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About Laurie Beebe, MS, RD, LD
Expertise
As a registered dietitian I am fully qualified to accurately answer questions regarding weight loss, including those from people with health conditions requiring dietary restrictions (diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc) who want to lose weight, or who have been advised to do so by their physician.

Experience
I have been a registered dietitian for over 25 years and am certified in Adult Weight Management through the commission on dietetic registration. I also have training in coaching through Coach U and currently work as a diet coach to help people lose weight the healthy way.

Organizations
American Dietetic Association, Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group, Nutrition Entreprenuers, St.Louis International Coach Federation, Toastmasters

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Health Science from the University of Florida, 1983; Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Case Western Reserve Universitiy 1985; Certification in Adult Weight Management 2006; CoachU core essentials grad 2007.

You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Eating Disorders > Nutrition & Dieting > I want to lose weight.

Nutrition & Dieting - I want to lose weight.

Expert: Laurie Beebe, MS, RD, LD - 10/28/2009

Question
I am a 17 year old female, 5' tall, and somewhere between 235-240 pounds. I want to lose about 100 pounds. I have a very slow metabolism, asthma, knee problems from falling 15 feet off of a cliff, and a heart condition that makes my heart go 160 beats a minute with out me even moving. I want to lose my weight by exercising and eating healthy. I am always on the go and only home enough to sleep. So my question is.. Could you tell me some foods that are good to eat at fast food restaurants and tell me some exercises and other things that would help me lose weight in a healthy but kind of quick way??

Answer
Dear Sarah,
Congratulations for making such a great decision!
Okay, it sounds like you need some healthy meals that you can take with you on the road. Planning ahead for what you're going to eat during the day is going to be a priority. You'll want to have a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and healthy snacks. I'm not sure what you have access to (refrigerator, microwave) so I'll give you a few options here.
For breakfast having some protein will help tide you over (and if you aren't a breakfast eater, it's good to know that giving yourself this morning meal will actually help you lose weight by jump-starting your metabolism). Make a fast sandwich by toasting an english muffin and slapping a slice of low-fat cheese in between slices on the way out the door. There are numerous granola-type bars you could also choose to eat on the way to school in the morning. Look for those that have fewer than 180 calories.
These bars, as well as packages of cheese-n-peanut butter crackers, make great snacks. Under 180 calories, they still are satisfying and tide you over until the next meal.
Focus on what you include in your meals as well: be sure to aim for fruit and vegetable servings whenever possible. Adding an apple or some carrot sticks to lunch will help keep you feeling full while providing you with extra nutrition.
For the fast food restaurants, find your favorites on line (at their own site for the most accurate information). Compare a few of the sandwiches to find those that provide fewer than 400 calories. Usually these will be grilled chicken, or smaller hamburgers without mayonnaise.
Some people get a lot of their calories from sugary beverages. If you don't like diet drinks, try unsweetened iced tea, or at least mix half water into your other drinks to dilute the calories by half.
If you are working through dinner time and have access to a microwave, there are hundreds of 350 calorie frozen meals (some are as low as 250 calories!) that you can have with a piece of fruit or a carton of yogurt to round out the meal.

If you start with these simple changes (3 meals a day, low calorie snacks, low calorie beverages, and low-fat fast food options) you will definitely start to see a few pounds a week coming off!
As for exercise, you'll have to contact an expert in that field, considering your physical condition. Your metabolism is only slow because you aren't able to be active, and this could be improved once you're on your way to weight loss through a healthy diet.

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