Help! I need your tried and true weightloss solutions

[youmightbewrong]

I'm freaking out here. I just went to my mom's house to mail out a boxset of records, and she wasn't there to get on the scale for me to help me weigh my records. My dumb ass hopped on the scale instead and now I'm mortified. I new I had plumped up, but not to the near extreme that those numbers said on that scale. I'm too young to feel like I feel right now. I haven't felt this hopeless in quite awhile. I literally can't breathe, and I feel like the life I once knew is over, and it will never be okay unless I lose this weight. I thought I was in a good place, but I really, really need to lose this weight, and fast. Does anyone out there have some tried and true ways for me to get this weight off fast? I want to feel pretty again. Thanks for any suggestions.

[thebiglebowski]

I have a some supplements I take to drop pounds but they are stimulants (somewhat mild, but stimulants). You have admitted to a former drug addiction. Is that something that would give you trouble.

 

Also, do you have Netflix?

[thebiglebowski]

Even if you don't have Netflix (I just asked cause it is streamable) watch "Hungry for Change". It is about the problems with the diet of Americans and how they can be fixed. 

 

I could tell you the points, but putting in the two hours to hear it directly from them actually motivates you more.

[IanRees]

exercise and good dieting. cut out as much processed food as you can, try and eat as lean as you can (ground turkey, chicken, lean red meat). cut out carbs and starches like bread, rice and potatoes. i can break down a sample diet ive been doing that works. i also use myfitnesspal to keep track of my calories and set daily %'s for fat, protein and carbs, i try and keep it at 40% protein, 40% carbs & 20% fat but during the first month when im trying to shed the fat i keep it at 50% protein, 30% carbs & 20% fat.

 

i've lost about 10lbs and have slimmed down considerably since the new year doing p90x.

 

if you want a quick solution the cabbage soup diets works temporarily. i did it once and lost 10lbs in a week, my girfriend has done it twice and lost about 7lbs in a week each time. the first time we both gained it right back once we went back to our normal diets but if you use it as a kickstarter its highly effective (this will be highly debated im sure)

[213041284s]

If you have the money and resources, I'd go to a gym and schedule a few appointments with a personal trainer - they can really get you on the right track to getting where you want to be. If you're motivated enough, you should be good on your own after a few sessions, or if not you can stick around with a trainer. Worked wonders for me back when I was a bit of a fitness junkie and was doing cross country and stuff. The main key is making a plan and sticking to it, easier said than done, but not as impossible as you think.

[jerseydave77]

I have a supplement suggestion too that you can cycle on and off of but everything I do involves diet and exercise. Without being too critical I'd suggest spending the next 2-3 weeks establishing an exercise regimin then exploring a supplement to give a boost. Better to take this moment to get into healthy habits while losing the weight. It will help keep it off in the long term as well. 

[GradedOnACurve]

I had dieted and exercised regularly a few years ago and lost 25 pounds. Haven't been able to stick a regiment since.

 

When I was on the high school football team for one year I lost 40 pounds. It'd be nice to lose that again.

[AdventureIsOutThere]

Burn more calories than you eat, simple as that. I've been doing that plus working out daily and I've lost 12lbs in 5 weeks so far.

[ronniegwilliams]

I lost 75lbs a couple of years back.  I did the same thing where I was upset at myself for allowing me to become the shape I had become.  

I switched from one to two meals a day, to 5-7 small meals a day, mostly consisting of protein.  I started with light cardio each day, eventually working myself up to running.  

 

A typical day of eating would look like:

Breakfast: small bowl oatmeal w/ scoop of protein, or Kashi Go Lean Cereal

Hours later: protein bar/shake, or cheese stick and apple

Lunch: Turkey sandwich or grilled chicken, veggies, and rice

Hours later: protein bar/shake, or almonds 

Dinner: salmon with salad

Hours later: protein shake or cottage cheese

 

It wasn't delicious, I was only eating for nutrients not for taste at this point.  I lost a shit ton of weight and ended up with a six pack.  

[IanRees]

also, one of the worst things you can do and set yourself up for failure is want a "quick fix" it has to be a life style change. you might not see the weightloss as fast as you want but you need to not get discouraged and keep with it.

[thebiglebowski]

The advice above is good. But seriously, watch the movie. It just doesn't have the same motivational effect as reading a paragraph about what worked for a stranger.

Order of importance:

1. Fix your diet

2. Develop an exercise plan (not a gym crash for a month with an unsustainable amount of exercise, followed by the inevitable giving up)

3. Supplements, if chosen and AFTER the above are established.

[youmightbewrong]

Im going to read all of these suggestions thoroughly when I get a break at work. There are definitely things im willing to try. Thanks for the advice so far!

[dave_jones]

yea weight loss isn't quick or easy. ronnie's meal plan is definitely a great start.  props for you ronnie.

[aviolentworld]

not sure how your life style is but i dropped about 55lbs a couple of years ago.

 

i was basically drinking a 12 pack a night and eating a shit ton of fast food so i basically stopped those and lost a bunch.  i at around 5 times a day and stopped eating past 9PM.  worked for me. 

 

i have a real tough time with portion control too.  i keep eating and eating.  make yourself the right portions and pack the rest in the fridge.

[lonesomexloveus]

don't opt for the 'help me drop this fast!' option. it's actually better and healthier for you to lose it more slowly over time, and will be more likely to stay off that way.

it has to be a combination of diet and exercise; a lifestyle change instead of something like p90x or some fad juice cleanse diet. my boyfriend has lost close to 60 lbs in the last year by starting a workout routine and going to the gym 5 times a week, and modifying his diet. lots of lean protein (i.e. chicken and fish mostly), and cutting out the majority of carbs and processed sugars. the first thing and easiest thing is to drink more water. stop drinking soda, alcohol, iced tea, etc.

[lonesomexloveus]

also, i can't seem to remember to use it, but i know a lot of people find a calorie counting app like My Fitness Pal helpful, as it also tracks how many calories you burn with exercise, too.

[Guest]

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about anything. But isn't weight loss for women a bit different than for men? I don't know, someone feel free to call bullshit on this.

What's your diet like right now? I know you have kids, do you guys eat fast food often? Do you prepare them meals and just eat what they eat?

I've slimmed down a bit since new years eve. I don't know how much, but I can't wear my old jeans anymore, they fall off. I cut out all fast food. No pop (soda or whatever you guys call it) My diet has very little carbs/sugars. heavy on vegetables and lean meats. I also cut out dairy for the most part. I drink tea in the morning and night. As much water as you can stand to drink. I keep a 32oz bottle next to me at work. I try to drink 3-4 of these a day. as little processed food as possible. I know lean cuisines are fast and easy, but try to avoid them. Also, I don't eat from 7pm-12pm the next day. so basically I do small periods of intermittent fasting overnight, until lunch time. i'm never hungry in the morning, so this works for me.


I think it's important that you don't deprive yourself, and indulge once in a while. Right now I do one cheat meal a week. It gives me something to look forward to.

I'm no expert, this is just what's been working for me.

[IanRees]

don't opt for the 'help me drop this fast!' option. it's actually better and healthier for you to lose it more slowly over time, and will be more likely to stay off that way. it has to be a combination of diet and exercise; a lifestyle change instead of something like p90x or some fad juice cleanse diet. my boyfriend has lost close to 60 lbs in the last year by starting a workout routine and going to the gym 5 times a week, and modifying his diet. lots of lean protein (i.e. chicken and fish mostly), and cutting out the majority of carbs and processed sugars. the first thing and easiest thing is to drink more water. stop drinking soda, alcohol, iced tea, etc.

 

as someone who has done p90x before and is currently doing it i definitely wouldn't lump it in as a fad. For me it has become a lifestyle change and helps you make better decisions with your diet and get in the habit of exercising regularly.

 

I feel there are people who just see the infomercials but don't know much about the actual program, if you commit yourself to the program it really works and is extremely effective.

[LPancakes]

fast? raw food diet. i lost pretty much 7lbs in a week. its gonna suck, and youre gonna get cravings, but stick it out. write on a little piece of paper how you felt when you stepped on those scales and that should be enough motivation to not eat a burger. i dont think its sustainable but after a couple weeks evolve onto a balance diet and exercise. other than that, a mental breakdown helps.

[noalarmplanet]

I've been running ten miles a week and eating a lot less. Trying to cut out all fast food. 

 

I've lost 5 pounds so far. 

 

I had that moment too, I hate how I look. 

[elgato48]

If you drink soda stop. Even diet. Lost a lot of weight by doing this and eating a bit better. Sadly I started drinking soda again and gained most of it back

[213041284s]

While I am by no means an expert, after learning a few things in nutritional science and genetics, I would stay away from a raw food diet in your case

 

A lot of people's suggestions here are pretty good, especially cutting little things out. I've been soda free since July 2011 and after a while I began to feel less sluggish and more energetic (as ironic as it may seem) helped me lose quite a bit too. Those little things add up over time you know

[billya]

Drink water. I've read that drinking 8-10 glasses a day helps lose weight/helps you maintain a healthy body. Also, drinking soda can be brutal, so replacing that with water or unsweetened tea can make a small difference.

[abovetheearth]

green tea boosts metabolism too. switching your fav. beverage for this is an option too.

[zuck]

The hardest part for me was changing the way I eat. If you can do that, I think that would solve a huge chunk of the problem. I also didn't want to go to a gym, so I ordered P90X & love it. Even if you don't follow the meal plan that comes with it exactly, but do follow the exercise part, you will definitely lose weight & get into shape. It's a lot of hard work, but totally worth it.