Changes for Life

[fitnessk]

When trying to lose weight, it is important not to think of the word "diet."  If you are going to lose weight and keep it off, you must change your lifestyle.  Make healthy choices from that point forward. 

[Chronotrigga]

Yeah. If you lose a lot of weight, you shouldn't be going back to a Mcdonald's and start eating. Then, you will get into a habit and you will be eating it more than you think, and then BAM. Back where you started.

[Stephanie2377]

I completly agree.  And, thus, why I have lost weight, gained it back, lost weight, and gained it back.  Over, and over, and over.  Sometimes, the thought of 'forever' is daunting.  It is easier to think of it as a "diet" that I will eventually be off of.  But, a lifestyle change truly means I am more likely to get it off and keep it off.

[mamab]

I've just joined the forum and I would really like to lose at least 125 pounds. Heck that's a whole person! I'm daunted at the prospect of trying and possibly failing again. My reasons to lose are so that I can be healthy and here for my family - especially my two little boys. I don't want them to grow up without a mama. I know I NEED to lose weight, I know I need to start making small changes that will become permanent. Any ideas on just ONE THING I can do to start me on this road? I am overwhelmed at the road ahead and know if I try to start changing more than one thing at a time, I'll give up.

[Stephanie2377]

Any ideas on just ONE THING I can do to start me on this road? I am overwhelmed at the road ahead and know if I try to start changing more than one thing at a time, I'll give up.

Here are some ideas, and you would just pick 1 to start:
1.  Drink more water
2.  Switch to whole grains
3.  Walk up and down your street once a day
4.  Make a point to get in all of your fruits and veggies (5 servings)

These are just a few ideas on how to get started!  Take baby steps, and only change one thing at a time.  You'll see a difference!!

[katharina]

I know I NEED to lose weight, I know I need to start making small changes that will become permanent. Any ideas on just ONE THING I can do to start me on this road? I am overwhelmed at the road ahead and know if I try to start changing more than one thing at a time, I'll give up.

My "one thing" to suggest would be to not go overboard with a "diet" because they never work. More specifically, don't sit there and make yourself eat celery sticks if your family is having spaghetti.  If a diet becomes regretful at every turn, it just won't work.  What I've done is to make myself watch portion control and NOT make things taboo.  If the family's having spaghetti (same example) and I would have had a plateful in the past, I now have HALF a plateful and fill the other half with cooked baby carrots with spray butter, or maybe cauliflower, etc.

Another pet peeve of mine is that people will force themselves to eat yogurt for breakfast if they don't like yogurt just because it seems to go along with "dieting."  NOT good if you don't like yogurt!  You'll resent it.  Have oatmeal or wholegrain cereal and just get the same number of calories.

[mamab]

Thanks for the suggestions. I KNOW I need to drink more water. Usually I'll have a glass of sweet tea (not "too" sweet, though.), maybe some milk or juice each day. Not much plain water there. My husband keeps telling me I'm dehydrated, maybe. I think that'll be my "ONE" thing to start with. Thanks again!

[DandelionWolf]

Personally, for myself, I have cut out juices about 90% of the time.   Unless they are natural juices -- and so many lies go into what qualifies as "natural" and "100% natural" these days -- I don't drink juices for the most part.  When I occassionally do, it is Welch's Grape Juice.  That's it.   Juices have so much hidden sugar in them -- they will eat up your carb intake -- and excess carbs get converted into fat.   Also, I used to like sugar in my tea and coffee.   Now I am trying to cut that out too.  Also be careful of things with "high fructose corn syrup".  Nasty little bugger that acts like sugar.

[202020Diet]

I think you guys are spot on with cutting out sweet drinks. Juices and other sweet  drinks just contribute useless calories to your day.

I would say #1, other than drinking water, is never get hungry. If you diet hardcore and get too hungry, you're going to cheat because your body's need over rides your mental will power to diet. If you're going to diet, follow a diet that keeps you full.

There is plenty more that you can do, but just keeping yourself from being hungry will make a huge difference when you diet.

To getting fit, losing weight and looking great,
Ryan

[angelde]

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