how are all of u losing weight?? i have tried my own stuff but i dont know if it is working... what all are all of you doing to lose weight? like what kind of a diet and exercise plan do you use??
Your replies can help me get ideas on what i can to do that will help me lose weight...

thanx for any replies

Read the posts on the thread "supposed to lose 100 pounds"...lots of people have given me some really good advice and I am in the process of making a complete overhaul to my eating. Good luck!

I am doing the naturally thin approach, I have lost 3 sizes and nearly 20 pounds give or take depending on which scale I use lol.

this is based on the books breaking out of the food jail and how to be naturally thin by eating more by jean antenello

my companion was bodyfueling by robyn landis

I do have to caution however that this process tho permenant, is very slow. it is not for those looking for weight loss quickly according to the scale, which means you lose muscles even if you exercise.

RR

how are all of u losing weight?? i have tried my own stuff but i dont know if it is working... what all are all of you doing to lose weight? like what kind of a diet and exercise plan do you use??
Your replies can help me get ideas on what i can to do that will help me lose weight...

thanx for any replies
The plan I posted for Christin under "Supposed to lose 100 lbs" is specifically for her body. The same plan can be calculated for you - I would need your age, height, weight, and activity level - I assume you are female (tallgirl)!

I can assure you that this plan works - it is the healthiest approach to weight loss as it focuses on 3 primary factors - healing and strengthening the metabolism, protecting vital organs (to avoid health problems), and liver detoxification (which accelerates weight loss and helps to correct/reverse existing health problems).

Following this plan you will eat plenty of food, often throughout the day. You will learn how to eat properly (both content and quantity) so that you will not regain the weight. You will not experience hunger or cravings after about 2-3 weeks. You will lose weight at a rate of about 1.5 - 2 lbs per week.

[QUOTE=jdimassimo]The plan I posted for Christin under "Supposed to lose 100 lbs" is specifically for her body. The same plan can be calculated for you - I would need your age, height, weight, and activity level - I assume you are female (tallgirl)!



i am 6ft 2 and i 200 pounds i havnt had a very active activity level right now just pilates... but durring the school year which starts on the 25 i will be doing p.c and in november i will be doing p.c and basketball... i hope this helps you out.. i am not sure how active i am other than that...

thanx for your help

how are all of u losing weight?? i have tried my own stuff but i dont know if it is working... what all are all of you doing to lose weight? like what kind of a diet and exercise plan do you use??
Your replies can help me get ideas on what i can to do that will help me lose weight...

thanx for any replies
I have just cut back on fats and calories and my portion sizes it has done wonders for me all together I've lost about 50lbs and Im still going.

The plan I posted for Christin under "Supposed to lose 100 lbs" is specifically for her body. The same plan can be calculated for you - I would need your age, height, weight, and activity level - I assume you are female (tallgirl)!

I can assure you that this plan works - it is the healthiest approach to weight loss as it focuses on 3 primary factors - healing and strengthening the metabolism, protecting vital organs (to avoid health problems), and liver detoxification (which accelerates weight loss and helps to correct/reverse existing health problems).

Following this plan you will eat plenty of food, often throughout the day. You will learn how to eat properly (both content and quantity) so that you will not regain the weight. You will not experience hunger or cravings after about 2-3 weeks. You will lose weight at a rate of about 1.5 - 2 lbs per week.



WOW i read some of things that you posted on the need to loose 100 pounds thread and you really know ur stuff.. i wish that i could have someone that is this smart about weight loss to prepare my food for me because i have no idea what to eat mostly because i hate fish except tuna (with miricle whip) and i hate mushrooms and stuff like that... i use pilates so i have that win in 10 meal plan thing and everything in there is gross like eating cottage cheese in the oatmeal... eeew and mushrooms.. sick...

i am so picky i just wish that i had someone that knew what i like to eat to make my meals so all i have to worry about is exercising it would make everything so easy.... i would if i was rich but im not... what i have "trying" to do is eat around 1200 cals a day and that is basicly anything that i want as long as i stay around 1200... after reading what you wrote in ur posts on the 100 pounds thread it made me realize that i am doing this all wrong..

PLEASE HELP ME!! i will do anything to lose this extra 35-40 pounds...

Tall Girl, I SO know what you mean about being a picky eater! I have spent SO many hours the past few days researching, looking up nutritional values of foods that I will eat, and trying to make meals out of it. If I ever win the lottery, first thing I'll do is hire a personal chef/dietician!!! LOL! Who am I kidding, first thing I'd probably do is go out to eat at all my favorite restaurants. Anyway, I can't think of any easy way around coming up with an appropriate menu when you are a picky eater like you or I...just look up all the nutritional values of foods that you will eat that fit into the healthy guidelines, like the ones JD.. have mentioned, and then make meals out of them. It is time consuming, but if I can actually start it and stick with it a little while, I'll bet that it starts to become natural. Good luck!

well everyones body type is diffrent, but for me i have been on a diet for 2 weeks now and this is what i do:

1) I dont eat anything at least 3 hours before bed-time, maybe 4 hours even.
2) I eat soup soup soup! lol i eat it for breakfast and lunch and on occasion for dinner with a couple of bread rolls but i do eat other things but soup has been my top priority for the past couple of weeks.
3) I drink lots of water, but i sip it throughout the day instead of drinking it all in one gulp, i figure that id be more full.
4) And I try to excersise everyday, i dont do heavy excersize, just something to get me moving, like walking and doing light chores, i try to move alot and not stay in one place at least for a couple of hours a day, since my job requires that i stay seated for most of the day.
5) And finally I pray and I motivate myself that I will lose this weight! :)

i am 6ft 2 and i 200 pounds i havnt had a very active activity level right now just pilates... but durring the school year which starts on the 25 i will be doing p.c and in november i will be doing p.c and basketball... i hope this helps you out.. i am not sure how active i am other than that...

thanx for your helpTallgirl, I am not sure of your age, so this is a range, assuming that you are between 15 and 22 years old (you mentioned school). Your sedentary BMR is aproximately 1750-1800 calories per day. Add 30 minutes of moderate activity and that increases by 100 calories, to 1850-1900 calories. Add another 100 calories for each additional 30 minutes of moderate activity. If you are doing less than 30 minutes (say 15 or 20), don't adjust the BMR. These numbers represent your calorie requirements to maintain weight.

To lose weight safely, reduce the BMR by about 10-15%. For you, I recommend 1600 calorie per day to lose weight safely - at a rate of 1.5 - 2 lbs per week. You do not want to eat less than that because you are young and also because you are still active (or will be in the upcoming school year).

The next step is knowing what to do with these 1600 calories. I recommend you eat every 3 hours. regardless if you are hungry... eat anyway. Your goal is to eat to avoid hunger, not because you are hungry. Don't let yourself get hungry ever!

Here is a plan similar to Christin's from the other thread, but this is tailored for you.

1. 3 main meals of 400 calories each and 2 snacks of 200 calories each. You will not have to count calories after you read #3.

2. These 5 meals should be eaten 3 hours apart. Don't let it go longer than that. (and BTW - its okay to eat at night!). For example, you might decide on a schedule like this: 9am Breakfast, 12 noon lunch, 3pm snack, 6pm dinner, 9 pm snack. You may need to modify this because I don't know your school schedule or when you wake up or go to sleep.

3. Within each meal you should consume 50% carbs, 25% protein, and 25% fat. I will break that out for you to keep it as simple as possible:

MEALS: Each main meal should contain 50 carb grams, 25 protein grams, and 11 fat grams

SNACKS: Each snack should contain 25 carb grams, 12.5 protein grams, and 5.5 fat gramsThese are targets. Your goal is to come as close to these numbers at each meal and snack. You can't reduce carbs in one meal and then add them to another - unfortunately it does not work like that! Also - if you monitor your grams of carbs, protein, and fat, you DO NOT need to count calories. This is the most precise way of controlling portions and proper balance in your meals.

4. You need to improve the quality of the food you eat. I guarantee that most of your cravings will go away. So, for at least the next 2-3 weeks here are the food rules:

ELIMINATE/AVOID:
- white flour products (white bread, pasta, cake, cookies, white flour crackers, etc). If you eat bread make sure the word "whole" is listed in the first ingredient.
- All fried and breaded foods
- Processed or refined sugar (dextrose, sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, brown sugar, white sugar, etc)
- chemical additives and preservatives whereever possible. If you cannot pronounce it, don't eat it. This means that for the most part you will eliminate sauces, boxed processed foods, and deli meats.
- alcohol, caffeine, OTC medications, and recreational drugs.

OKAY TO EAT:
- All fresh produce - fruits and vegetables (including potatoes)
- Frozen vegetables (with no added sodium)
- Beans and legumes
- Whole grains including brown rice, oats, whole wheat, etc
- lean fresh meats, poultry, fish, shellfish
- eggs
- cheese (not the processed slices - just regular block cheese)
- Milk and other dairy products (in moderation)
- Mayo and butter are okay if measured and in modration (whipped butter is much lower in calories than regular butter because of the air)

5. Drink lots of water. For your body you need 100 ounces of pure water per day. I recommend you eliminate all other beverages (including diet soda pop). You won't have room for them. Measure your water out at the beginning of each day so you can get through it all.

6. Take a multivitamin - preferrably a natural (not a synthetic).

7. Excercise - at least 30 minutes of moderate activity per day

The next thing you need to do is sit down and plan out some meals that will fit into this plan. You should have 3 or 4 breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks to choose from so you never have to worry about what you are going to eat next. You need to be sure to include the snacks, too. If you want, you can use fitday to plan out some menus ahead of time, but don't use their food values - they are way off the mark. Instead use the package labels and the USDA nutrition website. (do a google search on "USDA food data") If you want help planning out some meals, just say the word.

Your sedentary BMR is aproximately 1750-1800 calories per day. Add 30 minutes of moderate activity and that increases by 100 calories, to 1850-1900 calories. Add another 100 calories for each additional 30 minutes of moderate activity. If you are doing less than 30 minutes (say 15 or 20), don't adjust the BMR. These numbers represent your calorie requirements to maintain weight.

Jdimassimo, I think there's something missing from this calculation. :confused: All TDEE calculations factor in BMR and physcial activities, but you must also factor in lifestyle. BMR is just that; basal metabolic rate, what your body has to receive in order to fullfil it's daily metabolic requirements. Even someone bedridden uses some calories; a desk job infront of a computer 8 hours a day will use calories, as many as 600 based on size, sex and age.

A couple of popular calculations for figuring out TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) are the Harris-Benedict Formula, and Katch-McArdle Formula. The former is the easiest as you don't have to know your BF% but it will overestimate calories for the very overweight; the second is more accurate.

Harris-Benedict Formula
Women:
BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kg) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)
OR
BMR = 655 + (4.354 X weight in lbs) + (4.569 X height in inches) - (4.7 X age in years)

Men:
BMR = 66 + (13.7 X weight in kg) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)
OR
BMR = 66 + (6.213 X weight in lbs) + (12.69 X height in inches) - (6.8 X age in years)

From there you get your TDEE by multipling for activity:

Sedentary (desk job, with little or no exercise)
= BMR X 1.2
Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
= BMR X 1.375
Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
= BMR X 1.55
Very active (intensive exercise/sports 6-7 days/week)
= BMR X 1.725
Extremely active (intensive daily exercise/sports & physical job or twice per day training for marathon, races, fitness contests, etc.)
= BMR X 1.9

Using the formula above and factoring 'sedentary' as activity you get a TDEE of 2107 calories and a BMR of 1756 for Tallgirl (I used an age of 21)

Katch-McArdle Formula (with BMR based on lean body mass)

Because this formula takes into account lean body mass it is more accurate than the Harris- Benedict formula which is based on total body weight. By the way, the Harris-Benedict formula uses different formulas for men and women because men generally have a higher LBM and this is factored into the men's formula. Since the Katch-McArdle formula accounts for LBM, this single formula applies equally to both men and women.

BMR (men/women) = 370 + (21.6 X lean body mass in kg)
OR
BMR (men/women) = 370 + (9.8 X lean body mass in lbs)

From here you get your BMR and you again use the activity multiplier to get your TDEE (same as first formula).

I've seen a few posts about BMR and none of them seem to include the activity factor; which can make a big difference. It has been drilled into me for years that BRM is the cut off that you should not go below when cutting calories (unless your TDEE is very high, in which case never have a deficit of more than 1000 calories). I did not mean to step on anyone's toes!

Nat

P.S. I would agree with everything else Jdimassimo suggested, Tallgirl, it's a lot to take in but it does work.

wow this is way to confusing.. all i want to have is a number of calories too eat each day and then i will stay in that range... this 50 grams of all of this stuff is going to be a pain in the butt.. like i will have to calculate all of my grams of stuff that i eat and i wont even know how much of it is in what i have at school.. i think that it would be easier to just count calories... and if i dont know how much is in something than to guess...

ok well i weighed myself today and last thursday i weighes 205 and now i weigh 197 or 198... i have lost like 7 pounds in a week.. i havnt even been doing any exercise except pilates and my house chores and walking.. but my walking isnt anything special like i dont just go walk like people who exercise do.. my walking is just normal stuff that i have to do... so i dont understand why i have lost this much weight... it has to be water weight..,. i know it does because i dont look thinner i cant even tell.. the scale just says that i weigh 7 pounds less.... its all confusing to me...


i dont know what kind of things to eat

here is what i like:
bread
grapes (green)
salad w/chicken ( i use regular thousand island dressing though 120 cals for 2 tablespoons.. i use like 4) :(
apples
bannanas
watermelon
green beans
corn on the cob with lots of butter ( dont like canned corn
peaches and pears ( but they are canned thats all my mom buys i heard that they arent good for you if they are canned)
water
ham
turkey
miricle whip
tuna ( only with miricle whip)
vegitarian vegitable soup
chicken noodle soup
all kinds of chicken
hamburger
cheese
chips ( i know i know)

well that is basically everything that i have been eating for a week..
is all of these foods good for me? and can i make my meals from all of that? or is there something in there that i should not eat?

Jdimassimo, I think there's something missing from this calculation. :confused: All TDEE calculations factor in BMR and physcial activities, but you must also factor in lifestyle.. I never factor in the "very light" activities or the "lifestyle" activities because I have found that they lead to inaccurate and inappropriate calorie recommendations. I omit this intentionally!

There are so many variables that can be applied to a person's "burn rate" that these calculations are to be used only as a guide anyway. For example, a person's level of hydration effects how they burn calories, as does their health (liver function, hormonal balance, etc), but these are not ever factored in to BMR or TDEE calculations. This is why I always advise people to start with a number and then see how it goes. Usually, the BMR + activity factor is fairly accurate without having to add a lifestyle factor. Calorie levels typically need to be tweaked for individuals anyway - based on how effectively they are able to lose or maintain weight. The formulas are just a guide.

The bottom line is that 1600 calories is an appropriate calorie level for tallgirl start off with to lose weight. Its only 10% below the BMR + activity and will likely be effective. You could add the lifestyle factor and then reduce by 20% instead, but you will probably get fairly close to the same number. Also remember that as weight is lost, calorie intake must be reduced anyway.

I actually think it's more important in a weight loss plan to focus on learning how to eat properly than worrying about being precise with calories. The body is actually quite forgiving if you treat it right. There is a greater impact on weight loss when you omit toxins from food (chemical additives and preservatives) and increasing water consumption than from reducing calories.

i have lost like 7 pounds in a week.. i havnt even been doing any exercise except pilates and my house chores and walking.. but my walking isnt anything special like i dont just go walk like people who exercise do.. my walking is just normal stuff that i have to do... so i dont understand why i have lost this much weight... it has to be water weight..,. i know it does because i dont look thinner i cant even tell.. the scale just says that i weigh 7 pounds less.... its all confusing to me... Most of that would have been water; don't worry, it's pretty common when you start a fat loss program. Be sure you're drinking enough water,as was suggested. You need at least 2 litres a day (64 oz or 8 glasses)

here is what i like:
bread - OK, as long as it's 100% whole grain something.
grapes (green) - very high in sugar and on the glycemic index... if you want to eat these have them as early in the day as possible.
salad w/chicken ( i use regular thousand island dressing though 120 cals for 2 tablespoons.. i use like 4) :( Try using olive oil (extra virgin, cold pressed) w/ red wine vinegar instead; much better for you. You can use more vinegar to cut the oil and lessen the calories / fat
apples - good choice, especially if you're eating the skin
bannanas - again, good food, but high in sugar, a good breakfast food
watermelon - OK
green beans - excellent choice - any green veggie is an excellent food choice
corn on the cob with lots of butter ( dont like canned corn) - corn is OK, but think of it as a starch, like a bread, and not a veggie, and butter is better than margarine, but if you're trying to eat low fat 'lots' isn't good :)
peaches and pears ( but they are canned thats all my mom buys i heard that they arent good for you if they are canned) - They aren't good if they are packed in sugar, if they are not they're not as bad.
water - another excellent choice !
ham - is this cooked by you or a deli? It can be high in sodium if it's precooked. It can also be lean if you cook it yourself.
turkey - another good protein choice.
miricle whip - I prefer mayo to this stuff; it's way too sweet for me (sugar)
tuna ( only with miricle whip) - tuna is a good protein choice
vegitarian vegitable soup - OK, but watch out for sodium in prepared soups.
chicken noodle soup- same.
all kinds of chicken - good!
hamburger - again, if you're going low fat, you want extra lean or super lean sirloin (flank steak and sirloin steak are also comperable)
cheese - full fat cheeses are calorie dense and will add up, watch them. I like to use a little feta and parmesagn to add zip to omlettes and salads.
chips ( i know i know) - :nono: :rolleyes: :D

Tallgirl, have you ever heard of Fitday? it's a website where you can keep track of everything you eat and all the exercise you do - it's also a good place to learn to plan meals. You can go ahead days and work on a proposed menu, see what different foods look like. After a while you'll get to know that 1/2 cup of brown rice is 27 g of carbs or that 1 cup of strawberries is 11g of carbs, or 1 tbsp of olive oil is 12g of fat.

It is work, but it does work. And, big and here, you'll catch on quickly once you do some of the menus yourself. And keep in mind it's the total trend in your eating that matters most; if you're trying to make a change and you're successfully avoding processed, refined foods for the most part then you're going to see results. Progress, not perfection!

Nat

I never factor in the "very light" activities or the "lifestyle" activities because I have found that they lead to inaccurate and inappropriate calorie recommendations. I omit this intentionally! This no doubt works for you, because you're in tune with your body and know what's what. I have just spend so many years watching people, mainly young women, starve themselves into a damaged metabolism and pay for it later.

I agree that going 10% below Tallgirls BMR (in this instance) probably isn't cause of alarm bells as she's too young to have established a history of yo-yo dieting but for someone older, someone who has taugh their body that calorie restriction is the norm, it could make a big difference. From a personal standpoint I have watched people fail miserably while eating 1450 calories and lose a steady 1.5 lbs a week eating 1600. If I were to follow the same formula I'd be eating around 1600 calories a day, and that's just way to little for me as I am quite active; I don't lose well under 1900 calories.

If you could lose weight while eating more wouldnt you want to? Since eating raises metabolism and exercise raises metabolism it makes sense to eat as much as possible and workout as much as possible. One reinforces the other. You must see it as much as I do: the mentality that "If restricting calories this much works well then restricting them even further will work even better - oh and I'll do a little more exercise to give myself an added boost" Makes you wanna tear your hair out! It doesn't work that way!

No wonder we are obsessed with food and diet as a nation.

Nat

Nat, I agree with you completely here. The greatest mistake made by dieters is eating too few calories. Even tallgirl's initial instinct was to eat only 1200 calories without understanding the consequences of doing so.

Also, most dieters don't fully understand the negative impact of some of the common things they do. For example, drinking lots of diet sodapop, increasing use of artificial sweeteners, drinking lots of coffee, among other things, all contribute to a weakened metabolism and ultimately slow the burn rate.

Skipping meals and eating 1 or 2 large meals per day is another bad habit that I see often. I have even seen women that eat every other day. :eek: The fact is that bad eating habits like this actually increase hunger and cravings and lead to a variety of health problems.

The bottom line is that most dieters do not ever learn how to eat properly. They don't know what a balanced, healthful diet looks and feels like. They go on fad diets, lose lots of water weight and muscle mass quickly, then revert to their old ways and wonder why they can't keep it off. They weaken their metabolism in the process, which ultimately causes increased weight gain when the "diet" is stopped.

The single most important thing a dieter can do (actually anyone would benefit from this) is to go through the learning process of how to eat a healthy diet. Once this is learned, dieting becomes simple - really effortless, and weight loss can be permanent.

wow this is way to confusing.. all i want to have is a number of calories too eat each day and then i will stay in that range... this 50 grams of all of this stuff is going to be a pain in the butt.. like i will have to calculate all of my grams of stuff that i eat and i wont even know how much of it is in what i have at school.. i think that it would be easier to just count calories... and if i dont know how much is in something than to guess...
tallgirl, you can try just watching calories, but I suspect this will be just as difficult for you. When you are in school, how will you know how many calories are in a food any better than you would know the grams of carbs, protein, and fat?

Straight calorie counting really does not work effectively for the long-term. 1600 calories of highly processed, high sugar, and fatty foods will not be metabolized at the same rate as 1600 calories of healthy foods. Poor food choices and a diet high in unhealthy carbs, low in protein, and heavy on preservatives and chemical additives will lead to increased hunger and cravings as well.

The reason I recommend the gram counting method is because it will teach you to eat properly and lead you to making healthy choices in your meals. Just watching calories does not accomplish this. Take some time to build a few menus using the formulas I gave you. Do it on paper or in a spreadsheet or use fitday. Use the USDA website to calculate values of different foods you eat. Build 4 or 5 different meal options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This learning process will help you make decisions when you don't have the luxury of precise counting. It may take a while to learn this and to apply it, but once you know it, you can do it with your eyes closed.

Tallgirl, if you're really unable to count grams / calories you might try the palm / fist method of controling portion size. There are a few plans that use it, the one I am most familiar with is Body For Life, by Bill Phillips (having completed five 12 week challenges over the past few years).

Palm and fist measuring means that at every meal you have a serving of carbs and a serving of protein that are equal to your palm or your fist (palm for foods like meats, poultry, fish, etc., and fist for potatoes, rice, yams, etc.) It also involves eating at least 5x a day; this eating many frequent meals really does work - this is why you see it incorporated in so many plans. Of those 5 meals 2 must contain a serving of vegetables and you may use fruits with the other 3. There is a list of foods you can choose from and many of them are on your 'list of foods I like'.

There is, of course, a website for the program and a book.

Just a thought,
Nat

The bottom line is that most dieters do not ever learn how to eat properly. They don't know what a balanced, healthful diet looks and feels like. They go on fad diets, lose lots of water weight and muscle mass quickly, then revert to their old ways and wonder why they can't keep it off. They weaken their metabolism in the process, which ultimately causes increased weight gain when the "diet" is stopped. Yep, hence all those threads about diet pills and quick fixes... The plight of the yo-yo dieter. There is no quick fix; if getting healthy and being lean and strong were easy then everyone would be that way. It's hard work, but it can be done.

Cheers,
Nat

Yep, hence all those threads about diet pills and quick fixes... The plight of the yo-yo dieter. There is no quick fix; if getting healthy and being lean and strong were easy then everyone would be that way. It's hard work, but it can be done.

Cheers,
Nat

ditto i agree too