I want to be 50 pounds lighter

**Winged_Muse** · 10-24-2010 11:52 AM

So i'm looking to loose 50 pounds. I am 5'7 and my ideal weight should be at least 150 pounds, though I wouldn't mind being 145 if possible. I've struggled with my weight a lot since getting on my birth control 3 years ago. No matter what I did, I couldn't loose a single pound no matter what diet I was on or how much exercise I got, I never lost a single pound. After going to the doctor about 2 weeks ago now for a yeast infection and finding I was at exactly 200 pounds, she was nice enough to lower my dosage of birth control. I was on a dosage of 1/35 and now my dosage is 1/20 and the pill is called something like Alesse, and I start it tomorrow (Monday). She said it should help me but we'll see about that. Yesterday I also started to eat a bit more in smaller meals and I've also started getting up a bit more early so I can have some space in between each meal instead of what I was doing. This is how my schedule went yesterday:

-Woke up at 9 and took a shower, got out at 9:30 and had a breakfast of two pieces of whole wheat toast with a small portion of peanut butter on both and then a glass of instant breakfast.
-Then at about 11:30 I made my fruit smoothie consisting of peaches, strawberries, mangos, pineapple and a banana with about a cup of 2% milk and then two small spoon fulls of vanilla yogurt. That will fill a good sized glass normally to the top. I normally drink a full glass that is about 5 1/2 inches tall.
-Then at 1:00 I had a sandwich on whole wheat bread with some turkey, a piece of swiss cheese and some salami with lettuce (I'm not a tomato or mayo fan, ick)
-Then at 3:00 I had a fruit and nut bar by Kashi. It was their dark chocolate coconut flavor.
-Then at 5:00 I had dinner which consisted of one pork chop (not my fave), mashed potatoes (quite sick of them) and a piece of garlic toast (I wasn't cooking so this is what our dinner was, I can't cook much)
I didn't eat anything else last night. Trying to stop eating after 7 since I also deal with acid reflux and I get stomach aches pretty easily.

I would get out and ride my bike again but with the weather changing and it getting colder, it wouldn't be to pleasant plus it was thanks to bike riding that I got the yeast infection I did and I actually had it for a few months without knowing it was an infection. I haven't gotten into my workout routine again, I'm trying to focus more on my diet first and then once I get that figured out, I will start my workout DVDs again which a few consist of Pilates and then two of which are the Jillian Michaels work outs and they add in both weights and tons of cardio and stuff like that. I also have a jump rope I got to help with my workouts and everything. Once my diet is under control and I can keep my portions small and everything, I will start my workouts which will probably be in the next couple of days. I would like to start going to the gym but I really have no money to do so. I'm hoping to get a job at a place here called Sam's Club. It's a bulk grocery store and being a cashier, it would make me lift and move a lot of stuff since it's the cashier's job to move groceries and stuff from one cart to another for the customer and there can be some heavy stuff, you suppose that would help strengthen my back and my legs and stuff like that? It's a big store also so it would be quite a bit of walking as well.

Any other ideas I can try? I do still live at home so I try and take advantage of what little money I can get and buy the healthy stuff but I usually go shopping with my mom when she goes so I can get the right things. I would rather have the multi grain bread I was getting but they haven't had it for a while and each slice of bread in that is only 45 calories. What else can I do to ensure that I loose some weight? I know a lot of it factors in with my birth control pills and we'll see how my new ones work out. I'd love to hear your ideas, I'm really desperate to loose this weight, i'm extremely unhappy with myself and how I look. Any and all help is appreciated!

**WhyWait** · 10-24-2010 12:44 PM

Hi!

I know you can do it! It really is easier then you think once you get it! I'm going to try and offer my support! I have some meal planning tips on my website, but do you mind if I comment to your meals. See my response in italic below your comment.

Woke up at 9 and took a shower, got out at 9:30 and had a breakfast of two pieces of whole wheat toast with a small portion of peanut butter on both and then a glass of instant breakfast.

Whole wheat toast is ok, but carbs. The peanut butter can quickly add up in fat. Its ok in one serving, but most people go way over 1 serving per day! I don't know the instant breakfast, but chances are its not healthy! Probably high in sugar. My recommendation: Try to get protein in here. Better ideas: oatmeal (not the packs with sugar) and some fruit. Add in a cup of non-fat milk.

-Then at about 11:30 I made my fruit smoothie consisting of peaches, strawberries, mangos, pineapple and a banana with about a cup of 2% milk and then two small spoon fulls of vanilla yogurt. That will fill a good sized glass normally to the top. I normally drink a full glass that is about 5 1/2 inches tall.

2% milk, aim to go to skim milk. I always drop 1% at a time. It has less fat. Again, this should have protein. Maybe add a scoop of whey protein to the shake.

-Then at 1:00 I had a sandwich on whole wheat bread with some turkey, a piece of swiss cheese and some salami with lettuce (I'm not a tomato or mayo fan, ick)

This sounds ok. I'm not sure if salami is the best choice. I'd stick with the turkey. Maybe add some veggies on the side.

-Then at 3:00 I had a fruit and nut bar by Kashi. It was their dark chocolate coconut flavor.

not sure the calories of the bar, but again you have a lot of carbs. I'd recommend your fruit with cottage cheese as a better option. Trying to get some protein in!

-Then at 5:00 I had dinner which consisted of one pork chop (not my fave), mashed potatoes (quite sick of them) and a piece of garlic toast (I wasn't cooking so this is what our dinner was, I can't cook much)

Chicken and veggies would be better. I'm sure the mash potatoes had maybe butter? or Cream Cheese? I'd skip the garlic toast, again carbs/butter. A veggie would have been a better option, maybe a salad.

I didn't eat anything else last night. Trying to stop eating after 7 since I also deal with acid reflux and I get stomach aches pretty easily.

This is good.

My next comment. Being really honest. How was the portion sizes? Did you eat 1 portion size or more then one? I'd also go to Fitday.com and put in everything you ate and see your calories, sugar, protein, carbs.... I believe 1 carb a day gets the best results! I also think all meals should have protein to fill you up/build muscles!

Drink lots of water all day!

Take your vitamins!

I hope this helps. I think I would aim for about a 1600 -1800 calorie diet. As you get closer to the 150 lbs, you may want to get closer to 1500 calories. this also will vary with your workouts. I'll look at that next and comment.

~ Heather

**LanaBear** · 10-24-2010 12:48 PM

Personally, that seems like a bit of food... Granted, it doesn't appear unhealthy, but rather a lot of it. Is it necessary to have the instant breakfast WITH the toast. Or maybe one piece of toast and a piece of fruit for breakfast... Cut the smoothy out (especially if in a good size glass) and replace with a string cheese or veggie sticks... At lunch replace the salami with some turkey or chicken... Dinner, regardless of who is cooking, you can limit what you eat, the toast probably wasn't necessary.

Cut some carbs out (you are consuming quite a bit of them) and drink a lot of water, you may just end up seeing a BIG difference.

**WhyWait** · 10-24-2010 12:49 PM

I haven't gotten into my workout routine again, I'm trying to focus more on my diet first and then once I get that figured out, I will start my workout DVDs again which a few consist of Pilates and then two of which are the Jillian Michaels work outs and they add in both weights and tons of cardio and stuff like that. I also have a jump rope I got to help with my workouts and everything. Once my diet is under control and I can keep my portions small and everything, I will start my workouts which will probably be in the next couple of days. I would like to start going to the gym but I really have no money to do so.

I say start your workout asap! You can do that and change your diet at the same time! It's funny how one goes hand in hand! I never went to the gym and got my results with program I could do at home! (You can message me for more details!) Definitely do cardio/resistance work - 3 days of each is good! one rest or stretch day!

Working as you noted can help! It's more activity then sitting right. :-)

**sourpuss** · 10-24-2010 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by LanaBear

Personally, that seems like a bit of food... Granted, it doesn't appear unhealthy, but rather a lot of it. Is it necessary to have the instant breakfast WITH the toast. Or maybe one piece of toast and a piece of fruit for breakfast... Cut the smoothy out (especially if in a good size glass) and replace with a string cheese or veggie sticks... At lunch replace the salami with some turkey or chicken... Dinner, regardless of who is cooking, you can limit what you eat, the toast probably wasn't necessary.

Cut some carbs out (you are consuming quite a bit of them) and drink a lot of water, you may just end up seeing a BIG difference.

This is exactly what I was going to say. I think that's as much food by the end of lunch as I have in an entire day and that's with a couple hours of exercise. This is where counting calories is essential.
The instant breakfast drink is a big no-no. Full of sugar and high in calories. You'd be better off with one slice of toast and PB and a banana. More filling, less calories and sugar and more nutritious.

Agree on the meat choices and too many carbs.

If you can't bike, at least get out and do some power walking.

Exercise and calorie counting are absolutely necessary if you want to achieve your goal. I know you don't want to do either, it's a drag. But it's the only PROVEN way to lose weight and keep it off.

**Winged_Muse** · 10-24-2010 02:45 PM

I’ve been told by multiple people that multiple small meals were better than 3 good sized meals so that is what I’m doing, splitting my meals up during the day.

I don’t eat peanut butter and toast every morning or even every day. Peanut butter isn’t something I even eat on a regular basis since the flavor gets quite boring for me. That was just yesterday and today. I also have Honey Bunches of oats cereal with peaches as well as a cereal with rice flakes with strawberries that I eat pretty regularly since I’m more of a cereal person than anything else. Eggs get real boring to me even when I eat them only one day so I just sick with cereal mostly for breakfast. The instant breakfast is a powder full with all kinds of vitamins and stuff and you mix it in with milk. It actually has very little sugar in it but like I said, its full of vitamins (just had my last one this morning so I won’t be having that anymore anyway). As far as bread goes, it’s all we’ve got currently. Like I said, I prefer the multi grain one I get that only has 45 calories per slice. I don’t eat bread often.

I would be the only one drinking skim milk. I’m not a big milk drinker as it is and only add about a cup of it into the smoothie itself. I usually deal with protein in the form of meat in my sandwich as well as what I eat for dinner. My smoothies are filling enough I don’t exactly need to eat the rest of the day. I only added one slice of Salami to my sandwich, the rest was turkey, cheese and lettuce then as far as veggies go, all we have are the canned ones. I have veggies all the time with dinner.

The bar has 120 calories and hardly any sugar in it. I also can’t stand cottage cheese. I’ve had it multiple times and I still hate it so that isn’t an option for me.

As for dinner, I don’t cook so I have no control over what we really have and chicken gets sooooo annoying after a while since it’s all we ever have anyway, at least 90% of the time it’s all we have. But as said, I have no control over dinners since I still live at home. Mashed potatoes had no butter actually unless mixed in. I don’t add any salt to my food either, trying to cut as much out as possible.

My portion sizes are small, I don’t over do it, EVER!. I hate feeling extremely and massively full, I just can’t stand it. Water is the ONLY thing I drink. I drink a good half gallon of it a day. The only other thing I drink is my smoothie and that’s it besides the instant breakfast but like I said, I don’t have anymore of that so I won’t be drinking anymore of it.

I can only eat what I got. I don’t have the money to go out and get what I need, at least not until I get a job. When that happens my diet will probably be better. The only fruit we have available and fresh are bananas and then my smoothie fruit is all frozen.

I don’t have many workout videos either. I have 2 yoga videos that I never use since I’m not flexible to use them and end up hurting myself more than benefit myself. The good videos I use are the Jillian Michaels ones and then the pilates video once and a while. All of my weight has basically gone to my tummy, my thighs, my hips and then somewhat into my calves but not much.

Also, can’t walk when its FREEZING cold outside. Sorry but I hate the cold and would prefer to stay out of it as much as possible. Seasons are changing and nights and mornings aren’t warm enough anymore.

I’ve done calorie counting before and it only made me obsessed with food and stuff. You can’t quite count calories when you have a home cooked meal prepared from scratch.

**sourpuss** · 10-24-2010 03:58 PM

Sounds like you got it covered then.

**Winged_Muse** · 10-24-2010 04:15 PM

Ugh, how do I have it covered? What exactly do you mean by that?

I think my main problem is trying to loose the weight while still being on hormonal birth control. Like I explained, I just changed pills that I actually start tonight that are a lower dosage and everything. Should weight loss be easier?

**LanaBear** · 10-24-2010 04:22 PM

You know... You need to do what works for you, you need to explore, etc. Not everyone can do the many multi meals per day and just stick to 3 meals per day. Maybe these 5 meals per day are not working out for you.

You CAN count calories with homecooked meals. I do it daily, I track anything and everything that passes my lips, but you need to be committed to the change you want within yourself. Does it take a little bit of time, yep, it sure does, it's not as simple as pulling the calories for a sodium filled frozen meal, but once you get the meal calculated and tracked, it is always available to you. I use dailyplate.

**sourpuss** · 10-24-2010 05:21 PM

You also don't need videos to exercise. Everyone remembers grade school gym class. There's nothing stopping any of us from doing 45 minutes of jumping jacks, jogging in place, sit-ups, etc while watching TV in the evening.

It all comes down to how bad to you want to be healthy and get to a healthy weight. You have to want it more than you want the comfort of unhealthy foods, you have to want it more than the comfort of not counting calories, more than the comfort of jammies on the couch and not being sweaty, more than the comfort of staying in on a cold day. And most of all you have to be honest with yourself. If it's not worth the effort and sacrifice, then the real effort should be concentrated towards being ok with not being your ideal weight.