lifestyle changes

[green]

Okay, to start with:

weight: 210
BMI: 31.01
body fat: 31.97%

(I used bmi-calculator.net for the numbers)

I have been losing weight slowly over the past few months, but I haven't been eating healthy or exercising. That is going to change!

I'm starting a new lifestyle that includes small, healthy meals every few hours, lots of water, and exercise.

I found a website that calculates calories I should be eating for my weight and goals and stuff. The site is ugly, hard to navigate, and is full of ads, but it is free and full of GREAT advice. It's http://www.nowloss.com/ if you are interested.

My goal is to lose 45 pounds. If I lose more than that, wheeeeee! But that is my goal. I just need lots of encouragement and to post and show everyone how I'm doing, whether it is good or bad. I really want to be fit and healthy. I want to take care of myself.

The first step on the website is to make two lists, one of why I want to lose weight and the other of what will happen if I don't. They are not exactly the same as the lists on the site, but I think they will do.

List One:

1. I want to be fit and keep up with other active people.
2. I want to feel good when I look in the mirror.
3. I want to be able to do active things without running out of breath or needing to take breaks.
4. I want to look good in cute clothes.
5. I want my kids to be proud of me.
6. I want my body to do what I want it to.
7. I want my back to stop hurting from carrying around the extra weight.
8. I want to look better than my mom. (right now, she's 66 and more attractive than me.)
9. I want to stop shopping in the plus section.
10. I want to show everyone I can do it.


List Two:

1. I don't want to be fat for the rest of my life.
2. I don't want to be laughed at.
3. I don't want to be ignored.
4. I don't want to have health problems.
5. I don't want my back to hurt.
6. I don't want to die before I'm ready. (haha)
7. I don't want potential partners to dismiss me. (not that they're worth much if they put that much stock in looks, but still.)
8. I don't want to feel like a failure.
9. I don't want my kids to be ashamed of me.
10. I don't want to set a bad health example.

Okay, that was a bit easier than I thought.

Is anyone interested in my menus and exercise stuff? I will be happy to post them if there's interest. I might post them anyway.

Comments

[snuffkin]

AWESOME <3

You should check out Jillian Michaels. She's a harcore bitch but I love her so much.
On the other hand, when I started exercising this year (started around January/February) I was so intimidated by her.

If you want to start exercising slow and at home I totally recommend everything by Leslie Sansone (I have to check but I'm sure I have some download links for her workouts somewhere). Her workouts are based on indoor walking and you can do slow 1 mile workouts and work your way up to 5 miles workout. She adds weights and belts and resistance bands to make the workouts harder. It made me feel really confident because it was actually a workout I could do without feeling like I would die any minute.

I would also recommend eating only protein based meals in the evening (salad, natural yoghurt with fruit, fish and white meat) I started doing that a few weeks ago and I started to loose weight (I haven't really lost any weight through workout alone before I started doing the "harder" workouts + the protein meals in the evening)

Oh and maybe start a yoga class? They will help with your backpain and strengthening the muscles in your back.

Can't wait for your posts on it and I will post the links tomorrow :)

[green]

I am trying not to spend any money and do this on my own. I know it's possible.

The plan I'm following wants me to "make sure all your meals include at least 1 raw fruit and/or vegetable + a complex carb and a source of lean protein". I had not heard that about the protein in the evening. Do you know why it's better?

[snuffkin]

I am trying not to spend any money and do this on my own. I know it's possible.
That's why I'm totally giving you the links as soon as I find them! There's an awesome exercise community over on LJ , I'm not sure there's one her on dw, though.
But just you wait, I uploaded some stuff you can have :D


I had not heard that about the protein in the evening. Do you know why it's better?
Apparently your body burns it faster or something? There's this diet where you eat only carbohydrates in the morning, then you have to wait 5 hours, then you eat a mixed meal, wait some hours, then you have a protein-meal and thats that. My aunt did it for a year lost a lot of weight(body-fat). and now she's eating quite normal except for some days in a week. I can't do that though, since you're not supposed to eat anything in between meals and I love to eat apples or other fruit when I get the munches . So I just decided to cook for lunch and have protein-meals in the evening and apparently it works for me lol

[green]

Huh. I used to be on a diet (fad diet) where I ate no carbs all day and then for an hour in the evening I could have all the carbs I wanted. I lost 25 pounds on the diet, but then I gained it back when I went back to eating 'normally'. No idea why it worked, but it did.

[snuffkin]

huh that's weird lol the concept of eating as many carbs as one could in one hour sounds a lot like binge eating. Like you wouldn't eat anything really filling all day and then just stuff yourself with it. I get the other way around, where you eat a really big breakfast with lots of carbs and then a balanced lunch to keep you through the day and then something light for dinner. But I'm now eating pretty normal except for the no carbs in the evening :D

[green]

I am going to try the meal ideas from that website I mentioned. I also joined a site called sparkpeople.com that helps you keep track of your lifestyle changes and has motivation and all that.

[snuffkin]

uhh that website reminded me that I need to drink more water *sigh* I've gotten better at it, though.

Here are some links

http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?2ojggdomyzz
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?gdn4kzdww45
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?ydtzmjz2mhi
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?ydghwwmgy1j
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?omikt4zynzk
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?n1dlcyotyoz
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?cdyj2mdkjzl
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?zuhlztcncdi
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?zmomdminzgg
5 separate Miles. You can do one mile each day or combine them. A Warm up is included but no cool down (but most of you know the drill, walk slowly a minute or two and then stretch :D )

http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?e2ztryjyjjw
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?ydayzf1d3jq
http://anonym.to/?http://www.mediafire.com/?1wnt4utnm4g

This Workout is about 20 minutes long which gets you into the fat burning twenties. I haven't done it yet but it seems like an easy nice mile. The 20 minutes include warm-up, cool down and stretching.

you have to join the files with HJ split (or if you have a mac, an equivalent programme, just google it) . I hope it works

[green]

Thank you so much! ♥

[juliandarling]

I always recommend people read Michael Pollan's books "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defence of Food" if they're interested in readjusting their relationship to food. His motto is "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." I think "In Defence of Food" may be more applicable to your situation, but "the Omnivore's Dilemma" is also really awesome if you're interested in food politics. I will admit to being a vegetarian/former vegan, so I'm a bit biased ;D But I believe that no one should have to resent food, no matter their body politics or relationship to their body.

On another note, good luck! :D I'm sure you'll do wonderfully. Keep us updated. I always like being a cheerleader :D

[green]

I will check them out and see if they are at the library the next time I go.

I definitely don't want to resent food. I'm looking into eating things I already love, just smaller portions and with an emphasis on more fiber and FRESH foods, like fresh fruits and veggies. Om nom nom.

Thank you for the cheerleading!

[juliandarling]

Definitely!!!! I love Michael Pollan's stuff because he emphasises ingredients. So, it's perfectly alright to eat that cake, but where did that cake come from? What ingredients went into it? Stuff like that. And if you ever need recipes for veggies that aren't salad (hahaha I hate salad) I have a billion recommendations ;D

[green]

I love salad, I just have to watch the dressing I put on it. :)

[rydra_wong]

Heya,

I wondered if you'd found lifting_heavy_things yet? Strength training is really important to make sure you gain rather than losing muscle tissue (in my experience, it's also excellent for body image and keeping your mental focus on what your body can do, not what it looks like).

Stumptuous is an awesome site on strength training for women, with lots of resources for beginners. It's also got some good and relatively non-crazy-making info on nutrition.

[green]

I will probably join when I get some weights. Right now I'm operating on a budget. BUT I will look at the comm and see if it interests me. Thank you for the heads up!

[rydra_wong]

You can do bodyweight stuff! And you could post asking about stuff you can do with no expenditure -- there are lots of people in similar situations, so I suspect it would be a very useful discussion.

Seriously, the comm is not all scary uber-athletic types; it's a bunch of fans, many of whom are completely new to strength training, sharing info and support. So you shouldn't have to feel like you can only join once you know what you're doing. *g*

Belated thought

[rydra_wong]

you could post asking about stuff you can do with no expenditure -- there are lots of people in similar situations, so I suspect it would be a very useful discussion.

Actually, I might try to start that discussion anyway ...

Re: Belated thought

[green]

Ooh, that's good. :D

Re: Belated thought

[rydra_wong]

*is plotting*

I could post links! Linkspam makes me happy!

Re: Belated thought

[green]

Linkspam makes me happy, too! \o/

Re: Belated thought

[rydra_wong]

Ta-da!

http://lifting-heavy-things.dreamwidth.org/10287.html

Re: Belated thought

[green]

lol just saw that! Thank you again. <3

[lim]

Good luck.

I think that body fat calculator might be wrong because it gave me 32.26% and I think that's unlikely.

[rydra_wong]

Seconding the wrongness; I tested it after seeing this comment, and yeah, it's not even within ballpark range for me.

Also, it's not using the US Navy formula which it claims it is; that doesn't include wrist or forearm measurements, AFAIK.

It clearly likes to be in the vicinity of 32%, though. Possibly because this means it gets to offer you diet links.

Googling found me this:

http://caloriecount.about.com/bmi-v-s-body-fat-ft112262

I would say it looks very much like the site's not legit, and I wouldn't trust it further than I can throw it.

[green]

Thank you, bb!

[lim]

Yep. A con!

But in general I think most of those measures, being designed for populations not individuals, are about as useful as horoscopes. But if they're useful for dear Greenie in her quest I spose I will allow it. :P

[green]

I tried a different one (one without ads or without trying to sell me anything) and got a higher number. :(

Thank you for the good wishes, I'm pretty sure I'll need it.

[lim]

I don't see you on IM!

My computer has died - I am on the borrow atm.