can i ever lose weight?! like seriously. okay, hello everyone- this is me...

i am 20 years old, enlisted in the Navy at the best foreign language school in the country, and i am 15-20 lbs overweight for my height (5'1")

we have scheduled workouts twice a week, Tues/thurs from 430-515 pm, and i rarely find other time out of class besides to do homework or study, for working out.

i've tried weight watchers and quit after 3 weeks. today was my 6th day on nutrisystem and i'm sending it back tomorrow. i'm sick of wasting money and food. the only thing that has ever worked for me was taking Anoretix pills and severely cutting back on junk food, also while running and walking every single day.

i hate vegetables and fruit (but i am learning to like some)... thank the lord i am now granted permission to live in my own apartment. living in the barracks and having to eat from the chow hall was horrible!

i would like some advice on if i can ever overcome the dieting yo-yo and lose this weight once and for all. i've always been a little chubby, even through childhood.

that sounded completely b!tchy but i apologize. i'm exasperated at this point.

allison

3 weeks on Weight Watchers ? 6 days on Nutrisystem ? Do you honestly think you are giving it your best effort ? It takes time to see results.Fewer calories and more exercise will work to take off weight.

yeah in my experience most "programs" dont work for me. there is no magic trick to it, just count your calories and figure out how many you need to cut out to lose. the person above me is right though, it takes a lot of time and effort. sometimes i think that the media has confused everyone so much by acting like there are ways to magically melt away pounds without time or effort that now people get frustrated if they see one or two weeks without results. just stick with it!!

that is a valid point but i have tried WW more than once, and every time i ended up quitting after a month or less. i suppose i'm not. i just don't understand why the only thing i can stick to is diet pills and near starvation. i eventually want to eat healthier and live a more energetic life but i can't seem to get my act together yet.

[edit] i am going to stick with something. i'm just gonna make it up on my own. last year before i left for boot camp, i lost weight by running and eating only slimfast bars, salads, grilled chicken, and saltines with peanut butter. can't say it was the healthiest diet!

I count calories. It is fairly simple and flexible. In the Diet Central here, you will find loads of info on all types od eating plans, if you want to check it out - http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/#diet-central

Also, a big factor for any plan to succeed is determination and commitment.

Welcome to 3FC! and good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

Allison-you have to work it(whatever that is for you), for you to be successful.Spend some time on the boards,look around at all of the plans.I would guess calorie counting would be the easiest and less restrictive.ALthough this is similar to WW.If you really want to loose the weight and make a lifestyle change, you can do it.You just have to want it bad enough.

thank you guys. it almost brings me to tears bc i do want it bad enough. i need an attitude adjustment. or metabolism adjustment. either one will do lol

I was in the Army and was kicked out because I was 10 pounds overweight. I tend to think it was because I bulked up a bit with all the exersise. I am wondering if they have run a caliper test on you? Are you overweight or just over-muscular for your 5-1 which is rather small-ish. The way I am losing is not obsessing about what type of diet. I eliminate meat (most of the time) and eat rice, vegetables. I know you said you did not like veggies, but is this "everything?" All veggies? What about potatoes, rice and beans? These are the "starchy veggies," but they also really help with weight loss. As far as learning to love veggies-- Try some veggie subs. A ton of fresh or sauteed veggies on a sub roll. Use avocado as a spread. I am in love with these. Try a portobello mushroom cap as a burger instead of meat. Eat a lot of salsa as a side to eggs or potatos. Instead of Spaghettii with meat have a simple marinara sauce. Eliminating meat/ cheese/ sweets will let you eat nearly normal. I've tried courious and strange things like "eggplant tacos" which are really good (roasted eggplant and tomato, in taco shell. The closest to the all vegetarian diet is the Mediterranian diet or, I think, the South Beach diet. I totally don't believe in doing those pre-cooked plans. I think the trick is eating a lot of the lower calorie food-- and this means vegetables.

Also more cardio than weight lifting keeps your muscles leaner and less build up of muscle mass. Yoga and pilates are also good for workouts without bulking up.

i have been taped, and that's usually how i pass the weigh-ins for the PT tests. i am more overweight then anything. i have a very big bottom (hips are near 40") and absolutely no arm muscles at all. i want arm muscles though our PT mainly consists of running 1.5 miles or 2, then push ups and sit ups.

i am very much a carnivore, not sure if a no meat diet would really work for me. i love potatoes, rice, spinach, lettuce, avocado... and that's where the list stops. lol

I am into vegetables, but really I think that limiting serving size and also working off what you eat in the form of exersise is more important than what you eat. The main reason I like vegetables is that it takes the body a lot less time to use them up Like 1/2 hour rather than 4-8 hours. They are gone and out of you before they make a huge impact. People who eat mainy vegetarian do tend to "eliminate" faster and more often. Lots of fiber which is also good for colon health and digestion. Med diet/ South Beach (did I say South Park diet?) a lot of veg, things like pasta, rice, and smaller portions of meat.

You sound bottom heavy-- so really running is good for your glutes, but your arms need to get some work as well. The exersise really is a labor of love. You got to get into sort of re-creating yourself-- Have you ever done yoga? Martial arts? Does the Navy there have any health club where you can get some training?

there's a gym on base that offers different programs. the main problem is finding team for these. i'm in class learning Russian for 8 hours a day, have military commitments after school, and then 2 hours of homework every night. i'll look into it though. thank you for your suggestions so far. i feel a much kinder vibe on this forum than on the nutrisystem forum.

I think we can be buddies! I'm 5'1" as well, but five years younger. I also weigh about 9 lbs more than you do. i guess the only difference is that i'm trying to get down to 115 lbs. though, because my doctor says that i'm only supposed 100 lbs, 110 at the most. but keep searching the forum! that's what i did, and i chose to go on the fat smash diet. i just ordered the book and can't wait until it get's here!

I think you should not eliminate meat.. especially if you really like it. First, protein is good for building those lean muscles that burn fat. Meat is not the only source of protein, but a very good one. Just be sure you choose lean proteins (chicken breast, turkey products, fish.. even lean ham) and portion-wise think of them as a side dish on your plate, instead of the main course. Fill the rest of your plate with both starchy and fibrous carbs (mainly fibrous - these are your green veggies, tomatoes, etc) and you should be good to go.

thanks guys! and hi normalee, i cant believe you're only 15 lol.

the thing with starches and carbs is that they confuse me. I LOVE THEM, believe me i do. but when i think of them i imagine piles of potatoes and breads... and that can't be good for a diet ???

Well, there are good carbs & bad. Your processed breads (white flour breads, regular pastas) would not be as good for you as whole grain breads. Starchy carbs are actually essential - they provide a lot of energy. There are a lot of whole grain/whole wheat bread options in the stores now (considered a good starchy carb). Brown rice is an excellent good starchy carb, as well as sweet potatoes/regular potatoes... and now they have whole wheat pastas! What I do is think of my plate divided into 4 parts like a pie. One space should have 3-4 oz lean meat, one space a good starchy carb, and the other two spaces should be fibrous carbs. It is working so far for me.. also eating smaller meals 5-6 times per day seems to keep my metabolism going.

Hope that helps some!