I'm a fatty!!!! :) Help me please!!!! 8 }?

Question

I need to lose 20 pounds within the next 2 - 3 months. I would really appreciate some regimens, menus, or words of wisdom. I have all the time necessary since I'm not employed but I have little motivation and no idea how to do this quickly and effectively. I hate running so that's out of the question but I love to walk or hike so if you could incorporate that it would be good. Also, my problem areas are my hips, thighs, and butt so focus on those areas would be appreciated. Abs are not much of a problem (30in waist). Neither are arms (they get cut fast!) Just really the bottom! Everyone tells me running is best but I hate to because there are no sports bras for your butt!!! I used to do Tae Kwon Do but don't know of any instructional DVDs. Also, please be realistic with menu suggestions as I am not rich and can not buy tofu or fish every day! Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

I HATE foods like ice cream, pizza, most anything cheesy, milky - lactose intolerant? The only thing I usually drink besides water is coffee - black, 1-1 tsp. sugar. My nemesis is chocolate but I don't keep much in the house. The problem isn't that I eat too much. It is mostly that I don't eat enough good food often and certainly don't get enough exercise! In college I lost 80 lbs in 1 yr just from working and going to school! I was actually underweight at that time! Obviously since I don't work I don't have much reason to leave the house! I understand my problem areas. I am just looking for good suggestions on how to fix them. How can I take these suggestions and drill them in my mind? Stick to the regimen? I enjoyed all your answers so far - Keep 'em comin'! I love choosing best answerers!

Answer 1

You make me laugh with the sports bra comment about your butt! I hear ya! I have the same problem areas too. I like to use Tami Lee Webs video collection, Buns of steel, Legs of steel, Abs of steel. Also, Theres another video collection called the Firm, but you'd have to buy the special step they have. When I do that I am so sore the next day, they really focus on the lower body in their Body Sculpt video. You could run steps if you have them, like 10 times up and down to start, and if you don't like running outside for fear of people seeing you jiggle, you could run in place inside, to some good music. Hiking is definately good, especially if your hiking up hills so keep it up, and walking some hilley areas is good as well. Try squeezing each of your butt cheeks tight one at a time as you walk, and when your sitting still like driving squeeze you butt tight and do pulses. I know it sounds silly but if you do it to like the beat of a song the whole time you drive you'll be sore in the end.

I bought two party trays with the little compartments and lids, and I make a fruit tray and vege tray for us. It really encourages us to eat fruits and vege's when there all cut up like that and easily accessible. The trays last a few days. I love scrambled eggs, but instead of seasoning them with salt and pepper or putting cheese, I mix salsa in them right before they are done cooking. Also, I beat a little 1% milk into my eggs, it stretches them and makes them fluffier too. Then, I grab my vege or fruit tray and put some on the side with my eggs:) I usually make 2 large eggs. If you are by yourself those healthy choice meals, and lean cuisine are easy and good when you don't feel like cooking.

Well, I've wrote a small book! I'll add if I think of more things:) Good luck, you can do it!

Answer 2

Try to not eat sugary foods or snacks. Or, if you feel that you eat too much for supper or dinner, drink a few glasses of water a while before the meals. Fruits and vegetables are good to eat too. Try lifting weights for a while each day (if you have any). When you walk out to get the mail, go back and forth to the mailbox a few times, or run around your house. Or, if you have a treadmill, set it up in front of the tv and walk or jog or read a book while you're on the treadmill. Each night before you go to bed, do some quick things like push ups, crunchies, jumping jacks, leg lifts, or rent an exercise video. Ab lounges are good too...
If you can't get motivated, think POSITIVE. Say to yourself that you will shed pounds and the daily workouts don't really take that much time.

Answer 3

1. Forget about "problem areas" -- you lose weight over your whole body. You can't just "spot reduce" or focus on one area or another.

2. If you are not employed, you can EASILY lose 20 lbs in 2-3 months, with just a little discipline.

3. Basic principle: Eat less - exercise more. The reason you are overweight is because you eat too much. Period, end of story. Don't deny it, or rationalize it. Accept it. Embrace it. Understand it. You, and millions of other people, simply eat too much. Got it? Okay.

4. Breakfast: One cup of plain yogurt - 1/2 cup of plain oatmeal - one small package (about 4 ounces) of blueberries, strawberrieis or other berries. You can have a bananna mid morning if you are hungry.

5. Lunch: chicken or fish with a side salad. The piece of chicken/fish is the size of your palm. Eat as much salad as you can. No dressing, except you can have that "Salad Spritzer" stuff to give it some flavor.

6. Dinner: Same as lunch, except once or twice a week you can have lean steak.

7. Take vitamins.

8. Get up early in the morning and go for a walk for an hour every single day. Since you are unemployed, you have no excuse other than to do it. Just walk out your front door and go somewhere on foot for 30 minutes and then walk back. Try to go a little farther each day in that time frame. Try to work up a sweat.

9. Drink a gallon of water each day.

10. Do not drink any beverages other than water, except in the morning drink green tea.

11. No junk food - no chips, fries, burgers, pizza, or other crap. And, if you go out to eat, order the salmon with a side salad and can the potato (or at most eat 1/2 of it). Remember, in a meal your chicken/fish/meat portion is the size of the palm of your hand -- not those jumbo sizes they serve at the restaurants these days.

12. Watch the pounds melt away.

13. Weigh yourself every day at the same time each day. You'll notice a natural fluctuation in your weight. Sometimes you'll be inexplicably heavier and other days lighter, and you'll come to understand your weight "range." It will also keep your eye on the prize and you will understand that everything you put in your mouth matters. You can't just say "I'll just have this ice cream..." -- it matters.

14. It's a simple formula -- if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. End of story.


ADDITIONAL COMMENT:

You state in your added details that "it's not that I eat too much..." Look - YES - IT IS. If you didn't eat too much, you would not gain fat. Fat is gained when you take in more calories than you burn. Period. You take in more calories than you burn when you EAT TOO MUCH. It's not a slam on you or anything. It's just reality. In the U.S. most people simply eat too much. Portion sizes are too big. 65% of this country is overweight. And, we're overweight for one reason and one reason only. We EAT TOO MUCH. Get that into your head so that when you are out to dinner you know that the portion size of your chicken should be the size of your palm. You should eat a lot of vegetables, and a small starch like a potato (but only about 1/2 the usual baked potato you get. Stash the 1/2 of your meal you don't eat in the fridge for the next day.

Answer 4

This is probably the best and healthiest way...
Eat three meals a day - not to big, if needed one or two snacks in between. Snacks could either be fruit or vegetables, a small bar (not containing to many calories-under 70), or low fat dairy products, drink lots of water - 6 - 8 glasses, at least one serve of milk, cheese or yoghurt each day. At least 5 times a week exersise for 30 minutes.
goodluck!

Answer 5

First up, the one thing you need to lose weight is motivation, so if you're lacking motivation you better find some! My advice would be to eat more protein foods as these tend to fill you up more, such as fish, eggs, beans and meat. Stay away from saturated fats, such as crisps, pizzas etc. Drink plenty of water. You don't need to starve yourself to lose weight. As long as you're cutting down 100-200 calories a day you WILL see significant improvement in your appearance within weeks. That is, cutting out rice out of your diet. Or cutting out chocoloate out of your diet. On the exercise side of things, just be more active, no running needed. Park the car in the furthest spot in the car park. Take the stairs as a pose to the lifts. Just beleive in yourself and you can do it!

Answer 6

It's not mysterious or complicated.
Cut out as much sugar as possible.
Cut out as much fat as possible (butter, marg, fried stuff, excessive oils in cooking and baking, etc). Hwever, certain fats in moderation are actually good for you, like raw almonds, olive oil, etc.
Concentrate on veggies, fruits, complex carbs and lean meats (you don't have to just eat chicken or fish).
Have several small (the size of your fist) healthy and balanced meals about 3 hours apart rather than one or two big ones.
Cut out much of your simple carbs.
Exercise everyday, including something that uses weight/resistance training (very important). Do not just focuse on one body area--it doesn't work that way. It's not like if you do sit ups, your stomach has less fat than the rest of you.
Try to do one day of some sort of weight/resistance training and one day aerobic. Walking is great. Cycling is awesome if you don't like running. Swimming is also awesome. Anything that makes you sweat and raises your heartrate to a decent level (and keeps it raised) for at least 30 minutes.

Answer 7

What foods do you usually eat? What hours of the day do you eat? You should probably cut back on simple carbs like bread and pasta. Try to eat food with more protein and vegetables. You do not have to completely deprive yourself of food but try to eat in moderation with more healthier foods. Try to stay away from soda, fried foods, candy and overly fatty foods like chips.

Personally, I overeat because I like food. I eat whatever I want but I do not eat late at night. At 5'9''(size 6), I am actually someone with a more slim/medium frame. I have never been skinny nor do I want to be. I had started gaining weight in college. I have been yo-yo'ing in weight since high school. I used to drink soda everyday and now I have gone about 2 years without it. My weight had dropped down until the holidays came. At first it seemed hard but over time it wasnt a big deal. It actually would be too sweet if I drink soda now. I also used to eat many fried foods but I now keep it to a minimum like on holidays.

Most importantly if you eat make sure it is before 5pm or 6pm. When you eat late you are basically making it impossible to lose weight regardless of diet or exercise.

Another tip is try elliptical exercise...although you said you hate running the only way to actually tone your lower body is running, jogging/walking or step aerobics. You can use a stationary bike if biking is too difficult for you to do. Also, to tone up your lower body 'stepping' really works--you have to stick with it though. Buns of Steel is an old VHS tape I had, I never had an issue with my lower body but Buns of Steel toned up my leg muscles and thighs. People think I do sit ups for abs but I never do sit ups or workout more than 1-2 times a week. Have you tried pilates? I heard that is really good for total body trimming. If "pilates", step aerobics(Buns of Steel workout tape) is not familiar to you you may want to look it up through yahoo search engine.

p.s. You can find "step" aerobics/Pilates tapes and dvds anywhere for $10-$30 so it is not that expensive if you do not have a big budget. If you have cable, the FitTV station shows nothing but fitness tips as well as actual workouts for free. I know you hate it but running is free and not hard to do just stretch before and after. If you ran one mile a day you would burn just as many calories as walking two miles. Walking helps too my mother (used to wear a size 16-18 now wears a 12) lost a great deal of weight from walking and changing her eating habits a little bit.

Wow this is long well anyway, hope this helps any!

Answer 8

join a gym and go every other day. Also, eat healthy foods such as wheat, fruits and vegtables and you know whats healthy. I'm sorry I can't tell you an exercise, especially not a butt exercise and I don't know if there is such a thing but working out will help. You do need to be patient though it doesn't happen right away. 20 lbs is not a lot to lose and you can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

I like the one who answered "it's not what you don't eat, it's what you eat"
As far as exercise...just move some things around in your home...put stuff you use regularly either up way high or down low (like move the fork drawer to the bottom drawer and put your daily cosmetics in the back of the cabinet down low so you actually have to squat and reach to get them)...I start exercise by lifting soup cans or shampoo bottles (baby steps) then create a little routine of stretches...baby steps. For me, I just need to cut one or two foods from my diet to make a difference (bread and alcohol)...you need to analyze what you do and don't do and take that first baby step.

Answer 10

No, no , no, madame, none of these answers will make your diet different...let's try the Mediterranean diet....

Basic sauce: 1/4 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil..heat oil, add garlic and onion and then 1/4 of a green pepper and whatever else you like--mushrooms, broccoli, yellow squash, etc and 1 16 oz can whole/chopped tomatoes..let simmer

Buy a rice cooker, make yourself a cup of rice brown, white or yellow --or boil up whole wheat noodles for variety

Add whitefish, or a lamb chop,or turkey sausage, or chicken breast or pork loin

Med sauce, rice/pasta and meat will satisfy you at 1 or 2 PM

Breakfast is either oatmeal with fruit or an egg in the micro on whole wheat bread..ketsup optional

Dinner at 6 is salad or snack on tuna/sardines with crackers and tomatoes

6:30 you get a glass of white or red wine..and nothing but olives or pickles until the next morning..

and you walk and walk and walk and walk and climb stairs wherever you find them and walk and walk and walk