I am way too fat and I need help! Is this a good idea to loose weight?

Posted by on Thursday, June 16, 2011 · 28 Comments 

I am 17 years old. I currently weigh around 180 lbs at 5’5″. I would, ideally, like to loose about 60 pounds, but I am flexible between a 40 to 60 pound weight loss goal (so that I weigh between 120 and 140 pounds).

I have been successful at removing soda and slurpees from my diet. I used to drink soda almost every day in addition to one or more 64 oz. Slurpees a week. I will, on occasion, drink a small coffee drink from Starbucks, and now that winter is approaching I have been having some apple cider (including sparkling cider). These are treats though, and I primarily drink water (with or without lemon or lime) and skim milk on occasion.

I have attempted different diets (including South Beach and Weight Watchers) with little success. I am hoping to find a way to loose weight that I can do without thinking about it too much.

I was wondering if the following two steps would be good habits to get into to start loosing weight:

1. At least half of my meal consists of fruit and/or vegetables
2. An hour long walk.

As far as the walk goes, now that the weather is colder, I will probably be walking in place while watching TV. Sometimes I will just march, but other times I will incorporate moves from the “Walk Away the Pounds” DVDs. Still, I will be intentionally active for 60 minutes each day (and I will increase to moderate jogging as I get into better shape). In addition to walking, I will be playing Wii Sports and using the Wii Fit often.

In order to eat enough vegetables, I will have to make sacrifices. This will mean cutting down on unhealthy foods-including french fries (which are a weakness of mine).

So, are these good tips to help me loose weight?

1. At least one hour of at least marching in place in front of the TV
2. Half a plate of veggies per meal
3. 64 or more ounces of water per day
4. Limiting self to “Kids Meal” sized portions when fast food is unavoidable.

Thanks for the help.

Also, if you have any success stories on weight loss, diet tips, or anything of the sort please let me know.

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Comments

28 Responses to “I am way too fat and I need help! Is this a good idea to loose weight?”
  1. marichoi7 says:
    June 16, 2011 at 1:58 am

    Weight Watchers!! that kind of helps I heard!! try it it maybe help for youu~~ good luck I hope this helped~

  2. danielpattiz says:
    June 16, 2011 at 2:42 am

    180 is not fat. get over it

  3. Kimy says:
    June 16, 2011 at 3:11 am

    well, try looking into the “tuna diet”
    just do research on it…
    there diet plan works out really good.
    they give u diff. meals u can eat each week & stuff.
    & i know pepl that tryed that diet & lost
    A BUNCH oh pounds doing it.
    like 10 pounds just in 2 weeks.

  4. Researchgirl says:
    June 16, 2011 at 3:59 am

    You sound like you are doing a really good job so far. You may be a person who needs more than just walking for cardio. I can walk and loose weight. My sister has to run or the pounds stay one. Maybe try running or aerobics. And try to totally cut out the sugar. I know that it makes me gain weight even though it’s fat free. You body turns everything to fat when it has enough calories for the day. Hope this helps. Keep up the good work!

    I just wanted to add that I applaud you for wanting to loose weight. 180 lbs at 5’5″ is too heavy and I am glad that you see that. Remember the goal is to be healthy inside and out.

  5. ReadySetGo says:
    June 16, 2011 at 4:43 am

    That is a great start! The idea is to be realistic and set realistic goals for yourself. If you try to cut out all the things you love all at once you will just end up cheating on it and ultimately giving up. Allow yourself a certain amount of certain treats (as it sounds like you are) and go from there. Once you are accustomed to not having those things, cut out more unhealthy things.. also try to find snacks/foods that are healthy that you actually enjoy eating.

  6. Kim P says:
    June 16, 2011 at 5:27 am

    Well I did something very similar to what you are talking of doing. Mostly I gave up soda, added lots of water. I started walking up to 3 miles a day. I really didn’t do much else. I lost 70lbs in about 14 months
    good luck to you. you can do it!

  7. Simply Devious says:
    June 16, 2011 at 5:44 am

    I think that sounds like it will definitely work. But try to stick with it because I know alot of people that keep a good routine for a few months and than end up going back to their same routine. I think you not drinking soda is a great start. Just by cutting out soda alone I think you will see some great results. Good luck! :)

  8. Lyndsee C says:
    June 16, 2011 at 6:16 am

    i should say you’ll do fine, just stick to your guns is all I gotta say.

  9. Tiggerfrk says:
    June 16, 2011 at 7:10 am

    Going through this myself, write down everything you put into your mouth to hold yourself accountable. Try to get your starches in by lunch and stick to veggies and protein the rest of the day. Eat less, burn more is the best way to lose weight. Water is good, take a walk around your neighborhood. There’s a great website called http://www.sparkpeople.com that lets you log food, track your weight loss and basically get support from others who are doing the same. Educate yourself on nutrition and what’s good food and bad to have. http://www.mayoclinic.com is a great resource- search for the food pyramid guide to figure out what you should be eating. Good luck! P.S. My weakness is Mexican food and chips and salsa.

  10. Sara says:
    June 16, 2011 at 7:52 am

    I’m 18 and I have never been able to loose weight until the south beach diet, it is so easy but you have to be commited! The first two weeks all you eat is vegetables and protein. No sugar or carbs. Sugar is what makes you over eat. I lost 13pounds the first two weeks and I have continued to loose weight. The first two weeks though you kind of feel tired and like you don’t want to do anything, this is normal you are going through ketosis. Basically fat is just melting off you. Then after this step you can start to have like a piece of bread with eggs in the morning but it has to be alvarado street brain(it is like whole grain) it is really easy to do at school too! I just have a cheese stick and cashews for snack and a chicken ceasar salad for lunch and then for dinner have proteins and vegetables! It works and you don’t really need exercise in the beginng only 20minutes of walking

  11. Kalamazoo Mark says:
    June 16, 2011 at 7:56 am

    Exercise and proper hydration is good, but you should look into a low carbohydrate diet (like Atkins) for easy weight loss. Salads, green vegetables, eggs, lean meats and nuts will provide good nutrition and guarantee weight loss if you do it right. The best part is that it’s free (and if you don’t like it, just go back to what you were doing before). Good luck!

  12. laydeeforever says:
    June 16, 2011 at 8:19 am

    Wow, I guess that would work if you are religious enough to do your goals. I don’t see why you didn’t lose weight because of the other diets you did. Those meant eating too, so I guess there was something wrong with your determination and religiousness in following those plans.

    But I guess it’s different now that you’re really ‘into it’.

    I guess moving more is the key, plus staying away from food that could cause you to have more fat. But don’t starve yourself now, starving is the quickest way for you to end your diet in anger. Not to mention that splurging because of too much hunger would give you a double size up.

    I lost weight by going to the gym and attempting not to eat more than what is on my plate.

  13. Rob K says:
    June 16, 2011 at 9:04 am

    Honestly. If you want to lose weight fast and actually have it work.

    You need to eat hardly anything at all, for a good amount of time. Yes, you’re stomach will hurt, and yes, you will feel miserable. But i did that for about a month and dropped from 219 to 200.( I was diagnosed with irratable bowel syndrome and couldn’t really eat anything without being sick after)

    After you lose this weight, if you start eating normal again, you’re going to gain it all back. So while eating semi-normally, you need to at least jog.

    No, walking won’t do it. Walking is a cardio excersice to everybody. While running is aswell, the heavier you are, typically, the harder it is to run. Try jogging for 5 minutes straight. It’ll probably wear you out. If you can hop on an elliptical, do that for about 20 minutes.

    Key thing. Try the eating thing for about 2 weeks and don’t hop on a scale once. When that 2 week day has been met, hop on a scale and check it out. Checking it often will just depress you.

    You can try taking hydroxicut aswell.

  14. spidermilk666 says:
    June 16, 2011 at 9:52 am

    Those are all great ideas.

    Last winter I did a ton of running in place. Marching in place won’t really get your heart rate up after a while and running in place isn’t nearly as hard as jogging outside. If you really want to get your heart rate up you can do 40 seconds of jumping jacks off and on during commercials.

    Veggies are also a great way to fill yourself up without consuming a lot of calories. Also try make sure you eat protein every day because that way you won’t get hungry so fast after meals.

    If you have a favorite TV show or rent new movies and only allow yourself to watch them when you work out- well that can be a really good reward for exercising each day!

  15. Adrianita says:
    June 16, 2011 at 10:48 am

    I wish I can cut off soda!
    This is what I recommend. Eat all the time, smaller and healthier food.
    Do not go hungry. Your body is very smart so if you are not feeding your body, it holds your food and does not make it enegery (it thinks that you will not feed him)
    Excersice is a good thing to do. ALWAYS. It will help you to lose weight and will give you more energy to do a lot of new things.
    Also, I do promotions and I once worked with state farm and they have a program call the 50 million pound challenge (www.50MillionPounds.com), if you sign up, they will give you like a diet plan and advices on how to lose weight. It is free and i think you have to be 18, but hey, you can always add a year on your profiles. right?.
    It will work. Also, you can get a start up kit a cd rom and a pedometor. You can pick it up at any state farm agent.
    Good luck!

  16. witchhazel says:
    June 16, 2011 at 11:26 am

    Sounds like a good start. Limit the amount of bad carbs you eat(white bread, white rice ect..) Eat good carbs, whole 100% grains. Also fruit is good as long as their isnt too much sugar in them. Vegies are pretty much a free food, you can never over eat on raw veggies. Treat yourself once a weak so you dont get bored with all the goodness your going to eat! Good luck!

  17. greenjellybean says:
    June 16, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    Weight loss can be very difficult because alot of times it requires a very different approach for each different individual. While some people may lose a lot of weight just by eliminating sodas, others lose nothing or at least very little. Weight loss is very much dependent on the individuals basic health, genetics, etc. So if you are very serious about losing weight your best bet is not to try and take it on entirely yourself. You should get the combined advice of your physician and a dietician. They are trained to look at you as an individual and evaluate your individual needs and come up with a diet and exercise plan tailor made for you. Good luck.

  18. Nico says:
    June 16, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    yes those are all good ways to start losing weight. My boyfriend gained some weight when he went to college so we started counting calories. It sounds like a pain but its not bad or complicated at all. He eats about 1800 a day when he needs 2300 to maintain his weight ( found on webmd) and I eat 1500-1800 because I just dont eat a lot and we are eating healthy. It has really helped and he’s losing weight. I would also incorpoorate other exercise into your routine. Go swimming, it’s SSOOOO good for you and even though Im sure you dont want to, go to the gym. They have machines and will work out eat section of your body to help you loose weight from all over and build muscle (which burns fat). You have to push yourself if you want to loose the weight. It will be hard to run for a mile each day, do 150 sit ups, 30 push ups, and swim laps but you’ll be so happy you did. Other than that keep up the good work and dont give up you will get there!

  19. Jordan H says:
    June 16, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    the marching in front of the tv shouldnt be the only exercise you do each day. If you have a treadmill, i suggest using it unless you can jog outside.

    make sure you JOG for ATLEAST 30 MIN EVERY OTHER DAY!

    and when you jog, don’t stop at all. Jog the full 30 min. After about 2 weeks of doing this, youll find out that you feel more energetic and lively.

    FOR THE FOOD:
    Do NOT eat fast food more than once a month. Don’t be eating anymore than that, not even one fry.

    Eat white meat, such as: chicken, turkey, fish, etc.
    Don’t eat anything fried

    replace ANYTHING you drink with water. Nothing but water ( And 2 cups of milk a day )

  20. stephapollo says:
    June 16, 2011 at 1:01 pm

    Exercise!! Do cardio workouts! Try “the biggest loser” work out tapes you can do it at home without anybody watching, they are some what intense but are definetly worth it! You just have to stick to them! Also, reduce your calorie intake, and drink a lot of water, and drink some skim milk. Eat food with a lot of fiber and protein in it. The fiber even though it has some extra calroies is undigestable and passes through without absorption, and protein helps muslces and burn calories. Instead of sugary sweets eat non-fat plain yogurt with some fruit. That’s what help me out a lot I looove sweets and the yogurt and the fruit mix great! I suggest pomagranets. But make sure you exercised 2 1/2 hours is ideal for a week! Good luck!

    Also, for the french fries instead of drive thru/fast food go to the grocery stores and check all the french fries and find the ones with the least fat, there are some out there that aren’t that bad! Also, baked potatoe chips!

  21. Amber O says:
    June 16, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    first off the best way to loose weight is confidence dont put yourself down.. i was 113 n gaied weight from birth control then i was 188lbs n i got off the shot and i started the special k diet i replaced my breakfast and lunch with 1 bowel of ceral 1 yogert with skim milk and drank lotsssss of water. i lost 5 lbs in the 1st week n for ur dinner meal u can eat a regular meal. i did no excersize all i did was work 7 days a week 12 hr days but i went down to 122. now im pregnant im 188 but i really wanna lose it after the baby so i was reading reveiws on diet pills and so far hydroxycut and slim quick seems to help alot of people some lost 25lbs in 1 week but here r sum reveiws on it.

    http://www.supplementcritic.com/reviews/hydroxycut

    http://www.supplementcritic.com/reviews/slim_quick

    also do sit ups and squats and lunges like 10 a day then work urself up and also do it in the morning cuz ur metabolism will sky rocket witch is goood. ohh and dont eat after 6 or 7pm allow 6 hrs to digest the food u ate instead of eating aand laying down cuz oncce u lay down fat starts to build up.

    hope this helps.

  22. curious says:
    June 16, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    Go to your local public library or book store and get a book that lists the calorie and carbohydrate contents of foods, make a list of the lowest of each, design your meals around those foods, and never eat a meal larger than your fist. Also, get a few exercise video’s from the library, they have lot’s.
    Pretend you had gastric bypass, and only eat as much as you think they would eat.

  23. icinli° says:
    June 16, 2011 at 3:22 pm

    Compute your BMI…
    I think a 30 mins walk in the morning and another 30 mins walk in the afternoon would be a better idea. with a companion..
    Good Luck.
    Hope I help.

  24. Rebecca says:
    June 16, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Your plan sounds great, now comes the hard part: sticking with it! Just a few tips…
    - Where fast food is unavoidable, opt for the yogurt/fruit cups, if available. Even in a “kid” size, fast food is still fast food.
    - Make the first thing you eat each day be fruit, like an apple. Eating healthy in the morning will shape your diet for the rest of the day.
    - If you can, recruit a workout buddy. It’s a lot easier to convince yourself that you’re too tired/busy/sick/whatever than it is to tell a friend who’s motivated and ready to drag you to the gym.
    - To help make sure you’re getting plenty of water, get either a large stash of water bottles (I keep a pack in my backseat) or a reusable kind (like Nalgene) that you keep with you at all times. If it’s in your hand, you’re a lot more likely to drink it than to go out of your way to get it.
    - Set short, realistic goals for yourself. Something like 60 pounds is a huge feat, and it will seem distant and sometimes impossible. Instead set weekly or monthly goals for yourself and just focus on the next short-term thing.
    - Write it down. As much as you can. Writing down what you eat will make you automatically eat less. Writing down your goals and accomplishments will let you watch your progress and keep you motivated. Writing down the amount you work out will force you to keep increasing it so that you can improve your fitness.
    - Use small plates. Simple enough, but it’s all about appearances and you’ll feel more satisfied after a meal on a salad plate than the same amount of food surrounded by empty dinner plate.
    - When you go out to eat, ask for a child/lunch size portion. Restaurants serve way too much food. If that’s not possible, as soon as you get your meal, separate a small serving for you to eat and put the rest on another plate or a to-go box. You can always get more if you’re still hungry, but having less in front of you will make you want less.

  25. A1 says:
    June 16, 2011 at 4:57 pm

    Hi there,
    I am overweight by 10 kgs. This is what I have planned.
    I will eat chocolates and Ice-cream once a month.
    Reduce Soda.
    Jog for 30 minsat leastst 3 times a week.
    Hatha Yogat leastst twice a week as it stretches the body and tones all the muscles and melts the stored fats in the body.

    I started this plan last month since I am a pure vegetarian….there isn’t much choice for me if I start dieting. Hence I am focussing more on doing excercise rather than cutting down the amt of food. I wud suggest you the same.

    Anyways here’s the good news, Just by following this simple logical plan I have reduced abt 11 lbs in a month. Hope this helps you.

  26. Niha K says:
    June 16, 2011 at 5:56 pm

    You are right about an hour EX and don’t eat after 7:00pm no ice cream no coffee no chips no cookies, eat enough vegetable and fruit doing the day.

    drink a lots of water that will reduce you carving for food eat one banana in the morning that helps reduce you carving fo sweet. don’t eat more then 2000cal a day write what you eat. if you do this at the end of the when you look at your dairy that you write what you eat you will think oh my god that is a lot i need to eat less. just don’t think about it enough just tell your self i can do it! you will definitely succeed.

    I wighted 160 4months ago now i Weight about 135lb my goal is 125 i very close i fallow the steps that i mentioned. one more thing i went to Food City if you don’t have food city maybe you can find it in your grocery shop or wal-mart. it something call Weight reduce “Nopalinaza – Flaxseed and cactus powder mix” its not harm full and very cheap i bought like for $7 its not capsules it powder you put it in 8oz water and drink it every night before going to sleep that will also help on bowl movement and helps make you thirsty often in the morning. last thing when you drink one glass of water in the morning before breakfast that will also help makes you often thirsty.

  27. PrettyNPink says:
    June 16, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    Hey sweetie,
    I think your on the right track because your trying! Great job! I am also 5’5″ and I way 125 lbs. I can tell you exactly what I do to keep this weight. I have been trying to get flat abs for 4 years and I used to work out 3-4 times a week but my stomach never got smaller until I changed the way I ate.

    First of all, Read this book called “Skinny Bitch”. Tells you exactly what is REALLY in the food we eat and why eating ORGANIC is the way to go.

    My 5 Day a week plan goes as follows, I eat 5 – 6 SMALL meals a day every 2 – 3 hours and I drink Four 24oz. water bottles a day. You have GOT to make your stomach smaller, eat healthier meals and WORK OUT if not everyday, then at-least 3 – 4 times a week.
    It will be hard for about a month, but you’ll get used to it and feel ALOT better. YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE!!!

    Breakfast:
    Smoothie with protein powder
    Oatmeal or Granola bar
    Banana
    Water

    Snack:
    Fruit
    Yogurt

    Lunch:
    Half Organic Turkey breast and cheese on whole wheat Bread.
    Organic Carrots

    Snack:
    Hand full of Almonds
    Half of Peanut Butter Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread

    Dinner (Varies) Protein and Vegetables.
    usually Salmon or Chicken breast
    String beans, Spinach, or Broccoli

    Snack:
    Fruit, yogurt, or protein smoothie after working out.

    WORKOUT:
    You should keep walking but ALSO when your at home, use weights to tighten up your arms.

    Do Squats and Lunges in your living room with weights. Keep watching your dvd but use your weights as well.

    During summer time, Power walk and Jog together. You’ll be able to go further in time. Go at your own pace.

    ALWAYS DRINK LOTS OF WATER

    SAY NO TO ANY ALCOHOL! It’s SUGAR AND BAD!

    CUT SUGAR OUT OF YOUR DIET!

    EAT FAST FOOD ONCE A WEEK!!! NO MORE!

    KEEP JUNK FOOD OUT OF REACH IN YOUR HOME!

    STAY POSITIVE! IT WILL WORK!

    Smile because your beautiful inside and out!!! :)

  28. Imaka says:
    June 16, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    It sounds like you are very motivated and are getting a practical plan in place. There are many sensible things you can do that will make a tremendous difference over the long term if you need to lose weight. It can be done in a healthy way. This is what has worked for me.

    Keeping a food journal really does help. It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.

    Make a few additional small changes – walk everywhere, always use stairs instead of elevators, walk on escalators, get up and move around at least once an hour if your work or your life in general is sedentary, walk every day, use a pedometer. Walking 10,000 steps a day is a really good idea. Build up to a long brisk walk everyday, or most days. Be more active and watch less TV and spend less time on the computer. Buy one piece of exercise equipment to have at home and be strict with yourself about using it. Sometimes you can find mini-steppers or exercise bikes at second hand stores and thrift stores for just a few dollars.

    Start a weight lifting routine. Join a gym. Possibly you can find one that has someone who specializes in weight lifting programs for beginners. Weight lifting will increase your metabolism as well as improve posture and appearance overall. Even if you can’t get to the gym you can work out at home using things around the house. Invest in a good weight training book. The Dummies series actually has a good one.

    In terms of diet, cut out or reduce things like junk food, pop, fat, fast food. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish. Particularly if you choose a vegetarian lifestyle include natural peanut butter, hummus, dried fruit and nuts. Pay close attention to getting the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.

    Make your portion sizes smaller. Use a smaller plate – in our society we have become accustomed to thinking that we need a large plate of food at every meal, and we don’t. About quarter of your plate of food should be protein and at least half of it should be veggies.

    Learn to count calories. At your current weight and activity level, you may possibly need about 2000 calories or more to maintain your current weight. So you will lose weight at a reasonable and healthy rate if you cut back to about 1600 or 1700 calories a day.

    Eat small amounts frequently, rather than three large meals. Never skip breakfast. Include some protein in your breakfast. It will help get you through the day.

    Drink plenty of water, at least 8 big glasses of water a day, and more if it is very hot, if you sweat a lot, or if you are exercising intensely, and eliminate fruit juices. Fruit juices have too many calories, so get your vitamins from fresh fruit, not the juice. You will begin to see changes in your body.

    Check out websites about nutrition, exercise, weight training, etc. Here are a few helpful links.

    http://www.nutrawatch.com/
    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
    http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
    http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-the-Healthy-Way
    http://weightloss.about.com/cs/fitness/a/aa011503a.htm
    http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/no-weight-workout?page=4