Thanks everyone - I am VERY proud of myself for doing this on my own!!
I'm finally sticking to counting calories (not over 1500 per day) and exercising 3 times a week - That's whats working!! I took a couple weeks "off" exercising during Christmas time, but I jumped back onboard on Saturday, and got an hour in on Saturday and another hour on Sunday! =) Even though I took a couple weeks off exercising during the holidays, I still managed to lose 1 lb. from watching what I ate!! I count everything that I put into my mouth.
Here's some tips I shared with my friends & family....
Amazingly - diet & exercise... it really DOES work... but you can't do one without the other... when you do them both faithly, you'll see results.
Start here:
Figure out how many calories you will need to eat a day to lose 2 lbs per week.
Then use that number.
When I started, mine was around 1500 calories. Unbelievably diet & exercise really is the key to losing weight. You must have BOTH for it to work correctly.
I was eating too many calories, even though I thought I was eating well, before.
I started watching & counting calories for EVERYTHING that I ate. Writing down the calories for everything I popped in my mouth. After 2 months, you get really good at guessestimating the calories... then you'll FREAK at how many calories are in some things after you realize how many you should only be eating. I think my biggest shocker was when I realized I should only be eating approx. 1500 calories per day, and I found out that my fave dessert at Applebee's (Sizzling Apple Pie) was 1100 calories ALL BY ITSELF!! I'd eat that AFTER a dinner, which was also prob. 1000+ calories. So I was eating almost 2 days worth of calories in ONE SITTING!! Bad bad bad!!
So I used my daily calorie intake and broke it down into reasonable meals.
You should be eating SOMETHING (healthly) every 2 to 3 hrs.
Breakfast by 8am - not more than 350 cal.
Snack around 10am - approx. 80-100 cal.
Lunch around 12pm - not more than 350 cal.
Snack around 3pm - approx. 80-100 cal.
Dinner by 6pm(ish) - Use the remainder of your calories... in this case, under 600.
Dinner is usually the hardest... and not snacking in between on just junk.
Look for breakfast cereals - you can have 2 servings and stay under 350. or 2 pieces of dry toast or a little jelly (no butter) with 2-3 egg whites is approx. 250 cal. A full egg is approx. 70 calories. Just the egg white is approx. 19 cal. the yolk itself is 51 calories!! Even if you use 1 full egg & 2 egg whites, you are still cutting out 100 calories. Or do what I like to do... instead of plain toast, I buy cinnamon raisin bread. The slices are approx. the same calories as regular bread, and I don't need to add butter or jelly to it, because the cinnamon & raisins make it tasty by itself!! Adding a slice of cheese to your sandwich can add 50-80 calories. Omit the cheese if you really don't need it. You can use as much mustard as you want for dry sandwiches & hot dogs.... mustard is basically nothing... and adds a nice flavor.
There are MANY 100 cal. & under snacks....
Omit all sodas.... even diet. Drink as much water as possible. The first 2 wks are the most difficult, while your body is getting used to all the changes and your stomach is working to get smaller. We're so used to stuffing it, it expects us to keep filling it!
Be strict with the calorie counting at first, then it'll get easier as time goes on.
Write down everything you eat so you don't forget anything.
But you have to include exercise at least 3x per week. and change it up so it doesn't get boring. You aren't going to want to do it if it's boring!! I would walk a mile+ one day, swim one day (for 45 min), then use a treadmill & exercise bike at a friends another day. MUST MUST MUST include the exercise. Make it work for you!! Schedule the exercise like you would an appointment, so you commit to it and can schedule around it.
If you have access to a pool, make it work for you. LOTS of water resistance... then go for long BRISK walks.
At first you'll lose 2 lbs a week, then it'll taper off. Still keep following the "lose 2 lbs a week" routine, because eventually it'll only be 1 lb a week, but it's STILL something!! Even 4 lbs a month is GREAT.... it's still DOWN!! =) Every month, go back to the website above and enter your new weight, because your daily calorie intake will go down as you lose weight. I think mine used to be a little over 1500 a day at first, but now it's around 1300 a week, which is harder, but I still try when I can. BUT still enjoy food at parties, etc.... it's all about moderation.... one small piece of cake instead of 2 pieces... satisfy your tastebuds, but don't overdue it. You can't deny yourself. Just limit yourself. I still eat pretty much what I want.... I'll still get the burger, but instead of fries, I'll order a salad with dressing on the side... and sometimes I don't even use 1/2 of the dressing they give me.
Omit as much butter, mayo & dressings as possible... use salsa & lime or lemon juice for flavors... they are "free".
Learning how many calories every item of food is, and realizing you should only be taking in 1500 a day (to lose weight), makes you realize how BAD some items are. 1500 calories a day is PLENTY. Take a multi-vitamin too, if you don't already.
I can't EVEN begin to tell you how GREAT I feel about my weight loss. I feel so much more confident, happier, etc..... It's a HUGE HUGE thing and I'm so proud of myself, because I've always quit before. You have to WANT it... then do it & stick to it. Make it a lifestyle change, not a diet. Every 3-4 months I relax for a week... usually don't lose anything or actually gain a pound, then get right back on it.... Every time you falter, just right back on. but you have to do both (watch what you eat & exercise) to succeed... you can do it!!
Hope this helps!
Counting calories is the MAIN thing, if you don't do anything else.... open your eyes to the amoun of calories you SHOULD be eating (approx. 1500 per day) versus the amount of calories in items.
