What really works???

Hi,

I have some weight to lose, I have had the same amount to lose for while really, I just haven't been able to kick start myself onto anything.

I am curious I suppose, seeing some tickers out there some of you have lost some serious weight, so congrats to those who have, and just  wondered for those who have can you share some tips that have really helped, ie was it counting calories, following a scheme like ww or just good old fashioned eat less and move more......

I have started working out, first time in years I am now doing 3 zumba classes a week and loving it, but not really sorted out my diet yet and is 3 workouts a week enough to really shift weight or will I need more.

Anyone any tips suggestions etc..... just keen to study up and make a permanent change rather than do anything too faddy (been there done that)

 

I'm down 39.4kg all up.

Like Bizzy said, you need to eat less (or alot better) and move more.

I found Julias femfit journals great. femfit.co.nz They have a page for exercise and a page for food for each day. I felt guilty when the exercise page was empty and made it my mission to have something there every day. Her's has space if you wanna count calories but my philosophy is that you need to do something you can stick to FOREVER! I don't like counting calories cause its not something I wanna do forever. I wrote down my foods for a few months so I could see what I was eating. I don't need to do that now.

I fixed one meal at a time. Started at breakfast, then lunch, then dinner and then snacks. I don't really ever eat bread. I still eat carbs. I eat a lot more protein and I have healthy snacks. We rarely buy naughty treats. I don't keep unhealthy food in the house apart from a once off.

My meals are pretty much the same every day:

Breakfast: Protein shake and small serving of special k (I need the protein cause I'm vego and because I do weights)

Lunch: Typically a salad with lots of vege, a boiled egg and a handful of a nut and seed mix I've made up using stuff from the bulk bins

Dinner: Hokkien noodle stir fry, spaghetti pasta, quiche, Nutty rice salad, cous cous salad. All my dinners have carbs in it cause I'm vego I can't not have carbs but they are totally loaded with vege so my carb portions aren't really that big at all and I work out after the kids are in bed so I'm burning off my carbs

Snacks: Vitaweat with hummus, fruit, home made muesli bars (they are full of porridge so very filling)

To start with I got out some of my old DVDs and made myself do something everyday (and I would use the car less). Then I started looking at my food. I cut down portion sizes and tried to choose healthier foods.

Then I discovered My Fitness Pal and started tracking calories in and calories out. I really like the website and have learnt alot about fitness and nutrition (though I always try to research what people say rather than just take their word for it). I don't want to be tracking calories for the rest of my life but at the moment if I want to make a difference, I need to.

In terms of exercise I try to do something everyday (though I will have a day off if I need to). Not that I'm doing a huge amount though. I do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD (24-27min) and then usually do something else like go for a walk or Turbo Jam and just recently, Zumba. I love feeling fitter and stronger and doing things I never thought I'd be capable of, like push-ups! Granted they are only girly ones, but I'm still stoked

For food I tend to eat fairly similarly most days. Breakfast is 1 piece of toast (I've cut right back on bread too) with peanut butter and porridge and a cup of coffee. Lunch - I try to go with salad and some type of protein, occasionally I'll have a sandwich or wrap or leftovers from the previous nights dinner (but watch portion sizes). Dinner is the same as the rest of the family, but again I watch how much I eat. I try to make sure snacks are mostly fruit and almonds (and dark chocolate!). Since getting UTD I've had to up my calorie intake and I find I'm 'topping up' with not so good food, so will have to work on that.

Hope this helps and feel free to come and join us in the weight loss thread when you are ready

Ummmm it changes every time to be honest! I just make it up each time. This is the recipe I base it on. I tend not to use honey but use a bit of condensed milk and I don't use as much butter as in the recipe and I just switch out things that are listed in there. I found a good toasted seed mix in the bulk bins which I use. I don't like sultanas so don't use those. I just mix up whatever is on hand. I know theres stuff like butter and sugar in it but its so filling you don't need to eat much of it so its spread over so many portions

They are really yum. I often get a few died mango pieces at the bulk bins and chop those finely and add them for some sweetness/extra flavour. Very yum. I like that I make them a bit different each time. And if you want the kids to really like them make some icing and drizzle some on top once its cool. I get Daniel to do that part so he draws stuff out of the icing lol

I have found Low G.I and Atkins diet the most effective for me.

Currently I am doing Atkins(low-carb)

Dunno if I'll share what I eat, it's very strict.

Well, ok, I will.

Breakfast: 2 eggs or a 3 eggs omelette(sometimes with feta and chopped tomato)

Lunch: salad, consisting of, metro mix lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped avocado and chopped feta

Dinner: either 1 piece of skinless boneless chicken or lean pork and about 1 cup of steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

That keeps me around 20gms of carbs a day or just under.

The only thing that really works is...determination...if you have that then the rest will follow. When it comes to food eat less, they say about 500cals less & you will lose weight. Write everything down that you eat as you will be surprised by the foods you don't count.

Exercise helps tone & burn cals, but it is mainly your food choices & portion sizes that will make you lose weight.

It is a simple concept, eat less move more...but it is not easy to do unless you are in the right head space..I know

Try to do it as a lifestyle change & not a strict denial diet, you can still have the things you want but less often & a small amount

i personally dont believe fad diets like the atkins work long term... it has to be a permanent lifestyle change to be really effective! I also dont believe denying yourself a whole food group is that healthy either, nor is denying yourself any kind of "treat".

It's just a diet, to lose the weight. Once I've lost the weight, I will use low g.i eating to maintain the weight loss and low g.i isn't restrictive really, so it's a good lifestyle way of eating.

Oh, I do have the odd treat on atkins, just tend to be atkins choc bars, but it's still chocolate, so it's still a treat.