Weightloss 101

[sullengirl]

Just give me a general how to:
I don't know what or where to start.
or better recommend a great book on weight loss for me to read

[Lady C]

Did you read this (and all of the links at the bottom)? If not it contains great information.

It would be helpful to know your goals. (not just lose weight because that usually means lose bodyfat). What is your current height, weight, body stature, age, current workout routine, currrent diet, etc?

PS:Cutting means lose bodyfat - bulking means add lean muscle.

[etothepii]

The best advice I can give a beginner is
A) Get an account on FITDAY.COM and track your caloric intake (free).
B) Find two or three types of exercise you ENJOY and do on of them each day. Get the heart pumping a little higher than normal for 30-45 minutes.

[LiftGirl]

To lose fat, you need a good, healthy diet, resistance training at least twice a week and cardio 2-3 times a week. You need to be burning slightly more calories throughout the day than you are taking in. Don't go too drastic with the cutting calories or you can actually slow your metabolism down.

It's hard to give more advice than that without specifics.

[.V.]

OK sullengirl, you've been given some good information by these folks to get you started. Now it's up to you. Post up some stats and goals and you can get more specific help.

[bodyshop20]

Hi Ya all, Sullen girl trying fitday.com would be an excellent starting point.
Its totally free to use and it gives you the option to track your eating habits.
So on a week you loose weight you look over your diet for the week and you will see how you did it.
If you gain or remain the same you can find your weak points by looking over foods you really did not need, Try it and good luck.
Use this site to as the folk here will be very helpful

[sullengirl]

I want to lose 36 lbs. of fat and build lean muscle.I want a healthy diet that isn't too high in sugar,doesn't include processed foods.I like riding bike.I hate the treadmill.I like walking.I only like running sometimes due to my weak ankles.I like lifting weights dumbbells.I hate those strength training machines though.I like to skate.I get discouraged easy.I am just rambling my mind is a scattered peice of work that needs work.ORGANIZATION.Maybe thats why I am not fit.I also am VERY easily distracted.I think I have a.d.h.d.I am sorry for getting off topic.I don't know whats wrong with me.I guess I could hit the backspace button but then noone would see my complete problem which is not being able to stick to anything or commit or whatever you want to call it.And being easily distracted when I do.What should I do?

[.V.]

Well then sullengirl, your answer is pretty easy. Simply eleminate the sugars, starches, processed foods and eat different green vegetables every day, chose good quality cuts of meats, eat until satisfied not stuffed, do this each time you get hungry, not going more than 6 waking hours without eating. No more than 4 would be even better.

Now you have an effective weight loss diet that will work for you without having to stick to a plan, just choose what you feel like eating, don't eat too much, and don't have sugars, starches, or processed foods. Whole, natural foods, rich in high fiber green veggies and big salads.

Now for the workout since you don't want to stick to something that can mean that one - you want to be lazy or two - you like variety.

Let's make the choice of variety. Take a look at crossfit or any other circuit training program. Crossfit is no better and no worse than the others with the exception that you can have more variety because they have different' "WOD's". WOD means Workout of the Day. Give each workout your best but keep it within your ability to complete.

There you go a fitness program that will fit your body, your needs, and not leave you bored and hating it.

Enjoy.

[sullengirl]

thanks what you said sounds like it would work if I wasn't living with a mom who only buys bread (white) juice(sugared non natural) and snacks(chips,cookies, ect..)and won't compromise.I try getting a job so that I can buy my own food but I have no way to get to the interview when they call since I live out of walking distance and shes doesn't get off work until after everythings closed.I know I am holding myself back in mind while I am trapped sitting here in limbo.I am so angry.I am so at ease.I feel just like some great big disease.

[Big Mike]

sullengirl, why do you want to lose so much weight? if i remember correctly, aren't you already tall and slender? something like 5'9''/5'10'' 125 lbs.?

[.V.]

Have you thought about asking your mom to buy some green vegetables and salad stuff. The frozen stuff is pretty cheap compared to fresh and although some will say it's not as good, it's better than sugary stuff and starchy foods all the time. Also, it costs more but you can get white bread that only has 5g of digestable carbs per serving. The extra fiber is good for you and the sorbitol will help keep you regular, a problem that some have when dieting.

If you are already tall and slender, then really, instead of worrying about dieting it off because yeah there are "skinny fat people" who are just soft and not obese. You can fix that pretty easily with an intense workout. You don't have to lift weights if they aren't available to you. You can do conditioning work with your bodyweight. Things like burpees, pushups, situps, walking lunges and the like. Pullups too if there is a place to do them.

One woman I'm working with is about 5'10" and also 125 and wants to lose weight. I disagreed with her and talked her into a "re-shaping" plan. She does morning cardio for 20 minutes on the treadmill before breakfast, eats a diet that is a little different from the anabolic one I usually make for people because she doesn't care for much meat, and does some moderate intensity bodyweight workouts in the evenings. She's not happy with the scale not changing, but is totally loving the way she's looking now. It seems that if one builds muscle while burning off a tiny bit of fat at the same time the scale doesn't agree with the clothing size changes.

[thatoneguy]

I prefer calorie-count.com to fitday.com, just thought I'd say that. And yeah, like welch said above, I don't know, it could be something I'm not doing right, but the scale doesn't change much for me either, and I eat well and work out everyday be it 30 minutes of cardio (half down hill, half up hill) or 30 minutes of circuit training. But I am starting to look a little better I guess (I still have to get rid of my man boobs :'( but they seem to be going haha ), just remember that muscle weighs more than fat which could explain plateaus or weight gain. Measure progress by taking pictures of yourself at a specific interval (i.e. every week), etc.

[etothepii]

You can burn TONS of calories bicycling! If you really enjoy it, do it!

BTW, I am biased here!

[Merrida]

Option: If you like variety, try joining classes at your gym so you can try a number of different things = less boredom.

One way to do this if you don't have money, is most gyms offer 2-4 week free trial memberships. Sound like you're interested and for 3 months, try 3 different gyms, scope out the classes, especially spinning and total body conditioning.