We need a diet motivator!!

[Lynda]

I really need to lose some weight! I know lots of others are in the same situation. I am really finding it hard to get motivated this time, not sure which diet to try etc etc.

Enough of the excuses anyone care to motivate us in to action!

[Lynda]

That is really great Sean! I am also a member of Weight Watchers on line. Think I lost about 12 pounds and then I went to Orlando. I have not been back on the diet since. Really hard to motivate myself.

We are coming over again in six weeks time. Feel fat and frumpy!

[noflyingfan]

How's this for a motivator?

This guy has lost more than three times what I weigh!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/27/health/main651815.shtml

[Rebecca]

Extremely good try. Really, really a stellar try. But I looked up the acceptable defects for my favorite food under I for ice cream, D for dairy, and B for Ben & Jerry's, and it's not there.

I'm thinking that means ice cream is clean. http://takingflight.us/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[kari]

Diets make you fat. Seriously.

Best way to lose weight is to take the stairs instead of the lift. I lost something like half a stone in my final year of uni just by doing that. Well, I assume it was that, I wasn't doing anything else different. Or go somewhere really hot.

But the Toblerone has to be eaten before it goes off, I tell you ....

[Rebecca]

Diets make you fat. Seriously.

I definitely agree. It's the deprivation thing.

The painful truth is that to lose weight we have to take in fewer calories than we burn. Hence your stairs vs. lift advice is very good.

I like to make sure every calorie is as nutritious as possible ... and as tasty as possible. That is a challenge but can be done. Lots of sweet potatoes, mangoes, walnuts, apples, berries, vegetables of all kinds, especially dark green veggies (kale is actually good sauteed with garlic and red chili peppers) etc. And then ... a piece of really dark, perfect chocolate. Or some really divine ice cream (not air-fluff artificial crud).

:rotflmao: <---- Rotflmao is at the gym now. Those are beads of sweat.

[EyesSkyward]

The painful truth is that to lose weight we have to take in fewer calories than we burn.

Yup. Diets fads come and go, but in the end, it's just a simple inventory problem. Your body needs a certain number of calories a day to run the store, and anything extra goes in the warehouse. :)

Which is why exercise is so important, as it keeps that metabolism up. Just restricting calories can often result in stuff still going in the warehouse, once the body gets used to the new intake levels. The exercise tells the body that it can't slack off like that!

I'm a big fan of Sparkpeople (http://www.sparkpeople.com/)(at least, I was before they raised their subscription fee through the roof). Really, I mostly just use the online food tracker. I log just about everything I put in my mouth. But then I'm a data person and enjoy that sort of thing. Probably not for everyone.

I also like "Picture Perfect Weight Loss". If you only have so many calories to "spend" on food, the book really drives home how to make sensible, informed choices. (Here's (http://www.drshapiropictureperfect.com/d1.html) an example.)

- Jeff

[noflyingfan]

Fad diets definitely make you fat. "Diets" like Weight Watchers, that teach you HOW to eat, will not. You just have to think of it not as deprivation but as a better and healthier way of eating. Would I really feel "deprived" if I didn't eat that second brownie? Probably not.

Sean, I would think the amount of energy your body needs drops off anyway when you lose a significant amount of weight. You lost 70 lbs. last year; that's like carrying seven five-lb. bags of sugar in each hand all the time. That takes a lot of energy for sure.

[Stef]

I always gain around the holidays...I enjoy my own homemade fudge just a little too much! But this year I did pretty good. I feel heavier but I haven't gained anything and my clothes still fit the same. I think the fact that I haven't done a darn thing in terms of exercise since late October might be why I feel heavier, so I just ordered a bunch of The Firm DVD's. They guarantee that you'll see results after 10 workouts. I need it. I hate exercising more than just about anything, but once I start getting into a groove where I am seeing results it actually becomes kind of fun <gasp!>. :shocked:

So I'm anxious to get started with The Firm. I figure if I tone up a little I can still eat all the fudge I want, right? :D

[dkelewae]

I'm on Weight Watchers and have lost 15.6 lbs since I joined on 10/10/05. I have about 5 lbs to go before I reach goal weight.

[WillFlyToDisney]

Stef - good luck with The Firm! Let us know if it really does do the trick after the first 10 workouts.

Diana - Congrats on your WW success. One of my friends lost over 100 lbs on WW several years ago and still attends meetings just to make sure that he maintains his new way of "thinking about eating". So far, so good. :thumbsup:

[noflyingfan]

A guy calls a company and orders their 5-day, 10 lb. weight loss program.

The next day, there's a knock on the door and there stands before him a voluptuous, athletic, 19 year old babe dressed in nothing but a pair of Nike running shoes and a sign around her neck. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight loss company. The sign reads, "If you can catch me, you can have me."

Without a second thought, he takes off after her. A few miles later,
huffing and puffing, he finally gives up
The same girl shows up for the next four days and the same thing happens.
On the fifth day, he weighs himself and is delighted to find he has lost 10 lbs! As promised.

He calls the company and orders their 5-day/20 pound program. The next day there's a knock at the door and there stands the most stunning, beautiful, sexy woman he has ever seen in his life. She is wearing nothing but Reebok running shoes and a sign around her neck that reads, "If you catch me you can have me".

Well, he's out the door after her like a shot. This girl is in excellent shape and it takes him a while before he can't continue, so
for the next four days, the same routine happens with him gradually
getting in better and better shape. Much to his delight, on the fifth day he weighs himself only to discover that he has lost another 20 lbs. as promised.

He decides to go for broke and calls the company to order the 7-day/50
pound program. "Are you sure?" asks the representative on the phone “This is our most rigorous program." "Absolutely," he replies, "I haven’t felt this good in years."

The next day there's a knock at the door; and when he opens it he
finds Richard Simmons standing there wearing nothing but pink running shoes
and a sign around his neck that reads, "If I catch you, you're mine!"

[WillFlyToDisney]

I am currently on the Pepsi/migraine diet. I drink at least 1 Pepsi a day and usually have at least 1 migraine a day. The migraine makes me so nauseated that I dont eat much so my body only gets the 150 or so calories from the Pepsi. Great plan huh? (well my jeans are loose so it must be doing something!) :thumbsup:

[StPeteMark]

Update:

This was my post last March; I wasn't able to supplement my work-out program correctly with aerobic exercise until after my back surgery in May. The result of the South Beach program and exercise was that I went from 205 to 175 lbs. in about 3 months, July to Sept. I stayed in South Beach's Phase I for 4 instead of 2 weeks. Since Sept., I have used Phase II for everyday guidelines. I have stabilized at 175 lbs. by eating good carbs and other healthy foods (most of the time) and by working out an hour to 90 minutes a day, six days a week. Blood pressure has dropped below 120/80 and cholesterol is now below 200. Also, my waist is down by 3 inches and I have greater strength, flexibility, and range of motion. I am thankful for the doctor who wrote this book!

Hi FF'ers!

I commend everyone who has made a commitment to slim down and fit up!

I highly recommend the book, Body for Life, which has a website that goes along with it.

Body for Life book...and website:

http://www.bodyforlife.com/

The author, Bill Phillips, is man behind of EAS products (Myoplex, others). He addresses exercise, food, food to avoid, how often to eat, and many other fitness issues. The information is very helpful. Most I try to follow...like the six small meals a day...others I don't...like the intense 20-min workout...I like to take my time over 90 minutes at the gym. The book is available at most Vitamin/supplement stores, usually cheaper than from the website.

My own goals include exercise 6 days a week, alternating aerobic days and weight resistance days. One day is reserved for no exercise and freedom to eat anything I want. Do I do it? Average 80% yes.

The South Beach Diet is another good source of info...takes the best from Atkins and others. I rather call it the South Beach life style, rather than diet, for it's really a guide to healthy eating for every day for life.

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/

Keep up the good work and I wish you continued success!
Mark :)

[Stef]

Stef - good luck with The Firm! Let us know if it really does do the trick after the first 10 workouts.

Well, I finished my 10th workout today. The bummer for me is that I didn't take any measurements or record my starting weight at the beginning. How lame is that? :shakehead But I definitely feel better and I have really noticed a change in my abs. My jeans are fitting a lot better too. It was tough to stick with it in the beginning because I had never done any Firm workouts before and they really don't give you a whole lot of time to learn certain moves. You really have to do each workout two or three times to get the hang of it. But now that I've done 10 I will definitely stick with it. I actually even look forward to exercising. That's sort of a new thing for me! I really enjoy the sculpting dvd's over the erobics, but that's just me. And I will definitely take my measurements before my next workout...that's kind of important!

Stef