Overweight

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If you don't cook, then you won't be able to control what you exactly eat. Also, fat isn't some evil monster macronutrient. I mean, don't eat like a stick of butter everyday, but your body needs fat to make hormones. No fat, no hormones, thus hormone imbalances. Arguably, saturated fat is actually the best for you, as historically we've evolved to eat it. The only "natural" cooking oil would be maybe olive oil. But, soybean oil, corn oil, etc, only came into widespread use in the 20th century and our bodies aren't adapted to it like we are to animal fat.

Are you sure about your calories if you eat other people's cooking?

I'm in a situation where I prefer to cook for myself yet my mom likes to feed me. I'd rather cook for myself and track my calories.

Also, I'm not so sure Fat in food should be totally avoided. I think hormones are actually made from cholesteral. I think Fat versus Carbs in diet influences metabolism. I prefer to allow fatty meat with veggies and greens but still track the calories. 1500 seems a good number but could give 1200 a try.

I've had a hard time during the holidays and need to get back into the gym after I recover from the Flu.

I look at the packages the food comes in. >_> Sometimes I get less than 1500, but that's the average.

Food shouldn't come from packages. That's your problem.

Don't get me wrong, I like Yoga, but it's hardly a workout. Neither is walking your puppy, unless you're wearing a heart rate monitor and constantly hold your heart rate to 120-150 bpm (in which case, this is the best way to increase your cardiac output). Workout DVDs though, whether they be P90x, Insanity, Rushfit, Tapout XT, I think anyone looking to improve body composition and doesn't know where to start would benefit from those, as long as they constantly and consistently follow the program. A lot of people say they "do X exercise DVD and it didn't do anything" when they would only do it sporadically every two weeks or something. My cousin dropped 10 kilos by following the first 60 days of the Insanity program because he consistently followed it. Physical training is all about adaptation, meaning your body pretty much adapts to the conditions you put it under in order to compensate. (If you constantly lift heavy, it gets stronger. If you run all the time, it makes the heart more efficient. Etc) As long as you have a consistent workout program, you're good with exercise.

With eating, I wouldn't recommend counting calories unless you're a professional. People estimate them wrong anyway, from serving size, to additives, to how much you use, to how you use them. That's why I was never a fan of the "calories in - calories out" principle, as it kind of oversimplifies everything and you never really know the exact value of what you put in/utilize. (I could post some Case Studies to illustrate the point if you want.) I would focus on "eating clean" and following Berardi's principles (read the previous link), which is easier and a lot more realistic than counting calories. Or if you want a more specific diet plan, just look one up. (I'd recommend staying away from "cleanse" diets. They're pretty much bull.) I've heard good things about "Zone", and I've had great results with "Paleo" and "Atkin's". The only catch is you have to really follow the program and its principles all the time, and not only when it's convenient.

Good luck. Keep us updated.

Do you also take into account drinks? There are a lot of calories in sodas, fruit juice, milk, alcoholic beverages and so on, and it adds up.

That's true, items that last longer on the shelf generally arent good for you.