Health & Fitness

Hi all

Just wondered if there were others out there who are trying to lose weight, or eat healthier, or get fitter? Thought it would be nice if we could support each other and celebrate any milestones!

I've been thin & I've been fat. Currently fat, which is a mixture of laziness and eating all the chocolate in the world. I've yo-yo'd for years. The problem is I always want instant results, but I've finally talked myself around to the idea that even losing 1lb a week will make a massive difference by this time next year. I just have to keep chugging away at it and not get discouraged! I started following a diet/healthy eating plan in January and I've lost nearly 2 stone (26lb as at 07/04/16).

Ideally I need to lose another 50-60lb.

I'm doing it because I want to feel healthier and look better. I want to be able to wear nice clothes again and feel more confident. I've spent a lot of my 20's unhappy with how I look and I know I can change that if I just stop being apathetic.

So I weigh in on a Wednesday. If this thread doesn't completely flop, I'll update it weekly with my results. I hope there's others out there who can share any words of wisdom if you've managed to lose weight and get fitter.

Until next time

 

Congrats on what you've lost so far! 26lbs is nothing to shake your fist at!

I was a fat kid, and have sort of been on a, now 7 year, journey of getting fit. Ultimately, I'd like to have abs...I know that's superficial, but it's a goal that I think would be really great to accomplish. In the meantime, I'm focusing on things like being able to run faster, lift heavier and smarter, and control my eating habits.

My fat kid days led me to a huge issue with binge eating. Not just eating a lot, but like, eating when no one is around - to the point where I was ready to throw up. It was always a malicious eat/exercise it off cycle. I've mostly been able to break it with an EXCELLENT book called Brain over Binge.

I've also been living a ketogenic lifestyle for about 6 months now, with a few days off (birthdays, and sometimes I just want some cake). It's great, and I have been able to curb most sugar/sweet cravings - which is weird to say as someone who loves baking and eating cake.

I look forward to this thread getting big! Currently I'm 170lbs, and I'm hoping to get down to 165 by the end of June. My gym is doing a challenge that I will partake in, which will give me the opportunity to do a bodpod and get my read BF%.

What tools are you using? What are some of your favorite foods?

 

This and that Taco Bell thread should always be next to each other like this.

 

Thanks very much! :)

Having abs sounds like a great goal to have - definitely something to strive for. I really need to start doing exercise but it scares me a little haha.

I've struggled with binge eating, and other eating disorders, in the past so well done on being able to break it. It's a difficult hole to climb out of!

I used to have like a big bar of chocolate a day but I haven't had a chocolate bar since the beginning of January. It is weird that sweet cravings do seem to pass. Congrats on the ketogenic lifestyle! Whatever works best for you.

I dread to think what my body fat percentage is. No doubt terrible haha. Good luck with your goal, I'm sure you'll manage it!

There's a healthy eating programme in the UK called Slimming World. Similar sort of set up to Weight Watchers, but better. Basically unlimited pasta/potatoes/rice, and lean meats. Third of your plate should be certain fruit or vegetables from a list. Then you get a portion of dairy and a portion of fibre. So I usually have cheese and some bread. You also get an allowance each day which you can put towards treats like chocolate, or having extra dairy or fibre. My husband is doing it with me and he's lost 35lb since January. It's good because you're never hungry. It's also made me cook from scratch loads which I never used to do.

I love paella! I love making burgers and putting a babybel in the middle of them so they're all cheesy. I just love all food. I guess I wouldn't be fat if I didn't haha. How about you? What do you like eating?

 

Haha! I've been trying to stay out of the Food thread as well...

 

Congrats all! I believe!

I've definitely gained weight since high school, and my mom likes to remind me of it. Which is a huge discouragement sometimes, but lately I've been determined to lose weight, not really for her, but for my own self confidence. I gained weight from weed (lol) and binge eating on snacks. Also having a stressful full time job, which left me no time to make my own meals so I always order out. But the past month or so I've been meal prepping, cooking home cooked meals, calorie counting, and trying to exercise when I have time. I'm currently at 171 at 5"3, my goal is 140. I've lost about 7lb since I started meal prepping, so it's encouraging to see the number go down. I'm lactose intolerant, so I don't eat dairy, and I'm not much of a sweet person so I can easily avoid candy. But I love food and eating out, so I slip sometimes, but I've been good lately.

I've use myfitnesspal to get a general sense of calories I intake, which helps me loads.

I'm still trying to figure out some kind of exercise plan, all I really do is bike for 30 mins a day when I can. But I heard I should be doing strength too, but I'm kinda at a lost on a plan. I don't know if I should hire a trainer, but I'm a little broke at the moment.

 

Don't want to sound like a walking advertisement, but getting a Fitbit (Flex) was a real catalyst for all the weight I've lost this year. My initial goal was 8,000 steps a day and when I hit that for two weeks I moved it to 9. and now 25lbs down and at 10. I can't tell you how many times I've walked an extra thousand steps at night just to reach my goal on the app. My diet is pretty normal. I don't do any fast food or soda. Eat a lot of greens, lean meats, veggies, fruits and such. But whenever I feel like eating pizza or a burrito or pasta or drink craft beer, I do. And just walk my dog an extra block or two at night. Like every trainer will tell you, it's all about balance. Personally, the thought of going to the gym sounds like a nightmare. Lifting weights or getting on a treadmill just sounds awfully fucking boring for me. So I like to hike around the lake or in the forest and listen to music.

These are just the things that've helped me a lot. I never went through a program or specific diet, but I have relatives who swear by Planet Fitness and Weight Watchers. Have friends who went through P90x and Insanity and all that. It's just all about finding what works for you.

 

My wife and I cut out meat (still eat eggs and fish) and I lost 52lbs with minimal exercise. Obviously it's not for everyone, but I'll always chime in on the subject. The benefits of plant based diets are outstanding.

If you aren't sure where to start, watch the documentary Forks over Knives or Food Inc. That's where we started and it literally changed everything for us.

 

recently started on a ketogenic diet. finally got all of the pasta/bread/carbs off of my shelf this week, so hopefully I can stay strong.

Taco Bell thread is not helping.

 

I lost 40 pounds back in 2008/09 by eating healthy and going to the gym 4-5 days a week. I was in the best shape of my life and I loved it. Then I started getting lazy and by 2013 I had put 60 pounds on and I didn't even realize it until I saw myself in family pictures. That winter I decided to change my diet by cutting out all fast food, pop, and junk food.

I haven't stepped foot in a gym once but I walk a lot at my job and last summer I started going for walks around my neighborhood. I have been losing 30 pounds each year since then by eating a much more balanced diet. I'm back to where I was in 08/09 and this year I plan on getting below that number.

Good luck to you on your journey @Firefly

 

@Arry

Oh my mum is the same. Literally her favourite topic about me is my weight. Pretty sure most of my weight issues stem from her own.

Well done on losing 7lb, that's great!

Have you thought about doing a workout DVD? Something like 30 day shred? It's only 20 minutes a day and is meant to be pretty effective.

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@JohnnyEverclear

I really want to get a Fitbit! I am totally sedentary and I feel like it would help me loads. I love all the different stats.

You sound like you've got it all figured out. I agree it's all about balance - nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while! & like you say - what works for one person won't necessarily work for the rest.

 

@Ben Lee

Wow that's amazing! I'll have to check them out.

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@coleslawed

Good luck! I hope it's successful for you. Try and stay out the Taco Bell thread!

 

Well done on the progress you've made! It's amazing what just walking can do for the body.

Thanks very much - good luck to you too on getting below that number! :)

 

+1 for fitbits! I loved my fitbit, my favorite part was being able to have friends on there to do challenges with. When mine died, I got an Apple Watch and I think fitbit had the fitness thing down much better.

Just planned my day out for food in MyFitnessPal...staying on track!

 

Been vegetarian for a few years now, started because I wanted to try to lose weight. Biggest help for me was that it forced me to start prepping meals rather than just relying on fast food or takeout. Biggest weakness for me is still snacks/candy (swedish fish...)

 

I'm trying to drop 10 or 15 pounds over the next month or two. Cutting out fast food should help a lot. Trying to get back into a daily workout schedule. It's hard when you don't have anyone pushing you towards it.

 

My Fitness Pal is a great tool to keep track of your eating.

 

I will say the quickest tip I can give from personal experience is to cut out all juice, soda, etc. and stick to water/tea/coffee (with minimal sugar/cream). Drinking enough water per day really helps me with feeling full throughout the day.

Then again I typically eat one meal a day but the water still helps quite a bit.

 

I can agree on that! We also started meal planning and were forced to learn how to be creative with only plants!

 

No way in hell can I cut juice out. lol

 

Juice is so deceptively bad for you, it's almost 100% sugar. I like to think of OJ, which I used to love. I once tried to juice an orange, and to get a bottle of orange juice it took like 4 oranges...so basically when you drink a bottle of OJ you ate 4 oranges without the good stuff (fiber).

Cutting calorically dense drinks out is a great way to eat more!

My Fitness Pal has been essential, I also think weighing your food is a good thing to do sometimes too. It helped me realize what an actual portion is, like 4oz of chicken is way less than that HUGE chicken breast I used to eat. And when I get steak tips from a restaurant, it's actually like 3 servings of steak.

 

I need to ween myself off larger portions. Right now, I go down to the cafe and get like three thighs and half a plate of potatoes. I've always been a heavy eater and it is really difficult to break that habit. I'm just fortunate enough to have difficulty gaining weight. I don't like where I'm at right now though, so I'm will to make a few changes.

 

The portions thing was a big thing for me as well, and then for whatever reason my body just slowed down one day and it caught up to me. I find now (eating plant and rice based meals) that I probably eat MORE than I ever have, but it's okay because it's good food. I'm eating a ton, but its fueling me instead of killing me.

 

I tried intermittent fasting once. It kinda worked. I'm also still kinda small.

 

I think I lost the most weight when I was (unintentionally) intermittently fasting, working a 4 am shift at Target. didn't eat much during my shift, and basically just coffee beforehand, so I really only ate between like noon & 5 pm. I was also walking around for a solid 8 hours a day, as well.