Currently winning a weight loss competition at my work and everyone wants to know how...

[Gravitycollapse]

All of my work peers want to know my secret. The Pharmacists are juicing (the legal kind). The managers are running 5 miles a day.

I keep coming out on top. I've lost roughly 15 pounds in less than 2 months and 10 of those pounds have been in the last 3 weeks. While I use to be an avid runner, I am not anymore. I do not exercise anymore than any other average person. I'm not using any sort of expensive diet program. I'm not using diet pills.

My secret? Being paid just above minimum wage and too poor to eat well. Turns out living off Raman and tap water causes you to shed any excess weight you might have laying around.

...Ta-da

I give you the new miracle weight loss program. It's so revolutionary it's the only program endorsed by the Republican party.

Don't have a lot of money? Are you going to bed a little hungry every night? You're the perfect candidate for the Republican Diet Program! Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be slim, ashen and sickly just in time for those pool days. Well, you know, if you're shithole of an apartment had a pool...But that's beside the point.

Republican Diet Program: That elephant in the room is us...and we're here to cut your pension.

[Fumesucker]

1. You can't be too rich or too thin

At least you got one of the two.

[Socialistlemur]

2. You will get sick soon

Very fast weight loss is associated with gall bladder problems and other diseases. I don't think having a low wage is an excuse to kill yourself. When I was broke I used to have two jobs plus mentored other students, slept six hours average and made it eating tuna with lettuce and tomatoes, bread from the old bread store, milk, and the ripe fruit from the discount shelf. I raised some of my own tomatoes in laundry baskets full of dirt on the roof, sneaked into parties to grab what I could, and warned everybody I couldn't afford to pay if they wanted me to go along somewhere. In other words, having been there I don't buy this bs about starvation and losing so much weight being a strict necessity.

[TekGryphon]

3. 15 pounds in 2 months is fine

That averages out to less than 2 pounds per week, which has always been considered a safe weight loss target.

The OP said they also lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks, or a little over 3 pounds a week. That's a LITTLE too much, but still not anything to resort to "You will get sick soon" or "excuse to kill yourself" comments.

You had some good recommendations on budget nutrition. Next time cut out the hyperbole.

[Helen Borg]

4. Eat fewer calories than you need.

That is the key to losing weight. It takes a LOT of exercise to burn the extra calories you get just from a regular soda. So, what you eat is more important than exercise for weight loss. If you are a guy who needs 2000 KC/day on paper and you eat only 1500 KC, then you will lose weight. Losing 15 pounds in 2 months can be a bit excessive, depending on your initial weight, though. Packaged ramen is typically very high in saturated fat etc and lacks most of the nutrients you need; perhaps you can afford some pasta instead or rice and beans + some veggies? Something affordable, but with the full range of nutrients one needs...

[Major Nikon]

5. You may want to consider contacting the United Way

They should be able to set you up with your local food bank. I donate considerably to my local food bank specifically to help people in your situation. Losing weight and eating little to no protein and fiber is not a good thing.

[geckosfeet]

6. try cutting out the starchy carbs and get more protein and fresh fruit

won't cost any more than the doctors visits you have coming up....

[Volaris]

7. lol Yeah I know what you mean...

The last time I sat and had a full-on meal was a week before thursday, and I bike 4 miles to work and back everyday. I have been burning off excess body fat, but I think I'm to the point now that every little calorie I take in is getting sotred AS fat, because my body thinks I'm starving (I'm not, I could still lose another 15 lbs or so).

When I really lost weight, I stopped drinking sugar (soda), and stopped eating junk (fast food) and I lost 40 lbs in 2 months.

but congrats on winning the contest at work.

[Ilsa]

8. Hi. Congrats on winning. Try to find something

at the grocery store if you drive or walk past one everyday. Maybe an apple. Apple and peanut butter makes a good lunch.