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  • Weight-loss

    Posted by Andrea on March 24, 2009 at 9:58 pm

    Hey guys and girls. I’m pretty unhappy with my body at the moment and would like to lose some weight. Does anyone know of any ways to shed some pounds that actually work?

    Sparklie replied 15 years, 8 months ago 27 Members · 38 Replies
  • 38 Replies
  • Nikkabella

    Member
    March 24, 2009 at 10:32 pm

    Read the book "SKINNY BITCH"! It’s about what you put in your mouth. it’s not a "diet" it’s a healthy way of eating, and it’s changed my life and my body in 2 weeks. I feel great! But you have to be willing to be vegetarian and shop in the natural foods section/ stores.
    Trust me! It’s so funny and easy to read too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif

  • glitterhips

    Member
    March 24, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    Hey girl! Okay first of all I’d like to say I’ve seen your vids and you do not seem like you need to lose a thing…but I know how it feels to want to lose it even when people tell you you don’t. I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight from doing various things but I know different things work for different people.

    I think the most important thing you can do is monitor your caloric intake. When I started writing down what I ate I was actually astounded at how many calories I was consuming every day. I noticed that writing things down made me accountable for everything…and I mean write EVERYTHING down. Even if you take a bite of a cookie. Because if you don’t, you can have a bite of a cookie, a few licks of ice cream, a handful of potato chips, a couple pretzels…and that usually adds up to an extra 100-300 calories a day. You can lose weight just by monitoring your calorie intake. But it is extremely important not to go below 1200 calories at the bare minimum because then your body will go into starvation mode and you won’t lose anything. Since you pole I’m sure you could add some extra to that to make up for what you burn off when you practice. There are ways to figure out exactly how much you need to eat to lose weight but keep your body functioning.

    When I started counting calories it took me awhile to figure out how to not always be hungry…but once I started figuring out what foods kept me full longer then the weight started coming off. Non-instant oatmeal and Fiber One cereal are two of my staple foods. They keep you full for quite a while and are actually good for you. Also I’m sure you know things like fruit and vegetables fill you up as well.

    I’ve tried tons of ways to lose weight but it really does come down to how many calories you put in versus how many you burn. I know everyone wants a fast way to lose weight but if you lose a lot of weight very quickly, it usually doesn’t stay off and your metabolism gets pretty messed up. Here are a few things I started doing when I began my weight loss and they’ve worked really well for me:

    Before I go out to dinner or go out to a party, I eat a big bowl of broth based vegetable soup. It fills me up and is good for me and I’m not as likely to reach for the chip bowl or have three pieces of bread before my meal comes if I’ve had a filling snack before hand. Sometimes I make a big batch that will hold me over for a few days so I can just heat some up if I don’t feel like cooking. If I’m hungry I tend to reach for the fastest thing to eat which is usually not the healthiest.

    I always keep a piece of fruit or a protein bar in my purse or car. Sometimes I get stuck in traffic or just can’t get around to eating so if I get hungry I won’t be tempted to go through a drive-through if I have a healthy snack that I can grab right away.

    It’s easier for me to buy individually wrapped things instead of like a bag of chips or gallon of ice cream. That way when you’re done with the bag you know you’ve had a serving…if I have a gallon of ice cream in my freezer I’m a lot more likely to keep eating after I’ve had a bowl than I am to unwrap another Skinny Cow sandwich (which are really awesome, btw)

    Don’t deprive yourself! If you want chocolate then have some. Just don’t eat an entire chocolate bar every day. My number one weight loss mantra is "You can eat anything you want, you just can’t eat everything you want." Also try to get an idea of portion sizes…you might look silly measuring out your oatmeal until you can eyeball it but it is really the key to counting calories. I keep a 1/2 cup measuring cup in my oatmeal container so I don’t even have to try to find one before I make it.

    Check out http://www.Hungrygirl.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, Women’s Health magazine, and this book I really like called "How to Eat Like a Hot Chick." Those have all been really valuable resources for me.

    I didn’t mean to write a novel here! But I have been on the weight loss wagon for a while now and these are things that have worked for me. If you ever want to meet me in chat and ask me anything just shoot me a message. Good luck, keep us posted with your progress!

  • glitterhips

    Member
    March 24, 2009 at 10:58 pm

    Read the book "SKINNY BITCH"! It’s about what you put in your mouth. it’s not a "diet" it’s a healthy way of eating, and it’s changed my life and my body in 2 weeks. I feel great! But you have to be willing to be vegetarian and shop in the natural foods section/ stores.
    Trust me! It’s so funny and easy to read too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif

    I am in no way trying to be disrespectful but I have actually read this book and I disagree with a lot of information in it. I was a vegetarian for two years and I was 30 lbs heavier than I am now when I’ve gone back to eating poultry/lean protein. Also one of the things they recommend is waiting until you are almost starving to eat your next meal, which is terrible for your metabolism. I do agree that a lot of natural products are better for you but it’s unrealistic to expect people our age to be able to afford those products. And a bowl of organic peanut butter puff cereal still won’t keep you full as long as a bowl of oatmeal will, and if you are trying to get the most bang for your calorie buck, this is one of the most important keys to weight loss in my humble opinion. Again I don’t mean any disrespect, just giving my .2 https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

  • kerrierou

    Member
    March 24, 2009 at 11:08 pm

    Hey T-sexy!
    okay okay. from the looks of ur pics, you have a killer body and i personally dont think you need to change at all. but if you really want to loose weight, you have to expend more calories than you take in. simple as that.
    as you know im majoring in exercise science, so ive taken lots of exercise, sports, and nutrition classes.
    heres ways to loose pounds-
    -just cut calories
    -cut calories and exercise
    -just exercise

    if you just cut calories, you will loose weight. but much of the weight you loose will be muscle since your not exercising them. you will loose fat, but also muscle tone

    if you just exercise, you will loose very little if any muscle, and will lose fat

    if you do both, you will loose fat but still some muscle

    im a believer in not "dieting" but a healthy lifestyle. eat little saturated fat and sugar. you DO need fat in your diet, but not saturated. thats the artery clogging stuff!
    if you eat more frequent meals throughout the day instead of just the main 3, you will also speed up your metablism. if you eat 5 smaller meals rather than 3 big ones, you body is hungry less of the time.

    dont cut calories too much. if you eat too little your body is in starvation mode. it will start storing more fat, and change so that you need less evergy to do work (so you burn less calories).
    Oh and EAT BREAKFAST!!!

    but be happy with youself whatever your size. be confident – thats what sexy!!!

  • kerrierou

    Member
    March 24, 2009 at 11:13 pm

    Read the book "SKINNY BITCH"! It’s about what you put in your mouth. it’s not a "diet" it’s a healthy way of eating, and it’s changed my life and my body in 2 weeks. I feel great! But you have to be willing to be vegetarian and shop in the natural foods section/ stores.
    Trust me! It’s so funny and easy to read too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cat.gif

    i havent read the book, but i’ve heard about it. and from what glitter wrote about how it says to wait till ur starving to eat, i do not agree either.
    i am a vegetarian, but i have been thinner as a meat eater also. when i first became vegetarian i gained weight b/c i really didnt know what to eat. you can still eat chips, ice cream, cookies, etc.

    vegetarian is healthy if you do it right, but its not a means to loose weight (although you often do, just b/c you cut out the fat from the meat). its a way to lower cholesterol and you can be healthier, but i wouldnt make it as a reccomendation to loose weight.
    just eat healthier and exercise. cardio and weights is best =)

  • Trena

    Member
    March 24, 2009 at 11:48 pm

    Andrea you mad thing! Ive seen your videos and in my opinion you dont need to lose any weight! In saying that I know you want to and no amount of people telling you not to is gonna change your mind! (Im in the same boat myself in fact! Im getting married in June and Im trying to lose weight and Ive been accused of having anorexia by my relatives which is very insulting!! And if you’ve seen my video Im FAR from anorexic!)
    I agree with Glitter. Calorie counting is the way to go! Im not gonna repeat what she’s already said cause I couldnt say it any better! I just nodded in agreement and all the way through her post, she got everything spot on!!
    And waiting til you’re starving is not good for you because your body goes into starvation mode!!
    NB Drink LOADS of water!! Loads and loads and loads and loads!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

  • lily

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 12:24 am

    ITA with so much of the advice given https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif It really is incredibly simple – burn more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. Finding exercise you love is key (POLE https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif ) and enjoying the freshest, most wholesome food you can afford…..in healthy portions of course. Best of luck sweetie – I also agree you look great now!

  • Rouge_LAmour

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 4:18 am

    As a vegan and having been veggie for 20+ years, I find skinny bitch concepts amusing.
    Nobody should enter a new eating plan without ensuring they have sound nutritional advice first.
    With any dietary programme, it is easy to eat badly. to badly quote another vegan, a dorito is a dorito, even if they’re vegan, you can still eat too many of them. My vegan cupcakes are highly addictive!!

    The sensible thing is to eat fresh produce as much as possible. Dump the processed food and e-numbers.
    Invest in some sage advise from a nutritionist about losing fat / mass. Many are not veggie friendly.

    Dairy does not provide the body with calcium. Dairy leaches more calcium from the bones than it supplies. leafy green veggies and brassica (Cauli, broccoli and cabbage) are very high in calcium in a form that is far more readily absorbed by the body in the primary form.

    Red meat consumption increases the mortality risk by 30%. refer http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/2289972/Study-links-red-meat-to-premature-death it’s also higher in saturated fats.

    Vegans, in theory, should have good nutrition because they need to know what they’re eating and are more inclined to have a balanced diet due to the foods they consume, which are primary products. This is not to say many omnivores don’t have a good diet. This is the basis for the skinny bitch food plan.

    So, what I’m trying to say, without offending omnivores and so we don’t get the usual inane remarks about "meat is good" "Vegan idiot" blah, blah, blah is that to minimise excess fat on the body, we need to eat properly by reducing the amount of processed food, eating far more fresh food and exerting more energy than we intake.
    And if that means eating a steak, then so be it. But please be educated about what is put into that piece of beef. purchase stuff from an organic shop that isn’t packed full of chemicals or highly processed. Cheap meat is likely to have higher levels of chemicals to make it look pretty.
    Don’t get me started on Chicken.

    It’s really that simple.

  • Fleur

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 6:25 am

    Here are some simple and healthy tips to lose weight the right way:

    -don’t skip meals, especially breakfast, your metabolism will slow down if you do.

    -drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water (ie: I weigh 158lbs, I drink 76 ounces of water a day) Many times your body interprets thirst as hunger and if you’ll find if you drink a cup of water you’re no longer hungry!

    -snack on healthy and filling foods (ie: fruit, nuts in small quantities, veggies)

    -don’t cut out food groups. You will only feel deprived and binge later. Eat everything you want! The key is portion control so have some cake or cheese, just not the entire thing!

    -Eat more vegetables and whole grains, they are high in fiber and make you feel fuller and are more nutritious (ie: for dinner have a cup of brown rice, some protein whether its chicken/fish/whatever, and fill the rest of the plate with vegetables)

    -Eat slowly! It takes your brain 20 minutes to figure out you’re not hungry anymore, if you take your time to savor your food you probably won’t eat as much of it!

    -You do NEED fat, again, no cutitng out of food groups. Try healthier alternative like olive oil.

    Lastly, however much time it took for you to put on the weight is as long as it will take to lose it. Be patient, take it one day at a time, don’t fall into an all or nothing mentality, every little success counts and every little failure is just that: a small oops. If it took you a year to put on 10 lbs, it may take a year to lose it and thats ok! You have the rest fo your life to be healthy and happy https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

    Weightloss and personal image is greatly emotional. I find that when I’m unhappy in life I start to eat more but instead of realizing that, i reverse it and think that I’m unhappy because I’m eating too much when really it’s the other way around! Are there other things in your life that are causing you to eat more? It’s a good idea for all of us to look at why we turn to food and tru to cure the problem, not its symptoms: overeating.

    Let me know if I can help in any way, I’ve gone through my fair share of food/weight struggles and am fairly educated on the subject. You are beautiful https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

    Fleur

  • pole-twista

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 2:28 pm

    i have lost alot of weight ( had a pretty nice body at 1 point got into an unhealthy/abusive relationship and at the end of it I didnt recognize myself in more ways than 1 ) I am stuggling to lose last 10lbs i have lots of advice in this subject ( no counting cals/ eating special foods/ and def no starving ) if you would like to be kind of like "weight loss buddies through emails I would love to do this w soeone esle to give support/encoragment and tips i will say a couple real quick things simple carbs ( white bread/rice/pasta ect ) will leave you tired in the long run and wont keep you full long as simple carbs break down into sugar very quickly whole wheat is much better nutrition wise as well as keeping you full longer fiber and protein are key to staying full on less food fiber is very filling and protein takes awhile to break down ( this is true for fat as well there are good fats peanut butter/nuts/ if its mono or poly fat its good saturated/trans very bad) but good or bad fat is high in cals so be aware of how much consuming ) salads can be great unless you load it up w dressing ( dont use non fat dressing as alot of the nutrients you get from veggies require some fat to help body absorb) stay hydrated!!! you wouldnt believe how many time i thought i was craving sugar when a cold glass of water is what i really needed ( its very refreshing helps perk you up wo the sugar crash later) dont eat out of boredom/emotion ( my big downfall) if your bored /upset go for a walk write in a journal, dance, email me lol i could write on this subject for days ( i am a bit of a geek when comes to health magazines have been reading 2 or 3 a month for years) ok well email me if intested and good luck!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

  • pole-twista

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    quick comment on vegans if you can realistically do this for the rest of your life great its a healthy way to eat if your like me and you know your just not going through life wo meat just be aware of the meat you choose turkey/chicken/fish better than red meat if you do want red meat choose the leanest cut you can afford, be sure to include veggies or other healthy options so your satisfied w 1 hot dog/burger ect and red meat should be limited to 1 a week as recommended by most fitness experts i lost alot of weight by simply choosing a plain burger (w just ketchup) and a kids fry w water or diet soda rather than get 1 of those big loaded burgers when eating fast food basically what i am saying is whaever you do to lose weight it has to be something you can maintain thats why pills/fad diets dont work as soon as you say I am going on a diet you are implying at some point you are going off it its really about making small lifestyle changes you can maintain (walks after dinner/having a list of things you can do when bored/upset ect rather than turn to food) https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif

  • yogabeachbabe

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    I think what really helps is to cut out unnecessary starch. I say unnecessary because you body needs SOME sugars, but not white breads or refined sugars (even though they’re often the most tasty!). Americans are in the habit of eating "meat and potatoes". The starch, in combination with the protein, actually slows down the digestive process because your body can only digest 1 food group at a time. So therefore the protein sits in your intestines and basically "rots" there until you process it. Veggies, on the other hand, can be combined with either protein or starch without slowing anything down. For example, whole wheat pasta with broccoli is well combined, whereas pasta with beef will digest much slower. If you’re a meat eater, continue with that, but substitute the rice/potatoes with vegetables. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, my hat goes off to you. It’s truly a committed lifestyle. You can read Fit For Life (can’t remember the author) if you’re interested in food combining.

  • kerrierou

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    Here are some simple and healthy tips to lose weight the right way:

    -don’t skip meals, especially breakfast, your metabolism will slow down if you do.

    -drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water (ie: I weigh 158lbs, I drink 76 ounces of water a day) Many times your body interprets thirst as hunger and if you’ll find if you drink a cup of water you’re no longer hungry!

    -snack on healthy and filling foods (ie: fruit, nuts in small quantities, veggies)
    Fleur

    Fleur all that was very good advice. I just have to ask…how tall are you??? lol i know, weird question. but you said you weigh 158 lbs. i weigh about the same, and i’m about 5’9". but your sooo thin! i’m not overweight or anything, but you definitely look great! i know that if you have more muscle you will weigh more and still be thin also, and i know that your strong from seeing you videos!
    and its encouraging becuase girls in my pole class seemed to be able to do things easier because they had less pain. the tiny girls could sit on the pole and have it not hurt as much, where my 160lbs on that skin was unbearable. i know everyone has a different pain tolerance too, but it was sooo bad. my teacher also said that if you weight more, its more pressure on your body. so its always good to see someone whos the same size as me be able to do advanced moves! i know there are others on this site also, and its very encouraging. hopefully the pain will go away at some point =)

  • RoxyPink

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    Ok…so here are my two cents on this subject.

    Drink loads of water. If you feel tired or hungry…9 times out of 10 you are dehydrated! I know this has been said a few times already in this thread, but it can’t be emphasised enough!

    Cut back or eliminate refined/processed foods. I know this is hard when you have a hectic lifestyle/kids/job etc. but once you do and your body "detoxs" from it…you feel so much better.

    Comments on vegan/vegetarian: I too am vegan, but haven’t always been. I was a vegetarian for 7 years then started eating meat when I was pregnant with my first child(2002)….I would eat it here and there until after the birth of my second child (12/07) and now I am vegan. My family wasn’t a big "meat eater" household to begin with. I have found that whether it be for health or moral reasons, you do tend to pay attention more to what you put in/on your body (reading labels, shopping in organic stores etc). I say this only from my personal experience, but I also now do a better job at eating a well balanced diet. It takes time to learn which foods can supply you the most nutrients in one shot. "more bang for the buck". I think this has had a huge impact on my weight loss…only 5 more lbs to go to be back to preprego weight! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif It is hard and it definitly isn’t for everyone! I just personally don’t like the taste of any meat.

    Make sure you balance your physical exercise with aerobic and anerobic. Too much aerobic exercise will eventually start burning muscle. You need to build muscle to increase levels of testosterone (yes we have it too! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif ) which then helps increase your metabolism….hence more burning calories! This being said…you also need to allow your body to heal after working out. I am very guily of not doing this! Shame on me!

    Get enough sleep. I have found that when I have lost the most weight, say in a week, I would get more sleep ( 8 hrs) than during a week when I didn’t get as much.

    This is the biggest tip…and I know it sounds like a cliche…but you have to be possitive and very MINDFUL about what you do. If you are negative and bash yourself ( I’m fat, I don’t like this or that…blah blah blah) you won’t lose the weight. Your mind has to be in it. If it’s not, nothing will change. Stay possitive! I know it is hard…I deal with this day in and day out.

    If you don’t know me…I gained 90 lbs with each of my pregnancies. I lost it all in 8 mths after my son was born and I have 5 lbs to go after my daughter (she is now 15 mths)…I think that I have first hand knowledge as to what it takes to achieve a HUGE weightloss goal.

    Just remember…what works for some dosen’t work for all.

    Sorry about the long post!

    You ladies are beautiful and don’t need to change a bit!

  • Fleur

    Member
    March 25, 2009 at 5:22 pm

    Hey kerrierou,

    I am 5’10”. I’ve always weighed quite a bit, I’m big boned and am naturally muscular. Moves are harder when you are taller or heavier because a) you’ve got more weight and pressure on skin and b) your momentum arm off the pole is much larger (can you tell I’m taking effing physics?) making holds like flag much harder. Nonetheless it can be done! Just takes a bit more work for us https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Keep it up!

    Fleur

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