What is the best, safest & most realistic weight loss plan?

[Joyfullyblessed]

Hello,

 

I need some help in determining what weight loss plan I need to use in order to lose about 50-60 pounds. I want to do this in the smartest, safest, and most realistic way possible. I just turned 39 on Aug. 22nd and I have a goal of losing at least 50 pounds by my 40th birthday next year.

 

I know Weight Watcher's is wonderful, however, I can't afford to go to the meetings on a regular basis which would be a great motivator. I have read about the P90X program and have a friend who just ordered that, but I believe that would be way to much for me to begin with right now.

 

I am very interested in The Zone, but don't know much about it and the success rate.

 

I have several of Leslie Sansone's DVD's and I think I will use them to begin with as far as exercise goes. Now, to find the time to do it. I would love to have a treadmill also, and I am working on getting a friend to sell me his because he never uses it. Hopefully, that will come through. :)

 

I need something that isn't about cutting out major food groups, etc... I really need something that is not necessarily a "diet", but more of a lifestyle change. Oh, and something that is affordable is also key.

 

It used to be that I just needed to lose in my hips and thighs, but now it is my WHOLE body. Ugh! As far as exercise, I need to do more exercises that really target specific areas, like the arms, tummy, legs, rear, etc....

 

I also can't do exercise with intense jumping and running because my knees will begin to hurt badly after a week or so of that. I have tried step exercises and Billy something (kickboxing style) exercises, and while I really loved them, my knees didn't and I had to stop.

 

Anyway, please let me know about any great weight loss advice any of you may have. I REALLY want to lose some weight and I have got to find something that is interesting enough to motivate me. I want to do this for myself, so that I feel better about how I look, feel, my health, etc.... Right now, I am very self conscious about how I look and sort of get disgusted when I look in the mirror. I don't want that anymore.

 

Thanks so much and I look forward to the information! Have a wonderful day! :)

[JudoMom]

I lost 85+ pounds in 2006. From July-August of that year, the only workouts I did were the Leslie Sansone DVDs, and they were the staple of my exercise until I got a treadmill in November of 2007. I still workout 7 days a week.

 

I didn't follow a specific diet plan. I ate a lot less, cut out sugar, and ate more fruits and veggies. Keeping track of calories helps me, and really watching portion sizes.

[Jennifer in MI]

I did weight watchers on my own. I'm WAY too cheap to pay for it!! LOL I looked up how to figure out points, found a point chart and started counting. I knew how to balance my meals, so I ate well. Really well! There are some wonderful recipes out there. I knew what I had been eating was healthy, but, I was eating too much of it. I've lost 20 pounds over the last 6 months or so and I've had to change my goal weight!! I'm SO happy with it. I don't count as carefully now, and the weight isn't coming back on (in fact, I'm still losing!). I can eat whatever I want, I just have to watch the portions and make good choices.

 

As far as exercise, is there something you like to do? Really, I think if there's something you enjoy, you'll be more likely to stick with it. I started walking 3 years ago. Really walking - like 1 - 2 hours/day. I loved it. Then, I started running. Now, I'm training for my first marathon. But, I never would've stuck with it if I hadn't loved it. Do you like walking?

[lynn]

Going back to weightloss basics eat less, move more. Eat what you want in smaller portions. Add more fruits and vegetables. Drink mostly water. You can find all sorts of workouts on line. Yoga, weight training, cardio etc. Do you have some hand weights? Adding some basic weight training helps. You have to do what works for you and do what you love. I had to get up at 4:30 and get my butt outside everyday and just move. I dropped weight fast then I was able to change to afternoons or evenings. Tell your family your plan and if it's walking see who wants to join you. My dd loves to be outside with me when I do my outside workout in the back yard. Another suggestion would be to go to prevention.com. It is a magazine for women in their 40's and offers a lot of diet and exercise advice. Good luck.

[Peela]

What is your weakness? Sugar? White flour? For many people, just changing to wholemeal only products, and cutting out sugar, especially white sugar, is enough to drop off the weight. It's not cutting out carbs- its just changing to healthy ones.

[ma23peas]

I'm there with you! I'm a weight loss success/backslidden story! :) I lost 100 pounds in college, kept it off until babies...lost 70 pounds 3 years ago but then had 2 house mortgages and put most back on...so here I am at 42, I work out 5-7 days a week (at least 45 minutes each day, focusing on lifting 5-10 pound weights for arms, swimming, treadmill fast walking) then I work with horses and stay busy...the best way to get the weight off is to keep some form of aerobic activity a 5x a week event (30 minutes is GREAT)....then allow yourself a cheat day...have a soda...a donut...whatever it is but allow it just once a week...the rest of the week, focus on no white sugar/avoid white flour/french fries/fried foods in general..and make the bulk of your diet veggies/fruits/whole grains and add in meat/dairy as a once a day thing....stick to lean meats/skim milk/....I never buy low-fat anything, if I eat the whole fat mozzarella, I just eat less of it, I don't like some of the chemicals they put in stuff, I use real butter but very sparingly, a 4 stick lasts us about 2 months....you can have pizza! Just not 3-4 slices....stick to one-two slices and a salad with it...

 

It also helps if you drink at least 1 glass of water before each meal...this alone can lose 4 pounds without changing your diet in a year! :)

 

Good luck! I'll be 43 next week and vowed to get it all off so I can buy my dream saddle! :) No more babies for me, and the house is sold, so now it's down to losing! :)

 

Tara

[vmsurbat]

I've had fabulous success with the NoS diet (http://www.nosdiet.com'>http://www.nosdiet.com'>http://www.nosdiet.com'>http://www.nosdiet.com) just because it is truly a lifestyle way of eating. The basic "diet" gives you a framework for eating:

 

No sweets (except weekends and clearly outlined special occasions)

No seconds

No snacks (increased snacking HIGHLY correlates with increased obesity)

 

Basically, 3 meals a day of moderate eating. You choose what you want to eat.

 

I read (in a different book about women's nutrition) that every "extra" bite you mindlessly eat (snacks, snitching while cooking, serving, clearing meals) averages 25 calories a bite. Some are more, some are less, but on average, 25 calories a bite. When I started NoS and stopped mindlessly eating (the heel of bread no one else would eat, the last of the ranch dip and veggies, all good food, seldom junk food, etc), I immediately:

 

1. lost weight,

2. gained an appetite,

3. enjoyed each and every one of my 3 meals/day, and

4. improved my meals (which were already pretty healthy) because I no longer fooled myself into thinking I would have fruit/veggies as snacks later.

 

At first, I just made sure I ate enough that I wouldn't be starving before the next meal. Now, 2 years later, I roughly follow the 1/2 veggies/fruits, 1/4 grain, 1/4 meat/protein foods on a plate for our main meal. I'm not strict about this, but I do eyeball it and evaluate when I fill up my plate at meal time.

 

I've lost 40 pounds and am still slowly losing, despite being 50+ years old, short (5'2"), with thyroid problems. I'm thrilled to pieces! :001_smile:

 

And, the info is all free. The main site: http://www.nosdiet.com explains the basic good eating habits you want to build, but be sure to check out the NoS forums, especially the testimonial forum. Someone just posted losing 60+ pounds in one year following the principles of NoS....

 

Best wishes for good success....

[joni470]

Hey....I've lost 50lb over the last four years and I still have 30lb to go. I use It is a great place to track your calories and exercise. If you have an iphone you can use the app to track what you eat while you are away from home.

 

-Savannah

www.hammocktracks.com

[NanceXToo]

I think Weight Watchers is the best/healthiest/most realistic weight loss plan. If you can't afford those regular meetings, what if you join to get the materials and go long enough to make sure you know how to do the plan...

 

...and then go to TOPS meetings instead of WW meetings? They're way cheaper and plenty of people do just that (go to TOPS for support but follow the WW eating plan... that's what I'm doing)!

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I've had fabulous success with the NoS diet (www.nosdiet.com) just because it is truly a lifestyle way of eating. The basic "diet" gives you a framework for eating:

 

No sweets (except weekends and clearly outlined special occasions)

No seconds

No snacks (increased snacking HIGHLY correlates with increased obesity)

 

Basically, 3 meals a day of moderate eating. You choose what you want to eat.

 

I read (in a different book about women's nutrition) that every "extra" bite you mindlessly eat (snacks, snitching while cooking, serving, clearing meals) averages 25 calories a bite. Some are more, some are less, but on average, 25 calories a bite. When I started NoS and stopped mindlessly eating (the heel of bread no one else would eat, the last of the ranch dip and veggies, all good food, seldom junk food, etc), I immediately:

 

1. lost weight,

2. gained an appetite,

3. enjoyed each and every one of my 3 meals/day, and

4. improved my meals (which were already pretty healthy) because I no longer fooled myself into thinking I would have fruit/veggies as snacks later.

 

At first, I just made sure I ate enough that I wouldn't be starving before the next meal. Now, 2 years later, I roughly follow the 1/2 veggies/fruits, 1/4 grain, 1/4 meat/protein foods on a plate for our main meal. I'm not strict about this, but I do eyeball it and evaluate when I fill up my plate at meal time.

 

I've lost 40 pounds and am still slowly losing, despite being 50+ years old, short (5'2"), with thyroid problems. I'm thrilled to pieces! :001_smile:

 

And, the info is all free. The main site: www.nosdiet.com explains the basic good eating habits you want to build, but be sure to check out the NoS forums, especially the testimonial forum. Someone just posted losing 60+ pounds in one year following the principles of NoS....

 

Best wishes for good success....

 

Agreed!

 

A couple of tips along this line:

 

I build each plate with a protein, a fruit or veggie or both, and then add in other things.

 

I gave myself license to go hog wild on the first weekends but then rein it in. I still eat my desserts on the wkend but I tend not to snack, et c. and stay with one plate, et c.

 

I don't know why but this is absolutly true and I really hope you try it. Building a plate of variety (at least three or four very different items) satisfies me with less and keeps me full longer. Please try that. You'll be suprised! Instead of having a bowl of stew, have a small bowl of stew, a small wedge of fine cheese, a handful of fruit, a few of those amazing bright green olives from wholefoods, and a wedge of bread. At breakfast have one (vegetarian ;) ) sausage patty, one poached egg, some salted tomato, a small dish of yogurt topped with berries, and half 1/2 a piece of toast if you want. My daughter's lunch yesterday (no, but she also likes to eat with that kind of variety) was a toothpick sized shishkabob with pickles and cheese, a few ww crackers, broccoli and veggie meatballs with her favorite "sauce" (drizzle with olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper) and a little square dish with dried cherries and walnuts and a single square of Green and Black's 70%. It's all on one plate so you easily know you didn't just eat a ton but had a reasonable amount of a lot of different things. I don't know why it works but it does.

 

You'll read this at the No S site but a drink b/t meals is okay. Your first choice should be non caloric and you second choice would be caloric. I found that as much as I wanted to, herb teas just didn't do it for me at first and I needed the caloric drink: in my case, a cup of hot soy milk. When I was hungry in the evening and wanted a snack, a hot cup of milk did the trick. It didnt' take long, though, to wean myself from that and now I don't need anything b/t meals.

 

Give No S a try and I think you'll be happy. Honestly, I believe the key to it, though, is a varied plate, not going crazy on the wkends, and exercise.

Edited September 8, 2010 by MomOfOneFunOne

[BamaTanya]

It's free. You can set your info to private or just friends, etc. You can join teams that encourage you. You can blog. You can log your meals and exercise (calories used). You can track your progress. You can earn "points" to buy "goodies" to post on yours or your friends' pages. You get progressively bigger trophies. And it's FREE.

 

Sparkpeople.com.

 

Then click on this link if you'd like to join the Well-Trained Sparks private team: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=8627&gcode=49I2F1HTCT

[BamaTanya]

I love Leslie Sansone DVDs and the information on No S diet. Every bit of information or encouragement helps!

[Cheryl in NM]

Increase calories out; decrease calories in.

 

Even if you have medical problems that cause you to retain fat this will work. It's basic mathmatics and can't be disputed. It can just get severe.

[Hedgehog]

What is your weakness? Sugar? White flour? For many people, just changing to wholemeal only products, and cutting out sugar, especially white sugar, is enough to drop off the weight. It's not cutting out carbs- its just changing to healthy ones.

 

:iagree: Cutting out sugar - which is an unnecessary part of our diets anyway - won't hurt you in the least. But it's no good cutting out sugar and then eating masses of pasta and bread, so watch portion sizes, and eat more vegetables than other food groups. When you are ready, increase the amount of exercise you do (take the stairs instead of the elevator, park as far away from the store entrance as you can, etc.) and see if you can add in some other kind of exercise. I say when you are ready, because it's easier to focus on one thing at a time and it gives your body a chance to adjust to the new way of eating.

 

Also try to drink more water - I have no idea why it works, but it does!

 

Good luck!

Edited September 8, 2010 by Hedgehog

[dirty ethel rackham]

I can't say that I've tried everything (won't do the buy their food types of plans.) I did South Beach, lost a bunch and gained it back. I am a whole grains, whole foods kind of person, but I was 30 lbs over a good weight for my body type. I tried Spark People several times. While I think Spark People is good, it didn't address why I was overeating. I have lost over 20 lbs on Weight Watchers because it addresses why I eat. I need those meetings of support. I need the cheerleading. It really is about changing the way you eat and creating good habits for life. If you are the type of person who doesn't need the support, then there are many online programs. I would caution against anything that starts out with a drastic calorie reduction because it may bite you in the butt in the long run. Stepping down the calories seems to be the wisest course of action.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

My neighbor and I walk about 45 to 60 ( about 2 to 2 and half miles... that is not even really fast walking!) minutes most weekday mornings. We started in June. She has lost weight and I have toned up. (I don't need to lose, but I do need to be healthy.) I'm not sure how much she has lost, but it is showing. Her clothes are too big and she looks smaller. :) I think she is doing South Beach, but not super strictly. Several years ago when I need to lose a few pounds my doctor recommended Sugar Busters. But there is so much nutrition information available I dont' think one must go on a certain "diet" these days.

 

Eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, complex carbs while cutting down on white sugar, white breads, sweets, sodas, and processed foods IS basically what the diet books say anyway.

 

But after this summer.... I think the key is walking 45 to 60 minutes 5 days a week!

[LizzyBee]

I've only lost 15 so far, but it's been painless. I would like to lose 10-15 more. I'm not really following any formal diet, but the way I eat now is loosely based on Fat Loss 4 Idiots, The Belly Fat Cure, and SSS (no seconds, no sweets except on days that begin with S).

 

I think twice before taking seconds. I usually take seconds because I enjoy eating, not because I'm still hungry.

 

I take only small helpings of starchy foods like bread and potatoes and large helpings of vegetables.

 

About 4-5 meals per week, I eat a large salad that includes some type of protein - chicken strips sauted in olive oil with garlic and basil, a 2.5 oz pkg of tuna or salmon, or a couple hard-boiled eggs.

 

I drink water with lime rather than sweet tea.

 

I don't use low-fat anything, but I also don't eat many fried foods. Fat is needed to trigger the full response in the brain. Also, many low-fat foods have added sugar to replace the flavor lost with the fat.

 

I rarely eat microwave popcorn anymore. If I eat popcorn, I make it in a pot or my electric popcorn popper.

 

When I have sweets, I take a very small serving.

 

I looked at the sugar content in yogurt and put it back on the shelf. There are probably some brands that don't have so much sugar, but I don't really like yogurt, so the sugar is what makes it palatable for me.

 

I'm pretty much staying away from processed food because most of them have tons of added sugar and/or other unhealthy additives. My stomach feels icky when I eat too many processed foods, so I take that as a sign they're not good for me. It literally feels as if I have some kind of weight sitting in my abdomen.

 

I don't use artificial sweeteners because I believe they are worse than sugar. Aspartame/Equal in particular is a neurotoxin.

 

For exercise, I do the T-Tapp basic workout when I remember to do it, but I don't do it often enough to say it's a major contributor to my weight loss. It only takes 15 minutes, and I really want to do it more often to tone and tighten my flabby areas. (Who am I kidding? I'm in my 40s and all my areas are flabby.) Really, changing the way I eat has made the weight come off slowly but with very little effort on my part.

Edited September 8, 2010 by LizzyBee

[Joyfullyblessed]

WOW! Thanks for all the great responses. I am on a quick break from homeschooling and thought I would check in to see what advice I was getting, and I am pleasantly surprised!

 

I plan on looking at several of the sites mentioned to see if anything interests me. I am not too sure about the noS diet because of it eliminating snacks. I am the type person that needs a snack in between just to keep my energy up during the day. I know that Weight Watchers allows healthy snacks throughout the day which is great for me.

 

Right now I am leaning towards doing the Leslie Sansone DVD's. I have resistance bands that go with some of those, plus hand weights as well. I also have one of her books to kind of guide me which may work well.

 

I do really enjoy walking, so that will be my biggest type of exercise. I have a jump rope also that has never been opened, so maybe I will give that a whirl! Also, we have Wii Fit and I might do that again for some "fun" exercise. :)

 

I also discovered my old WW items too... and I found the point counter! Woo-hoo!!! Maybe I can do it after all without paying money to join again.

 

I was doing pretty good with drinking water all throughout the week and then having sweet tea only on the weekend. Sweet tea is my weakness in drinks. I do not drink any sodas at all or alcoholic beverages. Sweet tea is my preferred "table wine" if you will. :)

 

I need to get back to that because I have started slipping. Also, ice cream has been my enemy this summer, well, my friend... no ENEMY! Ha! Ha! :) I love it!!! I have never really liked it much in the past and now I just love it. So bad!!! I MUST find a yummy alternative.

 

Also, I am not a yogurt fan. I wish I were, but I just can't get a taste for it. I haven't tried Greek yogurt, so I don't know how different that might be. I guess I would like it more mixed with real fruit or granola. I might try that too.

 

I just really need to figure out something so that I will feel better about myself and have more energy. I NEED ENERGY!!! I keep kids all day long (from 6:45-5:30), then run my son to outside activities or run errands, try to vacuum every day on top of all the other daily cleaning, etc... etc.... I just get soooooo tired. Gotta find an energy booster!

 

Thanks again for all the advice. I will be coming back later to check it all out again! Have a great day!:D

[Guest]

I lost 85+ pounds in 2006. From July-August of that year, the only workouts I did were the Leslie Sansone DVDs, and they were the staple of my exercise until I got a treadmill in November of 2007. I still workout 7 days a week.

 

I didn't follow a specific diet plan. I ate a lot less, cut out sugar, and ate more fruits and veggies. Keeping track of calories helps me, and really watching portion sizes.

 

JudoMom is my mentor. ;) I'm doing what she describes here; I'm down 30 lbs. (as of today!) and still have a little way to go.

[Joyfullyblessed]

OH! I meant to ask... is Sucralose sweetener bad like Aspartame? I use that in my coffee instead of sugar because I thought it was a better alternative, but now I am questioning my decision. Would using honey be better? I have to have something to sweeten my coffee as I don't like it black. Any advice?

[Guest]

OH! I meant to ask... is Sucralose sweetener bad like Aspartame? I use that in my coffee instead of sugar because I thought it was a better alternative, but now I am questioning my decision. Would using honey be better? I have to have something to sweeten my coffee as I don't like it black. Any advice?

 

:bigear: I have a friend recommending Stevia...I don't know much about it and curious what others have to say...

[Jami]

I've lost about 35 lbs since last May and I basically follow Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet or Jillian Michaels "Mastering Your Metabolism". 4-5 meals a day, high protein, adequate fat, lots of veggies, some fruit, and no refined carbs (though I have a free meal once a week). I do interval training for cardio and lift heavy weights twice a week for weight training.

 

Weight Watchers can be fine if you're not overdoing carbs and eating adequate protein. Just eating lower calories isn't enough, where the calories come from is a huge part of keeping blood sugar stable, fueling exercise, and being satiated with your meals.

[OnTheBrink]

I joined WW online. I don't do support groups at all. I find WW to be far easier to implement than sparkpeople, which I found to be too restrictive when it came to the meal plans. With WW, you eat what you want, BUT, you do have to account for it, so it forces you to learn how to make healthier food choices. If you want your daily point's worth of Snicker bars, then fine, but you'll be starving later! It also makes you ask yourself if something you like is worth the points. Like, is a burger from McDonalds really worth all the points it's going to cost? For me, no. I'd rather have a sandwich from Subway, get more food and use up few points.

 

Also, I use the iPhone app to log my points. It's great! It has a list of popular restaurants with the point values of their foods, so if you're out and about and it's time for lunch, you can easily determine the best place to go to get something without blowing your point allotment for the day.

[BakersDozen]

The "plan" I used back in 1993 to lose 35 pounds and keep it off even after 9 babies was to cut out all unnecessary fat/oil from my diet, absolutely no junk food/fried food, no processed food, no red meat, etc. I ate lots of beans, rice, veggies, fruit, milk and cereal. Snacks I continued as I also need to eat more during the day but I replaced fatty snacks with healthy alternatives. I walked first thing every morning, at lunchtime and after dinner. The great thing was the weight fell off quickly and stayed off because I didn't follow a diet that was unrealistic for everyday life. I also believe that because I combined moderate, realistic exercise with a moderate, realistic diet my metabolism changed for the good and stayed that way.

 

So no whiz-bang "plan" here - just a change of diet/activity level that worked great!

[LizzyBee]

:bigear: I have a friend recommending Stevia...I don't know much about it and curious what others have to say...

 

I'm pretty sure Stevia is what the Belly Fat Cure author recommends for people who must have more sugar/sweetener than permitted on his eating plan.

 

I think the recommended grams of sugar per day includes anything that ends with ose. It's all sugar, regardless of the source.