Weight loss support thread!

[~Xandria]

Alright. So I've been overweight pretty much my entire life. Partially from genetics and also from my mother never putting any emphasis on healthing eating or exercise. I've always been self consious and have alway wanted to lose weight. I've also been clinically depressed since I was 13, which is when I started packing on the pounds. Not because I was eating so much, but because of my lack of drive to do anything. There are also a few studies that state stress = weight gain. I have a huge host of anxiety disorders that are probably contributing factors.

 

Anywho. I was recently put on a new anti-depressant which is helping me out tons! It took awhile to kick in, but now that it has I feel better about life and less anxious day by day. Which is definitley a good thing. At my largest, I weighed 165lbs and I'm 5'1. When I went to the doctor last, I found out I've actually lost 5lbs in two weeks! So now I weigh 160. This is really great news for me because usually I absolutley dread going to the doctor and having to look at the number on the scale.

 

So this has been enough motivation for me to lose all those unwanted pounds, feel better about myself, get in shape, and be healthy! I'm cutting out fast food and soda completely. I'm allowing myself one cheat day, so as not to be deprived. I'm not going to call this a "diet" because I'm done with that. For me, this is going to be a complete lifestyle change. I want to be more active and I want to not only feel good about myself, but be healthy on the inside.

 

So I started this thread in case anyone else would like to embark on this journey with me. You don't have to make any drastic changes at first. In fact, it's better to start small. In my case, I started off by drinking 8 bottles of water a day. Which isn't difficult for me, because I quite like water. I added in some welches 100% white grape juice which I now drink with breakfast every morning. It has some great health benefits (including weight loss!) I'm also walking at least 30mins everyday. Some days I'll power walk and somedays I'll just stroll, but either way... it's something.

 

So, would you like to lose weight, have more energy and feel better about yourself? If so, please share your stories about your weight loss struggles and I'll be here to support you in anyway I can. :) If you've lost weight in the past, don't hesistate to share your motivational stories.

 

If you'd like you can also share something like this: (if you're comfortable of course!)

 

Current weight: 160

Height: 5'1

Goal weight: 125

What lifestyle changes will you make to lose the weight: Drink 8 glasses of water a day, exercise at least 3x's a week, make better eating choices and use low fat subsitutes when possible, completely stop drinking soda, never starve or deprive myself, eat only when hungry, use portion control, read motivational success stories, eat smaller healthy snacks more frequently.

[Naamah D.]

I'm going to lose 10 pounds. I hate it when people say "I'm going to try to lose weight". You either do it or you don't. Another one of my peeves is the everything in moderation theory. I tried everything in moderation and now I weigh 220 when I should weigh 210.

 

I used to weigh 235 and was unhealthy. My mom and I talked and my mom said I did not look healthy at the 235 weight. Keep in mind, I'm also 5'2. I can get away with 210 because of my large bone structure.

 

One time we had a potluck and school and picked very small portions of the thing at the potluck. A staff member had at least a plateful of meatballs and looked at my plate and said "It's so hard to believe body image was never a problem for you." That's how I ate when I weighed 235, cookies and sweets and just about anything in massive amounts.

Lately I've gotten used to eating whatever I want at any time I want. Now my mom and I are putting myself on a very strict and rigid diet. 10 pounds isn't too much to lose anyway.

 

Not to mention, one of my dream jobs is modelling so I have no choice but to stay a size 18/20 or under. I know there are plus size models larger than a size 18/20, but they aren't me.

 

I go on the treadmill for 40 minutes and 5 seconds. I told that to another staff member at school and she said in a very serious voice that was "a lot". Yeah, not a lot to her that is. She also said that "we" need to find a way for me to eat "happily". When you're a model, there is really no such thing as eating "happily" in my opinion. I also have lots of lovely clothes that I don't can't get too big for. I spend a lot of money on clothes and appearances.

 

Everyone at school thinks I don't eat a lot. I almost got diagnost as anorexic. While I don't need to be anorexic, I need to be careful and cautious. I wish other people felt the same way about weight and appearances as I did.

 

Sorry for the huge rant. I just am really sick and tired of people at school bugging me. I can't afford that little treat or special allowance in my calorie budget. I love clothes and am very passionate about clothing and looks.

[BEE.]

I've been losing weight since late August '12, where I weighed 175lbs. I've been ill for a number of years and was bed-bound for almost 3 years, which caused me to gain weight. And now I am able to get around more I've decided that it's time for me to get back down to a healthy weight, especially as for my height, the weight I'm at really isn't good for my health. So far I'm losing about 3kg (about 6lbs. 2lbs a week) every month, and weigh myself every time I see my dietitian.

 

Height: 5'2

Current weight: 154lbs

Goal Weight: 132-134lbs

Lifestyle Changes: I'm drinking more water than I usually do. (I'm a water lover too, but noticed I only drink 1-2 glasses a day as I take my time /:) I've cut down on sugar and only use sweetener. I've allowed myself to have 1 bar of chocolate a week on a Friday. I have a smaller plate at mealtimes, and I make sure I spend at least 30 mins on the Wii every night, and other exercise during the day. I've increased my intake of fruit and veg, and even though I hate eating cereal, I'm having it for breakfast every morning. I've grown to like Special K. (Without milk as I HATE soggy cereal!)

 

I'd like to get down to a UK size 10-12 in clothes

 

I'm a member of myfitnesspal.com which has some really inspirational success stories!

[SidtheSnail]

Well, I've been big my whole life, my dad's been in the military 20+ years and even with that he struggles to maintain a weight. Genetics are not on my side.

 

I'm 5 foot 11 inches

my highest weight is 310 lbs

Current weight: 283 lbs

 

I don't really have a goal, and really my weight doesn't bother me, Some of the healthiest guys I know are big guys. I would just like to be healthier. I thik the path to achieving that is more cardio.

 

So my goal is to improve my cardio and run 4x a week for 1-2 hours.

[passiflora]

I'm 5'6" and usually fluctuate between 125-135 lbs, so I'm just sticking to maintenance. My only real goal is to exercise more.

 

I'm a giant health nut and I'm definitely here to support anyone with their weight loss goals. ^_^

 

 

I'm going to lose 10 pounds. I hate it when people say "I'm going to try to lose weight". You either do it or you don't. Another one of my peeves is the everything in moderation theory. I tried everything in moderation and now I weigh 220 when I should weigh 210.

 

She also said that "we" need to find a way for me to eat "happily". When you're a model, there is really no such thing as eating "happily" in my opinion. I also have lots of lovely clothes that I don't can't get too big for. I spend a lot of money on clothes and appearances.

 

I can't afford that little treat or special allowance in my calorie budget.

"Everything in moderation" is simply a way to avoid all-or-nothing thinking and other negative cognitions. It means to exercise portion control, never focus too much on one food/food group, and not worry about a treat once in a while. When people are unhappy with what they eat, that's discouraging - it's much easier to make a lasting change if you enjoy what you're doing. I'm sure there are tons of models who enjoy what they eat.

 

 

What lifestyle changes will you make to lose the weight: Drink 8 glasses of water a day, exercise at least 3x's a week, make better eating choices and use low fat subsitutes when possible, completely stop drinking soda, never starve or deprive myself, eat only when hungry, use portion control, read motivational success stories, eat smaller healthy snacks more frequently.

Just a heads up on the low fat - a lot of "low fat" products simply replace the fat with sugar to compensate for the loss of texture & flavour. For example, "light" peanut butter actually has about the same amount of calories as regular peanut butter, but you miss out on all the healthy monounsaturated fat. This isn't always the case, but you can always compare nutrition facts labels to be sure. :)

[~Xandria]

Naamah: A huge pet peeve of mine is everything in moderation too. I mean, sure some people can pull it off. However it definitley doesn't work for everyone. For instance, if you are a binge eater. I cannot have chips around my house or they will all be gone in one night. I do allow myself one small bag of chips a week on my cheat day though. So I don't think that's too terribly bad. If it's in the house though, you are bound to eat it. Out of sight, out of mind. I think your friend is right though, and that it is possible to eat happily and still be a model. I mean, the model industry is brutal, don't get me wrong. However, in the long term, there is a way to trick your brain into liking these healthy foods. Fruits, veggies, lean meats, etc. Cooking light magazine is one of my favorites because they have great recipes ideas that don't skimp on taste but are still very healthy for you. :)

 

BEE: I'm also a member of my fitnesspal.com. It's a great website! It seems like things are moving along quite smoothly for you. You don't have too much weight to lose, so I know you can pull it off! I also hate cereal. With a passion. Sometimes I force myself to eat it, but most of the I end up having one egg on whole wheat toast, two turkey sausage links, and a fruit smoothie. I eat around 400-500 calories for breakfast for extra energy and I'm also finding since then I am not all that hungry at night. So I don't gorge myself and I'm able to keep my diet below 1,200 calories per day that way. :)

 

Sid: That's a great goal! I'd love to improve my cardio as well. Right now, I can barely run for five minutes without getting out of breath, which is sad. I'd like to be able to run more. Right now I'm just walking and power walking with short bursts of jogging in between. Hopefully soon I'll be able to incorporate running into my routine.

 

& Thank you passiflora. I'm not exactly a health nut, but I've been on many failed diets before so I've read TONS about weight loss. I always read nutrition labels which annoys my bf because we tend to be in the store for over an hour. :P Sounds like you are at the perfect weight for your height! So congratulations. :)

[Duskitty]

I know I am not in any way overweight but I'd like to share these tips :D

Celery is a "negative calorie" food: The amount of energy/calories it takes to digest and eat the celery is more than the amount of energy/calories you will get from the celery, if that makes sense.

And carrot tops (the green leafy part) are a good alternate source of sodium! If you use them in soup stock the sodium will be drained out into the soup.

[Rebecca~]

I'm sending all my good wishes to you all. :3

I'm not really interested in losing weight, or having a goal weight. A couple of years ago I went on a bit of a health kick with a bunch of people at my work. I went from 160 pounds to 135 pounds over the course of a year - a huge change for someone that is 5'5 and with quite a large bone structure. I started to get concerned with how much I cared about the number on the scale, which is something I wanted to avoid. So I stopped looking at a scale at that point, and I don't want to get started again.

I do want to be a bit fitter though. I want to start doing yoga again. I used to exercise every day, and yoga was my go to thing. I love it- I feel relaxed, and strong when I do it. I no longer have room to do it in my house. So I want to either find a way of doing it- maybe rearranging my living room on my days off, or actually going into a studio, or I want to find something else I can do. Maybe running, maybe just studying the poses and routines and doing them in other places. There is a park just a few blocks from my home that only ever has a couple of people with dogs in it during the morning.

 

I have retained a lot of the strength I built up while on my health kick, thanks to my job. But I lost all the cardio stamina I had, and I miss it. :/

[Wildbreeze]

I don't have time to read everyone's posts tonight, but this is exactly what I've started to do~ Personally, I just wanted to make some big changes in my life this year, regarding school, health, everything. (I really feel like cutting my hair so short was sort of symbolic of a change. :D ) I was inspired by the Shaytards on Youtube and all that they've done to be healthy...

So from now on, I'm doing 20 situps a night (I'll gradually increase that. Right now I'm not used to it at all, and I'm really sore.) along with stretches and stuff. I'm going to try to exercise more, even if I just stay in my house and use our exercise bike or something. I did that yesterday and felt so good for the rest of the day. I think I forget how good exercise makes me feel. ^_^

And sugar is something that is only allowed on weekends, unless it's a holiday. I'm going to control snacks and stuff (because I'm home all day, I tend to snack a lot), and eat more fruits and veggies instead.

[gunder401]

Good luck everyone :) I've gained about 20 lbs while being in college. I just started running again, to get back in shape. I'm also seeing if I can go a month with no alcohol, no fast food, no red meat. So far it's been really good--I've been running 3-4 times a week and learning new recipes! Two weeks to go. I've been keeping a regular sleep schedule, which also seems to have helped.

 

It's good to hear everyone's different methods for getting healthy.

 

Edit: I forgot, I cheated and had a beer yesterday :/ but I second the "myfitnesspal" recommendation. I love their phone app--helps me keep track of how much I've been eating. It's not even the calorie counting, but the monitoring that helps me. I also like "5K runner," which gives daily running workouts (they start out really slow, so they're fun and motivating to do) and "Map My Run" which is a GPS workout tracker (running, walking, biking, etc).

[~Xandria]

Rebecca: That's understandable hun. When I was doing all these fad diets I would check the scale daily and feel like an utter failure if I hadn't lost weight after all my hard work. This time I'm doing things differently though. I go to the doctor once a month now and I only ever check my weight there. I think it's better to do it that way because if you've been working hard you will see a bigger loss over a months time vs. 12 hours. :P I'm not focusing on the number as much as I am how I feel and look. I'd like to be able to wear a bathing suit and not feel self consious. (something I've never been able to do) You said you liked yoga though, I am a huge fan as well. It's my absolute favorite type of exercise aside from yogilates. If you haven't heard of it, I definitley reccommend checking it out. It's a mixture between pilates and yoga and it's great whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or need more of a challenge. They have videos to meet your fitness needs. Here is one in particular that I HIGHLY reccommend - http://www.amazon.com/Crunch-Super-SlimDown-Pilates-Blend/dp/B000CEXF8I

I've been doing this work out tape daily for the past couple of weeks and it is absolutley amazing. I feel so wonderful and relaxed afterwards. It has a five star review on Amazon as well, so if you are able to make some space in your living room you should definitley consider buying it. :)

 

Wildbreeze: Wow, way to go! Sounds like you've made some really positive changes so far. Keep up the good work! Situps are hard for me, so right now I'm having to stick to crunches, lol. I'm so jealous you have an exercise bike though! If I had the money I'd totally get one. I'm a really reserved person so I hate working out in public. ;) I should try and save up enough to get one, but exercise equipment does get pretty pricey. You're so right though. Before a work-out I am absolutley dreading it, but afterwards I'm just like "Ah, I'm so glad I did that". Right now I'm trying to train my brain into excepting that exercise is going to be a daily thing from now on. I'm still having to push myself to do it, but hopefully at some point it will just come naturally. I'm trying to remind myself that it's just another obligation. Like school, work, etc... it's also important that my body gets what it needs. Congrats on your new lifestyle changes! :thumbsup:

 

Gunder: You're doing tons better than me! lol. I can't run for very long without getting tired, but I am working on it at least. Right now jogging is all I can handle. It's been awhile since I've worked out. These past two weeks are the sorest I've felt in awhile, but that means it's working at least. I'm just happy I'm not so bedridden anymore. Being depressed didn't help out my cause. I packed on about 20lbs last year alone. :/ I've never been much of an alcohol drinker, but since you are, have you considered switching to red wine? Not sure if you are fond of the taste, but I personally like red wine every now and then. Plus, it's not bad for you! Just an alternative, if you're interested. I'm also trying to limit my red meat but that seems to be one of the hardest things for me to do. I need to limit my meat in general. These past two weeks I've been doing good though. I've been eating a lot of chicken for protein and I'd love to incorporate some more fish in my diet, but I don't have much experience cooking fish. :/ Where do you find your recipes, if you don't mind me asking? It's always good to keep things interesting with fun recipes so you don't get bored.

[karmacow]

I'd like to lose some weight and become more fit, I'm just not at all motivated to do what I need to do to accomplish this. I am trying to eat more healthily, but I can't give up the bad stuff.

I've read that artichoke is great to eat for losing weight. Which is why I went and got some canned artichoke hearts. But they were gross, so I'm not eating those :nerd:

[Zorse]

I'm losing weight too. Strayed a bit but I'm starting it back up tomorrow. I lost 12lbs in the first week! I'm not obese or anything but I got... erm... fluffy :P over the holidays. I lose weight very fast but I also gain it very fast so I really have to watch what I eat. I'm aiming for 100lbs which I haven't been in a few years. This year I'm really working on making myself pretty again... I let myself go. :/ I got a riding horse for my birthday so I'm back to riding which will get me back into shape fast. I have a lot of muscle tone to build back up and I'm in really bad shape cardio wise.

[karmacow]

I'd also label myself "fluffy" :D I've bought a girdle. Maybe if I wear it when I eat, I won't eat so much :p

[Rebecca~]

I'd like to lose some weight and become more fit, I'm just not at all motivated to do what I need to do to accomplish this. I am trying to eat more healthily, but I can't give up the bad stuff.

I've read that artichoke is great to eat for losing weight. Which is why I went and got some canned artichoke hearts. But they were gross, so I'm not eating those :nerd:

 

I don't know about canned ones, but I really enjoyed artichoke hearts in jars- I feel like there is a slightly different taste when things are canned vs jarred. They're awesome in a sandwich with basil, spinach, and cheese. ;3

Rebecca: That's understandable hun. When I was doing all these fad diets I would check the scale daily and feel like an utter failure if I hadn't lost weight after all my hard work. This time I'm doing things differently though. I go to the doctor once a month now and I only ever check my weight there. I think it's better to do it that way because if you've been working hard you will see a bigger loss over a months time vs. 12 hours. :P I'm not focusing on the number as much as I am how I feel and look. I'd like to be able to wear a bathing suit and not feel self consious. (something I've never been able to do) You said you liked yoga though, I am a huge fan as well. It's my absolute favorite type of exercise aside from yogilates. If you haven't heard of it, I definitley reccommend checking it out. It's a mixture between pilates and yoga and it's great whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or need more of a challenge. They have videos to meet your fitness needs. Here is one in particular that I HIGHLY reccommend - http://www.amazon.com/Crunch-Super-SlimDown-Pilates-Blend/dp/B000CEXF8I

I've been doing this work out tape daily for the past couple of weeks and it is absolutley amazing. I feel so wonderful and relaxed afterwards. It has a five star review on Amazon as well, so if you are able to make some space in your living room you should definitley consider buying it. :)

 

Wildbreeze: Wow, way to go! Sounds like you've made some really positive changes so far. Keep up the good work! Situps are hard for me, so right now I'm having to stick to crunches, lol. I'm so jealous you have an exercise bike though! If I had the money I'd totally get one. I'm a really reserved person so I hate working out in public. ;) I should try and save up enough to get one, but exercise equipment does get pretty pricey. You're so right though. Before a work-out I am absolutley dreading it, but afterwards I'm just like "Ah, I'm so glad I did that". Right now I'm trying to train my brain into excepting that exercise is going to be a daily thing from now on. I'm still having to push myself to do it, but hopefully at some point it will just come naturally. I'm trying to remind myself that it's just another obligation. Like school, work, etc... it's also important that my body gets what it needs. Congrats on your new lifestyle changes! :thumbsup:

 

Gunder: You're doing tons better than me! lol. I can't run for very long without getting tired, but I am working on it at least. Right now jogging is all I can handle. It's been awhile since I've worked out. These past two weeks are the sorest I've felt in awhile, but that means it's working at least. I'm just happy I'm not so bedridden anymore. Being depressed didn't help out my cause. I packed on about 20lbs last year alone. :/ I've never been much of an alcohol drinker, but since you are, have you considered switching to red wine? Not sure if you are fond of the taste, but I personally like red wine every now and then. Plus, it's not bad for you! Just an alternative, if you're interested. I'm also trying to limit my red meat but that seems to be one of the hardest things for me to do. I need to limit my meat in general. These past two weeks I've been doing good though. I've been eating a lot of chicken for protein and I'd love to incorporate some more fish in my diet, but I don't have much experience cooking fish. :/ Where do you find your recipes, if you don't mind me asking? It's always good to keep things interesting with fun recipes so you don't get bored.

Hahha, yeah, checking the scale daily is so not a good idea. And thanks for the rec! I have a bunch of videos at home, but if I'm able to make some room, I'll probably get that one as well. :D

[hanalways]

I am 5'6 and probably just shy of 190 pounds. I don't own a scale, and I really don't care about a goal "weight", just as long as I get healthy again and can run without feeling like I'm going to die afterward. Recently I have been in a serious health kick and have nixed most all carbs from my diet because they are the source of my comfort food eating. No pastas and no rice, little breads (and the breads I do eat have to contain fiber). My splurge is fruit, but I've been keeping it in moderation. A lot more veggies. Celery is a godsend, and so is carrots because they are so sweet and filling.

 

My newest addition to my health kick is Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred (which I bought on ebay for 8 bucks). It's 3 levels of 20 minute workouts that you get to progress through at your own pace. I started five days ago with a nightly routine of 20 minutes after I get home from work at 7PM. Now, on day five, I'm bumping up two one in the morning and one at night. I feel really sore through my quads, calves, and armpits, but I'm already beginning to feel the difference. I just have to stick with it - which is the hardest.

 

I work in a kitchen, so it's REALLY tempting for me to eat whatever I want (which is how I went from being around 140lbs to 210. After a few months of just watching what I eat, I realize that I need to start working out as well.

 

Motivation is the hardest part of it. I'm a complete computer junkie, and I am constantly having things to do and fires to put out in my day so when I have the opportunity to work out I just want to slump on the couch and chill out with the laptop. But I remind myself that 20min a day is NOTHING. It's no time at all - and in an hour, body temp will be back to normal and the sweating will subside. The biggest thing is making it a habit, knowing that you don't have a choice but to work out. It's not an option, just push through it. :)

[Wildbreeze]

Wildbreeze: Wow, way to go! Sounds like you've made some really positive changes so far. Keep up the good work! Situps are hard for me, so right now I'm having to stick to crunches, lol. I'm so jealous you have an exercise bike though! If I had the money I'd totally get one. I'm a really reserved person so I hate working out in public. ;) I should try and save up enough to get one, but exercise equipment does get pretty pricey. You're so right though. Before a work-out I am absolutley dreading it, but afterwards I'm just like "Ah, I'm so glad I did that". Right now I'm trying to train my brain into excepting that exercise is going to be a daily thing from now on. I'm still having to push myself to do it, but hopefully at some point it will just come naturally. I'm trying to remind myself that it's just another obligation. Like school, work, etc... it's also important that my body gets what it needs. Congrats on your new lifestyle changes! :thumbsup:

Thanks! I'm glad you made this thread, we can all support each other in whatever goals we have. ^_^

Exercise equipment can get really expensive... But this bike is ages old. It was actually my brother's first step to losing 100+ pounds. He used it so much that the seat broke off!

I had to convince myself to do the situps last night, because it hurts after a while and I didn't think I could do it. But it feels good to know that I'm sticking to what I said I was going to do, and the soreness is just a step towards strength. :)

 

Like some others on here, I don't really care at this point what my weight is. In the past, that's just made me feel guilty that I don't do anything and hasn't motivated me. Now I've actually spurred myself into action, and my goal is to get fit, not necessarily to get to a goal weight.

(But, I'll admit, it is really hard to watch my mom eating sweets when I said I won't on weekdays.)

[passiflora]

I know I am not in any way overweight but I'd like to share these tips :D

Celery is a "negative calorie" food: The amount of energy/calories it takes to digest and eat the celery is more than the amount of energy/calories you will get from the celery, if that makes sense.

And carrot tops (the green leafy part) are a good alternate source of sodium! If you use them in soup stock the sodium will be drained out into the soup.

I'm not 100% sure if the celery thing is true (I've heard some people say it's a myth), but even if it was it likely only makes a couple calories difference, which might equate to only a pound or two a year.

 

Also note sure that most people want to be increasing their sodium - perhaps you mean potassium? :)

 

 

 

I do want to be a bit fitter though. I want to start doing yoga again. I used to exercise every day, and yoga was my go to thing. I love it- I feel relaxed, and strong when I do it. I no longer have room to do it in my house. So I want to either find a way of doing it- maybe rearranging my living room on my days off, or actually going into a studio, or I want to find something else I can do.

 

I loooove yoga, and I hope you're able to figure out a way to do it! Studios are kind of fun if you have the money to join one, and it adds some variety. I used to think yoga was for sissies, especially when it was first becoming popular, but the first time I tried it I fell in love. It's the only type of exercise where I can truly clear my mind; if I run it's nice but I think a lot during it and don't end up any more relaxed. :laughingsmiley:

[BEE.]

I'm rather happy right now! I tried on a pair of shorts I own, (which were tight around my thighs a bit and whenever I sat down, the top where the button is would press against my stomach)aren't as tight as they were last year! I'm able to sit and be comfortable in them :)

 

I had a strange dream a few nights ago where a pair of jeans I own were really loose. I tried them on today and they were (okay, well not "really" loose yet) loose!

I can tell that I haven't lost any inches on my thighs yet but its nice to know I've lost a little something there.

[Zephyr]

I'm mentally cheering everyone as I'm going through this thread :)

 

I'm 5'5 and I was going on 170+ lbs. My alarm bells went off when I couldn't fit into most of my clothes anymore.

I had a problem over-eating. Like after I had a steak, I'd still be nibbling on the sides & then I'd just go what the heck, I'd go for a seafood platter & kept going. I decided to change my eating habits like watching my meal portions, stay away from deep fried foods etc and adjusted my lifestyle. I exercised for at least 30 min daily since though sometimes I allow myself to slack off for a day in a week lol

 

That was 7 years ago. I've kept the exercising habit though I cut myself more slack in my diet. So long as I can still fit into my clothes, I'm happy :)

 

Good luck everyone :) I've been keeping a regular sleep schedule, which also seems to have helped.

^ I can't agree with that more. This article explains in detail the link between sleep & weight loss: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/lose-weight-while-sleeping

 

For myself, I've been getting 1-2 hours of sleep this past 1 1/2 mth & I'm constantly hungry and craving food. I see it in my co-workers too: They're always snacking in the office after pulling all-nighters.

[gunder401]

Xandria: I'm sure you're doing great! I don't get my recipes anywhere in particular. Usually just the internet. I like red wine--I'm not a big drinker generally but alcohol's really heavy in calories. And as far as running, I'm using my phone and an app called "5K runner." It has intervals of running and walking, so it gradually builds up. It's really helping me keep motivated. Or you could just time yourself--1 min. running, 1 min. walking, etc. I'm sure they have schedules online somewhere

[Wildbreeze]

I love that I can feel myself getting stronger. Every night, it gets a bit easier to do situps, etc. and I feel more confident in what I'm doing.

[complicatedwishes]

I wish I was as strong as you guys are at losing weight, I've gone from a UK size 8 to a UK size 10/12 in 3 years. I'm panicking because I know I need to get my act together. It's just so hard trying to buy healthier food when I go shopping as a student budget like mine is very tight. I've also tried planning out my meals before, but it will get to a certain day and whatever I'm supposed to be eating that day I just don't fancy :/. I was good and determined at losing weight in my first year of University as I was able to afford gym membership, but at the moment I can't. I have a job where I walk a lot but it doesn't seem to help me much lol.

[~Xandria]

Lately I've been using sparkrecipes for inspiration. Today I think I will be trying their salsa chicken recipe, which I'll probably bake in the oven. It's so simple! Just grab some chicken, put taco seasoning all over em, put them in a glass pan, pour lots of salsa on top and bake at 350. Add some cheese at the very end and voila! I also will add some lime and cilantro, and you can also add avocado. I'll probably have some rice and veggies as a side.

 

I've started to always always plan out my meals before I go to the store. I'm on a tight budget so planning is key. I plan for dinners mostly, then just pick up some easy breakfest essentials like eggs, cerials, oatmeal, etc. I'm a coupon junkie too, so that helps out! :)

 

Oh, and another cool trick I learned. Instead of buying the expensive lean meat, just go ahead and buy your regular ground beef and after cooking it pour water all over it in a strainer. Then put it back in the pan and season it to your liking. It takes out a lot of the fat content without you having to spend more!

 

edit: complicatedwishes - I know you said you're walking a lot, but it's not helping. Have you considered doing short bursts of exercise through-out the day (before or after work that is) that's what I do. For instance, if I'm microwaving something I'll do some squats, or during commericals when watching TV I will get up and do some jumping jacks or whatever. Before bed I've started doing crunches, etc. I also park as far away from the grocery store as possible in the parking lot, just to get in some extra walking. Every little bit will help! You'd also be surprised how many chores, etc that you can easily turn into a mini-workout. :)