A
female
 ,
anonymous
writes:Hi Everyone, I am 5 4 and 34 years old. I am a bit overweight for my height and frame. I've recently visited the doctor and he's definitely said that I need to lose at least 40 pounds in order to be at my ideal weight. I am almost 180lbs at the moment....I don't look bad...but I am quite ...round! And to be honest....I don't feel too comfortable or beautiful right now.So I am starting in earnest a fitness regime next Monday. Just joining the gym is all. I don't have extra money to pay a trainer to train me and the trainers in the gym aren't exactly pro bono friendly. Is there anyone here who has had success with this type of weight loss can offer me any suggestions for exercises or better eating habit stuff. I have no time limit, not getting ready for a wedding or a weekend vacation...I just want to lose the weight the right way so it stays off.Any help would be appreciated.Thanks
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reader, anonymous, writes (22 February 2012): This is verified as being by the original poster of the questionI don't know you guys personally, but I really want to sincerely and genuinely thank you for your motivation and your advice. You have no idea how much this means to me. I'm going to print out your answers and stick it up in my room. I can't thank you guys enough. Unfortunately....LOL...I have to start on Monday...payday and all...smile....I really enjoy the gym when I go ( not sure why)But I'm not overdoing it with the eating till then. I'm actually doing very well ..made myself a wonderful shrimp and spinach salad today that was lovely. I plan to take the advice of mixing up the workouts a bit...I live in an area that is a bit hilly so I plan to run around the hill. Being from the caribbean, the beach is never far...so that's my swimming and sand running. I really have no excuse.So thank you thank you thank you....here it goes!!
A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (22 February 2012): First off, congrats! It's great that you're committed to getting in better shape - it's important not only for your appearance and self-esteem, but overall health. So kudos to you!
I recently lost about 22 pounds over the course of 3 months or so (weighed in at about 200 pounds and dropped to about 178ish). Below are some tips I've picked up, from both personal experience and stuff I've read:
1) Don't go overboard with weight loss - in time, you can achieve your goals, but don't try to do it all at once as you're risking getting hurt and worse.
2) You're first two weeks will show really great results, but after that it becomes noticeably harder to a) keep up with your diet and exercise routines and b) see results that make you go "wow" - therefore, don't get discouraged, keep at it!
3) Don't look at other really fit people at the gym too often - it can make you feel pretty low, especially when you first start out. But in time, you'll be like one of them too.
4) If you're ever unsure how a machine works at the gym, don't be afraid to ask someone - you can get easily hurt if you don't follow proper instructions or maintain proper form.
5) Lifting weights will build muscle while doing cardio (i.e. running, biking, stairstepping) will shed off fat. Both will burn calories and result in weight-loss, in time, although you may actually increase your total weight if you do weights too much as muscle is heavier than fat.
6) 1 pound of fat is 3,500 calories - if the average person consumes 2000 calories in a day, you'll need to reduce your total calorie intake by 500 calories a day if you want to lose 1 pound a week, which can be hard to do. To reduce your calories you can either eat less or exercise more or do both. Try a combination and see what works for you (for me personally, dieting and exercise were key - as an example, I would exercise on a bike for 30 mins which is about 300 or so calories, and would try to reduce how much I ate on that day by only 200 calories (which isn't a lot), thus making my 500-daily deficit).
7) Don't, don't, don't use any dieting pills, EVER! They do more harm than good.
8) While dieting, make sure you get a good amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients - eating just crackers to reduce calories will make your immune system falter. therefore, eat a good dose of all food groups (meats, grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy etc.). Read the back of labels or check online to see how many calories are in some food products and/or meals.
9) Change up your exercise routines every week or so - doing the same stuff over time gets boring and you lose interest and won't go to the gym or exercise.
10) Keep track of your results - weigh yourself in the morning after urinating, but before eating breakfast.
Bonus tip: HAVE FUN! If you don't have fun trying to achieve your goal, it will feel like it's a million miles away.
Best of luck!
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A
female
reader, k_c100  +, writes (22 February 2012):
 Losing weight is far more simple than people make out, as long as you remember to exercise more and eat less then you will see results.
Aim for a weight loss of 1-2lbs per week (your first week or 2 might be a little more), as losing weight rapidly leaves you with lots of nasty saggy skin. A slow and steay weight loss is the best thing for you, rather than a rapid crash diet. This way you are more likely to keep the weight off.
Try and aim to exercise for an hour 3-4 times per week, more if you can fit it in. This can be any type of exercise, as long as it gets your heart-rate up so you feel out of breath.
If you are joining a gym then mix up weights with cardio, the weights will help you tone up so when you shift the fat you are left with toned supple skin, and it will prevent any sagging. There will be plenty of cardio machines in the gym, and everyone has their own different preferences so it is about finding what works best for you. Running on the treadmill, cycling on the bike and the cross trainer tend to be the more popular machines. Rowing is a very good one but can feel hard at first, so maybe start off with 10 minutes and see if you can build up over time.
I am a firm believer that you dont even need to spend any money to lose weight, running and walking outdoors are just as good as a gym, if not better. Running outdoors mean you are dealing with undulations hence it works more muscles than running on a treadmill with a flat surface. Walking (hiking with some hills in particular) is a nice way to get out into the country and get some exercise, a good long walk uphill can burn some serious calories!
Swimming is another great exercise, it works almost all muscles in the body. You do need to push yourself in the pool though, a lot of people swim up and down at a casual pace and dont get out of breath - you need to make sure you feel tired and out of breath at the end! I tend to swim a mile (62 or 63 legnths in a 25m pool) which takes me about 50 minutes. I am not a fast swimmer but I do feel out of breath at the end and a little achy so that is a good sign!
Food wise, simple way to cut calories is to cut portion sizes. Cut down on carbs as well, increase fruit and veg. Dont have too much fruit though as it is full of sugar. Plan your meals in advance so you are not left in a situation where you dont have anything in the house so you order a takeaway. Cut out junk food and chocolate/sweets etc.
I'm sure you know what is healthy and what is not - and if you are not sure check the calorie content and fat content. If you can manage it, keep a food diary including fat content and calorie content of everything you eat, so you know where you are going wrong.
At your weight in order to lose the 40lbs you should be eating around 1500 calories a day and aim for around 40g-50g fat per day.
Although I would suggest you work out your calorie intake at the moment (before you start eating healthily) and then reduce that by 500 calories, that should give you the results you want. The recommended daily intake for a woman is 2000 calories so 1500 should be about right. If you are exercising then never go below 1200 calories per day, that is dangerous.
It is fine to have rest days in between exercising, if you really ache after the gym then give yourself a day off the next day and only work out ever other day. Listen to your body and if you are hurting that is a sign to have a rest - dont push yourself too hard otherwise you will get injured.
If there is a certain food you really love that is particularly unhealthy then try and find a way to incorporate a smaller portion/version of this into your diet. For example I love chocolate and cant go a day without it. But instead of having a full chocolate bar which can be 300 calories, I have a 99 calorie snack sized bar. This gives me the hit of chocolate I need but without pushing me over my daily calorie intake limit.
And one final thing - if you have a bad day dont write the whole week off! You are allowed to have a bad day once in a while, we are all human and dieting can be hard. Dont beat yourself up about it, and dont say 'oh I'll start again Monday' - carry on with the diet the next day and move on. If you have this 'start on Monday' mentality it will mean you end up gaining weight every time you have a bad day as it turns into a bad week - whereas one bad day is not going to have a massive impact on your weight loss.
I hope this helps and good luck!
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