Healthy weight loss tips?

[KydenLandon]

Hello! I`m 16 and overweight. For a long time I didn't care what I looked like because I to much damn confidence in myself. But since I hit sophomore year, I've started getting self conscious about the way I look. But it`s not just that that made decide I need to take charge. I had a dream that my weight just kept getting more and more out of control until I couldn't move so I finally decided its time for me to take charge and loose the weight.

So what are some things you do for healthy weight loss? Right now I do the elliptical my dad has and my dad is considering getting me a gym membership but what are some tips you have for healthy weight loss?

[BlackCatAnon]

Depending on the amount of dedication and control you have, one option is counting calories. There are sites that make it... well, not easier, but organized to do this, like "Loseit!" It's a blend of lifestyle changes and choices. If you can get your family to agree, try to stock up on the following when you need groceries:

Lean proteins, fish, nuts, eggs, lentils; fruits and vegetables will be a main feature in every meal and snack, and when you go for grains, try to do whole wheat. More specifically, search for "100% whole wheat" under the ingredient label. Try switching slowly to a lower percentage of fats for milk, cheeses, yogurts and such. Try swapping out thick fructose and cornstarch sauces for cooking with spices and herbs, oils and lemon juice for flavoring. If finances and lifestyle allow it, try more cooked meals, less eating out, less prepackaged processed foods.

Try not to drink your calories, eat them. Stick to water, flavored water, teas, coffee, or milk. Ignore that bit about 'No Sugar Ever' that people talk about, unless you're on a quick short diet, or now completely diabetic. The brain functions off glucose (sugar), and muscles use it as well. Just small amounts in moderation is fine, no need to chase desserts for it. On that note, swap out traditional desserts for fruits, whether baked, chilled, with yogurts, honey or etc. Now is the perfect time to learn to be creative with flavors in the kitchen.

Away from the food aspect, start incorporating a new level of activity into your life. Park farther away from doors. Use stairs, not elevators. Walk to places if they're close enough, or bike for something a bit farther. Watch TV for fun, or often on the computer? Get up and move on commercial breaks, or get a small hand weight (poor man's weights: canned soups or veggies) to generate some movement while you're otherwise sedentary.

It may sound ridiculous at first, but if you're anywhere like I was at that age, you're not exactly used to taking off at a sprint for your afternoon walk, and likely spend more time inside a building than out. If you're wondering how useful this information is, I gradually lost 75 pounds between early 2010 and mid 2011, and have kept it off since. The best way is to slowly make changes and adjust to them, so you don't spring backwards into old habits in rebellion.

Good luck!

[GuardedHeart]

Take up something you love! I recently discovered I love running! If you have a dog, take the dog and go running down the street or take your friend to motivate you! Since it's summer time, try lap swimming or hiking! In terms of diet, I agree with some of the other posts, really try to cut down on carbs! I'm nor saying completely eliminate it, but try to avoid pasta, rice, and bread! And eat protein and veggies! And if you're getting a gym membership, try strength training at least twice a week! Hope that helps! :)

[waynef21]

weight loss is a balance act between what your body uses and what it consumes and stores as fat. if you eat more than your body can handle (calorie wise) it'll convert the extra into fat to store when your body doesn't have food to go off of.

Best diet in the world is adkins or a modified adkins diet. The whole premise of Adkins is to remove totally all carbohydrates (sugars) from your diet. This in turn forces your liver to start converting stored energy (fat) into a useable fuel for your body. Hence, when you cut out all carbs for a few weeks it trains your liver to do the conversion, then you slowly re-introduce some carbs back into your diet as a supplement, but your liver keeps going on the conversion process to make up for what you aren't ingesting.

However, once you reach the goal weight you have to maintain it by allowing your liver to halt this process and watch what you eat, and manage your diet along with a good exercise program.

One note, muscle burns far more energy than anything, even at just a standstill muscle will burn energy just to maintain body heat. You need protein to build muscle. I have a book for men that promotes a testosterone diet, basically it states that if you go all protein and just some green veggies it'll help boost testosterone levels and get you to build muscle quicker than you normally would. it's a theory, but based upon basic anatomy and physiology it works.

so:

#1 get on a good regimen of strength/muscle building exercise

#2 cut out most of the carbs in your diet and go protein and green veggies (chicken salads with little to no dressing, dressing is carbs)

#3 stay active, get yourself into a routine, do strength and cardio (running)

[WeaponZero]

The best method of exercise I can recommend to anyone who is very overweight is doing circuit training in the form of complexes. It is no-impact, so the fact that you have extra weight on your knees won't be an issue like it would be with running. The way it works is this: Choose 5-8 different dumbbell exercises that all challenge different muscle groups using the same weight, leading to a full body workout in the end. GO through the entire routine doing 8 reps of each exercise, without taking ANY breaks at all. Don't even set the weights down. The second you finish one go right into the next. After you finish the whole sequence, take a short break and go through the whole thing again 5 a total of 5 times.

Example of a good complex (all done while standing)

Shoulder press

Front lat raise

Bicep curl

Tricep kickback

Romanian deadlift

Squat

This was the workout program I adopted in the beginning. I have lost 121 lbs total and my first 60 lbs of weight loss was done through nutrition alone but after that I started using this workout method. I then switched to calisthenics and integrating other forms of training.

[Anonymous]

Try to consume less calories, use a smaller bowl to put food in and don't eat out that much. Maybe for example take vitamin pills and eat like 1/2 an apple for breakfast with a cup of milk and cereal. Then for lunch eat something like a PBJ sandwhich. Then for dinner eat something like salmon with asparagus. Try to eat little portions and I would consume like 800 calories or less a day. It doesn't sound that healthy but it'll help you lose weight. And also drink tons of water, don't eat too much sugary food.

Exercise moderately. Some people do the P90X or Insanity thing at their home and they say it really helps them lose weight. Those are the 2 most popular exercise videos that I've heard of, I've never tried it either but my brother and SIL does it and they are losing a lot of weight.

[heyyy]

No no 800 calories? are you for real? if she eats only 800 calories, once she stops the diet, she will get twise as big . NO

Eat MIONIMUM 1200 , that is a MINIMUM of what you eat.

:D lol

800...ffs

[Opinion Owner]

I'm not sure what's healthy but I know that it is mostly how much you consume that helps you lose weight compared to how much you exercise, so eat less

[madmisskelly]

No added sugar- no sodas, cookies, candy, junk food.

No fast food/junk food- burgers, fries, chips, crackers, etc.

What you want more of- fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean meats.

Whole grains- brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, buckwheat, etc.

[heyyy]

She can have some sweets once in a while tho, in moderation.

[madmisskelly]

Like once a week moderation, it shouldn't be too often. I'll admit, I did forget to put that in my answer that you should treat yourself and don't be too restrictive because you won't want to stick with it. Pick one day per week to really treat yourself. Try not to have cheat DAYS as an entire day of bad eating is enough to throw off your goal, however, one meal per week isn't that bad, so long as you don't choose an entire pizza as your meal.

[Anonymous]

The key to weightloss is not having an ego, not being in denial, and listening to the advice of those who know what it takes. Most important of all, you have to use that advice.

It's a lifestyle change. And to be overweight and unhappy means there's a lot you have to fix. These are usually permanent fixes so you have to be really committed.

You're young so you have a real shot. Google "Scooby's workshop" and browse the modules that best fit your current goals.

[Diamonddogz74]

No fruit after noon, no grains/bread/pasta/rice after 3, all the green veggies and lean protein you can handle, don't worry too much about fat, and no sugar ever. That's a good start.

[PntBlnk]

For weight loss, you don't have to go kill yourself on the treadmill.

It's all about what you eat. I'd recommend you get yourself a copy of P90X... for real.

[PntBlnk]

The P90X diet plan is where most of your results will come from.