[soccerchick7210]

Hey girls! I have a few questions for yall. umm i guess to start off i am 144lbs, 5'7", and in a size 6-8. I've just started walking/jogging the past couple of days...usually a mile or so(i'm up to a mile and a half). I'm trying to get off about 10 or more lbs as soon as possible! I also like to eat and i don't really like to work out that much. so...any fun workouts that yall know of? or any tips of how i can get that weight off soon? what about diet pills....is there any SAFE kinds out there that i can get? I had the One A Day Weight Smart, but quit taking them...should i start on them again?? Thanks girls!

[Suzanne 3FC]

It sounds like you are off to a great start, and walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can do. Make sure you do what you can to make your walks enjoyable, which might include wearing a headset with upbeat music, walking with a friend, or exploring new areas. I'm sure some of the others will chime in with more suggestions, but I wanted to mention that the One a Day Weight Smart aren't really all they claim to be. We don't recommend them, or any other diet pill. A good multi-vitamin can't hurt, but the added ingredients in the Weight Smart are questionable and may not deliver. They add chromium which has been proven NOT to aid weight loss, but many companies still add it because they know that enough people still believe the old hype, and so it helps sell the products. They add epigallocatechin gallate (egcg) from green tea, and the latest buzz is that it helps weight loss. The jury is still out on that. There have been a few studies that indicate it might help, while some other studies say it doesn't. High doses of the extract may cause nervousness, insomnia, and restlessness. Green tea does have a lot of healthful benefits and is loaded with antioxidants, but is probably best taken as a natural cup of tea. It's good for you, whether it helps weight loss or not. I drink it

[funniegrrl]

I take the One-A-Day Weight Smart ... NOT because I believe the extra ingredients will help in weight loss, but because it's a good basic multi formulation that is inexpensive (when on sale) and uses 100% beta carotene as the Vitamin A.

As for "losing 10 pounds as quickly as possible" ... everyone here will tell you that losing permanently, with healthy lifestyle changes, should be your true goal. The more drastic measures you undertake to lose quickly, the more likely you will be to regain the weight. The reason for this is that extreme methods are not only impossible to sustain, but often lead to rebounding into extremes in the other direction, AND often lower your metabolism.

You are smart to recognize activity is a key. What's fun? Well, what's fun for you? You may have to experiment to find activities that you find enjoyable, but walking is a great start. For variety find some parks and tromp through the woods, the more hills the better. There's also biking, swimming, rollerblading, etc. Play pick-up basketball at the rec center. Or tennis. (Or soccer??) If you want to take a class or get some videos, there's traditional aerobics, spinning, kickboxing, latin dancing, bellydancing, etc. etc. There's a whole world of activity out there, and what you will find fun may not be what I find fun. And, don't forget weight training! That's an important part of getting in shape and helping your body be the most efficient machine it can be. You are already within the healthy weight range for your height -- so at this point body fat % is more relevant to your size than weight. Strength training will add slimmer muscle while your other activities burn off bulkier fat, thus making you leaner (not to mention more fit!).

The other side of the weight loss coin is food. It's crucial not to starve yourself in order to lose quickly -- that will rebound on you in a big way. Never eat less than 1200 calories, and make sure it's well-balanced. You may even need more if you become very active. You can use www.fitday.com to track your intake if you like; they also have some good general nutrition info.

[laura_on_a_bike]

i always giggle when people say they need to lose weight but they hate excercise and love to eat. my sister says this all the time. excercise may not always but fun, but the results are. there is no majic bullet to losing weight and if you want to keep it off you have to do it right. 10 pounds is an easy goal. i suggest you stick with running. try different things. do some trail running. (its a great challenge and gets you out of the house) runs sprints one day. make some great running tapes full of music that you love. do a run/walk for 45 minutes to an hour. running is the fastest way to lose weight that i have found. and it doenst have to be as monotonous as some may think. that with a healthy diet should get you the results you are looking for faster than you would have thought.

[laura_on_a_bike]

oh and P.S. good luck.