[hollylovesbrandon]

Hello. I am 21 years old. I am 5 foot 3 and I currently weigh 206 lbs. Now, I am basically healthy, although I do have high cholesterol. My husband finds me attractive and I do not find normal tasks hard to accomplish because of my weight. Still, I know that my weight is not healthy. I want to lose about 30 lbs. but not more than 35 lbs. I am satisfied being about 175 lbs. I work and go to school and I walk 3 miles everyday but I have yet to lose one pound. I've been doing this for 1 month. What am I doing wrong?

[N0help4u]

Eat lots of fiber and fresh fruit especially citrus
Like have oatmeal and an orange or grapefruit for breakfast
Also take omega fatty acids and Q10 supplements.
Switch to cooking your beef and chicken with olive oil.
Cut out using the usual wesson, crisco type oils --corn, canola, etc... ]
Also throw out your table salt and switch to fine granulated sea salt it tastes the same but has a better chemical balance.

Last but not least cut out all junk food especially chips and eat more homemade foods.
Juice fresh/frozen fruits and make smoothies.

[hollylovesbrandon]

Well, I never cook with grease... since my mom died I stopped that. I don't even use salt, but maybe once a week. I have started, every time I go to the store, I will buy a different kind of vegetable until I find one that I like enough to eat a lot. I eat peas and potatoes everyday. I also eat broccoli once a week. I haven't eaten chips, unless they are baked, in like, 6 months. Thank you for the advice.

[N0help4u]

I hate veggies too so I try to make a stir fry of garlic, onion, mushrooms, green and red pepper, snap or snow peas sauteed in olive or sesame oil.
I sometimes cook strips of steak in with it or
Else I throw it in a can of corn for tex mex corn
Or it is good for a steak hoagie.

[METERRE]

Hello. I wouldn't call what I did a diet, since I did not do it intentionally. I lost ten pounds after being a constant weight for one whole year. Then suddenly I started to replace two meals a day with very low fat cereal, and one good meal. I cut back on snacks between meals or I would eat snacks which weren't too heavy on calories. And I didn't even do any extra exercise if at all. I lost the ten pounds in about 1 month to 1 and a half.
I'm really not a healthy eater. But that did help me, although I was already thin. And it was also a year or two ago that I lost them, now I only weigh 5 pounds more, but keep losing them off and on. It's because sometimes I get into snacking mode more often.
Anyway just wanted to share what worked for me.

[hollylovesbrandon]

See, my problem is, it's not that easy to have healthy food in the house. I live with 3 growing boys... all eat a LOT and not very ehalthy. I have to buy food for them and then I don't have a lot of money left over for me. Because of this I do a lot of exercise kind of to make up for it... but to be honest, one if my problems is, I only eat once a day... if that. Sometimes I don't eat for a day, not on purpose, just don't find time. And I just don't get hungry sometimes. So, lowfat cereals? I am also lactose intolerant... so what if I use like 1% milk and low fat cereal for breakfast... then can I eat a hearty meal for dinner?

[METERRE]

I forgot to mention I ate the cereal with soy milk. And I think there is your problem, the less you eat, the less calories you'll burn. Because I think when that happens your body stores the nutrients and calories, because you're not putting anything in it. So it will keep them there. I know you don't do it on purpose but you got to eat.
Another thing that works for me is when I eat little portions like 4-5 times even 6 times a day. But little. And I loose weigh the more times I eat a day sometimes but again in little portions and well healthy.
And another thing, the way I did it was that I ate the cereal for breakfast, then the hearty meal, then dinner(cereal again). But it's about whatever suits your body best and your lifestyle.
Just remember you got to eat.

[N0help4u]

Meterre is right when you don't eat your body stores up because it thinks it has to go into famine mode. That is why they say it is important to eat breakfast to burn calories through the day. Also it is good to eat a piece of fruit or light healthy snack between meals.

[asking]

Holly, you have been walking a lot, which is great, but you may be building up muscle at this point. If you are replacing some fat with muscle, the scale won't show any weight loss yet. But that doesn't mean that you won't start to lose weight in time.

I agree that lots of fruit is good. I just read a scientific paper that said that the more fruit people ate, the smaller their waist got. It also suggested that a diet low in cereals and grains was better for health because people on the low cereal diet responded to sugar in a healthier way (less insulin, lower blood glucose). This is contrary to a lot of standard nutritional advice now, but I thought it was a persuasive paper. (Lindeberg, September 2007, Diabetologia.)

I've also read that it's better to eat lots of smaller meals than one big one and better to eat some breakfast -- especially one with plenty of fiber, and a little protein and fat, all of which slow digestion and make you feel fuller longer. Avoid juices too, as they give you the sugars from fruits, but none of the fiber...

I remember when my kids were small how hard it was to eat well (or in peace) and to get exercise. I am impressed with your determination.
Good luck!
Asking

[hollylovesbrandon]

I know. I REALLY have to start eating more. I just don't find the time. I guess I'm going to have to.

[peggyhill]

Ask your doctor about your weight loss goals. Before you start a diet exercise plan, you should always go get a physical to make sure that you are healthy enough to exercise and to make sure your weight isn't due to a medical condition. Other than that, I think all the ideas on here are good. Definitely eat more than once a day. I did that for a while and couldn't lose a pound to save my life. I went with the small meals throughout the day thing, and that worked for me. Good luck!