Easy weight loss - need advice

[Jolene99]

For my diet plan this was what i did: Have a heavy breakfast in the morning because that is when your body needs the most energy. Eat half the portion of what you had for breakfast for lunch and lastly, eat only 1/4 of what you had for lunch for dinner Exercise regularly , for eg: twice a week , 20 mins jog and drink plenty of water. This will work, try it!

[lavendar]

Catherine, how long have you tried your plan? I guess it takes time to loose weight. When you are eating, just eat a balanced meal like the health pyramid chart. I guess it is important to listen to your body, stop when you have enough, dont undereat or overeat. Try to avoid tibits or reduce them. The best is keep them out of sight. Besides regular exercising, you can also do some extra like climb the stairs instead of taking the lift. It helps your lungs to breathe better too.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I see lots of advice on this thread from lots of people, but damn little results of following that advice. Anybody got any results they want to share? From Jan 2008 to June 2008 in the space of 20 weeks I lost 25 kg. I went from 94 kg down to 69 kg and while I was int the transformation stage from diet to maintenance I lost an additional kg down to 68. Within a couple of weeks I stabilized at 69.5 kg. I'm one month shy of being three years since my diet finished. I weighed myself Monday morning and I weigh 70.8kg.

I've put up my results and long term results as well. I also had some major health benefits as well (aside from the weight loss) Anybody else want to put their results out there for scrutiny?

Here's my story as and when it happened.........

I am a new Man!

[nomicake]

I honestly don't think there's any "fast and easy" way to lose weight... and even if there were, easy come/easy go - you'd just balloon right back up to the size you once were before IF you stop doing whatever it was that led you to lose the weight in the first place.


Personally, I went with the traditional method of (a) watching what I eat and (b) plain ol' exercise.

(a) I guess I'm pretty lucky because I was never a big eater. I did, however, still gain a lot of weight despite of this because, as my forum name suggests... I do like me some cake. That being said, it HELPS if you cut out a lot of "unseen terrors" in your daily diet - the milk in that coffee, the extra eggs, the crazy portions of carbs (ask for less!) they serve you at eateries, etc...

(b) I joined a gym sometime at the end of 2009. I started out with 10, 20, 30 minutes on the elliptical / stepping machines. I also carried free weights on days when I didn't feel like going all out on cardio. Build up your stamina so you don't get overwhelmed by it all. I eventually progressed to gym classes (both cardio & weight-based), which I still enjoy very much. It's important to enjoy the experience, or it's going to be tough to sustain the lifestyle.


Seeing results can also be a way to motivate a person to keep at it, so track your progress whenever possible. I lost about 10kg in a year. This is considered "slow" for most people, but I think of it as a journey more than a destination... so the time span isn't too important for me. More importantly, body fat percentage dipped from 37% to 24% within this time.


You have to stand up and make some changes in your lifestyle if you're really serious about getting into shape. Hopefully some of what I've shared can help you to get started on it.

Good luck!

[ksl]

elliptical machine is excellent for burning calories if you make some effort!

[sundaymorningstaple]

You mean that big Aibi thingy sitting in the middle of my hall? Have had it since I finished the programme. And your are right. But they can also play havoc on your gait if you don't balance it with regular walking/brisk walking. We don't spend our lives on snow skiis! and that's what it's most akin to if you ask me. Pretty damn good bang for the buck if you can pick up a good one used. Fair number of them around.

[nomicake]

I bought a treadmill for my place a couple of years back, but I ended up not using it... ever. Too many distractions at home. Ended up giving it away. Wouldn't really recommend it for people with a short attention span, like me. What works for me though, is heading somewhere (e.g. gym, pool, park) with a set objective in mind!

[jtklassen]

I have been on a starvation diet and a constant workout to burn my extra fats, the results aren't obvious and the worst thing is I got hungry quite often.

Anyone here has better idea on how to lose weight more easily?

i've been on an 'eating' diet & lost 3kgs in the past 3wks.. i worked out maybe for 4 hours total during that time. i read some place that you have to keep your body fed, so that your metabolic rate picks up & keeps on working to burn the calories, fats etc... so eating is just as important as exercising.

counting calories helped too, cuz it made me conscious of what i should & should not be eating..

& cuz i was eating all the time, i had to make sure i was eating the right stuff. i made my own meals about 80% of the week, from salads to sandwiches, wholewheat pasta & home-made sauces.. its a lot of work (mostly cuz i am super lazy), but its been completely worth it considering i've barely worked out & am not starved outta my mind.

on a regular day, i start eating at about 10am.. & kp eating till abt 5-6pm. breakfast is usually coffee & a grapefruit (which i hear has fat-burning properties), a sandwich or salad, sometimes some cereal.. & lunch is usually d same as breakfast (cuz its just easier). then i snack on some water crackers or fruits like berries or yogurt from abt 3pm on & off till abt 4 or 5. snacks are usually bite-size, so i don't need to fiddle with wrappings & holding stuff, & just need to pop them into my mouth & chew.. & i only take stuff i like cuz if i've to force myself to eat something, i'm gonna rather starve.. & when i starve i start getting crazy cravings..

then all the eating stops at about 5ish.. & cuz i'm fed enough for the day that i don't get hungry for dinner. but if i do get hungry, i'll grab a glass of skim milk or an iced milo & snack on some nuts..

when i've to get outta the office & run around, i'll make sure i pack some fruits or biscuits with me. i've got one of those ice-packs coolers & thermal containers that keeps them cool so that even if i've been lugging them around outside, its still fresh & chilled when i need a munch. water & mints also help keep cravings at bay, especially when i'm tempted to grab a quick meal on the road cuz its so convenient.

hope this helps, or at least gives you some ideas about what you can do to quit starving & still keep the weight off..

[taxico]

[quote="jtklassen"...i read some place that you have to keep your body fed, so that your metabolic rate picks up & keeps on working to burn the calories, fats etc... so eating is just as important as exercising. [/quote]

seeing that this is a rather useful thread... i'd just like to chime in about diets.

when one stops eating, the body doesn't know what's going on. one's thoughts about the purpose of the diet is not (and cannot be) communicated to the body.

therefore, the body thinks that its in imminent danger so what it does is stockpile (changes whatever it can into) FAT so as to prevent death by starvation/diet.

[tinkerbell88]

I agree with Taxico regarding the body's metabolism and starvation. The best solution for me for weight loss and maintenance is still a relatively low GI diet, and lots of cardio. Running is the best form of fat burning that works for most, but watch the knees and ankles. Asics women's running shoes are still the best I think, and signing up for the occasional running event gives me something to aim for when I'm running. Obviously I have tried prescription slimming pills from my Dr, and that helped kickstart my weight loss programme for the first 2 months, and suppressed my cravings. Now I'm maintaining my weight with a healthy BMI.
The elliptical is also one of my favourites, and keeping active (yes, every little helps: like taking the stairs and walking to my destination one MRT station too early seems to do the trick too). I guess the secret is to give yourself a small treat at weekends, for me it's a bar of chocolate, or a scoop of ice-cream from Cold Stone Creamery.... ok.. better stop the food discussions now.. getting peckish.

[taxico]

...I have tried prescription slimming pills from my Dr, and that helped kickstart my weight loss programme for the first 2 months, and suppressed my cravings.

doctors are a little split when it comes to prescribing appetite suppressants (or the like).

personally i do not encourage the use of such drugs as experience tells me the patient's appetite usually comes back when they stop taking it.

mental and physical discipline is much better, cheaper and healthier than popping pills.

[sundaymorningstaple]

You can complete suppress your cravings just by eating the right combinations of protein, vegatables & fruits in the right quantities. This will trick the serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is what control the insulin response which in turn stimulates the cravings. This is how I lost 25 kg in 22 weeks on a balanced diet that wasn't high protein but it was low carb. That was three years ago. Right not, I'm down 29 kg from my peak in January 2008 of 94kg. Today I weigh 65.5kg a weight I've not seen since I finished my MBT in 1966. I've never used a pill or heaps of exercise. I just eat properly and by doing so, I've lost 10" of waistline and a decade of taking HBP meds (2), Lovistatin & Allipurniol. Today my Cholesterol levels (both good and bad) are in normal range, my BP is no longer HBP and rests around an unmedicated 115/75 and my uric acid levels are within normal limits. I'm almost 64 and I look and feel around 50. But you have to decide what you want more. Eating disorders and fat or living a healthy lifestyle that will see you through to the end. (I'm a late fatty) I didn't get that way until I was in my late 40's and changed from diving for a living to flying a desk in an office. It feels good to get back my health again.

[jkvz2011]

It's really comforting to see so many advices on how to lose weight effectively... For my case,i used to eat lots of junk food but now i'm controlling my intake of carbohydrates very carefully becuz i'm slighty obese... And also maintaining a healthy diet and good exercise regime is essentially important... That's my personal view...

[skepticalplastic]

SMS,

can you post here or PM me on your slimming details a.s.a.p. cos i need to lose 15kg in 3 mths. TIA

[tinkerbell88]

Dear SMS,
I am so impressed with out weight loss regime! You have steely discipline. The weight loss medication from my doc kick-started my regime, and helped me think more about what I was ingesting, keep a food diary and an exercise plan, while suppressing my appetite. It was meant to increase my energy levels and burn fat even at rest. When I came off them, it was weaned gradually, and by then I had already lost 5 kg, so I was 2 kg from my ideal weight. Yes a lot of discipline was, and is still required, especially at birthdays, Xmas, etc, and it helps to have a forum like this one, where we can chat to one another, and get the moral support and a bit of a nudge from time to time in the right direction.