I'm 36 and have been desperately trying to loose weight without the surgery,any suggestions?!?

Question

I tend to lose 5 pounds and gain right back ,I only eat once a day!and take in plenty water and gatorade !

Answer 1

Eating one meal a day is NOT going to help you lose weight. Split those calories up among several smaller meals during the day. And, if you're counting calories, about 1,200 a day is right for the average adult who is trying to lose weight. If you eat less than that, it's a starvation diet, and your body will stop burning fat because it thinks you are starving and must conserve fuel.

Just take your time and lose the weight slowly. It's the best way to keep it off. Definitely exercise. The more muscle you gain, the easier it will be to lose weight. And, measure inches as well as weight. Muscle weighs more than fat, so you could get disappointed because you're not losing weight as fast as you had hoped. However, if you're picking up muscle from exercise, that's extremely good.

And, finally, take it easy on the Gatorade. A little is good for you, but it has a lot of calories - like every other sweetened drink. Stick to water.

Answer 2

I'm a bit older than you and believe me, if I can do it, so can you.

First thing you need to get your head around is that there is no quick fix. It doesn't matter who promises what.. it's not happening. You'll gain it all back and then some. There's a physiological reason (genetic programming) why that happens.

Second thing is to truly understand that it's a matter of energy in, energy out. Your body will try to hold on to every bit of fat it can. That's the genetic part. But, if you're persistent, it will come off.

5 pounds is "water weight". That's water stored in tissue cells that is released when the body flushes out excess nitrogen that's produced when not enough food comes in. Once you hit that 5 pound mark, you're talking fat loss and then it's a tug-of-war between you and your body. If you're persistent, you win, if you're not, you'll fall off the wagon.

You have to eat more than once a day and smaller portions. That's a hard thing to do, but there's a reason. You can go without all day and then eat a bigger meal, but your body will only convert into energy what it needs at that time and the excess will turn into fat. That's why you can eat a relatively small amount per day (i.e. just 1 meal) but still get fat.

Lay off the Gatorade. It's designed for athletes who need to balance the electrolytes in their body. It's high in sugar and sodium. You could make your own by mixing 7 oz tapwater, 3 Tbsp sugar, 1/6 tsp Salt and 1oz citrus juice = same thing.

You have to start some exercise routine and you have to stick with it. Ideally 6 days a week, alternating aerobics with weight training. You have to keep it up for at least 3-4 weeks to see some results. Ignore weight gain during your period. It'll come right back off. You'll hit your set-point. That can keep your weight stable for days, sometimes weeks... and it'll take killer motivation to get past it, but you can do it. Don't look to win the battle, try and win the war.

In the end, you need to create a calory deficit of arout 500 per day to lose a pound of fat a week (3600 cals/pound)... and exercise is the best way to do it. You build muscle and muscle will keep your metabolism high when you're at rest. Drink 8 cups water / unsweetened tea a day, otherwise it won't work.
Good luck !

Answer 3

The gatorade is probably not helping you lose weight, because it has a high sugar content and beleive it or not, a good dose of carbs. Stop drinking it. Eating only once a day is probably not helpful either, since it will tend to slow your metabolism down. Probably the best thing you can do is speak to your doctor about a nutritional program to follow that will help you set some good goals and take a healthy approach. Some good recommendations are to watch your intake of carbs, eat more vegetables and less processed food - anything that comes from a box or can is usually not the best for you, unless you read the labels carefully. You may also want to check out the concept of the glycemic index, and determine what your daliy caloric intake should be, and then ensure you eat only about that or less, and get regular exercise.

Answer 4

I am 30 years old and in March 2005, I hit my highest weight at 320 pounds. Since then I have lost 100 pounds. I am still losing weight and I have about 80 more to go. Here is what has made the difference for me:

1. Exercise, exercise, exercise!! I do a straight hour of cardio every morning and 30 minutes of weight/strength training 3 times a week. I started out with a Jazzercize class every night Monday - Friday and it really kicked my metabolism into high gear. But this is the biggest factor that has helped me lose weight.

2. Do NOT eat ANY fast food - that includes the crap that they try to pass off as "healthy choices". Limit your restauarant visits to no more than twice a month.

3. Learn how to cook - and fill your home with healthy, tasty food. Lots of veggies, limit your fruit intake and drink water - not lots, just enough to keep you hydrated. DO NOT drink Gatorade - it is filled with unnecessary sugars and was created for hard-working athletes who need to up their carbo and electrolyte levels. You shouldn't be touching any kind of drinks like this until you are a hard-working athlete - water is ALL your body really needs at this point.

4. Ask for support and make yourself accountable to someone. Tell your closest friend, boyfriend or husband what you are trying to do and ask them to help you stay with your program. Setting goals is important, but you need to have someone that will make sure that you are acheiving your goals. Write them down each week or whatever works for you.

I had tried dieting for YEARS and like you found only fleeting success. I even tried the medically supervised all liquid diet for 6 months, lost 70 pounds and gained it all back. I had resorted to the idea of having surgery at the beginning of last year. Then a friend started picking me up every day after work to take me to her Jazzercize class and although it was VERY hard at first and I hated taking the time away from my day, it was the catalyst that got me to think about weight loss is a new way. DIETING DOES NOT WORK - YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE AND IT MUST A BE A LIFE-CHANGE! Your program must be flexible enough to last you the rest of your life, not just until you lose the weight you want to lose.

YOU CAN DO THIS!! You just have to start loving yourself enough to give your body the chance to be the best that it can be! And believe that you can do it! GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 5

First, STOP eating only once a day. It's better to eat 5-6 small meals/snacks a day because it keeps your metabolism going.

You may want to try the Atkins diet. It has worked for me. But if you try it, be sure to get the book and READ the entire thing. Most critics do NOT understand the diet. It is very restrictive on carbs for the initial 2 weeks, but then you start adding carbs back to your diet...slowly, and only good carbs.

You will lose very quickly in the first couple weeks, and that was a big motivator for me. I am the kind of person who has to see some progress right away. Check into it.

Answer 6

Ok I might be only 17, but the thing is eating once a day really doesn't help. You should eat vegitarian. For breakfast have a yogourt with cereal, or fruit, or both. For lunch have a salad (more vitamines than calories), for dinner make a nice meal (no fast food) you'll eat slower and better when it is fancy or if you prepared it with care. Have fun when cooking, don't worry about eating pasta 5 days in a row.
Don't diet, because once your done with a diet you'll yust get all that weight back.
And, oh do lent! Give up candy, cakes, patisseries, all that.
drink water and orange juice, and eat pleanty of fruit when you are hungry instead of opening a chips bag or a cookie box.
good luck, don't think about your weight, say to yourself "I am so good looking and hot!" it will boost your selfesteem.

Answer 7

The older you get the harder it becomes to loose the weight.

The key is excercise! It doesn't matter if it's moderate or vigorously as long as you're active... burning butter!

The less you eat the more you'll gain. Your body will store fat. You need to eat at least 3 healthy well balanced meals, watch your calorie intake, and watch your proportions.

Skip the Gatorade and opt for water, water, water!

Once you make these small changes in your life you'll be able to live a healthier life AND keep the weight off for good.

Good luck!

Answer 8

OK first off, your body needs three healthy meals a day. You lose and gain because you probably cannot eat enough at a single sitting to maintain your weight, you lose 5, your body finally says, he's starving for sure now, conserve calories. I have found in my 36 years that following a simple plan, helps me lose weight. Take in fewer calories than you burn. Do this by finding your base rate metabolism online. Then take in fewer calories than that by eating. Now increase your muscle mass by doing a weight training for at least a month. Then start doing cardioas well. You didn't put on alot of weight fast, you can't take it off fast. It will take time, and the most important aspect of any diet, Consistency Consistency Consistency. You will lose the weight!!

Answer 9

Eating once a day is not good. Your body can actually start to retain more weight.

4 - 6 small meals a day instead of three (or in your case) is good. Don't overdo it.

Each meal should consist of one serving protein, one serving carb, and a vegetable or fruit thrown in. Switch to skim milk if you haven't already. Supplement with a multi-vitamin.

Take stairs instead of elevators. Park your car in the furthest spot from whatever store you are visiting and walk faster to get from one to the other. Do your grocery shopping AFTER you've eaten as people are more likely to buy more unhealthy foods when they are hungry.

Gatorade is not a health drink...stick with water and ditch the Gatorade unless you're doing a lot of activity and sweating.

Bottom line...you're gonna have to exercise and eat right. But you're also going to have to make it fun.

I'm a big fan of "Body for Life" (http://www.bodyforlife.com) - Maybe you can check it out!

Answer 10

I believe you....the less you eat the less you will spend. Sure, exercise helps, but how do you start??? Not that easy...
Walking is the best alternative if you are very much over weighted, protecting your knees and improving your mood little by little. In case of feeling ashamed, working out with a DVD/Video program helps as well, and for ending, imagine yourself beautifully shaped, more confident and fitting in clothes you ever thought you could anymore.
Eating once a day is certainly not the best you can do to boost your metabolism....building some imperceptible muscle mass will do it for you, and in this way your weight will find a balance.

Think over what is going on in your life: most of us are searching something sweat to pick when we feel down.

Go ahead, and success,

Froggy