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Weight Loss Slump
*Please Read Need Help* 18 F 212 lbs. So I've been on a diet for about 2 months. In the beginning, my body was never used to exercise or eating right so I dropped a lot of weight. I lost about 12 lbs within a month. I've hit a slump basically. I've been eating pretty good, but my body could use veggies + fruit. I was also taking vitamins, but one morning they made me puke so I stopped. I noticed after I started taking them, I lost a good amount of weight. Since I lost all of that weight, I haven't been losing anything at all. Sometimes it's hard for me to go to the gym so I'll only go 2 or 3 times a week.. and I don't get to stay very long because I'm in college. I don't know what's going on, I did cheat a little for Spring Fest but that's it, after I got back into my cycle. I think I need a schedule of when I should eat because I feel like my diet is all over the place and isn't helping. Any suggestions on what I should do/what my meal times should be/what my work out plan should be? ALL help is appreciated. I really wanna lose weight, I'm in this for life.
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You've hit a plateau! Every once in a while, your body will be stuck at a certain weight no matter what you do. Don't worry, though. Plateaus are normal and they do pass.
The frustrating thing about weight loss is the fact that you lose the most weight in the beginning. For a few weeks (or months) you're able to stay extremely motivated because you can see significant results on a daily basis. When things slow down, it's easy to get frustrated and give up.
Keep in mind that healthy weight loss is about a half pound to a pound a week.
Create a meal plan consisting of 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. Meals and snacks should be no less than 2 and no more than 4 hours apart.
An easy way to come up with a meal plan is to make a list of all the foods you like to eat/cook, and break it into 6 categories: grains, fruits, vegetables, meats/proteins, dairy and sweets. Create daily plans that meet the basic food pyramid suggestions. This may take a while to do the first time around! Feel free to contact me for help if you'd like.
Be realistic. You're a student, so allow for quick (healthy) meals you can make in advance and take on the go. Most women get cravings when their periods come - don't deny yourself goodies, just find healthy alternatives. (York Peppermint Patties have seen me through many hard times.) Don't let going out to eat get in the way of your meal plan - just check out the menu ahead of time, and see what the health(ier)y options are. If you know you won't be able to eat for 4 hours, make sure your last meal or snack is a satisfying one! Protein, protein, protein!
Another suggestion would be to keep a food diary. This can be very useful in figuring out where you're lacking in your diet, when you overeat, things like that.
Include food and drinks consumed, time you ate, where you were, who you were with, how you were feeling. Keep your food journal in your purse or book bag, as it important to log your meals and snacks immediately, NOT at the end of the day.
DO NOT include calories, fat grams, carbohydrates, etc. If you're in this for life, you need to get used to listening to your body and the signals it gives when you're hungry and when you're satisfied. (This won't happen overnight, so don't expect it to.)
Pack your lunches. Drink plenty of water. Weigh in realistically - once per week!
Moderation is key - you should only be at the gym 2-3 times per week. Don't burn yourself out. Also, vitamins are crucial! Take them after you've had something to eat, and you should be fine.
Hope this helped!
P.S. - You're allowed to cheat a little and not feel guilty about it. You're only human. In fact, it's unrealistic to cut your favorite foods completely out of your diet - eventually you'll cave in, setting yourself up for a binge.
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First of all, never take vitamins on an empty stomach. Get into the habit of taking your vitamins right after you finish a meal and preferably in the evening.
You might try getting the book, The Flat Belly Diet by the editors of Prevention Magazine. You can buy it at any book store or online. It is a great way to lose weight while changing your eating habits for life. They break your food for the day into four 400 calorie meals. Perfect for someone on the go. The meals are easy to fix...no big cooking. And they introduce you to eating healthy (whole grains, plenty of fruits and veggies and good fats, like olive oil and nuts). You won't lose fast, but you will lose and never be hungry. They give you 30 days of meal plans (you don't have to THINK about what to eat...just follow their plans...and they even give you shopping lists for each week).
They also have exercises in the book that you can do right in your room.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
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