Hi All,

I am just beginning what will hopefully be my "weight loss journey".
I have tried different plans before; Atkins, counting calories, vegetarian, weight watchers and the GI diet.
None of them have worked well for me, mine you I did not stick to them

I am starting here at 27 years old, just having had a baby and at a weight for 245ish......
Is there anyone out there with similar starting points that are willing to share and help me get started??

What plans/programs have been working for you all?
Also, what exercise are you doing?

I am looking to get focused and knowing what is working for everyone would be a great start to find out where to start.

Thanks

Hey and Welcome!

I too have tried a million different things, would lose 20lbs and give up!

I have FINALLY found something that works for me and it is called "calorie counting"! I just watch my calorie intake, make sure it is between 1300-1600 a day. I don't drink liquor, I drink only water. If I want something sweet, I plan for it in my calorie intake. I eat 4-6 small meals a day and I do a lot of research on healthy snacks and foods and it all is working! And it's SUSTAINABLE! That's the beautiful part. =)

WOrking out was something I never ever did. I found a boot camp in my area and joined and it is AMAZINGGGGGGGG!!!! I recommend looking into programs into your area, whether it's a boot camp or gym classes etc.

Good luck!

I've been doing the "skinny chicks don't eat salads" plan (that's the name of the book). Basically I eat every four hours and make sure each meal has proteins and carbs. I do keep an eye on calories, but don't have a set limit that I stay under.

And for exercise mostly walking cuz I love it and can do it for a while. I try to run a couple times a week (at least a mile) and arm stuff. I like jump roping too, but right after I had a baby and tried jump roping I thought I was going to pee myself.

Hi Britt! Welcome to the 20's forum. I really know how you feel about stopping and starting over. What made the difference for me was joining a support group. This website! Knowing there are other women out there just like me, struggling with real lives and real obstacles. Sometimes I come here just to read what other people are writing and that makes all the difference. I hope it makes the difference for you too. 3FC is here if you need us.

That said I was at 242 only a month ago. I have changed so much mentally and physically I dont even feel like the same person even though I have only lost 13 pounds. I am really happy to share what has helped. I feel like if even one of these things will help you I am earning my keep here in this wonderful community of women! I'll list them:

I calorie count. Right now I only look at one thing on the label of food. Calories. I'll mess with the rest of the stuff later when it gets more difficult to lose but for now I'm trying to keep it under 1400.

I started keeping a food diary. It is tiny and fits in a pocket or purse. I dont have a food scale so I approximate and I err on the side of caution when I'm not sure about something. Even if I dont know the numbers of something I eat. I write it down and google the calories later.

I purchased a treadmill. Put it right in front of my tv and dont turn the tv on unless my treadmill is going. To **** with interior design. My health is more important! I try to do an hour a day.

I'm a cheater! At least once a week or day I indulge in a calorie efficient treat that I have saved my calories up for. Sometimes I nitpick all day because I cant stop thinking about one single piece of toast smothered in nutella mmmm. Just remember to count it!

I forgive myself. Sometimes I screw up and it's ok. Just record the number. Look at it. Admit you made a mistake and promise to yourself you will do better tomorrow. Wake up and start over!

Any tricks to get past those first few days of wanting to eat the really bad stuff...i don't know about you guys but LOVE chocolate, but the calories are so high, i know after a few days without any i will be fine, but its those first few days....

I am 26 and weigh 226. I have been doing calorie counting and love it. I aim for 1400 calories, some days I am 100 under and some days I am 100 over. I have found that zig zagging works the best. On Sat I will have a high calorie day and it keeps my body guesssing. I go to the gym 3 times a week and do about an hour on the ellptical and some weight. Now I need to work on lowering sodium in my diet.

Welcome back!

I don't have a real "plan." I started out just by trying to eat a smaller lunch and not eating candy bars between lunch and dinner. That worked for a while, and eventually I became interested in seeing how many calories I was eating. I then decided to start exercising to speed up the loss and firm up, and a running addiction was born. Eventually I stopped eating out as much and started to cook healthy meals at home. All the while I was losing weight at a slow but steady pace.

My existing "plan" is basically calorie counting. I keep track of how many calories are in what I eat and I try not to eat too many empty/starchy carbs because I know they make me feel hungry and out of control. I don't have "banned" foods but through experience I have weeded out things like McDonalds (the salt makes me feel sick), white rice (ALWAYS heavier the morning after), ramen noodles (salt again), and processed breads (I always feel ravenous 30 seconds after eating it).

As for exercise, I do cardio (running/jogging and Tae Bo) and body weight core/strength exercises 5-6 days a week. I used Couch to 5k to start learning to run around May 2010. Up to that point the longest I had ever run without walking and getting out of breath was less than five minutes. It took months and I'm still a work in progress, but now on a good day I can run five miles without ever getting out of breath. I also have one (yes, just one) exercise DVD - Tae Bo Cardio, which is probably 10 years old. I did cardio only for months and months and while it did wonders for my legs, my upper body felt neglected and I noticed I wasn't really changing shape up top. Lots of cardio will make you smaller but you'll stay the same shape. That's fine for some people, but I decided I wanted muscles on my arms to balance out my muscular legs, so I started to do pushups, planks, crunches and other body weight exercises. I don't have access to a gym and everything I do for strength training/core work can be done without equipment at home.

I think the most important thing though is to start off with something manageable. Rather than trying to make all the changes right from the start, work gradually and tweak your habits one by one. Most people will find greater success if they feel like they can handle the changes they're making versus feeling overwhelmed. And especially since you've just had a baby (congratulations!), you are plenty busy already!

Yes. Find the things that taste like what you are craving and eat a little of that. Nuttela is 100 calores for a tablepoon. Just measure it out and stick it in your mouth. If you are feeling like just munching on something try a fresh carrot and eat it slowly. If you are truly hungry and it wont go away make sure you eat something green and some kind of protein TOGETHER for the next snack. Example is small salad and a boiled egg.

Also do alot of research on this website about low calorie snacks. Goldfish, nuts, cherry tomatoes, apples thinly sliced, carrots, berries, cauliflower, baked sweet potatoe. These are all things I've tried on the recommendation of people recently. Good luck. I know how you feel! It's miserable for the first week but you can do it.

I do low carb and I keep a food journal so I can look back and see what works for me vs what doesn't. I don't count carbs and I don't count calories - I just kind of wing it. Mind you, I started out at much higher weight and what works for me may not work for one other single person but it's done the trick thus far. I just keep a list on my phone of all the Atkins/South Beach induction/phase one friendly foods and stick to it 99% of the time.

I exercise every day - 5 days a week I do 30-60 minutes on my recumbent bike and on the weekends I will either go for 5-8 mile hikes or do Jillian Michaels Shred-It with a 20lb kettlebell. I document this as well on an Outlook calendar at work - it motivates me to see all those days marked "wk out - 60 min".

Good luck to you and I hope you find that certain something that sticks!

Do you tend to binge? If so, I wouldn't risk it. Think of it like quitting smoking. 72 hours is all it takes for nicotine to exit your system. They'll be 72 hours of **** but eventually you won't feel like you need it, which is worth 72 hours of ****.

I semi-calorie count, but I mostly try to eat healthy combinations of carbs and proteins. By doing this, I end up around 1500 calories a day without being hungry. I have done calorie counting before and lost 60lbs, but I was miserable some days because I would eat carbs (100 calorie packs were my friends) and then be hungry 30 minutes later. I felt like I was starving myself. By really focusing on balancing my carbs and proteins (and fiber!) I feel full and I don't get those crazy urges to eat everything in sight.

My dad actually paid to go see a weight loss specialist who gave him these medical shake mixes that were exactly balanced between carbs and proteins. My dad had super high blood pressure and was diabetic so he had to resort to extreme measures, but he has lost about 80lbs (he ate more junk food than anyone I know growing up....and he hasn't had many cravings because of the shakes). After seeing him do that, I figured I could do the same thing just with more effort to actually put together combinations of non-shake food.

As far as exercise goes, find something that you enjoy. I used to walk a lot because it was my destressing time. It was "me" time. Right now I am super into Zumba (if you like dancing, check it out...the dvds or the classes)....I get excited to workout. Basically, find something you enjoy. If you feel like you are torturing yourself, you have less of a chance of sticking with it.

Although counting calories is great (and I will be doing that more when my weight loss slows), the best plan for me is low-carb (Atkins/South Beach). My hunger is very much fueled by how many carbs I eat so if I am eating many carbs, I am hungry all the time and fail at trying to keep my calories at the right amount. When I eat low-carb, my hunger practically vanishes! I had a baby this past year too and resisted low-carb for so long. I finally started again and it is going great! Good luck and I hope you find the best plan for you!

welcome!

i'm currently doing weightwatchers online. its affordable for me, and it helps keep me in check. in the past, i went to a nutritionist, who kept me between 1300-1500 cals per day. personally, i don't have the discipline to count my own calories. i've tried it in the past, but i was never diligent enough- that's just me. on ww, i stick to as many whole grains as possible, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protiens. i allot myself the occasional treat, starbucks coffee, etc. as well.

currently, for exercise, i do jillian michael's 30DS 3x week, yoga 2-3x week, and i jog/run on the treadmill 3-4x per week.

as far a getting your "fix" for your fave foods, i just get low cal versions of stuff i like. i'm also a chocoholic, so i always have low fat or fat free/sugar free pudding in my fridge. jello has these snacks called mousse temptations that i really enjoy
i also really like cheese- so i buy low fat string cheese or light laughing cow babybel cheeses. in the beginning, it's FOR SURE hard to portion control, and to not think about all the cravings... but once you start putting good things into your body, the cravings will subside quite a bit. don't get me wrong, it's an uphill battle, but the first few weeks are the hardest. then you kind of get your groove, know what kind of meals to prepare, and get used to and enjoy the good food you're eating.
ie- i love philly cheesesteaks- so i make my own. i take like 2-3 oz of lean sliced beef (thin), saute it in a pan with onions with PAM, and put it in low cal sandwich bread with lowfat cheese. it fits into my plan, satisfies my craving, and its dang good.
its kind of fun coming up with lower calorie version of stuff you like to it. gives you a chance to get creative in the kitchen. ok...sorry for the long post. hope this helps

Whenever someone asks for advice, I like to tell them what I wish someone had told me when I wondered the same thing, years ago. Here it is:

You will lose weight on any of those plans if you stick to them.

You WILL lose weight.

All of those plans, and many others, have a core of reducing calories. If you take in fewer calories than you burn, you'll lose weight. All of us, on different plans, losing weight, some more than others--it really has little to do with the actual plan.

The only thing that matters to YOU is this:

What dieting/exercise plan CAN you stick to?

I have a sweet tooth and hard cravings. The plan that has ended up working for me is a ketogenic diet that cuts out ALL sugary foods and all but 10-15g carbs per day. Some people eat healthily but don't lose weight, so they step up the exercise and start weight training to build muscle, which will boost their daily calorie burn. Some people need to snack all the time and eat filling meals, so they eat a lot of low-calorie snacks and foods.

Think about what your weaknesses are, the reasons you gained weight, the unhealthy habits you are. Find a plan that deals with that, stick to it NO MATTER WHAT for two weeks, and the amazing satisfaction of seeing that weight come off will make it easier to stick to it.

Yes! This is something I struggle with, too. Here are my tricks:

After dinner, brush your teeth. I never want to eat after I've brushed my teeth.

If you go into the kitchen and you're craving something, pour a glass of water. Spend one minute drinking it. Focus on the water. I rarely feel like eating after I've drunk a big glass of water.

This might help you a lot:

Get a good, healthy low-calorie sweetener (I use Truvia and the 100% stevia that Trader Joe's sells in little bottles) and if you're REALLY craving sweet stuff, have a mug of tea or hot chocolate. This'll be great for you. Buy plain cocoa in the baking aisle of the supermarket. I really like the Hershey's Special Dark cocoa, but if you prefer milk chocolate, get the regular. Experiment with the cocoa-to-sweetener ration, then pre-mix a tupperware container full of the stuff. If you're doing low-fat, make your hot chocolate with skim milk. Low-cab, use a bit of half-and-half. Chocolatey and delicious, and low in calorie! Try to stay away from the more artificial sweeteners, they can give you indigestion and do unpleasant things to your liver.

Celery and other low-cal, low-sugar veggies are always a good fall-back. If you're craving and don't want to make a drink or have tried the other tricks, prepare yourself a snack. Cut the celery into slender pieces. If you spend time preparing your snack, it will be more satisfying.