Overweight Baby and Not So Baby weight..help

Weight Watchers... just plan to lose a pound a week and be patient. You know how fast the years go by. A year from now you will easily be 50 lbs lighter!

My husband got us a gym membership...I feel like I need to go b/c we're paying for it...I like the group classes. It's fun to do them and when I leave I feel better about myself....I no longer eat junk food at night b/c exercising gives you a "high" and you want to keep feeling that way. I also stopped eating past a certain time at night. I have any snacks before 7:30 pm and eat the fat free microwave popcorn or fruit or something healthy....the weight seems to shed on its own with just small changes. Also, I don't buy much junk food...the kids don't miss chips and they enjoy popcorn or pretzels just as much as any other snack...if it's not in the house you can't eat it.

When you go out to eat....eat off of a side plate to keep your portion size down and ask for a box right away to take the rest home. It will get you in the habit of smaller portion sizes. You can do this at home too.

You don't need a diet, because eventually you'll go back to your old eating habits. You need something that will be a permanent lifestyle change.

Eliminating animal products and refined foods will make a huge difference, not only in weight but in disease prevention and reversal. http://ravediet.com/ is a good resource. Also forksoverknives.com. Don't let people convince you that you'll miss out on protein this way. Plants are full of protein, Asparagus for example has the same amount of protein per lb as beef does. And by eating a variety of foods you don't have to worry about being sure your protein is complete.

I'll recommend one of my favorite websites for recipes www.fatfreevegan.com and my recipe blog martasrecipes.blogspot.com

Of course exercise is key too! 30 min of cardio 3-5 days a week.

Eating out is really really hard to do and stay healthy, even when you eat animal products. It will take cooking at home, and you'll be amazed at how much money you will save by doing this!!!

Best wishes!!!!

Hi S., I didn't get a chance to read all your responses,so I am not sure if someone already suggested this. One of the most important things is to fuel your body every three hours. This is eating a protein and complex carb every time. Get your carbs from fruits and veggies! It has worked for me every time! Now, it is also important to get some physical excersize at least four days a week, like walking! You can do that at the mall. Water is also very important 2-3 liter's everyday. I have been on several weight loss plans, but have never had more success than what I am doing now. It is an eaitng clean plan. My inspiration has come from Tosca Reno. She has a few books out called "The Eating Clean Diet". I have her main book and two of her cookbooks. Basically, you eat foods in the whole form, nothing processed! If you eat pasta and breads, make sure they are whole grain, whole wheat. If you would like to check out her website it is: www.eatcleandiet.com, and www.toscareno.com. Good luck and let us know what you have started!

Do you have any sort of motivation to help you? Mine right now is summer is coming and I know we will be spending lots of time at the pool so I would like to get rid of some of this "winter weight" I have taken on to stay warm...HA Ha.

One thing I have been doing is changing the way I eat...I have been doing a lot more fresh or homemade over boxed. I came home from the grocery store with only three processed items...I was quite proud of myself :-) I rarely drink sodas...if I do it is only one day out of the week. I drink Crystal Light otherwise...it helps curb my sweet tooth.

I also just signed up for spark people and the nutrition counter is great. I can plug in the food I have eaten or plan to eat and see where I stand. Att the end of the day when I ask for the total it shows me a pie chart of which foods take up most of the space...I am a very visual person so it helps me. We ate pancakes for breakfast a few days ago and the pancakes took up a quarter of the pie chart! I know pancakes aren't that healthy but it helped me see that.

Last thing---go out and buy you a super cute work out outfit (walking, running, yoga, aerobics, whatever exercise you choose) and some new tennis shoes. It is amazing how you want to exercise more when you have new cute clothes to do it in. THat is my biggest motivator and it works everytime when I need to get back into shape.

Hi S.! The first step is WANTING to change what you are doing. You've done that! Congratulations!! Now you have to make a lifestyle change. The expanding of America is due to all the processed foods we eat now-a-days. Its garbage!!! It has come to the point where we are overweight but undernourished. If it comes in a box or a can, try not to eat it!! Its either loaded with sugar or salt!! As much as possible, eat whole foods like apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, carrots, even more salads. Sounds boring doesn't it? But its the best for you, and you get used to it and actually crave them after awhile. Remember you don't have to stuff yourself when you eat, but feel comfortable. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!
It still holds true that we need to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day. That alone will help to keep you from getting so hungry. AVOID POP!! One can has 12 tsp. of sugar in it, which turns into fat in your body, spikes your insulin, and makes you crave more sugar! It takes a lot of willpower, but YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! On top of that, try to walk every day. Its the best excercise. The key is to burn more calories than you consume in a day. If you could walk 30 min/per day thats a great start!! So a "diet" is really a lifestyle change: Eatting foods that are good for you, Drink a lot a water, and excercise, and then do that for life! You will look and feel great and have more energy! YOU CAN DO IT S.!!!!! I KNOW YOU CAN!!

B. H.
bhooyer.usana.com ( this is the Health Co. I work with - they have an excellent weight loss program - the 5 day reset and maintenance program. It helps you get off that carbohydrate addiction. It works and you actually will be craving the good foods!!) Also, because we aren't getting all the nutrients we need today, to supplement is very wise!! I wish I could go on about my story and how this has changed my life, but it would take a few pages!! I've been using these products for over 7 years now and am so grateful for the person who told me about them. A gift from God!!

I hope this helps you! I'm thinking of you, and wishing good health for you! Email me if you ever want to talk or need to be "cheered on"!
____@____.com

Hi S. - I too am on a weight loss journey. It's very hard! I started in June of 2009 and have lost 91 pounds!
Here's what I am doing....First, I needed to get all the junk food out of the house. I love sweets...love 'em!! So, out the door. No candy, no cookies, no cakes...nothing. We have some, but my husband has them in his car so that I wont snack when I get bored. Second, I only shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies. In fact, last year we had our own veggie garden, so I was able to eat SUPER fresh vegetables. I hardly ever go into the isles anymore. Third, pay attention to how much a serving is. It's amazing that 5 crackers (ritz, low fat) is ONE serving. Jees, when I think about that it means I was eating 4 or 5 servings in one sit down. Drink TONS of water. You will feel like you are peeing a LOT, but it settles down after a while. And last, we joined a gym. I go EVERY SINGLE DAY. Treadmill, weights, water arobics, Zumba, hot yoga, eliptical....You name it, I try to do it.
Stop going out. I know, easier said than done. When I first started this I would go out on the weekends. It's hard to break away from it all in one big swoop. That way, during the week, you know you get A burger on the weekends. But, I will tell you, that I have almost stopped going out now. If I do eat fast food I get sick! And, if I eat a full serving at a restaurant I am STUFFED, and I get sick.
Listen, I am not going to lie to you, it is EXTREMELY hard. But the benefits are amazing. I started out at 410 lbs. Huge. I am down to 320. I know some people would be horrified to be the weight I am now, but I am looking and feeling great! My blood pressure is down (went from 130/92 down to 112/62), my horrible heartburn is gone, and my sex life has come back (it was lost for a while! lol). Do it for you. Hold yourself accountable. No one else can do it for you. If you do NOT want to do this 100% and make a lifelong change, don't start. Because then you will say, oh I have tried all these diets and nothing worked when in reality it is the dieter that failed, not the diet.
Eat well, eat healthy, workout! Do it for you!
You can do this....because I can do this, and if I can ANYONE can!
L.

I think you first need to set a realistic goal that includes how much you want to loose and what you hope to gain (health, better physical appearance, feel better about yourself). Then you need to keep busy to get your mind off food. This includes excersize and also a hobby. You also have to cut down on going out to eat. I know its really hard to go out to eat then have to order something that is "healthy". If you do go out, you have to only eat half of what you ordered or just order an entree and nothing else. You have to cut out alcohol and any drinks with sugar. If you have to have juice then make sure its watered down and no soda. Also, cut out anything white. That is a good easy way to remember what not to eat. That includes sugar, flour, potatoes, cream sauces, and pasta. Go ahead and eat nonfat yogurt and skim milk though. Also, let yourself indulge a little bit, otherwise you will feel deprived and rebound badly. Like the other mom says, it has to be a lifestyle change, not a "diet".

I have just lost 102# on Weight Watchers, my husband 85#, my daughter 75#, another daughter 40#, and we are sold on this! What's good is not only that you lose the weight but you get healthier and, perhaps most important from what you asked, you will learn how to eat right! Americans are terrible at this - I was too though I was so careful about getting lots of good things. It was all too much and there were calories hiding in a lot of what we were eating. I'd STRONGLY URGE YOU to go to WW meetings, not just do it on line. There's one in Centerline. I go to 9 Mile and Mack on Wednesdays at 10 am and our group is very special, but my friends go to Centerline and love it. Suit yourself! Good luck! You can do this and keep it off, which is really the hardest part!

My best advice is to write everything down and be accountable to yourself. I use thedailyplate.com on livestrong. It's free and has a ton of nutritional information ready to plug in. You enter your height, weight, activity level, and goal and it will figure out how many calories you need per day. Once you start plugging in the foods you eat (and be honest, no one sees it but you) you can start to make changes and eat better. Once I realized there was 190 calories in the two teeny cookies I ate, I opted for an apple and peanut butter!

My best motivators are
(1) keep a food journal - write down EVERYTHING you eat - it's amazing how much we mindlessly eat and every calorie counts!
(2) start with small changes like aiming to get 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day - these are easier to maintain long term
(3) start moving - even if it's a small walk, try to break a sweat 3 times per week
(4) make small goals - like losing 10 pounds in X amount of weeks - that way you can reach different milestones and celebrate that - these small successes will keep you going - and if you struggle to meet the goal, it's easier to adjust without getting discouraged

Try South Beach. Get rid of the sugar! It makes a HUGE difference. Read the book. The first two weeks are hard, but if you put your mind to it, you can do it. I love breads, etc., but I was able to get past those first two weeks successfully. If I can, you can. I highly recommend it!

Ok not nessecary is what you eat but the amount and when you stop for the day with the amount of excersise. Eat smal little meals all day like a handfull of grapes with a yougart than two hs later maybe a sandwhich with a handful of carrots. Incorporate salad veggies and fruit into everthing along with yougart. Also don't eat past your full feeling only eat to satisfy hunger. drink tons of water. Havea glas a water before yoeat and while and after. Also take up a walking routine try to add a mile every 2 weeks so if your walking 1 mile to start in two weeks add another. Get up to as much at 4 to 6 miles a day at a nice rated speed. If you can't walk maybe ride a bike or something. Try to cut out eating out maybe do it once a week till maybe you do it as a reward. Also don't eat past 7 pm. anything takin inafter 630 is a no no because ou won't burn it off. If youeed something drink a glass of water with yougart or a piece of fruit. Nuts are good to for protein add a handfull ever now and than. Good luck always remmebr it took a while to get his way it will take lots of dedication and ard work to loose it.

I've heard good things about http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/

My husband is liking http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/register.asp

You need to hold yourself accountable. Across the board, it's your life and you have to take care of yourself.

I agree with Cindy.
Just writing down makes you realizing how much you eat and then you get more aware of it and eat better.
I use www.mypyramid.gov

I agree that writing it down is the single most effective thing you can do. It isn't necessary to find a fancy website or app to run the numbers on what you are eating or how many calories you ate vs. what you used.... just physically go through the motion and WRITE IT DOWN. Buy a cheap memo pad on your next trip to the grocery store, clip a pen to it and start writing!

Label the top of the page with the day/date, and write down everything that you put into your mouth... even the crust you nibbled while making your child's lunch ! e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
You will become conscious of what you are eating, which is the reason we are so apt to OVER eat....we aren't aware of what we are doing. We eat on the phone, while using the computer, while watching TV, while reading books, while driving the car, etc etc etc etc...... If you have to write it down you will notice this. And don't wait until the end of the day to write things down... you put it in your mouth, you get the pen out and write on the tablet. In a day or two, you will begin to get the pad and pen before you reach for the food! lol THAT is when you start realizing....