I would like to change my diet to lose weight, but I am not sure really what I need to do and can not seek professional help for financial reasons.
I am 5'2" and weigh about 165 lbs (which is how much I weighed since before ever getting pregnant). I know this isn't outrageous but I am very uncomfortable with my body. I am a single mom of two little girls though so I do not have time to work out. Right now, I currently eat most of the time only once a day. I work at Sheetz and since food is half off, I normally eat there. I sometimes eat dinner with my kids, but normally after working and cooking, I am quite frankly not interested in food. I drink coffee for the most part. Any advice or tips to offer?
I've been having troubles with my weight all my life and one thing that all the doctors I've visited told me is that you need to eat often. If you only eat once a day your body will start saving the fat, thinking that there's a lack of food around, so you won't be losing weight like it. That also makes your metabolism stop so your digestive sistem is not running or burning calories. So, the first step I would suggest is that you start eating often, even if it's just a slice of an apple or a handfull of nuts that's good enough, so try to eat at least every 3 to 4 hours. Breakfast, healthy snack, lunch, tea time and dinner.
If you are a big drinker of soda/pop then stopping that would be a major contributor to weight loss. Those sugar packed drinks are horrible for your body.
Easiest thing to initiate change is to increase the number of times you eat, as mentioned above, and to make it more veggies or fruit oriented. Grab a small baggie of carrots and celery or even a bag of trail mix (you make it not those pre-made sugary ones) when you need a quick meal fix. General theme to weight loss to avoid high amounts of sugar as it is in literally everything.
Agreed with @(you need an account to see links) , I lost over 50 pounds after I cutout my Coke, after I went through a series of depressing months I started drinking it again and that's when ALL of that weight came back.
Now it's a super struggling battle, because I want to quit drinking soda, but when I do I get massive headaches that never seem to end. I've tried Tea/Coffee and neither worked not even with artificial sweetener. So I'm pretty fucked at the moment
Just stay active as much as possible, I mean even walking in place can be beneficial.
I agree with @(you need an account to see links), you need to eat more often, or you get into starvation mode, and that's when you'll never lose weight. Always make sure that you eat at least three times a day, and eat breakfast as soon as you wake up, even if it's not much because you're never hungry in the morning, it really does get your body going, my metabolism skyrockets with that, and I feel warm to hot the whole day. Also, always drink water, as that will help you digest well, and will keep you hydrated, so your body will not need to feel the need to save water as bloat, which also influences weight.
I will try to eat more often, I also do not drink a lot of pop maybe 1 glass a week. I drink more coffee but use flavored creamer with no sugar. I normally do not drink water, but will make sure I try to as I do often feel bloated. I thought about diuretic pills, but I was afraid I would dehydrate myself since coffee is already a diuretic.
If you eat crap, stop eating crap. Try to work at least a walk into your day. Remember that your health is very important and even when you feel like ehhhhh I'm too lazy, remember your desires and work with that. Drink water instead of most things. Your whole body will feel better.
This isn't just a cookie cutter response, it's from personal experience.
((starvation mode, used in this context, isn't real. i do intermittent fasting and by your comments, shouldn't be losing weight at all. metabolism is way more complex and way more resilient than you assert.))
Best advice after reading the circumstances would be to get back on a regular eating schedule.
Wake up earlier and make breakfast even if it's a bagel and cream cheese. Eat a nice lunch, just watch the calories since that will play a part if you decide to not work out and just stay active (like walking on ur lunch break etc) And eat a meal at night. You will probably start going to sleep sooner to compensate for getting up sooner. But you'll feel generally better overall just by eating appropriately.
which for me, if I feel good. I feel like I can run 1000 miles, and i'm actually motivated to be active.