Need weight loss buddies!

(Just copied this from my first blog on here, lol... but I added more to the bottom after my stats...)

My name is Allison.

I'm an unexperienced/new calorie counter (for about 6 days now)...

Long story short: I am an extreme compulsive overeater and I want to lose weight. I said that to myself not too long ago and quickly figured out that working out won't do anything if I take in about 65406874616 calories a day. So here I am.

I started all this actually on LJ/Livejournal (by joining the community "28dayplan") and so I won't be updating as much on here. But if you have LJ, feel free to add me. I use the same username, "aleesuhn_m". Actually, I will be a LOT more thorough on LJ... So I recommend you get it so we can become friends on there too :)

 

Current Stats (as of 10/14/09):

Very very very accurate estimates...

Ht: 5'4''
HW: 197lbs
CW: 197lbs
LW: 180lbs (After summer of 2007, so maybe this doesn't really count?)
GW: 150lbs (by the middle/end of spring next year!) UGW: 130-140lbs (due to Calorie Count suggestion)

Daily calorie intake goal: 1200 min. - 1300 max. (even though I get crazy if I reach 1000 calories! I have no idea why :/ ...) ---ANYWAY!--- I'd really like someone/a few people to exchange tips about: - how to stop myself from "slipping up" on my daily calorie intake - working out - low cal "snacks"and meals - food journal...ing? and basically just people to talk to about all this stuff with! (Our progress and all that.) I feel like I'll connect more with people here/on LJ because though my friends are amazing, they just don't understand because their either WAY tinier than me or they just have a different opinion/outlook on calorie counting and whatnot. Btw, even if you have an ED, I'd still like to get to know you. No discriminating here... :) Add me/reply to this/message me/add me on LJ!

you're a new calorie counter, so don't feel weird about it! but the thing is, i'm not going to be the only one to say this.

 

you're a teenager, and teenagers can lose weight on 1500 calories at least. this is nice because we also need 1500 calories BARE minimum to keep everything forming correctly. not just to keep growing up, but for your BRAIN to form correctly. who wants half a brain? no one!

 

so yeah. you will DEFINITELY lose MORE weight on at least 1500.

http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html

 

this is a handy calculator to help decide how many calories you need. i input your calories and even if you are TOTALLY inactive, you need at least 2200 calories. a 500 deficit of that would be 1700. so you see, by eating 1700 you will actually lose MORE and reach your goal and feel better. by eating less than 1500, you could potentially slow your metabolism.

 

it seems like a lot, i know (i underate for awhile as well... first at 600 calories a day MAX, then i made my way to 1300 and here i am at 1600 calories a day and feeling great. it still feels like a lot to me, but that's cool!) but you'll still see results. and if you don't, you've likely been eating too less and your metabolism is resetting itself. it will happen soon, don't worry.

 

wow, this was a long post. but essential things every teen calorie counter should know are in here! when i was starting out, for some reason i got the idea that less calories = more weight loss, which is true to some degree, but extremes slow your metabolism due to starvation mode, yada yada yada.

Yes, I agree with Selena.  1200 - 1300 a day seems low, especially if your working out.  I used this sight to determine my calorie range.  Keep in mind, I am 32 years old and 5'2 so my numbers will be different from yours.  This site will tell you how many calories you can eat in a day with no exercise and still lose weight at a healthy pace (.5-1 lb. a week).  It will aslo tell you how many calories you can eat if you excercise for a half hour a day, and hour a day etc.  Another great thing I like about this site is that it tells you roughly how many carbs, fat, protein grams you should be eating as well. http://nutrition.about.com/library/bl_nutriti on_guide.htm

I am also trying to lose about 30 more lb.'s, and feel addicted to food. Being addicted to food is like any other addiction and in order to conquer it, you HAVE to WANT to make a change.  Once you commit to it, it becomes a little easier.  Here are some things that have helped me stay focused.  Bare with me, this will be a little long winded....hopefully you'll have the time

1. Who cares what other people think!  You are doing this for you, so hold on to that because misery loves company and there will inevitably be someone who picks on you for all your healthy eating.  Also, don't worry about looking like an idiot (like i first did) when you work out, because at least your doing something to improve yourself and that is commendable.

2. Track what you eat and BE HONEST!  Pick up a food journal and write down everything you eat...EVERYTHING.  Just because you don't write it down DOES NOT mean you didn't eat it.  If I feel like a cookie, I eat it, then I write it down.   Not only will this help put calories in perspective, but, this will help you evaluate why you are eating certain foods at certain times and what you might pick as a healthier substitue also. 

3. Don't limit yourself!  For me nothing is off limits. If I feel like a donut, I have one (and usually feel like crap afterwards).  I don't work well with limitations, but, I know I have a choice and usually choose the healthier choice because I know it will result in less calories at the end of the day.  If I work out extra hard one day, I might allow myself to have some ice cream (my summer weakness) without feeling guilty about it.  Believe me, when you write EVERYTHING down and see how many calories are in certain things it will disgust you. 

4.   Don't give up!  We're human and can't be perfect all the time (if only!).  If you have a day that is particularly sucktastic and you go a little overboard with food, don't beat yourself up and have a little pitty party over it.  Just get back on track the next day.  I have started so many diets that I failed at because I screwed up one time and said to myself "whelp, screwed that up...oh well might as well quit now".  Now that I have come to terms with myself and am able to forgive myself if I do slip up because I know the very next day I will get back on track.

5.  It's not a diet, it's a way of life!  Diet has such a negative connotation and I don't use it.  Instead I choose to eat healthy and it has become a way of life for me.

6.  Prepare what you can ahead of time!  I do all my grocery shopping on Sunday's and when I get home I put what I can into serving sizes.  Example:  I eat Fiber One cereal EVERY morning so I separate the whole box into 1/2 cup servings.  Any snacks I buy I put into serving sizes immediately so that when a craving hits I can grab a serving rather than a whole box.  I also wash and prep fruits and veggies.  AND, I also plan my meals for the week.  Planning has been a HUGE help for me because I get a rough estimate of the calories I will be eating any particular day.  I always leave ONE day open a week for ONE eat out meal (but I usually only use it once a month).

7. Set realistic goals!  When I changed my eating habits I did one thing at a time.  I DO have an overall goal, but I have weekly goals as well.  When I started, my first week or two was all about getting a handle on my food intake.  Once I was comfortable with that, my weekly goal was to do be active for at least 30 minutes for 3-4 days a week.  Now that I've been at it a while, my weekly goal is do be active for at least 45 minutes a day for 6 days a week (and at least 3 of those weight training).  Some weeks my goal is simply to stick to my meal plan.

8.  Reward yourself when you stick to your goals.  I have lost about 20 Lbs so far and once a month I buy myself a new outfit (because I'm shrinking out of my clothes )

I have become so passionate about this so I apoligize about being long winded.  I've done a lot of research and tried a lot of things, so if you have questions, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer.  I am NOT a doctor or personal trainer...but I am a real person who has found a method that works and have been steadily taking weight off, so that's worth something right?

Keep at it...you'll get there!

I'll b ur buddy!

current weight:160lbs

lowest weight: no idea!!

highest weight: around where i am now!!

hight: 5'7

message me!! xxx

oh, and if you have binge problems/slipping up problems/whatever don't restrict yourself completely from things you crave. if i want a chocolate, i eat it, but i eat it in moderation. track the calories of what the sweets are though, and add it to your calorie total. don't just say "it was a slip up" and not count the calories. this is coming from a girl who just devoured one of those giant hersheys bars in the past week and still lost weight (: hehe.