I've been dieting and exercising for about four weeks, and this is what makes staying motivated so hard. My best guy friend is doing pretty much the same thing I am, if not less, and the pounds fall off of him. I'm doing 10 miles on the bike at a time and walking outdoors in the snow and not eating more than 1,200 calories a day and I'm lucky if I lose a pound a week! I know losing weight slowly is the best way to keep it off, but it's hard to not want to see faster results for the considerable changes I've made.

@chatterboxwriting: don't go by weight only though since themuscle you gain weighs more that the same volume of fat. go by measurements of hips and waist as well. I have been exercising for the last two months and while the weight is only slowing going down, i have lost two inches off my waist and my sleeves are getting tighter. I had to start wearing a belt with my old jeans and buy the size smaller for new jeans. I was using excel to track every week although I started keeping track on Spark People. Kind of neat to see the progression, good motivator.

I wish I could say this is bad news for snake oil products like Lipozene (I love reading the fine print in the commercial because it completely contradicts what the woman is saying), but unfortunately most people are too lazy to put forth the effort required to lose weight. Meanwhile, thin and healthy people like myself and others are forced into high health insurance premiums due to all the chunky butts out there.

This may seem ridiculous, but have you tried eating more? 1,200 calories is not very much, especially not for someone as active as you. I recently lost 60 pounds myself, so I suggest keeping careful track of your diet, and eating MORE calories, not fewer. If you don't have the calories to burn, you can wreck your metabolism by slowing it down considerably.

I lost about 90 pounds, but it took me over two years to do it, and keeping it off has taken a fair amount of work as well. I've gained a few pounds back, but I'm still pretty happy with what I've done and where I've gotten. And yes, it was diet and exercise that got me there.

me, December 2004

me, last month

@Zyzz:

You're right. My wife has been trying to lose weight by not eating breakfast because she's wanting to reduce her caloric intake. What I try to explain to her is that by skipping breakfast (or any meal for that matter) you are slowing your metabolic rate to a halt. It's called breakfast for a reason, because you're breaking your fast. Much better to have small meals throughout the day. Of course she never listens to the hubby.

That is about how long it took for me to lose 100 pounds. I started jogging and changing the way I ate in Nov. 2001 and in May 2002. I went from around 300 lbs. to 190 lbs. But since have added a little more muscle to get me to around 210-220 range which I think is fine considering I'm 6'2".

Losing weight just involves sticking with it. I hated running at first but eventually I grew to enjoy it. It gave me time alone and I knew it was beneficial to me.

@chatterboxwriting: 1200 calories doesn't sound nearly enough given your level of activity. If you are a woman, I have read that 1200 is the absolute minimum you shoud be eating if you are not active - and you sound active. You may be burning off a large amount of those calories and netting very few. Your body may then respond by hoarding fat as a precaution.

There are lots of sites online that will help you determine how many calories you should be eating in order to lose weight, but still eat enough.

@chatterboxwriting: Your body without any exercise needs 1800-2000 calories a day. If you don't get enough calories and you exercise your body will just destroy your muscle and leave fat because it thinks you are starving yourself.

Also, it is hard to shed pounds at the beginning. But after a month or so, you should see more loss.

And finally, don't go by a scale. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you look the way you want.

@DrGirlfriend: Thanks for the information. I'll try to find a site with that info. I was very sedentary until recently. I just started exercising about three weeks ago, so in the beginning, I was only cutting calories. Now that I am exercising a lot, I will probably end up upping my calories to compensate for the extra exercise.

If diet pills worked, there would be no fat people in this world. It's common sense that they didn't work.

@Zyzz: @1stMarDiv: I wasn't purposely trying to cut so many calories; it just kind of naturally happened with the foods I have been eating. I changed my habits a lot - I never used to eat breakfast and now I do it every day. I try to mix something with protein (hard-boiled egg or scrambled egg) with a piece of fruit or a container of no sugar-added yogurt. I completely cut cookies, cake, candy (unless it's sugar-free), ice cream, pizza, white bread, white potatoes, fried foods, etc. Lunch is usually a big salad with nuts and some low-fat mozzarella cheese for protein and dinner is broiled or baked chicken with baked yams, steamed vegetables, and a salad. Snacks are celery sticks, yogurt, or fresh fruit.

I'm enjoying the changes very much (I find that I have fewer headaches and less trouble with my allergies), but it is DAMN expensive. I'm single, with no kids, and I am spending anywhere from $70 to $100 a week on fruit, vegetables, lean meat, and other items.

@madanthony: Wow, you look great! How inspiring.

"hard work is the only way to vanquish all those yummy pies we've eaten."

Lies! Pregnancy is the fastest diet I've ever been on!

Throwing up everything you eat while drastically increasing your caloric needs works like MAGIC!

...we now return you to your regularly schedule programming ...

@1stMarDiv: yeah,being overweight leads to sickle cell anemia, lung cancer, and pregnancy. Not to mention epilepsy, hypothyroidism, and falls. Lucky you "thin and healthy" people don't have to worry about those.

@chatterboxwriting: I agree, you probably need more than 1200 calories/day.

The best thing I did to help with weight management was take an intro nutrition course at the local community college. Learning all about nutrition, comprehensively and scientifically, and about the body's use of nutrients and so forth, made it suddenly very EASY to plan a healthy food plan. (Sticking to it ... not quite as easy. :) ) And made me much more immune to crazy claims, since I'm all edumucated now.

(And I like FitDay for calorie tracking, but I've used and liked SparkPeople too.)

@madanthony: Hey, good for you! That takes hella stick-to-it-ive-ness!

@1stMarDiv: @madanthony: Fantastic!

I'm trying to lose roughly the same amount. I have never gone in for those "get thin quick" schemes, because losing weight really is a no brainer: eat less (but better, whole foods, natural ingredients, etc.) and exercise more. It's not for lack of knowing how to do it, it's the long term struggle, the daily time factor, and mild depression that make it so difficult for me and most other people. I'm still trying, but it's hard every day.

@Brian Johnson: Exactly how I feel about running. I got to a point after awhile where I just felt like I was gliding through my runs.

@Eyebrows McGee: Yeah, it works great until the morning sickness goes away. :)

@chatterboxwriting: You can start here, plug in your data to get the USDA's standardized recommendations for someone with your general profile:

[mypyramid.gov]

I really found FitDay ([www.fitday.com]) so helpful and useful that I bought it -- it helps you track body measurements as well as "just" weight, and you can also track mood and things like that, so you can see where being pissy makes you eat more or whatever. (It also tracks your calories and exercise, of course.)

You can probably find a nutritionist at a local hospital or sometimes even a well-equipped high-end gym who sees private patients and can help you put together a plan customized for you that will meet your needs while helping you lose weight. It's not terribly expensive, and it can be REALLY helpful. You can just go once and get a plan, but a lot of people recommend four appointments spread out so you get a plan, try it out, and then can work together to adjust it to better fit your lifestyle, etc., and to help psych yourself out with your problem areas. :)

AFAIK exercise doesn't help weight loss substantially. Dr. Richard Muller at UC Berkeley said in a Physics for
Future Presidents lecture that a full court, full time basketball game will burn the equivalent of a single can of Coke in calories. He also said that metabolism is a function of breathing, and that accordingly it is difficult to breath so much more that it makes a difference from baseline. Exercise is absolutely important to overall health, just don't expect to lose weight because of it.

Also, it is a common misconception that fat content in food is more or less what makes you fat. This is absolutely false! What makes you fat is an excess of calories. Excess calories are converted into fat, which is the body's long term energy storage system. The saturated fat in food is detrimental to circulatory system health, but it will not make you fat.

Here's the secret: if you want to lose weight, simply reduce caloric intake. It takes just one meal a day to sustain my weight. Periodically I check my weight; if it's increasing I eat less, decreasing I eat more, and it's just that simple. Undoubtedly the BEST thing you can do to decrease caloric intake is stop drinking soda completely; soda is incredibly calorie dense, as are most fruit juices (those that are more like fruit flavored HFCS water).

@magic8ball: I'm almost five months in and still pukin' my guts up!

Plus, pregnancy gave me abs of steel. Solid as a rock. (Shhhh, don't tell anyone it's really a uterus full of baby!)

@1stMarDiv: Being the hubby, you are NOT allowed to comment on the wifey's weight or diet. I'm in the same boat with my wife. We can talk about almost anything, and we communicate very well, but when it comes to weight/diet, anything I say can and will be heard negatively.

@chatterboxwriting: You're doing it wrong. Would you buy a $1,000 TV without research? You're not losing weight because you're eating like a moron. Eat more than 1,200 calories a day.

@ThinkerTDM:

I see what you did there...

Obviously thin people have their problems too, and as much as I hate to digress from the post's intent, I cannot ignore the ignorance of your reply. People who use tobacco products pay a higher premium because it is their choice to use - nobody is forcing them into this lifestyle. Obesity, on the other hand, is trickier because yes, there are people out there with overactive thyroids and other ailments which prevent them from obtaining a healthy weight. However, the primary demographic I'm referring to are those who do not eat right, choose not to exercise and blame their weight on genetics while ignoring the fact that they are unwilling to change their habits. It is these people who increase health insurance costs, because it's a decision they're making, just like smokers. Denial is a powerful thing indeed.

@deep.thought: I've heard this theory, too, but I have serious doubts about it. The only times I've ever lost weight were almost always when I was exercising consistently, with or without eating less.

@deep.thought: That is true. I weighed close enough to 250 a few years ago. Cut my caloric intake to 1700-1800/day. Lost 50 lbs. and THEN started exercising regularly to build muscle tone. Lost another 25 lbs after that, but only increased caloric intake to 2000/day.

Funny thing is, I didn't really change my diet that much - I just ate LESS FOOD.

Here's a tip - get a small plastic cup of some kind and use it as a measure when you feel hungry. Go ahead and snack, but eat no more than what will fit in the cup - maybe 12-15 crackers or something like that. If you make that your snack you'll satisfy your hunger and not eat so much at once.

@WBrink: Way to be encouraging.

Live an active life, period. Nothing more.

I bike to work, most days except really crummy weather and the dead of winter. I live in a neighborhood where I can walk to my Safeway and other errands. I walk or bike to meet up with friends at restaurants if close. And simply work being active into my life - without much extra thought.

I visit the gym 2-3 a week for weights, whereas my daily life takes care of my other cardio.

Simply put- move. Not that hard.

I eat lasagna, pasta, and chicken - but I cook it myself so I know what goes in it. I mostly eat turkey and chicken, and when I cook I make more than needed and portion it away in tupperwares. Then I can grab one for lunch or another dinner - saving money for eating out.

I like Wendys - but haven't been inside a McD's or Taco Bell in years.

When I do eat out I get grilled stuff and request the sauce always on the side. (Many places coat grilled stuff in sugary sauces.) Brown rice, veggies, and breads in moderation.

And skip margaritas - drink vodka. There's my entire way of living and health plan.

Also I eat small portions throughout the day. Yogurt in AM, banana and PB for morning snack. Prepared meal or sandwich for lunch - and I usually eat whatever I want for dinner. (and more if it's a week where I've been especially active.)

Small healthy portions throughout the day keeps you running well, and with a few glasses of water with each serving you feel plenty full.

The sad thing is that while weight training helps battle the bulge, most people are so intimidated by gyms that they feel the need to slim down before even setting foot in one. All the macho men and gym rat chicks make average people feel pretty intimidated.

I have had free gym memberships in some form since I was 12, but I have never taken much advantage of them because gyms are so unwelcoming.

@Canino:

Part of it probably depends on metabolism, but I've found exercise helpful. I usually do about 90 minutes of cardio probably 5 times a week, which - if I can trust the calorie counter on the workout equipment - burns something like 1000 calories.

That's actually several cans of Coke. Yes, you also need to reduce calorie intake to lose weight, but it gives you a little more room to splurge every now and then (what can I say, I like food, but I also like not having to special-order my pants). Plus, there are other health benefits to exercise - building muscle, cardiovascular health, and the chance to be around cute girls in short shorts.

re: gyms. Find a neighborhood gym - not a super gym with juice bars and day care. If you're really intimated go with a friend.

In my experience I've noticed the meatheads and bodybuilders at local gyms are more welcoming and respectful to newbies and fatties than the Bally's type places - which tend to be populated by trashy girls and arrogant jocks.

@chatterboxwriting: FitDay and SparkPeople were mentioned above; I use The Daily Plate for calorie tracking. I plug in my height, weight, activity level, and it tells me what I should aim for, calorie-wise.

@chatterboxwriting: @WBrink: Actually, I lost 14 pounds in three weeks. I didn't say I didn't lose any weight; I said it was coming off slowly. What an asshole.

@madanthony:

Bravo! You should be very proud of yourself.

@1stMarDiv:

Obesity is obviously linked to poorer health with a few exceptions. However, it's annoying that many people will criticize the overweight for having exercise and diet issues that are the norm in this country. Avoiding weight gain is the only reason a lot of people believe anyone should eat healthy and exercise, and I know a lot of not overweight people are regardless flabby and get junk and never exercise. Most of these people are in college and young enough to get away with it, but still try to stick to the thin=healthy mentality. That's the main problem with constantly equating thin and healthy, rather than healthy lifestyle choice and healthy.

@Eyebrows McGee:

LOL. Me: Pregnancy sickness until Month 5; *lost* 5 lbs. Month 6.5: Just when I really got my appetite back, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, went on diabetic diet and started riding my bike to work and back. By month 8.5: Had gained only 5 lbs (above where I started). At checkup the day before my water broke: Had gained 9 lbs. (all water in my legs and ankles apparently!) total since conception.

Two weeks after delivery by C-section: Had lost 35 lbs from my weight when I got pregnant. So, yeah, the "pregnancy diet" worked great for me. :)

For me it helps to realize there is no way to "diet" consistently. I've had to alter every behavior that made me fat to begin with...for the rest of my life.

Eating right and mild exercise are the equivalent of brushing and flossing. It's hard to get into the habit, but once you do, it's there for life. Don't be delusional about it being temporary.

Seriously, "Dieting" is an evil erroneous word that needs to be stricken from the dictionary.

Also, sugars are a physically addictive chemical with an insanely short half life (really bad). I had to come to the realization I was an addict. This was also about quitting a drug habit, not dieting.

@Robobot:

IME the gyms at YMCAs are much less competitive than the big bodybuilder places, in terms of how people look.

@jamesdenver: Yeah. Gold's gyms are great. Sweaty, smelly...but people are there for only one thing. No diversions.

@deep.thought: Actually you are wrong. Your body is a machine like a car. If your car has to work harder through snow up and down hills it will burn more energy (fuel). Your body will develop muscle,which will also make you more efficient than lugging around fat. If exercise did not matter and only calories did, what would Michael Phelps or any marathon runner weigh?

I wonder, myself, why other people's ratings of the bodies of strangers were involved at all. Since when is that any kind of a measurement of health? Women's magazines aside, I thought most of us had finally reached the point where we were at least saying that no, you should get fit to get fit, that it's not about how attractive you are and if you make it about that you're going to end up with all sorts of disordered thinking.

Of course six weeks isn't going to do much for either, I'm not disputing the results, but the methodology seems really suspect. I've had people telling me I looked fantastic at times in my life when I was really unhealthy. We really ought to be looking primarily at the time it takes to make a positive health difference, not the time it takes for people to tell you that you look terrific. It's possible to rush looking terrific, if not necessarily probable... I don't think it's possible to rush being healthier.

How to lose weight: Put your normal portion of food on your plate. Now, take off half of the food off the plate. Eat the remaining half. Save the other half for the next meal. Exercise: walk at least 4 to 6 miles everyday. No excuses. It is not too cold, too hot, too wet, too windy, too tired or too anything. Are you mentally strong or weak? Lift weights are least 2 days per week, working your entire body. A good friend followed this plan. He went from 330 pounds to 205 pounds in 11 months.

@chatterboxwriting: 14 pounds is a lot! Congratulations! I also like SparkPeople. Keep plugging at it and ditto what people above said: it's more about how your clothes fit and how you feel about the way that you look than a number on a scale.

I lost 40 pounds over the past year-- 1500 calories a day plus or minus, depending on activity-yoga 3 days, and elliptical 2 days.. hockey once or twice a week..low carb every day except hockey days.. like 60 grams of carbs max- and you have to do it at least 3 days in a row to lose anything.

when I play more hockey, I dont lose much weight- do gain some muscle..

When the supermarket is filled with HFCS laden food, yes it is extremely hard to find something that is ACTUALLY healthy to eat. Apparently "healthy" to a super market is to stock a few hundred boxes of 100 calorie packs instead of some real food. Many cereals that are marketed as healthy are loaded with stuff that you should not be eating. Actually make that tons of food that is labeled as "healthy" or good for you, is not actually healthy or good for you.

Eating right is very important, but also very difficult in a world that is laden with nothing but processed foods. Even harder if you don't have a good grocery store near you.

When your constantly bombarded with unhealthy foods wherever you go, its almost impossible to succumb to them at least a little bit. I could care less if I eat out or get something out to eat, but if my family wants to go out for someone's birthday then I am stuck. You can't go to someone's house for a dinner and not eat anything, it would be extremely rude and impolite (and they would think you are weird too). You certainly cannot live in a hole for your whole life and not go over anyone's house just because you don't want to be stuck eating bad food, because not having any friends or family is bad for your mental health. Unfortunately eating is also social in this country, and you can't always avoid the bad foods 24 hours a day for 365 days a year.

[www.iwantsixpackabs.com]

With each week, change the 1 in week 1, to week 2, week 3, all the way to week 16. Far more effective, just takes dedication and proper eating habits.