Need Help in Weight Loss

Updated on January 24, 2016
L.S. asks from Moore, SC
23 answers

I had my last child in 2002. Before him, I weighed 110lbs. I had a rough pregnancy with him and not to mention he was a big baby(9lbs.12oz.)I gained a a good amount of weight. However, I haven't been able to lose the weight since. I get motivated, but have trouble staying motivated. Right now I am attempting a 1200 calorie diet and I have an elpitical at home that I use 4 times a week. I can only stand about six minutes on it right now because I'm so out of shape. Is there anything I'm missing?

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So What Happened?

I really appreciate all of the advice. There are somethings that I haven't thought of. However, I think I gave a mis conception about my husband. He truly loves me and he does pay attention to me. It just seems to be more of a friendship attention than a wife/husband attention. Also, I don't want to lose weight just for him or for anybody else other than number one. I really apologize if I put the wrong idea out there and I do truly appreciate all the advice I am getting and hope to continue to get.

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J.G.

answers from Charleston on

I have a friend who has 2 kids, lost 13 pounds and 17 inches of body fat in 6 weeks and is back in a size 2. She would love to help you lose the weight that you would like to lose. Her website is www.ssmnutrition.com.

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M.N.

answers from Charleston on

with my first child I gained 20lbs. I never really "dieted" I watched what I ate and drank. For my work out I would put my child in the stroller and walk at a fast pace. I did this every day for 3months and lost 15lbs. It was hard the first month not seeing reseults, but I keept on chugging and I felt great about my self. I know I will never get back to my HS size 10 but I am happy with my size 12 that I am today. Good luck to you L.

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M.W.

answers from Atlanta on

I have tried many diets myself, and have found a few that work. But aside from the diets, the exercise and drinking large amounts of water always helps. My mother and sister both lost tremendous amount of weight and got to looking good again after joining weight watchers. I followed there methods for a time and lost some as well, but my lifestyle is different with two small children and a fulltime job. I also have a friend who has lost over 60 lbs using " The New Mayo Clinic Diet" and after trying it myself was able to lose 1 to 1.5 lbs a day, with no exercise. I would do some research, but this method is affordable, and it works! It works like a formula just by combining the right types of foods in your body, but you must drink black coffee and grapefruit juice. Good luck! And may we all be pleasing to our husbands in any shape or form!

1 mom found this helpful
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T.M.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi, I recently lost 70 lbs. I have been struggling with my weight for 20 years. I have had 3 children and there was a big gap between my 2nd and 3rd. My 2nd is now 18 and my 3rd is 3. I had tried every diet including Jenny Craig, Nutrasystem, Weight watchers, and more and I would always gain it back plus more. To me this diet is the best ever. It is strict however, but if I can do it anyone can. The secret is HCG hormone that you give yourself by injection 5 days a week. Then your calorie intake is just 500 calories a day. I know this sounds low but this is a Diet created by a Dr. The HCG takes your stored fat and causes your body to use it as fuel. I have not been hungry nor have I had to exercise. I have taken two breaks from the diet and not gained a lb back. I began in June 2007 and lost 70lbs by Thanksgiving. If you want more information let me know I would be happy to share with you.By the way I went from a size 20 to a size 6!

T.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.W.

answers from Atlanta on

L., I am currently using a website called sparkpeople.com. It gives you as much help with meal planning, fitness and SUPPORT as you need. AND it is free! You can choose to use their plans or incorporate their with yours, or use yours completely. There is advice from professionals and people "in the trenches".

Check it out!

Good luck!

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K.R.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi L.. I am doing a similar plan (1200 calorie). Are you writing down everything you eat? That helps. So does patience. It's not easy, I know. I just take it one day at a time.
Good luck!
K.

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T.L.

answers from Savannah on

I think you should start slowly. If you can only do six minutes of the eliptical right now, fine. Do that two or three times a day. Some say that doing that, breaking up your cardio throughout the day, is actually better than doing it all at once anyway. Build up your times gradually. If you stay consistant, your endurance WILL build over time. I'm not a doctor, but I don't really think 1200 calories is enough for any woman. Just try to balance your carbs and proteins, and keep it maybe at 1600 calories per day, if that low. If you are exercising, your body needs more fuel. If you cut the calories too much, your body will store fat instead of burning it, because your body will go into starvation mode.
Don't go cold turkey. Try not to make your diet so strict that you don't even allow yourself a tiny bit of the "bad" stuff. If you have a favorite dessert or potato chip, don't give it up all together. Instead, try to lower the amount you eat. Cut it in half!
I've heard it's safest to lose about 1-2 pounds per day. You tend to keep off more of the weight when it's lost over an extended period of time.
Good luck. Hope this was a bit helpful.
I do not recommend Curves. I don't have any personal experience with it, but I work at a fitness center and everyone who has switched to us from Curves seems more satisfied with the results of a regular gym environment.

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A.C.

answers from Athens on

I hear you. It is hard to loose weight. I like Curves. I was really close to 200 lbs. when I started and I didn't have much endurance either but the way it is set up was easy for me. You do like 2 minutes on one machine then the tape they play will say "change stations now" and you get off and walk, march or jog on a platform. Then after another 2 min or so it will say change stations again and you go to another machine. You go around all of the machine 2 or 3 times depending on how many machines your curves has (usually 10 or so). It is really fun. Check it out. They usually have a 2 week free trial.

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M.L.

answers from Atlanta on

have the doctor check your thyroid function. Walk everyday. go get the book "the secret".
Focus on your ideal weight instead of trying to lose weight.
Be more positive in your thoughts even if it means lying to yourself for a while.
Love yourself first. He will love you.

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S.T.

answers from Atlanta on

I've looked at a lot of weight loss programs over the years and most won't work.

1200 calories per day isn't the real issue. It's what you pack into those 1200 calories. Truly, it's not enough because a healthier diet consists of proteins, fibers, fresh veggies and fruits and carbs. All that will equal to more than 1200 calories.

Weight Watchers is great at helping you understand the different areas of eating that might be a problem for you. I lost 15 pounds with them but wasn't consistent. The WW online program is great, too, but I found you don't have to be a member of the program to take advantage of the discussion boards. That might have changed but there was a lot of advice that was sooooo incredibly helpful there! And the recipes are great, too!

The best "diet" I've found is to maintain healthy eating habits. www.diabetes.org not only helps you understand food but also breaks down a lot of misconceptions about healthy eating and it helps you with portion control. It's the best "diet" out there that I've found.

Don't go for the fad diets. South Beach was good but too few carbs will wreck havoc on your system just as much as too many. An equal balance is what you need. I blacked out in about the 3rd week on SBD because of too few carbs. If you go for SBD, do yourself a HUGE favor and remove all temptation foods from your cabinets. ALL of them.

Alli is good but be VERY careful with it. Yes, it blocks some of the fat but I found for me that it also blocks nutrients as I grew more and more anemic while I was taking it. If you're going to use it, take a LIQUID vitamin 30 minutes before you take the Alli to ensure you are getting your daily vitamins. Liquids absorb faster and I found I didn't urinate all the vitamins out like you do with a vitamin pill.

The trick is to expend more calories and fat than you're putting in. My advice? Take yourself over to www.diabetes.org and learn all you can about a healthier way of eating for everyday life - not just to lose xxx pounds or get into size xx. I'd rather be 200 lbs and healthy than 120 lbs and have serious eating disorders or other health issues. If you want to be 120 pounds, then do it the right way and change your eating and exercise habits FOR LIFE so you don't create complications for your system. Believe me, it will change your attitude and that of your husband's as well.

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L.D.

answers from Savannah on

I try to workout a few times a week, I don't count calories and I have a hard time dieting. There are a couple of things that have worked for me though. I buy candy, cookies or whatever in small portion sizes. That way if I want something sweet it is easy to be satisfied and not go overboard. Another thing is that I stopped using my dishwasher as much. I turn on some music and do leg lifts, squats and dance around the kitchen and laundry room while working. I have a hard time finding time to exercise, but this works great. My sons sometimes join in on the fun. At first I was a bit self concious about it, but since I am feeling better and looking better it doesn't bother me. The other is I try to make water 90% + what I drink each day. Coke & tea (unless diet or unsweetened) contain a lot of sugar. Many juices also have corn syrup in them. We also switched to 1% milk since it is much lower in fat. It doesn't taste as good but you still get the vitamins and calcium. I believe that at age one or two children don't need as much fat in their diet. If your children are in that age range, just buy two different kinds of milk. I generally have a small cup of tea and one cup of milk a day plus 8 or more glasses of water per day. You could also try several smaller meals a day. My husband low carbs from time to time and it works great for him. He can drop more than 10 pounds in less than a month and he's not much overweight. He is 6' and has a 36" waist. One thing that can help to motivate you is to think about how good you will be feeling when you get to where you want to be. I also suggest that you pray about it- that you have the energy, stay motivated and get to the size that you want to be.

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V.L.

answers from Atlanta on

Everyone is different and I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions so I'll limit mine and keep it simple. Try not to eat carbs after 3 pm. Try not to eat PERIOD after 7:30 pm.. Drink as much water as you can stand. Keep a bottle or glass non your nightstand. Make sure you fill your cravings with a small amount of the food you crave. If an orange, eat before 3pm. If you can stay on 1200 calories, you will lose weight.
Regarding cardio - 6 minutes will turn to 10 minutes, 15 minutes and then 30 very quickly. Good Luck.

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M.N.

answers from Savannah on

L., not sure how much you weigh now, but 1200 may be too low for you. Your body will go into "starvation" mode if it's not getting enough calories to keep it fueled, actually slowing down weight loss. Add some strength training. Building some muscle mass actually helps to increase your metabolism( which is why men lose more quickly than women). Make sure to log down everything you eat and maybe even think about paying for a visit with a nutrionist. It's not also how many calories, but what you are eating. You need the right mixture of carbs, fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and lean meats and dairy. It should be a healthy lifestyle, not just a "1200 calorie diet". Maybe Weight Watchers or The Biggest Loser Club would also be good options. Whatever you decide, just take it one day at a time, think of your goal as being fit and healthy vs wearing a certain size. Take walks, bike ride- find what exercise is fun for you.
You can do it if your focosed on the right goals and the right way to reach that goal.
Also, on a last note, this has to be something you do for yourself because you want it, not because you want your husbands attention. He should be giving you the attention you need whether you weigh 100 or 175!! Maybe ya'll can take walks or hike together!

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K.F.

answers from Spartanburg on

I suggest that you see a nutritionist or dietitian at your local hospital. He/she will assess your current eating habits and go from there. You want to remain healthy while losing weight. If you are able to exercise outside the home, Curves may be ideal. You are able to exercise at your own pace.

Good Luck

K. Ann

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T.K.

answers from Charleston on

I know how you feel, my son weighed 9lbs 10ozs when he was born in 2003...I couldnt get the weight off either until now. I started seeing a Bariatrics doctor at Advance Medical Center next Trident Medical Center. The diet is very strict but works along with prescribed pills they gave me. Good luck!

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R.M.

answers from Atlanta on

Working out is also a great weight to lose those extra pounds. If you get bored with a gym you should go to dance classes. At Pop City Studios we offer Cardio Funk, Hip Hop (beginning/advance), Capoeira, Girly Girl( ages 3-13), Vavoom ( dancing like Beyonce) and Belly Dancing.

3996 Pleasantdale Rd
Doraville Ga 30340
(right behind Burger King)

www,myspace.com/jpatstudios

No registration fee for Mamasource memebers and I can email you a $5 coupon if you provide your email address. Classes are $10

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J.B.

answers from Columbia on

Diets are misleading. It isnt a diet that is successful in the end. You have to alter your entire lifestyle. Diets can cause wieghtloss, but without altering lifestyle/habits, the weight will return.
The only thing I know of that works forever is to lower amounts of servings, lower the red meat intake, eat more fiber, eat more fish, eat more veggies, and eat tons of fruit, cut out processed foods, cut out fried foods, cut out fast foods. A person can snack all day on uncooked veggies (with no dips) and fruit and not gain any weight. Also cutting out soda helps. Don't drink diet sodas or diet drinks. It is better to have the sugar than the artificial sweetner. Drink lots of water.
But most important, you have to speed up your metabolism. skipping meals makes you gain weight. If you eat small meals 3 times a day, and then have small snacks (raw veggie/fruit) in between, it will trick your body and the metabolism will go sky high. This is because when you skip a meal, the body starts hanging on to carbs/fat for backup. If you eat 7 or 8 times a day (including the snacks) your body thinks it has all this food coming in so it doesnt need to hang on to it, cause more is coming in 2 hours.
I changed my family to this diet (not to lose weight, but to eat healthy) 6 months ago, the results are astounding. My husband, who used to eat 2 or 3 antiacid tablets a day no longer has heartburn AT ALL. I used to have terrible PMS, but I no longer get cramps at all, in fact, my "time of the month" sneaks up on me now. None of us have had a headache in 6 months (except on new years day, self inflicted lol) We all just feel great, and my husband has dropped 8 lbs of his belly, I have lost 4 lbs of mine. And the weight loss was a side effect. My husbands blood pressure has dropped alot too, because when we went to fresh veggies instead of canned, the salt intake dropped (I never knew canned veggies had so much salt- go look- its scary) We only eat red meat once a week, so it is always steak, so it is lean. I cannot imagine going back to the old way of eating. Now, we dont do the snacking in between meals, we were not trying to lose weight, but that is the key to raising your metabolism and dropping the weight. Also, remember, exercise. I dont mean go to the gym or anything, just doing more, like walking around the block once a day- or if you do have a membership to a gym, swimming 20 minutes a day for a week (which works every single muscle in the body) will take the effect of a dozen doughnuts off.
Good luck. I am sorry it was such a long winded answer. I am like this in real life too- I talk too much. lol

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J.Z.

answers from Atlanta on

You might want to get a complete physical. Get your doctor to check your thyroid which might be off and will cause you to keep on weight after pregnancy.

This has happened to several friends and myself after pregnancy. J.

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S.F.

answers from Springfield on

After pregnancy Mummy magic tea is wonderful for weight loss...!!

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M.M.

answers from Atlanta on

I know it's kind of late in the response time, but Weight Watchers has worked for me. I still haven't lost all the weight that I want, but I know how and am on track - well, except for Thanksgiving/Christmas - but NOW I'm back on track! Even if you can't go to meetings, you could just do it online (that's what I do). Just learning the points system and realizing how many points different foods are was really eye-opening for me. They have message boards and it's fun checking points and looking for recipes. I won't lie, the first 2 weeks were awful, but Bite Size Frosted Mini Wheats and plain popcorn got me through! After that, things got so much easier. Also, exercise earns points, so the more you exercise the more you can eat! I'm not trying to sell you anything, I don't work for WW, like I said, I've never even been to a meeting. But it is a relatively inexpensive way to figure out what you need to do to achieve your goal weight. The good thing is that if you do backslide later, just start charting those points again and it's easy to figure out what's going on. Best of Luck!

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S.T.

answers from Atlanta on

L.,
I have the same problem- I, unfortunately, have never been thin, and I had my son in 2006. I have tried many different diets and nothing really seemed to work. I would lose some weight and then get stuck. Now I have joined LA Weight Loss, and have been on it a week. I've already lost 5 pounds! I'm so excited to see results so quickly. I don't feel hungry, and I get to eat normal food. They really support you there and work with you until you meet your goal weight. I highly recommend the program.

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D.

answers from Atlanta on

You might want to check out Herbalife...my son put me on a program and I lost over 50 pounds and am still losing. His name is Joel and you can reach him at ###-###-#### or at ____@____.com ....... My number is ###-###-#### if you would like to talk with me. D. Jenkins

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W.A.

answers from Spartanburg on

I tried the "Sugar Busters" diet. It's actually for diabetics. It really worked for me. You can check out the book at the library. I lost 10 lbs in two weeks without any exercise. It was recommended to me by my doctor because I have cholesterol problems, and it worked for that too.

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