Oklahoma, how are you so fit and well?

[ApplePearBerry]

According to my BMI, I'm extremely obese (it isn't muscles either), so now I'm on a journey to lose 60 pounds. The last time (3 weeks into my new diet) I checked I lost 7 pounds & 4" around my waist.

I've come across many great tips, but being me, I want more. Do you have any tips to share with me?

Well, here's a little look into me.


Habit 1 month ago:

• 6a - breakfast (smallest meal)
• 12n - lunch
• 6p - dinner (largest meal)
• cardio

Habit today

• 5a - 25 crunches; 10 reps of 5 different glute workouts
• 6a - breakfast (biggest meal)
• 9a - small snack (veggies/fruits/crackers w/butter)
• 10a - 15m walk
• 12n - lunch
• 2p - small snack
• 3p - 15m walk
• 6p - dinner (omitting protein & carbs; smallest meal)
• Alternating w/1hr of cardio, sculpting, 45min cardio dance, &/or 3 mile run/walk.
• I have 1 resting day

Also, I've done a little researching and as it turns out...

• Slowly drink about 2 big cups of water about 4 hours prior exercising - this will help with dehydration and exercise fatigue.
• Drink cold water to hydrate yourself instead of warm water, since cold water will up you endurance by more than 25%.
• Set an actual time to exercise.
• Exercising in the morning is the easiest.
• 10,000 steps/day = 1 pound lost/week

Wish me luck! Also, happy living!

[ronronnie1]

Good luck, and it sounds like you're doing everything right (skip the butter.)

Run, run, run, and then run somemore!

[kevinpate]

> dinner (omitting protein & carbs; smallest meal)

Having absolutely no clue myself, what does one eat for dinner if protien AND carbs are off the eve's menu entirely?

A fruit salad or a 5 veggie plate with a splash of lemon?

Luck to you. I've got weight demons of my own

[Of Sound Mind]

I've managed to lose 65 pounds since the first of this year. I've done it primarily through a substantial shift in my eating habits, moving away from unhealthy, high-fat, high-calorie choices to healthier lower-fat, lower-calorie food choices. I also started back up at the gym, working out 4 to 6 days a week, primarily cardio so far, slowly working in strength training over this summer.

Finding the right cookbooks has made a huge difference. Great tasting, healthy, low-cal and low-fat meals has been what has made this weight loss attempt successful so far.

Good luck to you on your journey. I have about 40 pounds more to lose by the end of the year to reach my goal for this year, so I'm not resting on my laurels, but pressing on toward my goal.

[drumsncode]

I too, am unclear on your meaning of omitting protein and carbs for you evening meal. I think you need to research that one a little more. Sounds though, like you are on the right track.

I don't know if you're a man or woman, so my suggestion would be to subscribe to either Mens Health or Womens Health magazine (as appropriate), because it will really keep you in "the know" about the latest nutrition tips, and that includes what to eat and WHEN to eat it, as well as exercise tips. It's a really good read each month.

[lasomeday]

I would not omit protein. You need protein for you muscles. You might eat healthier protein like salmon and tuna.

[so1rfan]

I too, am unclear on your meaning of omitting protein and carbs for you evening meal. I think you need to research that one a little more. Sounds though, like you are on the right track.

I don't know if you're a man or woman, so my suggestion would be to subscribe to either Mens Health or Womens Health magazine (as appropriate), because it will really keep you in "the know" about the latest nutrition tips, and that includes what to eat and WHEN to eat it, as well as exercise tips. It's a really good read each month.

I'm not really that impressed with Men's Health. To me it's just a Maxim without girls. Too many articles about fashion and sex (not that there's anything wrong with that). I always liked Muscle and Fitness. Although it looks like it is geared towards muscleheads, it's for all levels of fitness.

Of course this opinion is coming from someone who isn't exactly going to be on the cover of either magazine anytime soon.

[fromdust]

no protein or carbs for dinner? are you just drinking a glass of water?
i dont think the bmi is all that great; according to it im overweight.
it says my bmi is 26.9, i dont think so.
all in all it looks like youve got a pretty decent plan all the way down to your 5 meals a day. this is really good idea as long as those smaller meals are something like veggies or a protein shake and not cupcakes. another thing about having all those "meals" is your brain will say to itself that its getting all this good food and to burn, burn! waiting 6 hrs between meals and your brain says that it isnt getting enough and stores all those calories.

[ApplePearBerry]

Thank you all for your motivating words.

@ ronronnie1: lol. I know I'm slowly gearing away from the butter. Them crackers take some getting used to.

@ kevinpate: Precisely. Although, I do cheat here and there.

@ Brad Neese: Congrats on your success at losing weight so far! I'm trying to move away from high fats, too, but it's very hard as I find low fats less tasty. Also, I love baking, so I'll need a lot of will-power to do so. Thank you. =)

@ drumsncode: drumsncode, not a lot of people understand my 'diet' of omitting proteins and carbs at night, too. It's just that, a great dr of mine shared w/me his take on dieting and food, and I found it easy to comprehend.

He said: back in the old, old days, people ate their biggest meals in the morning to the afternoon - not in the evening as most of us Americans do nowadays. They would eat that way, because they needed the energy to hunt/gather food in the evening.

When you wake up, your body naturally burns about 100 cal each hr, even after breakfast. Come lunch time, you eat again, yet your body is still burning that breakfast cal + the other cal that it normally burns - except, this time, your body is actually burning less cal than before. Then comes dinner, and your body is still burning lunch and your body's reg. cal. And what do most of us do after dinner?

Most people, even I before this diet, would just get ready for bed right after eating dinner, meaning I'm not burning my dinner off, so all the proteins and carbs that I just ate for dinner will just store as fat. This is why I just decided to omit those at night.

Btw, I'm a woman. Also, I haven't subscribed, but I have purchased a few fitness magazines, which I've found very useful. Thanks for your suggestions.

@ lasomeday: Yes, I've tried salmon and have had an occasional tuna. I think I need bass, stripers, and croppies now. When I lived w/my parents in Tulsa, I used to be privy to those (freshly caught) all the time - now I'm stuck w/store bought 1s. Thank you lasomeday!

@ fromdust: I cheat here and there with fruits or vegies. Also, I understand that nobody may just rely on their bmi alone, but you have muscles, whereas I have mostly fat, so I think my bmi is pretty accurate. Yes, don't worry, my snacks & smaller meals mainly contain veggies/fruits/yogurt/nuts. =) Thank you!

[kevinpate]

I grew up on Chicken fried, well, um everything, lol. I didn't violuntarily eat a salad until I was a senior in high school, for who was I to deprive some rabbit, or rabbit head, their meal.

that said, and though i retain many of my early learned habits, I have discovered talapia. it ain't fancy, but a lil' lemon, a lil' whatever else my lovely dashes on it, and I could eat a platterful, though she wisely doesn't prepare that much.

I do cook, but I almost never cook fish. not sure why, but she makes sure I eats me some now and again, and I admit to liking it more than I ever imagined I might.

[drumsncode]

I'm not really that impressed with Men's Health. To me it's just a Maxim without girls. Too many articles about fashion and sex (not that there's anything wrong with that). I always liked Muscle and Fitness. Although it looks like it is geared towards muscleheads, it's for all levels of fitness.

Of course this opinion is coming from someone who isn't exactly going to be on the cover of either magazine anytime soon.

Actually, I take both magazines, and lately there's no comparison. Men's Health has tons of health tips embedded throughout the magazine, including two recipes per issue, and all sorts of workout tips, news about the latest foods you should eat and why you should eat them, etc. I also like some of their special issues, like the one on tech toys and such. I subscribe through Amazon.com and always get a good deal on it.

Maxim is getting pretty stupid lately, and like other magazines, thinner too. I guess Maxim is geared more toward 20-somethings, and a lot of their attempts at humor just seem plain stupid.

Those mags like Muscle and Fitness are awfully hard-core for me. I'm not a gym-rat or anything, I keep my exercise very simple. I used to love mags like that though, back in the Arnold Schwarzenegger days when he was Mr. Olympia.

Anyway, as I sit here thinking about fitness, my one big tip might just be to stay out of restaurants and make healthy meals at home where you have control of the portion sizes. Plus, your bank account will thank you for it. :-)

[LM401]

How does that expression go?

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

It is something like that. Not that I follow it, but it is what I have always heard.

[so1rfan]

Actually, I take both magazines, and lately there's no comparison. Men's Health has tons of health tips embedded throughout the magazine, including two recipes per issue, and all sorts of workout tips, news about the latest foods you should eat and why you should eat them, etc. I also like some of their special issues, like the one on tech toys and such. I subscribe through Amazon.com and always get a good deal on it.

Maxim is getting pretty stupid lately, and like other magazines, thinner too. I guess Maxim is geared more toward 20-somethings, and a lot of their attempts at humor just seem plain stupid.

Those mags like Muscle and Fitness are awfully hard-core for me. I'm not a gym-rat or anything, I keep my exercise very simple. I used to love mags like that though, back in the Arnold Schwarzenegger days when he was Mr. Olympia.

Anyway, as I sit here thinking about fitness, my one big tip might just be to stay out of restaurants and make healthy meals at home where you have control of the portion sizes. Plus, your bank account will thank you for it. :-)

I think you will agree that if you took Mens Health and removed the health tips and added girl pictures, you would have Maxim. If you took Mens Health and removed the cologne ads, tech tips, fashion spreads and sex talk, then added muscle building articles, you get Muscle and Fitness.

Men's Health is a good magazine, but it is very middle of the road as far as being a fitness magazine. It is what it is, a men's health mag. Health as far as mind, body, sex, and image. You will probably never see an article about skin moisturizers in M&F, but since you do keep exercise simple, MH would be a good fit.

Me, I read the magazines then ignore all of the advice. I like Mexican food too much.

[AFCM]

BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS

They're loaded with great carbs, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants (more than any other source) cholesterol-free, and nearly 100% fat-free. As if they couldn't be any more appealing, they're extremely cheap (less than 10 cents PER SERVING) and easy to prepare. Add some beans to your diet to feel fuller for longer and get moving. You can and will accomplish your goals! Keep us updated on your success.

[drumsncode]

I think you will agree that if you took Mens Health and removed the health tips and added girl pictures, you would have Maxim. If you took Mens Health and removed the cologne ads, tech tips, fashion spreads and sex talk, then added muscle building articles, you get Muscle and Fitness.

Men's Health is a good magazine, but it is very middle of the road as far as being a fitness magazine. It is what it is, a men's health mag. Health as far as mind, body, sex, and image. You will probably never see an article about skin moisturizers in M&F, but since you do keep exercise simple, MH would be a good fit.

Me, I read the magazines then ignore all of the advice. I like Mexican food too much.

I hear ya! I may try an issue of Muscle and Fitness just for fun. It's hard to resist the magazine rack at Barnes and Noble.

I too, love Mexican food, and whenever I walk at the mall, I have to fight off the urge to duck into El Chico for lunch.

[so1rfan]

BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS -- BEANS

They're loaded with great carbs, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants (more than any other source) cholesterol-free, and nearly 100% fat-free. As if they couldn't be any more appealing, they're extremely cheap (less than 10 cents PER SERVING) and easy to prepare. Add some beans to your diet to feel fuller for longer and get moving. You can and will accomplish your goals! Keep us updated on your success.

And it adds a little extra propulsion while you walk.