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13/f Hi I want to lose about 15-25 lbs before grad in June but I have a very hectic shedule... How can I lose the weight (or any weight) and is Imy goal achievable...
Hey there,
The good thing about this is that you have plenty of time. Usually we get these questions a month before the event :)
Anyhow, the best way to do this is slow and gradual. Weight loss that stays off is achieved through lifestyle changes rather than dieting.
Now, the nutritional system that I have used that has been the most effective is based on blood sugar stabilisation. The idea is that if you eat small balanced meals every 3-4 hours your blood sugar wont spike as compared to when you eat just 3 meals.
Blood sugar spikes cause cravings for unhealthy food, so by stabilising your blood sugar you have a much easier time to avoid temptation.
So, this is what I would recommend: Limit unhealthy processed foods, sugar, saturated fat and so on. Eat balanced meals based around a healthy protein source and with plenty of veggies and fruits. Eat 5-6 meals per day and don't snack - snacking interrupts the digestion process.
The trick is to eat just enough so that you are ready to eat 3-4 hours later without being really hungry. Ideally you should never feel very full or very hungry, just content.
Begin by asking yourself: what am I going to do for the next 3 hours? If you are going to be active you can eat a slightly larger meal, a bit heavier on carbs. If you are going to take a nap, eat fewer calories and carbs.
E.g. a meal could be something like 100g lean chicken/beef/turkey, 50g wholewheat pasta, and a small salad with canola. A low calorie & carb meal close to bedtime could be 100g low fat cottage cheese, an apple, and a few walnuts.
Do not buy into the myth that you should not eat after a certain hour; its exactly the opposite, your body needs some healthy fuel for the night.
Notice how all meals are based on a good lean protein source, contain some carbs (the pasta for more carb intensive meals and the apple for a low-carb small meal) and a small amount of healthy fats.
There are many ways to determine exactly how many calories and the exact nutrient distributions, but I think you can do it by trial and error. As long as you eat sensibly and split up your meals as I mentioned you can monitor your progress and make the right adjustments. If you weigh yourself, do so no more than once per week under similar conditions (i.e. time of day, amount of clothing, etc.). Otherwise use a mirror - it is always the best indicator.
Do not exceed 1 pound of weight loss per week.
Now, the other part of the equation is exercise. Ideally everyone should follow a varied routine, but if you dont have time then in the very least aim to do 4 cardio workouts per week. This is recommended for pretty much anyone and it has countless health benefits.
Cardios include things like jogging, walking on an incline, biking, elipitcal machine, stair machine, etc.
Cardios should be at least 30 minutes in length and carried out at a moderate pace (i.e. challenging but where you are not out of breath). This is also to get optimal health benefits.
Now, obviously the best cardio is one that you can do regularly. However, the best exercises recruit most muscle fibres and make use of gravity (they provoke the most gains in the body). So, something like walking on an inclined treadmill, the stair machine, and jogging in sand, are superior to say biking or the eliptical - providing that you do not hold the handrails of the machines; holding the handrails of, for example, the stair machine prevents you from recruiting all the muscle fibres.
OK, thats that :)
Good luck.
(Rating: 5) Excellent advice! I hope this works!! :)