Weightloss advice

I was wondering if anyone is dieting. For a long time I have been trying to lose weight. I have been successful for a long time. I went on some herbs called Metabolife that is supposed to help lose weight by controling the appetite, giving energy, and burning fat. It did help. The catch is that I have to continue to take it. Since I haven't bought it for a long time, I have been gaining weight again. When I was taking it, I went from 230 pounds to 200. Now I am back to 215. The thing is that I get hungry alot. I have to eat until I get full. Other times when I am under stress or depression, I use food for comfort. The other day, I had a binging spell. I really want to lose weight. If I can't go all the way to what I'm suppose to weigh (between 130-150), then I will be happy with the weight I had after by daughter was born(170 pounds). Although I try not to feel bad, it really gets to me when I see so many women with great bodies. I tried walking, but I am not a very fast walker. If someone says, 'oh you can't eat that because it has alot of fat', I go get that Item. And I do eat mostly healthy food. I like salads. I love tomato and tomato products. And because of my schedule, I havent' had a balanced meal for awhile. I'd like to attend a weight-loss program like Jenny Craig or Weight watchers, but its too expensive. I like to get free advice. Any advice!

Well, I can sympthize with you. Before I had my son I weighed about 128lb. Then I lost all of it after my pregnancy but when I stopped breastfeeding I went up to about 140. Then I had my daugter and I was about 175 when I delivered her. Now she is 2, and I am about 160. So I am carrying about 25 lbs more than I want to. Its very frustrating.
The only advice I can give you is excercise. A couple of times that I have lost a few pounds its always been thanks to excercising. I would love to shed a few pounds myself, but the self discipline it takes is soooo hard. I enjoy to eat, and even though I try to eat healthy I am sure I could change a few things.
I wish I could be more help to you, but I do understand.....hey maybe we can try to lose a few together?????? Maybe with a weightloss "pal" it would be easier!!!!!!!!!!!

:tounge2:

That is a good idea. There is one thing that bothers me. Most things that I like to eat, its fattening. Why? I love pasta, I love dessert, mexican food, and hamburgers! I like salads, but I can't eat them during the cold days ahead. I like hot, cooked food, like soups and stews.

Anyone else like to join our little weightloss group? The only thing I can afford to do is walk. Like I've said before, I am a slow walker. I am 5 foot 4 inches tall. So that means I have short legs. I know I should drink water, but unless its very cold, I don't like water. Is there any other way to have my eight glasses of water?

Nena10,

Try drinking Crystal Light. That was the only way I could get down the recommended daily dose of water. And it tastes good. Jenny Craig is ok, but it's expensive and after a while you get tired of the pre-packaged food. I was on it a few years ago and dropped 40 pounds. But then I had my hysterectomy and gained it back. Weight Watchers is not that expensive and they teach you to eat right with normal, everyday foods. You can eat what you want PROVIDING you keep track of the points. Once you've reached your total points for the day, you stop eating. The great part is you can eat all the veggies you want (I like veggies).

Good luck.

Nena,

First of all, Metabolife is very dangerous!!! It has stimulants in it that can lead to heart problems. I am very, very against it!!

I understand the comfort food thing, I have been doing that myself sometimes. But your feeling hungry could also have a medical reason. A person allergic to wheat, for instance, and doesn't know it, will feel hungry an hour later even after eating a huge bowl of pasta.

I think you need to do some excercise. Even if it is slow walking. That is better than nothing. And also, what is wrong with drinking cold water? Any temperature of water is okay, but that is imperative to loosing weight.

There is no way around it. To loose weight, you must eat pretty well. That does not mean you have to make changes overnight. Just a bit here and there. I had to change my diet a few years ago, becuase of physical problems. I had to cut out dairy, sugar, and grease. I was DEVASTATED....but actually, you would be surprised. After getting over the hump, my body now does not WANT sugar or dairy.

Beware of foods labeled "low fat, or non-fat" These products compensate for the loss of fat with MORE sugar.

As a healthy alternative, you can make a yummy drink, in a blender of fruits and veggies that you like. Puree them, and they come out like a thick shake. Celery is a good diretic (sp?)....and would you believe parsely is one of the best foods you can eat? It is so loaded with nutrients, and helps detoxify the body. You can through a little in your blender, or eat it with food, and it will benefit you.

So to sum up.....DRINK WATER...excersise, and just try a bit to start to introduce changes.... doing it all at once is overwhelming.
And stay away from Metabolife and all those other diet pills. They work short term, but are very dangerous and certainly not a cure.

Hi there! First of all , I can sympathize with you on the weight thing. I recently (in the last two months) went from working full time outside the home to being a stay at home mom because my husband got a great new job, and its hard for us to work around each others scheduals, especially with only one car. I've noticed that my clothes are getting tighter, and I attribute it to late night snacking after the kids go to bed. I'm a fairly active person, but loooove fattening food like Nachos, chocolate, and soda I've never been super skinny, but I'm at a pretty much all time high in the pounds dept.( except when I was pregnant) I've resolved to lose some weight, and lose it now I've lost weight before, once I dropped 50 lbs in three months just by exercising and eating right. The biggest thing that helped me was that a friend of mine was losing weight too and we were accountable to each other. It really helps if you have someone to 'report' to each day. So, if you want, I'll give you my email addy and you can give me yours if you like, and we can support each other...what do you think??

Well Nena, sounds like all the ladies gave you some great ideas. The water is definitly a big thing. I could never drink it, but then I bought a Brita Filter I noticed the water tasted so much better. I also add a couple drops of lemon juice to it.

I think if you have a diet "buddy" it may be less difficult for you to stick to it......I am sure you can do it.
By the way, I know what you mean about being short legged .I am just 5 feet tall, but when I walk I really push myself to walk as quickly as I can. Try to just power walk for a few minutes and then slow it down. Keep alternating until you can power walk to the whole way.

Why can't you eat salads when it's cold? I eat salads year round.

You may look into canned soups. Most of Campbell's have 2 grams of fat per seving, provided you stay away from the condensed creamy soups, clam chowder, and the big "Chunky" brand. I used to eat Healthy Choice brand soups a lot too, they are good. If you ate a whole can of soup, which is usually 2 servings, you'd only be getting 4 grams of fat.

Authentic Mexican food is extremely high in fat. I love the stuff too!

Uhm, Pasta isn't fattening if you eat it in moderation. I lost like 10 pounds eating this little combo: Get about a cup or cup-and-a-half of cooked pasta (I like rotini, and I'd cook up a whole package and store it in the fridge) and put a serving of canned tomato pasta sauce on it (I like Classico Sun-Dried Tomato or Garlic and Onion, and Classico has 4-ox serving marks on the side of the jar so it's easy). Heat it in the microwave. Sometimes I'd put just a pinch of grated fresh parmesan on top. I ate this like twice a day and had a good dinner and the pounds just dropped.

Scour the net for low-cal makeover recipes of your fave deserts. I just got a cookbook called "More Healthy Homestyle Favorites" by Ellen Tribole. I could post some recipes of deserts in her book here if anyone would be interested.

And Donna is right, Crystal Light is great! I like the Tropical varieties, but they offer tea-flavored drinks also, and lemonade. Why don't you like water? Does your tap taste funny? We get Sparklettes water and I can actually drink the stuff room temperature.

It is the strangest thing, but for about the last month and a half or so, I haven't been really that hungry. I have also come to realize that french fries, for me, are the culprit! On the days we work, I get a small french fry instead of biggie sizing or whatever you call it. I have noticed when I cut back on the fried foods, I feel so much better, and I don't retain the water. On our days off, I usually get a sub sandwich (small) and a drink. A friend at work told me she did the slimfast diet for a while and it worked on her... but, she is a very short person & skinny to begin with; I have noticed that while I haven't lost weight, it looks as though I am losing inches..... I have noticed my ankles are going down, which is a good thing, I guess? Now, if only it would work itself up towards my hips, I would be so happy. I want my hips and stomach to go down. I guess patience. I have been so tired lately, too At work, it is so hard......... This past couple of months I have felt so tired. This last week has been horrible. I don't sleep good either. Now, I have a 4-day weekend, and I am so happy!

Thanks Melissa for your advise. I will PM you about my email address and then you can write me and give me yours.

Thanks also to everyone. I will try and pick any of the suggestions you mention. It will be a slow, difficult thing to achieve, but I am determined to lose most of the weight.

I never really like the taste of water. I never developed the habit of drinking it. It has to have some flavor in it. I do like salads but when the cold weather sets in, i don't develop a taste for them. I usually eat them in the summer. There is a good way for me to eat salads that I like. I mostly eat the greens such as lettuce, cucumber, and cilantro. I add carrots and tomatoes. One good thing is that I have developed a great taste for tomatoes and tomato products. Instead of salad dressing, I put lots of lime juice and salt.

By the way, how do you guys handle cravings? If I develop a craving for something, I have to have it. I dream about it, try not to think,etc. I stop craving it after I have it. Its going to be even harder with the holidays approaching. I have started walking in the mornings. I like to walk when it is cool.

Its official. This coming sunday will be a new plan for losing weight. I just made a food and exercise journal. I hope I can stick to it.

Thats a great start Nena! Congrats!
A journal is a great idea. You'll really be able to monitor what you are eating and how much exercise you are getting in each day. good luck with it.
I don't know if you eat tuna at all, but if you do give this a try. Instead of mayo, or a sandwich, try putting a bit of black pepper and lemon juice on it and eating it straight up. I gave this a try ( I like tuna sandwiches for lunch ), and it cut a LOT of calories out of my daily menu. And this trick works on a lot of foods. For instance, try putting salsa on salads instead of dressing, and making pasta with tossed veggies instead of heavy sauce like alfredo........
There is a lot of "cheats" to cut calories and the more you use the more weight will melt off. Promise!! And drink, drink, drink, and walk, walk, walk. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!

Nena!!!!!!!

HOORAAAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

You can do it!!!!!!

One of the most important things....a positive attitude! If you think its hard, it will be. Try to tell yourself how easy it is to eat right, and how much better you feel as your body adjusts and the guilt of eating bad foods diappears!!

I have lost 10 pounds in three months. I quit eating so much fat in my foods. I eat tomato soup for lunch which is fat free and only 100 calories a bowl. Fruits are good, I do eat one banana on cereal, which is low on sugar and fat, with skim milk. I eat a grilled small 3 oz hamburger for dinner with a vegetable and have hot air popcorn with fat free spray on margerine.

Of course, I eat different foods but I try to stick to low fat. Pasta is good and of course salads with fat free dressing or lemon juice. If you get a craving for sweets, I have those fat free chocolate cookies or fat free pudding cups or ice cream. I know the fat free products have added sugar, but just have one once in a while. I think it would be better than a candy bar or donut. Jello is good with fruit in it.

Hope some of these hints help. Oh yes, I do exercise on my tread mill and I ride my bicycle a lot. I only spend about 10 minutes a day on the treadmill but not every day.:blossom:

How do you guys beat the hunger pangs? Yes, I've made tuna salads without mayo. The way I like it is I put tomatoes, onions, lime juice, cilantro, and pieces of prickly cactus(a tidbit in Mexico) in vinegar. Most of you who live in the southwest and california probably know what it is. The spanish word is nopales.

I've heard that a lot of what we think are 'hunger pangs' are actually our body telling us we're thirsty. Apparently if you drink a glass of water it makes the pang go away.

Here is a listing of some of the reduced fat stuff that I prefer:

-Reduced Fat Philly cream cheese (or 1/3 less fat; tastes better than the full fat, but stay clear of the non-fat)
-I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray (great on veggies!)
-Light sour cream (I prefer it to full fat)
-Reduced fat Nilla Wafers are great.
-Crystal Light just rules!

When it comes to peanut butter, stick with the full fat kind. The reduced fat has lots of filler junk and sugars.

Buy Jello Instant Pudding mix and use 1% or Nonfat milk to prepare it

If you are using whole milk, switch to 2% fat. Once you get used to it, switch to 1% fat. You can even switch to nonfat if you like it, but 1% is fine. I drink Nonfat, but use 1% for cereal.

If you don't like to drink milk, buy Ovaltine to mix in. It has lots of vitamins. Sometimes when I get a sweet craving I'll have a glass of Ovaltine milk.

All drinks count toward your 64-oz a day requirement for water EXCEPT caffeinated drinks. This means milk, juice, powdered fruit drink mix (Crystal light) and soft drinks that don't have any caffeine. If you can find it, Diet Cherry 7up is awesome! Diet 7up and Diet Sprite are ok too.

We now have a gas grill, but we used to make our burgers on an indoor electric grill. Much of the fat drips off the meat and down into the tray. We also use the ground sirloin, the leanest ground beef you can buy

Nena:

I just cut all chocolate candy out of my diet. I used to eat it every day since I was a child. When I was very thin quite some years ago, I would just not eat anything else (kind of like a candy meal!). I also used to starve myself, which eventually backfired. I replaced the chocolate with fruit and basically did not modify my diet that much. I'm just aware of overly fattening foods and stay away from them except once a week. I really didn't eat that bad to begin with, it was just the chocolate. I really had to be strong, and let me tell you, the first time I came home from the store without chocolate, it was scary!! Well, to my surprise, the pounds started coming off - just from replacing one food in my diet! I call this my first "non-diet". For the first time in my life, I'm not thinking about what I'm eating every day, I just do it. It was very slow, but in about five months I've lost 17 pounds - without even feeling like I'm on a diet! It just keeps coming off at a slow pace. I'm just so amazed what eliminating one food could do. Everybody has a vice. To avoid hunger in the beginning (since chocolate is very filling after all), I just added a salad in the beginning of my meal and ended it with fruit since I absolutely must eat something sweet every night. Once I got used to it, I skipped the salad. I never once felt like I was dieting - no hunger whatsoever.

I hope this helps. You have to figure out what food is your biggest enemy so to speak. If you think of it as just elminating one food, it doesn't seem so bad (and I loved chocolate soooo much!). I basically eat the same foods everyday that I used to eat minus the chocolate and the pounds just keep coming off. I still would like to lose about 40 more pounds but I don't think about it too much since I know it will take a long time, but at least it's painless this time and something I can live with (finally).

I know how hard it is. GOOD LUCK.