I am a 24 year old female who weighs 136. I want to lose 2 lbs a week. How much should I eat and how much should I workout? This week I've been burning 1000 calories a day and eating the minimum number of points for weight watchers. Help!!! -- Hannah L.
Hello Hannah,
You don't say how tall you are, but 136 pounds is not very overweight, no matter your height.
Unfortunately, especially at your relatively low weight, it's not going to be practical for you to lose two pounds a week. You say you've been burning 1000 calories a day; does this mean you are exercising and burning 1000 calories above your normal metabolism? If you can keep this up you could lose 2 pounds a week, but this means you've been exercising heavily for over 2 hours a day, and it's unlikely that a person could keep this up (if you can, that's great!)
I would encourage you to focus more on the changes you could make in your diet and exercise routine to get to a weight you want and stay there. I understand that we always want the weight off yesterday, but in reality, rushing to get it off by taking extreme measures in depriving ourselves of food, and forcing ourselves to over-exercise, isn't going to bring us anything in the long run.
Weight watchers is a sensible plan, so keep that up, as well as a reasonable amount of exercise as many days a week that is feasible for you. When you look back in 6 months (and again in 6 years) it'll all be totally worth the wait for the long term permanent changes!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
I need an easy exercise
Hello Laurie,
I would like to lose weight. I am of average weight, but could stand to lose 5 pounds. I am very sedentary and hate exercise, but I am willing to do what it takes. I do not look toned and I am having trouble fitting into my old jeans. Can you suggest an exercise routine that is "easy" for those who are out of shape and need to lose weight? I have tried to run slowly on the treadmill, but can only run for about 5 minutes without feeling like I am going to fall apart. I am 38 years old. I am 5 ft 4" and 127 lbs. I am flabby. LOL
Rita N.
Dear Rita,
Well, I certainly can relate to wanting to lose a few pounds to fit into your jeans (see mine at http://www.mycoachlaurie.com/AboutYou.html). People who start running all say it's tough in the beginning, but if you'd like to keep it up, just add a minute a day to your treadmill routine and see how quickly you can work your way up.
I do have a great idea for how you can increase exercise and not sweat it (ha ha).... buy a pedometer! I have one myself and hate to go on the treadmill or to the gym. But playing a game with a pedometer has lead me to incorporate movement into my daily activities and gotten those last few pounds off!
Any pedometer you find works well enough--even $5 ones at Walmart--and most come with a booklet of ideas. There are also lots of websites that direct you on ways to get your steps up. Here is a good one: http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
Start by wearing the pedometer as you go about your usual activites for several days and jotting down the number of steps you've accumulated by the end of the day. Remember to reset the pedometer each morning (I do it in the evening so I don't forget!) You may have 800 steps, or you may have 8000--it depends on how active you are in your job and normal routines.
Then try to add a few hundred a day and continue making new goals for yourself. I now have a minimum of 6000 per day (which used to be my top goal) and try to get 10,000 or more--I've found that I can do this if I take 3 walks per day, and that going grocery shopping gives me as many steps as a 2 mile walk ... especially if I can't locate a particular food and have to run up and down the aisles several times!
Here's some helpful information:
About 2000 steps equals a mile for the average walker.
Each mile burns about 100 calories.
If you add 2000 steps per day to your usual routine you can lose a pound per month.
Well, that would have you to your goal weight in 6 months, as well as having developed a healthy new lifestyle!
good luck :)
I would like to lose weight. I am of average weight, but could stand to lose 5 pounds. I am very sedentary and hate exercise, but I am willing to do what it takes. I do not look toned and I am having trouble fitting into my old jeans. Can you suggest an exercise routine that is "easy" for those who are out of shape and need to lose weight? I have tried to run slowly on the treadmill, but can only run for about 5 minutes without feeling like I am going to fall apart. I am 38 years old. I am 5 ft 4" and 127 lbs. I am flabby. LOL
Rita N.
Dear Rita,
Well, I certainly can relate to wanting to lose a few pounds to fit into your jeans (see mine at http://www.mycoachlaurie.com/AboutYou.html). People who start running all say it's tough in the beginning, but if you'd like to keep it up, just add a minute a day to your treadmill routine and see how quickly you can work your way up.
I do have a great idea for how you can increase exercise and not sweat it (ha ha).... buy a pedometer! I have one myself and hate to go on the treadmill or to the gym. But playing a game with a pedometer has lead me to incorporate movement into my daily activities and gotten those last few pounds off!
Any pedometer you find works well enough--even $5 ones at Walmart--and most come with a booklet of ideas. There are also lots of websites that direct you on ways to get your steps up. Here is a good one: http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
Start by wearing the pedometer as you go about your usual activites for several days and jotting down the number of steps you've accumulated by the end of the day. Remember to reset the pedometer each morning (I do it in the evening so I don't forget!) You may have 800 steps, or you may have 8000--it depends on how active you are in your job and normal routines.
Then try to add a few hundred a day and continue making new goals for yourself. I now have a minimum of 6000 per day (which used to be my top goal) and try to get 10,000 or more--I've found that I can do this if I take 3 walks per day, and that going grocery shopping gives me as many steps as a 2 mile walk ... especially if I can't locate a particular food and have to run up and down the aisles several times!
Here's some helpful information:
About 2000 steps equals a mile for the average walker.
Each mile burns about 100 calories.
If you add 2000 steps per day to your usual routine you can lose a pound per month.
Well, that would have you to your goal weight in 6 months, as well as having developed a healthy new lifestyle!
good luck :)
Marriage is Making Me Gain Weight!
I need help! Since I got married about 6 months ago I have gained nearly 20 pounds. I am 5 feet 1 inch tall and I was already overweight at about 160 pounds--now it's even worse and I want to get the weight off as quickly as possible. Please give me advice! --Sheila R.
Dear Sheila,
I can certainly appreciate the fact that you would like the weight to come off as quickly as possible. However, realistically it's not going to come off more quickly than it came on.
Chances are, your circumstances have changed since you got married: dietary intake and usual exercise often change with lifestyle changes.
See if you can remember what you were doing differently before. Are you now enjoying larger meals with your husband? Eating out more often? Enjoying foods he is used to that you weren't eating before?
Have you stopped exercising to spend more time with him in another activity?
Hopefully he will be accomodating to help you get back to your healthier habits.
If nothing has changed and you are gaining weight for unexplained reasons, be sure to see a doctor: there could be a medical explanation such as an underactive thyroid, which controls your metabolism.
Otherwise, the best thing to do is try to avoid sweets and empty-calorie snacks like cookies and candy bars, and let true hunger guide your intake. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry instead of continuing to eat to keep others at the table company! Try to get some sort of exercise routine, like an early morning or late evening walk in.
Good luck with this endeavor--it is definitely hard work, but it will pay off. Set your long term goals for a year from now, and make them reasonable so you don't give up when the going is tough!
Dear Sheila,
I can certainly appreciate the fact that you would like the weight to come off as quickly as possible. However, realistically it's not going to come off more quickly than it came on.
Chances are, your circumstances have changed since you got married: dietary intake and usual exercise often change with lifestyle changes.
See if you can remember what you were doing differently before. Are you now enjoying larger meals with your husband? Eating out more often? Enjoying foods he is used to that you weren't eating before?
Have you stopped exercising to spend more time with him in another activity?
Hopefully he will be accomodating to help you get back to your healthier habits.
If nothing has changed and you are gaining weight for unexplained reasons, be sure to see a doctor: there could be a medical explanation such as an underactive thyroid, which controls your metabolism.
Otherwise, the best thing to do is try to avoid sweets and empty-calorie snacks like cookies and candy bars, and let true hunger guide your intake. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry instead of continuing to eat to keep others at the table company! Try to get some sort of exercise routine, like an early morning or late evening walk in.
Good luck with this endeavor--it is definitely hard work, but it will pay off. Set your long term goals for a year from now, and make them reasonable so you don't give up when the going is tough!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Colon Cleansing
Do you think it's safe to use a colon cleanse? Do they help you lose weight?
Sarah G.
Dear Sarah,
No, colon cleansing does not help you lose weight. There are various methods, from oral solutions to enemas, but the way they work is to get large amounts of fluid into your colon so you feel "emptied out" when you have a large fluid bowel movement.
If you step on the scale immediately afterwards you will see the numbers go down because you've just lost fluid weight, but no fat weight has been lost and the numbers on the scale will be back to usual by the next day or two.
There are hazards to colon cleanses as well, from electrolyte imbalances to perforation of the intestinal wall. I cannot think of a single reason to recommend a colon cleanse and there are a lot of reasons to avoid them!
Sarah G.
Dear Sarah,
No, colon cleansing does not help you lose weight. There are various methods, from oral solutions to enemas, but the way they work is to get large amounts of fluid into your colon so you feel "emptied out" when you have a large fluid bowel movement.
If you step on the scale immediately afterwards you will see the numbers go down because you've just lost fluid weight, but no fat weight has been lost and the numbers on the scale will be back to usual by the next day or two.
There are hazards to colon cleanses as well, from electrolyte imbalances to perforation of the intestinal wall. I cannot think of a single reason to recommend a colon cleanse and there are a lot of reasons to avoid them!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Why Did I Gain Eight Pounds This Year??
I have been thin my entire life (I'm 32 years old now) and just this past year I have gained eight pounds and it's making me look fat. The only thing I have done differently is switch from artificial sweetener in my tea to using honey. I use 4 teaspoons of honey a day.... could this be what's making me gain weight?
Anne M.
Dear Anne,
Actually it may be exactly what's making you gain the weight! I have never heard such an accurate account of what a person changed in their eating habits over a year, but this makes complete sense: Each teaspoon of honey has about 20 calories; four teaspoons each day is about 80 calories. Over a month this would lead you to gain 3/4 of a pound; after 12 months that would be exactly eight pounds!
If you would like to keep using the honey to sweeten your tea, there is nothing wrong with that at all. You can easily burn 160 calories per day by walking about one-and-a-half miles (which takes about 1/2 hour for most people). This will allow you to lose the weight over time, and then you can back off to just one mile a day to maintain your weight while using the honey.
Many people cite advantages to using honey; there aren't really any health benefits to using artificial sweeteners except for saving calories. In my opinion you would be better off getting into the habit of walking 30 minutes a day to burn the calories. Walking is good for your joints, heart, circulation, and often peace of mind giving you time to just relax and take some time off from being busy!
Anne M.
Dear Anne,
Actually it may be exactly what's making you gain the weight! I have never heard such an accurate account of what a person changed in their eating habits over a year, but this makes complete sense: Each teaspoon of honey has about 20 calories; four teaspoons each day is about 80 calories. Over a month this would lead you to gain 3/4 of a pound; after 12 months that would be exactly eight pounds!
If you would like to keep using the honey to sweeten your tea, there is nothing wrong with that at all. You can easily burn 160 calories per day by walking about one-and-a-half miles (which takes about 1/2 hour for most people). This will allow you to lose the weight over time, and then you can back off to just one mile a day to maintain your weight while using the honey.
Many people cite advantages to using honey; there aren't really any health benefits to using artificial sweeteners except for saving calories. In my opinion you would be better off getting into the habit of walking 30 minutes a day to burn the calories. Walking is good for your joints, heart, circulation, and often peace of mind giving you time to just relax and take some time off from being busy!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Why Is My Hair Falling Out?
I have been on the cookie diet (non medical)c on and off since January. I stuck with it religiously for the first 20 weeks. Since then I have "cheated" and added other foods back into my diet and cut down on the cookies. I am happy with my weight loss but lately I have noticed that I have been losing clumps of hair? Why is this? I have been taking a vitamin supplement daily. --Lucy
Dear Lucy,
I'm not sure exactly what form of the cookie diet you have been on. There is one written by a physician (Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet) that consists of eating certain 'prescription" cookies several times a day whenever you get hungry and they provide some nutrition; then you add a dinner meal to it consisting of lean protein and vegetables. Critics point out that the total of 800 calories you receive on this diet is an extremely unhealthy level for any length of time.
After more than five months of eating cookies ("healthy" ones or not) and virtually nothing else, you may very well have a protein deficiency. Of course, protein deficiency is not the only reason for hair loss. You should see your physician as soon as possible as this is an indication that something is not right with your body's normal functioning. I am glad to hear you've been taking a vitamin supplement during this time and hope it also contained essential minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium (among others). If not, a mineral deficiency could explain the hair loss. You will need to get back to a balanced diet and your physician may prescribe certain supplements to restore the balance of nutrients in your body for good health.
Let this be a lesson to all who are tempted to follow the latest fad diet; eliminating food groups or nutrient groups is hazardous to your health and not worth whatever weight you lose!
Learn new and healthy habits on a balanced diet--lose the weight slowly and never have to go on another diet again!
Dear Lucy,
I'm not sure exactly what form of the cookie diet you have been on. There is one written by a physician (Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet) that consists of eating certain 'prescription" cookies several times a day whenever you get hungry and they provide some nutrition; then you add a dinner meal to it consisting of lean protein and vegetables. Critics point out that the total of 800 calories you receive on this diet is an extremely unhealthy level for any length of time.
After more than five months of eating cookies ("healthy" ones or not) and virtually nothing else, you may very well have a protein deficiency. Of course, protein deficiency is not the only reason for hair loss. You should see your physician as soon as possible as this is an indication that something is not right with your body's normal functioning. I am glad to hear you've been taking a vitamin supplement during this time and hope it also contained essential minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium (among others). If not, a mineral deficiency could explain the hair loss. You will need to get back to a balanced diet and your physician may prescribe certain supplements to restore the balance of nutrients in your body for good health.
Let this be a lesson to all who are tempted to follow the latest fad diet; eliminating food groups or nutrient groups is hazardous to your health and not worth whatever weight you lose!
Learn new and healthy habits on a balanced diet--lose the weight slowly and never have to go on another diet again!
Friday, May 22, 2009
How Come I'm Not Losing Weight On 1500 Calories?
I am a 34 year old woman who is trying to maintain my weight with maybe a bit of fat loss. I am 155 pounds but don't have a lot of fat. Maybe 15%. I have a lot of muscle mass in my arms and legs. I do 60 minutes of cardio (running then biking) 5 days per week, followed by weights and abs on alternating days. I burn about 700 to 800 calories per work out. I practice karate on the sixth day. I eat about 1500 calories per day and I am wondering if that is enough because for the amount of activity I do it seems that any weight loss is minimal.
--Julia M.
Hi Julia,
Great to see you keeping up such an active lifestyle! You don't mention your height, but anyone weighing 155 pounds, with lots of muscle, and daily 700 calorie workouts, surely burns much more than 1500 calories per day.
Great to see you keeping up such an active lifestyle! You don't mention your height, but anyone weighing 155 pounds, with lots of muscle, and daily 700 calorie workouts, surely burns much more than 1500 calories per day.
The most likely explanation is that you are eating more than you think you are! I would try measuring my food servings just a few times so you have a better idea of what "3 ounces of chicken" looks like or "1 cup of pasta". You may find out you are overestimating some serving sizes by 50%, which is common.
Another common way people underestimate their intake is by letting some snack foods slip under the radar. You may well remember having a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but what about the coffee drink you had when you met your friend late morning, or the ice cream cone you picked up when you took your son and his friends out after school? At the end of the day, we tend to forget the foods that we would like to forget we ate! The fix for this is a food diary; try keeping one for a week or two, writing down everything you eat within 20 minutes of eating it. The diary doesn't have to be anything fancier than a scrap of notebook paper tucked in your pocket or purse--it's just a way to track exactly what you are eating.
You may find a couple of hundred extra calories hiding out between meals and on serving portions that will be the answer you've been looking for.
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