Need help losing weight

[CosmicRay]

DH and I are overweight, I will say that I am over 200 pounds and DH is over 300 pounds. We both desire to lose weight, but don't know where to begin to help DH. I did Weight Watchers six years ago and lost over 40 pounds till I got sick and had to have my gall bladder removed, shortly after that, I had 2 kids 13 months apart. I am going to get back on Weight Watchers, and that helps DH. But I know that his dream is to run in the marathon at WDW someday.

I've thought about personal trainers, getting a gym membership... something to motivate him. I think at personal trainer would be really good for him, but I just wondered if anyone else had suggestions. Maybe someone who had lost a significant amount of weight, that could give me some tips. DH and I are very open and willing to accept any advice.

[cather74]

There is a couch to 5 k app that you can use.then pick a 5 k and do it together. Your first race will be incredibly motivating and addicting. A change in lifestyle is a big commitment so reward yourself for ur first. 5 lbs 10 lbs. Etc. Find a dress or pair of jeans you like and make that a goal. Plan a vacation for the future and promise to lose a certain amount by that date. It's all about the goals. You can do it!

[Jillirose]

I just joined WW again (online) and have been losing a few pounds a week. I like using the mobile app, but realized that sparkpeople.com has all the same info for free. I like the social networking on sparkpeople, it is inspiring and supportive.

Best of luck

Check out this inspirational story from my hometown.

[Christine]

Your story is so easily my story! Please see my post from this previous topic here on Intercot:

http://www.intercot.com/discussion/s...13#post2240013

Don't give up! There are no secrets. No quick fixes. It's a lifestyle change. But Want proof it can happen?
Here's me in 1998 over 200 pounds
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-padMKf8a5t...E1-783980.jpeg


Here's me last month at the Expedition Everest challenge 100 pounds lighter-now remember I said it ain't easy! I wiped out on the obstacle course! But I've never been so happy and proud doing it!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PCkal0wmf7...DE2-786443.png


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kndshZR4fK...5D5-782213.png

Work hard and enjoy the rewards! Your health is your biggest asset! Take care & good luck!

[goofyfan4466]

i find this very helpful. thank you

[Cinderelley]

find a gym that you are comfortable with and make it a "date" night for the two of you guys each week. It will be nice to get away from the kids for a while.

[PopPhan]

I've been in the process of trying to drop some tonnage myself....I have dropped 30 since Thanksgiving (went from 300 down to 267) by simply following my doctor's "suggestion" -- Eat Breakfast like a King; Lunch like a Prince; Dinner like a Pauper. Very little, if any, increase in exercise - mainly the normal springtime yardwork and, since the beginning of April, walking 9 holes of golf per week.

I go to work in the morning and get a 3 egg omelet w/cheese & meat for breakfast; Get a medium sized salad w/some kind of protein (ham, chicken, etc.) for lunch; Eat a light 'snacky' dinner in the evening - at least 3 hours prior to going to bed. ALSO, snacks are limited and I try to make them healthy - nuts, fruits, etc.

As you can probably see in the listing above, there is very little bread in the diet. High carb foods have been significantly cut back on.

Whatever you do, just keep at it and you'll do great!! Good luck!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I'm struggling right now trying to lose weight too. I am very overweight and have told my insulin level is high and I don't have diabetes yet but will if I don't do something about.

I do suggest Weight Watchers I've done it in the past and been successful I just wish I would have stuck with it. Right now I am using the same basic principles but am really limiting my sugar and carb intake.

I would suggest reading labels because you would be suprised what has a lot of carbs. I bought light salad dressing and was shocked to find it had tons more carbs than the regular. I guess they add sugar to make it taste better. So low fat may not mean low calorie or low carb. Its been far better to put my dressing on the side and lightly dip my salads into them.

I would also suggest taking exercise slowly until you build up your endurance. If you start out with an hour workout and can't move for three days you aren't doing yourself any favors. You end up sore and with a negative feeling about exercise. Its much better to start 10-15 minutes a day and work up.

So far, I have lost 23 pounds since the end of April. I have fallen off the wagon once or twice but I just pick myself up and get back on.

Good luck.

[BrerGnat]

I agree with the advice to eat your heaviest meal in the morning, then slowly decrease the size of them as the day goes on. This is how humans should be eating, but our society has made it the opposite.

If you fill up in the morning on healthy proteins and fat, you will not be so hungry the rest of the day. Eggs are phenomenal food, but eat the WHOLE egg...the yolks have lechitin in them which is a fat burner, so don't do the "egg white" thing.

If you are very overweight and do not exercise regularly now, don't start with anything more than simply walking. Change the diet first....get on board with a new way of eating. You will see the pounds melt off if you simply reduce your calorie intake drastically. If you try to do too much in the way of exercise at this point, you may injure yourself and/or risk burnout too soon. Plus, the exercise will make you hungrier, so it will be very challenging to deal with the food changes. I suggest starting with 20 min of walking every day. Every week, add 5 minutes, until you can comfortably walk an hour at a brisk pace. Keep that up for a couple more weeks. At that point, you should have lost some weight, and you can begin a more rigorous exercise routine.

You have to WANT to change. So does your DH. That's the biggest motivator there is. If you truly want to be healthier, more active, and are very committed, you can do anything!

[BayLaker25]

First thing you need to do is set a realistic goal to reach, example of one out of reach losing 25-50lbs in a month try for 10-15lbs. You are realistically supposed to only lose 2-3lbs a week to keep it off.

There is really no quick fix you just have to work at it and work hard. If you are going to start going to the gym set it up for a time where you can't make excuses not to go. I recently just started a new job and I have to take an hour lunch, there is a gym right around the corner which I have been going to at lunch 5 days a week for about 2 months. Going at lunch makes it so I never have an excuse not to go. Don't expect results right away and have someone go with you like your DH so you can motivate eachother and push eachother to work harder.

Here's a couple of tips I got from menshealth to help control eating....

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/7_..._-LoseGut-body

Set a total about of lbs as a goal with no timetable and when you and your DH reach it take a trip to WDW

Good luck and don't give up!

[TheVBs]

I've lost 40-45lbs over the last few years. I agree that it's a lifestyle change and that can be a huge, overwhelming thing to embrace. I would make sure you don't go with any sort of fad diet. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist to find out what the best eating plan is for you. For myself, I really had to sneak up on it. I started by picking one small thing to change. I asked myself, what was my worst eating habit and worked to change that. I started out getting a free treadmill off Freecycle and just did 15 minutes, three times a week to start. Don't let anyone tell you that any move in the right direction isn't enough!! Don't let people discourage you! If you make one positive change, it will lead to more. Best of luck to you and your DH! You guys can do this! His Disney marathon goal is a great motivator!

[wdw_bound]

I have struggled with my weight for most of my adult life, but especially since having kids. Weight Watchers, South Beach, you name it, I have tried it.

Then about a year ago, I just decided one morning that enough was enough. But the funny thing was, it wasn't as much about the weight as it was about the food. I'd been doing a great deal of research on the effects of processed foods and additives on behavior (one of my kids has special needs and seemed to have meltdowns triggered by red food dye - we eliminated it and the behavior disappeared). I started getting rid of processed foods, starting with High Fructose Corn Syrup (in EVERYTHING) and food coloring.

Around that time, our local farmers market opened for the season, so I started shopping there every week. Before I knew it, my diet was about 90% non-processed. It had gotten to the point that fast food simply tasted bad, and so did processed (canned, frozen) heat and eat food.

Since then, I have lost 50 pounds and haven't felt this great in years! I have started to exercise (want to do a 5k in the fall), and it feels great to run around with my kids.

I am wearing clothes 4 sizes smaller. I flew for the first time in a while this spring, and what a great feeling not to have to have the seatbelt let out as far as it would go. I still have another 40 pounds to get where I want to be, but the important thing is I am healthier now and only getting better.

My best advice is not to look at this as a diet. Look for fresh, delicious foods you can enjoy because they are fresh and delicious. If you look for substitute foods (low fat versions of a favorite), you will feel like you are denying yourself and will either overindulge in those, or fall off the wagon completely. You'll be amazed at how good real food tastes, and how much less it takes to leave you feeling satisfied.

Good Luck!

[Wolf]

I feel you on this, I got to a weight I didn't love at all and kept there for a solid 3 years, well this past New Years I went through a breakup that jumpstarted my want to fix things I didn't like, I couldn't really afford a gym (Althought I'd love to join one) so what I started doing was yoga and then added pilates that (I'm not kidding) my Grandmother taught me. I used Youtube to learn beginners yoga moves and just gradually have built up to longer poses and trying more advanced moves and such. I want to lose weight but I've currently been toning up more than anything,and I have lost some inches. My ankles hurt when I run so cardio hasn't been my strong point, I plan to really get on that once I build up some stamina. Also I've dropped sodas as much as I can (I get caffeine headaches and have to give in sometimes) and I've scaled back any type of carbs, the biggest thing I've tried to do is not aggonize on it, if I give in and snack on something bad I don't beat myself up, I just try to be aware of picking less fattening things. I wish you all the best!!!

[BriarRose0708]

I lost about 40 pounds 4 years ago using the ABS Diet book by David Zinzenko (sorry I butchered that spelling!). He writes for Men's Health and also does the Eat This, Not That series. Despite the title, it is NOT a fad or crash diet! It's similar to WW in that you learn the healthy foods to eat (which is a lot) and which ones to avoid combined with exercise. Each chapter explains in very simple language how the science of a healthy diet works with your body and what happens when you consistently ingest foods that are over-processed and have ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.

The long title of the book is ABS POWER DIET, all in caps because it's actually an acronym for all the different foods and food groups included in the plan. The book comes with a lot of recipes (that are actually really good!) and there are additional cook books and restaurant guides you can get to help figure out what choices to make when you're not cooking.

Like others have said, changing eating habits is the first step but I actually really liked the book's recommendations for exercise plans. You don't have to spend hours in the gym or kill yourself like on Biggest Loser. It's very simple - building muscle means more muscle tone and muscle burns more fat, even at rest. There are lots of different toning exercises in the book that I did in my living room for three months (had a fear of the gym!) on my own with 5 and 8 pound dumbbells three times a week. As an option, on the other 2 days a week you can do moderate cardio like brisk walking, jogging, etc. I had a couple dance-type work out DVDs that I did because that's the kind of cardio I like, but you can do whatever you want.

It took me about 5 to 6 months but I went from 175 to 130 and it was hard but in the end you wind up with more energy, confidence, good habits, and a new wardrobe!!!!

Good luck, and stop by the Healthy Living thread for more inspiration and support!

[Dulcee]

I joined the free website myfitnesspal.com

It made me so much more aware of what I was eating and how exercise had to play a role. Essentially its a straightforward website that you log your food diary and exercise on.

You put in what you weight now, how much you want to lose and it sets up a caloric intake broken down by carbs fats and proteins that you should be eating. Best part is you can earn more calories by exercise.

Say your given 1800 calories a day, by running for 15 minutes each day I gain another 200 calories for the day. I've actually found myself going for a walk after dinner to "earn" the cookie I've been craving.

Its helped me. Might be a good place to start for you too.

[SBETigg]

My sister-in-law is on a juice diet. She's in the medical field, so it surprised me that she checked it out and found it healthy enough for her, but she tried everything else and this is working for her. The site is reboot your life or something that effect. The Williams-Sonoma juicer section has thirty juice recipes. I'm intrigued but haven't jumped in yet (they do have plans that are not all juice but include some eating and the focus is on redesigning your lifestyle more than just on juice).

My mother and sister, in a similar place, went to a hypnotist. That one really shocked me. My sister's SIL did it and lost 90 pounds, so they signed up. My sister has lost 50 pounds since Thanksgiving and my mom is down 30 pounds. It's not as wonky as it sounds. It was three big group sessions in which the "hypnotist" is really just lecturing on how to rethink nutrition and food choices. But the sessions stuck with them and they make good eating choices now for losing weight and keeping it off.

I did attempt the couch-to-5k thing and I could not stick with the running. My knees couldn't handle it. It's a good program, but not everyone's a runner. I do walk regularly and that is a good choice for me. For now. I might work up to the running again eventually. I've also belonged to gyms and it helps to become part of a community and get into a routine. I still think Weight Watchers is about the best diet program for losing and keeping it off, but you have to be ready to stick with it. Sounds like you are! Best wishes.

[Wolf]

I joined the free website myfitnesspal.com

It made me so much more aware of what I was eating and how exercise had to play a role. Essentially its a straightforward website that you log your food diary and exercise on.

You put in what you weight now, how much you want to lose and it sets up a caloric intake broken down by carbs fats and proteins that you should be eating. Best part is you can earn more calories by exercise.

Say your given 1800 calories a day, by running for 15 minutes each day I gain another 200 calories for the day. I've actually found myself going for a walk after dinner to "earn" the cookie I've been craving.

Its helped me. Might be a good place to start for you too.

Thank you for reminding me about that site! I have the app on my phone I need to get back to using!!

[NewDVCowner]

I joined Weight Watchers last week. Just the process of writing down everything I eat is helpful in keeping a handle on what I'm eating. I've also increased the number of fruits and vegetables that I'm eating. One thing that I'm noticing is keeping an eye on portion size. It doesn't matter how closely you look at the calories on a lable if you're eating three or four times more than the portion size.

I live alone, and while I love to cook, it's difficult to cook when it's just for me. Last weekend my sister (who joined WW with me) and I had a mass cooking day. We have a week worth of WW food in our freezer now. It's so much easier to skip the run through the fast food restaurant knowing I have food at home that I just need to pop in the microwave and toss a salad together.

I know that it's just the initial 'jump start' of the diet but I lost eight pounds the first week. My blood preasure is down, too.

[CosmicRay]

Thank you for all your help and advice. DH and I both are not a fan of fad diets and know that the best way to make a difference is to make life changes. We have a weekend without kids (yay!) so I think we will discuss options, gyms, I can schedule a time to get over to WW and get our plan in action!

Thank you all again!

[Imalismom]

Another vote for www.myfitnesspal.com
and/or
www.sparkpeople.com


both are free sites.