Hola! I need to lose 120 lbs! No trend diets
 

Hi There,

So, I've got a lot of weight to lose and I'm eager to get started. Of course I've been saying this for a long time. About me: I've tried trend diets, have very poor sticktoitiveness and therefore cant say one did or did not work but these types of behaviors don't work for me. Calorie/Points counting, cutting out entire food groups- BLEH! I'm totally down to eat natural foods only, and I already do try this. I have an injured neck, and I'm always afraid to hurt myself when exercising. I don't think I eat bad- but my eating habits are bad. I.e., I don't eat breakfast, don't have consistent mealtimes, am always on the go and rarely prepared therefore end up eating out and eating food that I really don't want to eat. I have a decent self-image, until I see a photo of myself or a reflection in a window whilst beside someone of a healthy weight.

Weight loss is totally illusive to me. I've been this heavy once before and a doctor prescribed me phentermine. I lost all the weight, and I also put myself in danger taking that drug. Over the past 10 years its slowly come back, since I've been married especially. I cant take it anymore. I'm not willing to go on a pill like, yet lack the discipline and energy to starve myself and workout like a madman as I did while on that med.

I don't have health insurance, and my family is struggling to get me through nursing school so seeing a doctor is not an option for me; I do have a thorough understanding of health and healthy numbers and healthy behaviors but lack labs or an actual physician to say "hey, so this is whats going on.." I know that my plan needs to include regular meals and mealtimes, and exercise. and Discipline is my major setback. I don't have a lot of time, but I'm going to have to make it. I really just need help setting realistic goals, and making a realistic plan, then seeing results and sticking to it!

I hope this journey leads me to the 120lb weight loss goal!

And that is all...

You don't need to starve yourself or workout like a madman to lose weight. I'm not and since beginning of January this year i've lost about 15kg or 30 pounds or so.

Its not been difficult but i have made rules for myself and have stuck to them.
My rules are sensible.

You have do do something of the same kind of thing. There's no point in me telling you what your rules should be even though its pretty much laid out in your post what your rules should be, or some of them at least.

You need to devise some sort of program for yourself that you believe you can stick with.

However, since you say you want to someone /us to make some suggestions i'll bite even though you've already told us you won't stick to them. But here's my point of view and then you can write your own rules.

First, find out your healthy weight range for your height and gender. Your goal is somewhere in between the top and bottom of that range.

Second, you will not put a time limit on it. You will do this slowly. No hurry. No pressure.

Third, you will only eat healthy nutritious food and you will either limit bad foods to a particular time or day and stick with that only.

Fourth, you will eat three meals a day, starting with breakfast to be eaten within an hour of waking up. Even if its just a piece of toast and a banana. You will eat something. And if you get hungry between meals, you will have something available like fruit or whatever you need to get you through to the next meal. Preferably you will keep your meal times fairly close together and they will be substantial meals.

Fifth, you will not eat low fat anything. You will eat whole foods and minimise processed foods severely, including energy bars.

Sixth, alcohol is restricted. I tend to drink a glass of wine a day and that's been fine. You can't afford to get out of control too often if you are going to drink more than that.

Seven, the only exercise you will do is walking and just be conscious of moving about throughout your day. Walking is good for your neck anyway probably until your weight is nearing the healthy weight range.

Eight, you will be prepared so that you can avoid eating out so often. Eating out is planned in advance not a last minute decision. This is not hard. I do it. You can do it too even if your life is a bit more busy than mine. The only reason you eat out a lot is clearly because you can afford to.

Nine, you will make room in your life for eating well and preparing your food even if it means giving up one or more of the other activities you do but probably don't really need to do - something that just fills up time and doesn't really have much else going for it i.e. like going to the pub so much.

Ten. You will not take any artificial weight loss medicines or supplements or even vitamins. You will get all your nutrients from a wide variety of foods that you will mostly prepare yourself at home. You will not rely on juices for nutrients either.

11. You will eat at least 2.5 cups of fresh vegetables every day and 2 pieces of fresh or stewed fruit. You will eat 2-3 serves of dairy per day when 1 cup of milk equals 1 serve, 1 cup of natural yogurt equals 1 serve and 30 grams of hard cheese equals 1 serve. You will eat fat. But try to avoid vegetable oils and foods cooked in them, too much saturated fat. You will include things like nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil and make your own salad dressing from olive oil and balsamic vinegar/red wine vinegar/white wine vinegar/lemon or lime juice because no bought dressing can match a dressing made with these ingredients in a ratio of about 50/50. And because you know that a certain amount of fat is essential in satisfying your appetite. You will try to eat protein in your meals at least twice a day.

12. You will go shopping at least once a week and buy only good stuff to bring home. That way you won't have to prepare meal plans in advance, you will always have a good supply of food available to make something from scratch at a moment's notice. And each meal you prepare will start off with a vegetable at its core. e.g. there's a cauliflower in the fridge. You decide I'm having that for dinner. HOw can i make a meal from cauliflower? - oh well i could have a stir fry, or a famous indian curry made from this and potatoes and served with rice and raita, or cauliflower au gratin or steamed cauliflower and steak/fish/chicken or hearty cauliflower soup depending on what else is available to go with it.

13. I don't eat sweets at all on my program but if you insist on it, then no more than one serve per day when a serve does not equal 2 litres of ice-cream but rather something considerably more standard. Preferably not something you buy already made from the supermarket.

14. You will address stress and pressure and low moods asap by dealing with the problem front on rather than letting things build up and leading to problems that will make you want to eat badly.

I can't think of any thing else right. I think that should be heaps for you to get started with.

Hey OP! Congratulations on starting your journey and for joining this forum! With regard to your question, I mostly agree with what Pattience said. The only suggestion I have is to go very slowly. Seeing all of those suggestions written there is helpful, however it may be a little daunting, especially seeing as you already mentioned that you struggle with self discipline. My advice to you would be to make small changes and stick to them, ensuring they have become a habit, before adding something new in. I think you should start with eating breakfast; for a week, everyday, eat breakfast. Its a small change, and it can be hard to get used to, but soon enough, it will become a habit. It took me ages to get into eating breakfast; for a while it used to make me be sick, I couldnt eat of a morning, for some reason. Now, if I dont eat breakfast I am really cranky by lunchtime! Anyway, I digress.
Make small changes and let them become a habit. I think it is important not to go out all guns blazing, because it can be overwhelming sometimes? So make a list of the changes you wish to make, and over a period of time, implement them into your routine- the important part of all of this is this is a lifestyle change, not a fad diet, not a magic pill, a lifestyle change, so it needs to be made by you, to suit your lifestyle. Dont set a time limit on losing the weight either, no pressure, no stress. Also, dont be afraid of posting on here, everyone here is really supportive and informative, its great! Hope this helps, please keep us posted on your journey!

Welcome to the forum.

I forgot to mention you have to keep a food diary and list everything you eat and how much of each. Doing this will enable you to know where to cut back a little when things don't seem to be shifting.

Oh i just want to add something about breakfast.

I am generally a breakfast eater though this diet i haven't felt like eating it when i get up. But i have had to make myself do it.

the reason for eating breakfast is that it wakes up your metabolism which has slowed down overnight. that is why you need to eat breakfast. I think knowing the reason for doing things helps us make better choices.

e.g. there is a reason for eating enough fat. I just found this out a couple of days ago. The intestines send signals that you've had enough to eat when food with fat gets to the intestine. There's some sort of compound in the fat that is read by oh gee, i can't remember all the correct details but anyway messages are carried and if your diet meal does not contain enough fat you have to eat a lot more before the message can get through because the signal has to come from where elsewhere. I got this from a food-medical scientists book. Of course those signals may not get through if you are eating food like ice-cream which are full of sugar. bodies are complex.

First of all weight loss has no time limit. If you want to loose 120 lbs. you can do it one year by simply cutting out 8095 calories per week or losing 2.3 pounds per week. If you're on a two year weight loss then it means cutting 4047 calories per week resulting in 1.1 lb. loss per week. There is no such thing as rapid weight loss that can't be gained back 3 times faster than you lost it, plus some.

Stay away from crazy diets or pills that promise you otherwise. The key to long term success is to eat less, and move more. I don't eliminate foods, I just eat less of them. Find out how many calories you should be eating according to your goal weight and make a plan. If I want a piece of cake, it will be a sliver. Portion size is the key element. Unfortunately those portion sizes in restaurants and fast food are double to triple the size that was served in the 1950's. Back then it was unusual to see a fat person, today it's the norm. So no more thinking that the plate has to be cleaned, no more seconds on anything, watch the calories in the things you're drinking. The new energy drinks are loaded with calories. My son in law discovered he was drinking 700 to 800 additional calories a day just in the amount of soda he was drinking!

As far as exercise, start out slow, working out two to three times a week. Don't overdue, and get burnt out. Don't eat more calories because you're exercising. You'll gain weight. Its simple, calories in versus calories out.

You'll get hungry, there is no such thing as loosing weight without that uncomfortable symptom. You'll get sore with exercise, but there is no gain without some pain. All will subside as your body and brain get used to eating less and moving more.

Good luck to you and Welcome!

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It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change.:hug:

You have a lot going on. Pick one thing, one small thing, one small change, and stick to that one thing.

Then when that becomes habit, pick another!:carrot:

This does not need to be done in a week!

Along with that, be patient, take a breath, and learn your body.

For me, lots of protein and veggies!:carrot:

Fruit, not so much, I like it, but it monkeys with my blood sugar.

The only plan you need, is the one that works for you!:hug::D