Want to lose 5-10 pounds

amother

Lemon

Thu, Nov 09 2017, 12:30 pm

I'm 5'2.5" and around 135 lbs. I look like I weigh less than that, but for some reason, the scale doesn't budge. I'm thinner than I was in high school, but I weigh 7 pounds more. I'm at the very top of the BMI range of normal, but I look thin.

I feel fine about myself and how I look, but I would like to have a little leeway with my weight. My husband and I are trying to lose weight together. I want to lose around 5-10 pounds (5 is more of a goal, 10 is more of an ideal). We have a challenge and some incentives put together, and we've eliminated most of the junk from our diet. We are putting together a plan for losing weight.

I could use some help:

1) What types of exercise are friendly for a mom with a baby, especially one who works full-time, and also help with weight loss? And what do you do when you're a niddah? I'd love to put on YouTube videos, but I can't exactly do that around my husband when I'm a niddah (and he'd be watching the baby).
2) How do you motivate yourself to exercise?
3) Realistically, how much exercise--and what types--do I need to do in order to lose weight?
4) Shabbos is hard. The standards we have for Shabbos meals are outrageous. Please recommend some simple, healthy Friday night and Shabbos day meals! Remember, it's my husband, my baby, and me.
5) General tips/healthy recipes/ideas would be helpful!
6) Is it really true that I can only eat 1,334 calories a day to maintain my current weight?

TIA!

amother

Sienna

Thu, Nov 09 2017, 8:00 pm

[quote="amother"]
3) Realistically, how much exercise--and what types--do I need to do in order to lose weight?

Quote:

There is no exercise that will help you lose fat faster, it's just about calories burned. Exercise isn't going to burn as many calories as you think. Maybe just 100-200. People overestimate. You don't have to exercise anyway if you don't want, just eat fewer calories than you need to maintain weight. It does help a little, though, and it's good for you regardless of weight loss. I didn't exercise at all and lose 40 lbs.

[quote="amother"]
4) Shabbos is hard. The standards we have for Shabbos meals are outrageous. Please recommend some simple, healthy Friday night and Shabbos day meals! Remember, it's my husband, my baby, and me.

I don't have advice here. You could eat the same stuff unless it's really high calorie, just eat less of it. It's hard on shabbat because you can't count calories. I just was mindful of eating a reasonable amount and served myself smaller amounts than I would have otherwise so I didn't overeat just because there was a lot of food on my plate. Lower calorie deserts can help, like fruit instead of cakes (I can't resist cake!). You could also cut out a course if you have a lot. Look for low-calorie foods that are really filling so you don't feel deprived, like a broth-based soup.

amother wrote:

6) Is it really true that I can only eat 1,334 calories a day to maintain my current weight?

No. There are two different numbers to know. First is RMR (resting metabolic rate). This is the number of calories you need if you do not do any physical activity. Essentially, the number of calories you'd need to maintain weight if you were in a coma. For you, that's probably 1,334 cal.

To maintain weight, the number of calories you eat needs to be equal to the number of calories you burn by existing (RMR), digesting food, and all physical activity. If you are sedentary (office job, no intentional exercise) you need about 1,573 calories per day to maintain. So, your target calories to lose weight is between 1,334 and 1,573. You could go lower to lose weight faster, but you'd probably be hungry and cranky a lot. Smile

Another tip: remember that your husband is bigger than you and men have more muscle. He can eat a lot more than you and still maintain/lose weight. Not fair, but that's life. I think a lot of women make the mistake of thinking they can eat the same amount as their husbands, but unfortunately that's not the case. Sad

amother

Lemon

Thu, Nov 09 2017, 8:21 pm

amother wrote:

Thanks for your response. So exercise won't let me be able to eat a little more? I was hoping...

Even 1,500 calories is pretty little. I am pretty sedentary--on my feet a lot during the day, but not moving that much (teacher). I want to change that, for health's sake as well as weight.

I know my husband can eat more than me--I'm not disturbed by that. I don't think I ever made that mistake, since I've seen how my grandfather, father, and brother all lost tons of weight just by cutting out some junk. That doesn't work for me. I'm not eating any cake or cookies or anything.

amother

Smokey

Thu, Nov 09 2017, 9:41 pm

why does your husband have to watch you exercise? Can't he be in another room? Or can you join a gym and do that some nights a week? Or go walking early before work? I try to exercise 3-4 times per week. I work part time though. I do YouTube videos at night if I can't go to the gym or run in the morning.
Exercise helps with weight loss but like the saying goes "abs are made in the kitchen". So exercise without diet won't make as much of an impact unless combined with eating less - and the right kids of food. As far as motivation for exercise, personally I feel like it clears my head and makes me so much more relaxed. Also they changes in your body as you get more fit are really cool.

I heard from a nutritionist that exercising 2-3 a week for minimum 30 minutes is helpful for weight loss. Doesn't have to be crazy exercise just not like strolling along calmly. You get the difference.

Shabbos is hard. Now that my kids are older and my husband isn't dieting I learned to have major self control but for a long time I didn't go crazy with shabbos meals - salmon, chicken soup (no noodles or matzah balls just veggies) chicken some diet Coleslaw a diet veggie kugul and some roasted vegetables was more than enough for me and my husband. Shabbos day a bit of cholent if you need (I don't). Lots of fruit for the long day/night.

Make sure you're not eating too many carbs and try to eat 100% whole wheat. I don't eat carbs at supper just protein and vegetables. This is what I eat typically.

Breakfast 80 cal Greek yogurt and 1 cup fiber 1 lunch tuna, salmon or egg whites with salad (careful with mayo and light dressing not too much) and either 2 Arnold's 40 cal bread or a 90 cal wrap etc supper chicken or fish and roasted vegetables. Snacks are 3- fruits a day and I drink a lot of water.

Sorry if none of this is helpful or relevant- I've been doing this a long time and it's helped me maintain my weight. Good luck!

amother

Lemon

Thu, Nov 09 2017, 11:18 pm

amother wrote:

I don't know, I just feel like it gets too complicated when I'm a niddah... like if I want to take a shower, or he wants to come in, or anything, I have to cover up totally... it's such a pain in the neck.

I wake up at 6:15 AM, get ready for work, eat breakfast before I leave if I'm lucky, and then drive to work. I am not going to get up any earlier to exercise. As far as a gym, there is one right near my house, but I teach and I have a lot of prep work. Between prep, grading, making supper, taking care of baby, and spending time with husband--no more time. I'm so worn out every day. (The gym is also not open Motzaei Shabbos or Sunday night.)

That amount of exercise makes sense to me. When I Google it, it says to do 30-60 minutes of heavy exercise 5 times a week. Yeah, right. 3 times for 30 minutes sounds more doable, although I'm not going to get there all at once.

Obviously I'm not relying on exercise alone--I'm just wondering if it will fuel more weight loss, since dieting alone doesn't seem to work for me so well.

I don't like a lot of the staples in a weight-loss diet, especially tuna, which makes me nauseous. I don't really like eggs of any time, either. I started eating Greek yogurt, but I don't like the lite/natural ones, so they have more sugar. I can't eat those "diet" foods, they make me depressed. I need to be able to eat foods that don't make me sick to my stomach. I have started eating a lot more whole wheat.

Lunch is the hardest meal of the day for me. My lunch break is at 10:30am, and I teach 2 periods before and then 3 consecutive after that. I need something that will sustain me, but I can't find ideas. As I said, I don't like tuna or eggs. I have a very difficult time with it, and sometimes end up skipping lunch (like today, when I was very weak coming home).

amother

Smokey

Thu, Nov 09 2017, 11:30 pm

amother wrote:

Wow you are very busy! That is hard! Ok so as far as exercise I say do it at home watch YouTube videos and either find a spot you can do it uninterrupted, ask your husband to pls not come in for that half hour or exercise in dry fit long sleeve tee leggings and a skirt on top so if he needs to be around you'll be tznuis. If it's super important to you I'm sure he'll be understanding and try not to disturb while you're exercising.

You must not skip lunch! Or breakfast!! When you're so hungry your blood sugar goes down and leads to over eating and eating wrong foods later. If you don't like tuna or eggs maybe make some whole wheat pasta with skim cheese, grilled cheese, sushi with brown rice, cottage cheese, yogurt with cereal... I don't know what would appeal to you but maybe try to find something you'll enjoy that's not fattening.