Filling Out

Unfortunately it is diet (and by that I mean good healthy food) and exercise. A good motivator for me is new exercise clothes that I look cute in (or at least better in than an old t-shirt and baggy pants.

A good trick, now that the weather is getting nicer, play with the kids. It'll be rough at first, running around with the extra weight ( lord I know it!), but you'll be exercising them, you and having a blast and bonding!

Good luck!!

I have been doing weight watchers for the past 6 months and love it!!!! I tried to lose weight on my own, but the support is just wonderful. If you can find a small group to join and maybe a friend to go along, that is always helpful!!! Good Luck, you can do this!!! If you lived closer to me I would invite you to join me at my meetings, but Painesville would be a long drive for you once a week!!! C.

It took a while to gain the weight and it will take a while to lose it. Start easy and slow.. .drink only water (no soda or juice) amazing how much sugar and calories are in soda... also will save some money. Cut out all fried foods and empty calories - candy, butter, fatty dressings, dips. And walk just a little each day - 30 min if you can. And probably most important DRINK TONS of water... I said that right? Can't stress it enough. water, water, water. If you don't like plain water try it with lemons or let some cucumber slices sit in a pitcher overnight... Try that for a few weeks and then you can work more. The only thing I'd suggest taking for real weight loss is vitamins. Vitamin B complex gives you lots of energy and does speed up your metabolism. Good luck: )

Excercise and diet.
There is no magical pill that will deliver lasting results. Period. You have to make a change in your lifestyle.

Unfortunately, if you want to lose weight, you have to do the work.

it's not blah blah blah. it's the only thing that works.
just do it.
khairete
S.

It's a lifestyle change :) GOOD FOR YOU for wanting to do this! Don't use the word 'diet', it's an evil, awful 4 letter word. I hate it, LOL... start small; take family walks after dinner. Substitute your normal sugary snacks for healthier ones (not all healthy food sucks!). When making dinner, for example, grill your chicken or use turkey burgers instead of fried chicken and beef burgers, serve salad instead of mac and cheese on the side, have watermelon for dessert instead of junk food. For me, I don't starve myself of goodies; it's all about serving sizes and moderation. I truly believe you can eat whatever you want, as long as you pay attention to portions. If a serving size of oreos is 2 cookies, have TWO, no more than that. I also eat a little bit, all day long. If I'm hungry, I'll have 1/2 a sandwich... 30 minutes later I might be hungry, and make a small salad with some chicken. I literally eat all day. It took a really long time for me to get into this healthy lifestyle, and I still slip up, but once you're 'there' and everything starts to click, you'll be so proud of yourself!! I'M proud of you :) You can do this!

ps... LOTS of water, no juice or sodas, and sprinkle a little cinnamon in your coffee grounds... I don't know what it is, but I started doing it after baby #3 came because I liked the taste, and the baby weight melted off!!

Diet and exercise are what works... because you need to change your behavior patterns and your eating patters.

Weight loss is a very simple "equation"... expend more calories than you take in. Period. If you are not exercising at all currently, then make slight diet modifications and start a moderate routine that involves cardio (30 minute walk daily). Keep a food journal and take a look at what you are eating and drinking throughout the day. Write down EVERYTHING for several days and look at what you are eating and more importantly "when".

Do you eat when you are bored, tired, cranky, lonely... look for the patterns and then create new ones. If you find yourself eating more than a small snack mid-morning then consider adjusting what you eat for breakfast and have that mid-morning time filled by a walk or something else!

If you drink soda, swap it out for flavored seltzers. If you tend to be a "snacker"... either don't keep them in the house or pre-portion them into appropriate serving sizes.

The most important thing to remember is that you need to find something that you can maintain. Don't cut-out entire food groups b/c you simply won't maintain it. Don't jump into an intense exercise routine that you don't like b/c you won't maintain it.

Food in moderation... with balance and fewer "empty calories" and exercise in variation... with realistic constraints and accessibility.

It's not going to happen over night....so start being happy with who you are right now.

Eat Less....Move More...

STOP all fried foods, all soft drinks, all white flours/breads/bagels. Start eating only whole grains, lots of lean meats, as many fresh veggies and fruits as you wish. You can still use healthy oils and even butter to on your toast and to saute meats, veggies.

Read the phenomenal book "Good Calories Bad Calories" - it will help you debunk ALL the horrible science and advertising that bombards us with 'new' diet info.

First thing I'd do is stop drinking anything other than water. And make sure you're drinking at least 8-10 cups of water a day. When I quit Dr. Pepper (my one true love!) it was an immediate 12 pounds. Okay, that happened more than 10 years ago and I don't recall how quick "immediate" was, but I was surprised at how quickly weight started dropping, and also how my stomach wasn't as distended from all the carbonation.

Second, if you're sharing or finishing your kids food, stop that, too! Ugh, my whole "can't let that bit of XYZ go to waste" put probably 10 pounds on my waist when my son was a toddler. My husband is still new to what I call the toddler diet, and he didn't listen when I suggested he not get into the food sharing habit with our daughter. Well two years later and he is beginning to realize I might have known what I was talking about, lol.

Eventually you'll have to do the diet and exercise thing (damnit!), but those two tips helped get me headed in the right direction.

Diets don't work... life changes do. Just cutting out all fried foods is a great start. When my husband and I stopped eating at fast food resturants, we dropped 10 pounds each in the first two weeks without exercise. I cook a lot more at home now and am 9 pounds away from my goal.

Yes, you will miss your favorite greasy foods for a while, but if you can get past the first year mark you really will not miss them anymore. Good luck!!

There is no magic solution. Pills like hydroxycut can help, but they are bad for your health, can cause your heart to race or palpitate, and make it more likely the pounds will come back on once you are off it. You just have to start with small changes, one or two a week, and make them into life time habits. Like maybe one week you stop drinking soda, and the next week you add in 3 days of walking and more water, and so one, so you have time to adjust to each change before the next one comes.

I think a food journal is important. Before I had my first baby I wanted to lose some weight and heard about sparkpeople.com. It helps you track your food and also has lots of recipes that have been submitted by their dietician or other members. When you create your profile it will ask your current weight, goal weight and timeframe you want to complete. By doing this it calculates the amount of exercise and calories you should strive for each week to help you reach your goal. I also believe I read in Bob Greene's book (or someone's book!), to keep a food journal for two weeks before you make any changes. The discipline from tracking that will help you determine where you can cut some 'easy' calories such as cutting out one soda a day or the second serving of chips, etc.

Good luck to you! And like someone else said, you didn't gain it overnight, it won't come off overnight. But stick to it and feel better! :)

My husband and I just began a weight loss free program on the internet. It is called myfittnesspal.com It is truly an eye opening experience! It is basically a calorie counter...but you type in current weight, age, and goal weight and it will calculate how many calories you can have in a day without exercise to lose and then if you exercise you type in your exercise and if will up your calories. It has a large data base of food already in, so all you have to do is type in the food and it will calculate the calories eaten and then give you the amount of calories you have left for the day....I was drinking more calories than I was eating...WOW it has really opened my eyes! We both have only been losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, but it really is a lifesyle change for both of us. We have choosen Sundays to be our "free" day and eat pizza and what ever else we want on that day (no going hog wild of course) and we are still losing weight with a ONE cheat day the other 6 days we are perfect. It's totally free, so check it out. You can even become friends to help motive with other people. If you choose this, let me know and we can help keep each other motivated...I have four kids and my youngest is almost four and it is past time to get off the "baby weight"! Good luck!!

I feel for you. What really worked for me after my 2nd and 3rd child....Weight Watchers because you can still eat whatever you want, but just watching points. I'm not a person who can totally cut something out...I will fail if I was in that type of diet. I also followed a simple exercise regimen that my friend who is a trainer had made for me. It consists of walking/light jogging(if you like) on the treadmill, restraint bands, jump rope, and a ball. Those were the items I had available to me at my house. He told me do a cardio and a strength training exercise. He also told me even though you lose the inches, you need to do the strength training to make things tighter..not flabby looking. Made sense to me. The most I ever weighed was 180lbs and after following his exercise regimen for 4 months I dropped to 130lbs. I'm trying to get back on track again. After my 4th child I'm currently at 150lbs ...would like to go back to 130lbs.

IF you have someone who you can do this with...that would help out a lot. Good luck. Just remember..YOU CAN lose it.

There is no quick trick to weight loss. It's a lifestyle change and the only proven methods is calories in/calories out which translates to watching what you eat and exercise... sorry =)

There are several programs that help motivate/encourage you to do so. My parent's both weighing over 200 most their life started using the weight watchers program and lost over 50 pounds. It took several months (typical for healthy weight loss) and they have been able to keep most of it off. I believe Weight Watchers teaches you how to eat better for long term health.

Good luck!

Well L., they were right...diet and exercise...Actually you can start by giving up (I know that's a dirty word) bread, fried foods and eating off a smaller plate..no seconds. Completely give up soft drinks!!!!! They are really bad for all of us. Beer of course is very fattening. Eat lots of salads and watch the calories in the salad dressing...vinegar and oil is the better. My husband is on a salt free diet and he has lost 40 lbs. Canned vegs have lots of salt..frozen is better. No snax between meals...Go for a walk every day and if it's raining go to the mall and walk, or get a treadmill. Good luck....Don't get discouraged.

Diet and exercise...they say it cause its true. I think it should be diet, exercise, and support. Be it through a personal trainer, a weight loss program that uses REAL food, or something else, you need someone to advise you, encourage you, and hold you accountable. It will take a huge commitment on your part, as any life-changing undertaking will. You can do it! It takes time but it pays off and stays off.

L.,

First of all, good luck. I would say that while the advise on here is right, it is far too simplistic. I haven't eaten anything with HFC or transfat for about 5 years now. I don't drink alcohol (don't like it) or sodas. I drink 2 oz juice a day (back fron 4 oz). I exercise 5 days a week (swimming and walking). I eat mostly whole grains, fruits, veggies, and fish/poultry/vegetarian. Red meat maybe 1x month. As much water as I can (although at work, I can only go to the rest room at certain times , so that makes it difficult). Haven't lost a pound. I know this isn't encouraging. But don't feel like you are alone. Message me privately if you want-at least we can commiserate!

I'm saying this because it's the truth I dont think it's the healthiest way to loose weight but MAN does it work. Try adapex.. only if you're really committed to actually changing the way you eat and exercise it will give you a huge jump start. You only use it for like 3 months and if you try to use it a second time it doesn't do as good.. but seriously it works. Same side effects as adderall and metadate (it's pretty much the same kind of med) go to your primary dr and he should have more info.

You don't tell us anything about what you have been doing that isn't working? Have you changed your diet, or just don't want to? Diet change really IS the healthiest way to go to lose weight. My aunt had good luck with replacing all beverages with water, and exercise 3x weekly. Do not starve yourself, this makes your body think it is starving (wonder why, lol) and actually causes you to store MORE fat from the little you do eat, because your body is thinking is should save what it can for later.

There is no magic diet pill. The only way is portion control and yes you have to exercise. I don't care what kind of exercise just get up and move so your heart rate is elevated for at least 30 min. per day. Try and find an activity that you enjoy.

There is no magic bullet. It really does need to be diet, exercise, "blah blah blah" if you want to keep weight off. Boring but true. Crash diets will work but only for short term. Sorry, but it takes hard work, committment, and planning.

I am a registered dietitian, and I can tell you that if you adopt a committed, can-do, baby-steps attitude toward lifestyle change, you are much more likely to be successful in long-term weight loss than going on quick fix "miracle" diets.

You ask "what else" besides diet and exercise. The answer is NOTHING as diet and exercise are KEY to getting what you want. There are a ton of things to learn about correct nutrition/diet and exercise/how much. It's not just about losing weight, it's about getting healthy. Once you learn what to do, what you can do, and make it a new lifestyle habit, you have your answer. It's just as much MENTAL as it is physical so you have to be ready or it won't work. I know. In January 2010 I weighed 241 lbs and was a size 24. In August 2010 I had lost 78 lbs and was a size 12. Today I am a size 12. (I'm very tall so this is an average good weight for me). I'm maintaining! Diet and exercise are EVERYTHING.

I feel your pain, but I used to be skinny. Once I got over 210 (with my fourth baby) exercise wasn't really all that easy. Most home items aren't made for people who are that heavy, unless you spend tons on top of the line items. So the things I used to do I could not do. My best advice is to find a good program that works for your life, weight watchers, or whatever, and dramatically change your eating habits. Stop buying junk food and buy foods you have to cook. I eat a LOT less. And I know how hard it is to not snack when you have kids and no time to actually eat, so now I only get to eat when I feed the kids, and I have always fed them well (compared to what I ate) and it has helped a lot. I'll admit I'm hungry (more often than not, but there's nothing to just grab) I like the special K protien waters for that, and I have a carnation instant breakfast in the morning (i put it in my coffee of all strange things, but it's yummy) so I get my vitamins and all the stuff to keep my body going, just in case I only get to finish half a meal by the time the big kids have plates and before the baby is screaming at me because he's done sitting in his chair.

Once some of the weight comes off you will feel better and exercise will be a lot more realistic. Not that you can't exercise now, but I know how hard that is.

I would say eat healthier like leaner cuts of meat. cut out snacks 3-4 days a week. Get rid of sweets. I've been trying to eat healthier so I take vegetables and ranch dressing in place of chips in my lunch. I buy ground beef thats 4% fat and Ground Turkey thats 7% fat. I also cut out processed foods a lot and sweets. I rarely drink sodas. Instead of regular pasta, I get Whole Wheat or Whole Grain. Same with bread, only Whole wheat or Grains. Try buying things with No Salt added. I've also heard that buying Fat free means added sugars so go for Reduced Fat.
Exercise is good also. maybe find a friend or neighbor who could walk with you several days a week. I think its better that way.
I'm not sure that diet pills have a long term affect.
I've heard that weight watchers is good.

You can do this. i have complete faith in you.
I heard something on the show "The Doctors" about a 27 day diet or something like that.

Diet, exercise and get a physical to rule out any issues like diabetes or thyroid. The older you get the harder it gets. Then perimenoupause hits in the mid to late thirties. Better health should be your overall goal. If weight comes off with it then it's just an added bonus.

water and drop out all other drinks......I did a fruit and veggie diet, where I could only eat fruit and veggies, (could add seasoning or salad dressing) and I dropped 10 in 2 weeks, so did my ex doing this, its not a good long term diet, but it def makes u understand what portion sizes should be and cute ur appetite down since u don't typically splurge on J. veggies!