60lbs to lose and feeling like I have a mountain to climb!

carol060606

Hey there, im new to my fitness pal. I have a lot of weight to lose and wonder what everyone recommends for cutting back on carbs or do you think a balanced diet of everything works best. Im not looking for a quick fix as I know that won't happen, it has to be a total life style change which im ok with. I weighed myself after new year and im the same weight that I was at full term pregnancy with my second child I cried for a whole day and can't believe i've let myself go this much BUT I am aware its time for change. Any advice on nutrition appreciated

scotdee101

Hi Carol,
I havent any advice ref carbs but I find just logging EVERYTHING I eat into MFP keeps me on track by making me aware of how many calories Im consuming. Being accountable is the only thing that works for me.
I totally understand how you feel as I feel the same and dont go out as Im ashamed at what I have done to myself, and Ive not had any kids!!
I also have just over 60lbs to lose and this is my first week so if you would like a buddy just say.
Good Luck

Dee

thegreatcanook

You can do this! Log your food, get some exercise and eat clean 90% of the time. Add me and I'll cheer you on!

BruceHedtke

It does seem impossible when you're first starting out. Get into the habit of weighing your solids and measuring your liquids and logging everything you eat. Everything, every day. Once you get into the habit of doing those things, eating better becomes sustainable and you'll be getting healthier every day.

Also, don't look at the "lump sum" of having to lose 60lbs. That can be daunting for anyone. Look at losing the next 10-15 lbs. When you lose that, focus on the next 10lbs. Take things in small steps and don't try to win the race at the starting line.

carol060606

Thanks guys, this is a really good forum for support and motivation as well. I do feel really upset about my weight so its good to hear folk that are on the same journey I think thats good advice Bruce to break it down into chunks and try and go for 10lbs at a time, I turn 40 in 4 weeks and would like to lose 10lbs for then so its a good starting point. Thanks folks, I will likely be on here loads moaning and looking for advice, ha! Its truly appreciated!!

dramaqueen45

As a life long yo yo dieter, I have found that just eating a balance works best- don't try to eliminate anything (unless you're doing it for medical reasons, such as gluten, etc). And as stated above, weigh and measure and LOG everything. Eat what you like- even if it's pizza and chocolate (sometimes), but just do it in moderation and log it and fit it into your calorie goals for the day. If there's something that you know you will binge on, avoid it like the plague until you get this moderation thing down (for me it is potato chips). Exercise! Find something that you really love so that you'll stick with it and better yet, find a buddy to do it with you so you have social time too. Also, try to find the time to lift weights 2-3 times per week. You'll build muscle and that will increase your metabolism. 60 pounds sounds like a lot when you start, but as the saying goes, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Just put one foot in front of the other and make it a life long change. The support on here is great as well as the advice. I would also suggest going to the success stories forum when you are feeling discouraged because there are many inspirational stories on there.

carol060606

Thanks for this, its great encouragement! Life long change is what is needed....thank you so much for taking time to reply xx

curlyslim

Fab advice on here!

Just want to add, that it's worth baring in mind that this journey to lose 60lb might not happen as quickly as you hope, but that just doesn't matter! You just keep on trying and keep going.
I made small changes to my diet and eating habits, oh and of course exercise! So these have become a normal part of my life. And I am still going to keep on going and trying

jnjmollette

If u know how how to add me, we can encourage each other! Lol, I'm new n not sure how to yet!

donnysoule

just to echo above, you'll be amazed how logging your food makes you aware of what you eat and it's effect and how you'll change your habits just with that awareness. Personally, I like to treat the whole thing like a video game, Diet and exercise, I'm always try to beat my last score.

You've got this :-)

ShilohMJ

I have lost and gained the same 30 lbs for at least 10 years. Unfortunately, I am back up at my highest weight (one pound heavier than I was with a full term pregnancy with my first son). I understand how you feel. I actually should lose 80 pounds for my BMI to be in the healthy range. It is so overwhelming that I give up too easily. This time though, I really want to get healthy. The weight is less of an issue than being healthy and around for my 3 boys. They are getting older, and if I am going to keep up, I've gotta get healthy. I have used MFP before, and lost, so it very doable if you take one day at a time and log everything. Good luck!

maieranne77

this thread. Thank you.

jennyvivian

I believe in a balanced diet. until I started tracking my food I didn't realize how many carbs I was eating. I didn't realize how many carbs fruit had and how well it was hidden in other things. I know someone else said you will learn a lot from just tracking your food. I would honestly eat how you would normally eat for a few days and then assess your nutritional intake for those days and see where you have too much and where you are lacking.

napier2286

Hi! I'd be happy to motivate and help you along. Nice to meet you

missbp

I am a believer in a balanced diet, with lots of exercise. I lost 50 lbs about 4 years ago, doing just that. Over the last 6 months I have gained about 15 lbs back (divorce stress). So I am working on getting back to my idea weight. I truly believe I was able to keep the weight off (for the most part), because I did not eliminate anything from my diet. Frankly, I don't want to live in a world without peanut butter. So, maintaining for me was easy to do, because I never deprived myself of anything. I am happy to offer my support, if you would like to friend request me. Good luck! You. Can. Do. It!!!

juliezum

You'll find a lot of wonderful information and support on this site. After some research you'll find a plan of attack that works for you. But one little tid-bit that might help is something that I do. I have about 100lbs to lose...and I understand the overwhelming feeling that comes with that. So I have split everything up into small little goals, because I figure all those little goals will accumulate into the main goal...I hope. So for example, I have a six month goal to log everything I eat daily, exercise 3x a week and a weight loss goal of 30lbs. I wrote those goals on an index card and taped it to my bathroom mirror. I've been journaling too. Good luck and feel free to friend me.

Sandcastles61

Hi there~ I did the South Beach diet a few years ago and while it taught me lots about good vs bad carbs, I didn't sustain it because I too am a carbaholic! A lot of LC recipes are super high in fats for me too so I have to modify them. This go around I'm tracking calories and keeping strictly to my Macros. So far so good! You still need to substitute what we would normally use bread or pasta or potatoes or rice for, but it's working. The Cauliflower Miracle Rice is amazing! I use lettuce wraps for sandwiches, or take lunch meat slathered in Laughing Cow wrapped around cucumber, or peppers or celery. I found a GREAT recipe for lasagna using zucchini and eggplant instead of noodles and Italian chicken sausage instead of pork sausage. My family loves it almost as much as my century old family recipe. There are lots of terrific recipes on Pinterest. I have my macros set at C 25%~ F 35%~P 40%...... This allows me enough room to have a normal starchy carb once a day, but my focus is on good protein and the good carbs. One day I had oatmeal, last night real rice with homemade chicken curry that had sweet potato in it, tonight I'll get 1/2 c mashed potatoes with my pork tenderloin and brussel sprouts. I also have those sandwich thins in my freezer when I just need that toast or real sandwich thing. I also am trying zoodles which is okay texture wise and I like squash so.....but can tell you I never got past those weird 0 carb fish noodle things I got once LOL. There are definitely vegetables that are higher on the glycemic index that turn to sugar carbs on me (like carrots! Who would have thought? ) just keep an eye on your macros and have fun experimenting! Friend me if you'd like!

jgnatca

"You can’t
focus only on the summit. It is kind of
like the forest metaphor and the trees.
You have to look at what is in front of
you. You have to look at the pine needles
before you look at the tree, before you
look at the whole forest. I have seen
climbers who are so focused on the
summit that they can’t focus on doing a
good job and getting through the ice fall
safely. You have to be strong, healthy,
and hydrated and focus on eating and
sleeping and resting enough." - Everest Climber

http://www.zoneofexcellence.ca/free/excellence/02_Mental_Strategies.pdf

You get to sixty pounds gone by making small changes now and slowly building on your successes. I suggest just get used to tracking everything in the next couple weeks. The act of tracking will make you more aware of what you are eating and what changes you need to make.

carol060606

Wow thanks so much for all the good advice and motivation on here, this is a great forum for folk getting started and everyone saying the same thing to take little steps towards change. I worked it out today I have 64lbs to lose which seems a lot but I think by breaking it down into 10lbs at a time I think I can get this done! Ive signed up to a 5k race in June with my work friends so I plan to have lost half my weight by then and be able to jog the whole distance....nothing like setting goals! I'm feeling really positive for change but I do actually feel so so sad when I look in the mirror, time for a change and hopefully that feeling will go. Thank you lovely people xx

donnysoule

one step at a time hun

radiosilents

I understand how overwhelming it can feel – when I started I knew I had over 200 pounds to lose. Talk about daunting! You have to break it down into smaller goals and aim to do this for overall health and fitness, not just the number on the scale. That perspective helps me a lot. I've been a yo-yo dieter my whole life and I'm now determined to end the cycle. I'm focusing on eating in a way that is healthier but also still satisfying – no food is off-limits, but I have to plan more to include certain things. My aim is to create a way to eat that I can live with forever and that will keep me healthy and at goal. I think I finally landed on it! Down 69 pounds as of today and feeling great.

It can be done. Feel free to friend me for support!

loveyhowellthethird

Feel free to add me as a friend. I too need to drop 60 lbs and I know it can be done as I have done well with weight loss before. I'm the gorilla glue in the family, its very hard to find an hour to myself, I am making myself hit the gym every other day for 1 1/2 hour. 45 mins of cardio follow with weights. Tonight will do weights and then a Zumba class. Staying away from processed foods and fast food is helping, giving up Coke Zero. Im focusing on low carb and high protein. Good look to you, my short term goal is to get to 199 by end of Jan. Little goals help me, just like jogging, get to the mailbox, get to the next driveway etc.

seandcavanaugh

It's all about setting small goals and taking it one day at a time. You'll get there be patient and disciplined in your nutrition. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I recommend looking into some paleo recipes, I've never lost weight faster.

Buff2022

I have 60 to lose still. Lost 29 an now the last 60. I have my 30 year class reunion this summer so super determined to get this done an move to maintaining.

47 years old

MKEgal

As for your question about carbs, yes, it's been shown that eating higher protein & lower carbs leads to more weight loss. See this blog post to read excerpts from the studies & click through to read the originals if you want to.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-08-09-high-protein-diet-685553
Try 45% carbs, 20% fat, 35% protein to stay within the healthy macro ranges.

carol060606 wrote:

break it down into chunks and try and go for 10lbs at a time, I turn 40 in 4 weeks and would like to lose 10lbs for then so its a good starting point.

When I started, I had 110 lb to lose, and over the last year I've averaged 1.5 lb per week loss. Of course, I had some weeks where I lost 4 lb, and an entire month where I stalled & lost nothing. It's not linear. One week I lost 4, the next week 1, the next week 2... it just happens.
All you can do is trust science, keep eating fewer calories than your body needs, keep exercising every day, and the weight will come off.

Starting with 60 lb to lose, it would be reasonable to aim for 1 - 1.5 lb per week at first.
When you get down to about 40, 0.5 - 1 lb per week.
As you get closer to your healthy goal weight, even 0.5 lb per week will be a victory.

Realize that as you lose weight your BMI will drop, and you will need to eat fewer calories in order to keep losing weight. When you hit a plateau, drop 50 calories. You can also increase the intensity &/or duration of your exercise. For example, instead of just walking, find a place that's hilly or use the hill setting on the treadmill (or just give it a few degrees of incline in a steady state).

Take a piece of notebook paper, or maybe make a word document, and list every mini-goal, every 5 lb you'll lose, every time you drop 1 BMI number, when you'll go from obese to overweight to healthy... you need lots of little victories. Write down the date you meet each goal. Decide on little celebrations - new earbuds, cute socks, a massage, dye your hair, go for a hike in a park you've been meaning to visit.

I did a newbie help post which compiled links to lots of helpful info, including sexypants, accurate logging, goal-setting (including weight, calories, and macros), and motivation/encouragement.

MKEgal

bluvsu wrote:

I have 60 to lose still. Lost 29 an now the last 60. I have my 30 year class reunion this summer so super determined to get this done an move to maintaining.

Losing 60 lb by summer is neither a realistic nor healthy goal, unless you're starting out morbidly obese, with a couple hundred to lose.

sofaking6

When I feel like I'm never gonna get there, I remind myself that the time between now and whenever I hit my goal is going to pass by no matter how I spend it.

chrisdigginsdb15

Hi! I did this last year what you are looking to do this year. My tips for getting started.

1. Keep it simple. I would have gone nuts doing everything last January that I do now. It snowballs, just pick a few things and do them religiously.
2. You drink water now. That's all you drink, ever. It's worth at least 5lbs up front, maybe 10 if coffee has been your thing.
3. Workout, but don't kill yourself. 15 min twice a day got me going. I used fitness videos. Pick your favorite and give a good effort morning and evening. Don't kill yourself if you miss.
4. Watch the calories. Use MFP and log. It's easier and you cheat less than when you keep it in your head.
5. Embrace grumpiness. It is not fun to eat at a deficit. It's less fun to be fat. You will not be an a great mood. This is a good thing. Push through it an your resolve will grow.