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[hippie37]

I've always been a person usually teetering around the 9 1/2 stone area so I have never in my life had to deal with being overweight before. In the past 6 months I have put on a fair amount of weight and now weigh in at 87 kg or 13 1/2 stone. I would like to lose a stone and a half if I can but I don't know the first thing about diets, saturated fats, carbohydrates, proteins, portion sizes etc etc. I just don't know where the hell to begin and how to go about loosing weight through dieting and could do with a little, if not a lot of, advise. I've read a bit on the internet but I need it putting in layman's terms from some of your good-selves. I bought salad stuff the other week and it cost me an arm and a leg and it lasted me two days so I am also on a tight budget which doesn't help either. i just wish I could look at this as being a problem like my drinking but somehow I can't see it that way. I have been rather lazy recently with the exercise but I have fixed my mountain bike finally and have started riding again. It has been difficult recently with having water retention and fatigue possibly side effects from the ant-depressants which I have now stopped completely. So I'm back to exercising regularly but now need to include dieting as well.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Love and Happiness
Hippie
xx

[cowgal]

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healthy

I find that when I eat a healthy, low fat diet, like egg-whites/egg beaters, toast and coffee for breakfast, lowfat yogurt w/ sm amount of peanuts in it for mid morning snack..............

Sandwich for lunch and fruit and low-fat mozzarella chees stick for early afternoon snack............

Protein like chicken or fish (VERY rarely steak) and a sm amount of pasta and salad or veggies for dinner and maybe a dish of ice milk or frozen yogurt.............

I DEFINITELY lose alot of weight and FAST....................

BUT you are a guy (Very jealous of you guys!!) You will lose weight and still be able to eat more than I do.........that is just an example of what I eat on average day while really being strict..........you can probably get away w/ adding some stuff, like oatmeal in the AM.........snacks like crackers or something like that.............

just what works for me, then again I AM a girl!!

lots of love, good luck!!!!!

yeah, right, what is a stone?? what does it weigh???


MA

[Bella]

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Hippee....get your arse on that mountain bike.....you lovely man ...Bella xx

[Accountable for Me]

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Small, frequent portions through out the day - of healthy foods.

High fibre/protein, lots of veggies and some fruit. Try to stay away from refined stuff like things made with bleached flour, white pasta and rice.

If you drink a lot of water you will get rid of the water retention. I find that if I am not drinking a lot of water I retain it. Also, stay away from salt.

Eating well doesn't have to be expensive. I am a budget guru and what I do is buy things like meats (family size packages) portion them up and place in the freezer. Canned tuna is cheap here and loaded with protein. I buy my veggies and fruits at farmer markets or locally from farms - way cheaper than at a grocery store.

Add in some exercise - and you will be well on your way!!!

[lorisunshine]

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................Hippie, how many pebbles in a stone?

Really, like Bella said, get you butt on that mountain bike and peddle your heart out. It is absolutely free and gives you a cardiac workout bar none.
Happy peddling sweetheart.
Lori

[USMgirl]

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Hippie, my man....a stone????? What is that?
Anyway, there's really NO big secret to losing weight and getting fit.....if you eat cleanly and work-out regularly, you will lose fat and gain muscle and strength...period....
A big problem most people just starting out have is knowing 'what' to eat......that's pretty simple too.
Meals should consist of lean protien and complex carbs. The other posts have been right....veggies, fruit, fiber, water, lean protien.......cut out refined stuff and ALL fast food.....I believe in moderation not deprivation, but for now, the junk's gotta go!!!

Read anything you can find!!!! Magazines, websites, the info is everywhere!!!!
Clean eating!!!!! (NO AL) and Exercise! Get up on that bike and ride!!!!!
This reminds me that my bike has a flat! Gotta get that fixed!!!! Summer is on it's way!!!!:rays:
Good luck!!!!
P.S. Check out our work-out thread!!!! We'd love to have you join us!

[greeneyes]

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There are sooooooo many opinions on this subject. Maybe become a subscriber to Dr. Andrew Weil's website (free). He seems to have some pretty solid, blanced info.And you might find interest in his book "8 weeks to optimal health". Probobly could get a used one cheap at Amazon.

[embraceddarkside]

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Try this!

I don't tolerate sugar (sugar highs and sugar lows), I breakout in an itchy rash with chocolate or beer, and I'm allergic to anything made with wheat or flour. Ergo-- all pastries and donuts and bread are out. I guarantee if you have my problem, weight will no longer be an issue. Everytime I grieve over turkey and cheddar sandwiches, not being able to put toasted wheat germ on my yogurt, or a Heineken in the hot summer heat, I always think of my nice, girlish figure.

[Guest]

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get off the puter and take some long ,fast walks...lol

[Niblet]

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Hey Hippie !!!!
We all will help you buddy xxx
I'm really big on exchanging foods... let me explain ;
- exchange white rice for brown
-regular pasta for whole wheat
-white bread for whole grain bread
-icecream for frozen yogurt
-regualar cereal for oatmeal or one of those whole grain healthy ones, eg, kashi-go lean, or Fiber 1.

Eat well, do not... I repeat D O N O T Diet !!! It is a surefire way to slow down your metabolism and make you fatter in the long run... Slow and steadily gain muscle (which weighs more than fat I might add) and lose the fat... As you slowly transform your body expect to have periods of time that you show no weight loss on the scale... It is your body building muscle that will also help to burn all that excess fat. Breakfast is soo important to kickstart your metabolism also... Try not to go to bed with a full stomach, in fact try to not eat 3 hours before bed. Do not drink your fruit in the form of juice,, but rather eat the fresh fruit..You need the fiber that will keep your satisfied also. Lower that fat % in your milk.. I drink skim .. it took me 2 weeks to get used to it, but I now love the fact that I can mix the powered milk up as rich as I like it and keep a jug in the fridge for smoothies etc... Ahhh smoothies !!! Try freezing making a half of a try of skim milk cubes... Put these in a blender along with say a banana, strawberries a squirt of honey plus a bit more skim milk... Whirl this up and enjoy !!

Just remember that every small change is going to benefit you and your weighloss... I'd love to see you come and join us in the workout partner thread too.... It is a good way of supporting eachother...
By the way, I think that a stone is around 14 pounds isn't it?
All the best Hippie, keep us all posted

[tea]

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Hi Hippie,

Go to your local supermarket near to closing time for some real bargains in the fresh fruit,veg and fish depts. I'm not too keen on fruit but do like my veggies. Do you have a farmfoods or a lidl near you? Farm foods are good for frozen veg, I buy all frozen as I am on my own and it goes off unless of course I get some marked down in the supermarket. Tins of tuna mixed with a little mayo in a baked tattie is good and filling, also porridge is cheap and cheerful, lots of info will come and you are not alone in budgeting, me too, me too so any advice on that I would be grateful for also. I know that fruit is good for us but some of the prices - jeez, blueberries, strawberries etc.... have to be cut price before I can buy them.

Lxx

[Niblet]

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Yep Tea, berries and alot of the fruits are out of this world expensive !!!! I like to grow alot of veggies as well as raspberries in our garden... They freeze really well for the winter. I also pick fresh strawberries at a local farm to freeze berries. Isn't it a shame that all the healthy foods are often 2 times more expensive !!! %^@$%& and they say to eat healthy !!! Who can afford it ??!!
Ever try making your very own chicken soup? It is easy, healthy and CHEAP !!! Boil some chicken legs in a pot.... After everything has boiled for an hour or so, take out the meat... Take all the stock (liquid) and put it to cool in the fridge... I like to skim the fat off the top... De-skin the meat and add it to the defatted stock... Add in your favourite veggies, celery, carrot, perhaps some barley, heck even a bit of lentils... Use your imagination You can season this soup with a bit of poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste... If you like a thicker soup, just at the end grate a potato into it...At the table we like to sprinkle on some parmesan cheese... This soup freezes really well and is very good for your soul I hope that you give it a try and enjoy !!!

[Hannah]

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Hippie - It is okay to diet, but only for maybe 3 - 4 days fairly low calorie, then a couple of days of higher calorie (and I don't mean pigging out!) - this stops your metabolism from lowering, and those dreaded plateaus where you don't lose any weight. Excersise every day - very important - ensures that you will lose fat, not muscle. Buy yourself a good calorie/carb/protien counter book, and do some browsing, so as to learn what your best "food" bargains are. Do some rough figuring as to how many calories you should be eating - most calorie counting books will give some guidelines for you - and map out your daily plan accordingly. It's key to know what you are going to eat the next day before you get up the next morning, otherwise it is way too easy to say OWTF and pig out on fast food. I generally eat lean protien (canned tuna is great - rinse it in a strainer to remove excess salt), or any kind of fish, eggs, chicken - baked or pan fried with only cooking oil spray and seasonings. You need to eat planty of protien, it really helps keep hunger at bay. And loads of vegetables, - carrots that you buy in the bag are cheap - peel them and slice them yourslef - you don't need those bags of itty bitty pretrimmed baby carrots. Buy plum tomatoes - cheaper than grape or cherry tomatoes (or buy canned tomatoes - good heated, sprinkled with S & P and a little oregano) - buy bags of potatoes, they keep well, and eat them baked or boiled, without tons of butter! Frozen veggies are cheap, and nutritious. Eat apples, oranges, and banannas - usually fairly cheep, instead of peaches, cherries, etc. Buy plain old oatmeal, and cook up your own, and use some restraint w the brown sugar topping. On higher calorie days treat yourself to some beef, and maybe some extra good quality carbs, such as whole grain breads. Hot meals are more satisfying than cold meals, and make you feel full faster - even if you just heat up a cup of broth, and drink it before eating - big help.

But remember the key - 3 -4 days of lower calorie, then a couple of days only of higher calorie, good quality foods - then repeat. Exercise every day, drink lots of water.

Good luck!

[hippie37]

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Thanks everyone for contributing to this thread I really do mean that.

Apart from needing regular exercise I do feel my portion sizes needed to be cut back and eating large snacks late at night has become a thing of the past too. I definitely need to get the metabolism working correctly again so I've started eating a healthy breakfast i.e. fruit and bio low fat yogurt plus a small bowl of cereal high in fibre content. Basically I am not dieting as such but eating healthier foods and trying to keep the portions limited.

Has anyone heard of this online book called "The truth about abbs" I'd be really interested to hear anyones thoughts on the subject as I have been reading a bit about the program and it looks fairly interesting and eye-opening. Thing is I don't want to spend the $$ if It's a big con. I like the concept of NOT dieting and doing regular 15min work outs!! instead of all this cardiovascular training and weights. The book seems to be saying this is a waste of time and a myth that it will get you in shape so goes against the grain a bit in its theories but that's what I like about it!!.

Love and Happiness
Hippie
xx

[trixietrack]

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exercise a lot move around walk ride a bike. yes I heard about that book and was also curious myself. I kinda think it's a scam. but I am weary and paranoid.
dieting in exercise is the way to lose weight. sticking to it is the hard part.