I am new - Introducing myself

mcalder62

I just started my weight loss journey today. My mom introduced me to the site several months ago but I wasn't ready. Now I am. I am a single and have divorced for many years. I have a daughter who is 20 and in college. I am enjoying all of the information so far and look forward to the support. I need it. I have alot of weight to lose - around 170 pounds and it seems almost impossible. My main confusion is fitness. I have a gym membership and I go and walk on the treadmill but at my size, I don't know what else to do. I was layed off in Feb. from my job so my finances will not allow me to pay for a personal trainer right now. Anyone who has been in my boat....over 300 lbs., I would love to hear some workout advice. I'm ready for the journey!!

Beebee78

Welcome to MFP - you will find no end of support here. Congratulations on taking the first step to getting rid of those lbs! xxx

Sikketh

At a higher weight, your body itself will provide enough resistance that you don't really need a gym. I was up at 250 pounds at one point, and just started eating more often (sounds weird, but smaller meals more often will make your metabolism work faster than big meals), MyFitnessPal has helped me keep track of my food, and my main exercise has just been walking, and I'm down to 220. I've still got a ways to go, but if you keep your larger goal as your target, you'll get frustrated because it's going slow.

Make small goals for yourself and attain them. I switched from 2 liters of coca-cola a day to Coke Zero, then went down to just a can a day, cutting out a lot of my biggest problem which was soda. Don't get discouraged if you screw up. You only really fail when you stop trying again. Any amount of exercise is better than none, just keep at it.

I've failed many times, I was down at 180 once and got back up to 250, but I'm back down to 220 again and continuing to go down. Don't give up on yourself.

Ubiguchi

Although I haven't been in exactly the same boat, I think it's an exciting journey you're on and I look forward to hearing how you go. Some thoughts you might find useful in using the site:

* Use the food diary to see what you eat. If you're anything like me you'll be quite unaware of how your eating habits weigh up over time, and once you've used the diary for a week or so you should find some easy things to target (replace bad snacks for fruit; wait 10 mins after eating before you help yourself to more; drink water before eating; drink more water etc.)

* Most people don't need a personal trainer, especially as a site like this can provide you with a lot of useful feedback. Start with exercise you're comfortable with, and as it becomes easier you can up it a notch. If walking is your thing, then aim to gradually increase the distance you walk and/or the number of walks/week until you're ready for another kind of exercise.

* Know that the journey gets easier once it becomes habitual. Once using the food diary and exercise become habitual—which could be anywhere from 2-6 weeks-then you'll find things a lot easier than they are at the beginning of the journey.

Finally, enjoy the journey and look forward to where it takes you.

mcalder62

OMG! Thanks for replying. It is also a huge step for me to post anything on this board. I get so freaked out about stuff like that. Thanks again.

mcalder62

Okay...great thanks! That makes me feel better about my walking at the gym. I see all those other "thin" people just killing themselves and I feel like I should do more. I will remember that and not look at the huge amount of weight I have to lose.

adplus7

Don't worry about the big number to lose. It's the small numbers that add up. You can focus on 1 pound at a time if you want to.

Sikketh

Okay...great thanks! That makes me feel better about my walking at the gym. I see all those other "thin" people just killing themselves and I feel like I should do more. I will remember that and not look at the huge amount of weight I have to lose.

The heavier you are, the less you have to actually work to lose weight, that's why those 'thin' people are killing themselves. 1% of 300 is much easier for your body to get rid of because it's so much extra, 1% of 150... much more difficult, and 1% of 150 is a much lower number than that 1% of 150. You just need to keep up, and make sure you don't eat more to compensate for your exercise. (I used to do that, it was just too tempting. I assume everyone cheats just a little... I know I do sometimes, it's so easy to do when you're the one keeping track... "Oh, that number's too high, I'll just say I only had one serving..." but try not to do that.)