Lose Weight - Clarksville,TN

There are some really good ideas on here already!

First of all, please try and de-stress your life! Stress can be very detrimental to the body. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every single night.

Calories in, calories out............If you exercise regularly and don't eat more calories than you need, you WILL lose weight. It might seem tedious at first to count calories, but it will definitely pay off and it gets really easy as time goes on! You would be shocked at how many calories certain things have (custard from Culver's...fried food...)--eeks!! Here is a simple rule of thumb: The 10 Calorie Rule...multiply your weight by 10...THAT'S how many calories you can eat. In one week, you will lose 1-2 pounds. Then adjust. (Ex: If you weigh 175...175 x 10 = 1750...you can eat 1750 calories. If the next week you weigh 173...173 x 10 = 1730...etc.)

Walk!!!! If possible, make walking part of your daily routine. Walk to work? Walk to the grocery store. Walk to the park. Walk in the rain. Whatever works for you!

***Do not eat after 7 pm!!!!! Most people pack on the calories at night. I don't eat after 7 no matter what. Even if I'm starving. I just make plans to make a super-delicious breakfast. (When I was breast-feeding I made exceptions to this rule.) I don't change the rules for parties, family gatherings, holidays, etc...every time I start to eat after 7 I gain weight. Try this, it seriously works wonders!! :)

Always eat breakfast. This jump-starts your metabolism!!

Avoid artificial garbage (sweeteners, flavors, colors), trans fats (partially-hydrogenated oils), etc.

If you have a craving for chocolate chip cookies or something...set a timer for 10 minutes to see if the craving goes away.

If you're motivated to start running, check out the couch-5K running plan. I did this and I highly recommend it! It only takes 30 minutes, 3 times/week...and running can be a great way to de-stress! :)

Best of luck to you!!!!

2 moms found this helpful

Try this instead of doing what many people do which is take things out of your diet, try ADDING in something positive in the way of a better choice...

Example, get salad dressings on the SIDE of your meal.. if you'd have fries with a burger, get the green salad instead.. you still get to have that burger but just not all that starch..

Additionally, DO eat breakfast << if you are one of those who don't, you'll end up being famished by lunch and possibly setting yourself up to over-eat.

Start slowly, but add just one more fiber item to your daily diet, could be just one piece of fruit. At Dinner, have less starch (if you still want starch) but also add more veggies.. I tend to like to serve some type of raw veggie or fruit << like say, red bell peppers cut up or whatever produce is in season.

Also, do drink your water << water helps your metabolism function, I call it the gasoline for the body.. like your car, if you don't add gas, it doesn't work ,right? same with water.. so do drink as much as you can ... I use the urine test. if it's running clear, then I know I am properly hydrated.

also, as you prob know, when stressed, you produce CORTISOL.. which tends to make you hold on to fat (esp belly) at some point, I think you have to STOP and take maybe 10 minutes and just do nothing...... let your mind/body just have a moment to relax... so that the cortisol levels can go down..

oh and if you can, get a pedometer.. this way, you can measure how much you are moving each day.. Use the stairs when possible.. park farther away (if safe) at a parking lot... just try and get in a few extra steps a day.. it WILL make a difference..

Track what you are actually eating.. little things add up.. I use myfitnesspal.com it's a free site and worth a look at.. by tracking how many calories you are really taking in and the amount of steps you are taking each day, I think this will aid in your weightloss... you'll begin to get a clear picture of what is going on but moreover, whether you consistency eat more or less... it's that consistency aspect that is what counts..

you can have desserts here and there, but notice, are you doing that more consistently than not?? start with baby steps.... you know want to lose weight so each day with each thing you do ask yourself, is this aiding in my wanting to lose weight or not?? pass no judgements on yourself, but do begin to get an honest assessment of what your habits are...you wouldn't go into a job interview unprepared, right? so why and try and lose weight without really having truly assessed your daily habits.. plan to succeed and you will... you already have the first step down.. you want to lose weight.. not you just need to plan and execute...one step at a time. you can do this.. :)

I wish you the best

1 mom found this helpful

Have you checked with your doctor to eliminate any medical causes of your inability to loose the weight?

I would try developing some new habits. Your life isn't the only life that is full of stress. How do you handle your stress?

I walk or run or jump rope or jog in place, or do some push ups. When stressed I get active.

You can eat and not be deprived and loose weight. Try swapping your starches, rice, and meat portions for more fresh fruit and veggies. Swap your beef meat choices for fish. Try new foods. Delight every area of your palate with new foods that are either bitter, salty, sweet, and or sour. Make your plate a variety of colors. Every meal should look like a rainbow. Fill your plate with reds, oranges, yellows, greens, purples, etc. Mixing things up will help stimulate change in your body.

Ultimately weight loss isn't so much about dieting but about lifestyle choices and fitness is as simple as parking further away from the entrance and using the stairs instead of the elevator. Start small and build up. You will slowly watch the pounds fall off and be able to maintain the weightloss. Don't give up everyday is a new day to begin again. The more you try the more likely you are to have success. Just try to shake things up in your body and get ready for success.

1 mom found this helpful

I was getting frustrated that I couldn't lose the weight from my second baby. Some of my girlfriends kept telling me I needed to get up and exercise before the kids were awake. I thought they were crazy but I signed up for a morning group exercise class and I can finally start seeing results after two months. Do I like getting up at 4:45a three days a week to go exercise? Heck NO! But I found that once I was up for the day and in "mom mode" I always had an excuse to NOT exercise and eat right. So now I stumble to a 5a bootcamp and have met a great group of people and am starting to see the payoff. If you can't leave because your husband leaves early/travels then get up and start with the 30 day shred from Jillian Michaels. 20 minutes a day. That's it. The exercise will also help manage the stress. It takes commitment. Nike's slogan is so true: Just Do It! Figure out a way to do it and do it.

1 mom found this helpful

For now, let go of losing weight completely. Focus on maximizing health.

This means:
1. Get enough sleep. Aim for 9 hours a day.
2. Learn about nutrition. Michael Pollan's "Food rules" is a short, easy read that will get you started. Be aware that nutrition varies from person to person. You may have unique nutritional needs and/or allergies that affects what is healthy for you to eat.
3. Eat real food, with a focus on nutritionally dense food. Minimize your consumption of non-food items. (Note: more than half the average grocery store is stocked with non-food items.)
4. Try to develop healthy patterns in how and where you eat. Leave time for real meals, and eat them regularly. Learn to love food, and treat mealtimes with respect.
5. Find ways to manage the stress in your life. Tools that some people have found useful include journaling, prayer, friends, meditation, and/or yoga. Experiment to find what works for you.
6. Get some exercise and strive to become physically fit. Find something you enjoy and do it. This might be working out. This might be gardening. This might be walking or biking instead of driving. Just do something regularly that involves moving your body. Do it with friends, if possible.

Stop weighing yourself completely. Just focus on your health. Be aware that for some people, a healthy body is a large body. Put minimal emphasis on charts and "supposed to" ideas, and pay attention to how your body feels and moves.

If, after a few months, you are not moving and feeling better, consider the possibility of a medical problem and talk to a doctor. Various medications and hormone problems can disrupt our bodies in a way that affects our metabolism. Persistent unexplained weight gain is a symptom, like unexplained fever, that needs to be investigated.

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

You don't want to hear this b/c we all want to hear the magic thing but honestly, I recently lost 10lbs and only exercised a little bit. I was eating about 2000-2500 calories a day and went to a dietician that told me to drop to 1500 calories a day. I could have 300 cal for breakfast, 100 for snack, 500 for lunch, 100 for snack, and 500 for dinner, and if I wanted, I could have 100 calories for dessert. I heard on Dr Oz that if you mix protein and fiber, it is the magic pill. So I upped my fiber A LOT, also b/c I have heart and cholesterol issues. I had oatmeal for breakfast with maybe a piece of high fiber wheat toast, added flax meal to almost all of my meals, like yogurt, cottage cheese, etc For lunch I had the high fiber Arnold's round bread, it is only 100 calories for both pieces and it tastes good. I would have tuna and add the flax meal, or have turkey and cheese with light mayo, have red grapes on the side, or pretzels, etc for snack I had a Fiber One granola bar...they are high fiber and really good! For dinner, chicken, no more than a 1/2 breast, veggie, and a small portion of a carb. you need carbs for energy. I was really diligent and drank more water.....the dietician said that upping my fiber really is what did it. Try it, it really works! I did some treadmill walking at the end of my 3 month diet and it kicked the last few pounds off. Good luck!
ps/ I did not stop myself from eating anything, if I wanted a piece of cake at a party, I asked them to cut me a 'sliver'...if I wanted a cookie that I made my family, I ate a bite, saved it, came back and ate a bite later, saved it, had the last bite later.....you can do it, just tell yourself if you do not like that weight off, you can always eat it back..the food will always be there! :o)

1 mom found this helpful

you've tried everything as in: you are not being consistent. if you go on pills and crash, then try different diet after diet... your body is confused and hanging on for dear life.

before you go charging into a new regimen you should find out whether:
(1) you have a thyroid issue or
(2) could have candida http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

both can prevent you from losing weight. thyroid problems can surface after having children and over 70% of people in america have candida and don't know it.

with that said, you should evaluate how many calories you're taking in a day.
www.livestrong.com
www.sparkpeople.com

both sites help you track your food and fitness and are KEY to discovering, owning and improving your habits.

you may be eating healthy (or think you are) but you could be racking up 2500-3k calories a day!
let's say you are 5'3 and weigh around 130 and your lifestyle is moderately active: you need about 1300-1500 calories a day in order to LOSE about 1-2lbs a week.

when i was marathon training (running up to 100 miles a month + weight lifting and pilates 3x a week with a personal trainer) i was eating non stop. and i was eating CLEAN: literally NO starches, sugar, dairy, grains etc. Basic: fruit, vegeatables and natural meat.... but I GAINED!

because i was eating way more than my body needed. to maintain my health and stamina i needed about 2,000 calories a day. and i was eating upwards to 2,500-2,700!!!

calories are hidden no matter how healthy you are.

i highly recommend those websites above to help you start tracking. you don't have to do it forever but its a GOOD and accurate method of understanding your diet.

also, if you ONLY run or ONLY do the eliptical then you won't lose weight either. you have to have a variety: walk, bike, run, elliptical, row, swim. try and mix it all in. walking (surprisingly) is a good way to get rid of FAT bc you stay in the fat burning zone (which you can calculate online- google).

and if you've been going at it for 30min a day, push it to 40 minutes and keep pushing. if youre in a dead end, you have to break over those barriers but you have to expect to work.

xxxx

1 mom found this helpful

i knew i needed to lose weight after my second son... it was out of control in my opinion so i cut the sugar drinks down to once a day (drinking only water until dinner time) and started walking. i don't know if you have time warner cable where you live, but here in nc there is a channel called sports and exercise. exercise tv has been a God sent... there is a walking program with leslie sansone... i started with a mile and then worked up to 3 miles 4 times a week.
i noticed after a few months, the walking was becoming less effective so i tried some of their other programs. right now, i'm doing the cardio workouts. today i did fat burning cardio with kendell and it was great. i definitely felt the burn and the sweat. i absolutely hate to sweat, but sweating lets me know it's working! =D i do several of the videos on this channel (just to change it up) and at least 4 times a week.
in addition to the exercise, i've been using a website called loseit.com. it's awesome and i totally live by it. you put in your weight, what you want to weigh, how fast you want to lose (it won't allow more than the healthy 2lbs./week), add your food (literally everything you put in your mouth), and exercise in as well. this program calculates how many calories you should eat per day and how many calories you burn when you work out, you can add friends for support as well, and the best part is it's FREE. =D these things have definitely helped me... i've lost 40 lbs. already. i hope this info. helps you get started. ~happy losing. =D

As MandaM said diet and exercise really are the only tried and true solutions however you mention your life is very stressful. I find that even when I'm eating and exercising as I should when I am worried/stressed/etc for a long period of time I tend to hold weight in my stomach area........likely that is happening to you as well. Certainly see a dr. about that aspect of your life.

I am a distribitor for ItWorks Global the best I've ever seen call me ###-###-####. www.itworks.net/pambirdwell email ____@____.com forward to hearing from you.
Pammy

First, accept that it will take a little while to change your lifestyle but truly commit to changing it rather than short term dieting. Stress and lack of sleep will impede your progress. If at all possible, try to get 8 hours (or as close to 8 as you can) every night - it will help. Exercise will also help with both weight loss and stress so start just a moderate walking program building up to 10,000 steps a day. (I literally started with one city block.)

Most of this is going to be about diet because you have to cut out 3500 calories to lose one pound and there's no other way around it but you don't necessarily have to go hungry. Give up sodas and switch to water or decaf teas. Swear off fast food. While you are trying to get to your desired weight, virtually give up white bread, white potatoes, pasta and use whole wheat versions in moderation. Don't try to use those frozen meals - they don't have nearly enough vegetables or protein to make you feel full. Forget about 100 calories packs of anything. They are 100 calories of nothing that will help you change your lifestyle. Eat chicken or fish 5 to 6 nights out of 7. Add in tons of fruits and veggies even if you have to prepare them with breadcrumbs, cheese, sauce or whatever you need to actually learn to like what you are eating. After a while, your body will crave what you eating. Eat protein at every meal to feel full - yogart (with a little granola and fruit), low fat cheese, eggs are great lean protein. Become curious about foods and start trying to prepare things you wouldn't ordinarily prepare. Make it fun. Very few people are going to be able to stick to a diet of blah chicken breast and celery sticks. Instead, marinate that chicken breast in honey & dijon or teriyaki glaze, or barbecue sauce. Lighly bread it and add spagetti sauce and mozz cheese. (I usually make lots and freeze them so that all I have to make "fresh" is side dishes.) Add a little mayo with horseradish to vegetables with a bit of breadcrumb/margerine topping. Eat eggs for breakfast instead of carbs with one slice of high fiber toast and some fruit. It does take some planning, but you get used to it and after a while, this will be the food that sounds good to you. Just like people who get hooked on diet soda think that real soda tastes yucky (or vice versa), you'll end up thinking white bread tastes yucky. If you have a particular indulgence that you can't do without that really makes you feel like you're going to punch through the wall and throw the diet out the window then figure a way to make a healthy version of it. Mine is chocolate, so I make no fat brownies with added fiber in a muffin pan (portion control) and have one every day. Expect that the first 2 weeks will be the worst but it will be worth it. Good luck!

go to www.sparkpeople.com. it's a great site. you can track food, exercise, weight loss. they have groups you can join, blogs, inspiring success stories, exercises you can try. and it's free. i lost 20lbs in about 2.5 months on there.

I saw a nutritionist. She told me how many calories per day I could have and how many servings ( and what a serving size is) from each food group. I thought I wasn't eating that much, but when i started adding up the calories...oh my!

Here is something I tried. It's called SENSA. It's sold online and on either QVC or HSN. One of those home shopping networks. It's a little spendy but it works! I did the 60 day trial and it helped me in just those 60 days. You would have to read up on it to get all the details. Here is what I know. It's a powder that you sprinkle on your food. There's two types of powder. Salty and sweet. The powder triggers your brain to tell you, you are full. So, you can eat whatever you want! But it helps you to eat smaller portions. There is nothing harmful about this. I highly suggest you read up on it and give it a try! I don't have the budget to do it now but I'm saving up. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Unfortunately, diet and exercise are the only real solutions. Diet - as a lifestyle, not a fad - is 80% of weight loss. Eat clean. Reduce sugar, white carbs and red meats. Increase lean proteins (turkey, chicken, pork, fish) and green vegetables.

There's really no magic bullet. You have to do the work.

That said, if you're doing that and still struggling, it's time for blood work, as it may be something hormonal like thyroid disease (I'm hypothyroid and it's managed).