The Student Room Group

Weight loss help

Hey everyone

I’m wanting to lose weight before my holiday so I can feel more confident in a bikini and in myself mostly. I drink water and water only! so I know avoiding sugary drinks won’t be an issue.

I’ve been told chicken and broccoli Is really good to eat when loosing weight. Is that right?
I’m mostly wanting to target top of my legs, hips and stomach.

Any advice/ tips would be very very appreciated.
Some things I've learnt from losing 33kg:
-you can't isolate fat loss, you have to lose it all over your body
- technically you can eat what you want, as long as yu are in a CALORIE DEFICIT
-Take multivitamins and fish oils
-i personally have chicken and veg for lunch pretty much everyday so yeh i'd recommend that.
As the above person said- you can't spot reduce. When you lose weight you can't control where on your body it will come off first. You can build muscle in certain areas to improve appearance though.

I don't know where to the chicken and broccoli thing came from, but I suppose yeah it is good in the sense that it's low calorie and low fat. However don't be afraid of consuming a bit of fat, sugar or carbs- our bodies need a range of foods to function properly so if you don't give your body what it needs then it's gonna give you a hard time. Work WITH your body- not against it.

Food wise, all you need is a calorie deficit. In theory you could do this on crisps and chocolate as long as you eat fewer calories than you burn (although I wouldn't recommend it obviously). Most people tend to eat a lot of fruit and veggies because they are less calorie dense so you can eat a greater volume and therefore feel fuller. Be careful of additional things like condiments, dressings, cooking oils and honey but apart from that just eat normally with slightly smaller portions then add more veg. Don't snack at night, limit how many fizzy or sugary drinks you have and never skip meals.

Oh and broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable so eating lots of it might make you bloat and give you wind! (but it is a great source of vitamins A, C and K so don't be scared of it)
Reply 3
Original post by PollyParrot23
As the above person said- you can't spot reduce. When you lose weight you can't control where on your body it will come off first. You can build muscle in certain areas to improve appearance though.

I don't know where to the chicken and broccoli thing came from, but I suppose yeah it is good in the sense that it's low calorie and low fat. However don't be afraid of consuming a bit of fat, sugar or carbs- our bodies need a range of foods to function properly so if you don't give your body what it needs then it's gonna give you a hard time. Work WITH your body- not against it.

Food wise, all you need is a calorie deficit. In theory you could do this on crisps and chocolate as long as you eat fewer calories than you burn (although I wouldn't recommend it obviously). Most people tend to eat a lot of fruit and veggies because they are less calorie dense so you can eat a greater volume and therefore feel fuller. Be careful of additional things like condiments, dressings, cooking oils and honey but apart from that just eat normally with slightly smaller portions then add more veg. Don't snack at night, limit how many fizzy or sugary drinks you have and never skip meals.

Oh and broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable so eating lots of it might make you bloat and give you wind! (but it is a great source of vitamins A, C and K so don't be scared of it)


Thanks so much! Can you message me on here you seem to know your stuff and have a few questions.
In order to guarantee weight loss you need to find out your TDEE (the amount of calories tour body burns in a day to maintain its weight) and eat LESS than that. That's literally it.
Find a sport or an exercise you enjoy doing and stick to that, that way you'll be more motivated
Reply 6
Original post by uninteresting
Find a sport or an exercise you enjoy doing and stick to that, that way you'll be more motivated


I got on Gumtree and got a cheap bike and started cycling into Uni instead of relying on the bus. Was pure joy in the summer months but it took a lot of motivation (and kit!) to get me out the door in winter!

Did wonders for my weight loss journey though.
It sounds like you're already on the right track.

Here's some tips for you:
-Chicken prepared the right way is just about the healthiest source of protein available, and broccoli is a very healthy green, so yes those are great choices, but they certainly aren't your only options. Generally speaking, lean chicken and a green veggie are always a safe bet though!
-When it comes to weight loss, diet is more than half the battle. As long as you are achieving a calorie deficit, you'll start seeing results. Using a free app like https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to keep track is the easiest way to keep yourself to your daily limit.
-There's unfortunately no way to target those special problem areas we all have, so instead of focusing on specific areas, try to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle that will lead to weight loss in the areas you want.
-If your diet is on track, any exercise you're doing is going to make an impact, but generally speaking weight lifting and body weight exercises are going to do more for you than cardio alone. A lot of women worry about "bulking up" but unless you're actively trying to build muscle that won't be a problem for you.
-This guide from the Beachbody blog has some great advice on losing weight and getting into an exercise routine for the first time, so it might be a helpful jumping off point for you: https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/guide-weight-loss-workouts. I'd highly recommend checking out some of their free recipes and workouts if you're struggling to find other healthy meals or need some direction in your workouts. They have a ton of resources available if you take the time to look.
Reply 8
Original post by StephRadriguez
It sounds like you're already on the right track.

Here's some tips for you:
-Chicken prepared the right way is just about the healthiest source of protein available, and broccoli is a very healthy green, so yes those are great choices, but they certainly aren't your only options. Generally speaking, lean chicken and a green veggie are always a safe bet though!
-When it comes to weight loss, diet is more than half the battle. As long as you are achieving a calorie deficit, you'll start seeing results. Using a free app like https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to keep track is the easiest way to keep yourself to your daily limit.
-There's unfortunately no way to target those special problem areas we all have, so instead of focusing on specific areas, try to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle that will lead to weight loss in the areas you want.
-If your diet is on track, any exercise you're doing is going to make an impact, but generally speaking weight lifting and body weight exercises are going to do more for you than cardio alone. A lot of women worry about "bulking up" but unless you're actively trying to build muscle that won't be a problem for you.
-This guide from the Beachbody blog has some great advice on losing weight and getting into an exercise routine for the first time, so it might be a helpful jumping off point for you: https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/guide-weight-loss-workouts. I'd highly recommend checking out some of their free recipes and workouts if you're struggling to find other healthy meals or need some direction in your workouts. They have a ton of resources available if you take the time to look.


Thank you so much for your help!
Reply 9
I'm trying to lose weight too I found out a Japanese ritual called the water fast where when you wake up you drink water before you do anything then you don't eat for 45 minutes then after you can you have to leave a two hour gap between breakfast lunch and diner this ritual is something you should make a habit of it's good for digestion and metabolism

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