Proper dieting/lifestyle changes.

I am currently on a diet...well a life style change by exercising more and eating better. I haven't weighed myself cuz I want to wait till the first of June. Im not really heavy-set or anything but I am flabby for my age.
So anyways, I was wondering if any of you guys have any tips on proper life style changes. Today I actually totaled up my calorie intake and came up at about a little over 500 calories....for the n-tire day. So for a n-tire week I've been consuming 500 cals and doing 30 min cardio w/Denise Austin!
My mom says I need more calories, but Im scared I'll go over board and I'll burn less fat. Every summer I try to loose some weight and w/in the 2nd week I always give up.
So Im really hoping I can do it right this time. Im 5ft 2 and I haven't even weighed myself yet but I wanna atleast prep my body for this life changing journey. Any tips? suggestions, other than weigh yourself first?

My number one suggestion? Stop cutting your calories to this level. I tried this when I was a teen, I lost weight, I got ill.

Do some google searching on what the body does to protect itself when it thinks it is starving. Triggering that, messing with your metabolism will lead you to bitter words with yourself when you are older, trust me on that!

Any healthy diet should contain at least 1,000 calories or more. Sensible weight loss comes with changing habits - more exercise, less computer surfing , smaller portions, changing what you snack on.

I'm sure others here who diet in a way differently than I will chime in. Me...after years of yo-yo'ing I really damaged my metabolism. So...please listen, and don't go there.

500 calories is too little, and your body will make you rebel against it and binge at some point. The recommended amount of calories is 2000/day, and obviously you can go slightly lower than than for weight loss, but you can't go to starvation as a change of lifestyle.

From what I know, a balanced diet and regular exercise work best. Crash diets not only fail, they also doom you to gain back more weight than you lost.

Thanks. I wasn't purposely trying to eat that little of calories.
I actually thought I was eating more than that till I counted.
I hope I don't sound anorexic. Im just really hard on myself when it
comes to dieting and counting calories.

Trying to loose weight is so frustrating. I've exercised, cut my food intake, and have only lost a couple pounds. I'm about ready to give up and try some type of weight loss pill. Has anyone tried Hoodia?

I have an answer for you, WeightWatchers.
Honestly. It's not a crash diet it's a lifestyle change and sounds exactly what you are looking for. Go and check out the website. You can even do it online without having to go to classes.
I had a little bit of weight to lose and have now lost that but I'm still doing weightwatchers because I just think it's fab and also it will stop me from putting the weight back on.
500 cals a day is FAR to little. There's no way you can maintain it so as soon as you start eating more than that your body is going to hang onto it because it doesn't know where it's next meal is coming from, and you will end up gaining weight.
With WW you get to eat quite a lot but keeping a record of it means you don't go overboard.
Honestly give it a try.

I bought my self a bike machine and it tells me how many calories i burn.

How do you count your calories by the way?

500 calories a day WILL make you sick!!! My best advise is to go and consult a doctor. If you are NOT overweight, then exercise is enough to tone up your muscles...

eat little but often, you need to keep your metabolism working all the time, also snack on healthy food like fruit.

I dont count calories but i am overweight for my height at 5'2.

I have just bought myself a rowing machine today to help more with my cardio fitness. It just not right when you get breathless walking up stairs to work

I have changed my diet, cut out crisps, chocolate and McDonalds
Dont have sugar in my tea anymore and drink far more water and green teas'.
I am not a great fan of fruit but i am trying to eat more of it. Salads i love, pasta and noodly things are ok to

You need to increase your calories. When you cut that far back your body goes into a starvation mode and adjusts to the lower calorie intake so when you increase your calories you will gain weight faster. I wouldn't go any lower than 1200-1000 calories. And don't work out too much-let your body recover. Find your resting pulse. Its your pulse rate before you get up in the morning. If you take your resting pulse and its 5-10 beats higher that your resting pulse your body hasn't recovered from the prior day's workout and needs to do so. Strength training is really important too as you add muscle mass which burns more calories than fat mass does.
Don't "cut out" everything. Allow yourself some treats as if you deny yourself to strictly you may have a day when your willpower shuts down then you will eat all the "bad" stuff and feel guilty.

I use this site to help me track calories, nutrition, and excercise:
http://www.fitday.com
It has helped me a lot. I'm in the same boat as you. I try not to go above 1200 calories but if I gained weight one day I'm likely to go below 1000 but I know thats not healthy. Sometimes you can get your calories through liquids, like juices, yet they are easier for your body to assimilate. For lunch today I'm having one of those all-natural fruit smoothies (only fruit puree, nothing artificial and no sugar) called Naked smoothies. They say there is a pound of fruit in every bottle. I also try to keep pretty high fiber. There are these Kashi GoLean waffles in the healthy frozen section of the store that have 5g of fiber and very little bad stuff in them. This makes a great breakfast. Also breakfast is important to kick start your metabolism for the day! I was so mad at my weight this morning I skipped breakfast, now I'm regretting it. I know its not healthy.

Antoher good breakfast item is a glass of orange juice with fiber mixed in. It keeps you full for a while yet has enough calories to get you started. I'm losing a lot of weight just by incorportating in more liquid calories into my diet. Also when cutting down on calories to 1000 or any diet multi-vitamins and calcium supplements become crucial.

Ok I need to take my own advice.

My goal is to lose 20 pounds by my honeymoon. Well I've been doing this for about 4.5 weeks now and I've lost 9 pounds so I'm thrilled...I'm not counting this morning..errg.ugh.errrrr.

Also if you go out to eat then Subway has some great sandwiches (wheat veggie I like, some people add roast beef and still low in fat and calories). Also Chili's has a guiltless grill that is great, and Applebees has a Weight Watchers section (or some other diet plan, can't remember).

Some tips:

* Keep a food diary and write down everything you eat and when you eat for a two week period. Examine the results. Do you eat too much in the evening while watching tv or in front of the computer? Do you skip breakfast etc? Examine your results and start looking at where you can improve your eating habits.

* I really believe that to maintain a proper weight you should eat small meals approximately every 3/4 hours. This will maintain your sugar levels and prevent you from crashing and then binge eating.

* Also, cut out all white sugar and white flour! Over processed foods are the cause of so many problems....we need to look at other food options. With a little research, planning and organization it's quite easy to find alternatives.

* Go vegetarian for 2/3 meals a week. Check the internet for balanced recipes and experiment. I have found many recipes that I would have never tried before. Try creating a new recipe each week with ingredients that you have never tried. Ethnic cooking is great...Indian...Thai etc.

* Try to avoid empty calories - pop, fruit juices etc. For the last month I have refused to purchase orange juice, apple juice etc. because they are are loaded with natural sugar but will not fill you up. Buy the fruit instead and you will be gaining the fibre from the fruit as well.

* Drink, drink, drink water! Many times you think you are hungry but your body is actually dehydrated instead. I try to drink a glass of water 30 minutes before each meal so that I know that I am actually hungry rather than thirsty.

* If you're going to eat carbs (potatoes, pasta, rice) go with whole grains and limit them to 1 cup portions. Fill your plate with salad and a mix of vegetables instead. Also eat them earlier in the day so you will be able to burn them off.

* Keep processed food out of your home. Only eat things that you make from scratch rather than what comes in a box that you stick into a microwave.

....................................

These are just tips on starting to make a difference in eating style. I am not saying to totally change things overnight. Change these things slowly and you will be on the right track.

A sensible eating plan that maintains your weight happens over time and consistency, not over a crash 2 week period so that you fit in a dress before a social event.

If you need assistance ask your doctor for a recommended nutritionist in your area. They can be a great source of information and will get you on the right track for eating properly for your life.

Most nutritionists say that a healthy weight loss is 2 lbs per week. If you do 5-10 pounds per week you risk getting sick.

I would definitely increase your cals per week (or become more conscious of how much you take in per day). If you begin to starve your body like this, it will have the reverse effect to your diet. Instead of your metabolism burning off the cals and such it will begin to store everything as FAT.
Lifestyle changes aren't easy, especially when you go out. Russian Blue was right when she said to order vegatarian. This has less fat and less-other things, but the nutrition your body needs. Plus increase your fiber because fiber will absorb more of the cals/fat/carbs and distrube it through your body more evenly.

Just some thoughts.

If you are only eating 500 calories a day, you are making a serious mistake. I am 5 ft. 2, which is what you said you are. I recently decided to lose some weight. I was weighing in at 135. I decided to count calories. When you do that, you automatically leave out fats and sweets. I lost weight eating not more than 1300 calories a day. Now I am weighing 120 to 122 lbs. It took me about six months to lose the lbs. I kept a notebook and wrote down everything I ate each day. Now I am eating more healthy and maintaining the new weight. I am 61 years. old. You need to eat more calories and eat at least three regular meals a day. Good luck.

You have gotten some very good advice. At 500 kcals a day, you are doing far more harm to your body than good, and you will not lose any weight. In fact, when you start eating normally again you will gain back more weight because your body thinks its storing up for another famine.

When I was 18 I weighed 125 lbs... and I'm 5 ft 8. That's bad. My body fat percentage was at 8%, and my sister (she's a dietician) was getting worried. I'm at a far healthier weight now (well, I was only slightly overweight around Christmas, but I've lost 25 lbs since then!) The best way to loose weight is slow and steady. Think about what you eat, and cut out the fattiest and sugariest stuff, like pop and cheese and mayo and red meat and snack foods, and let yourself have just a little of your favorites. Start walking more. Even just parking further away can be significant if done regularly.

And eat more often but less. You should never be very hungry, but you should also never eat until you're "full".

One very good hint I've found is that when you do feel hungry, drink a glass of water. We tend to not drink enough water and then we mistake thirst for hunger and eat instead of having a glass of water or juice. So try that instead, first, and if you're still hungry have a snack.

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

well, I was only slightly overweight around Christmas, but I've lost 25 lbs since then

Click to expand...

Wow good job! It took me 2 years to lose 25 lbs! I'm not very good at discipline though.

In addition to the water suggestion that Zissou'sMom made, I chew a lot of gum when I have an oral fixation. The hardest part for me is I LOVE food, so if I chew gum, it takes that need away (plus I get fresh breath!).

The advice so far has been really good. I'm into fitness as a hobby, so I'd love to step in and give you some advice.

Have you had your bf% tested? This would be a good reference.

Here are my tips:

Use fitday.com or something similar to keep track of how much you're actually eating. If you want to be particular, you can weigh and measure everything. As others have said 500 cal is way too little. You need more like 1500, IMO. Don't go below 1200 without close medical supervision (that means a doctor). Not only will you not get enough nutrients, your body will decided it's starving and will hold on to all the fat it can. Try to get 40% of your cals from carbs, 40% from protein and 20% from fat. Some fat is healthy and necessary. Choose unsaturated fats and try to minimize saturated fat and aviod trans fat.

Consider incorporating resistance training. This could be lifting weights or even bodyweight exercises. Building muslce turns your body into a calorie-burning machine. Don't worry, you won't get bulky or turn into Arnold. Building muscle is what "toning" really is; it just sounds more girly to say "toning." Use alot of compound exercises (one where you're moving more than one joint) such as squats, deadlift, and bench press. Get instruction on how to do these, either from a good friend that knows what they're doing or hire a personal trainer for just a few sessions.

Getting the rowing machine is a great idea. That will be a great workout. You'll burn calories and fire up your metabolism.

If you have any questions please post them or PM me. As I said before, fitness is one of my hobbies, and I'd love to get more people addicted

Yes I have heard weight watchers works. I usually try to eat small meals consisting of a carb and a protein every 3 hours. Like a 1/2 cup cottage cheese and a serving of Wheat Thins for example. A banana with peanut butter (light amount) a can of tuna with a little light mayo and a few crackers, low sodium Triscuits, or Ruffles has these really good fat free sour cream and cheddar chips to scoop up the tuna with. MMM!!! I usually eat a larger lunch like a big salad and soup or sandwich, and have a smaller dinner. This is the tried and true method for me, and it works for me. When I am ambitious enough to go shopping, plan out my meals and stick to it, I lose weight very easily this way. My favorite way to do salad is green leaf lettuce, chopped up tomatoes, chopped black olives, chopped red onion, and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese for a good texture. I use Penzy's salad dressing but I also love Kraft's Basalmic Viniagrette....MMMM..*note to self: go get salad stuff tomorrow!*

Thanks guys, all your advice is very very helpful !
I actually ate a little more today and I do the whole drink water
when your hungry. Im a little scared I'll gain back what I lost now that
Im upping the calories but hey, I atleast I got all these helpful tips before I kept this up for more than 1 wk.
But I always thought exercising everyday was a good thing?
If I don't atleast exercise everyday, then Im gonna stress out myself worrying about the calories Im not burning. I know I should take my time but Im tired of seein that tummy outline my shirts when I look in a mirror.
But I'll try my best and keep you guys posted on my progress.