Having a lot of trouble losing weight.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I weigh about 350 lbs. I could stand to lose a lot of weight. A few years ago I went on a diet and managed to drop down to 240. I followed a strict diet and I had no problems working out everyday and sticking to the diet, but then I quit smoking and couldn't stick to the diet and workout plan anymore. It was like all my drive to take the necessary steps to lose weight left me when I quit smoking. The weight all came back (and then some), and I've tried going back to the diet and workout plan that was successful to me before but I just don't have the drive to stick to it now. My family isn't helping either because my mom (who I'm currently living with) won't let me get any workout equipment because it "takes up too much space". What do I do?

[ggazelles]

Start with small goals. The first thing you need to do is educate yourself about weight loss. If you lose weight in an unstable or quick fix way, you will almost certainly gain it back.

The first thing you need to know is that one pound is equal to 3,500 calories. This means that in order to lose one pound per week, you must eliminate 500 calories per day through a combination of diet and exercise. A healthy amount of weight for a standard 150 pound woman to lose in one week is 1-2 pounds. Because you weigh considerably more than this, you will likely lose 4-5 pounds each of your first few weeks. This is because your extra weight acts as resistance and it is easier for you to burn calories by engaging in simple activities, like walking, since your body requires more energy (aka calories) to move said weight around.

If you can combine light aerobic activity (walking a mile a day) with a healthier diet, you should be able to see and feel results within a few weeks. Try to cut your food intake slowly to 1800 calories per day. The best way to start this process is to make yourself a profile on thedailyplate.com or a similar website. Use this website to track both your weight and daily eating habits. On your first day, log every single bite you eat, down to the last hershey kiss or cucumber slice. Once you determine how many calories you are eating per day, you can slowly cut back by eliminating an extra 100 calories per day until you reach your goal of 1800.

Try your best to eat a cross section of fruit, veggies, and protein in your new diet. Protein-rich foods like peanut butter and chicken have tremendous staying power and will hold you over if you are hungry. Remember to pay attention to portion size since calories can add up quickly, especially when eating out. Also keep in mind that you can't cut out certain foods altogether, because then you will feel deprived. If you're dying for a piece of chocolate, just walk an extra half mile to earn it. Always have healthy snacks on hand to curb cravings. If you can, try and cut back on alcohol as it can add hundreds of empty calories to your daily tally.

If you can successfully incorporate walking and healthy eating into your daily regimen, keeping in mind that you need to up the exercise once you begin to see results (since you will no longer have that resistance weight), then you should be on the right track. Using a pedometer (you should be walking 10,000 steps per day) and registering with a calorie counting website will be the two best things you can do for yourself in this process. You don't need any fancy food or equipment, just two legs to walk on and a little bit of education on nutrition. Remember to reward yourself when you reach certain goals (i.e. a new pair of earrings for the first 10 pounds lost) and try to shake things up in your routine when you hit a plateau.

Feel free to message me anytime for more info, and more importantly, GOOD LUCK.

[melissarose8585]

Take it from someone who is constantly trying to knock off that irritating fifteen pounds, I know it can be hard when you have no motivation to change and no support. But my boyfriend, who has never been fat but did get a little chubby there for a while, lost almost 40 pounds this year.

First, cut out sodas, tea, etc. Water, baby, water. You'll lose more than you think that way. Then, the snack foods. Don't buy cookies, chips, frozen burritos, hot pockets. If you need a snack, go for Triscuits, granola bars, yogurt. And don't eat out. That's where so many of us get in trouble (it's how I put on thirty pounds in college; McDonald's after the library). Eat healthier foods, like fish and shrimp and chicken, with broccoli and carrots or corn, not potatoes or rice or pasta. No sauces, no butter. Use olive oil if you need to cook with something. And fruit, too. Make sure to eat six or seven small meals a day, with about 1500-2000 calories a day coming in. You could do it easily, trust me.

Then, exercise. Start small. Walk an hour a day, in a park, at a track, somewhere. Don't let yourself say you're too tired one day, or too busy. Do it constantly, everyday, and form a habit of it. When you feel ready, find something else to add to it, something you like. Believe it or not, my cardio is DDR on a high level. It's fun, it gets me moving, and it does burn calories. They even come with work out programs now. So does the Wii. Find a sport you like, such as Tennis.

It's all about finding a plan you like, that you can stick to without feeling as if you're forcing yourself to lose weight. If you like walking, you'll do it. If you like fish, you'll eat it.

[AJtogo]

This is not going to be a popular response, but here it is. What other excuses can you possibly come up with to not lose the weight?

You quit smoking (which you needed to do) and that gave you a reason to quit your diet. Cause everyone knows that you gain weight when you quit smoking. Nonsense, you found a reason to quit the diet too.

Workout equipment takes up too much space; well, how about going to a gym. They have all the equipment and personel you need for a workout plan. It's also cheaper than buying all the equipment that you would have access to. As well, if you're at 350, the first thing you need to do is some cardio, and just get moving. You don't need any equipment for that.

Your mom probably knows that the workout equipment that you buy will probably end up as clothes-hangers anyway.

You, like all the fat people out there, want to lose weight but won't do it. So who do you blame? Quitting smoking? Mom and family? Lack of drive? All excuses for taking the easiest road and not doing anything about it. Don't give me whiney excuses for not achieving what you want.

If you want it then go get it. It is you and only you that can do it. No-one and nothing is holding you back except you. Get off your fat butt and do it!

[tex151]

Join a gym, get a personal trainer, and they will tell you what to eat and how to work out properly, don't say well I can't join a gym yes you can, its just that you don't want to. If you really want to get in shape then that's what you have to do.

Don't make excuses, just go out there and do it, you will live longer and happier if you get down to your proper weight range. Just out of curiosity and not trying to be rude, but how did you let yourself get that big? I'm not overweight at all I am in good shape and I never wanted to get over weight, hell if I thought I was I would hit the gym, do some outside sports, crunches something, maybe that was just me idk, but wouldn't you feel better if you were average weight?

[Asker]

I was underweight until the time I was 17, then I was misdiagnosed with a mental disorder and put on all kinds of drugs that I didn't need over the course of four years. During my time on those drugs I slept 14 hours a day, had no energy, and put on a lot of weight. When I was 21 I figured enough was enough because being on those meds was also preventing me from being able to hold down a job(falling asleep at work, etc). And now, here I am...

[Asker]

Also, there are some anger management issues associated with exercise. While to most people physical exercise is a release, to me it is a form of stress. I'm normally a very laid back person, but when I hit weights every rep just makes me angrier, and angrier, and more emotionally stressed out, and nothing I do to vent helps. Anything physical just makes me angrier and angrier and more stressed out.

[tex151]

Well that's a lame excuse not to go to the gym, because it makes you angry, or anything physical makes you angry. With that attitude your going to stay 350 lbs, you don't want to lose the weight, you don't care just say that. If every time I went to gym and it made me mad to work oh man I use that to my advantage with all that testosterone built up man you would be able to rep like crazy.

[Asker]

It may seem like a lame excuse to you but I had to take medicine to calm me down because the anger would build and build and build, and even days after I worked out last it would still be there

[Asker]

And "repping like crazy" as you put it made the problem worse. it didn't subside, it didn't go away over time, I couldn't even get to sleep at night because it wouldn't go away without the meds to calm me down

[sweetaspie]

First have you had your thyroid checked? If you have problems losing weight that could be part of the problem. Secondly, I know a lot of people gain weight once they quite smoking BUT you have to stop! Smoking combined with your weight will put you into a early grave. Third, get a gym membership. Or you can do home exercises with little to no equipment. Step aerobics burns about 600 calories an hour more then any other aerobics and you only need a small step that you can store under a bed. Jump rope is a great aerobic exercise and again, takes up no space. Free weights can be purchased rather cheaply and again take up minimal space. Jogging you can do outside for free. The biggest thing you need to do is overcome the excuses! I have been there, done that. Always tommorow I will start, the next day and so on. Just get off your butt and do it! You will be glad you did. Also you HAVE to cut calories. Cutting calories helps you lose weight faster than exercising does. You shouldn't eat more than 2,000/2,300 a day since you are a guy and you your weight is so high right now. If you can cut down to this amount the weight will come off. You need to cut out crap food. Soda, chips, cookies. Find healthy sweet foods like fruits to replace them. Also, go to caloriecount.about.com and put in how many calories you eat each day. To support your weight you are eating well over 4,000 calories a day which is a lot. Think about it, that is enough to support almost two people. We eat without thinking and it really adds up. You need to take a cold, hard look at what you are putting into your body and what it is doing to you. Everything with your weight loss though starts with YOU. You will NOT lose any weight if you make excuses and don't put forth the effort. You can do it you just have to want it bad enough. Good luck to you!

[heatherjo]

I had a friend that was a lot over weight and he went to a dietitian. I really don't know if your against using prescriptions to help with your weight loss. I know some people think its like cheating, but I honestly don't think so if you really need it (like are over 100 lbs overweight) Anyway my friend now probably weighs less then me. The doctor put him on some vitamins (chromium picolinate and a shot of B12) and this drug called Phentermine. He also gave him a diet plan and an exercise plan. I guess the Phentermine is an appetite stimulant and it gives you energy. So if your not against doing that then I would say that's a good option. Otherwise I would say maybe try a personal trainer or a support forum or a friend (someone that can give you motivation) Hope that helps good luck with your weight loss! :)

[i-rock-hard]

I would set a goal and tell yourself you were going to stick to it. Go in with a positive attitude (that always helps). If you have to, treat it like you would a child set a list of things to do everyday and if you don't do them find a way to punish yourself. Once you get into a good solid routine it will be easy to stick to it.

GOOD LUCK!

HOPE I WAS HELPFUL!

[ivarei]

sounds like you need to get your own place and go at it from there.

[Anonymous]

Honestly you should try smoking again and see if it will help lose weight again . or just talk to your doctor about it and ask her/him why that happened to you like it did!

[ggazelles]

Cigarettes act as an appetite suppressant, which is why she gained weight when she stopped smoking. You can always change your weight, but it's a lot tougher to fix lung cancer.