[Awwaaba]

I lost a load of weight back in 2010 and now it seems like I can't shed any more for some reason. I want to lose about 10 kg before August but even when I exercise and eat healthily (which I haven't been lately), the scale barely shifts. I started eating quite a lot a few weeks ago because it helped me to focus on my exams. I keep imagining a growing double-chin and thinking that my clothes are going to start shrinking on me anytime soon. I really need to at least get back to how I was last summer, when I was 5 kg lighter because I just can't stop thinking about my weight, it has become a bit of an obsession.

[tooosh]

Calculate your BMR. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ Edit: then get a new figure according to http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-ca...dict-equation/
Subtract 500. Eat that amount of calories.
More protein.
Lift weights.

You will not get bigger, the protein and weights are to conserve muscle. Any strength you get is just a bonus.

[ChocoCoatedLemons]

Well, do you want to lose weight, or look slimmer? Doing exercises could actually make you gain weight, because muscle weighs more than fat...

Well, since you said you haven't been exercising and eating healthily recently, I'd say that's the place to start. Take up running!

[Awwaaba]

(Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons)
Well, do you want to lose weight, or look slimmer? Doing exercises could actually make you gain weight, because muscle weighs more than fat...

Well, since you said you haven't been exercising and eating healthily recently, I'd say that's the place to start. Take up running!

Both, hopefully. It's frustrating because I've done it before so I know I can. I just don't get why it's so much harder now.

I used to go for runs when during the winter + early spring, I have yet to experience running in this sort of weather but on the plus side the heat will make me sweat more.

I heard about the whole BMR thing, I plan on cutting my calories to 900 a day at most . Thanks though.

[chickenonsteroids]

(Original post by Awwaaba)
Both, hopefully. It's frustrating because I've done it before so I know I can. I just don't get why it's so much harder now.

I used to go for runs when during the winter + early spring, I have yet to experience running in this sort of weather but on the plus side the heat will make me sweat more.

I heard about the whole BMR thing, I plan on cutting my calories to 900 a day at most . Thanks though.

Don't cut too much You don't want to feel all light headed and stuff during the day.

Lifting isn't a bad idea as well.

[NR09]

Massive calorie deficit.

Or saw your left leg off.

[PinkMobilePhone]

Well to lose weight quickly you would probably need to go on a VLCD such as Exante, Cambridge Diet, or Lighter Life - but it won't be cheap.

[alis-volatpropriis]

(Original post by Awwaaba)
Both, hopefully. It's frustrating because I've done it before so I know I can. I just don't get why it's so much harder now.

I used to go for runs when during the winter + early spring, I have yet to experience running in this sort of weather but on the plus side the heat will make me sweat more.

Do cardio, if you want to lose weight. If you eat less calories and do more cardio, that's how you'll lose weight. I lost a lot of weight between May-early august last year before I went to America (wanted to look good in clothes lol)

Don't drink fizzy drinks, snack on biscuits and especially avoid bread like the plague. Bread is a major killer when trying to lose weight. Fill up a glass of water and put some bread in it and watch how the bread absorbs the water. That's how it's like in your stomach.

Snack on fruits and vegetables, I prefer snacking on grapes when I watch movies etc. Drink water, lots of water and if you want juices. Make your own! It's cheap and efficient, use a juicer or blender and you can make a combination of healthy juices/smoothies. It's great because you know what's in it! No added sugars and such.

When you're feeling alittle bit hungry, drink your freshly made juice. It will fill you up.

Don't do sit ups and crunches unless you already have a flat stomach, it would just make your stomach look bigger. Don't try to tone until you've lost enough body fat and you're satisfied.
Also watch YouTube videos! Search for fitness workouts and you can do lots of fitness workouts/cardio workouts to lose weight in the comfort of your own home. And it's free too
Good luck!

[Awwaaba]

Don't cut too much You don't want to feel all light headed and stuff during the day.

I'll eat a little more if the diet starts having negative effects on me but it's a good thing I don't have uni anymore so don't need the food to focus on studying

Do cardio, if you want to lose weight. If you eat less calories and do more cardio, that's how you'll lose weight. I lost a lot of weight between May-early august last year before I went to America (wanted to look good in clothes lol)

Don't drink fizzy drinks, snack on biscuits and especially avoid bread like the plague. Bread is a major killer when trying to lose weight. Fill up a glass of water and put some bread in it and watch how the bread absorbs the water. That's how it's like in your stomach.

Snack on fruits and vegetables, I prefer snacking on grapes when I watch movies etc. Drink water, lots of water and if you want juices. Make your own! It's cheap and efficient, use a juicer or blender and you can make a combination of healthy juices/smoothies. It's great because you know what's in it! No added sugars and such.

When you're feeling alittle bit hungry, drink your freshly made juice. It will fill you up.

Don't do sit ups and crunches unless you already have a flat stomach, it would just make your stomach look bigger. Don't try to tone until you've lost enough body fat and you're satisfied.
Also watch YouTube videos! Search for fitness workouts and you can do lots of fitness workouts/cardio workouts to lose weight in the comfort of your own home. And it's free too
Good luck!

Wow, thanks! I heard a lot about cardio workouts having major effects on weight loss so I must try those out soon. Bread I can give up, same with fizzy drinks and biscuits. I have a bit of a weakness for juice (the not-so-healthy sort) and [I]always[I] have it with my dinner but it's only for two months so I can imagine I'll survive lol. I just need to get motivated again.

[LaBelleEtLeBete]

You could do a period of vegetarianism, most people lose a few kilos in the first few months (but usually gain it back due to most early vegetarians have terrible diets before they learn to take in a healthy balanced diet without meat/fish).

[Ronove]

Re juice - even 'the healthy sort' ie fresh squeezed with nothing added contains quite a bit of sugar. It's really better to go for vegetables as opposed to fruit, so much less sugar. If you can factor the sugar in fruit and fruit juice into your allowance (if you have a sugar allowance) then OK, but you'll find you'll loathe wasting the allowance on things that don't fill you up.

[Awwaaba]

(Original post by Ronove)
Re juice - even 'the healthy sort' ie fresh squeezed with nothing added contains quite a bit of sugar. It's really better to go for vegetables as opposed to fruit, so much less sugar. If you can factor the sugar in fruit and fruit juice into your allowance (if you have a sugar allowance) then OK, but you'll find you'll loathe wasting the allowance on things that don't fill you up.

Most healthy foods don't fill me up lol but I have to get used to them again. I don't mind just sticking to water and having juice perhaps once a week though. Last time I dieted I would take a little break every Monday and eat something I really liked to keep my metabolism going.

I'm knackered, will discuss this tomorrow, hopefully. Good night all

[alis-volatpropriis]

(Original post by Awwaaba)
Wow, thanks! I heard a lot about cardio workouts having major effects on weight loss so I must try those out soon. Bread I can give up, same with fizzy drinks and biscuits. I have a bit of a weakness for juice (the not-so-healthy sort) and [I]always[I] have it with my dinner but it's only for two months so I can imagine I'll survive lol. I just need to get motivated again.

Its ironic that everyone's has a weakness for unhealthy things. You don't have to eradicate it from your diet completely. It's all about portion control, and moderation. If you want to drink juice, then drink juice. But just make sure that's it's not a routine thing, as you just mentioned. It's just sugar and water than abit of colouring and then add like 5% of the fruit into it. I have to admit it does taste nice though, especially when you're on the go.

Motivate yourself with photographs, take photographs of your body and put them up (if you want) and then 2 months from now, take another photograph and compare them, you'll be proud. Or take photographs during the course of the 2 months.

I usually get motivational quotes and pictures on my phone and save it as my wallpaper.

[tooosh]

(Original post by Awwaaba)
I'll eat a little more if the diet starts having negative effects on me but it's a good thing I don't have uni anymore so don't need the food to focus on studying




Wow, thanks! I heard a lot about cardio workouts having major effects on weight loss so I must try those out soon. Bread I can give up, same with fizzy drinks and biscuits. I have a bit of a weakness for juice (the not-so-healthy sort) and [I]always[I] have it with my dinner but it's only for two months so I can imagine I'll survive lol. I just need to get motivated again.

Cardio only helps fat loss in how it burns calories. But if you don't eat those calories then that has the same effect in terms of fat loss. Better to do weights with a controlled diet and conserve muscle than do cardio and lose fat and a higher proportion of muscle.

[Becca]

(Original post by Awwaaba)
Both, hopefully. It's frustrating because I've done it before so I know I can. I just don't get why it's so much harder now.

I used to go for runs when during the winter + early spring, I have yet to experience running in this sort of weather but on the plus side the heat will make me sweat more.

I heard about the whole BMR thing, I plan on cutting my calories to 900 a day at most . Thanks though.

900 calories is far too little. It's under the amount of calories your body will burn just doing nothing.

People who lose weight quickly find it difficult to maintain. You need to make an overall lifestyle change. Read the stickies at the top of the forum, as they are full of good adivce for how to lose weight and shape up in a safe way.

[Scoobiedoobiedo]

(Original post by PinkMobilePhone)
Well to lose weight quickly you would probably need to go on a VLCD such as Exante, Cambridge Diet, or Lighter Life - but it won't be cheap.

I wasn't aware you had to pay money to be allowed to reduce your calories.

[PinkMobilePhone]

(Original post by Scoobiedoobiedo)
I wasn't aware you had to pay money to be allowed to reduce your calories.

You don't have to pay money to reduce calories. That's a dumb thing to say. However the OP could live on 9 packets of quavers and still be consuming only 792 calories but it wouldn't exactly be very healthy.

"VLCDs also contain the recommended daily requirements for vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fatty acids and protein"

i.e. if the OP doesn't trust herself to be able to successfully eat a very low amount of calories, whilst still maintaining a healthy diet, then a VLCD would be more advisable as she would still be getting the required number of nutrients.

[Scoobiedoobiedo]

(Original post by PinkMobilePhone)
You don't have to pay money to reduce calories. That's a dumb thing to say. However the OP could live on 9 packets of quavers and still be consuming only 792 calories but it wouldn't exactly be very healthy.

"VLCDs also contain the recommended daily requirements for vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fatty acids and protein"

i.e. if the OP doesn't trust herself to be able to successfully eat a very low amount of calories, whilst still maintaining a healthy diet, then a VLCD would be more advisable as she would still be getting the required number of nutrients.

Or she could just read a few articles and watch a few videos, for free. Get a basic understanding of the fundamentals of nutrition and training from one of the many free plans online, which coincidently are provided by people who are actually fit and healthy and not some old woman/women exploiting female insecurity and naivety.

Also, relying on somebody else/other people to plan your diet and tell you exactly what to do and when to do it, is setting yourself up to fail and never really get anywhere. Case in point, weight watchers. The vast majority remain overweight and/or unhealthy indefinitely because as soon as they miss one or two meetings or can't get their silly overpriced milkshake for a week they have no idea what to do, gorge, and become a snorlax again.

[mimx]

The amount of calories you cut is entirely up to you and what you think you can handle. If you are going to cut low make sure you supplement with a multivitamin and let a lot of what you do eat be protein. It'll be harder obviously but also try to lift so that you loose fat rather than lean mass, that way you'll look much better.

[Ma-Rine]

If you "transform" your fat into muscle you won't lose weight (as muscle are heavier than fat) but you will look slimmer.

I have lost lots of weight recently (freshers year is awful for our bodies haha).
Some tips: I don't deprive myself of anything and I'm not too focussed on the calories I eat. I think this way you will become obsessed with food and it will ruin your mood. I try to eat normally (healthy food though) but in a fewer quantity. For example now i'm eating in small plates and that way I don't realize I have reduced the quantity.

Hope my explanation is clear enough lol .