Day 1: big eye opening experience today :(

cocoa7777

I've been making small changes here & there trying to get to a routine that's realistic. Joined weight watchers for a month, but realized calories make more sense to me. Logged my food after I ate today.. Bad idea, maybe I should do it before! Went way over my points! Unfortunately, I've been yo yoing for a while, and now I'm at my 2nd biggest weight ever, just over 250! I've been feeling sluggish, clumsy, & over all weighed down. I haven't really been active for some time, so I decided to go to the gym for the first time in a year. All I could realistically do was the treadmill. So I started SLOW, like 2.0. This was my warm up speed back in the day & I comfortably walked at 3.5 or higher. So I started pushing the arrows to pick up speed. I realized my not so comfortable speed was 2.5! I walked for 45 minutes between 2.0 & 2.5 & it was rough! I'm so big right now, & that experience was a little depressing. I could hardly get passed a warm up speed, & my whole body is sore! I knew I was way out of shape as simple tasks & walking across campus at school seem so daunting! But for some reason this experience was different. I guess it's because I could compare where I was before and now. I've got a long hard road ahead of me, I hope I can make it to my goal.

arditarose

Hey...You made it into the gym, and you logged a full day. That's an excellent start. We all started somewhere, and I can remember my first day back to the gym and my first day logging. It wasn't even that long ago and I've lost 30 pounds and completely changed my lifestyle. Stick with it!

debubbie

I understand how you are feeling, I used to be very athletic in high school and years later I reached my highest weight of almost 300 pounds. When I first started, I was disheartened by how slow I was going and the eye opening realization of the amount of calories that I was eating. In the last 15 months I have lost 60 pounds by moving more each day and cutting down on my portion sizes and cutting out some of the fast food and junk that I was eating.

My best advice it to set realistic goals for your daily calories and weight loss, don't compare your progress to anyone else as this is your journey, keep a journal with your measurements and fitness accomplishments to review from time to time to view your progress, and use other factors to measure your success in losing weight because the scale is the devil!

You can do this! you can add me as a friend if you would like.

kyrannosaurus

If you're transitioning from Weight Watchers make sure you log everything. Lots of stuff is "free" on WW but it all has calories and adds up. So track all your fruit and vegetables etc. I go to WW meetings to weigh in but log here instead of following the points program. MFP is a fantastic tool. Just keep coming back each day and everyday will get easier.

shadowfax_c11

You can definitely make it. And yes log the food before you eat it. It will help you to be a lot more aware of your eating. I had a similar awakening when I started. Using MFP has been very educational. It's only been a month and I am really happy with the results so far.

unbreakable51

You started. You did it. Bravo! I don't know you, but I feel really proud of you! So be proud of yourself and keep up the good work!

earlnabby

You are doing really well for day one! You already learned something and that is the whole point. Don't try to be "perfect" all at once. Being aware of what you eat, the calories, and how you feel is the best first step. You are in for the long haul (me too, I've been here for over a year now and have lost 103 lb so far) so getting in the habit of logging your food is the most important thing to start. After a week or so, you can start tweaking more to improve your calorie intake and fit your food better to your macros.

The best advice I was given when I first started here was that "you are not making a big change in your life, you are making a series of small changes". If you did better than the day or week before, you are making those changes and making progress to your goal.

ETA: I also pre-log my day except my bedtime snack. It makes me feel more in control.

Liftng4Lis

Great job on starting! Keep getting it!

musicandarts

Great job! Weighing everything you eat is important. Going with MFP is inexpensive.

Bemix

Nothing wrong with any of that! I thought I was going to die after my first 10 minutes on a treadmill. Now I look back at that and laugh! Give it some time!

dancinon2

The hardest thing for me was walking into the gym that first day. If you can do that, which obviously you can, you can find a workout that inspires you. Personally I find the treadmill exhausting. Try mixing it up a little. Do 5 minutes on the treadmill and then get off and hit some of the other equipment. I get on and off the treadmill a couple of times during my workouts now. If possible work with a trainer a time or two to learn how to correctly do some other exercises so you can mix up your routine at the gym a little more. Also, if possible sign up for some sort of group class. Although terrified at even the thought of that at first, I was surprised by the almost instant camaraderie we developed as a class and it helped get through the tough workouts. I really enjoy them now. Also the group classes let you 'test' out the trainers at the gym so you find one you can work well with and then maybe do some 1-1 training. Even if weekly sessions with a trainer aren't in the budget, you'd be surprised what you can get out of one or two sessions with a good trainer. Keep up the good work, you can do this!!

cocoa7777

Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement everyone, I'm really happy that I started MFP, and found this community page. Very cool to read your responses, and read a little about other people's successes & experiences! You are right, everyone has a starting point, I guess I should be happy that I finally started.. Thanks again:)