A
female
age
36-40,
*Bubbles
writes:I have been feeling so sad about how I look and feel about myself. I really want to change my lifestyle by eating right and exercising. I want to get better physically and emotionally. They say that when you eat right and exercise that it makes you better; but I am having a hard time because I don't know where to start and plus the healthy stuff out there seem to be pricey; then I am scared about failing I have tired the whole dieting thing and failed. I really need some help. Reply to this Question
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Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (8 October 2010): What you're describing is NOT dieting. Dieting is depriving yourself. You need a shift in how you live. You can eat nearly anything, however PORTIONS matter (a lot!). Here's a simple plan:
Breakfast
4 oz of protein (eggs, meat, cheese... your choice)
small fruit
Lunch
4 oz protein (chicken, fish, what ever...)
24 oz of veggies/ salad. 1Tablespoon dressing.
Dinner
Same as lunch...
No sugars, no bread products, no rice... no potatoes...
Your body will start to loose weight, and continue to. Once your at your goal weight, start increasing proportions SLOWLY till you see weight gain, then back them down to pre-weight gain amounts.
Exercise is important, but I really don't enjoy it... walking every evening is great. Do what you can, add to it slowly if you can.
Once you start, it's easy, once you see results it's wonderful.
A
female
reader, Tisha-1 +, writes (8 October 2010):
 First, get a walking buddy. Someone who will be there rain or shine three days a week for an hour of walking. Better still, get two walking buddies, then you REALLY have to show up!
If you need some motivation, sign up for a charity walk in a month. This will give you something to shoot for.
Second, do you have a smartphone? There are lots of apps out there that help you track your intake and exercise. I liked Lose It! a lot, it's free and it is VERY eye-opening.
Buy a kitchen scale and measuring cups and start to measure your portions. An American serving of pasta at a restaurant is actually usually about 6 servings of pasta. We are overfed and overindulged here and you have to be very vigilant about your food choices.
You don't have to buy expensive food, just buy lighter food. Cut out red meat except for once in a while. Think of eating protein (if you eat meat) that came from things that had no legs, or two legs. (Fish or chicken) Eat stuff that came from four-legged creature very rarely.
Skip white rice and go for brown. Skip regular pasta and go for whole wheat.
Eat a good breakfast, a nice lunch and a light dinner. Have snack food prepared, so you don't fall into the trap of eating too much there.
Read the labels on your food. Buy a book on nutrition or consult a nutritionist for a game plan.
You're not cutting out chocolate, for example, you're just going to eat less of it.
No sodas whatsoever, no sugary or high calorie flavored 'water', drink plain water, a moderate amount of coffee if you do like coffee. No fancy coffee drinks with whipped cream and loads of sugar.
Watch the refined sugar, in fact watch it NOT go in your mouth!
Buy an exercise journal and log everything you do. It's very motivating to watch the pounds come off as your exercise level increases.
So tomorrow, you are going to go for a brisk walk for 30 minutes. With a friend, preferably.
Do those walks this week and next and buy or borrow or locate that scale and journal, then check in next week and we'll see how you did!
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A
male
reader, baddogbj  +, writes (8 October 2010):
 It is really hard to get started because it seems that whatever you do will make so little difference. The task of changing your life and the way you look is dauntingly large. So, don't make a big deal out of it. Do 2 things:
- go for a walk right now. I mean, close your computer put some shoes on and head out of the door, ideally with an IPod and walk quickly for 30 minutes. Do the same thing tomorrow and the day after except go a little faster and a little further. You will start feeling better about yourself very soon.
- drink water and don't touch soft drinks even "diet" ones. I own a chain of restaurants and so I make money selling these drinks but honestly things like "diet coke" are just poison because they actually increase your appetite. Water is free.
Yes, sometime it does seem as if it is more expensive to eat healthily BUT if you a) eat a little less meat b) eat lots of fresh vegetables and c) cut out soft drinks and juice and drink water instead you will soon be saving money. If you smoke then stop smoking - no bigger waste of money in the world. If you drink alcohol then cut back your spending on that - maybe in a few months guys will want to start buying you drinks!
I'll tell you what, I'm off for a walk right now, be a good girl, get your shoes on and get out of the door and don't let me walk by myself.
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A
male
reader, Boy Blue +, writes (8 October 2010):
Start by taking small exercise routines. Perhaps a jog or some treadmill work in the mornings. Try to start your day with a different healthier breakfast like cereal. You don't need to completely 180 your diet but don't try to starve yourself. Once you've gotten in that routine it should be easier to change your diet.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (7 October 2010): Better than dieting, which is temporary, aim to lose weight and get healthier by making a PERMANENT change. Reduced the amount of junk food you eat and increase the amount of healthy foods you eat. I bet you didn't know this fact, but the healthier the food you eat, the less your body will crave food, because the body only really craves food in an out of control way when you're eating junk, which are empty calories... what happens is that if you eat empty calories your body will keep craving food until it meets nutritional needs (vitamins, minerals, etc). So just eat healthier and you'll find yourself eating less too, without so much torture and hunger pangs. In addition, decrease the time you are sedentary and increase the time you spend moving around, even if its not outright exercise, even if its just housecleaning, or walking around window shopping or whatever. Also, drink liquids lots and lots of liquids. Sometimes the body mistakes thirst for hunger. Liquids are also a good way to fill up the stoamch
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