What would be the best way for me to lose weight? I just need some help I guess.

[FatPrincess]

Alright, a little bit about me.

I'm in perfect health considering my weight, I don't have high blood pressure, heart problems diabetes, bad joints (except for my knee from a bball injury when I was younger). Perfect health, for now.


I'm a 19 year old female who weighs 317.5 lbs (320 i you want to round) and I'm around 5'7-5'8. I'm a college student, I have free access to a gym and I could pay for a personal trainer from there if it would be wise. But, I am afraid to go to the gym because...well I dont know how to work the equipment, everyone there is already in shape or they are probably skinnier than me.


Based off of my bio classes, I have learned that most weight loss programs are ridiculous and are actually bad for you. Are there any out there that are actually beneficial?


I know, diet and exercise is the best way to lose weight. Also, I realize that losing hte weight over a long period of time will be more beneficial. So, my goal is to weigh between 120-145 before I go to grad school. (I'm a sophomore now, so 2-3 years).


I would love any advice or guidance you guys could offer. Exercise ideas? plans? programs? food ideas? (Keep in mind, I'm, a college student, not a lot of time on my hands), ect, ect.



Additionally, I have a younger sister who is 12 years old and weighs around 250 pounds she's about 5'2. So I would want to incorporate something we both could do.



sorry for mistakes throughout the post, my keyboard is messed up! lol


A little more info : I've already cut out soda and replaced it for water. However, I need caffeine to make it through college so I've been drinking coffee, Just plain black coffee no extra stuff. I've been trying to watch what I eat. I have a food addiction though, I always have. I eat to make myself feel better emotionally, I have a lot of issues, which I try to cope with, but food is always the answer for me. I need a way to stop this.

 

[PLB]

Hey! Welcome to the forum!


As for nutrition... you may have to do some reading here, but I would recommend reading the "Sticky" threads (in blue) at the top of the Nutrition forum: http://weight-loss.fitness.com/f/20/nutrition


Start reading, start writing down your dietary plan, then post it here or post questions so that you can get some feedback. Don't worry about trying to put it all together right away. Make a change or two, stick to that for a week or so, make another change, stick to that... and so on. Gradually, you should be able to drastically improve your diet, minus the ovewhelmed feeling that most people get because they change everything all at once.


As for exercise... talk to the staff at your college's fitness center. A lot of colleges and universities offer kinesiolgy, human kinetics, or exercise science degrees or personal training certifications. Chances are, there will be students looking for practical experience working with clients in a gym. You may be able to get someone to teach you how to use the equipment and even put together a program for you either for free or at a much lower rate than going out to a gym and hiring a private PT. If there is a weight room monitor or someone like that at your gym, then you might be able to ask them a few questions about how to operate the equipment each time you're there.


My suggestion would be to start with regular cardiovascular exercise. And if possible, try to use a piece of equipment that is lower impact than the treadmill, such as an elliptical or upright bike. Not to say that using the treadmill is completely out, just try not to use it all the time until you've lost some weight (might help save your knees). At first, start with light resistance (low intensity) and work on increasing the amount of time that you spend doing cardio. You might only start with 10 or 15 minutes, then gradually progress to 30, 45, or 60. Week by week, you'll probably find that the resistance will feel easier, so you'll be able to increase the intensity slightly without feeling out of breath. Once you can handle 30 minutes or more in a row of moderate intensity (are sweating and breathing harder, but can still carry on a conversation), you could start looking into interval training a couple of times per week. These workouts alternate high and low intensity intervals, are generally fairly short (20-25 minutes), and would take the place of your longer, lower intensity cardio for that day.


One thing you definitely want to add is resistance training (no you will not get bulky). As you lose weight, it is so important to try to maintain, if not increase, the amount of muscle tissue that you have on your body. This will help you in your weight loss efforts, it will help you keep the weight off later (as long as you continue to do resistance exercises), and it will help you be more satisfied with how your body looks when you do start to lose weight (toned vs saggy).


As far as exercise goes, how much time are you able to commit to going to the gym each week right now?

 

[JeffCarter]

Hey Princess, I had this problem and tried so many things! Different things work for different people and I was lucky enough to find one that worked for me. I lost 18 pounds in one month without much exercise and it's been a life changer. I'm a little embarrased to post my before and after photos here but if anyone actually cares to hear what I've been doing then I'd be happy to help in any way. Just shoot me an email at jeffcarter893@gmail.com and I'll show you my before and after photos, and tell you about how things are going for me with the stuff I've tried. I wish someone would have helped me out when I was struggling to find a solution so if I can help you then it would make my day!

-Jeff