Obesity Discussion Forums

[JesseJW]

So, my birthday is coming up so I thought this would be a good time for me to start changing my life.

So, basically what I have started doing is cutting out bad foods that are just full of chemicals and offer little to no nutritional value.

I get up in the morning and have something quick and light.(eggs with yogurt and fruit)
Then I do some stretches and leave for school...which is a 3.9 mile walk(about an hour and 10min)...and I carry my back-pack with 25 pounds of weight in it.
then I go through 2 periods of classes
then lunch I have something healthy(2 fruits and a yogurt)
another 2 periods
Then I walk home..another 3.9miles.
Then I have supper....which varies depending on what my grandparents make(usualy some kind of meat with vegetables.)
Then sleep and I do it all again.

What im looking for is any recommendation or tips that I could add into my routine.

[nisha]

Hey Jesse,

Well done on deciding to do something! You sound like you've made a great start. I'm a fat loss expert from London and I specialise in rapid weight loss. Can I ask you is that all you're eating? Your breakfast is great. Your lunch is not! Your evening meal is great. You also need to add in 2 snacks on top of what you're eating.

Some easy tips for you to follow:

1) Have protein with every meal (so add a small portion of hemp or sesame seeds to your yoghurt or have 5 almonds/brazil nuts with it)

2) Eat every 3 hours. Your metabolism needs fuel to burn fat at it's optimal level. If you go over 4 hours without food your body will go into shutdown and STOP BURNING FAT. So snack lighltly but do snack.

3) Don't completely cut out complex carbs, (brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat...), as they provide nutrients you won't get elsewhere, but do limit them. As a rule of thumb women should eat carbs before 1pm and men before 3pm, (bodybuilders stick to this without deviation in order to stay lean). Also watch your portion size - 2 dessert spoonfuls should be plenty.

4)Up your water. You should be drinking 1 ltr per 50lbs of bodyweight. If you find this means you're constantly on the loo then add the tiniest pinch of organic sea salt to a ltr bottle. This will add electrolytes to the water meaning that your body will absorb it easier, (you shouldn't be able to taste it).

5) Get to bed before 10:30pm. Your body produces a hormone called melatonin between 10pm and 2am. You need this for body repair and to get a good night's sleep, (it makes you drowsy). If you get to bed late you push prolactin production into waking hours which will make you crave carbs. Prolactin suppresses Leptin - the hormone which makes you feel full so not only will you now crave carbs but you also won't know when your full!

6) Try to stick to good wholesome food that is natural in source. Avoid frozen, additives, preservatives, anything you can't pronounce on the label, sugar in any form (dextrose, maltodextrin, high-fructose corn syrup, refined white sugar, sugar beet, molasses, honey). If you want a sweet substitute use organic agave syrup - it's low gi and tastes like maple syrup - yum!

7) Avoid wheat like the plague. Your body treats it like sugar - nuff said.

Does this help?

[jacqueline]

Originally Posted by JesseJW

So, my birthday is coming up so I thought this would be a good time for me to start changing my life.

So, basically what I have started doing is cutting out bad foods that are just full of chemicals and offer little to no nutritional value.

I get up in the morning and have something quick and light.(eggs with yogurt and fruit)
Then I do some stretches and leave for school...which is a 3.9 mile walk(about an hour and 10min)...and I carry my back-pack with 25 pounds of weight in it.
then I go through 2 periods of classes
then lunch I have something healthy(2 fruits and a yogurt)
another 2 periods
Then I walk home..another 3.9miles.
Then I have supper....which varies depending on what my grandparents make(usualy some kind of meat with vegetables.)
Then sleep and I do it all again.

What im looking for is any recommendation or tips that I could add into my routine.

Hi Jesse,

You are giving yourself a great birthday present...getting healthy! I noticed a few things that might help you in your quest. First, you may want to add more vegetables to your diet and lose a fruit. Next, it would be beneficial if you had more lean protein in your daily food plan. Last, your daily walk with the heavy backpack is great exercise, but it is important to do a variety of exercises and change the routine from time to time because your body gets used to one thing and will kind of get stuck, and not help your weight loss as much as it should. Otherwise, you are good to go. It sounds like you are determined... a big help when things get boring or are going slowly. Best of luck, you can do this.

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by JesseJW

So, my birthday is coming up so I thought this would be a good time for me to start changing my life.

So, basically what I have started doing is cutting out bad foods that are just full of chemicals and offer little to no nutritional value.

I get up in the morning and have something quick and light.(eggs with yogurt and fruit)
Then I do some stretches and leave for school...which is a 3.9 mile walk(about an hour and 10min)...and I carry my back-pack with 25 pounds of weight in it.
then I go through 2 periods of classes
then lunch I have something healthy(2 fruits and a yogurt)
another 2 periods
Then I walk home..another 3.9miles.
Then I have supper....which varies depending on what my grandparents make(usualy some kind of meat with vegetables.)
Then sleep and I do it all again.

What im looking for is any recommendation or tips that I could add into my routine.

Biggest issue with your eating habits is that you seem to be very low on protein, and fruits/yogurt are usually high in sugar. You need to try to flip flop that if you can. Other than that I think you are off to a good start and have the right idea.

[D-Nuck]

Originally Posted by Obesity Discussion

Biggest issue with your eating habits is that you seem to be very low on protein, and fruits/yogurt are usually high in sugar. You need to try to flip flop that if you can. Other than that I think you are off to a good start and have the right idea.

+1

i was thinking the same on the sugar in yogurt

[Devonsmom]

The lowfat Activia isn't as high in sugar as the original and it still tastes good. You get a bonus there, it helps regulate your system. It works for me. I just don't think there is any need for more than one a day. There is nothing wrong with fruit, but yes it does have sugar to consider. I have never heard of anyone getting fat off of fruit though. If you really want to eat fruit for lunch too maybe only one fruit and add a veggie. Supper is really good, but I too agree that you should get more bang for your buck so to speak. More good quality foods for the same calorie intake. I cut calories by eating Better n' eggs and putting a piece of fat free cheese and a slice of turkey or ham, making an omlette. B/c I do that, I can have more food as the day goes by and don't feel as hungry. Also, fiber is your friend. Sometimes I make my omlette smaller and put it on a toasted whole grain english muffin. That stays with me longer but I dont do it every day. I do not claim to know everything, this is only what works for me. I hope I at least gave you an idea you like. Good luck.

[JesseJW]

Thanks all so much for your help =]
Well, it's 1 hour before my birthday

So, your advice has helped me so much.
and a little update.
I seen that I needed more protein so I made myself a chicken salad(1tbsp of Italian dressing, half a piece of boneless skinless chicken, and some lettuce)
omg, I thought Yogurt was a good thing...since I always seen it in commercials and stuff showing that it's good and helps a person lose weight.

I guess i'll have to find something else to include in my lunch =[


Oh, and I can't think of a way to change up my routine so I don't get used to what im doing.
Any suggestions?

[nisha]

Jesse, plain live yoghurt is really good for you but you just need to add protein with it. Stay away from the sweetened stuff. I have mine with some berries (antioxidants) and a sprinkling of chopped nuts - perfect snack, not great as a lunch tho - your chicken salad is spot on!

I'm also just in the process of uploading a free bodyweight workout so will send you the link when it's up there. You can do it at home and you don't need any equipment - just yourself!

[JesseJW]

Thanks Nisha! =]
That would be great.