Thread: Good weight lose diet or plan ? Exercise?

Hi, i have been trying to lose weight and very unsuccesful. I was wondering if any one here has lost a significant amount of weight and could tell me a good diet for weight lose. Also I want to know if anyone knows a good exercise routine or type of exercise that is good for flattening a stomach but doesnt feel so hard on you like stomach crunches. I mean something that works but doesnt feel like im working . Something enjoyable. I love dance so i dance . Get it? Dance is hard. But dance is fun and makes me forge the aches. Thats all i mean. Something that works but is enjoyable! Thanks so much!!!
Nura

The most effective way will be if you could add a weight lifting programme to your exercise plan. A good book to read to give you an idea of how, what and why is: Get stronger, feel younger: the cardio and diet-free plan to firm up and lose fat by Wayne Westcott and Gary Reinl (n.b. pay not attention to the claim 'diet-free' plan...you know yourself that if you eat rubbish you won't get the results you want)

Also, if you want something that is kinda dancerish you could try Carmen Electra's exercise series which is on DVD 2 of the series (I think...and I think it is called "Fit To Strip") - not so much for the strip choreo but for the exercise routine she does with a trainer....it doesn't use weights but it is fun and eaaaaasy to do at home.

Now, to practice what I preach....soapbox

I've had some success using The Daily Plate. It's a web site where you can track your calories in and out for free which for me, helps me lose weight. Here's a link to their site: Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate

As far as exercise goes, how about trying a Zumba class. It's a dance based aerobics class. I haven't tried it, but I hear it's a great calorie burner and lots of fun. Perhaps you can find a class near you, or purchase a DVD to use at home.

If you are looking for an exercise program, try Jazzercise! I've been doing it for 20 years. Combined with a diet program (Richard Simmons deal a meal,r:;), I lost 35 pounds and I've kept it off. Jazzercise is dance based aerobic dance and is the best way to exercise and have fun. The routines change all the time (new choreographies come out every 2 months) and I highly recommend it!

Hi guys all great suggestions. Ive never tried weights. Wouldnt that bulk you up? Unappropriate for belly dance?

I'm a big fan of weight watchers, either online or through the meetings. If you do what they say, you can eat enough to not feel hungry and still lose weight. Plus there's a lot of flexibility in it, so you can follow it as a lifestyle for a long time without feeling deprived.

Re weightlifting - it doesn't bulk you up. 7 Myths of Women's Weight Training and Female Bodybuilding

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Nur_Al_Leyali

Hi guys all great suggestions. Ive never tried weights. Wouldnt that bulk you up? Unappropriate for belly dance?

The key with weights for adding strength, and toning is lighter weights (3-5lbs to start) and more repetitions of the exercise. I don't know your body type but that's the concept you want to go for. I am 5' 8" and I use 7 lb weights (been doing it for years, though I really should move up ;-0 ) and I haven't added bulk, but have added more lean muscle (which burns fat more effectively) so the number on the scale may go up a bit since mucscle weighs more, but in time incorporating weights 3 or 4 times a week will tone you right up. It's worth a try.

There are tons of books from the library on this or you can even surf You tube for some good free weight exercises. I am sure other Bhuzzers can elaborate better on the resource end..l;, Good luck

I second the Weight Watchers for losing weight...it's fairly inexpensive than the other weight loss plans because you are using your own food so you learn proper portion control and have flexibility. I also second the weights...use low weights and high reps. When you use heavy weights, that's when one bulks up.

Read the book Body for Life.

Go for heavier weights and lower reps...and you'll find you will increase muscle mass which has the effect of burning calories even when you are not exercising.

It is actually incredibly difficult to bulk up so don't be worried in that regard.

Ive lost more than 50 pounds in the past few years, I lost 12 inches off my waist. Get on a regular exercise schedule, and by regular exercise I mean cardio for at least an hour at a time at least 4 days a week. Weight training is also very important, when your muscles are stronger you burn more calories in general.

Diet is the main way to lose weight, it held me back for a really long time. I didn't go on a specific diet or anything, I just ate well. If you go to a nutritionist they can tell you what your daily calorie intake should be for weight loss(mine is 1500-1800). After that you just read all of your food labels and keep a running tab every day. Im not exact about it, I dont write it down, but just knowing helps. Make sure your body is getting everything it needs, healthy bodies have more energy and will lose weight faster. Also, eating mostly raw and home made foods makes a huge difference. Things like added sugar and salt in pre-made foods add up so fast!

I went on a detox diet in January to break my addiction to sugar. I only ate raw fruits and veggies, cottage cheese, tofu, and drank water for a week. I lost like 6 pounds and it jump-started some really healthy eating. Since then ive lost another 8 pounds.

Im obsessed with weight loss :(

Zumba is great for an intense cardio workout, and man is it fun. But it's also *very* high impact, so be careful if you have wonky knees or ankles.

Originally Posted by khalisah

I'm a big fan of weight watchers, either online or through the meetings. If you do what they say, you can eat enough to not feel hungry and still lose weight. Plus there's a lot of flexibility in it, so you can follow it as a lifestyle for a long time without feeling deprived.

Re weightlifting - it doesn't bulk you up. 7 Myths of Women's Weight Training and Female Bodybuilding

Good luck!

Bulk depends on your genetics, and how you are lifting. I am one of the women who can bulk up while weightlifting if I am lifting for strength (i.e. lifting heavy weight that challenges me). I have to lift much less than I am able to and rely on more repetitions to stay toned instead of bulky.

I love weight watchers as well! I've also had some good results on Body for Life, but my schedule wouldn't let me make it work - although I have found that I have less trouble with food intake if I eat every 3-ish hours so I still do that.

If you don't want to lift weights, try working with a trainer or going to a class that uses your own body weight for resistance. I forget the name right now, but I had a trainer many years ago who wouldn't lift weights - and he wasn't bulky at all, but he was still really strong. My current Pilates class uses resistance bands for upper body and it's definitely a workout.

Hi Nura,

I'm glad that you asked, because I want to tell my story and have lots of people read it and be inspired by it.

Last spring I sold my car and decided to try going without one for awhile. I walked and walked and walked...all spring, all summer, all fall. After a few weeks, it became easier and easier to go long distances. If I was in a hurry, I would ride my bike. If I had free time, I would go for hours-long bike rides in the afternoon; if I taught at night, I would walk there and walk home. I wasn't thinking about exercising, simply enjoying being out of doors, people watching, sight seeing, and getting from Point A to Point B.

By the end of fall, I went to the doctor for a routine visit, and discovered to my amazement that I had lost 30 pounds! My ideal weight is 125; I had actually gone past it and was down to 120.

Over the winter I put some weight back on because I couldn't ride my bike and we had a lot of snow, making walking pretty difficult some days. But it's only five pounds, and I know that once I get back to walking and biking everywhere, I will be back at my target weight.

Please, anyone who wants to lose weight, try this! Not just a couple of days a week or in spurts, but as a way of life. I realize that we can't all do this -- you might have a significant distance to travel to work -- but if you can rearrange things in your life so that your work is close enough to home to permit walking and biking, do it! A car not only saps your pocketbook, it isolates you from everyone and everything around you, and you feel sluggish just sitting there in endless traffic jams.

Shaia