Hi slaske,

it is untrue that a person that is a little overweight has a slower metabolism, in fact the heavier you are the more calories the body will burn in its basal state.

It is important to break you daily calorie intake into small regular meals. For example 5 or 6 little meals, 1 every 2 -3 hours. This way your body will have plenty of time to digest and assimilate the nutrients that you are giving it. And you will find that you are less hungry throughout the day.

Each meal should contain the components of carbs, protein and fat. The quantities of each would be determined by your metabolic body type.

Try to ensure that you get a good source of fibre with each meal e.G. Brown rice, wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, etc.

Plenty of water is also needed to ensure correct bodily processes to take place.

Regular exercise and increased active daily living will also make a large difference to how your body burns fat. So if you can catch the bus further away or walk faster than normal, these are all cheap and effective ways to push your body further.

I hope this has been of help.

Thank you so much for all your advice...It is very helpful to me. I am doing great on the working out part...But I just started so I know I need to give it some time to see results. I have made a conscious effort to drink more water all day. The eating small meals 5 or 6 times a day is the hard one. I have 7 kids and really, I just plain forget to eat. But I know I have to because I am just slowing my metabolism down by not eating. It is nice to have support from people. Thank you so much again. And if anyone else has any comments, please keep them comming. I need all the support I can get.

Actually, honey, atkins works wonderfully! It will give your metabolism that extra "boost" and since you say you "forget to eat" instead of eating carbs when you do remember to eat, just eat meat, eggs, cheese, or a salad. You can eat the several meals a day with atkins (which is better) but even if you forget to, then even if you do only eat once a day it will still help. I lost 9 pounds my first ten days! Of course the first weight you lose is always water weight, but still! Lots of people will tell you it is not healthy and that it is a "fad" diet, but this is not true. If you go to Atkins.Com and read about it you will see that it is actually very healthy. Give it a try, you will be happy with the results!

Hotasfrick
i have a friend that did the atkins thing and she did great on it, lost a bunch of weight and then she started really craving carbs....And when she stopped doing the diet, she was still eating healthy and working out, but she gained it all back and more....Not that I even really eat a whole lot of carbs anyway, I am just afraid of falling off the wagon and then putting it all back on....But I really like the sound of the program to a point. So I am thinking of incorporating the atkins in with just being careful on what I eat and drinking loads of water. I am just cursed with italian hips....Lol...But I will get to where I want to be!!! I do love this site though cuz it is really so helpful getting other people's advice. How long have you been on atkins?

I was only on it for a couple of weeks and had to go off for a while ( I am a pasta fanatic!) but I am starting again tomorrow.
You do gain it back if you do not follow it as it needs to be followed. If you go on the website and read about it, it tells you exactly what to do and when to do it.
You cannot go back to eating all kinds of bad carbs again, but you do slowly add carbs after the first two weeks. A lot of people make the mistake of not following it the way it needs to be followed and they do gain it back. It does suck because ideally you will not be able to shove your face full of pizza ever again, (well, unless you make low-carb pizza) but it is a healthier way of life! So, yeah, you don't have to try it, my only advice is if you do, follow it the way it is suppose to be followed. You will feel so much better! In the first two weeks, my headaches went away, I lost nine pounds, I had energy and was not tired anymore. I also was not bloated. It was great.
But anyway, good luck with whatever route you choose!!

the atkins diet is a waste of time. Its worthless. Sure when you start is you will see some results, however all you are losing is water wieght which yu will gain right back when you get off of it. If you are gong to do the atkins diet, then in order to keep the weight off you have to stay on the diet. Therfore it sucks.

You do not have to stay on the diet. Once again, you have to do it right for it to work and to keep the weight off. You have to continue to eat healthy, yeah, but is that really a sacrifice? Just because you could not stick to it does not mean that there are not people who cannot.

k, buddy I have never done the atknins diet and never will. Dont assume random stupid thing about someone. I dont have a problem with weight because I know what works and what doesnt. Everyone I know who has done the atkins diet gained the weight right back. How bout instead of eating no or few carbs, you diet like a real person and eat healthy complete meals and man up and do some cardio.

Toward any person who posts here with a view different to yours??

The idea of ehealth is not for you to come & tell everyone with a different opinion that they're wrong - rather it is for a person to ask a question & for others (some with medical training others merely with relevant experience or knowledge)to post opinions, advice, ideas, experiences (theirs & those of people they know) etc.

Yours is merely one voice, your ideas may help some but people are more likely to listen if you don't put everyone with views different to yours down.

i say whats true, not what people want to hear. If you cant take a little debate or a different view then why are you on a message board. Why dont you stop crying.

you really are funny I can't stop laughing at you - I may cry if I keep on laughing but they wouldn't be the sort of tears you would like to think you induce!!

i know I am funny. Thankyou

It's a shame but I suspect you need some serious help.

Furthermore as you have never tried the atkins diet & never will (your words) & due to your good fortune you don't have a problem with weight (although you say this is because you know what works & what doesn't - as if there aren't thousands of others who know this but for whom due to meds &/or medical conditons the "suposedly right" things to do do not work - which is one reason why this aspect of ehealth exists - not that I expect you to understand this anymore than you understand anything else) you shouldn't even have the gaul to comment as you know nothing about the atkins or any other "diet" - since you don't need one for any reason according to you

You have no idea how much I know about this topic. Just because I havent tried it doesnt mean I know how it works and what it can do. I know a lot on the atkins diet and I also know you will gain all the weight back when you get off of it. I am not overwieght because I know what works and what doesnt. The best way to diet and lose weight is to get your head out of your ass and do some cardio. Then fix your food and eat healthy but dont cut back on how much you eat. I know what I am talking about. Why dont you bring some usefull information to the table. Or do you not have any?

As usual you ignore what you can't understand or don't want to admit you know nothing about.

Meds & certain medical conditions alter how our bodies use calories etc & thus we can both gain or lose weight accordingly therrefore what works - or in your words what is right - for most will not, can not work for alot of others - due either to meds &/or a physical condition eg hashimoto's hypothyroidism to name but one condition - also weight gain or loss can occur due to stress &/or hormonal changes (in both men & women).

So it is not a simple matter of one way (yours according to you) being the right way for all - rather each person must research what is causing their weight gain or loss & then research what their choices are re either alternative meds or a totally different type of eating pattern to that which is "right" for most people.

Then of course there are people who due to medical conditions are unable to exercise either at all or only in certain limited ways.

I am telling people my method on the best and easiest way to lose weight. No one ever brought up the subject of medical problems but you. Did I ever talk about medical problems? No, I am provididng a weight losss idea that will work. If they have medical problems then go see a docter and ask him. Face it- no supplments or special diets will not get you thin. You have to eat healthy, and do more cardio.

Slaske started this thread with a request for help re weight loss & she stated that she's on zoloft a med for depression - so the issue of meds causing weight gain needs to be addressed

also people at any age can develop medical problems - often without even being aware of it & many medical problems can cause weight loss or weight gain so if someone is seeking help in either area these issues should be addressed

if you have a medical problem (which can also be hormone related & as slaske has 7 kids & is losing post pregnancy weight hormones should definitely be considered ) then all the cardio & all the "right" to your wayu of thinking will not help - in fact your "right" diet can be deadly for some people - eating the right food sent someone I know to death's door -literally - then when the diet chenged to remeove many "right" foods weight gain & health returned.

This forum needs people who can help by thinking outside the square, in my view posting only one party line as being right for everyone in every situation is flocci­naucini­hilipil­ification.

i didnt see this medical issue however since you seem to know so much on this why dont you contribute and state what you think should be done. You havent stated anything usefull, and instead made a lame attempt to "call me out". You dont even know what my so called "right diet" is. I can understand if there is a medical problem that involves the foods you eat can be dangerous, diabetes etc..However since you have addressed this problem why arent you answering it? Dont randomly try to call me out, but instead put usefull information on the board.