Totally clueless

MariahWheat

Like the title says, I'm totally clueless about weight loss and nutrition. I had a horrible diet of fast food for nearly all meals with large sizing them at practically every turn. I also have a job that enables me to be complete sedimentary and I also go to school and honestly I don't make time for anything else.

Last week, I got served divorce papers from a 5 year marriage. I decided it's time to change. So far, I've been researching nutrition and trying to make better choices. I have found that when not eating fast food constantly, I don't feel as hungry. I also cant figure out how to workout in the gym at my size so mainly I've been pushing myself to walk for 30 mins at a decent pace.

If anyone has any tips for nutrition or working out please share them with me. I'm just so uncertain right now.

I am a 5ft 8in, 26 year old female who started 3/28/19 @ 283lbs. Those online calculators said my BMI is around 46%.

4/2/19: Took a moment to weigh in because I wanted to purchase a new scale and it looks like I'm @ 274lbs. I'm proud of this even if its mostly water weight so yay!

Also, if anyone wants to be weight loss buddies please feel free to add me! I cant figure out how to add anyone on this mobile app.

ate8kez

Well, whether it's water or fat, it's an encouragement, keep doing what you're doing. Proud of you! Don't give up. Slow and steady, and forming new habits will be great motivation.

quiksylver296

Read this thread, OP. It's gold.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

sammidelvecchio

If you have relied on fast food or just eating out for a long time, maybe taking a healthy cooking class would be a good idea! It might inspire you to learn healthy alternatives to cook at home, and I think the classes are a lot of fun.

busyPK

Great job on the weight loss - you should feel proud. Walking is great exercise so keep doing that. The cooking class mentioned above is a good idea. Or search on Pinterest for recipes and maybe try out 1-2 new ones each week (eating leftovers on the in between days). You don't have to cook fancy, just something you like eating and maybe smaller portions than you are use to to stay within your calorie goal.

MariahWheat

That you all so much! I'll start looking for a local cooking class and maybe a YouTube channel about healthy cooking. I appreciate the encouragement, it's a long road but I'm ready to make the change 😁

NovusDies

I strongly suggest you do not get too caught up in the concept of "eating healthy" right now. Getting healthy is losing weight and finding a sustainable path is the biggest priority when you start. So ask yourself what is the easiest thing you can change right now that also keeps things super simple for you? You can always change more later when you have gotten accustomed to the last set of changes.

In the past I have been guilty of making big changes and then eventually getting mad at myself and ultimately it led to a rage-quit followed closely by a binge of all the things I was missing.

In theory taking a cooking class sounds like a good idea and it may be a good idea for you I don't know. I suspect though that if you have been eating out 3 meals a day that what you want to do is learn to cook a few things that requires little skill and very little time which probably won't happen at a formal cooking class. This is an example of what I meant by easy changes not a recommendation on how to proceed.

whmscll

Also, go through these forums and read the “stickies” at the top. There is a LOT of helpful information on MFP!

sammidelvecchio

To note: the classes I've taken are educational as well. They help you learn how to portion and teach you about serving sizes of things like oil and butter that you'll be cooking with. Not everyone likes to cook - some people just don't know how - some love it, some are totally intimidated by it! There are some classes about cooking on a budget, some that teach you how to meal prep, some that teach you quick and easy meals, the list goes on. I have also found dancing in the kitchen while I cook is a very enjoyable evening for me and that I truly appreciate and enjoy my food after I've cooked it.

puffbrat

Good for you for starting to prioritize your health! Just remember, you don't have to go 100% healthy and cut out a bunch of foods you enjoy. You may have to learn to eliminate or greatly reduce foods that lead you to overeat, but otherwise you can continue eating the same things you enjoy now as long as they fit into your goals. Learning to eat healthier and cook in general are excellent goals! Just don't go overboard and burn out. This process isn't just about losing weight but also learning habits to maintain throughout the rest of your life.

InsertFunnyUsernameHere

Simplest way to get started is to make the changes to your lifestyle gradually. If you try to do everything at once, it's easy to get overwhelmed and burned out and that's a recipe for failure (e.g. there's reason most of those people from the Biggest Loser stopped losing and started gaining once the show was over! There was no way they could maintain that crazy regimen once they went home.).

Goal number 1 is to get in the habit of honestly and accurately logging everything you eat and drink. Start with that, even if you're not changing your food intake. Sometimes seeing how many calories you are actually eating compared to what you think you are eating is the wakeup call somebody needs to make a serious effort at changing.

From my own experience, I think one easy thing you can do from day one is to stop drinking calories. Get in the habit of drinking only water. Depending on your previous diet, this alone can subtract a sizable amount of calories from your daily intake. You don't have to stick with this rule forever, but in the beginning it's an easy place to cut calories.

I'd also suggest that you start walking. You might not be able to go for long walks in the beginning, but if you make the effort to walk 3 or 4 times a week, you'll steadily adjust to the effort and before you know it, you'll be able to do a few miles a day. That's cardio. Don't get caught up in the idea that you have to be running and struggling to burn calories. A long walk at a comfortable pace will burn a good amount of calories too. The more often you do it, the more you'll burn and the less sore you'll be afterward.

Dgil1975

Great job on getting started, that’s the first step.

Just to echo some of the other comments. The biggest mistake people make is trying to overhaul everything at once, they quickly fade and have a long history of starting and stopping.

Step one is get the food right, your lifestyle sounds very similar to the one I led for 5 years and ultimately led to a very unhealthy person. When I changed in Novemeber I didn’t even think about the gym, I got walks in when I could, and I made it a point to park at the furthest parking spot instead of looking for the closest. My whole focus was getting the food right. Two months in, and 20lbs down I joined a gym, which had sporadic visits for the next month or so. I went when I could, and kept focus on the food. As the weight came off, I had more energy and I naturally gravitated towards the gym, and for the last three weeks have started developing the habit of that in my lifestyle.

Take it slow, habits aren’t developed overnight. Get the food right, and the rest will fall into place. Good luck on the journey.

MariahWheat

Thank you all so much for the tips! I'm feeling much better already. The headaches and stress I've been struggling with for the past year have already dramatically decreased since I've begun to exercise and make better food choices. I appreciate all the encouragement!

VeroniqueBoilard

Congrats. Remember health is not only weight. Fueling your body with good nutrient sometimes (or most time ) and moving your body are already good changes!

Walking is a very good first step. It's easy to fit in a walk in a day and you can pick up the pace if you feel like it or take a longer road from time to time.

Logging food (using a food scale) is really the key.

I also use a Fitbit with a heart rate monitor cause I tend to overestimate my activity level.

I prefer a sustainable calorie goal so I set mine at 1 pound a Week.

I'm very lazy so I only do easy recipes! You can look up "low calories" anything! I like to find alternative to my favorite food, it feels like more sustainable changes! (example: I love melted cheese so I shred 45 grams and melt it on broccoli or in a soup instead of pasta or potato!).

Good luck and the most important advice here: DO NOT LET SET BACK OR "CHEATING" STOP YOU FROM STARTING AGAIN THE NEXT DAY! Everyday is a new chance to log and work toward your goal, one bad day, week or month does not mean you have to give up forever!