12-30-2008, 11:46 AM
Not all 20lbs are equal. There is quite a difference between 20lbs for someone who is say 170lbs and someone who is 300lbs. Someone who is 300+ lbs can loose (and gain it back) 20lbs in a very short period of time.
Getting rid of 20lbs permanently for someone who isn't grossly obese is a project for at least 3-4 months. Just changing one element will not cut it. It is a long term habit change.
Salad for lunch may not give any benefit at all if it is covered in salad dressings.
Not eating after 7 pm is likely to cause the person to be ravenous and break down and stuff themselves with cookies just before going to bed. Skipping breakfast is almost always a disaster.
Your friend needs to do two things to achieve "calories out > calories in = weight loss"
1) Get some more exercise
2) Control food intake.
I personally think the fad diets should be avoided.
What worked for my wife was walking almost every day for about 1.5 -2 hours (started off with 30 mins and built it up plus looking after her diet. So your friend is off to a good start if he/she cycles every day: next step is to build up the distance. Is it possible to cycle to shops as well as to work? Is there someplace to do an hour's recreational cycling as well every day?
The key for most people is to watch the amount of fat you are eating. For a female wanting to loose weight this shouldn't be much more than 60g per day (2oz) and for a guy maybe 75g (2.5-3oz). Fast food is the killer here although may do actually have lower fat options as well.
The old trick of drinking water before you eat (maybe 20mins earlier) does help a little. Having a salad (careful about the dressing - preferably none) or a light soup (this could be just a diluted veg/meat stock) before you main course as a starter helps as well. The fast food culture of fries, burger an a token lettuce leaf all at the same time is the absolute worst method. You stomach doesn't know what is hitting it - it has no time to react and say "I'm satisfied." So "full" ends up meaning just that - so full that you can't stuff anything else in physically.
My wife got rid of about 50 pounds over about a year and 18 months later is is still gone by walking and by watching fat intake. She continues to walk and watches what she eats.
Forget "dieting" - it is a lifestyle change.
1st calories out > calories in = weight loss
2nd calories out = calories in = stable weight
Getting rid of 20lbs permanently for someone who isn't grossly obese is a project for at least 3-4 months. Just changing one element will not cut it. It is a long term habit change.
Salad for lunch may not give any benefit at all if it is covered in salad dressings.
Not eating after 7 pm is likely to cause the person to be ravenous and break down and stuff themselves with cookies just before going to bed. Skipping breakfast is almost always a disaster.
Your friend needs to do two things to achieve "calories out > calories in = weight loss"
1) Get some more exercise
2) Control food intake.
I personally think the fad diets should be avoided.
What worked for my wife was walking almost every day for about 1.5 -2 hours (started off with 30 mins and built it up plus looking after her diet. So your friend is off to a good start if he/she cycles every day: next step is to build up the distance. Is it possible to cycle to shops as well as to work? Is there someplace to do an hour's recreational cycling as well every day?
The key for most people is to watch the amount of fat you are eating. For a female wanting to loose weight this shouldn't be much more than 60g per day (2oz) and for a guy maybe 75g (2.5-3oz). Fast food is the killer here although may do actually have lower fat options as well.
The old trick of drinking water before you eat (maybe 20mins earlier) does help a little. Having a salad (careful about the dressing - preferably none) or a light soup (this could be just a diluted veg/meat stock) before you main course as a starter helps as well. The fast food culture of fries, burger an a token lettuce leaf all at the same time is the absolute worst method. You stomach doesn't know what is hitting it - it has no time to react and say "I'm satisfied." So "full" ends up meaning just that - so full that you can't stuff anything else in physically.
My wife got rid of about 50 pounds over about a year and 18 months later is is still gone by walking and by watching fat intake. She continues to walk and watches what she eats.
Forget "dieting" - it is a lifestyle change.
1st calories out > calories in = weight loss
2nd calories out = calories in = stable weight