Bikini-ready?
by LeAnn Roms
Hi Suzette. My name is LeAnn and I am 16, almost 17 years old. I weigh 150 pounds at 5'4. I have already lost 7.5 pounds in the last 5 weeks or so.
I was on antidepressants, which my doctor is sure led to some of the weight gain.
I am hoping to lose another 15 pounds fairly quickly, but I lose motivation. I have been doing cardio every day Monday the 7th of July through yesterday the 13th. I love running on the treadmill and doing intervals between running and walking on there as well as Jazzercise classes at the gym. I also have been walking a mile every night for the past four days.
Food is the hardest thing for me. I'll eat chips, fruit snacks, a doughnut, candy, ice cream, cookie dough, and the list goes on. Actually though, I was so proud of myself to have passed up a row of doughnuts at church yesterday. Instead, I just drank water (I had already had breakfast)!!
Do you think I can become bikini ready and lose at least a few of these pounds in the next couple weeks, when I am planning on going to the beach with relatives? If you could also help me with how much cardio I need and other tips for staying motivated and losing this weight, I would be so thankful. Thanks for your time.
LeAnn,
Congrats on the weight you've lost thus far. It sounds like you are on the right track and losing at a reasonable, sustainable rate. I think if you keep doing what you're doing, you're bound to lose a little more weight over the next couple of weeks.
Know that you're not alone in struggling with motivation. In fact, that's the trouble for many people trying to lose weight!! It's not uncommon to lose a little weight, feel better, and then feel like you're "allowed" to slack off on your diet and/or exercise.
In order to stay on track, I'd suggest planning what you'll eat in advance and allowing some of the fun foods you like (chips, doughnuts, candy, ice cream and cookie dough) in small amounts so that you don't feel deprived. Maybe allot 100 "fun" calories per day to be used on these kinds of foods.
Regular, daily cardio will help you burn calories and keep your weight loss moving along. Keep in mind you burn approximately 100 calories per mile. You'd have to walk/run 5 miles per day, 7 days per week to lose 1 pound per week:
500 calories x 7 days per week = 3500 calories.
Read more on 3500 calories = 1 pound.
Check out my weight loss "toolbox" for suggestions on various "tools" than may help keep you progressing forward and feel free to read more about weight loss on the website.
Hope that helps. Best of luck and keep up the good work!
Suzette
