I need to lose 5ish pounds in 3 weeks.......best way

[PrincessKitty1]

However, as often as not, anecdotal evidence leads us to the diametrically incorrect conclusion. And in a case like this, where the message could be a muddled-by-controversy "HFCS is bad" or a clear-and-concise "sugar is bad", why settle for the the less definitive advocacy?

I would not agree that anecdotal evidence leads us to the diametrically incorrect conclusion as often as not. Could you supply a Medline citation for that?

 

[JaxJags08]

I did it by sort of following Jennifer Love Hewitt's diet. An apple with 1 tsp of peanut butter for breakfast, a turkey sandwich and 1 tsp of hummus/crackers for lunch, 6 oz of strawberries for snack, and a lean meat/veggie/carb dinner. I can't resist desserts, so I allowed myself 2 small cookies at night which equaled about 200 calories and 10 grams of fat. Oh, and I only drank skim milk at breakfast and water the rest of the day. Not alot of food, I know. But I didn't get really hungry after the first few days.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Inspired by this thread, I went out to Publix and bought (among other whole grain items) oatmeal and bananas for breakfast.

I had been so-o-o good about bringing breakfast and lunch to work for the first couple of months of my current job, but that's fallen by the wayside and I have been going to the cafeteria every morning for (gasp) cheese grits and a biscuit with butter! Then at lunch I'll often have a slice of pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich with chips.

I'm promising myself I'm going to eat lots of good-for-me food this week, along with my daily Coke.

 

[bicker]

Could you supply a Medline citation for that?

MEDLINE deals with medical science, not mathematics and statistics.

 

[ladycollector]

i went from 140 to 105 pounds by calorie counting.

Start looking at the calorie content of everything you eat, look it up if you go out. If you eat whatever you want currently, I'd probably try cutting back to 2000 a day and see if you lose. Also, cut out calorie drinks. Only drink water, or diet sodas. Drinks are just empty calories.

 

[Kath2003]

i went from 140 to 105 pounds by calorie counting.

Start looking at the calorie content of everything you eat, look it up if you go out. If you eat whatever you want currently, I'd probably try cutting back to 2000 a day and see if you lose. Also, cut out calorie drinks. Only drink water, or diet sodas. Drinks are just empty calories.

Yup; you soon learn how to get the best 'value' for your calories by counting them! I did the same but with unlimited green vegetables - stocked up on lettuce, cucumber and broccoli when I was hungry. I'm trying to get back into that but really it's the exercise I'm missing. I just feel so unfit! I'm not big, I just have a bit of podge that I want to get rid of - I'm about 132lb at the moment and ideally I want to be 125-127lb.

 

[DawnCt1]

Just a reminder. Its Monday, the wine should be gone and you should be out walking!

 

[crashbb]

MEDLINE deals with medical science, not mathematics and statistics.

Actually most of my epidemiology and statistics papers are cited in Medline/OVID. While I agree that anecdotal evidence can lead to erroneous conclusions, I have seen no evidence to suggest that it happens at least 50% of the time.

 

[famofsix]

Just a reminder. Its Monday, the wine should be gone and you should be out walking!

out walking the mall for a new dress

 

[bicker]

Actually most of my epidemiology and statistics papers are cited in Medline/OVID.

Absolutely. The point was that a matter of pure mathematics and statistics was brought up. That research is not to be found in MEDLINE. Only research that has something to with health and medicine is to be found there.

While I agree that anecdotal evidence can lead to erroneous conclusions, I have seen no evidence to suggest that it happens at least 50% of the time.

No one said it does. It is important to not read into what is written beyond what is there, even though what you read-in may be easier to argue against. The statement made was that "as often as not" that is the case. If we want to be technical (and therefore, pedantically inane), then it means precisely 50%/50%; if we want to be practical (and therefore constructively conversional), then it means that neither circumstance occurs significantly more than that the other so as to warrant note of such a distinction.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Just a reminder. Its Monday, the wine should be gone and you should be out walking!

I did it. The wine is gone and at 6 freakin' 15 this morning I was out in the DARK walking. Walked for about 25 minutes, about 1.25 miles. SLOW from what I was doing in May (I had taken the summer off--thus the 5-7 pounds I've gained while going to the beach, picnics, cookouts, etc.etc.etc.). I'll have to make an effort to step it up (no pun intended) tomorrow. Our neighborhood has lots of hills, so hopefully that short amount of time is doing something. I'll walk longer in the morning, just had a busy morning today.

If I'm cutting calories, does it matter WHAT I eat. Why can't I just eat 1200 calories worth of chocolate cake and call it a day??
I won't really eat chocolate cake, but I did have a bowl cereal for breakfast AND lunch (gotta get that fiber in ). I'm assuming that's ok

out walking the mall for a new dress

If I don't lose something this week, I'm heading to the mall Monday.

Oh, and bicker and crashbb----I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I think your typing in Hebrew or something. But carry on, I'm sure the rest of the Dis is smarter than me.

 

[Kath2003]

IIf I'm cutting calories, does it matter WHAT I eat. Why can't I just eat 1200 calories worth of chocolate cake and call it a day??

Theoretically you could still lose weight y sticking to 1200 calories regardless of WHAT the food is, but the problem is:
a) You don't get a lot of cake for your calories so you're likely to feel hungry ---> eat more
b) You'll end up with a sugar-high and a subsequent sugar low ---> eat more
c) It's not exactly a balanced diet

 

[crashbb]

I did it. The wine is gone and at 6 freakin' 15 this morning I was out in the DARK walking. Walked for about 25 minutes, about 1.25 miles. SLOW from what I was doing in May (I had taken the summer off--thus the 5-7 pounds I've gained while going to the beach, picnics, cookouts, etc.etc.etc.). I'll have to make an effort to step it up (no pun intended) tomorrow. Our neighborhood has lots of hills, so hopefully that short amount of time is doing something. I'll walk longer in the morning, just had a busy morning today.

If I'm cutting calories, does it matter WHAT I eat. Why can't I just eat 1200 calories worth of chocolate cake and call it a day??
I won't really eat chocolate cake, but I did have a bowl cereal for breakfast AND lunch (gotta get that fiber in ). I'm assuming that's ok


If I don't lose something this week, I'm heading to the mall Monday.

Oh, and bicker and crashbb----I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I think your typing in Hebrew or something. But carry on, I'm sure the rest of the Dis is smarter than me.

Sounds like you are off to a good start - given that you were doing nothing before, even 25 minutes is a great improvement!

Technically, yes a calorie is a calorie. However, you aren't going to get a whole lot of chocolate cake for 1200 calories and are unlikely to make it through the rest of the day without eating more (especially given the lack of "sticking" power of chocolate cake).

Remember that the scale isn't the only way to measure your success (especially since the dress only cares about your size, not you weight). I increased my weight training this year and went down a full size without losing a pound (very stressful that the scale wasn't moving until I realised that my pants were falling off).

And sorry about the Bicker and I aside (though I am *still* laughing that Bicker could call anyone else pedantic) - it is goes with the territory of being an epidemiologist (basically designing and implementing medical studies).

 

[Chicago526]

When it comes to eating healthier, I'm sure you know what to do, more fruits and veggies, less cookies and chips. But make sure you buy fruits and veggies you actually like and will eat. If you hate celery, don't buy it just because it's low-cal and good for you!

But really my best tip is this. If it's not in the house, you can't eat it! I too gained about 5 pounds over the summer. So a few weeks ago when I went to the store, I didn't buy any crap. No crackers, no cheese spread, no cookies, no ice cream, no chips. Since it's now not in the house when I get the munchies, I can't eat any of it, and at 8 PM I'm too tired and lazy to run out to the store just to get some Doritos! Now, I don't have kids and my hubby just eats whatever I buy without complaint, if you have kids and/or a fussy husband this may be harder for you. But truely, it work for me. I've lost 5 pounds so far and I haven't even excercised at all!

 

[DawnCt1]

I did it. The wine is gone and at 6 freakin' 15 this morning I was out in the DARK walking. Walked for about 25 minutes, about 1.25 miles. SLOW from what I was doing in May (I had taken the summer off--thus the 5-7 pounds I've gained while going to the beach, picnics, cookouts, etc.etc.etc.). I'll have to make an effort to step it up (no pun intended) tomorrow. Our neighborhood has lots of hills, so hopefully that short amount of time is doing something. I'll walk longer in the morning, just had a busy morning today.

If I'm cutting calories, does it matter WHAT I eat. Why can't I just eat 1200 calories worth of chocolate cake and call it a day??
I won't really eat chocolate cake, but I did have a bowl cereal for breakfast AND lunch (gotta get that fiber in ). I'm assuming that's ok


If I don't lose something this week, I'm heading to the mall Monday.

Oh, and bicker and crashbb----I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I think your typing in Hebrew or something. But carry on, I'm sure the rest of the Dis is smarter than me.

I left for the gym at 7. Did the nautilaus, 160 tummy crunches and 4.25 miles on the treadmill walking at a 15 degree incline. Then I came home and mowed the lawn (3.5 miles) pushing it for the last 30 minutes. The transmission broke again on my lawn mower. I had berries and yogurt for a late breakfast and cheated. I had three bites of ice cream for lunch. Nothing more except diet coke til supper.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I left for the gym at 7. Did the nautilaus, 160 tummy crunches and 4.25 miles on the treadmill walking at a 15 degree incline. Then I came home and mowed the lawn (3.5 miles) pushing it for the last 30 minutes. The transmission broke again on my lawn mower. I had berries and yogurt for a late breakfast and cheated. I had three bites of ice cream for lunch. Nothing more except diet coke til supper.

OMG Just call me Slacker-Girl.

I don't think I've done 160 tummy crunches in my whole life.

Good girl!! You'll be my motivation at 6 FREAKIN' 15 in the morning to go up one more hill.

 

[CathrynRose]

If I'm cutting calories, does it matter WHAT I eat. Why can't I just eat 1200 calories worth of chocolate cake and call it a day??
:

Well - no.

If youre choosing to do a low carb way of eating - it should (if youre keeping them low enough) put you into Ketosis.

Now granted, youll lose weight without being in Ketosis, but it will drop quicker if you are.

Your body burns sugar and glucose for fuel - when it runs out of that (when you low carb) it burns fat.

You can buy Keto Strips to see if youre in ketosis at a pharmacy.

I really love low carbing. Ive been BADDDDD this summer. But - hey....tomorrow's another day.

 

[C.Ann]

Hope it works out for you - but if not, heck - you deserve a new dress just for making the effort, right?

 

[CathrynRose]

Another FYI - If you 'low carb' - you wont need to count calories.