For more details, feel free to read below.
Here are my questions:

1. Is eating a piece of chocolate (See's or French truffles) every day going to hinder my weight loss if I work it into my calorie allotment to stay sane?

2. Is drinking a lot of diet soda bad for you? I don't drink a lot of caffeine (maybe one caffeinated drink per day), but I do drink a lot of diet Ginger Ale, diet Orange Soda, etc

3. I can't seem to exercise a lot. I get tired and achy quickly. Will 15-30 minutes a day still be beneficial until I can build up to more? Can I still lose weight before I'm able to do more work-outs?

4. Do you need a scale to be an effective dieter?

If it matters, I have about 40 pounds to lose.


Alright, now for those of you that want to read more, this is going to be a huge post, LOL.

I'm working hard to lose a fair amount of weight that I gained. I got pregnant and lost the baby, so it's taking me a bit longer than it should to work up the motivation to really burn it off. It's been two months, and I'm finally trying to eat right.

I'm working out a little via exercise videos, usually pilates or cardio workouts. I don't have access to a gym currently, nor can I afford a membership until I start working again. I'm mildly out of shape from not even considering working out for 2 months, so I get tired after 15-30 minutes of this if it's a higher intensity. I do *something* every day, and I also live on the third floor of an apartment complex so I walk up the stairs many times a day (often carrying heavy things). Is this an okay beginning? I'm hoping to work up to getting more exercise in, but with starting a new job and moving to a new city, it's difficult.

I'm also tracking my food intake as of this week (not calories, but mostly what I eat and when). I've kept a diary showing my portions and foods, and I aim for 2 servings of fruit and 3 of veggies a day. I also try to get at least one serving of dairy in, and enough protein. It keeps me on track, but it's hard to guess if I'm eating enough/ too little. I mostly eat whenever I'm hungry, even if it means a couple snacks a day. I've plugged it into a calories sheet a few times, and I seem to be hitting between 1200-1500 calories a day.

I also eat one bite of good chocolate every day. Usually it's a French truffle or a See's candy piece. It's not dark chocolate (so I can't claim it's healthy), but it keeps me grounded. I always stick to just one. Other than that, I stay away from white bread, pasta, rice, potatoes (so far. I may eventually eat baked potatoes but no chips, fries, etc), desserts, or anything "bad." Is this counter intuitive? I find a small splurge makes me feel as though I'm not deprived.

I don't know what else I can do. I don't have a scale, but I'm hoping to see some improvements in the way my clothing fits (I've recently had to buy a full new work wardrobe in 8s and Mediums, and I'm typically a 2-4 and small) and the way I look and feel. Is this too hopeful? I don't want to give up because that sort of thing changes slowly..

I suppose I just need direction, or to know if I'm doing things right. I can always post a few days meals if anyone's interested if giving more specific advice. Also, I'm going to look around, but if any of you all have tips on great foods or recipes for low calorie meals, please let me know!

Hi! I think you're doing pretty good, especially for just starting out. Let me tackle your questions:

1) This shouldn't hurt at all. You said yourself, you're doing it to stay sane. There is (in theory) a bit of a downside to it--by eating a candy every day you are making sure your sweet tooth continues...But you know what? I have never been one of those people for whom anything but chocolate would cure the craving for chocolate. You're doing a great job of sticking to one small serving, and you are staying within your calorie range, so there's not really anything to worry about, IMO.

2) Ah, this is one you are going to get conflicting answers on. There are some claims that diet sodas have a similar effect on your body as do regular sodas...that the sweet taste primes your body to want more sweet things, or something of the sort. I don't subscribe to that theory. I need my Diet Coke. No one gets hurt when I get it. Honestly, back when I lost 70 pounds (I've gained back 30 of it...), I did it while sucking down diet sodas, so personally I haven't seen any indication that diet sodas will stall weight loss, and I know so many people who started losing weight rapidly once they stopped drinking their calories.

3) You are doing fine with your exercise. Don't forget to count those stairs as exercise--they are. Do what you can, and don't get down on yourself for not doing what you "should." You already plan to work your way up, so there's nothing to worry about. You should be able to lose weight with any little bit of exercise added in.

4) Of course not! Now, to keep motivated you will probably need some sort of measuring device. Have a tape measure? If not, buy one--they're ridiculously cheap somewhere like Wal-Mart or Dollar General. Track your waist measurement, maybe also your hip measurement. Failing that, take a piece of string and a ballpoint pen and make marks on it. Or use a certain piece of clothing. Or--and honestly, this is probably the best--concentrate on how you feel with your improved eating, and don't worry so much about measurements.

Now, on the gym front. If there's a YMCA near you, talk to them. They have a 'scholarship' program for memberships that is based on how much money you make. We're paying something like $14/month for a family membership. If there's only one of you, it may well be even cheaper, and hopefully something you can afford. This will give you access to a gym, a lot of classes, and a scale. It's not something I'm saying you need to do, mind, but it's an option.

Perfect, thank you SO much! I'll look into the YMCA near here. I'm glad that I'll be okay now with the chocolate and diet sodas. They certainly help me get by when things feel really hard.

I'll look around for a tape measurer. I'm pretty sure I have one somewhere.

Thank you for answering my questions. I really appreciate it!

My thoughts:

1. Is eating a piece of chocolate (See's or French truffles) every day going to hinder my weight loss if I work it into my calorie allotment to stay sane?

I don't believe in bad/good foods. Food is food. Some have more nutritional value than others. Balancing the two is key in my opinion. If chocolate is not problem, don't make it so. One piece a day, figured into your program sounds fine to me. If you find yourself eating more, then re-assess it.

2. Is drinking a lot of diet soda bad for you? I don't drink a lot of caffeine (maybe one caffeinated drink per day), but I do drink a lot of diet Ginger Ale, diet Orange Soda, etc

Yes. There's no getting around it. Soda pop is nothing but chemicals. Life is what you want it to be, so if you enjoy soda pop, enjoy it as a limited treat if you want to improve your health. I limit myself to one can a day and am working on reducing that to an occasional soda. This has to be your own decision, we all take some risk with our health in order to have the instant gratification of our desires...it just depends on what is important to you and what risk is worth it to you personally. For me, I will not give up my french brandy under any circumstance. lol

3. I can't seem to exercise a lot. I get tired and achy quickly. Will 15-30 minutes a day still be beneficial until I can build up to more? Can I still lose weight before I'm able to do more work-outs?

I do not exercise and I lose weight. Mine is a situational problem, I live in a truck. Exercise is a healthy thing to do for the body, it is not necessary to lose weight unless you need a higher calorie range to feel happy. I think it is a big mistake to start a diet AND an exercise program at the same time. I would suggest that you focus on the diet, get that well established and then build up exercise doing the types that you love. Until you are ready to give it more, walking is the most natural and healthy thing to do to move that body!

4. Do you need a scale to be an effective dieter?

No, you can use a tape measure. If you hate "numbers", use a belt with holes to measure. You can also buy a fitted dress in the size that you want to wear (be reasonable!) and try it on periodically to check how it fits. Also, a fun way to measure progress is to put on a bathing-suit and take a picture every week or month to see the progress.

If it matters, I have about 40 pounds to lose.

This sounds to me like you might benefit the most by a lifestyle change in eating rather than a strict diet that could cause you to fall into the yo-yo syndrome. Have you checked into some of the lifestyle based eating programs? The Sonoma or Mediterranean diet come to mind, so does French Women Don't Get Fat, as well as Paleo and Intuitive eating. Whatever you decide, you have a wonderful place like this to find support!