How can I start losing weight?

[Anonymous]

This may sound like a silly question, but I would like to know how I can start and successfully continue to work out without giving up. People can say "Oh, just run for an hour a day!" but being a bit overweight and probably asthmatic, I can only run about 1.25 miles on a good day. I have a tredmill at home and started using it in the beginning of the year and ran about a mile on it for about 5 weeks 3-4 times a week and saw absolutely no results. I took a few days off for vacation and didn't get back on it for a while. I want to start again so I can lose weight.

[Darkfairie17]

I would find an exercise you enjoy doing. If running is making you frustrated, try something different. Incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine and that should help.

Also you should eat better, cut out as much processed foods as possible. But don't do this right away, ease yourself into it. If you drink pop everyday, try cutting back on that. Then cut back on processed foods, anything that is packaged. Try to eat more fruits and veggies, these are less calories and more filling so you will lose weight.

An easy way to get more fruits and veggies is to incorporate them into stuff you already eat. Have cereal every morning? Add some strawberries to your cereal, maybe some bananas too. For lunch if you are having some pasta, add some chunks of tomato, beans, or even cut the pasta portion in half and have a salad with grilled chicken on top. All of these little changes help out a lot over time.

Drink more water, water will also fill you up. If you drink a glass before a meal, you will eat less! Also try using smaller plates. This sounds silly, but it's a psychological thing. If you use big plates you body feels the need to eat all the food on the plate. Using a smaller plate you will automatically eat smaller portions.

Start exercising by only doing as much as you can do. Start at a few days a week, then increase over time. These gradual changes will help integrate these new habits into your lifestyle, making it easier to stick to them. A lot of people make the mistake of going all gung ho on exercise and then do a drastic diet and can only stick to it for a short time. Then when they are done, they gain everything back.

I'm curious, how long did you do the running for before? Sometimes it takes over a month to see any results. I know that can be frustrating, but it might explain why you weren't losing weight. It may also have been diet as well.

I would go into see the doctor too. Sometimes if something is wrong with our health, it can prevent weight loss. It's also good to talk to the doctor because they might be able to recommend some things to help you succeed.

[Asker]

Before, I ran for about 7 weeks and I think I actually gained a little weight. Nothing in my diet changed, though.

I have decided to drop sodas all together and replace them with water.

[Darkfairie17]

That's good, you should lose some weight by cutting out sodas. 7 weeks might have not been long enough. Sometimes you gain before you lose. Maybe your body was taking in water weight because you weren't drinking enough water during and after the workout to stay hydrated. I would try doing a mixture of different exercises, that way you won't get bored doing one and it won't feel like a chore :)

[Izzy2102]

Well you need to change your diet. You can try just eating healthy on your own or you can try various diet plans, like weight watchers.

"being a bit overweight and probably asthmatic, I can only run about 1.25 miles on a good day" sorry but this just wrong.

You can easily run for 60 to 90min at your own pace. You never need to stop, you only need to go slower. I'm asthmatic too, pretty bad actually, particulary when I do sport but it's really no issue. You can still do every sport even at a competetive level, just go see a doctor, get tested and he'll get you medication.

3 -4 times a week is goo but aim more for 5 -6 times a week. Combine cardio with strenghtening and switch up your routines. When you do cardio you will lose more weight if you train in Intervals

[NerdInDenial]

A mile is not enough. You're going to need to do more. The treadmill should have interval training programs. Do interval training. You'll see more results because your body will plateau with a constant run like a mile a day. Next, add some strength training. As for diet, you may have to detoxify your body. According to the author of Warrior's Diet, he states that stubborn fat can be caused by your body's reaction to suppressing or removing toxins in your body. According to some experts you should diet three or four days where you intake low amount of calories, then you can have one cheat day where you can eat something that you like. Of course, don't do it in abundance. Motivation is the hardest part. I suggest joining a weight lost club or something online that you can motivate yourself.

[Asker]

Strength training as in just lifting weights, or is there more to it?

[NerdInDenial]

You can lift weights or do push ups. You should also work on core training as well.

[martyfellow]

Diet is at least 80% of losing weight. GEt your diet together first before worrying about exercise. Sur e exercise is important for yur health, but losing weight isn't the main result of exercise.

If you need help, check out an organization like Weight Watchers; they will lay out a measured diet program thatt you can realistically stick to.

[madmisskelly]

Diet should be the first thing you tackle.

Immediately, cut out added sugars- nothing prepackaged or processed. Fruits, veggies, whole grain and lean protein. Added sugar is in more than you think and could really be contributing to your weight gain. This also means cutting out all soda.

Start loggin what you eat. It makes you accountable for what you are eating and makes you aware. I like sites like caloriecount.com because it does the math for you but it also helps you establish goals.

Work on making diet changes first and getting used to that before you do a big overhaul on exercise. Maybe try different forms of exercise like the elliptical, swimming, skating, etc.

[DeepBlue]

Lift weights. Burns as much fat as running if not more.

[Asker]

Is there very much difference between lifting dumbells vs. bars or do they mostly accomplish the same thing?

[DeepBlue]

Dumbells just give you more range of motion so you can do a greater variety of exercises and target more muscle groups. Girls don't need to do a lot of bar/bench work really, but try that too if you want.

[Asker]

Meh, I only have dumbells, really. What can you tell me about resting says then? I heard you have to rest to rebuild muscle that is torn during exercise. Also, how much work should really be done? Is it like a timed thing where you lift for X minutes or is it more about reps and sets?

[DeepBlue]

It's about reps. Do a lot of reps with a little weight for tone and a few reps with a big weight if you're looking to add size. And yes you need to make sure you recover before working a muscle again. If you strain it you'll just end up losing time. That's why it's good to not focus of the same muscles from one day to the next.

[Asker]

For a goal of weight loss, wouldn't adding size kind of do the opposite of what I was hoping to do, or is this muscle just replacing the fat? And then, would toning be enough? I'm pretty muscular already, but I was kind of built that way.

[DeepBlue]

Well I'm not saying that you should become a bodybuilder or anything, but the more overall muscle mass you have the better your body will be at burning fat (higher metabolism). That said, targeted weight loss doesn't work. It has to be a total body workout with at least some cardio involved to get the best results.

[Asker]

Okay, I understand. Thank you very much for answering my questions.

[justjumpit4]

Weight loss is mostly diet. Exercise with what your asthma allows, and eat healthy.

[Asker]

In that case what kinds of diets would you recommend?

[jason69]

Pretty much covers up what I was going to say.

In addition, timing of diet is crucial. It makes vast difference when you take carbs during day and if you take it in dinner.

[Asker]

Isn't it best to consume more carbs in the morning then taper off as the day goes on?