NT S&T: Help me lose weight.

[apocalypz]

So just came back from the doctors and said I was a bit overweight. A lil too much flab in my body.

What is the simplest and easiest way to lose weight and maintain steady eating and exercise habits?

I've heard do lots of cardio, eat whole grains and dont eat too much calories, the usual stuff.

But that stuff is pretty vague, so NT i turn to you for help. What exactly do I need to do to lose weight?

 

[darthska]

The first thing you need to do is tell yourself, "This is not an option. I am not choosing to lose weight and be more healthy, because this isn't achoice. It's a must, something I should have been doing all along, and will do from now on."

Some simple tips for everyone looking to lose weight, and I mean EVERYONE (it doesn't matter who you are, you will lose weight doing these things):

- EAT HEALTHIER
What was the last fruit you ate? Vegetable? Salad? INCREASE THOSE.
How much dairy do you have in a day? Cheese, milk, eggs, ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt, etc? DECREASE THOSE.
How much red meat do you eat in a day? Steak, burgers, anything with ground beef in it? DECREASE THAT.
How much fried food do you eat? Fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, buffalo wings, chicken strips, popcorn chicken, fried chicken, fish stick, etc.?DECREASE THAT... ... ... A LOT.
And substitute wheat bread for white bread AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. There are wheat dinner rolls, wheat pizza crusts, wheat tortillas... almost wheat everything.

- EAT LESS
Even if you're having good, perfectly healthy items for a meal... say, salad, baked fish, and wheat rolls... you still can't call it 'healthy'to have 3 pieces of fish, a half dozen rolls, and 3 helpings of salad.

Don't finish eating when you're stuffed, because you should never getstuffed in the first place. Eat because you're hungry, and stop eating because you're no longer hungry. And just because you have a prepared meal infront of you doesn't mean you have to eat everything RIGHT NOW. You got some fish and a salad and some rolls, and after a while of eating and watching t.v.or something, you realize that you're really not even hungry anymore. Bam, time to put everything else back in the fridge. You might want to finish thesalad, though, because salad with dressing already on it is nasty after being kept in the fridge.

- EXERCISE EVERY DAY
EVERY. DAY. Get out for a couple hours and do something WHERE YOU SWEAT. Even if you're not used to that right NOW, then start with a half hour. Get a bikeand ride for a half hour a day as a start.

Those are just 3 tips that would work for anyone living on the planet. Even the most fit person in the world would drop a few pounds by making his diet alittle more healthy, eating a little less, and increasing his exercise.

 

[apocalypz]

^ thx ska. Perfect timing for going outside too. Summers here

 

[mr subliminals]

You dont have to eat less..its just WHAT you eat
Diet is 75% of the battle.. Cut out all the fast food/soda and fried foods first an foremost
Try to have a nice balance of protein and veggies with EACH meal..
Eating every 3 hours is healthier and better for you than just having 3 big meals a day. It gives you energy and it helps your metabolism..
Try to workout Atleastttt 3 days a week..everyday isnt necessary..Make sure you have cardio (Running, swimming, basketball etc)

If you can try those things then you def will be on the right track

 

[apocalypz]

How about lifting or hitting the machines @ the gym? Any guidelines on that?

 

[darthska]

^ I hate lifting weights. No joke.

I figure I'm healthy enough, and I'm not trying to enter any competitions, so I'm good.

And trust me, I'm no nutritionist/health nut at all.

For me:
- EAT HEALTHIER
I drink water like a dang fish.
And I hardly have any dairy. Trust me, as an Italian, that one is hard, because I like cheese on EEEEEEEEVVVVVVEERRRYTHING. And I have yet to meet a cheese Idon't like. Bleu cheese, cheddar cheese (mild, sharp, extra sharp), mozzarella, parmesan, parmigiano-regiano, provolone, swiss, American, colby,colby-jack, pepper jack, monterey jack... freaking crap, I LOVE cheese.

But it's not good to be eating dairy all the time, man.
And I can't remember the last 'white bread' product I've eaten. I really can't. We buy wheat tortillas, wheat rolls, stoneground wheatbread... everything.
Red meat? Hardly EVER do we eat red meat. We eat chicken more than any other meat, and fish is second. And we'll use ground turkey for something likelasagne, chili, and hamburgers.
We eat at LEAST 2 servings of fruits and veggies a day... and that's still short of what your body needs. But fresh produce is expensive, and we're ona college budget.

- EAT LESS
When we go out to eat, we eat our food until we're not hungry anymore, and then box it up and bring it home. And usually, USUALLY, we gt at least 2 moremeals out of whatever we each ordered and brought home.
Same thing with meals we cook; we serve a small portion to begin with, and if we want a little more, we get a little more. Portion control is a HUUUUUGEproblem in America.

- EXERCISE EVERY DAY
I am a stickler for this. If I lay my head down at night and I haven't done something athletic, I honestly feel guilty. And yes, there are plenty of dayswhere I go to bed feeling guilty feeling lazy for not doing something... SOMETHING. Even if it's snowing outside, I'll go to the basketball court inbetween classes or after classes and just shoot by myself in the gym for like an hour or so. And if the weather is nice, I try to go play ball, ride a bike, orpractice tennis serves every day. And every day I don't do it (like I said), I feel guilty.

P.S. Mr Subliminals: how can you say that eating less is not something he has to do, or something anyone has to do? Do you know how much he eats? I mean, Idon't know, but 'eat less' is a general tip that can work for everyone, don't you think? If I were eating healthy... carrots, apples, fish,lots of healthy stuff... but my typical dinner was something like 7 pieces of Mahi-Mahi, a half a loaf of stoneground wheat bread, 4 carrots, and 3 tomatoes,you wouldn't tell me 'One thing you can do to help yourself is eat less'? You wouldn't tell me that. You would just say 'Well it looks likeyou're eating healthy items, so I have no more advice for you'?

 

[owensstr8clownin]

What other than water do you drink? Cuz imma go back to a diet and I would like to know what else you can drink besides water because thats all i think ishealthy to drink.

 

[minah86]

what kind of salad dressings do some of you use? I'm trying to stay away from ranch and all those other high calorie dressings. I hate when people saythey're eating healthy, but then load on the ranch dressing like it's "calorie-less".

 

[we gettin kufi]

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[darthska]

^ I use vinaigrettes, going back and forth between raspberry vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette.

My FAVORITE dressing is bleu cheese, but it's just so bad for you.

Once in a blue moon, I'll get a thing of blue cheese because I haven't had it in too long.

Wishbone has these things called Salad Spritzers; that's what my wife and I use. You spray the salad dressing o instead of pouring it on, and it's easyto keep track of calories, because each spray is 1 calorie. So if you want to go nuts and use 20 sprays, you already know that's 20 calories; no guessing.And if you lie vinaigrettes, Salad Spritzers taste awesome.

OwensStr8Clownin:

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What other than water do you drink? Cuz imma go back to a diet and I would like to know what else you can drink besides water because thats all i think is healthy to drink.
This is literally everything I drink:
- morning times: Starbucks frappucinnos (bad, I know), orange juice (not from concentrate), milk (every once in a while; I'd say twice a month)
- throughout the day: apple juice, water
- athletics: Gatorade (but ONLY when I'm playing something)

That' it for me.

 

[mrmossyman84]

Originally Posted by OwensStr8Clownin

What other than water do you drink? Cuz imma go back to a diet and I would like to know what else you can drink besides water because thats all i think is healthy to drink.

I love propel...25 calories for a 16.9 fl oz bottle...Berry or Grape is the way to go

It's really just watching your food intake and doing cardio work. I've lost 30 pounds in 2 1/2 months just playing bball four nights a week andwatching what I eat. Make sure you control portions.

Also, lifting weights will help fat burn in the long run, because muscle helps burn fat.

 

[darko for mvp]

I've dropped a few pounds over the last couple months here is basically what i've been doing.....


Don't drink sodas.....get used to water, trust me it isn't so bad.

Cut down of Fast Food. If you eat fast food, just make sure it is only once a week. Try eating salad and fruit. Caesar Salad w/ light dressing FTW.

Excercise 3-4 times a week. Do something that will make you sweat(riding a bike, playing basketball, baseball, football, etc.) If you sweat, then you'reburing something off. I've been playing basketball and riding a stationary bike at home which is very convinient for me.

Losing wieght won't happen in a couple weeks, it will take a couple months. Trust me, when people ask you if you've been losing wieght(especially theladies), you will feel real good about yourself and will become more motivated to workout and maintain a diet.

 

[dont be a menace]

what foods do you guys recommend that i don't have to cook myself? i can barely cook anything and pretty much all i can do is fry something up andthat's a big no no. i know fruits are one thing and maybe salads but i cannot go on that alone.

 

[nnarum]

Definitely listen to Ska... One thing I'm doing right now is watching my sodium intake. Sodium is in anything that probably tastes good. And in the foodsSka listed, there's tons of sodium. Burgers, steaks, fried things... I'm trying to keep right around the recommended daily value at 2400mg a day. Tomake sure I eat better and watch the nutrients I'm putting in my body, I keep track at Fitday.com. It's free. I think it was Mossyman who I got thelink from. I keep track of my portions, calories eaten vs burned, and weight. You just look at your food label and type in the values. Then select the portionof that food you had. It's really easy. I'm trying to lose a little weight too, I've lost about 6lbs in 2 weeks so far.

And one more thing, cut the empty calories. No soda, candy bars, or junk food. They provide nothing beneficial to your body besides a quick buzz. I drink tonsof OJ and water. Nothing else really. Maybe once in a while I have one of these Special K lemonade protein water mixes. They have about 30 calories anddon't taste that bad. It has 5g of protein as well.

 

[N41D]

Everything Ska has said is pretty much on point. Losing weight is 100% about moderation and self-control.

Water. Water. Water. Water. Water. That's huge. If you get sick of drinking water all the time, go grab some Crystal Light sugar free packets from thegrocery store. I get the Lemonade and Fruit Punch flavors, and they're only about 4 calories per packet...

The big thing with juices is moderation. Orange juice is a solid source of Vitamin C, but it does have some sugars in it so you don't wanna go crazy.

And like Ska said, I wouldn't drink Gatorade unless I'm out playin hoops or just back from running. And even then, I never drink the full bottle.Don't go crazy on it.

And if you're like me, I hate running. Absolutely cannot stand it. Go get yourself a bike. Go find a pool and pound out some hard, intense laps.Play basketball... I just cannot stand running just to run, but there are plenty of alternatives.

 

[nnarum]

Originally Posted by Nowitness41Dirk

Everything Ska has said is pretty much on point. Losing weight is 100% about moderation and self-control.

Water. Water. Water. Water. Water. That's huge. If you get sick of drinking water all the time, go grab some Crystal Light sugar free packets from the grocery store. I get the Lemonade and Fruit Punch flavors, and they're only about 4 calories per packet...

The big thing with juices is moderation. Orange juice is a solid source of Vitamin C, but it does have some sugars in it so you don't wanna go crazy.

And like Ska said, I wouldn't drink Gatorade unless I'm out playin hoops or just back from running. And even then, I never drink the full bottle. Don't go crazy on it.

And if you're like me, I hate running. Absolutely cannot stand it. Go get yourself a bike. Go find a pool and pound out some hard, intense laps. Play basketball... I just cannot stand running just to run, but there are plenty of alternatives.

And one serving has about as much potassium as a banana

 

[nycknicks105]

SKA summed it up right, but really though. You need to up that cardio. Once you do that, your metabolism will increase, and that will help you lose weight.

 

[whatizitablizzid]

take up on swimming lessons and hit up a pool as many times as you can. treading water by itself is great cardio. have you ever seen a swimmer thats out ofshape? neither have i

other than that tidbit losing weight is mainly all about disciplined eating. everything that you were eating before you got all husky? throw it away.

also here's another tip: if it tastes bad, its probably good for you!

 

[darthska]

dont be a menace:

---

what foods do you guys recommend that i don't have to cook myself? i can barely cook anything and pretty much all i can do is fry something up and that's a big no no. i know fruits are one thing and maybe salads but i cannot go on that alone.
Buddy, I'm not even going to lie to you; you're going to have to break out some pots and pans.

I'm not sure how long I could eat if I told myself 'Alright, no fast food and no cooking.'

Heck, this morning I had an egg -white-only omelet, some toast, and OJ. Without cooking, all I would have had would have been some toast and OJ, and I wouldhave definitely still been hungry.

Y'all got an indoor grill (like a George Foreman grill)? That is basically my best friend, and used properly, it can be your best friend, too.

If you don't have one and you don't mind spending money on a really nice one that will allow you to do TOOONS of things, I highly, HIGHLY recommendthis:

George Foreman G5. We use this freaking thing so much, man. The hot plates are removable, and you get all the different plates pictured.

But seriously, it would be very difficult to eat healthy without cooking, bro. I mean, that's the whole attraction of fast food; you don't have tocook.

 

[apocalypz]

Okay, so Im planning to buy an excercise machine for the house. Which one? I'm leaning toward an excersise bike, but I heard a treadmill or elliptical(sp?) was better

I hate running too, but I heard it was the best way of cardio.

 

[dajoka004]

Originally Posted by nnarum

I keep track at Fitday.com. It's free.

Fitday is great. I've been using it for two years.

 

[gmsboy1]

Get one of your friends to roll a donut down a hill.

Just kidding, do all that ^^^^^ there.

 

[addictedtofreshkicks]

start running

 

[craftsy21]

Crystal Light sugar free packets from the grocery store.

My only thing with these.. and maybe i'm remembering wrong.. is that they have aspartame in them... i don't trust that stuff at all, they'refinding bad stuff about it everyday.

Only sweetener i'll use right now is Splenda, and that's because i haven't read enough bad stuff about it yet

sometimes you're just as well off biting the bullet and using some real sugar... but like everyone has said, everything in moderation.. I'm in theprocess of trying to eat healthier right now too - i've recently cut soda's out, which is the biggest battle for me since i love salads and eat thempretty often anyhow.

Good advice up in hurr though.

 

[darthska]

^ Oh, man... I don't trust any of these artificial sweeteners, and I never have. Saccharin, aspartame, sucralose... I don't eat or drink anything thatuses any of it.

They dont even TASTE good to me. They have a bitter taste to them that I cant stand.