I really want to lose some weight, but I find it really difficult to resist foods like ice-cream, chips, and cakes. I don't live by myself, so if there's something in the house that's tempting me, I'll just eat it. I've been trying to lose weight for the past five years unsuccessfully. Please help me, I don't know the most successful ways to lose weight, and I feel disgusted with the way I look. Plus, I've got a rwally stressful life, and that makes me less inclined to cook, and more inclined to overeat.

Have you tried not forbidding yourself from eating things like chips, icecream, etc. If you allow yourself to have a normal portion of one of them once a day, it can help curb cravings that cause people to binge on junk food. Also, I find that if I eat more "real" food, that even if I do crave junk, I don't eat as much beause i am already full.

Try to eat regular meals - drink plenty of water, cut out soda, and try to relax. Keep a fruitbowl around, and when you stress, grab an apple. Carrots and bubblegum are very stress realiving too. Especially gum - blowing bubbles is very relaxing and can take your mind off things.

There are lots of frozen dinners, packaged soups, etc that are quick to make and healthy. Have you tried Amy's (http://www.amyskitchen.com) brand? Stock up and grab one when you are hungry. If you are still hungry, eat another instead of overeating on sweets.

the less you eat sweets, the more sweet other things will start to taste - fruit, yogurt, vegetables.

Good luck - just try to make lifestyle changes a little at a time. Say, cutting down on 1 thing 1 week, or even one month, and then substituiting something else the next week. do it slowly.

When you do feel like cooking try making big pots of bean dishes, or soups, etc. that freeze well, and then making your own frozen meals. That way when you're in a hurry you'll be less inclined to eat junk because you already have a healthy meal on hand. Make a rule that if you want to eat junk you have to eat a certain amount of a healthy food first so you'll already be a little bit full and eat less. Also, pay attention to when you're no longer hungry and try to stop eating. You don't have to be stuffed to quit eating.

Find some exercise you love doing. Whatever it is it will help. I love to ride my bike, so that's my main workout five days a week. I enjoy yoga so I encorperate that into my daily activities, using it as a stress releaver in the evening.

I drink a LOT of water if I'm feeling 'snacky' and find that many times that does the trick. And...whenever I feel a need to snack, I snack on good things, fruits, carrots...crunchy stuff. If you are living with people, simply make it a rule to buy your own food and not eat theirs. Then buy yourself quick, healthy things that can be prepared. Sandwiches on healthy bread, soups...salad fixings.

Finally...if you have time to sit around thinking about what you are going to eat next, you have TOO much time on your hands. You need to find things to do...that you are interested in.

B

Before we begin, how tall are you and what do you weigh? You don't have to say, but all too often girls think they need to lose weight and they really don't. Before you make any decisions, get your body fat percentage tested- that way you know exactly, truthfully, where you are at.

You need to let yourself have some sweets and junk on occassion, without guilt. Reasonable, occassional portions of junk will not harm you. Eliminating guilt altogether is necessary; as long as you feel guilt your relationship with food will never probably be normalized.
If your weight has maintained stable with eating as you do, the easiest thing you can do is try to cut back a bit and start exercising. Exercise alone would probably do it; you just have to be sure to exercise consistantly. Start out doing a bit of cardio and then incorporate some weights- see about getting a membership to a local gym or YMCA. If you truly can't do that, go for walks, jog, ride your bike, get workout tapes. Buy some free weights, and check out books/periodicals/videos on how to use them.
Good luck!! You really can do this if you have the right tools/resources/attitude.

Before we begin, how tall are you and what do you weigh? You don't have to say, but all too often girls think they need to lose weight and they really don't. Before you make any decisions, get your body fat percentage tested- that way you know exactly, truthfully, where you are at.

I am 5.7 and weigh 12 stones 7 pounds. I've been to the doctor's anyway, and she told me I'm overweight. I lost some weight since going to the doctors, so I checked out my BMI, and that says I'm still overweight, but I already knew that.

Finally...if you have time to sit around thinking about what you are going to eat next, you have TOO much time on your hands. You need to find things to do...that you are interested in.

B

Or perhaps very bored. I think about food 7.5 hrs a day, 5 days a week :D Can you guess where?

Think of a plan for what you will do the next you want to chow down on the ice cream, etc. Dance to a favorite song, go for a walk, take a shower, go online..find something to distract yourself.

...if you have time to sit around thinking about what you are going to eat next, you have TOO much time on your hands. You need to find things to do...that you are interested in.

B

Gee, all I do is think about food, talk about food, post questions about food on veggieboards....I love food! Nothing wrong with that, huh? I guess you are right though, when i am really busy at work i don't even remember to eat lunch.

i had somebody tell me to lose weight.. and i went and had a caliper test done, to see if i really needed to.. and was told that my % was 18.6...

guess running all the time is a good thing..