Community » Get Advice » Diet and Nutrition » I can't diet, but started going to the gym last week! Will I still lose weight?

"i totally cut out fast food- and late night snacks" - this is encouraging in itself and is a diet in its on right. Make sure you give yourself credit where credit is due!!!

The change in activity level should yeild some results in the beginning. I would recommend finding a piece of cardio equipment you don't hate and doing at least 20-30 of fat burning cardio (this means hitting your fat burning target heart rate (THR)). You can figure out your target heart rate through any number of websites and/or just google "target heart rate." Virtually every piece of cardio equipment can measure your heart rate. Just try different speeds, resistances, inclines, etc until you can hit and maintain your THR. When you are done take the time to read the workout summary that equipment gives you.

Pay attention to the calories burned, once you have an idea of how much effort goes into burning calories it may boost your interest in what you consume.

Start small and stick with it. Success is the goal so make sure you count up all your successes, even the smallest ones!

Diet is such an evil word....and in the stereotypical use of it where you have to completely restrict yourself, you are doomed for failure. How can someone who loves bread possibly succeed on a low carb diet?

Mr_E is right though, you are "dieting" in the correct use of the word. You cut out fast food, changed to whole grain pasta/bread, etc. It's these small changes that will make you stick to it. I've tried to deny myself things, and like you said, it makes me want it even more. So, if I want some ice cream, I'll have it! I just try for healthier options, like vanilla with some frozen berries on it instead of the cookie dough, etc. And hey, let yourself splurge once in awhile, even on the fast food. One trip to McD's won't sabatoge your goals, and it'll keep you from completely falling off the wagon.

Other easy changes can be baking/grilling meats instead of frying them, steaming your veggies and leaving off the butter, etc. You only need small changes to succeed. Just think moderation.

Keep up what you're doing, and you are sure to see some results. They may not come as quickly as the extreme diets, but in the end, your results will last, while those who went extreme will end up right back where they were after eating "normal" again.

Guess what? The secret formula is really not so secret. You need to burn up more calories then you take in. Unless you have a thyroid or metabolic problem, however those are fairly rare.

If you take your current body weight and multiply it by 10, that gives you the approx. numer of calories you need in a day to maintain that weight.

If you subtract 500 calories per day (either through cutting back on what you eat or exercising) you will loose roughly 1 lb a week (a lb of fat is considered 3500 calories)

Exercise alone is one way and adopting a healthy lifestyle is another. The goal is keep you from becoming (or continuing to be a yo-yo weight person). Exercise and eat healthy and let it become a way of life, else you will be where i have been most of my life. Yo-Yoing, up and down up and down. That is my weight not an exercise.

Keep up the good work.

It is what you are doing which will give you the results your looking for... making healthier choices you can live with... It won't give you fast results, but it will give you permanent results. Just one simple thing, like cutting out sodas, can help you loose 10 pounds in a year.

So I am with you on the diet, My approach now is healthier eating habits, and making choices instead of mindlessly pulling up to the drive up and getting combo number whatever.

As to exercise, again choose what you will commit to, and can enjoy...
I know I have bought exercise tapes, home gyms, cardio equipment, which gathered dust because, I dreaded or even hated the exercise I was doing... because the skill level was more intense than I could do, or it got boring and repetitive.

Pick sports you enjoy, instead of picking up another machine or tape, there are tons to choose from, maybe join a recreation team, or take lessons (if you wanted to try and haven't done the sport), or pick events you want to train for... give your workout a reason to want to accomplish it instead of just forcing yourself to hit the gym for just weight loss.

For me, I am training for a triathlon in 2011. One reason is because in HS I ran track, was on the swim team, and before a driver's license I rode my bike everywhere... So here is a sport that I can do all three. Plus it keeps me more focused and motivated, because I have set a goal other than what size or weight I am, instead is about how I feel and what I can accomplish. As an extra bonus, I can read up on the sport, goooo shopping ( every girl's passion) for gear to participate in the sport, and get to meet lots of new people with various fitness levels and stories to share my struggles and successes with.

I wish you success, and think you have the right mind set to achieve your goals.