Losing weight

[Maidmarion]

Recently, mainly due to pill (I hate the damned pill) I have put on a stone . This is really depressing, as I'm used to being pretty slim (had an eating disorder in teens - so do not want to loose too much weight). How do I lose a stone (which would be reasonable- I checked a bmi thing) before I go on holiday?

My friends just cut out alcohol when they want to lose weight - but i don't drink much anyway (a glass of wine with my parents once or twice a week), so I can't imagine that helping. I eat brown rice, fish (no meat), lots of salad. I generally eat fruit at breakfast, and dinner with my parents which is pretty healthy.

I generally skip lunch as I'm at work, but will wind up eating crisps in the afternoon. I also drink lots of j2o (I get it free where i work). I really need to shift this stone.

Please tell me where I'm going wrong. The crisps are the only things which give me energy to work.

My Mother criticises me for not exercising but I run round waitressing all day. Isn't this enough? i hate exercise.

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

If you're not wanting to cut anything out, the best thing might be to alter your diet. If you're after energy, crisps aren't the best thing: try some fruit or even an energy drink. Look similarly at what you're eating for breakfast and dinner and see where you can cut down.

As for exercise, I've personally found that doing weights etc to be a big help (the rationale being that more or better toned muscle continuously burns more energy, even if not in strenuous use). I realise bulging biceps aren't quite the thing for women but a little toning up can work wonders.

[hr]

Will Watson. Medical Student. Cake Lover.

[md25]

Eat less and exercise more. Little things like drinking only water, serving slightly smaller portions and walking to the shops are how I combat any midriff woes.

[physicist]

Small changes will definitely help. Remember energy in < energy out is what you need to do to lose weight. If you have gained a stone over half a year, that is only one biggesh packets of crisps (based solely on weight) per day. It should only take a smallish reduction in food per day to stop weight gain (and start weight loss). So taking slightly smaller portions, not picking the biggest piece of cake, cutting out the packet of crisps will make a difference, but this requires patience. Taking the stairs (instead of the lift) for up to four/five floors, walking (instead of driving) for all distances less than a mile or two, and such like will also help (and are often about as quick).

Little steps will make a big difference over time.

[Gubbins]

I managed to lose about four stone over a couple of years before I came to uni, but that was through cutting out sweets and starting to work harder on the farm. Probably not a good solution for you.

These days I'm cooking for myself (out of halls, for better or worse!). I tend to skip lunch, but I have one of those metabolisms that can go for 36 hours without eating anything quite happily.

I find that eating more stuff like cereal and fruit for breakfast (i.e. have a big, healthy breakfast) keeps me going through the day. I think drinking water instead of juices, etc. is a big help. You should still be getting enough vitamins if you eat enough fruit and veg. A pint of orange juice has the same number of calories as a pint of Guinness - the "meal in a glass".

As for exercise, I walk a mile or so to work and back each day and that's it. You don't need a lot of exercise. You just need to eat accordingly. Try replacing the crisps with dried fruit. Try drinking water. Try changing how much you eat in different parts of the day. Above all, try not to worry about it.

[hr]

...but then again, that is only my opinion.

[Setsuna]

I have found over the years that going to the gym really helps. Especially doing weights! I am female, but I found that doing the weight machines really helped me to tone up and slim down, especially at my midriff, thighs and upper arms. Building muscle means that you will burn more calories, as the muscle tissue uses much more energy generally. And I didnt end up looking like a muscleman - there will be people at the gym who will be able to set you up with a plan specific to the areas you want to improve, and an additional cardiovascular plan for weight loss (such as interval training).

My first week of this, I lost half a stone (I think my body was in shock) and then levelled out to losing about 1-2 lbs a week, some weeks not actually losing weight, but I was noticeably slimmer.

My only regret is being scared of the uni gym and eating and drinking so much during term time - have to start the regime again!

My further tips:
- Replace the J20 with water, and drink TONNES.
- Eat much more veg, but reduce portions of things like pasta, rice and bread.
- Cut out chocolate and crisps
- Walk instead of taking the bus, or cycle to work... also go on long walks. I often walk across Glasgow from the South Side to the West End, and I really enjoy it.
- Join a gym, and do weights (seriously!)
- Check out the calorie and fat content of the things you eat the most
- Keep a food diary - its stops you from cheating!
- Try and keep the weight loss slow - it really does stay off for longer.

[Lindsay]

I find getting into a routine works. A couple of years back I lost 2 stone. I started by every morning doing 3 sets of 10 sit-ups and press ups for a week. The next week I upped it to 15 a set and went to the gym on Monday and friday. Week after that, up to sets of 20 and gym on Wednesday as well. Each week after, I upped the morning sets by five.

I also kept a food diary and each day did a rough calorie count and made sure I'd consumed the regulation 5 pieces of fruit and veg.

[hr]

Think of me long enough to make a memory...

[Thackary]

There's some very sensible advice up there!

Eat slightly less, do more exercise.
Drink about 2 litres (four pints) of water a day

[rae]

One more thing - EAT LUNCH! It really doesn't pay to skip meals. You can actually gain weight as your body stores the next thing you eat (in your case, crisps) as fat. My personal trainer friend also recommends upping your dairy which really works for me - try to have some with every meal.

[hr]

In America they think 100 years is old and in Britain they think 100 miles is far.

[bananaman]

Quoting maidmarion from 17:46, 11th Jul 2005
The crisps are the only things which give me energy to work.

You'll probably find that crisps don't actually give you that much energy.

A good idea for a snack to have mid afternoon is:

Get a couple of tablespoons of oats (which release energy slowly) mix in a couple of teaspoons of seeds/nuts (pumpkin/sesame/linseed etc.). Put it in a cup and add a little water/milk (just a little bit). And then eat it. It sounds horrible but it's nice and it's the only thing that gets me through the morning at work!

The dried fruits was a good idea. Or a handful of raisins etc.

[theflirt]

I so know what you mean! I'm waitressing just about everyday! I once wore one of those countery things on a saturday night shift. I started work at 4 and finished at 2am - I walked 9 miles and burned a shit load of calories! But I don't eat when im working, I'll have a nutrigrain bar for breakfast then a sandwich for lunch and thats me. I've lost weight since being home but I can't shift a lot and its because I'm not eating properly so my metabloism is just all over the place!
Try having 3 meals a day and snacks inbetween if you feel you need the energy, like fruit or a yoghurt!
Thats what I'm going to try and start doing anyways! And stop eating the damn mints - they're so tasty, lol.
Goodluck!

[hr]

Oh pants!

[Duggeh]

stand beside me at social functions, this will serve to make you appear much thinner than you actually are

[hr]

IMAGE:www.macintyre42.plus.com/images/tubular100.jpg
[hr][s]Duggeh: Master Of Ceremonies[/s]
[s]Website http://www.maxeh.co.uk [The Music Community]

[little headache]

Drink more (read: constantly); I found that strategy to be highly effective my first few months in St Andrews. Maybe it had something to do with being sick all the time...

[Cain]

eat less, but more often. Skipping meals and fasting is a good way to put on fat as , as has been said above, your body panics about when it's going to eat next.

The body for life way recommends grazing, where you eat six small meals a day. I recommend exercise and not snacking. (i don't know how much of the stone that i put on last year was down to naturally filling out, or just sitting at my desk with a packet of chocolate digestives).

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[Maidmarion]

have already lost five pounds, but
my parents are hindering things slightly though as they don't like me dieting - even though i actually asked the doctor what was healthy, and was told that at my height I could lose a stone and still be in the healthy BMI.

How do I convince them that I'm not losing too much? I don't want to go under 8 7 as I know I would lose my curves - what my parents fail to understand is that at 9 7 I am genuinely too large. (I'm only 5ft 5)

[hoopy froodette]

But that makes your BMI only 22.17! That's not large!

[hr]

Nothing succeeds like a toothless budgie.

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

BMI can be a bit of a false prophet as it fails to take into account muscle density, bone structure etc. In a more slight individual, a small increase in BMI can manifest in a larger increase in intra-abdominal fat mass and generalised body fat. Such things are very upsetting for a lady.


[hr]

Will Watson. Medical Student. Cake Lover.

[Guest]

replacing the juice with water is a great way to drop the pounds, but be careful not to drink tonnes as one person said, drink enough so that you are not thirsty anymore, a couple of litres a day is more than enough for average folk.

too much and you'll dilute your salts etc far too much, making you hungry, then you eat, and you're eating above the amount you started out at!