Nicole's Diary: Let's give this a serious shot.

[nicolepsu2006]

I am one of those people that has always carried an extra 20-30 pounds... and someone reminded me of it almost every day. This can be difficult when you are younger, especially as an athlete. I spent years "trying to lose weight" or just plain crying over it. The funny thing is that I was never really thought my size was a problem. I actually liked my curves and I never understood why other people cared enough to tell me that I wasn't acceptable. You can only ignore the insults so long before you start believing them. I started working out like crazy and started shying away from people. My weight didn't really change though. I was already very muscular and the fact that I wasn't getting smaller upset me even more.

Thankfully, around 19 years old (after the awkward teenage years were over), I finally decided to have some choice words with the people who kept telling me I was too fat. For the most part, those people are either not a part of my life anymore or I finally got them to shut up. Yay!

I was the same size for the rest of college and totally content with that. I still worked out and stayed active, but I wasn't trying to lose anything.

... Then law school hit... I am almost finished with 3 years of sitting in a library with my nose in a book. It is amazing the toll that can take on your butt... and thighs... and hips... and stomach. I got on the scale one day and realized that I put on more than 10 lbs (it doesn't seem like much, but at just over 5 ft. tall, it is very noticeable). Not only had I gained the weight, it was very obvious that I had lost muscle and the athletic build I used to have and just started looking lumpy. THAT was something I wanted to change.

Right after I finally took a good look in the mirror for the first time in a few years, I got a call from my best friend. She told me she was getting married and asked me to be in the wedding... in the Dominican Republic. Uh oh... beach wedding! So I decided to drop the weight.

I have been going to the gym and doing 60-100 mins of cardio about 5 times a week. I cut pizza, burgers, fries and alcohol out of my diet. (I was a pretty big drinker.) This seemed to do the trick for the first month. I dropped 14 lbs. pretty quick, which puts me back around my college weight, but I am still nowhere near as toned as I was then. But now I am Stuck!!! I cut out the rest of the fatty foods and sugars and I have been hovering at this weight for a few weeks. For the first time in my life I want to be able to wear a bikini when to the DR with my friends for the wedding. I want to be a bit healthier. I really just think I finally want to lose the weight for me. Now that everyone else is done trying to make me do it for them, it is time to try for myself.



So if anyone has any words of encouragement, I would really appreciate them. Also, if anyone has any tips about getting past the weight where your body goes when on autopilot, or tips to cut even more calories, that would be a big help.


Thanks Everyone and Keep up the good work!

 

[Phoenyx]

Welcome!

First thing I'd recommend if you haven't already, is read through the stickied posts in the different sections of the forum. There's some great stuff on the basics of diet and exercise.

Another great tool is fitday.com where you can keep track of your daily caloric intake, as well as fat & carbs. I think it helps you figure out your BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is essentially what your body burns in calories at complete rest on a daily basis. The thing that helps kick in weight loss is caloric deficit. But you don't want to go down too far. That's not healthy.

I'd also balance out the cardio with some weight training. That will help you bring back your athletic physique, and the muscle you put on will help burn off fat. Personally, I'd also recommend yoga and belly dance, because those are both fantastic in toning up the body. There's no core workout like belly dance.

Good luck!

 

[nicolepsu2006]

Thanks, girl! Yoga and belly dancing actually sound like a blast.

 

[ajoy]

Hey and welcome. It seems that you are working toward your goal like a champ. Keep up the good work. One thing you might want to try is switching up your exercise routine. Sometimes our bodies can get used to the same workout and we hit a plateau. Also some of the first weight we lose is water weight. Now that your body is getting used to exercise again, it will take some time to see some pounds melt away. WIth you having a relatively athletic build, you might lose inches more than pounds at first. Just switch it up now and then. Most importantly stay positive. Your outlook is great. You'll reach your goal with patience and determintation.