Hive--Please help me (weight loss questions)

[woolybear]

My weight has been creeping up each year. After I had my kids I was about 5 pounds more than pre kids. Starting a couple of years ago it has steadily crept up. I didn't realize how much till I was at the doctor's office with my son today. I weighed myself and I am now almost 15 pounds heavier than just a few years ago. I am only 4' 11" so that is quite a bit proportionately. I was shocked to see my weight had gone up even more than I had realized.

 

So, please, please, please help me with this. I don't really know where to start. I can't spend too much trying to buy special foods for me. I also cannot put a lot of time and thought into it. Do any of you have any suggestions---websites, books, diet plans, whatever, that fit some of those restrictions that can help me get started? I've never really dieted before and though I eat sort of healthy, I'm not sure how to go about cutting calories in a healthy way without making myself nuts about it.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Willow]

Don't count calories....I wish I never had. Got to the "no S diet" on google. No special foods, just eat what your family eat, but in a different way. No books to buy, nothing to pay for.

 

I found a link for you

 

http://www.nosdiet.com/

 

Good luck.

 

Willow.

[Julie in Austin]

I started walking in the mornings--a nice way to start the day and it really helps. I try not to pig out, but am otherwise not super-strict about what I eat. I've lost about 20 pounds since July doing this.

[sthompson]

I don't diet. I just eat less of everything except veggies and fruit. I try not to eat between meals unless it is fruit or something relatively healthy(maybe a cookie ;) sometimes it is necessary!). I also do my best not to eat after dinner.

I believe that doing simple weight lifting does wonders.

[Laurie4b]

First of all, make time to exercise. 30 min 6 days a week. Make an appt. with a friend if needed.

Don't skip breakfast. Eating eggs for breakfast is associated with weight loss.

Eat 2-3 low-fat dairy products per day. (This increases weight loss)

Increase foods that are good for you: fruits and vegetables & good fats (olive oil, nuts, avocados).

Make sure that you get protein in each meal or snack.

Eat six times per day (small meals. Think of breaking each regular meal in half). This keeps your metabolism revved up and keeps your blood sugar level.

Don't eat after dinner.

I've never counted calories and have always been able to lose weight this way.

[milovany]

I have lost post-baby weight (30+ lbs) twice by just waiting until I was physically hungry to eat (a true empty feeling, possibly a growl) and then eating to satisfaction rather than stuffed when it was time to have a meal. Then repeating the cycle. No excercise required! Not that exercise doesn't have a benefit (!) -- with this system of eating if you exercise then you'll eat more because you'll get hungry sooner. You can do this on your own, but you can also read about it and find support at http://www.thinwithin.org (or get the book). If I was maybe starting to get hungry within an hour or two of bed, I made sure not to eat -- I let the fat on my body be what it used for energy overnight!

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I did the eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full six years ago after the birth of my first child. I've kept the weight off (85 pounds) since then. The key is really paying attention to your body, slow your eating way down and enjoy and stopping when you are no longer hungry -- not stuffed. I am so surprised when I am no longer hungry after four or five bites because I always want more. :) I did this eating whatever I was hungry for, no dietary restrictions.

 

I only recently became a vegan, so that wasn't an issue with my weight loss, that's a whole other thread. ;)

[Rosie_0801]

Eat six times per day (small meals. Think of breaking each regular meal in half). This keeps your metabolism revved up and keeps your blood sugar level.

Don't eat after dinner.

 

 

Don't eat after dinner except for that 6th small meal ;)

 

Rosie

[Imprimis]

I started walking in the mornings--a nice way to start the day and it really helps. I try not to pig out, but am otherwise not super-strict about what I eat. I've lost about 20 pounds since July doing this.

 

:iagree: with this, except for the morning part ;). I walk in the early evening. I have found that when I keep to a regular routine of fast-walking, I really don't need to change what I'm eating to stay at (or get to) a weight I'm happy with.

[LauraGB]

I don't diet, either, but I do have some advice. If you don't recognize it, don't eat it. Meaning, don't eat processed foods. If you usually buy boxed or canned food, check the ingredients - if there is anything with a ton of syllables and you don't know what it is, put it back on the shelf and move on. Also, if you drink soda, skip that, too (its not real food). Our bodies really don't know what to do with all that other stuff and it slows the whole process of metabolizing way down while it figures out what to do with all of it.

 

I also agree about the no eating after dinner. And trying to get in a walk a day, if not more.

 

I think you will be painlessly and pleasantly surprised with your results.:)

[Cera]

Switch to a sectioned kids plate for meals and fill the largest section with vegetables, the 2 smaller with protein and grain (and if their is a 4th add fruit or a small treat)

 

Only eat at the table. If you want to snack after dinner it has to be sitting at the table. If you want to pick at your kids leftovers it has to be sitting at the table.

 

Walk as much as you can. If you go to the grocery store park at the other end of the lot. If you have to run into the drugstore walk over from the grocery store. We no longer drive it it is under a half mile and not raining.

[GWOB]

First of all, :grouphug:, Weight loss is HARD!!! Take it from a gal who just lost 55 lbs. It is hard, hard work. Maintaining that loss is even harder.

 

First of all, calories in must be < calories out. Simple concept, but so hard to put into practice.

 

A close second: WEIGHTS!!!! As we, ahem, age, we lose muscle mass. Lifting weights, even a small amount at first, will yield results. You may not lose lbs, but you likely will notice a difference.

 

Third- Eat tons and tons of fruit and veggies. Get creative with salads. I am a Cajun girl. I grew up with bold, spicy, unhealthy foods. That likely led me to weight 181lbs (I'm only 5'2). I got creative with salads, putting jalapenos, tons of onions, salsa, and Laughing Cow cheese wedges in them. Salads can be incredibly filling if you put funn stuff in them.

 

Fourth- Cardio. Actually, this is huge for me. I have bad genes. Almost everyone in my family is overweight. I personally have to run at least 35 minutes, closer to one hour, a day to maintain my weight loss.

 

Honestly, I personally had toget to the point where I was totally fed up with being fat. If you are completely fed up, you will be motivated. And you may just have to make small changes. But, get moving! Any movement is acceptable. You can do this if you want to. Seriously, if I can, anyone can.

[Veritaserum]

My friend was raving about this book and CD today: I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna.

 

I've got 15 lbs. hanging around from baby #5 that I'd like to release. ;)

[Cricket]

I've had an ulcer, have acid reflux and am sensitive to many different foods. It's easy to stick with my eating habits because I suffer if I don't! What works for me is eating small amounts throughout the day. I probably eat 6 or 7 times during the day. Also, as stated earlier, eat real food. I drink mostly water--no soda, fruit juice only once in a while. I recently gave up coffee because it was giving me bad stomach pains. My ulcer may be back. :( I eat lots of vegetables and whole grains and meats. That's about it. No ice cream or any dairy actually, no candy, no butter. I'm gluten-intolerant so no delicious baked goods, no chips of any kind. Basically nothing fun! The only up side is that I am two sizes smaller than I was when I got married 14 years ago. Recently my sil gave me some of my niece's clothing. It was kind of cool to fit into her clothes. :)

[woolybear]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I am not sure which way I will go with this, but for the last two days I am simply trying to eat less. Ask myself if I am really hungry. Eat only till I feel satisfied. Not just wander into the kitchen and pick up something and eat. I am sure this is a good place to start. I find it hard not to eat after dinner, particularly since I am not eating till really full, just satisfied. I don't like going to bed hungry. At all.:001_smile:

 

I am going to check on all those links. Thanks again.

Wooly

[milovany]

I don't like going to bed hungry. At all.

 

And yet when you do, and you wake up truly hungry, and you eat a decent meal without over doing it -- such a great feeling and reality of control is realized! Plus, like I said, you can picture your body eating fat off your extra fluff for its energy rather then using after-dinner food that your body doesn't need for its energy. I lost weight faster because of this (letting my body eat fat off my body when I was hungry; I didn't overdo this, bedtime is a great time to do this).

[Linda1951]

high fiber foods,

I eat oatmeal for breakfast with flaxseed and tea

Lunch is a salad and veggies and tea

snack popcorn

Dinner, a small salad and lots of cooked vegetables or vegetable casseroles.

No eggs, meat or milk products.

I have lost 16.5 lbs in two months. Plus I exercise for 50 min a day no matter what.

[sadiegirl]

:iagree:

I don't diet. I just eat less of everything except veggies and fruit. I try not to eat between meals unless it is fruit or something relatively healthy(maybe a cookie ;) sometimes it is necessary!). I also do my best not to eat after dinner.

I believe that doing simple weight lifting does wonders.

[tdeveson]

When I feel hungry, I always have a glass of water first. If I'm still hungry, I eat. What I've discovered is that somewhere along the line, I got my signals mixed. Sometimes I think I'm hungry, but I'm actually thirsty and I end up eating instead of drinking. (I know -- weird.) Anyway, it's worked for me.

[thowell]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I am not sure which way I will go with this, but for the last two days I am simply trying to eat less. Ask myself if I am really hungry. Eat only till I feel satisfied. Not just wander into the kitchen and pick up something and eat. I am sure this is a good place to start. I find it hard not to eat after dinner, particularly since I am not eating till really full, just satisfied. I don't like going to bed hungry. At all.:001_smile:

 

I am going to check on all those links. Thanks again.

Wooly

 

Just wanted to let you know this is exactly what my mom did and she just lost over 50 pounds. It came off slow about 2 pounds a week but it has now been over a year and she hasn't put any back on. She just asked herself are you really hungry do you really need that. She stopped when she felt satisfied and did replace some snacks with healthier things that she liked.No strict diet , no calorie counting, no excercise. Just good old common sense as she puts it. She is only about 5' and was weighing in at somewhere over 160in a size 16. She is also 65 years old. She now weighs around 110 and wears a size 4. She looks great! Good Luck to you and keep the faith!