Weight Loss Motivation

Make sure to always eat 5 or 6 meals a day. This is important, since it will jump-start your metabolism. You may experence a momentary gain but it will soon level off. It will become signifficantly easier for you to control binge-eating, because your body will get used to getting food regularly.

Eat breakfast! I cannot emphasise this enough. Skipping it (or making it sweet or carby) will set you up for a day of constantly feeling jittery, hungry and craving sugar. Skipping meals will slow down your metabolism.


EXERCISES:

Round1:
I started with these
I saw changes after every single workout, so I went apeshit and started to add 2 rounds, containing 30 repetitions of each exercise. I couldn't bloody believe the results! I've never been fat, but these gave me a lifted bum and defined stomach muscles.

Round2:
Do this with a slight modification: Add two more ab exercises to each cycle. Now you have 5 exercises in every cycle; you do each one for 30 seconds, with 15 second breaks. Do 3 cycles. This will last about 10 minutes.

Round3:
Now use this, this and this to pick 15 ab exercises. You can pick 15 different ones or 5 and then repeat them 3 times. Make sure they are the kind, that don't allow your legs to touch the ground - this will also be a fantastic exercise for your thighs.
Do each exercise for 1 minute. Do 5 in a row without breaks, then have a 30 second break.


Make sure that you eat something high in protein afterwards. Prepare to be hungry more often. Do not allow yourself to go hungry; your muscles will need nutrients to grow.

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" ... what's one more once you've already got two shedding on the couch?"

Actually, it's false that skipping meals or not eating breakfast are bad for everyone or will "slow down your metabolism." You'd have to starve yourself really hardcore for several days in a row for any metabolic slow-down to happen. If the myth were true, anorexic people wouldn't be so skinny. As far as skipping meals or how to space out your food intake through the day, there is no magic formula that works for everyone. It depends on the individual. I don't do breakfast every single day, and most days I have it it's delayed by a minimum of 2 hours after I wake up, and it has no affect on my appetite or hunger for the rest of the day. I'm simply not hungry when I wake up. Any time I've tried to force myself to eat breakfast, I get nauseous and retch and have sometimes even completely thrown up from trying to eat so soon after waking up. I do have a small meal a couple of hours after I've woken up, so I guess you could say I delay breakfast rather than skipping it. By the same token, some people are absolutely ravenous when they wake up and have to eat almost immediately. I'm just not one of those people, and there are many like me. I've successfully lost weight by eating the way I do (as I mentioned above, I'm just not super awesome about keeping it off, but it has nothing to do with breakfast and more to do with me letting all the bad habits creep back into my life - it's a combination of lots of little, bad habits that if I don't control them, contribute to me being heavy).

The recent consensus is that there is no right or wrong way to eat for everyone. It's basically calories-in, calories-out (although how efficiently a person burns calories is up to their own, unique biology - some people have slow metabolisms or medical conditions which make weight loss more difficult or take longer). Now a person who has a tendency to get low blood sugar, type 2 diabetes, people with insulin resistance, etc. (and many overweight people often have these problems) should have several small meals as opposed to 3 big meals. But most healthy adults can consume the food in any configuration that works for them and as long as the calorie burn is more than the calories consumed, weight loss should happen (barring some medical conditions or side effects from certain medication). I think if you eat 3 bigger meals but still find that eating 500 calories per day less than you would need to maintain your current weight (the formula to lose approximately a pound per week) makes you lose weight, and you're comfortable with it, go for it. High-protein and low-carb (or at least low simple-carb) is pretty spot-on advice, as it usually helps people feel fuller and more satisfied for longer, and you're less likely to "crash."

Actually, scientists are starting to discover that weight loss or even mainenance, is a considerably more complex process, than simply the calorie math. Blood sugar and hormone ballance feature prominently. One could certainly go the calorie-counting way, but this has limited success and it's not a long-term solution.

Granted, there are people, who are unable to tolerate solid food in the morning. The fact that your body doesn't ask for food in the morning, doesn't mean that it doesn't require it. A good solution would be a glass of milk, yoghurt, a smoothie, a protein shake, ...

When we wake up, our blood sugar is at zero. If we don't eat something within approximately half a hour, it starts dropping below acceptable level.
Ideally, we should then eat something healthy to get it back on track. Most people dont, rather they eat something sweet. This spikes their blood sugar. Since our pancreas isn't capable of dosing insulin, when our blood sugar exceeds the acceptable level, it squeezes out all the insulin it has, which removes all the sugar from our blood stream. This goes straight into our fat deposits.
When this happens, most people reach for something sweet again. They end up doing this all day in approximately 40 minute intervals.

A healthy person can get away with this, however long-term practice of this tends to lead to type 2 diabetes.

Furthermore, our bodies don't have the ability to store protein, the way we can store fat. It metabolises within 3-4 hours. Our body needs it for regeneration of every cell. This is why it's important to eat something with protein every 3-4 hours. Otherwise, our organism will take a part of our muscle mass and use it for protein. Body builders know this. This is why they worship at the altar of protein.

It's true that one skipped meal won't considerably slow down your metabolism. Our blood sugar will however drop, we'll be hungrier at our next meal and it'll be more difficult for us to control our portions. We'll eat more than we usually would, which will likely spike our blood sugar again.

I'm basing this on the results our clients have been getting for the past 3 decades. Also on what body-builders say. They don't deal with scientific theories, results are the only thing that counts with them.

Note: Serious body builders avoid sugar as much as possible. Protein already acidifies the organism, so we can't go crazy and just flood our organism with protein. Sugar acidifies it even more. When this happens, our body takes calcium from our bones, to bring our blood ph back into balance, and manganese from our muscles, which tends to render them small and weak.

I'm leaving things out, because I don't feel like writing an hour-long lecture on hormonal levels vs. long term levels of blood sugar. This is only a trotel-sicher guide for people, who have no interest in becoming experts on the subject.

Again, I would urge you to put your scales away and use your body structure as a baromether. As I've said before, many people become discouraged, if they look solely on their weight.
You can have 10 kg of fat to lose. You start working out, eating regularly, being good about protein and you will gain muscle mass. You can be really good, you lose 7 kg of fat and gain 7 kg of muscle mass. Your body structure will change a lot, your new muscles will burn a lot of calories. But your scale will show that you weigh the same.

Many people will then wonder, what they're doing wrong, when in reality what they're doing is a smashing success. It's far more realistic to get naked, stand in front of a mirror and measure yourself. Use these measurements, when setting your goals.

Ok, I'll stop rambling now

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" ... what's one more once you've already got two shedding on the couch?"

I find that popcorn is an excellent snack for weight loss. It really fills you up and the air popped variety is so low in calories.

I use those plain popcorn kernels. I pour some kernels in the bottom of a paper bag (like a lunch sack). I fold the bag down once and tape it. Then, I fold it the rest of the way down. I stick it in the microwave for about 2 minutes and I have a delicious snack that is about 25-30 calories a cup!

Below is a link to describe what i am talking about. Sometimes it is hard to visualize.

Popcorn linky

I use tape instead of a stapler and also I don't use any butters or oils.

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"I have found little that is 'good' about human beings on the whole. In my experience most of them are trash, no matter whether they publicly subscribe to this or that ethical doctrine or to none at all."
~Sigmund Freud

I would definitely like to lose weight too...eventually. My ideal weight would be between 170 and 200 - I'm sure many doctors would disagree with that, but I don't want to be "normal" thin. I like being on the thick side, but I'm too thick right now. Probably up around 260. My problem is I don't have the willpower to lose weight like I used to because I find I don't really care about a lot of things anymore, myself included. Exercise never did a damn thing for me because I always got winded a minute into whatever I was doing, so I didn't get to stay physically active long enough for it to have an effect. So dieting it is for me.

What worked for me was cutting calories down to 1200 a day and chugging water until bloated whenever I got hungry. I don't know if I would suggest this, but I eventually moved to a point where I would just not eat at all some days. After a while of not eating, your appetite will disappear altogether and your body kind of "forgets" how to eat, so don't go too long without any food. In my mind, the fewer calories I ate per day, the better. Some days I would be counting down the minutes until midnight so I could eat again and put those calories toward the following day. I would definitely recommend using a food journal, either hand-written or digital like on Spark People. You'd be surprised how much you actually eat in a day when you write it all down and tally up the calories.

I need to get back into dieting/fasting again too. I want to be able to wear my size 14 jeans again. And since I'm not sure if I'm going to be going back on my thyroid meds, fasting is likely the only option for me for weight loss anyway. In my experience, dieting is the way to lose weight and exercise is the way to become/stay fit. I don't particularly care about being fit, so I don't feel the need to exercise. Just diet.

Scales are an okay thing to have, IMO, but don't weigh yourself every day because it'll become an obsession. You might "lose" five pounds after using the toilet, or "gain" five after eating a granola bar or when you get closer to your period. Weigh yourself once a month, maybe less (like every six weeks). Personally, I can gain or lose 20 pounds within a month with absolutely no changes to my diet or level of activity, so I'd have to take a monthly weigh-in with a grain of salt.

This is how I lost weight (fucking slowly) a few years ago:

- 1200 calories a day, give or take. If I went over 1250 calories, I would take however many calories I went over my limit and just eat that many fewer calories the following day. If I had fewer than 1200 calories, I would let myself eat that many more calories the following day. Then I'd do an average at the end of the week and aim for a daily average of 1200 calories.

- Food journal. Record calories, fat, sugar, and saturated fat. Include other nutrients if you want to watch your vitamin levels. Also include water intake.

- Exercise every other day for 30 minutes. I hated doing this, even though I was doing something I enjoyed (Dance Dance Revolution). I made myself do it, though.

- Give yourself one day a week where you can spoil yourself. Forget the food journal for that day and have a sundae or what-not. It gives you something to look forward to after six days of torture and measuring out everything you eat. And it doesn't have to be the same day. If you have a 500-calorie piece of pie on Saturday and are absolutely aching for a giant brownie on Tuesday, make Tuesday your junk day for that week.

DW and I have lost 10 pounds each by doing only two things. First, we got rid of our major stressor (a bum of a roommate). Apparently, we are both prone to stress fat. Second, I quit drinking. He was literally driving me to consume about three quarts of whiskey a week. DW joined me. Booze is just empty calories.

Now, if we can just get up off our lazy butts!

So, perhaps looking at some form of stress management, and cutting back on the alcohol intake, may help you lose a few pounds.

Yay, Nathan, so glad you got rid of that roommate! Having less booze does really help. For me, it's not so much the calories from the booze itself, but the fact that when I'm drunk I want to eat a bunch of junk food. It's like I get the drunk munchies or something. But putting away so much alcohol is also just bad for you, so kudos to you for dropping the burdensome roommate AND the booze!

Techie, I appreciate all you say about the weight loss. I wasn't trying to argue against it or put it down. I was just saying it doesn't always work for everyone the same way. My husband for example has lost a significant amount of weight in the last year, and he doesn't eat like that. He tends to eat twice a day, two bigger meals, and maybe will have a banana or something in the afternoon to hold himself over between breakfast and dinner. He doesn't have bloodsugar issues and doesn't feel a "crash" by skipping meals. I just think overall his calorie intake is lower than what it was, thus he's losing weight.

As far as whether or not counting calories is effective, my thing is that I pretty much have to keep track of how much I'm eating calorie-wise, because I'm not good at "remembering" that I've had enough to eat. My appetite is big, and I have to have some way of managing it. If I see a number of how much I've eaten, I'll be more likely to turn down food I don't need. Aside from breakfast, I eat the way you recommended since I have issues with insulin resistance. I do put a bit of milk in my coffee. Does that count?

And now I admit to my weakness. Night time eating. For no other reason than just because. I'm not actually "hungry" most nights during this time, and I know it. I just want to munch. Occasionally there are evenings when I do get truly hungry during this time, but that's when I need to eat fresh veggies or fruit, NOT calorie bombs like chips, ice cream, etc. Since my husband is not really dieting, per se, and has greater willpower, I don't want to ask him not to keep some indulgences around. So I have to learn to resist these things since once I take one taste, it kind of spirals into eating a few handfuls.

When I get home from work, I'm going to make some signs to put in the kitchen (on the fridge, on the pantry) to remind myself that if I just want to munch something recreationally for the flavor, I need to get a piece of gum (I like the "Extra Dessert Delights" - they are pretty tasty) or make a cup of tea. If I actually DO feel the signs of hunger, it's fresh veggies or fruit ONLY. That's all I would need at that time of day to calm my stomach, since I'm going to bed in a few hours anyway, so it's not like I need to carb-load.

I asked my husband if he's having some snack foods like chips not to offer any to me. If I ask him for some, I've asked him to remind me that I told him that I don't want him to share them with me. I promised him I wouldn't get annoyed with him, because I asked him to do these things for me. He's fine with the fact that I'm on the thick side, although rest assured he's not into the feeder fetish or super extreme fatness or anything of that nature. He doesn't encourage me to GAIN weight, but sometimes he forgets and offers me some of his snacks. It comes more from absent-mindedness and trying to be nice. But any time I've asked him for help in this capacity, he's always willing to do so. So I'm hoping between making some little signs to tack up in the kitchen and asking Mr. Cosmic not to encourage recreational snacking at night, and working on my will power, I can curb this nasty little habit of night eating I've developed over the last several days.

The other thing I need to work on is my tendency to want REALLY salty food. I put way too much salt on things. I just feel like things are too bland without salt. One of my uncles (who's healthier in his 70's now than a lot of people in their 30's are), had a massive heart attack about 15 years ago. He completely turned his life around. No more booze, no more smoking, extremely clean and healthy diet. He said the hardest thing for him was salt, but he said he got used to using very minimal salt and now feels like things are flavored just fine without it. I'll have to pick his brain about it soon. I know too much sodium can lead to health issues down the road, and I know I eat way more than I need.

If I could just eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full and not eat emotionally I'd be happy and I'd probably weigh 20 pounds less. I eat pretty healthfully and I actually like healthy food but I also catch myself eating Hershey kisses just to give myself a treat because I'm dealing with so much stress right now.

I broke up with WW in favor of the free My Fitness Pal. Like WW, it figures your workouts and adjusts allowable calories accordingly. The points system is great...in theory. However, a banana which has 120-150 calories cannot be a free food without repercussions. Yet fruit and veggies are all zero points.

I ate my normal WW meal and plugged into both WW and MFP. MFP had me at nearly 2000 calories. No wonder I stalled, even in half marathon training.

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From a bottle cap message on a Magic Hat #9 beer: Condoms Prevent Minivans
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I want to pick up a bus full of unruly kids and feed them gummi bears and crack, then turn them loose in Hobby Lobby to ransack the place. They will all be wearing T shirts that say "You Could Have Prevented This."

After too much sedentary time, I was at my heaviest weight and lack of conditioning.

The past few weeks, I eased into water walking, outdoor walking and very gentle yoga.
Every second day, I tried to make my workout just a tiny bit more difficult.


The past two weeks, we have had a lot of snowfall, so continuous shoveling became a huge 'boot camp' part of my workout.

Generally, I do gentle yoga to warm up and stretch.
Next, I go outside to do 2 - 3 hours or so of constant snows shoveling.
The odd time, there is so much snow that I have to go out again later the same day for an additional 1- 1 1/2 hour of shoveling.

Luckily, we are expecting warmer weather for about a week.
That is likely to bring freezing rain or ice pellets, (and a need for ice cleats on the boots) but no snow accumulations.
My wrists and shoulders could use a break.

I had a little victory yesterday. My boss brought in a ton of junk food (why do office treats always have to be total JUNK?), including my favorite type of pastry. I was able to look at it, mull over what the "benefits" vs. the "risks" of indulging in it would be, and did NOT eat it. I suppose I could have split it with someone, or eaten a small bite of one (cut it off, of course, not just taken a bite out of it and put it back ), but I know that with certain "trigger" foods of mine, one bite is the start to me wolfing down an entire one, and possibly a second. I found out that a skinny co-worker of mine used to weigh 400 lbs, and he said if I ever wanted to rant and rave with him about binge eating issues, he was all ears. It's nice to have that support. I also notice him avoiding the snacks brought in and eating just his own lunch that he brings with him. Good to know that there's at least one "buddy" at work I can have to hold me accountable.

So, the pastry. I just told myself I know what it tastes like, and eating it will only bring me some very short-lived and temporary gratification, and that I'll need to work out for like an hour to work it off (in addition to my usual workout), and do I really want to go through all that just to taste it for a few minutes? And that it isn't nutritional food and it won't do anything for me. And that I'll have enough calories left for a couple of glasses of wine after dinner if I don't eat it. And that I won't remember eating it a few weeks from now, but a few weeks from now I could see results from clean eating and my workout routine. So yeah. I beat that fucking pastry! I know that sounds lame, but I do sometimes wonder if I have an eating disorder. At least I'm aware of it and own it, unlike a certain island yeti we all know and loathe.

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navi8orgirl
I broke up with WW in favor of the free My Fitness Pal. Like WW, it figures your workouts and adjusts allowable calories accordingly. The points system is great...in theory. However, a banana which has 120-150 calories cannot be a free food without repercussions. Yet fruit and veggies are all zero points.

I ate my normal WW meal and plugged into both WW and MFP. MFP had me at nearly 2000 calories. No wonder I stalled, even in half marathon training.

Yeah, I also broke up with WW in favor of free methods of tracking food and workouts. Free is better. And I actually like counting calories and learning about things like macronutrients better. It's all sciency and stuff.

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cosmictraveler
Working out is not my problem. Eating is.

I should write that on my fridge. I too, fall nowhere near the calorie intake of She Who Lives in Pork but I still have days where I eat past the point of satiety. I enjoy cooking, eating out and trying new restaurants -- I might not "live in food" but I don't necessarily just "eat to live" either.

Cosmic, I agree with you about "starvation mode." No offense to other posters here, because I am sure for some, eating 5-6 small meals is effective. When I went to Weight Watchers, it was always the women with the most weight to lose who would encourage other members to eat more if they weren't losing weight. I've spoken to my trainer (who has a degree in Nutrition Science) about this and she's said that it's not necessarily right that people would need to eat more, but they might need to eat different things to see different results.

I am great at eating breakfast most days -- I'll have cereal with fruit, a Morningstar Veggie Sausage and Cheese Biscuit (270 calories) or oatmeal with nut butter. It's usually dinner that throws me off. I go out frequently and when I'm home, I frequently resort to takeout because I'm tired, busy, or whatever and then I mindlessly eat way too much.

I am sure there is no hard and fast way to do it (we all know I wouldn't be here typing this if I knew the right answer!) nor am I advocating for the skipping of meals, but I agree that there is no magic formula that works for everyone.

@peace-n-quiet I love that popcorn idea! So much cheaper than buying the individual boxes at the store, I bet. Plus, you can make only what you want and avoid over-consuming.

Navi, I like myfitnesspal! If only I could make myself use it every day and not put it away when I've been "bad!"

I have used myfitnesspal.com too. I only just began last month. I have been less good than I probably should have, but I decided not to worry about those because I want this to be a change in habit. It's good for tracking things and estimating food intake. It also keeps track of my weight and measurements.

I am mostly trying to simplify things for myself with this: Just choosing which option is healthier than the other.

A little bit late to the party but that's ok. I'm also in the want to lose some weight and get back into shape camp. Last year I dropped 50lbs thanks to a combination of WW, workout DVDs, spin and boot camp classes at my gym. I'm about 5'5 currently 163 and in a size 10 which is a big improvement from 210 and size 16/18; I was very uncomfortable in my own skin and it bummed me out.
Long story short, life happened, I moved, and I fell off the wagon. I didn't gain any weight but at the same time I got flabby and that is just not acceptable to me. I have a bad habbit of doing very well and then "falling off the wagon" but this time I have something that I did not have the last time and that is a partner who is more of a help than a hinderance.
I'm on MFP, just started tracking my food two days ago and I love it so far. I'm also finding it easier to manage my weight this way than through WW, plus it's free and who doesn't like free. I joined a new gym in my area and do strength training 4 days a week; it will increase to a 5 day split by week 3. Found this program on bodybuilding.com (Jamie Eason 12 week) I'm into week 2 and I'm loving it. I work the graveyard shift, long shifts, and this plan is great for me because everything is pretty much already set up; that is, there's 12 weeks worth of work outs and meal planning guidelines. Again, it's working well for me because I don't have a lot of time especially on the days that I have to work; having to weigh and measure everything can be a huge pain when you don't have a lot of time.
Something else that helps me is dedicating one day of the week to planning and preparing meals which helps me stay on track by having quick and easy access to healthy meals and snacks. I'm only human like the rest of us so I don't keep certain foods in the house that I know I will gorge on and well, I like my booze.
As far as goals are concerned, I really don't give a toss about what the scale says, I just want to look better in my clothes and drop a size or two. Besides with the type of exercise I enjoy I probably will not see the scale move very much and I would much rather weigh a little more and look good than lose weight and be "skinny fat".
Good luck to everybody!

For those who like seafood, and it's good for healthy eating -

If you can get this - N. US / Canada it looks like mostly, but possibly available elsewhere. Specialty sellers in whatever area would likely have it, and you'd pay more, but I'm sure most can find it ~

Lake Trout -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_trout

This is excellent fish! I eat alot of fish too. I know about fish almost like a 'wine snob' lulz. This is *really GOOD* fish!

If you can get it, try it. I'm in the US Great Lakes region and can get it fairly easily - it's still not that cheap, about $6.99 / lb. Well, that is 'cheap' because it's local. Elsewhere I'm sure it's more.

But it is really good - if you can get it, try it. Healthy and reasonably low cal, too.

This is one of my fave dinners: Grilled Lake Trout + Baked Potato (yes, a little 'real' butter and sour cream are ok) + fresh green beans.

PERFECT!

"Healthy Eating" can be simply done, and taste good too!

I did a yoga class this morning and there was a piggo right up in the front row asking the instructor to modify almost every pose. So annoying -- why not go to a special pregnancy yoga class so you don't disrupt everyone? Ugh. So annoying. Anyway. My goal now is to focus as much as possible on diet. I like to exercise so I'm going to focus on diet, get to the gym when I can without pressuring myself, and track on MFP. EVERY day no exceptions! I'm starting now but my goal is to track daily in 2014.

Yay, I didn't gain any weight during the holidays and even managed to lose a pound. I know some of you might have actually lost more, but I do a TON of visiting during the holidays and attend lots of events (to make up for not seeing a lot of people throughout the rest of the year). So usually I'm just happy with not gaining any. My goal is to track daily and keep up with my workout routine. TONS of sicknesses are going around my office, including strep throat, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't get it. I hate getting sick, because it makes me lose my momentum. I know it's ok to exercise a little when you have a very minor upper respiratory infection, but I always end up with nasty sinus infections that take me down for at least 2 weeks. I figure as long as I stick to the diet and get right back to working out when I'm better, I'll be doing OK.

Don't count calories, weight yourself or use the word diet. It sets up food as the enemy. This is what I've learned and what works for me:
It's ok to indulge in your favorite foods, there is no need to swear off _____ forever. That sets you up for a binge.
Everytime I was tempted to overeat, I made a choice: do I want that piece of cheese cake? Or do I want to look awesome in my sleeveless top? The more I passed up desert, the easier it became.

On working out: I swear to Dog, weight lift is the way to go. Learn proper technique, and lift REAL weights, not 1 # dumbbells. I was deadlifting up to 150 lbs at one time.
No weights? Use your body, chairs, full water jugs, et al. Don't call it toning! You're building muscle and dropping fat. Also: look at this bad ass woman: That's what weight lifting can do.


Weight lifting website you'll love.

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pitbullgirl1965
Don't count calories, weight yourself or use the word diet.

Doing any of those three things doesn't inherently "make food the enemy." People's attitudes DO.

Binge eating is something I have to always be aware of and monitor myself in regards to, whether I choose to actively track calories or not. I have less issues with binge eating when I AM tracking my calories, actually, because I'm much more motivated to stop myself before a binge if I know I'm going to have to write it down. I think binge eating is extremely unhealthy, and I will do what it takes not to let it control me. This is what it takes for me. For one reason or another, perhaps the sensory experience of certain foods being tied to certain memories, I have some foods that are more likely to trigger a binge than others, so I do tend to avoid those foods most of the time. Why tempt fate? I like both health and junk foods. I don't discriminate. But it's best for me to avoid certain things to keep myself from going off the deep end.

Calories are a real unit of measurement which count the energy value of a food. They are burned during activities and while the body is at rest. Everyone has a basal metabolic rate which can be adjusted according to a person's activity level to determine both an amount of calories sufficient to maintain one's current weight, and an amount which would create a safe, reasonable deficit in order to lose weight at a safe rate. It's a completely medically sound formula to use. I do it because it works for me (when I choose to adhere to it). I don't starve myself, and anyone who gets a look at me will clearly see that I get enough to eat (and for a couple of years consistently got too much). I eat an adequate amount of calories to stay healthy while creating enough of a deficit that I will lose fat in combination with exercise which includes strength AND cardio.

Some people may have awesometastic willpower and can resist junk food like it ain't no thing, and are able to stop eating at the exact moment they need to. Those people don't usually have weight problems, or if they do, it's often just the result of a temporary slump. Some people have ongoing, lifelong weight issues that are the result of not having the best willpower when it comes to food, or having appetites that don't match their actual nutritional needs (like myself, with the appetite of a linebacker and the metabolism of a little, old lady). For those people, counting calories is a surefire way not to overeat.

I honestly don't give a rat's ass about fitting some widely accepted beauty standard. It's all about avoiding Type 2 diabeetus and cardiovascular issues, both things that people in my famblee have because of shitty lifestyles. It's also about performance. I want to become a faster swimmer, a better cyclist, etc. It's FUN, and if I found out the world were ending tomorrow, all I'd want to do is go out and ride bikes with my husband until the world blew up. I am going to continue to weigh myself once a month, because if I find that once again, I get distracted and let my shitty habits come back little by little, I can step on the scale and say, "holy shit, I guess I need to get back to regular workouts and watching what I eat!" Because for some of us, that's what it takes. It's about having control over my LIFE, having a good quality of life, and I'm going to do what it takes for me.

Pitbullgirl1965
Don't count calories, weight yourself or use the word diet
For me this is what works, because I can't concentrate very well, (if that makes sense.) I just eat smaller portions.
I don't weight myself, I go by how I look and measuring body fat.

I honestly don't give a rat's ass about fitting some widely accepted beauty standard. It's all about avoiding Type 2 diabeetus and cardiovascular issues, both things that people in my famblee have because of shitty lifestyles

. It's also about performance. I want to become a faster swimmer, a better cyclist, etc.

I agree! It's for myself I want to look cut, have physical strength and it's fun to lift. Lifting may improve your performance in your sports too. YMMV.

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ihateshriekers
I would really love to do that with you. I'm trying to lose weight as well. I'm in about the same position you are; female, 5'1, and I weigh about 190 right now. My goal is to get down to 160 and my dream is to get down to 120 eventually. I really need motivation to work out and eat healthier (my problem is I'm addicted to junk food like fries and such,) I keep saying I'm going to start working out, but then I either forget or tell myself I'm too busy.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I love pizza. diet pop, cookies, and ice cream, but started eating a lot less ice cream. I still love pizza and always will. I take bipolar meds, and they made me gain 50 pounds. I have a slow metabolism. Thanks great great grandma from Italy. None of my maternal relatives are thin. My mom walks 10 miles a day and weighs 140 LB. I work a physical job constantly moving. Even during a 40 hour work week on constant, heavy movement, I lost a pathetic three pounds.

I stopped dieting for a while due to the fact that the scale never moved. Since I stopped dieting, I gained a couple pounds back. I get bad cravings such as for Hardies in the middle of the night. I've been having bad dominos cravings lately.

Whenver I feel so hungry that I can eat the whole world, I brush my teeth. It helps

Raising hand for pizza. I did make a pretty good low cal version of a personal pizza:

Trader Joes has, in its frozen section, garlic naan. I heat it up for a couple of minutes to soften it, then pull it out of the oven. Last night I spread a tablespoon of pesto, chopped tomatoes and mozzarella on it, popped it in to heat and voila!

Pretty tasty stuff, and I think the whole thing came out to 400ish calories...which is one slice from a delivered 'za. Less without pesto...I am trying to grow back my basil plant.

(Any naan will work, but TJs garlic is pretty damn awesome.)

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From a bottle cap message on a Magic Hat #9 beer: Condoms Prevent Minivans
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I want to pick up a bus full of unruly kids and feed them gummi bears and crack, then turn them loose in Hobby Lobby to ransack the place. They will all be wearing T shirts that say "You Could Have Prevented This."