starting out

hello all,
i am trying to start a healthier lifestyle. my nth attempt. i usually start off well but get discouraged when i don't see results. plus, i love food.
what are some easy and small ways i can start?
i don't want to start with a drastic change as i know that will not work. i want to start tweaking slowly until i get comfortable with the changes.

any nutrition and exercise ideas are appreciated!

starting out

Good for you! Here are some things that work for me:

Exercise-
Pick something you like.
Do it with a friend if possible.
Make a commitment to a class if you can.
On the other hand, walking or running is very flexible (you can do it anywhere at any time-- good for those of us with kids or demanding work schedules!)

Nutrition-
I have done WW in the past (to lose baby weight) and it really works.
Other than that...
Try not to "diet"- rather, make changes for the long haul.
Instead of trying to simply "eat less", first, eat water rich things- for e.g. have a salad or water based soup at the beginning of a meal.
In general, add more fruit and veggies to your diet.
Limit refined carbs/sugar.
Make smart replacements- e.g. lf greek yogurt for 1/2 the mayo in tuna salad.
But don't get tricked into thinking that fat free or sugar free is good for you. Mostly, if it is FF, they have upped the sugar. Also, fake sugar is just bad for you, and studies show that it makes you heavier in the long run.

There are some ideas... I am sure others have great suggestions too!

GL!!

Message edited 8/28/2013 1:31:26 PM.

Re: starting out

It's normal to fall off the horse and you can always get back on.

I have struggled the past few weeks with going to the gym because I have a gazillion other things going on. Plus, I was going early in the AM and now I don't feel like getting up and leaving the house first thing.

I am going to try to head back tonight after DS is settled in bed.

Same with diet. I am more of an all or nothing type of person, so either I'm having a really great week with sticking to healthy food or I will be eating pizza and cheeseburgers.

I also think that any exercise is better than no exercise, especially if you typically have a sedentary lifestyle. On that note, you should not compare yourself to anyone else. Especially do not get caught up with the exerciseaholics. Do what works for YOU!


Lastly, like another poster mentioned, you need to find stuff that you will enjoy and stick with. As well as an environment that you are comfortable in.

Also be willing to try classes and such. It's always scary being the new person but usually no one is even paying attention to anyone but themselves.

starting out

you will have good days AND bad... but don't ever give up. I lost about 35 pounds on weight watchers. I hit a few bumps but I picked myself up and got back on track. exercise helped a lot too.

good luck!

starting out

Get on my fitness pal and track your food. They will give you idea on how many cals u should consume a day. It's free.

Start working out slowly if you can

Ditto everyone else

If you want to see results quickly and still be able to eat - do low carb. It's a good kick off to losing weigh and getting u motivated

Re: starting out

Yes, ditto to the low carb lifestyle.

For me though, I do "lower carb". I cut out the big things, like bread, pasta, rice. I no longer serve a heavy carb side with dinner. Instead it's a salad or veggie.

If I'm craving ice cream, I will eat one of DS frozen gogurts. Only 70 calories.

The trainers at my gym have even said that eating like this every other day, and doing exercise at least 3-4 days a week, the pounds will drop.

I was also told that if you stop eating the heavy carbs, you won't crave them and I tend to believe it.

Re: starting out

Thanks Ladies!
Your encouragement is keeping my spirits up.

here's my plan so far:

started a 30 day squat challenge workout i found on pinterest.
also found a standing ab workout.
do both in the morning.

started trying to walk more. now take elevator to 8th floor and walk up the stairs to the 10th every chance i get.


food wise: not doing anything drastic and taking it one meal at a time. trying to opt for healthier choices but not cut anything out yet.
adding more fruit and veggies.
drinking more water (i never drink enough)

i plan on slowly adding to this daily. i know this sounds like a weak start but honestly i don't think i can handle more in the beginning. my legs are so bad, by the end of the day they are swollen to twice their size because they can't handle the weight. i don't want to do too much because i'm not sure what kind of damage it can cause.

but i figure every little extra helps, and hopefully i'll keep getting stronger and better and can add gradually.

i'm really thinking of this as a lifestyle change and not a diet. (i think that's why i've always given up before. it was a fix and not a conscious decision to change)

can you think of any other "small" changes i can work on?

Thanks for reading this far and the advice!

Re: starting out

starting out

Sounds like a good plan to me!!! Drinking more water is a good one. Get yourself a big cup/bottle that you can continuously refill during the day. It may help with the leg swelling too (possibly you should get that checked by a dr, though!)

Re: starting out

Good for you for wanting to make changes!
Others have posted great ideas, & finding what works for you, is key.

Setting realistic goals is key. What you put in, with result in what you get out.
small changes often do a lot & will motivate you to do more & more changes.

Re: starting out

Re: starting out

Yeah, I have cut out all kinds of those carby sides.

The only time I really eat rice now is if I order sushi.

P.S. I used to go out to lunch all the time with my co-worker at my last job. Since I started my new job and bring my lunch now, I feel like I am a lot more healthier.

Message edited 8/29/2013 6:50:11 PM.