I've lost about thirty pounds since I started school and the only places its been noticeable has been my neck/collarbone area, face, legs and a bit in the arms. I know it's hard to lose in the tummy, hips, and bum areas but I just want to know how I can help those areas out. I'm not the athletic kind and running is not feasible at this time. I'm trying to eliminate soda from my diet and to drink more water and juice.

What can I do to help reduce the tummy and other mention areas? I try to walk every other night and that has helped a bit.

I wouldn't drink too much juice, even though it is healthy it also high in sugar.

Drink plenty of water and try and take a brisk walk for 30-45 minutes a day. A PT also told me to 'suck' in my tummy and bum areas when walking, helps tone up those areas. I have lost a lot of weight by following these couple of simple rules.

I don't drink that often to begin with... just when I'm really in the mood for it, like this morning, I had to have Apple Juice.

Juice is very high in calories/sugar. I lost 40 lbs. in 8 months when I was in my early 20's by dancing 2-3 nites a week. I did not gain it back for about 30 yrs. - when I started sitting too much while quilting when I retired from teaching. I actually stopped quilting because I was not getting enough exercise.

unfortunately you can not "spot reduce" certain areas. Keep up your healthy eating. I agree, juice can be as fattening as soda, try to stick to water. Use sparkling water, or add some lemon,lime, or mint if you need some flavor.
Try to eat foods that grow from the ground or on a tree. Try to stick to foods that your great-grandmother would recognize. When you go shopping, think "ingredients" rather than "ready to eat meals". You will save money as well.
Try to incorporate more activity in your day. Take stairs instead of elevators. Park in the farthest spot in the lot and walk. If you are sitting at a task, get up once an hour for some stretching and moderate activity.
Your avatar looks fairly young, it only gets harder as you get older!! Good luck, it is a constant struggle.

Unfortunately, your body will lose inches and shift weight as it pleases!

That said, you are off to a good start. Be realistic in your goals. If you are still drinking soda, switch to diet with zero calories. It isn't ideal, but it will help with the weight. Soda is empty calories. Drink more water than juice or anything else. I was told by a doctor that I shouldn't drink my calories.

A recent study shows that overall people who drink two 8-oz glasses of water before a meal tend to lose weight. Also, try to eat 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones.

Walk everywhere. Ride a bike. Is there a pool where you can swim? Or even walk in the pool? Stand up while using the computer. Every movement burns a calorie. Find a friend to share your goals.

Also important is to stop eating out if you can and stop eating pre-packaged foods when you can. Eating simple, whole foods will cause you to easily lose weight.

Take baby steps. One thing at a time and you are more likely to stick with it.
Best of luck.

People who drink 2 8 oz. glasses of water before their meals exercise by running to the bathroom!

I had the same issue. I walked every day just a mile with the dog but every time I watched tv, I stood up and walked in place. I also did stretching exercises. I'm not big on exercising but these really worked for me. I only drink water even away from home. I was on weight watchers and it not only brought my weight back in check but the dr told me to stop losing and stay where i was!!! I had never heard that before. It brought my sugar and bloodwork back to normal and I had the most energy ever. Keep at it! You can do it and it feels better than any food ever will :)

I'm not the athletic type either, but when I started walking during my lunch and breaks each day at work, I noticed it coming off my stomach and hip areas. It took me about 4 months before I noticed, but it did happen...and I'm in my mid 40's, so my metabolism is not exactly awake anymore.

After I injured my leg, I wasn't able to do the daily walks and my size has increased back to where it was.

We use to walk 15min, 20min, and 15min a day, 5 days a week. It came out to about 1.5=2.0 miles per day in those 3 short bursts of time.

I've had good luck with pilates, I have the total gym (garage sale) and it works for me. I'm 59 going on 60 and don't look it, (so says my daughter! Wait, she has to say that!!)

If you haven't been really athletic, you may need to tone up the muscles in these areas to help lose the inches. Muscles that are more in shape, will lay "flatter and tighter" than those that aren't.
Even tightening these muscles while sitting, and then relaxing them, tighten, relax, will help some :D:D:D

I am 22 going to be 23 in a month.

I'm not trying to lose weight quickly, when I started I was at about 270 and now I'm at 240. My goal is to get to 150, but I'm taking it easy, I don't want to rush to get there. I started losing weight in mid july and then I was sick from the end of July till about mid August. Then I checked my weight over Christmas vacation and I had lost up to thirty pounds, so I was happy. I'm not trying to get to the ideal weight for my height, which is ridiculously low, 100 pounds on my frame, I'd look like a skeleton... the highest weight being 130. If I get under 200 pounds I'll be super happy.

I've started dancing around my dorm room, since it gets me moving and helps me concentrate more on what I'm working on. My dorm hall does not have an elevator so I run and down three flights of stairs each day, and then in the one hall I have class in, I use the stairs (three flights of a lot of stairs).

Congratulations on your weight loss!!
Is there a gym at school?? If so I would
take advantage of it.
You've been given great advice. A couple
of other things I thought of were to not
eat right before bed. At your age you can
lose it a lot faster if you're consistent.
Also be sure to eat a healthy breakfast.
You will reduce the potential for a long list
of future health problems by getting your weight
under control now.
I'm proud of you! Most college freshmen gain
"the freshmen 15" !!! :D:D
PS. The more you move the faster you'll see results.

Lots of water...8 glasses a day. That is the biggest secret. After that it is fibre. Lots of fibre.

I'm trying to eat breakfast each day. I also try to avoid eating after 8 or nine, otherwise I'm up till about 2 am.

Remember the saying, eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a citizen, and dinner like a pauper. In other words, eat lighter later in the day. I do not even eat dinner, my last meal is tea and toast, or similar, at 4pm. I am a bit hungry when I go to bed but guess what? Once you are asleep you are not hungry any more!!

the first place you want to lose is the last it seems. nature's funny on us.
sodas are full of sodium and sugar.
goodness, what else? chips, all those sort of snacks.
just cutting out snacks help a lot actually. once you get used to it.
walking when ever you can. and as you say, water is good for you. helps flush out the bad stuff and replenish your body of fluids you really do need.
good luck hon. :thumbup:

I'm not much of a chip eater and I don't have much candy either (the cost is astronomical at school). My down fall is granola bars and nutri-grain bars, which I don't keep in the room often due to that.

The body seems to lose in the extremities first and the core last. I suspect we have evolved like this because the core is the closest to your vital organs and your body wants to keep energy stores near those organs as long as possible.

Having said that, you should start doing crunches to tighten your abdomen muscles, and if you have a gym on campus, you should start doing weight-resistant exercises, either free weights or weight machines. All the walking will not tone your upper body, but using weight resistance machines will. Also, toning your upper body has been shown to increase metabolism more effectively.

Keep it up - you will get there!

try to walk every day. find a tread mill or find a road around school thats a mile. try to walk 2 miles aday. u can walk a mile on a thread mill in 20 min. just change the incline a little steeper each month or two. u can walk when ever u want. change out the soda for iced tea. unsweetned , use sweet n low or some other sweetener if needed. soda has a lot of salt and makes u retain water. good luck! keep us updated on ur progress.

I had a problem losing weight after my third kid. I had 40 lbs to lose after I had him. And I refuse to diet. He's three now and I lost 25 of it. I started with using smaller plates....sounds crazy, but you can't put as much food on a smaller plate and when I am comfortably full I stop, I used to eat everything that was on the plate so I didn't waste it. I snack throughout the day(not alot, just a little to keep me going inbetween meals. We don't eat out very much anymore.
I had some neck issues for a while and went to a chiropractor, and they gave me some simple exercises. One is doing crunches...and if it hurts to do crunches(I couldn't I was in too much pain)you can lay on your back and just imagine your are on a beach and push your lower back into the sand to make an impression. It works the same as a crunch and super easy. Little exercises like that should be done twice a day.
Slowly incorporate little things into your life.

Thank you! I will try those things out.

We do have a gym on campus, but I'm afraid that people will judge me. I know thats a really stupid thought, but it's a paranoia that I've had a long time, I had a rough child hood when it came to school. So if there are things that I can do in my room for now I'm good... until I'm ready to go to the gym.

Here's my household advice for what it is worth. Cut the carbs, up the veggies and don't eat after 6 p.m. Walk at least 5 days a week for 45 minutes to start and work on your abs daily. Make sure your ab exercises are done correctly. Most people do them wrong (use back muscles instead) and they are very ineffectual. A partner can really help here. My training partner actually used to "feel" my abs to make sure they were contracting. You will need to work all areas of your abs (upper, lower and obliques). You will be able to tell you've done it when you're a little sore for a couple days.

After a couple weeks, you need to walk for 30 minutes and add resistance training. A set of light weights can help. You might try tai chi or pilates (bellydancing is a good workout) to give you some variety. Check with the campus rec center (local YMCA maybe?). You might be surprised to find a community ed class or two. Water aerobics is a great workout if your school offers it.

Did you map out my school? *eyes warily* haha Just Kidding! There is a YMCA with in two blocks of school. I'm not even sure my school has a pool. I know we have a gym, which when it snows it where I'll probably go for the treadmill... as for belly dancing, in the privacy of my own room with the bollywood music blasting it perfectly fine! There are a few DVD's I can get. There is a community center near by that I can take Zumba classes at (another dancing work out, they say you can lose up to a dress size in two weeks... but thats if you go every day, and I can't afford that... so I'll party it up in my room!)

I will say this, I'd love to go swimming... but I'm not a very good swimmer! Not in the least!

There are tons of nifty little exercises you can do right in your own home without any equipment. For awhile I was on a 30 minute workout routine about three or four days a week.

Like someone else mentioned, crunches definitely help (not full on sit ups, just the crunches). The other thing to help tone your stomach area is focusing on the obliques (on your sides, between the bust and hip area). Hold two light weights in your hands (5-10 lbs) and take turns holding your hips still and leaning to the right, then the left. Then twist and turn. It doesn't sound like much, but coupled with the crunches it has a definite affect. Sounds like you're doing great already though!!! :)

Thanks!

"...only places its been noticeable has been my neck/collarbone area, face, legs and a bit in the arms."

The 'only places'? You're doing great! Are your jeans just a bit loose? That doesn't always 'show' when you look in the mirror, but you can feel that.

Keep dancing around your dorm room every night. Get an exercise dvd, one that's not too hard, and do it. My daughter, who has struggled with her weight all her life, swears by yoga.

Drink water before you eat. You'll eat less.

Does your dorm have stairs? If so, use them. Excellent for toning the legs, hips and belly - and free. Once or twice a day is fine to start with as stairs can be hard on the knees. Build up the number of 'repetitions' over time.

Eat foods that are 'fiber dense' - carrots, celery, vegetables, lettuce, etc., not 'calorie dense' - chips, desserts, fries, etc. Fiber dense fills you up. Calorie dense fill you out.

Eat fruit. It's better for you than fruit juice. Generally lower calorie and higher fiber density. If the price of fruit scares you, think of how much nutrition you get from a piece of fruit compared to chips and desserts.

Allow yourself a treat at least once a week. Small portions, of course.

Congrats on the 3.1 gpa!

My jeans are a bit looser, but I don't wear jeans too often, I'm not a huge fan but that has to do more with them fitting only in the waist and being baggy every where else... especially in the legs which are mostly muscle to begin with. (what can I say, I have a weird body) I'm big boned... I know this... my ankles are huge as are my wrists. I know this due to them being all bone and what not, if that makes sense. Though my legs are starting to take on a more lean appearance.

My dorm building does not have an elevator... just a ton of stairs... which I've thought about running up and down them for the cardio work out I could get from it.

I work out my hands about an hour each day... playing piano! I'm getting a flute in February possibly too, so that will help with fingers and breathing. I haven't played flute in YEARS! It's also a change in the finger positioning too, so that helps with that too.

To be honest I'm not even sure what triggered the weight loss either, it's possible that it's cause I'm now on a schedule with eating, but I'm not sure... hmmm

Alu, what an achievement! A 3.1 GPA.
And the weightloss :)
What about a bike? I started on one when I was 90 kg ( I think that is about 180 lb) and I am 5'4. I rode to work 3 times a week, as we only have one car. Lost 20 kg in 3 months. Still have to work at it, but it was less of an issue for me than the gym. I now ride a lot, and it helps keep it off. I also enjoy the time alone.
Enjoy your studies x

Keep up the good work!

"they" say that we lose weight in the opposite order that we gain it. Which means, our faces, necks, upper arms, etc... are the last places the weight piles on; our tummies and rear-ends are the first. If you continue with your current diet plan, the next 30 lbs (or 20, or whatever is left) will come off of those places.

My advise is simple since so many have posted such good advice that I will simpley say: Don't be too hard on yourself for any backset you have. They will happen. Just get right back on the plan you've developed for a healthier life style. Keep working on improving it. Thank you for posting...you are already a winner!

You are doing well, keep up the good work. I've had a problem with belly and bottom fat too. What is taking it off is eating better. More lean meats, vegatables, fruits and whole grains. It's the prepared foods that take all the good stuff out and leave the fats and useless carbs that do it to us.! Even the so-called lowfat diet stuff! It you have to have soda, switch to diet soda and eat fresher, less complex foods (hopefully you have a dining hall where you are that has some of these). DH and I have been following the South Beach Diet plan which is basically what I've described above. Good luck and keep at it! :-D :-D

First, good job! Every pound adds up. I have lost 45 pounds over the last year and am working hard to get 5 more off. It just isn't cooperating. I buy the protein water and special K protien bars and put the powder in my big jug of water and that tastes good to me and really helps. (pink lemonade flavor). A bowl of special k with fresh blueberries for breakfast, protein bar for lunch some fruit for snack,and a normal family dinner. I will be 60 next month and this is the 3rd time i've had to get the fat off in my life. It is a lifetime battle. Good luck to you. Keep in touch if you need encouragement.

You're doing so good at this, just be patient and stick with what works for you. There's a lot of great advice out there and it looks like you are proactively taking advantage of the exercise opportunities in your dorm (love that you dance in your room :)). I understand about the gym it can be overwhelming--just go at your own pace and you've done so well! Take a minute to congratulate yourself. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Posting here will help keep you motivated.
Looking forward to continuing good news from you. Here's to a healthy 2011.

You can do exercises that strengthen and tone those muscles. using weight will build muscle, oning and strengthing makes for better body shape. Many of these can even be done while sitting (sewing, quilting, working) even at work on your break.
All you have to do is tighten those muscles and hold for 10-15 seconds, release and repeat. Having fun should be number one.

Keep up the good work. It's not possible to spot reduce, as others have said. My advice? Stop scrutinizing your body looking for flaws. You'll get discouraged. Accept yourself the way you are and pat yourself on the back for what you've accomplished, which is considerable. A 30 lb. weight loss is something to celebrate.

Try to greatly reduce or eliminate all "white" foods from your diet. They are all high carb foods.

You're doing great already - keep touching that collarbone to remind you that the weight is coming off and since the bones are starting to show, it will come off in other areas, too. Maybe cutting down on the breads and pastas will help diminish the bloating that pooches out the tummy. Can't hurt. Keep up the walking. You're a winner!