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Losing weight - Am I doing everything right?
Just recently I made the decision to get in shape. I'm 20 years old, 6'1", and 212 pounds. I'd like to get down to 180. About a week ago I began jogging on my treadmill for 45 minutes a day. I have also been staying away from all unhealthy foods, or basically anything with a lot of fat and/or calories.
The problem I'm facing is all the mixed information I'm getting about weight loss. I've done a lot of reading on the internet, and I still have no clear idea of whether or not I'm doing all I need to do. I'm mostly concerned with diet. I've seen everything from "stay away from fat" to "eat as much fat as possible". I understand that there are extreme diets like Atkins that completely eliminate certain foods, but I don't want to do anything that extreme. I just won't be able to stick with it. What I really need to know is how effectively one can lose weight simply by eating foods low in fat and calories, while eating all different types of food, just in moderation(that is, except stuff like sugary drinks and deep fried stuff - those I will avoid entirely).
I am also still a little uncertain about my exercise routine. My 45 minutes a day consists of jogging for a mile (a low jog, about 13 mins/mile), then alternating walking a lap/jogging a lap until my 45 mins is up. Anything I should change? Would it be better to sustain a constant speed the entire time? Should I add weight lifting?
Thanks for your help.
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