Current stats: I am 28 year old 5'5 weigh 192 pounds. I already lost 35 pounds. I gained 100 while I was pregnant with my son, he is almost four, I think it is time to lose the extra weight on my body. I started by cutting out all fried foods (that was big for me, no chips, foods cooked in oil etc...) then I went to all foods with any sort of oil. If you look at labels, you know about 90% of food has some sort of oil except of course raw, fresh foods. Then I had the idea to cut out all carbs, so nothing with wheat in it. Then I cut out all meats, including fish and such. I am basically left with oats, rice, potatoes, vegetables, dairy products (without oil and no ice cream), fruit, juices and water, only one or two protien bars have no oil so I do eat those sometimes. I get protein from them, and mostly dairy products like fat free cottage cheese, yogurt, sometimes nuts. I was losing alot more weight in the beginning when I was eating meat and wheat products (no white, bleached flour products) than I am now. I did slow down a little on exercise because I stared a new job watching more children and I was pretty tired keeping up with them. I started taking more walks this past week, as I bought a stroller for my son and we have a new neighborhood with trees to shade from Florida sun. Anyway, what is your opinion on what I am eating, what should I do. If I start incorporating wheats and meats will I blow up. Should I just start exercising more and keep my strict diet? What is your opinion. Sorry if it is too long. Thanks for reading and your help!

fat is not evil...

Carbs are not evil...

fat in fact is good for your body -as long as it's the right fats...

Start by reading the stickied threads in this forum - and you'll get a much better idea of what consitututes a healthy diet that is sustainable long term

I would start to incorporate a more balanced diet, cutting out foods completely just make the impossible seem even more impossible, eating a balance of protein, carbs (complex carbs), and fat can help you speed up your metabolism and give you energy througouht the day. Make sure to eat breakfast and eat lots of fiber and drink lots of water to keep everything in the body out and moving!

Find out your BMR to know how many calories you should be intaking a day, and subtract 500 calories ((So if your BMR is 2500, (2500-500 = 2000 Calories per day)) from that number, in a week that will be a defecit of 3,500 calories which is equal to a pound of fat. Dont try to restrict yourself so much it will ultimately end up with an unhealthy weight loss and malnutrition and no one wants that! Hope that kind of helps!

-Mariah