Need to lose 68 pounds need Motivation and Support

txlonghorns38

Hey yall I need all the Motivation and Support I can get as I work towards losing 68 pounds and my goal is to have it gone by this time next year. I'm currently working on changing what and how I eat and limiting my soda to 2 cans a day and drinking more water, as for exercise I walk 5 miles a day before work and I'm gone almost 2 hours at a time. I know over time the weight will fall off and I know it also takes time for things to happen as there not going to happen over night. Please feel free to add me as a friend as I need all the motivation and support I can get to make this happen.

6502programmer

Two cans of coke is 300 calories. I've never been one to tell someone "it doesn't fit", but that's a serious daily calorie load for what are empty "treats." Assuming you are around 200 pounds, most of your walking (2.8 miles by my crummy math) is going towards burning off the calories you're drinking.

It is FANTASTIC that you recognize the need to make small, incremental changes to make them sustainable. Soooooo many people start in on wholesale changes (go vegan, clean eating, crazy workouts, starvation, etc) that they lose sight of the fact that small and consistent changes, over time, become big losses, burning out on the "whole new me" thing because it's too much change too quickly.

300 calories per day, over the course of a year, is around 30 pounds. Water is great, diet soda is fine. Heck, even if you just drop to one can per day, you're losing fifteen pounds with no work. I drink coffee with a Splenda, diet energy drinks (monster zeros are awesome), 4C drink "sticks", and water. It wasn't until I started looking at things in terms of how much I would need to walk to burn it off that choices became much clearer, to me.

ninjali9779

Hi! Seriously so proud of and happy for you for making a plan. First step, DONE.
I started by cutting out soda and condiments. Seems totally small, but I had to start somewhere. In addition to the eventual weight loss that accompanied, I noticed my joints were less inflamed, I had less bloating, my hands/feet no longer swelled as much, and I actually had more energy than when I was pumping caffeine through my veins all day! As far as condiments go- I started using mustard, salt and pepper, coconut oil, spices, and sugar/sweetener-free fruit preserves to liven up dishes. This one was harder than cutting out soda/energy drinks/juice because I loooooove butter and jelly and bbq sauce and ranch and hot fudge on just about anything. Haha But switching those out made the bigger cuts (I.e. White bread/empty starches, fries, large desserts) so much easier.
I commend you for your exercise goals as well. I frankly HATED walking/running. I had to motivate myself with music and audiobooks. I would walk for a chapter of an audiobook, then be done for the day. My goals increased by that gauge. When I started feeling fit enough to try jogging, I would jog to one song, then walk for 1-2 songs, then jog to another song, then walk again, and etc. Jogging to songs you're familiar with, I've found is very helpful as well- you can sing the lyrics in your head and focus on that instead of focusing on the fact that your legs burn and you're sweating and you probably don't look stellar running (Side note- NO ONE looks gorgeous running/working out in general- but I guarantee, everyone passing you in their car is admiring the hell out of you for being out there and at least trying).
I really encourage you to log your progress and your setbacks! Those days you don't meet a goal- do NOT punish yourself. Just make note of it, so you can be aware. Self-awareness plays such a huge role in training a new lifestyle. Seeing your progress on paper (or in this case- a log in an app) will be so encouraging. Maybe not at first- but be patient. You will find each pound lost, each minute shaved off your mile time, each extra push-up you make yourself do, and each extra step you take a huge victory.
Celebrate those victories with little tokens of gratitude to yourself-- a massage, a new article of clothing, a movie, etc.

Best of luck! You're so worth this transformation, and your future self (I'm talking assisted living/nursing home- age self) will thank you SO much for treating your body so well. The best medicine truly is prevention, so whatever we can do to help our bodies is going to make a difference sevenfold as we age.

txlonghorns38

6502programmer I think you need to read my post again I walk 5 miles a day and said nothing about drinking 2 cans of coke cause I only do Diet Soda and that's usually Coke Zero or big red zero those don't have any calories.

6502programmer

@txlonghorns38 sorry about that! Usually when people talk about restricting, it's from "bad" things. Drinking diet is A-OK in my book. My go-to at work is an iced coffee with a packet of Splenda, and at home I flip between cherry Diet Pepsi and Coke Zero.

txlonghorns38

It's ok I love Coke Zero and Big Red Zero long as it's diet Soda and not regular

caitlinhicken

I'm currently pregnant, but after I have my baby in November I'm planning on losing about 60 lbs myself! I lost 15lbs in 2 months just by cutting out dairy. One step at a time. The biggest thing is to take it one day at a time! Also take into consideration your non-scale victories! Those are huge. Feel free to add me as a friend for motivation, inspiration, or friendly updates!

mandee201023

5 miles every day is great! Making small changes will definitely make it easier and more maintainable for you long term. Good luck!