How did you lose your weight before the wedding?

tdmaus

Hi ladies, Whats your strategy to lose weight? What did you do that worked for your body? I want to lose about 10 pounds… I still have a year to my wedding date, but I cant seem to lose weight easily. I only lost about 1 pound the last 3 months! I work out about 6 days a week – at least 1 hour each day. Usually half cardio, half weight lifting. I only eat meat on weekends (and in moderation), otherwise just healthy meals like salads, soups, non-meat products, tofu, etc... I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner. I snack on fruits at work when I’m hungry. I don’t like diets or restricting my meals to 1000 calories like others have might tried. I try to do it the healthy way.  So I think, I do everything correctly, but still don’t lose the weight as easy. Any suggestions? How did you lose your weight before the wedding? Thank you!

molls332233

I've lost 23 lbs (wedding is 32 days away!) by tracking everything i eat on sparkpeople.com, working out 5 times a week (walking, 30 Day shred, spinning, zumba and a hula-hooping fitness class, weight training).

Tracking what you eat, and staying around 1,200 - 1,400 calories is key. losing weight is all about calories in, calories out.

I also stay away from complex carbs (bread, pasta, added sugars), salt, processed foods and fatty meats.

Hope that helps!

whitma87

ditto what molls said.. i'm doing the exact thing that shes doing, except tracking on caloriecount.about.com.. i work out 4x a week, for about 30 minutes. since february 24th, i've lost 15 lbs... and i've always struggled with my weight and trying to lose it.. for once this diet/exercise plan actually works for me. I still have 20 more to go for my october wedding. good luck! 

FavoriteOne

I joined Weight Watchers and lost 48 lbs before my wedding.

bunchkin09

Are you by any chance on Depo Provera (birth control shot)? I read that women who are on it are twice as likely to be obese regardless of diet or exercise. Not saying your obese or anything, but I was on it and was trying soooo hard and couldn't lose any weight. I've been off of it for over a year now and it seems like the pounds are just melting off.

Of course, I also work out everyday. I make sure to lift everyday. I also read that strength training burns calories for 36 hours longer than cardio does. For this reason, I try to emphasize it in each of my workouts. I do cardio too, but it's the smallest portion of my workout. Hope this helped a bit. Congrats!

MandK9

I want to third? fourth? the advice above to count your calories.  You seem to think it's unhealthy to do so, but really, it's not.  You won't be starving yourself-- find out what your necessary intake is for weight loss using any number of websites-- i.e. sparkpeople, myfitnesspal, etc.  Then be really strict with yourself about documenting what you eat.  You might find out that you're ingesting WAY more calories than you think you are-- I know I was shocked when I found out how much I was eating when I wasn't paying attention to it. 

You sound like you're doing great workout-wise.  But weight loss is 80% "diet" (not as in dieting, but as in what you eat) and 20% exercise.  So keep that up, and monitor what you eat-- you'll be golden

emyinpink

For me I didn't find tons of success (beyond a certain point) with just calorie counting. I switched to eating primal/paleo, carb counting, and keeping my protein within a specific range (I eat as much fat as I want). I easily keep a calorie deficit, feel amazing, and have maintained consistent weight loss.

I also find that while diet is most important for actually losing weight, lifting heavy weights is awesome for looking better naked!

MandK9

Oh yeah! Forgot to mention "clean eating" or Paleo as Emily mentioned. That might give you a boost!

Carlos27

I definitely agree with molls332233 and whitma on tracking what you eat - calories/carbs/fats/proteins - everything. I'm also using Sparkpeople.com. Someone on this board suggested it to me (thanks so much!), and it is really helpful.

I'm bad with carbs - pasta, bread etc, so I am trying to cut them down, not totally I think you need them for the workouts, but counting the calories in them really shocked me, but helped me to change.

Good luck - you can do it!!!

msfigure

don't eat too few calories. when you hit a wall you have 2 options.. eat less and do more. NEVER eat less thn 1200 calories on a day to day. some plans such as the HCG diet may suggest something else but think lifestyle change.  I am 5'8" 155lbs  size 4/6 and eat 2500 calories daily. I had a bride lose 4 dress sizes and barely any weight. do not get too crazy over the scale..i promise you will be a happier lady in the process

lsvensson

I second the 2nd poster with Sparkpeople.com.  If you buy into it (yes, it's a little cheesy) and really commit to it and do it right (track everything you put in your mouth, but don't go under your calorie allowance) you'll lose weight.  Nothing else worked for me and I lost about 10 lbs in a month and a half last year with SP.  I've gained about half of that back between then and now, but I'm trying to re-commit before my wedding to get down to a better weight again.  

akakoli81

Below is what I have been doing:
Eating healthy, smaller portions, healthy snacks.  Not depriving yourself but instead having a sample size of something you are actually craving.  For me I wait a couple of hours to see if I really want something thats bad (usually chocolate) and if I still want it then I have a bite size piece or a bite of a normal size one.  Drinking lots of water.  Eating more fiber. 

Workout wise I joined spinning, go to zumba once a week (instead of whenever I actually woke up early enough on Saturday.  and signed up for fitquest (a program at my local park district that was a cheaper promo for a personal trainer)  before fitquest, I worked out on my own ~5days aweek (which includes the spinning and zumba).  I do the following as part of my workouts (in addition to the classes) body weight cardio, weights (but you have to feel the burn you can't just do it easy b.c nothing is changing), cardio machines, walking on an incline, walking my dogs, walking at lunch, the occasionally dvd or on demand workouts.

The biggest advice I can give is you have to feel it.  If you want to change your body then you have to feel it.  My body is truly changing shape along with size and health.  My stomach is flater (it is NOT flat yet though long way to go) my legs have a lot more shape now, and my arms are slowly coming along. 

Some people do have an easier time losing weight and some don't (in my experience) OP you may have to push yourself.  Also sometimes your body can become used to the same movement (muscle memory or something) so if you do the same cardio and weight routine your body needs a change.

AND do not give up if you have one bad day or one bad piece of food.  I know some many people (including myself in the past) where they will pig out one day and then just get upset with themselves and stop trying for x amount of time.

Sorry so long, I am just excited about weight loss for anyone and wanted to help

amyderrah

I'm at the point where I'm trying to loose the last 10 lbs too!  Think of it as loosing 10lbs of fat and gaining 5 - 8 lbs of muscle...  it takes a while.  And as PP have said again and again, it's really important to count cals, even if it's just for the first month to make sure you eating properly.  If you're not eating enough (it sounds like you have great workouts!) your body could have gone into "Fat saving" (or starvation) mode and you don't even know it.  Here's what happened to me:

February - I started tracking cals on DailyBurn, and running 3 times a week(5 kms).
March - I started adding weight training to this as well (30 mins, 4x a week).
April - to rotate my exercises, I skipped 2 weeks of weight training at a time and started running 6k, 4x a week.
All this time, I was loosing 1 lb *maybe* every 2 weeks, if I was lucky.  It felt slow but all I could think was that it was the last 10 lbs, so it'll be really hard to get it off.
May - I heard (on here, thanks ladies!) that increasing my cals to a smaller deficit (only -400 to -300 cals a day, rather than what I had been doing, -900 to -600 cals) could increase my weight loss and get my metabolism going.  So I did this, with all the same exercises, and Bam;
May - I'm loosing about 1lb a week, maybe more, and I feel a lot better.  I almost feel like i'm eating too much food for this to be real!  I have 1 lb left to loose and 3 months till my wedding.

So, my advice, like PPs, take a month to count your cals and make sure that you're eating the right amounts of Fat, Protein, and carbs.  It sounds like your exercises are great but take a close look at how much protein you're getting.  I eat meat every day (and nuts and cheese and tofu) and I have a very hard time getting my recommended amount of protein to build muscles.  Good luck, let us know how it goes!

amy7177

weigth watchers, lots of water, multi vitamins, fish oil capsules, cardio and strenth training. There is no secret to it, just work and dedication. YOu can lose 10 lbs in a year. I have lost 42lbs in 20 weeks. Good luck.

tdmaus

Hi ladies! Thank you sooooo much for all your advice!! I’ll try to keep a food log and count calories. I always thought, that’s not the issue, since I eat pretty healthy during the week. I only eat meat during the weekend and even then, I don’t pig out or anything like that. I think, it’s just genetics I do spinning 1-2x a week, go running once a week (I would love to run more, but my ankles don’t allow that), and mostly elliptical, weight training, yoga. I’m pretty fit and healthy. I just want to get rid of my curvy belly and tone my upper body/ back. I just feel like, I work out and eat healthy, but cant seem to lose weight. I do take the birth control pill, but don’t take those birth control shots that was mentioned. Well, at least, I have a year to lose the weight...
 Thanks again!

molls332233

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_did-lose-weight-before-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:34602608-27eb-44a7-9339-787b8cd03a20Post:b8166346-f910-4a2e-b57f-59fc67c545e2">Re: How did you lose your weight before the wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi ladies!   Thank you sooooo much for all your advice!! I’ll try to keep a food log and count calories. <strong>I always thought, that’s not the issue, since I eat pretty healthy during the week</strong>. I only eat meat during the weekend and even then, I don’t pig out or anything like that. I think, it’s just genetics :) I do spinning 1-2x a week, go running once a week (I would love to run more, but my ankles don’t allow that), and mostly elliptical, weight training, yoga. I’m pretty fit and healthy. I just want to get rid of my curvy belly and tone my upper body/ back. I just feel like, I work out and eat healthy, but cant seem to lose weight. I do take the birth control pill, but don’t take those birth control shots that was mentioned. Well, at least, I have a year to lose the weight... :)   Thanks again!
Posted by tdmaus[/QUOTE]


sometimes eating 'healthy' isnt always healthy. for example, a majority of granola bars, 'healthy' cereals, and low-fat/non-fat options in the grocerty stores are LOADED with sodium, added sugars, and preservatives. eating clean, fresh food is the key to living a healthy life at a healthy weight!

bigsmileychick

Count calories, eat fresh and lean as much as possible. Low sodium and no processed foods. Occasionally will throw in a high calorie day to wake up the system. Work out 3-4 times a week (running, cycling, pilates, weights, and some Zumba). Lost close to 20 lbs since Feb 1 and 7% body fat.  

Good Luck!

colleenturnbull

Weight training is so important!!!!  Muscle burns more calories then fat!!  The more muscle you have the better your metabolism which keeps you burning calories even while you are sitting still.  I realized that I wasn't pushing myself enough with my weights.  I now lift heavier weights and push myself until my muscles hurt!!!!  You also want to work your big muscle groups.  Do lunges and squats galore and you will see a huge change!!  A good tip, do you weights before your cardio!!

mkjpop

have you thought about meeting with a nutritionist? It sounds like you eat really healthy, but she'll be able to spot areas where you could improve (and as other posters said, maybe you need to eat more calories?). When you've been doing something for 3 months and haven't had the results you want, it's time to consult the professionals!

linusmc123

I have been going to the gym 3x a week and watching what I eat.  I am getting married in less than a month and I am so stressed I can't eat. Lost 15 pounds.

leah2489

Just wanted to mention that Sparkpeople.com and fitnesspal.com also have apps for your phone if you have an Iphone or Android, and that really helps me keep track. Otherwise, if I wait til night time to log what I've eaten I probably have forgotten some things. I'm in the same boat, with not losing much weight. I think I like food too much lol.

lilkimmie0206

Hey Ladies!
I'm sure theses are tried and true, redundant, but hopefully, they help someone out.

Eating: I have done the food journal tracking, and every once in a while I go back to it because it is seriously a great way to keep yourself accountable.  If you've never done it before; I usually write down what I'm eating (and drinking!!! Soda, beer, wine, margaritas... all have extra cals!) and a calorie count, and sometimes why I want it.  (I find this helpful, because it helps me recognize why I'm hungry... i.e. keeps me from stress eating; but has also helped me recognize that I like to chew, which tends to make me over eat.  Problem solver, I pop a piece of minty/spearaminty gum when that happens, and it works really well.)  As for food; I've gotten really good at keeping healthy food and snacks in the house.  I've transitioned to a bunch of whole grains, and tried to whittle down our bleached flour consumption (apparently that makes you bloatted...).  I try to eat every 2-3 hours, and those snacks/meals are usually healthy.  I pack my lunch, as use those silly 100 cal bags to help control portion sizes.  The other thing I do for when I 'need' chocolate, I keep a godiva 60% caco bar in my cabinet.  1 square is usually enough to kick the chocolate craving, and I think 1 piece is like 70 calories.

Drinks: I have upped my water consumption immensely which helps with hunger, but also keeps me from bloating.  I'll jazz it up with lemon at restaurants; or sometimes if my fiance and I go out to the bar, I'll get seltzer water with a splash of cranberry juice (less calories than beer, because it's mostly carbinated water).  Also, I was a 20 oz coffee drinker daily, with cream and sugar.  To cut calories, I started drinking it black (which I realized it wasn't as good); so I quit coffee cold turkey (which was hell for the first two weeks, but totally worth it).  Now I only have the coffee, cream and sugar as a treat.  If I want a warm pick-me-up in the morning, I drink naturally decaf green tea.

Exercise: I don't have time to go to the gym, so I got into EA Sports Active II, and joined the Jillian Michaels DVD bandwagon.  I do some combination of these systems about 6 times a week, and take one day for rest.  Both systems have worked great for me.  My fiance (who barely notices when the garbage needs to go out), has even noticed my toning.  These systems work great for me, because they intermingle strength cardio and abs.  I like this, because I have the attention span of a gold fish, and cranking it out on a treadmill I just zone out, and probably don't get the best work out I could at 515 in the morning.  You might try something like alternating lunges and bicept curls (i'm efficient; work arms and legs together whenever possible!), then do hard core cardio for two minutes straight (heart pounding, feeling like you're going to die... cardio), then do a minute of core work.  I say core, because you can't just do crunches to whittle the waist, you gotta work the back (think locus pose from yoga, and side planks for obliques, etc.).  I also think this keeps working (I'm still losing weight!) because the game and the vidoes keep my body guessing about what is coming next, and it can't just get comfortable with my exercise regimine.  As a random aside, I also try to get out and walk for about 20-30 minutes a couple times a week during my work day (I like to call it my sanity check...).

I think the most important thing about my weight loss goals is that I have been able to maintain it; and don't feel like I'm dieting.  That was more important to me than the number gravity says is important.  

Good luck brides!