Well, I completely fell off the wagon the past few months and gained back the few lbs I lost. I don't know if it's just me, but as soon as I lose a little weight I become comfortable and end up gaining it back plus some! What the heck?! I really need to stop doing that!

So now I'm back and ready to go at this 100%. This December my parents are planning on taking our family back to the motherland, and for me this is a traumatizing experience from the last time I visited (7 years ago!) I was overweight then but nothing to what I am now. I got SO many comments on my weight, I dont know what it is but south asian families really have no problem making fun of your weight! It's pretty ridiculous. All of my cousins there are skinny so when we would take group pictures they would say "move back we have to make room for hhm6" I would laugh it off, but inside I really wanted to cry my eyes out. Comments were just downright mean. But anyway, I have developed some thick skin after their comments, but I don't want to go back there even bigger than I was last time, and I feel like since I have exactly a year I can make a significant change.

I'm trying to lose this weight in a way that is 100% healthy. In the past I have lost the majority of my weight doing "all meat" dieting, no carb, obviously they always fail in the end. I have a huge exam coming up so I'm not really making any diet changes yet but I'm going to try to workout a bit everyday.

What do you guys think of my plan? I want to cut out white pasta/bread/rice and put more whole grain carbs but also eat those only for breakfast/lunch and keep dinner light (maybe veggies+ protein).

So glad to be back on this site! I got really sidetracked these past few months but my goal is to lose 50 lbs by december, what do you guys think?!

Congratulations on making the decision to get healthy, and welcome back to 3FC!

Most of my extended family members are also very thin/petite and I know what it's like to hear those awful comments. {{hugs}}

As far as your previous "all meat" efforts, ok, now you know what doesn't work! That's a good place to start. Whatever you do, it needs to be sustainable for coninued loss/maintanance.

Your plan sounds reasonable, but keep in mind that if you want to lose weight/fat, you need to create a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter what you eat if you aren't burning more than you're consuming. Once you find a way of eating that works for you, I think it's certainly reasonable for you to lose 50 pounds in a year, so long as you stick with it.

Good luck and keep posting!

I have tried the two shakes a day diet and found that it was fairly easy to stick to, was simple enough knowing exactly what i was going to eat each day. Unfortunately, I started to get a bit bored. This time I am trying weight watchers...I have been on it for just about a month and can honestly say I love it! It is so easy to follow and really helps you make the right choices about what to eat...it feels like a lifestyle change, not a diet, this time around. I have been seeing results and its hard to believe because I don't feel like I have deprived myself of anything. Whatever you choose to do, good luck, I hope you find what is right for you and I hope that you succeed and finish feeling great about yourself so you can enjoy your vacation instead of dreading it!

I think it's definitely possible to lose 50 pounds by December. You just gotta get your ducks (or chicks, lol) in a row.

This is my weight loss hierarchy (see below). I have to do them in order, which is why they're numbered. I've tried a bunch of other combinations, none of which worked. This combo works for me. Hoping it will help you too!

1. Positive thinking/Stress Management - If I'm stressed out about weighing myself, not sleeping well, eating a cookie, or working out too late, etc, then everything else falls by the wayside.
2. Diet, diet, diet - I count calories. It isn't fun, but it works - I saw results in 2 weeks. Subtle, but I was fitting into my clothes much better.
3. Cardio - Some people say that weight training is more important than cardio. However, I sit at a desk all day, so cardio helps loosen me up and therefore gets a higher priority on my list.
4. Weight training - I'm still working up to this. It's crucial for long-term weight loss, and I'll admit I'm not there yet. (In fact, I just had a fall-off-the-wagon week myself). The goal is to get 1 workout in a week, and build from there. It will all come together in time. Which brings me back to step 1 - patience, and stress reduction.

Hope you find a plan that works for you - hopefully sharing mine has been helpful

Good luck and let us know how you're doing!

I think your plan sounds reasonable.
I count calories, it works for me.
Good luck with your plan!

So would 1200 calories/day be sufficient if I plan to burn 500 exercising? that would make my net 700 cals, but that seems a bit low right? I never know how to calculate this calorie deficit business! Btw I'm glad I'm not alone with the harsh relative comments! AND omg I just looked at your stats! You've come so far and you're my height! Awesome thanks for the inspiration!! I'd love to hear what you've been doing in terms of exercise and calorie counting.


Never heard of the 2 shakes diet but I will def look into it! Thanks guys

Thank you! I think I would enjoy doing cardio more than weight training but I guess at some point I would have to incorporate it in. I have an elliptical at home, is that enough to do daily? I feel like it gets boring so I could run outside, but does your body get used to certain workouts?

Thanks!! I guess I need to be better about counting these calories! Thanks guys for all your responses! I feel like a got a little extra boost after reading them!

I'm all for low carb, but your best bet is a plan someone else has already come up with as a starting framework - South Beach, if you like things leaner, or Atkins, even a basic exchange or Weight Watchers. They all work, it is just a matter of what works for YOU. Me? I do strict Atkins these days as it has been the best of all worlds (I actually tweaked my way to it, discovering more liberal carbs just didn't work for me and neither did paleo-style quite match, but calorie counting left me hungry), with about an 1800 a day allotment that I up as needed, depending on my hunger.

You can fit calorie frameworks into almost any plan, so I'd recommend finding one you like and, if they don't come with predetermined counting methods, fitting that way of eating into a calorie allotment and seeing how you feel. Tweak from there, but the easiest starting point is usually someone else's. Winging it almost always leads to being too lax with macros or eyeballing quantities, and it also makes troubleshooting where the issue might be difficult.

I think 1200 is too low if you're exercising. Don't forget you have to run your body too! Try the app/website MyFitnessPal to figure out how much to eat on a calorie counting diet.

and I do think 50 pounds in a year is doable. Good for you for doing it in a health way. I do think 1200 calories a day is too low.

And I am doing it without a "diet" or any of the "plans" out there... just eating healthful foods and exercising. It does work!!

Good for you for recognizing that past efforts failed because they weren't sustainable! I'm a calorie counter. That way, if I do want one single Reese's, I just work it into that day's plan. Funny, after a few weeks, I really don't want to waste calories on a 3 bite wonder I use fitday.com for meal/snack planning. I originally lost 80+ pounds as a full time student, with an hour commute one way, and a single mom of 2 and I worked full time. It's totally doable! Plan ahead, pack a cooler, and keep healthy snacks everywhere, backpack, purse, glove compartment, even your coat pocket! That way you're never caught without something to tide you over and are less inclined to make bad choices. I think planning is the single best thing a person can do when they decide to make healthy changes. Good luck!

I am a calorie counter,too. I have done other plans and find calorie counting works best for me. It is the most normal way of eating , flexible and reliable.

Hey guys!

So according to Myfitnesspal I need to eat 1200 calories a day. So should I increase that to 1700/day if I plan on working off 500 calories per day, giving me a net 1200/day? Does that sound right?