Weight loss/Becoming healthy support thread!

[Galactic Som]

For everyone who's working on losing some weight or just becoming more healthy. Post here for your support! Feel free to to share progresss pictures, food diaries and all of your good and bad thoughts about your journey.

If you've already completed your journey, feel free to add to the thread to help keep us motivated!


I've been trying to become more healthy and lose some extra weight for about a year and a half now. Growing up, I was always naturally skinny and very active. But, when I hit a really bad rough patch in my teen years I gained all of my weight and became completely inactive. So, after 5 years I decided to finally do something about it!

I've been trying to eat more healthy foods and cutting out fast food out of my diet as much as possible. I try to eat fruit at least once a day, and I've been increasing my water intake by A LOT. I use to hate drinking water, but now I have to drink it 2-4 times a day. For working out, I'll do just about anything. Swimming, water aerobics, walking, weight training, running, jogging, Pilates, yoga, ect. I try to work out at least 3 times a week, but I'd like to work towards doing it every day for at least 30 minutes.

So far I've lost 24 pounds and I'm feeling better than I have in a long time.

[Rail Aybara]

@Somnious
Congrats on your weightloss!

If anyone needs any help with deciding what to do for cardio or lifting, I could help you out in that aspect.
-Rail

[KittyVel]

Good for you, Somnious! It's great to hear that you're getting positive results!

I'm thin, but horribly out of shape. I'm honestly not quite sure of what I can do to get back in shape (I used to be in gymnastics, so I was in great shape), because my body has gotten fairly frail. I pull muscles and get pinched nerves and bruise incredibly easily, and my back can't take much strain. I love fruit, but I can't stand eating veggies. I go through phases of drinking lots of sodas and little water and drinking nothing but water with maybe one soda a week. I tend to crave sodas for their flavor and fizziness (that's a word now :P ). I would cut fast food out of my diet if we had more food around the house. If I had access to a clean public pool (very few around here...) I would swim to get my exercise, but that's kind of out of the question here, unfortunately, as the only really clean pool is ridiculously expensive and I can't afford it. I may try to find a yoga class at a nearby gym to help me get my flexibility and muscle tone back.

[Rail Aybara]

Just try doing activities that arn't as stressful until your body grows more muscle and such.
Drinking water is a need, so even if you hate it..I recommend trying to drink water a little bit more. You don't have to cut fast food out of your diet, just exersise and things like that. A lot of the time, the food isn't what makes people bad and all that...it's the lack of exersise. Just keep eating veggies and things as well to balence your diet of course.

[StarRhythm]

Amazing, Somnious! Congrats.

I was going to say... yoga or swimming, Vel. :3

I personally lost about 35lbs last year but due to depression I gained it all back. Since then I am at 10lbs lost again. I just need to start going back to the gym, but once my mom leaves (she's been living in my living room) I will start to pick it back up in force. I'm sick of carrying this junk around!

[Zeno]

Here's what I did to get into shape, and I'm in the best shape of my life! I now have definition in my arms and pecs and I'm starting to develop abs.

Reduce the amount you eat by just a little, and make sure you eat more greens!
Try to cut out some carbs and replace it with protein.
Replace soda with water. Soda is TERRIBLE for your health. You can have some every once in a while but try to replace as much soda as you can with water.

Here's what I do daily:
Multivitamin
Fish Oil
Do 15 regular push-ups, 15 "inward" push-ups (make it so you're hands are facing each other) and 10 fist pushups.
25 crunches, 25 bicycle crunchs, and then hold your legs/feet 6inches off thr gournd for about 10 seconds.
Also, try going to the gym every other day. Of course this isn't possible a lot of the time so once or twice a week is fine. Also, if you're trying to lose fat, do 15 minutes of cardio before each workout.

That's what I did and I got good results rather quickly.

[Spiritfox Autumnsong]

Try to cut out some carbs and replace it with protein.

fun fact: weight for weight, protein and carbohydrates contain the same amount of calories (unlike fats, which have more than twice as much), which means they contain the same amount of energy! Now, I'm pretty sure that amino acid chains, which form proteins, have stronger bonds than sugar chains, which form starches (carbohydrates) which would mean more energy is expended breaking the bonds and the energy is released over time rather than all at once. Anyway, enough derailing with the blinding light of science.

So far, my plan for weight loss is cutting out processed foods and replacing them with fruits/vegetables, which is tough since I still live with my dad, for now. Also to go bike-riding for thirty minutes after breakfast and dinner. I know I need to do more than that but I'm not sure what. Especially since I do lots of PC gaming and a good smidge of Wii. I'm debating getting Wii fit, but im still undecided.

[jaggirl92]

Personally, I try to limit my fast food intake as much as possible. I find that I have more energy without it. Also, like many others have recommended drink plenty of water!! If you don't like the tast of water, I recommend squirting a tad bit of lemon into it it really does help!!!

As for exercising, do in moderation. When you feel your body telling you it's tired, listen. :3 had to learn this the hard way.

[Amourosa Wolfsight]

fun fact: weight for weight, protein and carbohydrates contain the same amount of calories (unlike fats, which have more than twice as much), which means they contain the same amount of energy! Now, I'm pretty sure that amino acid chains, which form proteins, have stronger bonds than sugar chains, which form starches (carbohydrates) which would mean more energy is expended breaking the bonds and the energy is released over time rather than all at once. Anyway, enough derailing with the blinding light of science.

Good point! I didn't know that about carbs and protein. Just to add a bit:
The problem with carbs is that there are multiple kinds and cutting down on the bad kind is always a good idea. Protein and carbs provide energy but carbs provide shorter bursts and protein provides longer periods of energy. Also, protein helps build muscle and helps your body decide to burn fat and carbs instead of muscle.

Carbs in things like pasta or chicken are good the night before a race because you can store up energy with them. Protein is good in the long run or training exercises.

Best of luck to everyone with their diets and exercises.

[gingercat]

I am on a track to ideally lose about 30 pounds. I have tried to stay active every day, whether I go to the gym or find some other activity in my day. I also have only been eating about two meals a day and have had fruits and vegetables for snack. So far I've lost almost ten pounds, but about 5 of that was water weight. I have a lot more to lose, but I can see the results.