warning rant: weight freak out ahead. and exercise help

[Fran101]

Nothing like the look of "oh my god you are huge" on the face of all my relatives to send me into a stress frenzy.

I weighed 117 pounds before I got sent to connecticut. I need to get back there

maybe its because I look at myself everyday that I didnt notice that big of a change, but my oh my my family has noticed and I went to the doctors today and they measured my BMI (im 5'3) and I am BOREDERLINE HEALTHY/OVERWEIGHT! are you kidding me?!?! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN IN 5 FRIKIN MONTHS!!

I now weigh 143 pounds. I hate it I hate it I hate it I hate and dammit, freshman 15 or no, im ashamed of this. I can't believe I allowed this to happen. I studied hard and slept little and stuffed my face, of course it happened. its not like I dont see how or why but I AM FREAKING OUT

anyway, I have exactly one month in miami and I need the weight GONE. I dont care what I have to do at this point.

and now that I know the number and everything, i cant even look at myself. its like my mind is playing tricks on me or something but I feel like all of a sudden a veil has been lifted and now I look like a whale.

so i need to lose 26 pounds as fast as possible before I go nuts.

I already cut out the typical culprits.. bread, soda, fastfood, etc.. food im ok with, I know how to diet

but its the exercise that gets me..ive never really HAD to exercise and I dont really know how.. so what should I do as far as exercise? and how often?
I dont really have a gym near me but the weather is nice and im determined to get rid of this weight so stuff I could do at home or outside would be helpful.

I have some bad eating disorderish type tendencies that im really trying to avoid right now. but i am freaking out, to put it lightly. My mom keeps telling me that its not that big of a deal and that the weight will come off but that was only AFTER she saw me have a major meltdown. before she was all like "OH MY GOD FRANSHESKA!" with everybody else

I keep telling myself, its not that bad, it could be worse. but dammit, i cant believe I let this happen. its not like im really FAT, but im not happy with my body right now.. AT ALL!

Can we bring back the weight loss thread?? with the tickers?

so, the weather is really nice now. which is better, long walks or jogs or running? crunches? or should I stick to just cardio for now?

 

[bubbatd]

At least you are on top of it !!! Good luck !

 

[Romy]

Calm down. It took you 5 months to put it on, so give it 5 months (at least) to get it off. Don't go on any binge diets, they're really unhealthy.

And I'm sure you DON'T look like a whale, lol. All of my guy friends always told me boys like slightly chubby girls. And I know it wasn't because of my weight, because at 5'9" I was 115-120 lbs.

Just find some activities you enjoy that you think you can work into your schedule for physical activity. Is there a route around campus you can bike or jog once or twice a day? It needs to be something you like otherwise you'll burn yourself out and give up on it. Eat healthier foods, not box pizza, etc. You know all that stuff.

 

[ACooper]

DON'T try to take it all off in one month.......that is a very bad plan. Like Romy said, it took 5 months to put it on, so give yourself at LEAST a few months to take it off. If you do crash/fad you are likely to put it right back on PLUS more!

Just start cutting back, be sure to leave food on your plate (even if you would LIKE to finish it all, LOL) and get a little more exercise. It'll be gone before you know it

 

[Beanie]

Okay, first of all, that BMI stuff is crap. The BMI has absolutely no scientific data backing it as far as actual real health goes. The BMI scale was calculated by INSURANCE companies to figure out who had the biggest risk of DYING... not actually being healthy as far as weight and everything goes. So there's that one for you. Relax!


Next, find yourself a fun workout program. Try cardio for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. If you can do a full hour, do an hour, but depending on what all you are juggling you might not feel like you can squeeze an hour in.
ONLY do cardio every other day. The idea is to workout hard and work your muscles to exhaustion... which means you MUST let your body recover on the next day.
Weight training is good, I'm not talking about bulk-up-your-body kind of weight training, just weight training to tone your body. Do you have a health club or gym back at school that your college works with? The best thing to do when you're starting out is to work with a trainer who knows what they are talking about so you don't end up hurting yourself. Maybe once you get back to college you can find someone to work with.


Here's my current fave for workout music: Motion Traxx

Download these to your ipod or Zune or whatever mp3 player you have and work out to them. I currently have #8 - rev up results, interval mix on my Zune and work out to that. It's like 28 minutes of a "work out" but after all is said and done I'm usually on the elliptical for 30+ minutes. I see a WHOLE bunch of new ones I want to download and start using... I'm really used to the interval mix so I think it's not quite as fun these days because I anticipate all the changes in music and pace. I think I need to get some new stuff.
Anyway, the idea behind Motiontraxx is to let the music guide you and your pace when you workout. Music is SUCH a part of my life and who I am so it works for me. A 30 minute workout with those is WAY different than a 30 minute workout just watching TV or listening to a handful of tracks on my MP3 player. They're mixed together well so it flows nicely which is really helpful.

You don't have to run to them, you CAN walk to them. I use them on the elliptical because I don't have a treadmill and it's too darn icky to go outside and run these days... plus the elliptical is a far better workout than just walking. But the weather is far nicer where you are so I'd recommend going out to at least walk.

Also GET YOURSELF A NICE PAIR OF RUNNING SHOES... seriously. It's a well worth it investment. Best money I ever spent was on my ASICS. I bought them for agility but I use them whenever I work out now and they are so fantastic. I have falling arches, knee problems, and back problems, and those shoes are the only things that save me from serious pain after a run or workout.

Finally, I agree with Romy. Hoping to lose that much weight in a month is not only setting yourself up for failure, because it's not likely to happen, but if it DID happen it would be a really unhealthy way to drop pounds. If you are worried about eating disorder tendencies that is a BAD BAD BAD BAD plan.

 

[Giny]

I find you look amazing in your picture with Romeo.

Please be careful and loose the weight in a healthy way. You say you have some tendencies with eating disorders and you don't want to spiral down that path. Eat the correct amount of calories, in healthy foods, and do exercises you feel comfortable doing, whether it's running, walking. Long time goal is the key!

 

[Zoom]

Haven't you been working out with your figure skating coach? That routine is going to build muscle, which is going to make the scale look worse than it actually is. I also remember you saying that before you went to CT, you were thin but not really healthy. Now, you've got some actual meat on you...which trust me, you WANT during the winter!!

It'll come off when the weather warms up. Don't stress, that's usually the "anti-weight loss" way to go...

 

[GlassOnion]

Well first off 26 pounds in one month isn't realistic at all. It's generally about 2 pounds per week, so 8 pounds a month and thus 3 months at the least.

That said, humans also put on 'winter-weight' and also if you have been figure skating and what not, then you've put on muscle and If I recall correctly muscle weighs 1.6x more than fat.

 

[Renee750il]

Muscle does weigh significantly more than fat. How do your clothes fit? Check your measurements. That's the best way to keep tabs.

While you're home, take some long walks with Kenya.

 

[bubbatd]

I agree with Renee ! I know that most of my weight loss is muscle .Don't use it , you lose it !

 

[AllieMackie]

You take figure skating lessons and have a gym membership, right? Use those. I think your biggest asset will be learning to cook healthy meals. Too many times I heard you say you were eating easy mac or pasta. LOTS of carbs, that's weight-gain city unless you work off all of those carbs.

Also, relax. If you try to lose it all in a small time frame it'll just pack back on twice as easily. Exercise, cook healthy foods, build good long-term habits, and you'll have no problem. I was 240lbs a year ago, I'm down to 200 now. It takes time, and now when I splurge on food a little, my metabolism takes care of it.

 

[Bailey08]

Honey, please don't freak out. I understand that this is hard and stressful for you, but, honestly, it *will* come off.

You already know what to cut out of your diet (all of the yummy stuff ). If you over-restrict your calories, you run the risk of shutting down your metabolism and slowing down your weight loss. So, find a good calorie calculator to figure out your goal calories and keep track of everything you eat (I like Fitday; others use Sparkpeople). You can also track your exercise and your weight -- I like it because it keeps me honest.

Cardio is the best way to lose weight by exercising. Mix it up -- do some running, the elliptical, the bike, etc. If there's a local gym you can go to for the month, go to cardio group classes, spinning classes, Zumba, etc. If you're in good enough shape to start, you can do HIIT (Google it). Again, if you overdo it, it'll actually slow down your progress because your body will just quit on you.

(((Fran))) please take care of yourself. Enjoy the holidays and your time with your family -- don't let this crap take over. It really isn't the end of the world and it's something that many, many of us have had to deal with (myself included ).

 

[Pops2]

Fransheska
you're probably pretty close to where you should be NOW. my DW was 5'2" 130 when we met and she was built to commit murder for. BMI crap is way off, if she had been down to her BMI weight it would have been unhealthy for her as she is well endowed & built to carry it.
reevaluate yourself in a manner that DOESN'T involve numbers on a scale. is your waist smaller than .... well are you shaped like an hour glass? it doesn't matter about proportion so much as the shape. now can you visually see the last couple of ribs? can you see the general shape of the muscles on your abdomen & legs? these are better indicators. if i remember correctly you have an ethnic background that has a reputation for voluptuous figures. figure that into the equation. remember if you try to make a lab look like a greyhound you'll kill it.

IF you do decide you need to lose some weight consult a medical professional who will take these things into account.

After that if you still are planning on losing weight, you need a GOOD estimate of your daily calorie burn & your daily calorie intake. you NEED certain carbs & fats in your diet for healthy body function so structure your diet that way. in general you can reduce your intake of calories by eating large quantities of low calorie foods like lettuces & cooked greens before eating the rest of your meal. you feel full but still cut back the calories you consume. also allow a rigid day for treating yourself (in moderation), i like sundays, you get to have a small bowl of ice cream or pie or whatever. if you blow it and treat yourself twice in a week DON'T consider it a failure, consider it a mistake and get right back on the horse. drink plenty of water chilled so you have to burn calories warming it before your body can use it.

excercise should be part of your routine regardless of weight concerns as it has health benefits beyond weight loss. 2-4 10-20min workouts a day will do infinitely more for weight loss than a single 2hr workout, especially cardio. extended cardio workouts like running more than 2-3 miles at a time will TEACH your body to store fat for the endurance needs. so do short intense workouts. vary the type, "stationary" calisthenics/aerobics, intense ab work, anabolic muscle building work & some endurance like jogging & hiking, swimming & best of all competitive play (like dodgeball, frisbee football or rugby). if you do just one kind of work out your body becomes efficient at it & can learn to do the same work while burning less calories.
other points
isotonics ( basically flexing the muscles intensely while doing other things like studying)
deep breathing (also adding a neoprene waist belt while around the house will make breathing more work & burn more cals)
taking long cuts when time permits (stairs instead of elevator, park further out from store).
just remember moderation in all things, we all care about you & don't want you to fall into the traps of eating & exercise disorders.

 

[Fran101]

thanks so much everyone .

and pops, thank you for all the advice. I am still shaped the same, I have a waist and my tummy doesnt like stick out or anything, thats why this all took me by such a big surprise. I knew I had gained a little bit but I had no idea it was that much.

the nurse at the doctors office also did mention that the BMI can be wrong with girls shaped like me because of how my body is proportioned.

Beanie, I listened to a few and am downloading them I also found some great techno music

as per what allie said, anybody know any recipes for easy healthy meals for one person? I never learned how to cook so when I went off to college my diet consists basically of a lot of crap lol

Im gonna get back with it with figure skating and my school does have a gym as well as free classes like dance, pilates, yoga, that im gonna start doing. Now that I know what these foods do to me Im gonna stop with them, and by "these foods" i mean the easymac and stuffs

 

[GlassOnion]

Crepes of Wrath

Don't know how healthy they are but they're easy. Mostly marinades but taste delicious.

Favorites:
Drunken Irish Stew
Spiced Honey Chicken
Honey-mustard Chicken
Cinnamon apples on porkchops
Honey glazed porkchops

 

[Zoom]

I love those frozen veggie stirfry in a bag...Lots of veggies, a little bit of noodles and I use a Schezwan stir-fry sauce, so it's tasty and spicy. Spicy things help your metabolism too as well as kind of making you cut down your portions.

Bake a chicken breast with a bit of olive oil and some seasonings (I use the "GrillMates Montreal Steak blend from McCormick on a lot of things) and mix that in for a lean protein boost.

Also, I use that same chicken breast recipe and mix it in with couscous. I use chicken broth instead of water for more flavor, then add in garlic salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, tumeric and a fair amount of curry powder, as well as a bit of olive oil.

Switch your snacks to fresh veggies, chips and salsa instead of junk food.

If you think you're hungry, really listen to your body and figure out if you're wanting food because you're really hungry, or are you bored or are you thirsty? Many people mistake thirst for hunger. Drink lots of cold water like Pops said.

Eat a healthy breakfast...I got a lot of mileage out of those little whole wheat pita pockets, toasted and then filled with peanut butter and either a bit of jelly or some honey. Or Special K with some honey and sliced banana on top. Stuff like that.

 

[AllieMackie]

I just do searches on recipe sites for light meals, then adjust the serving sizes to an amount ideal for just me. The site adjusts the ingredients to whatever serving you set. Just be sure to watch cooking times a little closely, as they don't adjust for that.

I like recipezaar.com the best, with allrecipes.com a close second.

 

[Romy]

What I do for fast easy food (cause I'm allergic to everything my daughter eats, and she's too active for me to cook myself real meals):


Pick an hour on the weekend to prepare. Get a huge bag of chicken breasts. Put them in a crockpot or you can do this on a stove top. Cube them, cook the meat with some water, a little olive oil, and spices. I usually put in some garlic, some green chiles, a can of stewed tomato, etc.

When it's all cooked, shred it or leave it cubed and put it in individual servings in ziplock bags. Throw a bunch in the fridge, and a bunch in the freezer.

Now, when you're hungry you can thaw one out and put it in tortillas with some fresh veggies and avocado slices, etc. Or you can make a burrito. Or you can eat it plain. Or toss it on some bagged salad from the store. The possibilities are endless.

Figure out what you like to eat, and set aside time to prepare large quantities of it. If you do that, and then freeze them in portion sizes it becomes very easy to just grab a bag of whatever from the freezer or fridge when you walk out the door for class, instead of picking up a big mac or throwing pasta on the stove when you're hungry.

Olive oil is great. It affects your body like animal fat, in that it makes you feel more full. Plus it's very healthy for you. You do need fat in your diet, avocados and olive oil are healthy ways to get it.

 

[smkie]

Walking/hiking does wonders for Hyia. Does a lot of good for my peace of mind too.

 

[Beanie]

I usually end up cooking just for myself, and I just put a lot of stuff away in the fridge. I almost always have leftovers from a couple days ago to warm back up and eat again. It's VERY hard to find cooking amounts just for one person - so I don't. That doesn't mean I have to eat all of it in one sitting though!
Learn how to cook! You might find you enjoy it. Sparkpeople.com has a bunch of recipes - be careful though because a lot of them are VERY unhealthy, which is funny for a "dieting" website - and my fave cooking websites is recipezaar.com. You can filter by all kinds of things on recipezaar, so... I do. =D

Also, do what you can to stay AWAY from a lot of packaged meals. Most of them are soooo loaded with sodium and that is a HUGE issue. Even with foods that are supposedly healthy because they boast about being low fat and/or low calorie... a lot of them are just chock full of sodium. Gross gross gross.
It's going to be cheaper and FRESHER to learn to cook your own food. It might end up being a few more calories, but it won't be processed and it won't be full of junk meant to extend shelf life the way frozen meals are, so in the end it'll be better for you. Make a batch of chicken alfredo and eat the proportion size that's the same as what would be in one of those frozen meal boxes, and you'll be close as far as calorie content goes, lower as far as sodium and icky preservatives goes, AND you'll have dinner for three-four nights instead of just one!


Don't think the only way to lose weight is by no longer eating anything tasty, either... If you deny yourself stuff you want to eat, all you'll end up doing is frustrating yourself and sabotaging yourself because you'll be thinking of NOTHING but chocolate cake. Also, I eat Easy Mac. =P There are two boxes over in my cubie for when I've forgotten to bring my lunch with me or if I just couldn't decide what to pack for lunch that day. It's my standby. I probably eat it once, maybe twice a week. Don't think about certain foods as inherently bad... it's patterns and lifestyle as a whole, and what you eat is not the ONLY thing that has to do with it. That also means making sure you get enough sleep!


ETA: Romy has a really really good point about cooking something that is super versatile and it reminded me - about one a week I stop by a grocery store here that marks down their rotisserie chickens at the end of the night and buy one. I go home and take all the meat off the chicken, white meat in one container and dark meat in another. There's a TON you can do with that chicken meat... it costs me like $3.50 for the chicken, a bit of time to take all the meat off it, and then I have enough chicken for four meals.