danakscully64

Hi there. For many years, I was unhappy with my weight (5'2-5'4 and 128 pounds) and it wasn't until November 5th 2004 that I did something about it. The way i got some weight off was becoming a vegetarian. Of course, this isn't a good way for everyone, but it worked for me. I didn't do it for diet reasons, I did it because I love animals and I couldn't stomach meat. It wasn't until then when I realized how bad my diet was. I honestly couldn't understand why I was a little overweight, but looking back on my diet, I ate horribly! I used to eat things like ribs and fries with extra BBQ sauce, chicken finger salads (with bacon, cheese, and dressing), and other high calorie foods. I used to consume a lot of soda as well. Now, I like to eat healthier foods (makes me feel much better), drink tons of water and green tea, and exercise. I agree with chevyman about cutting back on portions. If you actually pay attention to your stomach, you'll realize that you're probably eating more than you need. Eat until you're content, not full. I made so many mistake when I was "dieting" as a teen. I wish someone would have just told me what I was doing wrong. I did it the wrong way for years. There are 2 exercise programs I recommend - Winsor Pilates and Carmen Electra's Striptease workout. Both really do work and they're fun!!! I have fibromyalgia and going vegetarian and exercising really helped. Here are some tips I typed up after losing 15 pounds:

-If you’re hungry, snack on the 100 calorie bags of popcorn. They're pretty big bags and are relatively good for you.

-Don’t go hours without eating. Eat small portions and never go hungry.

-It’s false that to lose weight, you have to cut your calories extremely low and basically starve. If you do this, you’ll feel bad and lose your motivation to continue, but also you’re more likely to binge later.

-Drink green tea! It's very good for you.

-Stay away from fruit juices, it’s better to just eat the fruit. Small amounts of light juice is okay once and a while (Ex: Ocean Spray Light Cran Grape… Yummm. It only has about 45 calories per cup)

-Fruits and veggies are cheaper than junk food. Save money and eat healthy!

-Salads, especially at restaurants, have tons of calories. Adding dressing makes it even worse. You can get less calories from a burger and fries then from a salad! If you are going to order a salad, don't get large amounts of cheese or bacon on it. Plus, stick to low calorie/fat dressings like Light Done Right Italian. With burgers, don't get mayo and limit cheese. Turkey is also a lot healthier than beef.

-I know that so many people suggest fruits and veggies as a snack but that doesn’t always sound good. If you don’t want that, just watch the calories (and fat content) and portion. Try to get fruits and veggies into your diet somehow though.

-Watch the calories you're drinking. For example, a grande mocha frappucino at Starbucks with whipped cream has 420 calories, about how many calories you should consume in a meal. If you love blended drinks (this includes smoothies), get the smallest one offered, don't get whipped cream, get non-fat milk (in coffee drinks), and cut back on your calories for the rest of the day.

And last,

-Limit portions of snacks. Eat a little bit and then do something else. If you are still not satisfied after about 15-30 minutes, go back for a little more. Don't just eat a large portion, assuming you need that much.

Good Luck!
~Heather