# Questions.....regarding weight loss



## SizzlininIN (Sep 1, 2005)

Today is the day!  I've decided to make a diet change and start exercising.  I want to start eating more healthy.  I'm not sure of my weight but I'd say I need to lose probably 10 pounds.  I don't get on a scale unless I have to go to the doctor.....I avoid that as much as possible.  
Anyway, today I made sure I ate breakfast....not a big breakfast fan.  I had 1 cup of Special K (Berry Blend) with 1/2 cup skim milk and 1/2 a banana.  I also had my morning 2 cups of hot tea.....thats something I just can't give up.  I did cut back on the sugar I added and I'll try to wean myself  off adding it at all.  But hey I went from 2 tsp to 1 tsp so thats pretty good for me. 
After about 1 1/2 hours I then took off walking at a brisk walk with my new walkman in hand.......its gorgeous outside here by the way.  I got back stretched my leg muscles and jumped in the car to see how far I actually walked.......  2.2 miles........YIPPEE!!  I came back grabbed a bottle of water and a few bunches of grapes for a snack.  
Now what I'm needing are some low fat low cal lunch ideas.  I sure could use some tips for supper also.  
For those changing their eating habits please share your tips and recipes.
Thanks!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 1, 2005)

For lunch, start with a variety of foods you like, but that are healthy.  Don't skip grains, meats, dairy, or fruits.  Do keep fats to a minimum, just those already found in foods like cheese, and dairy, and in some fruits and veggies.  Use only eough fat to keep foods from sticking to the pan when cooking.  

You don't have to eat all leafy greens and celery sticks.  Eat ballanced, healthy foods with lots of color and flavor, but in moderate portions.  Substitue fresh fruit for canned ones, or snacks containing bunches of starch, sugar and fats (cakes, doughnuts, pies, pastries, etc.).  

Drink lots of water and eat fresh fruit instead of drinking fruit juices.  Make dirings like fruit smoothies with added silken tofu, instead of consuming shakes, malts, or alcoholic beverages.

And remember, quality is everything.  You will be more satisfied eating an exceptional chocolate truffle than if you eat a whole candy bar.  And you will have treated yourself without killing yourself.

Walking is a great exercise.  But don't forget weight training.  It builds lean muscle tissue, burns fat, and increases your metabolic rate, not to mention flooding the body with hormones that heal injuries to all bodily tissues, including organs, arteries, veins, muscles, bones, etc.

One more thing, help me find the motivation to do all the good things I know how to do.  I used to do them all, regularly, but let certain persons disuade me over time.  I need to jump back on the exercise wagon myself. 

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## pdswife (Sep 1, 2005)

Good work Sizz!


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## SpiceUmUp (Sep 1, 2005)

As I understand it, a teaspoon of sugar is 16 calories.  So the two teaspoons is 32 calories.  If sugar is no an issue, such a diabetes (ME), I think that extra 16 clories is unlikely to cause you much of an issue with your diet efforts.  I have cut down on my total carbs, I eat a half a bagel in the morning and I have no carbs at lunch and a single slice of bread at dinner.  I snack on Jello sugar free jello and sugar free jello pudding.  And I try to keep close to 2000 calories per day.  I walk all day long at the factory and at night I am begining to do some cycling on a stationary bike (BORING).


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## amber (Sep 1, 2005)

Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> For lunch, start with a variety of foods you like, but that are healthy. Don't skip grains, meats, dairy, or fruits. Do keep fats to a minimum, just those already found in foods like cheese, and dairy, and in some fruits and veggies. Use only eough fat to keep foods from sticking to the pan when cooking.
> 
> You don't have to eat all leafy greens and celery sticks. Eat ballanced, healthy foods with lots of color and flavor, but in moderate portions. Substitue fresh fruit for canned ones, or snacks containing bunches of starch, sugar and fats (cakes, doughnuts, pies, pastries, etc.).
> 
> ...


 
Wow, you sound like my twin Very good advice! And I too need to get back on the exercise wagon again.


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## purrfectlydevine (Sep 1, 2005)

A teaspoon of sugar does have 16 calories, but at 2 teaspons per cup of tea times 2 cups per day comes out to over 6.5 pounds a year if that sugar is eliminated and no other changes are made.  True, not a great amount of weight, but if exercise is increased, no other dietary modifications may be needed if weight loss is the only objective, although there is certainly nothing wrong with making dietary changes for other health reasons.  Weight loss will not be speedy, but usually weight quickly lost is often easily regained.  It is better to lose slowly.


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## Andy M. (Sep 1, 2005)

Eating (and drinking) adds calories. Exercise uses up calories. If you use up more than you add, you'll lose weight.

I know that's simplistic but it's really all you need to know. 

You can lose weight, or at least slow down weight gain, by eating less or by exercising. The best way is to do both. Stay away from drastic changes from your regular lifestyle, they're the hardest to maintain over time.

Eat a little less and exercize a little more and you'll be losing weight comfortably. A little exercise has the added benefit of speeding up your metabolism in general so you'll burn more calories all day long. Something as simple as a brisk 30-minute walk every day will do the trick.

The other side of the coin is eating less.  It's fairly simple to estimate your basal metabolism rate for a day.  That will help you to set a caloric intake limit for a day so you can lose a little at a time (1-2 pounds per week).


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## jkath (Sep 1, 2005)

Good for you, sizz!
The only thing I have to offer you is this:
try for a breakfast with more protein in it. I noticed that you were running more on "energy foods" before and after your walk than on protein. (Remember, grapes are really sugary, and tend to give you a quick high) Try to scramble an egg and eat that, or make a smoothie. The one I had today had frozen blueberries, plain yogurt, orange juice and 24 gm of milk/egg protein powder. It's so good! You needn't worry about counting calories or anything like that, as you aren't in this to overhaul your body and rid 50 pounds. You just want to shape up what you have.
Here's one more thought - read the "weigh in" thread. I made some postings that explained some good exercises that my trainer taught me. They really do harden up the abs!  If you can, get to a gym. If not, buy a set of foam-covered 10lb weights. Use them when you're watching TV for 20 minutes each day. Then work up to 30.


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## SizzlininIN (Sep 8, 2005)

Thanks everyone for great tips.  I'm up to 3 miles.  I was a bad girl and didn't follow my regimen over the holiday weekend but I got back on track first thing Tuesday.  I don't weigh myself but I can tell I've lost a few pounds.  I've started an toning program and can feel they are targeting the areas I want.


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 8, 2005)

*SizzlininIN*

I got faith in you, girl!  You're tough and strong!  Show us what you are made of!  If anyone can get a breakthrough you sure can.  All you need to remember is how great you look now and later you will look even better.  Always hope the BEST for YOU!  Take care and keep us posted.


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## SizzlininIN (Sep 10, 2005)

Thanks Kitch!


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## SizzlininIN (Sep 13, 2005)

I'm up to 4.5 miles now.  I plan on going for 5 tonight.  

Jkath.....I forgot to look at that thread but I will as soon as I post this.

I'm working on toning exercises.  I'm carrying 2# weights when I walk.  I'm thinking maybe I should of purchased the 3# instead.   I'm doing target exercises on my arms, abs, buttocks, thighs and calves.  I'm using 3# weights for my arms but think I will increase that too.

I can't tell you how much better I feel after exercising.  I know I need to add protein to build muscle.  I don't want to be bulky I just want to be really toned and get rid of the jiggly areas.  Although I could use some muscle build up in the rear 

So any ideas on the protien.....other than what jkath recommended?


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## SilvrBck (Sep 13, 2005)

I recently completed the Body for Life program and lost about 30lbs of fat and gained 7lbs of muscle.  It was truly an amazing thing.  The actual program itself is pretty intense but the theories behind it are solid and balanced and ones you can use even if you don't adhere to the program exactly.  The guy says that Americans are overfed and undernourished.  So true!  On the program I ate 6 small meals a day.  If I was hungry, I ate!  At each meal I ate a serving of lean protein (a serving is the size of your palm) and a complex carbohydrate.  With 3 of the meals I added veggies.  I eliminated all calories in the form of drinks-they add up fast!!!     The program is 6 days of exercise (alternating cardio and upper and lower body weight training) and diet and then on the 7th day you can eat whatever you want and not workout.  Like a reward for your hard work.  It was cool knowing your day off was coming up and it really was like a treat for yourself.  


I doubt you want to go through a regimented program like that but the fundamentals for a healthy body are there.  Small, frequent meals that are high in quality protein, nutrition, fiber, complex carbs, and low in processed sugar and fats.  Exercise, especially resistance training, will increase your metabolism and speed up the fat loss.

I try to keep these principles in mind now that I'm not on the program anymore.  The extra muscle I added has helped me keep the weight off as I have quit following the program so strictly.

Good luck!   

Drew


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## SizzlininIN (Sep 14, 2005)

SilvrBck said:
			
		

> I recently completed the Body for Life program and lost about 30lbs of fat and gained 7lbs of muscle. It was truly an amazing thing. The actual program itself is pretty intense but the theories behind it are solid and balanced and ones you can use even if you don't adhere to the program exactly. The guy says that Americans are overfed and undernourished. So true! On the program I ate 6 small meals a day. If I was hungry, I ate! At each meal I ate a serving of lean protein (a serving is the size of your palm) and a complex carbohydrate. With 3 of the meals I added veggies. I eliminated all calories in the form of drinks-they add up fast!!!  The program is 6 days of exercise (alternating cardio and upper and lower body weight training) and diet and then on the 7th day you can eat whatever you want and not workout. Like a reward for your hard work. It was cool knowing your day off was coming up and it really was like a treat for yourself.
> 
> 
> Can you share some examples of lean protein and complex carbo meals?


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## SilvrBck (Sep 14, 2005)

Sure!  For protein, I ate a lot of ground turkey.  A couple of my favorites were turkey tacos, turkey meatloaf, and turkey burgers.  You really couldn't tell the difference between the turkey and regular old ground beef!  You can have lean steaks, including filets.  Yum.  Chicken, skinned.  Fish.  You name it.  Just bake it or grill it or pan sear it.  Stay away from breading and frying.  That's what they mean by lean protein.  

Complex carbs.  I liked wild rice, whole grain breads with nuts, and fruits.  They said you could have potato.  I used to take red potatoes wedges and brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  They baked beautifully.  Again, the idea is minimal added fat and nutrient dense foods.  

One thing I forgot is that they stressed that you should not fully cut out healthy fats such as olive oil.  I ate avocados a lot too.  I think that is a good approach cause I know that olive oil has some very good health benefits and is mighty tasty.  Just use it in moderation. 

If you want more details about the program itself you should check out the website which has a lot of recipes.  

http://www.bodyforlife.com/

Best of luck!

Drew


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## SizzlininIN (Sep 15, 2005)

Thank you so much Drew.....I'm going to go check out the site now.


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 16, 2005)

*Surprise?*



			
				SizzlininIN said:
			
		

> Thank you so much Drew.....I'm going to go check out the site now.



Did it surprise you Sizz, to see who the site are the ones doing it?  Those guys are amazing.  I get to watch their program on makeovers sometimes and really impresses how serious they are about helping people.  Each one so different in aspect they project.  Many times I wind up crying about the results they make.  They improve so many different people with their efforts.  People who do this, sure impress me.  Giving of oneself instead other way around.  I sure thank you Drew for sharing with us. Good luck Sizz!


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## SilvrBck (Sep 16, 2005)

In the Kitchen said:
			
		

> Did it surprise you Sizz, to see who the site are the ones doing it? Those guys are amazing. I get to watch their program on makeovers sometimes and really impresses how serious they are about helping people. Each one so different in aspect they project. Many times I wind up crying about the results they make. They improve so many different people with their efforts. People who do this, sure impress me. Giving of oneself instead other way around. I sure thank you Drew for sharing with us. Good luck Sizz!


 
Wow.


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## In the Kitchen (Sep 16, 2005)

*Grant's Farm*

If anyone has been to St Louis, maybe they have visited Grant's Farm owned by the Anheuser Busch brewery.  Today I made up my mind to walk the entire property line.  I haven't clue how big or long it is but I made it.  Weather was overcast and drizzlely.  My kind of weather rather than 90+ and humid.  I felt so good when I did it without feeling any affects afterward. My family has suggested I gradually start adding weight in backpack.  The main reason for this feat was the hills that are involved.  I just was getting bored with track at high school.  Since I can't accept working in a gym I have to find my own type of workout.  Walking along looking at al the animals was like being away from a confined area.  The donkeys never budged but the deer took off.  Listening to the different sound intrigued me too.  Since this is not far from where I live, it made it all that more worth while.  Oh, they kicked me out of the cemetery.  I explained my mother was there and I will be too.  Made no difference.  Guess they don's care to see me everyday.  People!


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