I weigh 340 pounds. I have been trying to lose weight for a while. Can someone give me tips on doing so?

Answer 1

The most healthy and effective way to lose weight and keep it off is to burn more calories than you consume.

Avoid eating high caloric and high fat foods.

Also, skip junk foods and fast foods.

Pay attention to what you eat, when you eat and why you eat.

Some people eat when they are bored. Don't.

Some people eat when they are sad, angry or depressed. Don't.

Some people eat simply because they are not full any more. Don't.

Eat two or three times a day. Eat foods that have plenty of diferent colors to them. (Green, yellow orange vegetables, etc. Avoid brown foods like processed meats, fried meats, burgers, etc.)

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. If you need a snack, take a vegetable (not a potato chip) that is high in fiber (carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)

Avoid midnight snacks. You burn more calories awake than you do asleep.

Also, start an exercise regimen. Start slowly at first.

Walk half a mile for a few days. Build up to a mile and more.

Don't take the elevator. Take the stairs. Give yourself a few extra minutes to climb them.

The questions that you have to ask yourself are how healthy do I really want to be?

How well do I really want to feel?

How long would I really like to live?

Answer 2

First of all - ignore that first answer.

Second- what I find works for me after over fifty years of struggling is to do this:

Cut right back on fat intake, and the easiest way is to try and keep manufactured food under 5g of fat per 100g. I also use mayonnaise instead of butter or margarine in a sandwich - and I use the "light" mayo. I use a low-fat oil spray for frying, and just a small amount.

Try and reduce the amount of sugar you consume. It's one of those "hidden" ingedients that is in so much pre-packaged food.

Reduce portion size. I know it's hard, but if you can take in a smaller amount each time you eat, you will get used to eating less.

Eat more slowly. Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls and think about what you are eating, so you get some enjoyment from it rather than wolfing it down.

Try to eat a varied diet - but I don't mean cut out ALL the things you like! Just incorporate fruit and vegetables into your day, along with fish and white meat such as chicken and still allow yourself the occasional treat.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day. It's surprising how often what feels like hunger turns out to be thirst.

Obviously exercise is good, but if you do that don't set yourself impossible targets or you will give up on the first day.

One thing that has always defeated me is calorie counting or any of the "fad" diets. By just applying a few basic rules and really only counting the fat per 100g I feel much fitter than I have for a long while and have lost 11 pounds without it being a struggle. It's not a fast method but a pound or two every couple of weeks suits me as it feels more natural and safer.

Answer 3

I've tried many diets and couldn't make anything work. Since having my first child, I've been carrying around an extra 30 pounds. This diet just made sense and showed me that everything I was doing before was wrong and a waste of my time.

The plan was so refreshing and so simple to follow. I did everything plan said and lost 23 pounds in the first three weeks. I'm now starting the diet again to lose 7 more pounds. This plan has changed my life.

Get started today!

Answer 4

Eat healthier, and maybe twice a day instead of 3 times. Alternatively, eat SMALL, snack-type meals every few hours, it's good for your metabolism; but make sure you're not eating more than you otherwise would. Walk EVERYWHERE you go, keep driving to an absolute minimum. Start going to the gym as soon as you feel able, or buy yourself a treadmill or exercise bike and work out at home. Try to do this for about an hour every day. Don't waste time with pills and don't cop out with surgery - the only healthy way to lose weight is to exercise and watch what you eat.

Answer 5

Congrats on your efforts!! You need to go through a detox phase (approx 2wks). Nothing with white flour. if you want to eat breads/pastas eat Whole wheat (but not enriched whole wheat they take the nutrients out & then put it back in) I buy brown rice pasta @ wholefoods stores. tastes just like the real thing!! No sugar (corn syrup etc.). Learn to read the label (sugar listed 4th or more is ok). Sugarbusters book is a good guideline I bought mine at 1/2 price bks. My daughters teacher weight 350 and she has lost more than 100 lbs.so far .have you ever noticed the more sugar you eat the more you want? eat more high protien foods to keep you fuller longer.Just an example when I used to eat grapefruit i used to put sugar/sugar sub. now when I eat it its sweet. amazing how my sugar tolerance has changed.I've lost about 25 lbs fell off the bandwagon on halloween (candy) i was eating it impulsively. I realized I had to detox again but now I'm on my way again. Everyone says oh a little wont hurt.. you know what I tell them yeah well thats what got me here in the first place ;) best of luck to you !!! hope this helps. also, the teacher/friend she is a member of overeaters aynomous (its for all types of eating disorders anoxreixa/bulemia food addictions etc) she has a sponsor that gives her support that she needs and its free. Dont think of it as a diet think of it as a life style change. Don't forget to exercise!! ;)

Answer 6

It's pretty simple but so hard to do. You are eating more than your body uses. You have to eat less and/or exercise more. Watch the Biggest Loser. They give them balanced small meals and then exercise the heck out of them and they lose. But they are also checked by a doctor to be sure what they are doing will not hurt them. You need lifestyle changes and Dr. Phil has an excellent book out there about dieting. He also says that to lose weight, you need to figure out why you eat so much in the first place. And then he gives you steps about getting rid of all the junk food and setting yourself up for success. Check out his website to get all the details and the name of the book. Also another very good book that gave me lots of insight into eating properly was Dr. Sears diet book. He doesn't go in for fad or unhealthy eating styles. He talks about eating smaller balanced meals. It was important for me because I am diabetic now and his book gave me some very good ideas about how to combat the disease and eat better. Another good idea is join a group like Weighwatchers so that you have support. It's hard to lose and harder to keep off and support really helps. Getting on that scale in front of other people can really give you support plus I like having someone to call instead of buying that icecream and hot fudge when I have a weak moment. Also if you totally fall off the diet, don't stop, just start up again. And go walk around the block and start building your stamina. If you are afraid you will damage your knees, find a water aerobics class. Stop worrying about your size and just go do it. You will have a much better life and feel so much better about yourself. There's nothing wrong with being big is the biggest crock of all. You know exactly what it feels like and so do I. I have fought it all my life and will continue to do so forever. And last, don't do fad diets. Good luck.

Answer 7

Ever watched "Biggest Loser" on TV? If not, you should. It will give you ideas of what you should be doing. You can also go to YouTube and type in weight loss and see what dozens of people have done to lose weight; also go to diet.com for food ideas. You can do it without surgery - lots of people have if they are determined enough. The key is to increase your activity level by exercise (walking is a good start for a larger person) and decreasing your calorie intake. Avoid anything with sugar in it, nothing white (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta), lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (both raw and cooked), small amounts of lean protein (baked chicken, no skin, or fish), skim milk, whole grain cereal or bread, yogurt and lots of water. You should be drinking half your weight in ounces (5100 ml) or 5 liters of water per day so that your liver can process the fat from your body and get rid of it. Good luck - you can do this.

Answer 8

Hi Jeremy,
I am also trying to lose weight & i'm in the 300s too. I know how hard it is. I stopped drinking regular soda and started drinking water. I have a diet soda every once in a while. I am trying to cut down on high fat foods and i started exercising a little more. Even a little walk or walking down steps has helped. Try not to be hard on yourself-i know i am my worst critic. It took time for us to put the weight on and it will take time to take it off. But we can do it! Hope this helps.
Izzy

Answer 9

It is difficult as diets suit different people. If you have a lot to lose I would contact my Dr about going on a VLCD.The reason for this is that because the initial weight loss is rapid people tend to stick to it. People like to see quick results. Your Dr can refer you to a suitable programme and check that you remain healthy.If you plan to do it at home by yourself I would count calories.if you keep to a certain amount of calories then you cannot fail to lose weight. Sparkpeople is a great, free site that works out a diet for you and has a lot of online support and suggested exercises.Many people have lost weight on this site. I would advise lowering your carbs and not just your fat as a diet lower in carbs prevents hunger and also they have found that most apple shaped people do better in a lower carb diet, if you are pear shaped low fat may also work. Drink lots of water - at least 2 litres a day to make sure your body isn't confusing hunger with thirst.Losing weight is hard work but many people have lost lots of weight and more than you have to lose take a look at youtube at the biggest loser... anyone who puts their mind to it can do it and simply if you eat less calories than you burn you will lose weight. All diet takes is perserverance and patience even if you have a bad day .. don't give up just continue dieting. Make yourself a vegetable soup (with low calories veggies and stock) and keep a supply and eat whenver you are tempted to snack. Again have a look at that free diet site. There is also weightwatchers and that does work as someone at my work lost 200 pounds on that. All diets work in the long run but you need to find one that you can stick too. As for success anyone can do it, we all have the willpower it just takes some believe in oneself.

Answer 10

You don't say your age. I am happy you are wanting to do something healthy for yourself. It is a never-ending battle, believe me. I have been there!
See your doctor and have him put you on a reduced calorie diet of fruit, vegetables, meat, milk and breads in limited portions. Eliminate the fast food and high fat foods from your food plan. Start doing some form of exercise even if it is walking every day for 30 minutes. If you can do longer, do it! We gain weight because we take in more calories than the amount of energy we burn with our activity. Join some weight loss group for the support they can give you to keep on the program.
The ultimate is considering the gastric bypass surgery. Your weight is enough to qualify you. I had it done in April and went from size 18 to 8 in 6 months. I belong to a gym and that helped firm up the saggy parts. I have no regrets!