Some weight loss questions....?

I need to lose weight (seriously). I'm 20 years old, about 5'3 and around 160 lbs. I want to boost my energy and my mood, and hopefully my confidence as well as lowering my stress level. Here are my questions: *What are the best exercises I can do at home, without equipment? I'd like to target my belly, hips, thighs and arms. I live out in the country. * What are the best foods to eat, that don't have a complicated recipe? I don't have time to cook and I'm a horrible cook besides lol. * Would it really make a big difference if I cut sodas out of my diet completely? I'm so addicted to caffine and I can consume 2 or 3 20 ounce bottles of dr.pepper in one day! I know that's not healthy. Would it be alright for me to have just one 20 ounce bottle a day, if I drink water or juice the rest of the time? * What are some good ways for me to get motivated? A lot of the time I sit there thinking 'I need to get up and go work out', but I never do. Help will be most appreciated!

Public Comments

  1. Start out doing push ups, sit ups, and jogging. Those are really easy excercises, and they work. I dont really have too many ideas for the food, i just eat smaller portions when im hungry, instead of completely filling up. With the soda, try switching to diet, its not just the sugar in soda that is bad, they have sodium, which stores water and thats extra weight. after the diet soda, try to switch completely to water. If you miss the flavor, get some of the crystal light flavor packs, i use them all the time.
  2. since you live out in the country, try going for long walks. keep it at a moderate to high intensity, for as long as you can stand. soon, you'll start running instead of walking. both of these are great for all-over weight loss, since you can't really target just one area to lose from. basically, i just eat all natural foods, nothing processed. the best diet is NO diet, just eating healthily and balanced meals. cutting pop out of your diet is VITAL! soda is so bad for you. even one a day! try replacing your caffeine w/ something healthy, like green tea, which is packed with antioxidants! and DON'T drink juice. it has tons of sugar which is bad for you. what helped get me motivated was reading fitness magazines a lot. i looked at all the FIT ladies, not just stick thin models like in fashion magazines, and it really made me want to be healthy. good luck! oh, and i live out in the country too! so i know where you're coming from!
  3. ok well.. best exercises you can do are; sit ups / crunches, push ups, if you have any free weights then thats also a good exercise. Best foods to eat are: fruits, veggies, fish or some type of meat, soups, salads and yes if you cut soda out of your diet completely it will help a lot.. i did it.. i drink like water, gatorade, ginger ale, milk & orange juice and for the last thing.. motivation is the key, start eating healthy and look and feel better.. as for working out, just start off with like 10 sit ups / crunches, 10 push ups.. and everyday work your way up..
  4. Running is one of the best exercises. Alternate between moderate and intense physical activity. Try to exercise at least an hour a day, plus 30 minutes of walking. Crunches or situps for belly. Make sure when you do crunches and situps keep your back on the ground and try to have your belly flat when you situp for best results. Lunges for thighs and hips. Lunges, keep your feet at shoulder width apart put on foot up on a stair or stool. bend your other leg so that your knee almost touches the ground. Hold for 2 seconds and stand back up. Repeat 15-20 times a day for each leg. (You can also hold weights in each hand when you do lunges. Keep your arms at your sides) Leg raises for leg and thighs. Push ups or lifing weights (if you don't have weights can also for arms. Stick to fruits, vegtables (have 6-10 servings a day) and whole grain foods (4-5 servings a day, but try staying away from baguettes) and other fibrous foods. Eat lean meats and beans for protein (2/3 servings a day). Low fat cheese, yogurt and 2% milk for milk products (2/3 servings a day). It makes a big difference if you don't drink soda. Caffine also slows down your metabolism so it's best to drink lots of water, and if it helps you stay on your diet, occasionally juice. Listen to music when you exercise. Set goals. If you reach a goal, reward yourself (e.g. buy something you want...) Start off with short walks and lengthen them everyday. Make sure you make time for exercise everyday. Have a friend exercise with you. Nothing better than a friendly competition to see who can run for longer? =P Keep a journal. Record how much time you exercise and what you eat everyday. The first few times, you may have to force yourself to exercise. Gradually you'll like exercise better since exercising releases endorphins which lifts your mood and generally makes you happier.
  5. As far as the sodas go. Alot of people lose weight just by not drinking them anymore. I love Diet Dr. Pepper. It might take sometime to get used to, but if you stick it out, you will not want the original. It will taste like syrup.
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