 pounds! YAY!

About the drinking on Saturdays... I'm glad you guys are telling me this stuff. That's what I'm here for is for you to tell me "Tiffany you are doing this wrong- and you need to do this instead" So thank you! I will definetly take it into consideration and maybe just go drink every other weekend or something. BTW: I drink margaritas I know, I know...bad. And we like to go to the club so i'm usually dancing- boy do my legs hurt when we leave!!

Luckily, I stopped drinking soda I only drink water or I love VS Splash I think it's mango or something. It tastes so good. I make sure I don't over do that.

Oh, and every time I go to the YMCA I have my dad with me. We are work out buddies so we have someone there for encouragement. Sometimes we work side by side... sometimes we do our own things. So that helps!

hiya i think we all hate excercise to begin with that is how we got here lmao.. but i have grown to love it .. its been unreal to loose the weight feel great and watch the inches disapear..

But you have to watch you calories , if you use fitday you can put in what you eat and find out how many calories a day you are eating too little you want loose too much you wont either..

I went on line and looked up my daily calorie needs to maitain my current weight.. for me 5.5 and 276 pounds it 2450 calories on average they then say to take off 500 calories for weight loss. so i stick to between 1800- 1900 on avergage sometimes a little more sometimes a little less. and its woeking great i have lost 12.8 pounds since december 12 and 6 inches around my waist..

I agree you need to reward yourself but maybe going out and doing something other then eating/drinking may work out for quicker weight loss there is sooo many calories in alcohol. go to the movies, bowling skating .. anything and have fun.. Much better then i didnt eat crap then getting something crap.. one bad choice could give you more then the calories burned during the entire week .. if drinking is your thing then have a diet soda between bad drinks

As far as workouts go you have to find something you really enjoy go to the library and borrow some workout dvds and find one you like then buy one on ebay.. if workouts arent your thing . then hire a bike or cross trainer for a month or even a rowing machine see if you like that .. hiring/borrowing equipment is better then buying something your not sure about .. once you find something you love enough to do most days .. ebay is the place to go lol you pay so much less there..

attitude makes a big difference.. aren't you better off here then ignoring the problem?? you dont want to end up as big as me .. lol.. i do an hour a day almost everyday (unless sick) and i love pilates, aerobics , and my elliptical trainer /bike . i also do weight training 2- 3 times a week and its fantastic once you can enjoy it.. i do all my workouts at home.. apart from swimming .. i go to my parent house and use there pool ..

welcome and i hope you enjoy being here once you realise your not alone .. we are all here to help and we love to hear anything that is working for you .. im glad your dad is with you on this .. have a great time and i hop you enjoy your workouts soon ..

Hi Tiffany, I too am new to the site and as you are, I too am struggling to get the lbs. to come off. I do not have alot of advice as I am looking for advice myself, but I do know that we can do it if we put our minds to it. I am hoping to lose 50lbs. and I love to eat...needless to say, this is not going to be easy. I have 4 kids and the energy I put into them is exausting, but never the less, I haven't lost any weight by being mom... hence buying a treadmill. I hope to see you succeed in your goal and I am here if you want to chat along the way through your journey. GOOD LUCK and keep believing in yourself.

Morning Tiffany! You sound so much more positive in your later posts. So glad to see it! And saw your post to another newbie where you said how much you love the Y - see, you are having fun even though you only realize it after the workout And way to go on that loss!!

Thought of you when I was coming up with my latest little motivation for myself (I know, I know hokey hokey; but give it a try. This positive thinking stuff can really help) - YOU are not fat! The real you is your mind (soul, essence - whatever you want to call it) and there is no fat on ideas and dreams. Your body is holding some extra "stuff" that doesn't really belong to you so it's time to let it go.

All those things around the house you have to do that makes it hard to make time to work out at home? Turn it into a mini workout in itself - put the laundry basket on the floor and put the clothes in the washer one piece at a time; practice using your abs for support while your pushing the vacuum. Little things like that. It isn't as effective as a real workout but it's better than nothing and if you are focusing on body parts an movements instead of the boring toilet bowl you'll be surprised at how quick the chores go by

Here's another litle idea - on that Sunday that you don't reward or exercise try using that day for your planning day. That can be your "healthy me" day. Go shopping but don't plan on dashing in and dashing out. Take your time. Read the ingredients and decide if it's going to help you with the New You plan before you put something in your cart. You'll see, some of the stuff you think you really like won't be quite as appealing after you read what's in it. See if there are some things you can substitute - try switching the processed one pot dinners for some whole wheat pasta and sauce. If your reading the labels you can find some sauces that really aren't too bad and not any more expensive. Don't cheat yourself by not looking but if you still really, really want it after you read go ahead and buy one (just one, and no eating it in the car on the way home); And you WILL get a sense of accomplishment if you leave the store without those Reeses.

When you get home, spend a little time preparing some of the new, healthier things you bought and put them in the fridge so you don't have to take the time to fix them during the week -boil a dozen eggs for quick take with you breakfasts (so won't have a reason to stop at Krispy Kreme -If you do Starbuck's go through the drive through so those ymmies in the case aren't in view - just because they bill it as "sugar free" doesn't mean it isn't chalk full of other diet no-nos)

So, these suggestions are all well and good but don't worry about trying to incorporate everything into your life all at once - you spent a long time developing the habits that got you to this point. You are on the right track so keep it going. If you do slip a little, don't punish yourself more by using it as an excuse to give up. And keep coming here often as you can - seeing that you aren't alone with any of your frustrations and challenges and realizing that you can help someone else with support is going to keep you positive about yourself.