Hi all, I'm currently 17 years old, weighing at about 230 IBs at the height of 5'11. I'm currently on summer break and I'm trying to shed some pounds before I start college in August.
Here's where I've been eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the past week:
Breakfast ( I don't usually eat breakfast because I usually wake up late, but when I do this is what I eat):
- Bowl of oatmeal with sliced fruits or a whole grain tortilla wrap with egg whites, and a cup of milk and/or water.
Lunch:
- I either eat a bowl of salad with low fat Italian dressing,or a whole grain tortilla wrap with lean turkey meat, and sliced lettuce and tomatoes, and a cup of milk and/or water.
Dinner:
- I'm not sure what to eat for dinner, so I've been having two of those tortilla wraps for dinner, and sometimes a cup of Yoplait yogurt for dessert.
Exercise routine:
- I jog/walk at the park for around an hour each day. I also do a few sets of wall sits throughout the day. That's all I do for exercise, is there anything else you guys suggest/recommend? I've been thinking of doing push-ups, jumping jacks, and sit-ups, but those help tone your body and build muscles, while I'm focusing more on losing weight.
Thank you very much.
P.S. should I try those V8 vegetable drinks? My mother bought a whole bunch in the fridge but I'm not sure if it's exactly healthy or not.
As far as exercise is concerned I would add more body weight resistance type exercise. Cardio is good but resistance is where you will see the biggest changes in body tone and sustained weight loss.
If you want to stick to what you can do at home without any equipment I suggest lunges, squats, pushups and planks. These can all be done at home and require nothing but your own body weight. If you do these exercises in sets of 5-8 and repeat the full set 3 times you will be sweating.
As for your diet are you getting enough water and healthy fats? Also V8 juice can contain a lot of salt which is something to be aware of. I personally used to include the low sodium ones as part of my plan but phased them out because I couldn't stand the taste.
I like to keep the small V8 veggie juice handy for those days when I'm not getting enough vegetables. It certainly can't hurt, but the real thing is always better. These drinks are high in sodium, but I don't find that the one little can makes much of a difference for me.
It looks like you're doing a good job with a sensible diet, but be careful for those hidden calories. Wraps, although they look healthy, can be quite high in calories. If you find you're not losing, then you could look at the foods you're choosing.
I think the best thing you can do is weigh and measure your food so you can really grasp what serving sizes and portions look like. Weigh and measure any time you can. I have a Taylor digital food scale that will tell me the calories of my food based on weight. Pretty cool!
Oh, and keep a food journal, including serving sizes, even if you don't count calories.
I also think weighing yourself is important. Whether you choose daily, weekly, or somewhere in between, I think the feedback is important in order to stay focused and on track.
Of course water. Lots of water.
I would add those jumping jacks and push ups and whatever else Veela suggested. These exercises don't really build bulk, if that's what you're worried about. They are great for strength and toning, and you'll like what you see in that muscle tone once the fat starts melting away! Seriously!
Hi, there! I'm in a similar situation. Trying to lose a bit of weight and gain a bit of muscle before moving onto college.
I just want to say that both twinietan and veela gave great advice. I think simple calf raises and step-ups would be great additions to the ones previously mentioned.
I personally don't like V8. It contains approx. 20% of your DV for sodium, which I would prefer to use to flavor some food. It gives plenty of Vitamin A and C, but I think taking vitamin supplements is an easier way to get those (I'm not sure if the beneficial effects diminish or something if you take your vitamins via pills though.)
For your meals, dry-roasted almonds/walnuts/cashews would be a great addition! They're high in fat content and delicious (especially when paired with fruit).
I would look out for the carbs in your meal. Three whole grain tortillas a day has a lot of carbs, plus there's the other bit that you get from oatmeal, yogurt, and fruits,
Oh parents, how I wish I still had mine living with me to kick my @$$ into gear!
Get the on board to police you, trust me. You'll get mad at them and curse the decision to do so sometimes, but having someone force you to get exercising or put down that cookie really helps.
Three tortilla wraps a day is where I raise an eyebrow. If you're not sure what to eat for dinner, why don't you start looking at cooking websites and see what fits into your plan? Try checking out:
I'm going to echo JohnP here; you need to do a whole lot of reading on the basics of setting up a diet and fitness program. You have to crawl, walk, run! The best place to start is to figure out how many calories you need each day (google search for a good calculator to get you started) and then choose foods based on overall calories. Read labels, and use online tools to help you calculate calories in proteins, veggies, nuts, etc.
Also, remember that there are no "good" or "bad" foods, so cutting things out right off the bat may only serve to make you feel deprived and go back to your old ways of eating. There is room in your life for whatever you like, you just have to plan for it a little bit.
I think that right now, focusing on sodium in V8 or carbs in wraps is jumping the gun a bit... and if you're eating the same things day in and day out that's going to get really boring really fast. Look up some recipes you can work with, research healthy options at your favorite food joints, and start planning some healthy snacks you can keep on hand between meals.
I agree read as much as you can from LOTS of different sources. You will find conflicting information which is why the more you read, the better.
Weights are good. Weights are awesome. I think the cardio you are doing now is a good start, but look at adding resistance training.
And above all patience and perseverance. Many of us had to try different things to find what worked for us. Many of us fell down in the process and had to pick ourselves back up again. Every setback is a learning opportunity for future success.
Thank you everyone for their replies. I will research more through different sources. Would having just one of those wraps a day be okay? Or is that still a bit too much? I'll definitely be sure to buy some almonds from the store.
Also, I'm trying to find a cheap dinner plan that is easy to make. I've researched around but I can't seem to find any, does anyone have suggestions?
edit: also, where is that water sticky for the weight loss/ fat loss difference thingy?
I agree with more weight lifting and perhaps being careful with the tortilla wraps. Counting calories is the only way of fully controlling how much you eat. There are plenty of recipe websites to find inspiration for planning dinners.
You seem to be on the right track, so keep going and good luck!
Thank you everyone for their replies. I will research more through different sources. Would having just one of those wraps a day be okay? Or is that still a bit too much? I'll definitely be sure to buy some almonds from the store.
Also, I'm trying to find a cheap dinner plan that is easy to make. I've researched around but I can't seem to find any, does anyone have suggestions?
edit: also, where is that water sticky for the weight loss/ fat loss difference thingy?
Thank you
* The water thing is a sticky on this page.
* I personally think a wrap a day is just fine
* For meal planning, healthy and on a budget, I'd try things like:
Thank you everyone for their replies. I will research more through different sources. Would having just one of those wraps a day be okay? Or is that still a bit too much? I'll definitely be sure to buy some almonds from the store.
Also, I'm trying to find a cheap dinner plan that is easy to make. I've researched around but I can't seem to find any, does anyone have suggestions?
Thank you
Try just a salad instead of a wrap.
I like that you're thinking whole food and healthy! You sound a little bit overwhelmed, though. Remember, baby steps. Research, yes, but don't let it drown you. If you're anything like me, it has to be simple. The more complicated it gets, the more likely I am to not stick with it. Build your methods and your knowledge base slowly.
Why don't you check out fitday.com? It's free, you set up your profile and you can use it for your food log. It will track your calories, and you can really get an idea of what you're taking in each day. Plus, there are message boards, articles, and lots of support and other information there.
Another idea is to check out weight watchers or some program either on line or in person that's going to help you get a basic idea of food choices, serving sizes etc. If you have insurance, often plans will cover the cost of a nutritionist for medical weight loss.
hey all
just a quick little update. as of today i am weighing at around 180 pounds at the height of 6 feet! thanks again to everyone for their advice! for the first month of my diet i was exercising an hr or two daily, but then after i just started lacking off and just ate less and healthier. i'm intaking about 1300 calories daily. most of my friends and families think im on drugs or i have a disease or something! one of the thing that helped the most was a calorie counter that i used - myfitnesspal for my ipod. my college has their own gym and i plan on going there for a few times a week from here on out. thanks again!
Starting a diet for the first time in my life!
I'm in a similar situation. Trying to lose a bit of weight and gain a bit of muscle before moving onto college.
