Just another "Trying, need help" thread :[

[Alothos]

I'd like to start by saying hello and thank you for showing however much interest brought you here :]

My name is Patrick. I'm currently 17 years old, turning 18 a few days after graduation. So yes, I'm a senior in high school. Since early-mid middle school, I've been overweight. I currently set the scale to 275lbs but it fluctuates from 270-280, never getting higher and rarely going lower, and never for more than a few days. The weight is spread fairly evenly throughout my body. Big thighs, big gut, man boobs :[, upper arms, lower too but not so much same with calves. I just want to lose however much weight I can so I can be happy with myself for the first time in a very, very long time. I'm going to go into as much detail as I can in hopes of getting the best responses available so here goes nothing.

I've always been self conscious and have had a negative self image. Since I starting putting on weight years and years ago my older brother had been putting me down with the fat jokes which took its effect and still bugs me to this day especially after he dropped what I've been told is 100+ lbs in what seems like a ridiculous amount of time, his methods unorthodox and out of my reach for the most part (I tried them, couldn't stick to it partly thankful of that). He basically starved himself while doing excessive exercise. I tried but my grades started to drop from being unable to focus long enough in class to learn anything, i was just really really hungry and got too tired to do more than a 15-30 minute walk before I passed out(not literally). Wherever I go I either wear a jacket of some type or atleast a backpack on my back to feel a LITTLE more comfortable walking in public (damn my school and their poorly made shrinking uniform shirts :[). I've tried using hydroxycut but it messed with my sleep (not that it was good to begin with) and made me sick. I'm currently taking vitamin b pills that haven't had any effect. My normal breakfast is either egg whites on wheat toast or a bowl of cereal (2% milk and something like cheerios, special K or complete) during the week around 6:30ish, then a salad or sandwich (romaine lettuce, turkey, cheese, whole wheat bread). when I get home around 3, then either some type of grilled chicken/steak/pork (not a lot) with random veggies and either a baked potato(little butter if any, sometimes a little sour cream instead) for dinner. I know sleep is a big part of staying healthy and I've been working on that with slow success, I've been going to sleep around 9:30 give or take 30 minutes every night, but I wake up often during the night for random periods of time for random reasons (2 minutes to use the bathroom, 30 minutes for no reason, few minutes from hitting the wall or something, etc) then I wake up at 6 to get ready for school but I always feel tired regardless. I don't do much during the week so I have free time to do (enter suggestions here). I normally spent the time with my skinny friends on World of Warcraft or Allods or just watching movies online or playing guitar or something, I've been getting more and more bored of the online games though.

I'm not looking to start packing on muscles, just looking for weight loss now. If anyone has ANY suggestions about ANYTHING (happy to get anything from "don't eat _____" to "eat ______ at this time, ________ at this time and ________ at this time with this and this do this do that)

If you wish to ask further questions feel free to post them here or ask in a private message I'd be more than happy to answer any and all questions :]

 

[GeminiGirl]

First of all - right now, your school schedule is not going to be too helpful in being able eat like you should. Ideally, you should try eating small meals every 3-4 hours. This will help keep your metabolism going. If you can bring healthy snacks to school (like an apple and a serving of almonds or even a protein bar) then try to do that.

You also need to incorporate working out of some kind - diet alone will not do the trick. If going to a gym or getting out of the house is not an option, then get yourself a DVD that you enjoy (to ensure that you keep doing it). I tend to rent videos from Netflix to see if I like them, then once I make my verdict, I buy it or I don't. I have a few to keep my workouts varied. Instead of playing WOW with your friends, do this for YOURSELF. You need to get moving - you're not doing yourself any favors by being sedentary for hours playing video games.

When it comes to WHAT you eat - my advice is to avoid processed foods when possible. Ideally, you want your food to be natural. Your body knows how to breakdown real food - not frankenfood. So, for example: Oatmeal is an awesome breakfast choice. Kashi Go Lean is an acceptable alternative (although it does contain soy, which you can find different articles on pros/cons). Frosted Flakes big no-no.

Read your labels - avoid high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, refined sugar and things you can't pronounce.

Personally, for me, I found that I had to log my food and track what I was eating. I have a scale and weigh my portions of just about everything. This keeps me on track and helps me keep my portions in check - especially when I go out to eat. You soon realize that restaurant portions are crazy!

I know this sounds like a lot, but you can incorporate small changes into your lifestyle and begin to make better choices that will lead to a healthier you.

I hope this helps - good luck!

 

[HHackney]

Eating a few healthy snacks between meals can help boost your metabolism, but it's not a be all end all. I'm losing between 1 and 2 pounds a week and only have time to eat three meals a day on a good day.

Processed foods are ok in moderation. Some of the unpronounceable stuff on the labels are natural preservatives that help extend the shelf life...other wise most grocery store foods would go bad before they ever hit the shelves. Not only that, but some processed foods that people normally think are healthy are loaded with sugars. Like marinara sauce, most canned or bottled sauces have more sugar in them per serving than a spoonful of regular peanut butter.

Processed foods can also have a lot of sodium. Salt is a natural preservative, and a lot of foods that are labeled as healthy use a lot of salts to keep them fresher longer, so be careful of that as well. This is especially true for single serving foods, even things like oatmeal. Overall though, it's always better to make everything you can yourself, this way you know exactly what's going into it.

Remember though that your body does need a certain amount of sugars, salts and fats to function properly, so don't cut those out completely, just be careful of them.

You can lose weight by simply altering your diet, especially once you consider that the biggest part of weight loss is what you eat. Although getting up and moving around a bit more will increase your energy levels and just make you feel better all around.

Here's a good thread about calories that should help you figure out your intake...
http://weight-loss.fitness.com/nutrition/40273-how-many-calories-should-i-eat.html

Remember that food = fuel, so you won't do yourself any good by starving yourself. And don't set your goals at a ridiculous rate, if you lose 1-2 pounds a week you're doing great.

Also, try to ask yourself if you are really hungry, or just unsatisfied with what you ate. A big salad is going to fill you up, but if you usually eat more junk than healthy, you'll feel unsatisfied with just a salad, but you will think you are hungry instead.

Measure your portions and track your calories, there are a couple of counters that most people on here swear by. I use the one on Livestrong.com myself and have had great results so far.

And stay away from "magic" weight loss pills, they are really just a waste of money. I know because until recently they hadn't made one that I haven't tried. But I only started really losing weight when I changed my diet.

And don't listen to your brother. Even though I'm overweight, I'm still the smallest member of my family. Yet my brother and sister still insist on me being the butt of all the fat jokes. Siblings are great for that kind of thing.

 

[*Chantelle]

Hey Alothos I'm a (mostly) reformed EQ/WoW addict so I hear you on both the sitting-on-your-butt-at-the-comp and the getting-tired-of-online-games bit. Here's a couple of things that have worked for me so far. Nothing drastic whatsoever, because I know myself - if I try to change too much too fast, I WILL get frustrated when i don't see near-immediate results and give up.

Establish a goal! And, more importantly, don't let yourself get intimidated by it. Mini-goals (5lb, 10lb...) keep you going and keep you motivated each time you meet one.

Pre-pack your food. Your three main meals seem to be pretty decent, but if you find yourself getting hungry throughout the day, don't set yourself up to be a victim to the vending machines at school. Toss a handful of almonds or baby carrots or sliced veggies that will hold for a few hours into a small baggie and bring them with you. That way, you'll have something to fall back on without needing to decide between Cheetos and Doritos. Try to nibble on something every 3hrs or so to keep yourself satisfied. Otherwise, going from 6:30 to 3pm without eating anything is pretty rough.

Spend a few minutes and sign up for a free fitness website like Sparkpeople (i love it) or Fitday. Make an effort to track your calories on a daily basis ... or at least get an idea of the calorie count for foods you consume regularly. I was shocked to find out that 2 cups of 2% milk that I used to have with my breakfast was almost 245 calories... that's almost as much as the entire food-based part of my meal! Keeping a rough tally in your head, or better yet, on paper, of everything that you eat will allow and encourage you to "trim the fat" from your diet... and eventually, make substitutes for stuff that will tide you over longer for less calories. Eg. Instead of snacking on hummus and wheat crackers everyday now, I have it 3x a week and fresh veggie sticks the rest of the time. Those little calorie cuts add up REALLY quick!

Also, try to start by cutting just 10-15 mins out of your online time to go take a walk, or do some other physical activity. Skip the raid, the awesome purple epics really don't matter that much in the long run Yes the diet counts for a lot, but exercise and fresh air does so much to clear your head and just make you feed good!

Take it from the folks here and do it the right way - it's slower than taking a magic pill or going on a fad diet but you'll feel good knowing YOU did it...not some big green pill from a bottle. That, and you won't backslide and gain it all back the second you revert to your "normal" lifestyle... because by taking those pills, you're not going to learn anything.

I was getting pretty bored myself of the game and quit cold turkey back in July... haven't looked back yet although Cataclysm does kinda make me twitch once in a while... lol. Haven't felt this good in a long time though... fresh air is so addictive rather than being cooped up in my room the second I got back from class/work.

GOOD LUCK in your journey... can't wait to see your progress!

 

[aravind82]

First of all - right now, your school schedule is not going to be too helpful in being able eat like you should. Ideally, you should try eating small meals every 3-4 hours. This will help keep your metabolism going. If you can bring healthy snacks to school (like an apple and a serving of almonds or even a protein bar) then try to do that.

Wrong. You'll be just fine eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner or whatever schedule fits you best. It doesn't make any difference whether you eat every 3 hours or every 6-8 hours. The net calorie intake is all that's important, not the timing.

You also need to incorporate working out of some kind - diet alone will not do the trick.

Wrong. Diet is typically the largest percentage of weight loss. He needs to get that under control first and foremost. I don't disagree with exercise at all but don't think that going to the gym several times a week will make up for poor eating habits. Exercising is an excellent supplement to weight loss and is great for your health too!

When it comes to WHAT you eat - my advice is to avoid processed foods when possible. Ideally, you want your food to be natural.

Read your labels - avoid high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, refined sugar and things you can't pronounce.

Wrong. Processed or unprocessed, natural or unnatural, the important thing is quantity. You need to be eating less and trying to keep things simple. Everything is moderation is the key.

Personally, for me, I found that I had to log my food and track what I was eating. I have a scale and weigh my portions of just about everything. This keeps me on track and helps me keep my portions in check - especially when I go out to eat. You soon realize that restaurant portions are crazy

I agree! It's very easy to underestimate what we eat. "Hrmm that looks like 4oz of steak" when in reality it's actually 7-8oz! It's also very easy for people starting to lose weight to overestimate the calories they burn. You can't go burn off a big greasy burger and fries by walking a mile...not even close.

 

[GeminiGirl]

Wrong. You'll be just fine eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner or whatever schedule fits you best. It doesn't make any difference whether you eat every 3 hours or every 6-8 hours. The net calorie intake is all that's important, not the timing.

He asked for approaches and tips. This is recommended just about everywhere and it helps with portion control. Yes, total caloric intake is the key regardless, BUT eating smaller more frequent meals helps with appetite and keeps your body digesting. This increases metabolism - even if only slightly, it's an increase. The longer you go between meals the more apt you are to eat more in another meal. BTFFTM is very clear on meal timing and it's TRUE.


Wrong. Diet is typically the largest percentage of weight loss. He needs to get that under control first and foremost. I don't disagree with exercise at all but don't think that going to the gym several times a week will make up for poor eating habits. Exercising is an excellent supplement to weight loss and is great for your health too!

Again, I didn't say that going to the gym several times per week was needed. I suggested that he get moving - somehow. You can exercise all you want, but if your diet is crap then you won't see results. Again, ideally you do BOTH in order to really see your efforts. If it's too much to tackle both exercise and diet, then definitely work on your food first.

Wrong. Processed or unprocessed, natural or unnatural, the important thing is quantity. You need to be eating less and trying to keep things simple. Everything is moderation is the key.

This is NOT wrong. Processed foods have additives that affect your hormones which is a big reason that people get frustrated with their weight loss even though they are eating foods that are supposed to be healthy or good for them. Your hormones get disrupted and work against you. Ideally, you'd find organic alternatives to avoid chemicals and additives that are found in most of our foods. But, I know it's expensive....so, try to make your meals you can so that you know what you're eating and how much. If you are strapped for time and can find organic frozen meals (like Kashi or Amy's) then you have a good option.

I agree! It's very easy to underestimate what we eat. "Hrmm that looks like 4oz of steak" when in reality it's actually 7-8oz! It's also very easy for people starting to lose weight to overestimate the calories they burn. You can't go burn off a big greasy burger and fries by walking a mile...not even close.

I've lost 16lbs since January by following the above and it's basically straight out of "Master Your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels. So if I'm way off track, then one of the country's toughest and leading trainers is as well.

 

[HHackney]

He didn't say you were way off track so don't jump to that. All you did is use several very common myths about weight loss that are a little mistaken. In fact those myths are so common that there have been a hundred debunking articles written about them this year. (One of them is actually a sticky somewhere on this forum) It's not that you were "way off" you were just a little mistaken, it happens to everyone, don't get so defensive.

And it's great that you've lost that much since January. But I've lost about the same since the beginning of March by not doing any of the stuff you suggested...and without using anyone's weight loss/workout/get healthy books, DVD's or whatever. I'm doing it on my own just with the advice I'm getting here.

Except for the exercise part, I do go to the gym about 6 times a week, but if I were honest I'd admit that it's not like my workout is all that vigorous.

 

[GeminiGirl]

All I can say is that, about 4 years ago I lost about 30lbs following Venuto's BTFBTM. It worked wonders for me, but I plateaued at about 130lbs and fluctuated about 3-5lbs up from there since. I never got to my goal of 115 and I was doing EVERYTHING right.

This past holiday season with the festivities, vacation and, honestly, just getting overall lazy with my food, drinking and workouts, I gained 10lbs and was up to 142lbs. I got back from vacation and read Jillian's "Master Your Metabolism". It really spoke to me b/c of that frustration I had with hitting a certain point and then getting no returns.

I have followed the advice of eliminating high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, artificial sweeteners like Equal or Splenda...I read all my labels and find those that have the lowest amount of ingredients and chose natural options whenever possible. I try to get my sleep, etc....all these things play into your hormones. All of them - from insulin, ghrelin, leptin and cortisol. They are real, they are all affected by your diet and sleep.... and they can really make things difficult.

So, I've lost 16lbs and I'm down to 125 - I have 10 more to go. I'm 5'1" and female - so I'm sure that I will not lose weight at a very rapid pace for many factors. I don't have the muscle mass of a man and I'm very close to my goal weight. It's not about the pace, as everyone says, slower is better b/c it means it's long term. I lose between 0-1.5lbs a week - some weeks are better than others.

There are differing opinions and strategies that everyone has, I get that. I was offering advice that has helped me lose, a real total of 35lbs - and for the most part I kept most of it off.

These last changes I made with eating organic and clean REALLY made a HUGE difference for me. I know it's not affordable for everyone, but eating naturally is an easy alternative - chicken, brown rice, tuna, salmon, veggies, fruit all in their natural state is always better than a low-fat or low-carb, additive and chemical laden food.

 

[aravind82]

I've lost 16lbs since January by following the above and it's basically straight out of "Master Your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels. So if I'm way off track, then one of the country's toughest and leading trainers is as well.

I think you missed the point of my remarks. You presented your initial response as a "do this...don't do that" type reply. Eating every 3-4 hours will work...but it won't work any better than somebody eating less often. Avoiding processed foods containing HFCS, sodium, etc. will work too...but it's not the only way to lose weight. I think weight loss can easily become complicated when all these "rules" are introduced when in reality, it pretty much just comes down to a simple energy equation: Calories in need to be less than calories out. That's all I was trying to say. No hard feelings at all and congrats on the weight loss so far!

 

[GeminiGirl]

I can see your point about how it came across and I would attribute it to my personality and work to be honest.

For me, I find it very helpful to have a set list of "rules" or guidelines to follow. If I get vagueness or grey areas, then I feel like I don't really know what to do.

I've been asked several times by people I work with or friends for my advice and I list out bullets - 1, 2, 3 - of these rules. I find it an easy reference and for me, it's ALL or nothing. I go 1000% on making changes b/c all old habits need to go.

My approach is crazy strict, but I know that for me that's what I have to do. If I slide, I feel guilty, which makes me feel awful, which makes me say "what's the point" so I slack more....and it becomes a vicious circle.

So, now that I've hijacked this poor kid's post

I think we're all pretty much saying the same thing. Find out how much you're taking in calorically currently by logging/tracking/measuring your food and then start making adjustments accordingly. And...keep coming here for support and lots of advice.

 

[GeminiGirl]

Actually, in re-reading the original post about the meals....you might actually find that you are UNDER eating.

Which, based on everything I know/have read will hurt your metabolism b/c your body will get into starvation mode and slow down even more.