Well, I used to work out 5 days a week but than I discovered the joys of beer, smoking, and laziness…
anywho, it’s reaaaaaaaally starting to catch up to me and I took that big brave step tonight and started working out again. I was just wondering though (cause I never was that smart about excercise and basic health) if anybody knew some kewl techniques for losing as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time… but HEALTHILY. =)
I mean, I’m sure I could do nothing but eat corn for 6 weeks but c’mon… <insert blah here>
one tip would be drink lots of very cold water, your body will burn calories heating it up, and water acts as a filler - plus water itself good for you
I cut out all soda’s…no more MT. Dew all day long.
No more munchies at night. Every once and a while, I’ll treat myself to a few chips, or some cheese and crackers, but that’s it.
No Breakfast
Lunch is a half bad (about 2 cups) of unbuttered popcorn.
I drink tea all day…no sugar or other sweetener.
Regular dinner.
In 2 months, I lost 20 lbs. Not the fastest method, but fairly steady.
You didn’t put it on overnight, don’t expect to take it off that way.
Be patient, eat right (and less) and exercise. Don’t weigh yourself everyday. I’d only do it once a month (same time of day)- the old saying “a watched pot never boils” applies here (or would that be a watched waist).
How 'bout taking your measurements also, so you can keep track of how many inches you lost? May be encouraging.
i gained 10# in 10 yrs, 10# more in 1 yr when we were going out to eat every day. got a personal trainer & went on an intense weight-lifting regimen along w/ something akin to the dr. adkins’ diet: lot of meat & other protein, don’t worry about fat (i was burning it plenty), some veggies, no starches, couple protein snacks during the day, lots of water, beaucoup supplements in case i was missing in the diet. lost 10# first month. went from 145# to 118# in 1 yr, have kept it off 2 yrs. (actually the fat loss was more than that because i added weight in muscle.)
the lifting was on machines, 45 min/day 3 times/wk for a month, then i backed off to maybe twice a wk. after a yr got a trainer for a month again & did 2 hrs/day 3 times/wk. ended up doing 211# squats. i have biceps a lot of guys would be proud of & abs to die for. (of course, on a woman it doesn’t show unless you’re flexing.)
altho it certainly is possible to do it on your own, i needed to get someone to push me. in the end, however, i got in such good shape that aerobics classes were too easy.
Take a good, clear look at what you’re eating/drinking. Cut out the sugars and excess fat. Start a simple exercise program such as walking 20 minutes 3-4 times a week. Like Gabriel said, drinks lots of water.
And ditto to BunnyGirl-taking measurements rather than stepping on the scale is a better indication of weight loss, especially if you incorporate weight training in your exercise program.
Above all, be patient, allow yourself to “indulge” every once in a while, and don’t stress if it takes longer than you think it should to lose the extra weight. It took me about 2 years to lose 75 pounds but I had to keep remembering (while I was losing the weight) that it had taken over 6 years to put it on.
You might try the Atkins diet. His book is once again on the best seller list, and I’ll give a short personal testimonial. I’ve been on it (at my doctor’s suggestion) since December 4th. I’ve lost 27 pounds, and have not been hungry a single day. I won’t go into the specifics here, but it is a restricted carb diet.
Exercise, while not central to this diet, is certainly a help in any weight loss program. I’ve increased activity, but cannot claim to be ‘working out’.
Also, as previously stated, it took time to put the weight on, so allow time to take it off.
Remeber, too, that you cannot continue or return to the diet on which you gained weight. That most often means a change in habits, which takes time. But you must make a life change in your diet if you are to take off pounds and keep them off.
Chuck L.
“The intellectuals’ chief cause of anguish are one another’s works.”
Jacques Barzun
Cheers! CAL
Eat mostly veggies and fruits and drink a lot of water.
Eat lots of protien…lean meats and legumes.
Allow some starch (a little rice, a small baked potato, a slice or two of whole grain bread.)
Try to eat foods that are as close to natural as possible…f’rinstance, a baked potato is better than mashed potatoes, a cut of lean beef is better than hamburger, whole grain bread is better than white bread, etc.
Exercise at least three times a week, at your own pace. The more you do it, the easier it will be to increase your pace/frequency. You don’t need to buy a bunch of fancy stuff…lay down on the floor and do crunches and leg lifts. If you’re mostly concerned about your butt, lay on your belly, and do “reverse” leg lifts. Go for walks, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.
Cut down or quit smoking. You’ll be getting more oxygen into your blood (and into your lungs), which will help it flow better, which (if I’m remembering correctly) greatly aids in increasing metabolism and energy.
Finally taking my own advice,
Chris
“…being normal is not necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage.”