Weight Loss - Discouraged

S.,

I'm right at the start of dieting myself and it is hard when you love snack food and sugar as much as I do! I am over 50 yrs. old so it comes off slower because of menopause and my metabolism slowing down considerably. I have always found running to be the best form of excersize but it could be hard for you with little ones at home and being the middle of the winter. If you can start to work that into your daily schedule when the weather improves I think you will find it very helpful from both a physical and mental standpoint. As for the diet, I have eliminated almost all starches like potatoes, bread and pasta and eat a lot of salads, protein, fruits and veggies. My favorite salad is a spring mix of greens, sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, a sprinkle of feta cheese and pecans or walnuts topped with a no-fat raspberry/pecan dressing. I like it better than salad with veggies. I also eat a lot of eggs as they are filling and are low in calories but high in protein. Sometimes I mix hardboiled eggs with tuna or canned chicked with a touch of no-fat mayo. The key is just eliminate the fat, starch and sugar and giving it time to work. A little excersize will help speed things along plus a lot of patience. It could take two weeks of serious dieting before you even see any results. It is very hard, believe me I know. I was able to work a gym membership into the finances this year and that has helped tremendously. But you can do it without the gym expense. Running only cost the price of a good pair of shoes and it will tone your entire body as you loose weight. By the way, I have NOT given up chocholate (some things you just can't give up) and I still manage to lose weight by watching my portions, that's also a big help. I'm not a big fan of the over the counter diet pills as I believe true weight loss is about discipline in eating. Once I am committed to losing weight I always do. Good luck to you, and really, try the running this spring, you'll get addicted and love it!

S.

If you are eating less and doing starvation, that could actually be part of the problem. Your metabolism will actually work better when you eat more often. 6 smaller meals/snacks per day is really how your metabolism thrives.
Weight watchers can really help along with this and planning your meals ahead of time can make a big difference.
Also, doing some weight/resistance exercises along with cardio allows you to build more muscle and muscle burns more calories.
Good luck! You can do it!

All I can say is watching what you eat and consistent excercise is the key. Weight Watchers is excellent...diets are not. Also, I do not recommend Curves. It does not have the best results. "Regular" gyms are great and working out at home is great too. You want to make sure you get plenty of cardio and some weight training. Yoga is EXCELLENT for losing weight and getting into shape. Do a treadmill for 30 minutes 4 -5 times a week or an elliptical machine. Good luck!!!

S.,

I have 5 children and in between babies #2 and #3 I went on a no flour no sugar diet and I lost a lot of weight and I lost it pretty quickly. Which helps to keep you motivated. Also I love cheese, meat, milk, and eggs and I could have as much as I wanted of these things. I could also have fruit and veggies, just no dressing because it had sugar in it. I still have a few recipes from it if you would be interested, let me know.

Hang in there, it may take a while. Have you taken a closer look at the things you are eating. Processed foods are not good for us and are hard for the body to break down. Eat more vegetables, fruit, and protein. Are you drinking enough water? If your body does not get enough water, it retains what little it gets. Try walking for at least 30 min a day. Losing weight is a life style change, be patient. Lastly, what kind of eater are you? Do you snack all day or are you a emotional eater? When you feel the need to snack try chewing gum, drinking water or eating something with protein. If emotional eating is your problem, try engaging yourself in something that will help change your mood so you don't eat. Try calling a friend or catching up on the forever going laundry. Well I hope this has helped you.

S.,

I had my first child 18 months ago and had gained 60 lbs with my pregnancy! I was always someone who could eat whatever they wanted and stay around the same weight range which I was happy with. I lost MAYBE 20 lbs after the baby but kept the rest on. Now she is nearing 2 years old and I still have 30 lbs left. I have no idea how to diet and I can't stand working out. I decided to join Medical Weight Loss. The program is a little pricey unless you catch them duing a sale but I lost 10 lbs in 2 1/2 weeks and am very happy with the results. If that's not an affordable option, really try to cut down on starches and up your protein. Then try maybe just 20 to 30 minutes of exercise, I went back to my eliptical machine. I do 30 minutes at night while I'm watching tv. It takes some encouragement to do it but I am definately seeing results!! Good luck and try to stick with it. I know it's hard...