I Want 2 Loose Weight, but I'm Not Athletic & Can't Break My Eating Habits! Help

Hi TC, you are not alone. Try to cut back on the bread, which seems to be the only ting that stands out. I have watched the scale and I seem to have a problem processing red meat. I am very thick around the waist and butt. I walk everyday for 15 minutes two times a day. I eat really good, as in, not many snacks or sweets, but still carry the weight. I don't sleep much either and I hear that can be a problem. I hear you need to sleep properly to lose weight.

You have to start with small changes you can live with. I was in horrible condition last Feb and I knew I needed to do something. So I dusted off the treadmill and began walking. At first, a quarter mile at a slow stroll would have me huffing and puffing, but I kept at it till it got easier. Then I added another quarter mile. Every few weeks as the distance I tried got easier (and faster) I added another quarter mile. Right now I'm up to 1 mile a day and I can do it in 20 min. I work up a good sweat and I sleep better at night. At some point I added a hand weight (I hang on with one hand, then switch back and forth so I don't lose my balance). My muscles feel good. My clothes are fitting differently, and my stamina is so much better. My weight hasn't changed much so far, but if I keep it up it should have an impact someday. You can do this too.

I am going to apologize right up front if I come across as harsh, that is not my intention. However, I do believe in being straightforward and perfectly frank. You cannot expect to see any changes in your body unless you are willing to make some changes in your lifestyle. This might mean joining Weight Watchers, joining a gym, or just making a commitment with yourself that you are going to exercise daily and be willing to make some sacrifices.

If you are big-time into bread, switch to whole grain. Same thing goes for pasta, rice, etc. Figure if there are any fresh fruits you can tolerate. Too many canned fruits are floating in syrup that contains sugar, and therefore extra calories. Drink water instead of soda. Stay away from fast food places. Stay away from junk food. Start reading food labels if you are not already and become educated as to what smart healthy food choices are. Find an exercise regime that works for you but don't give up the moment you get tired or frustrated. Start developing some new habits until they become second nature and recognize that change takes time and commitment. It takes motivation and the more you stick with it, the easier it gets and the more likely you are to continue.

First of all, you are't "athletic" because you decide not to be athletic. It's not a genetic condition, it's a decision.

I started running when I was thirty and finished my first marathon at 35. I'm training for my second marathon and I'm starting from scratch. I was always the slowest runner in the world, and now I've learned that running slowly is just wonderful and I am OK with not winning a race. The only time I feel like a loser is when I don't get out there and waddle. Even waddling, I'm doing better than those who don't.

And you can change your eating habits, too. Your subject line contained two excuses to defeat your desire. You actually just have to eat right and exersize. You're perfectly capable.

Weight Watchers is very helpful when it comes to eating more healthfully. However you can still eat unhealthy foods with WW, just fewer. I'd work on getting more whole foods into your diet, write down everything you eat and commit to exercising. Start slow, maybe just a 10min walk, gradually increase your exercise time but we consistant. Write down your exercise too. It is also helpful to find someone who can be a buddy with the weight loss and to walk with and call when you feel like eating.

Make a list of small things that you can do and start doing just one small thing. For example; park your car as far from the front door of the store as possible and walk across the parking lot. Another example is to write down a weeks worth of healthy lunch menus and have a healthy lunch. Actually, your diet sounds pretty healthy to me. If you're eating large quantities then write down how much you're going to eat and stick with it.

Just one step at a time.

Perhaps you'll feel more positive about what you are doing diet wise if you check out a book from the library that talks about healthy diets. It's good to eat bread. Choose bread with a higher fiber content. Nutrition is not so complicated that an ordinary mom couldn't learn it. Look at the food pyramid. I think it's got a different name now but the information is the same.

Also, canned fruit is good for you too. You don't have to eat raw fruit which is a very good thing for me. I'm allergic to most fruits raw.

Your weight is within reason for your height. Perhaps 20 lbs. less would help you feel better. Twenty pounds is doable just be gradually reducing the number of calories you take in. When I was young, I cut down on the amount of potatoes, bread, and deserts and lost 20 lbs in a couple of months. I didn't cut out any carbs entirely but I focused on snacking on protein because I feel better when I eat more protein and less carbs. Learn what the recommended amounts of certain forms of food are and eat less. You can lose the weight.

And burn energy by doing things the "hard" way. Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. If you live in a 2 story house, be "inefficient" and go up and down those stairs many times during the day. Dance when you mop the floor. Dance with your little one(s).

And start with adding just one thing to your day. Build up gradually to a healthier life style. Most importantly, do not beat yourself up for doing or not doing something you think you should do. Love yourself and the weight loss will happen.

one of the simple things to do is drink lots of water
raw viggies, less carbs. take the stairs , not elevetor to add some activity.
walk where ever you can. also if you do find time for treadmill or running, music that you love on your ipod can help and motivate you more. good luck and you are not alone

First off... I hear ya... I'm 6'1. And even when a tall chick's weight is UNDER what it should be to be in the healthy range, it's still higher than what our friends complain about. <grinning> And men have no clue. Back in my bikini days (miss those, sniff) the men I dated figured I was 120-130 (ha!). Nope try the 70's boys. ((There was actually a pool at one point about myself and a girlfriend who was 5'11... as in how much we actually weighed -marines will bet on anything- because we were long and thin... even when they were picking us up the highest guesstimate was still 20lbs short. Of course, they also were trying to sleep with us, so biased poll. But the money got quite serious. Over $600 at one point. Which was half a month's salary at the time for many of them.)) Plus when the smallest size your BONES will fit is a size 9, and the average 5'10-6' woman wears at LEAST a 14 (14 tends to be our size 8), and you're shopping in the maternity dept in order to find shirts that aren't belly shirts, or in the teen boys dept for teeshirts... the whole thing can get a little depressing. ((btw... check out this site for fabu clothes http://us.longtallsally.com/ ))

Memory lane and commiseration aside... I'm a hedonist. A FIRM believer that anything and everything that possibly can be should be fun.

I DESPISE running. Loathe. Hate. Abhor it. About the most boring thing on the planet. So I don't. Here are things I DO like doing:

- Dancing
- Gymnastics
- Swimming
- Surfing (not in western washington, ick)
- Horseback riding
- Snowboarding
- Rappelling (but not climbing)
- TV/Movies (take a broom... unscrew the business end until just the stick is there... put it over your shoulders behind your head... rest your arms on top of it... and twist back and forth. Takes 0 effort. Twist and watch TV. Do it for a whole show every day for a month or 3 and you'll start losing inches off your waist as the INTERIOR abs tighten. These aren't the sexy abs, but the ones that hold your organs where they belong. Leg lifts also become something you don't even notice as you lay on the floor and just raise and lower one leg. Switch during commercials. Yeah. Who needs exercise videos? Why not watch something that's actually yummy?)
- Shooting (okay, not a *lot* of exercise in this one, especially prone... but at least my heart rate goes up... and I'm not sitting on my couch wrapped around my laptop)
- Walking / Hiking (SOMETIMES. It's not my favorite thing. But it can be enjoyable under certain conditions. Like with my son going circles around me on his bike and the dog bouncing around testing the limits of how far he'll go before I whistle for him)
- Martial Arts

Anyhow... point being... With all of these options of things I find FUN... why on *earth* would I do something boring like "exercise"? When it's FUN I actually do it. And look forward to doing it. I've tried lots of "looks" like exercisy things. Thwibbit. It's just not gonna happen.

What do YOU find fun?

I am 6'1", and can tell you that your weight is just about normal, and I am sure you are overexagerating your jiggly thighs...

We all have spots that we are uncomfortable with, apparently yours is your thighs and legs... so work on them! One of my favorite exercises is walking in the mall... you don't even notice your doing it... and you can take kids with you, put the little one in a stroller and give yourself a little extra weight to push around. Go during the school week, and go at naptime... you will get your exercise, and since the little one is sleeping you can just walk, and not worry about "can I have that, can I get one of those"

At the end of your walk, get yourself a low fat snack like frozen yogurt or a fruit smoothie and then head home...

worth a shot right?

I'm with ya! I love carbs, I hate to work out, and am overall disgusted by my body. When my daughter told me I was "jiggly" I decided enough was enough! So, I started making small changes in our diet. I switched my bread to whole grain white, I cut back on the pastas. If I want something sweet, I eat it in the afternoon when I'm more likely to burn off the calories. I switched to mayo with olive oil, buy light ice cream, and so on. I don't believe in diets. You need a lifestyle change! If you really want an eye opening on how many calories you're consuming, look at the "Eat this, Not that" book series. It's amazing how many calories things have! I don't count calories, but I am much more mindful of what I eat.
Canned fruit isn't bad for you, just buy the kind that's in the juice and not the syrup. Spend a little time reading labels at the grocery store. I think you'll be amazed at how many calories you can save just by changing what you eat.
Exercise is a must! With 2 small children, I dont' have time (or money) to go to the gym. I got the 30 Day Shred and am sticking to it! I'm determined this time! It's 20 minutes a day. It's HARD, but I figure I can do anything for 20 minutes!
The thing is, you HAVE to have the motivation. Have to. If you're not motivated, nothing you do is going to work.
Good luck to you!

Okay, you don't need to lose weight. You're 180 lbs and 5'11... what you're trying to do is turn the weight you have into muscle?

I suggest the most simple thing: stretch before hand and don't stop just because your body isn't used to the exercise anymore. That's a good burn when you're walking. Slowly increase one of three things: Frequency, intensity or time. You could also hit the gym. They have machines that would work on the muscles in your legs, though the cardio is necessary as well.

If you can cut down on bread just a little, (how much do you eat on this bread addiction?) here and there, it will help. Also, I don't know if you drink them or not, I recommend cutting out sodas and unnecessary desserts except occasionally.

You can do little things -
Take the white bread out of your diet - no bagels, no buns. Use pumpernickel or rye instead. This will drop the carbohydrates - they are bad!
Eat nuts - they are high protein and will help you stop craving the bread. Make a salad and put sunflower seeds on it, and cheese and ham or salami or even almonds. It will fill you up and you won't want the bread.
Get a small treadmill and walk on it while you watch TV. It works! Some people get a mini trampoline and jump on it every day for 30 min. It works, too.
You might even consider getting a step and doing the step while you watch TV. Step up left, step up right, step down left, step down right. When that gets boring, you can switch feet or go off to the side...
All you need to do is move. :-)
I also like Riley's suggestions -- the broom stick is one I'm going to implement today.
YMMV
LBC

Yes, I have suggestions and an easy diet plan that can help. Email me if you would like me to send you a link to look at the plan. I've coached dieters through this extremely easy and healthy plan.

As far as exercise......the running goal is great. In the meantime start small and doable to get you motivated. If you walk around your house 10 minutes most days this week then you've started! It isn't ALL or Northing. Just start somewhere.

Just a suggestion, start ourt small. Start with 20 minutes. Walk hard and fast for 3-4 minutes, then slow done for a few minutes. Do this for a couple weeks and then walk heavily the whole 20 minutes and continue to build from there. If you aren't used to regular excessive, you WILL be sore at first. Probably, really sore. The best thing, for soreness, is very slow steady walking, to gently warm the muscles. Take warm Epsom salt baths. You want heat, not cold. Drink LOTS of water. If you don't, your muscles will get dehydrated and sore. Take a calcium/magnesium supplement. (you need both, at the same time. Magnesium helps with soreness and needs calcium to work and be absorbed correctly.) Walk for exercise one day and walk slowly for soreness the next. The worse thing you can do to yourself, is try to do too much at once. Your body can't handle it. They key, is do this SLOWLY. It's the only way you can build up to running. You might not be able to run, for months. You will see a change just from walking, though.

As far as fruit, do you like smoothies? They are very easy to make and you can mask some of the fresh fruit taste with yogurt or something else. Google for recipes. For the bread, don't eat white! It's a simple carb and is no different then sugar. Eat 100% whole wheat. The same goes for pasta. Do you consume lots of processed food, sugar, soda, and other sugary drinks? If so, cut them out. You could be consuming most of your daily calories, from beverages and junk. Sugar and simple carbs (white bread, white pasta) are diet killers and are bad for wanting to loose fat.

I can tell you that I have been overweight to some degree since I was a child. I understand completely that it is a very difficult thing. First thing I would say to you is, good for you for getting to the point where you know you need to make a lifestyle change, because that's exactly what it is. I have been doing it for a few years now, and it has been slow, but we didn't get this way overnight, ya know?! Start to try and cut out foods that are heavy in fat and carbs, like the bread. I am with you...I am a bread addict! But cutting it out completely would be foolish. Just to give you an example...I tried a fad diet several years back, one that I won't have to name, but one that had me eating so very little carbs and so much protein, that I had to pee on a stick to make sure my kidneys were ok. Long story short....I lost 50 lbs. but had to have my gallbladder removed six months later and gained 75% of it back. The point?...decrease that which is unhealthy, increase what is good and moderate. Include more whole grains, no processed flour. Drink alot of water, cut out soft drinks if you can, even the "diet" ones. It's all of the processed things in our body that can cause so many problems. I agree with what others have said about the fruit, if you have to get it in the can or a "fruit cup" get it with the juices, not the syrup, or rinse it after it comes out of the can/package, etc. A good rule of thumb, if you can tolerate it, is raw, raw, raw....raw veggies to snack on/fruit, etc. And always try to bake or grill, broil, anything but fry. Whew! ok, that's a mouthful...
Exercise....I get it. Very hard and even more difficult when you are already overweight or out of shape. Walking is always good to start, but can be hard and painful. I know it might not be the most feasible, but if you can find a way to do any type of water sport...swimming laps, water aerobics, etc., they are really the best for people who have injuries or are just getting started. Then, as you increase muscle tone and lose weight, you can graduate to riding a bike, brisk walking, maybe even running one day. Please remember that doing exercise on a regular basis, especially when you are not already an athlete or not already in the habit of doing it, is so very hard to get in the habit of. The theory behind 30 days of something is usually fairly accurate...if you can do something for the first month, daily, even in small amounts, you are more likely to continue with it. It will take time to increase time, intensity, difficulty level, but just because you aren't doing as much as the next person doesn't mean that it isn't effective for you at this point. It's all a building and learning process.
I know I have added a long answer, but I am also living this right now. Final thoughts....keep going, NO MATTER WHAT! if you have a bad day, "fall off the wagon", eat too much, don't get discouraged...learn from it and start new tomorrow. Also, I don't need to lecture or preach about how you get here by your choice and it's not "bad genes" or whatever others have said....you already know what you do and don't do. The good news is that any of this can change...we can be healthier, happier and more productive but it does take time and discipline. It is easy for people to get in the habit of going, going, going and eating fast and rushing around thru life and not paying closer attention to ourselves. Just be proud of yourself for what you have done and what you know you can do....Good luck!

It sounds like you need a structured program. I just started Weight Watchers, and it is an excellent program. It focuses on good nutrition, smaller portions, and activity. Lots of people think that you have to run 5 miles a day to see any improvement. Weight Watchers gives credit to all the "little" things, like parking your car a few rows away and walking, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, even doing jumping jacks during a commercial break while watching TV.

My first week, I lost almost 5 pounds, and I am looking forward to this week's weigh-in. I wanted to tell you that it is not that expensive, either. I pay less than 10 dollars per week. Heck, I was spending at least that much a week on caramel macchiatos from Starbucks! It really is a good program, and it's nice to go to the meetings, because everyone there is struggling with the same thing as I am, and I have to do no explaining, or fear judgement, because everyone understands my battle.

Bottom line, you want to do something, and it sounds like you need to do something, so I would give it a try. You will not get an accurate idea of how WW works, unless you just find a meeting location and attend a meeting. I'm tellin ya, you won't regret it! It really works. Here is a link-check it out!

http://www.weightwatchers.com/help/index.aspx?pageid=1027961

K.

Hello fellow Alabamian!
I have goals similar to you. I have a hard time sticking to a routine if I am bored. Which is true for most exercises in my book. I started going to a Zumba class at my local church and love it! It is so much fun! You would not believe the difference it makes in just 2 weeks. The instructor said that you burn an average of 800 calories in 1 class. I believe it because we are all sweating like pigs by the time we are done with the 1 hour class. I also wanted to start running, so I began the Couch to 5k program. It is easy to follow and starts at a reasonable pace. The worst thing that you can do is to try to work out a running plan on your own. We tend to have unrealistic expectations for ourselves and end up failing the first week we try and burning out FAST! I love to run now. Just me and my iPod *sigh*. Make sure you get fitted for proper shoes (got mine at the TrakShak-awesome guys!) so that you will have less feet/leg problems.
Feel free to message me if you have any questions. I would love to direct you to a Zumba class! There are lots of 5K's in B'ham this fall as well Wouldn't it be an awesome goal to finish a 5K in a few months?
Good luck and God Bless!!!!!!!!!!!

hello

first of all cereal.bagel , and bacon are not healthy breakfast and are loaded with calories
start with bred just buy the one you need and no more, no white bread you can buy wheat bread.
also canned fruit has a lot of sugar so is a big NO NO!!

you can try for exemple

breakfast

1 medium egg with 1 diced tomatoe or

1 low fat yougurt OR

cereal with low fat soy milk

snack

trail mix,almonds,cucumber,carrots

lunch

salad with grilled chicken little low fat dressing

snack

trail mix,veggies

and dinner i have no idea because you don't need to eat to much because all the calories the body will not burn it before you go to bed
i try no to eat after 6

big NO

POTATOE
CEREAL LOADED WITH SUGAR
WITE BREAD
MAYO
DRESSING
TORTILLA
CORN
RICE
SODA (EVEN DIET SODA)

i highly reccomende you to buy a protein powder and start having a protein drink for breakfast is a lot more healthy than regular breakfast.

Try to buy a stepper and do it while you watch tv,start with 20 minutes a day and you will slow increase the time

take a picture of your body since the start so you can see the change and have a picture of a body you want to have with our face by the fridge so that way you will have a reminder of your weight goal.

good luck!!

Drinking lots of water helps curb your appetite, and I read somewhere once that sometimes when we think we're hungry, we're just really thirsty. so try drinking water first. Cut out all sodas. They are BAD for you and so expensive...

You don't have to do a set exercise each day. Just be more active! Or find a buddy to exercise with. I exercised three times a week with a buddy until I moved, and now I can't motivate myself. It's much easier when you know you have to meet someone to exercise.

And just cut back on food a little at a time. Don't get seconds. Limit yourself to one sweet per day... things like that. I lost 10 lbs in 10 weeks just doing those simple things. Just set lots of little goals and stick to them!

Good luck! Losing weight is SO hard! But once you get going, you'll want to KEEP doing it. :)