and please don't take any wacky supplements that have ephedra or ma jong in them. They do work, but they can cause SERIOUS heart problems and are banned in many countries. The FDA is trying to ban them here too, but they haven't been able to do so yet. My doctor told me this after I took hydroxycut for a week and nearly landed myself in the emergency room for rapid heartbeat. It was a very, very scary experience. Trust me, its not worth it.
After that little scare, I decided to do the weight loss/fitness thing the old fashioned way, dropped from a size 14 to a size 8, and kept it off for eight months now. I even managed to not gain any weight through christmas and thanksgiving (now that was hard; my mom makes the best christmas cookies!) I made some lifestyle changes. I go to karate at least twice a week, and go to the gym every weekday I don't go to karate. I just can't go home first, because if I walk into my apartment, I tend to stay there, so I have to go straight from work to the gym or the dojo, then I go home after my workout. Makes a huge difference. Keeping it off hasn't been a problem. I've gotten so used to working out that I go a little stir crazy when I don't get my exercise. I also cut out red meat. I eat fish and chicken and sometimes pork, but no beef at all. I also don't eat fried food anymore. That was the hardest part. I love french fries and fried chicken. I've gotten used to it now, and I look at the greasy stuff and it looks really unappetizing. I take vitamins, I eat my veggies, and I feel great. I'd still like to lose a few more pounds, but I'm pretty happy where I'm at, and my guy certainly isn't complaining.
Something interesting to remember...the easier it is to take off the weight, the easier you'll put it back on. the harder it is to lose, like if you just do it with diet and exercise, the more likely it is to stay off. Losing weight isn't easy if you do it the right way. Just remember how much time it took you to put on the weight. Don't expect it to just drop off the second you start dieting. After the first ten pounds, you shouldn't lose more than a pound a week, or you're losing water and muscle instead of fat, and that's not good for you, and you'll gain it back as soon as you start eating right again.
I get friends and relatives coming up to me and asking how I lost the weight, as if there's some kind of magic cure-all thing... Its really amusing to see their faces fall when I tell them it was just diet and exercise...the same thing their doctors have been telling them for years. To lose weight you just have to take in less calories than you burn, but they have to be healthy calories.
best of luck!
Nightingale
Go for it, and do your best.
