new and looking for advice with over 100+ pounds to lose

jennhubbard84

Hi my name is jenn. I'm 29, married, have a 12 year old son, and have suffered with fertility issues because of my weight. I have always been on the Bigger side but over the years I just kept gaining and gaining and gaining weight.
A few weeks ago I had reality check, I'm turning 30 this year and I'm tired a being fat point period blank. My Dr put me on a couple prescriptions to help jump start my journey, so I'm taking phentermine and topiramate. Which I started over a week ago.
I have completely changed what I eat, from eating it many times a week and cooking things on a daily basis that people wouldn't eat all the time. That's what we do in my house, eat..... I definitely have at least 120 pounds I want to lose, and I'd like to lose 70 by October.
I now go walking almost every day! I make sure to do anywhere between 2 to 3 miles, today I pushed myself and did 5, boy did it kill me.
I have two protein shakes a day one in the morning and one for lunch. I also eat fruit with them or veggies like tomatoes or a avocado. And for dinner I eat a pre packaged frozen diet meal. I make sure not to eat after 7, I cut out milk and use almond milk..... I feel like I'm doing everything I possibly can. Nobody ever taught me how to eat healthy or how to get healthy, I guess this is a trial and error. But over 300 pounds anything is worth trying at this point. I want to probe I can do it without surgery and that I can actually get physically fit. It's just so hard on me being this big. If you have any advice or a story to share I would appreciate it! Thank you!

kiralu76

Welcome! Happy to see you here!

I have definitely been a yo-yo diet kind of gal. But, for the past 2 weeks I have been pretty good, and have lost about 7 pounds.

What I have found, is just carving out time in your day to log your food. For me personally, I log my food the night before. That way I know what I am going to eat, and it doesn't let cravings come in to the way.

If you exercise, like you are doing and keep to your calorie goal (be realistic), you will see results. Maybe the not always on the scale, but your stomach will feel flatter, you go in a notch on your belt. and you feel stronger.

But, it won't happen overnight. Approach it one day at a time. And love the journey to discovering the new you!

Feel free to friend me

guinevere96

You are definitely going about everything the right way! You and I are in a similar boat it seems, im also looking to lose around 100 pounds. Ive been going at it awhile but have had quite a few relapses, but I really feel like this time is going to be THE time.

It might get super discouraging at times (I personally had the hardest time breaking my love affair with pasta), but you just have to hold your head up and hold yourself accountable you know? I wish you a lot of luck on your journey! You wont regret it!

281Danielle

Water water and more water, I see a huge difference on the scale and in my clothes when I don't drink enough water. I eat 6 times a day and I don't eat anything after 9 all of that has helped me a lot. I have just over 100 to lose, feel free to add me if you like, I log just about everyday, sometimes I skip Sundays or Saturdays but I usually get on everyday no matter what. You can do this just stay motivated. This site is very helpful to me, I started using it back in Jan and have lost 25 pounds since then (I could have lost more but I had a few bad weeks) and hope to lose 55 before the new year. Good Luck!!

sodakat

Jenn, I'm sorry but I don't agree with the person above who said you are doing everything right. Instead, I'm afraid what you are doing is going to cause you to give up real soon. Why eat 2 protein shakes a day instead of real food? Why eat pre-packaged "diet" meals that are frozen instead of food you cook? How long do you realistically think you will do either of these things?

Did you use the MFP tools to find out how many calories a day you should be eating in order to show a deficit of calories? Because you are young and weigh more than 300 pounds I'll bet you can eat quite a bit while still losing at a decent rate. IMO, that is what you need to do; eat as much as you can that allows you to lose. That is what will keep you motivated, not starving yourself eating foods that are not normal.

And although taking up exercise is admirable, again you don't need to do it all at once. Ease into it so you will continue. Give yourself rest days.

You most certainly can do this! But it needs to be something you can live with, not something you are doing until October, or this winter or whatever time frame you have in mind. I think you can have a great summer eating lots and lots of food and still lose weight.

Look up some of the foods you normally eat or at least know you should eat in the database. Its very easy to eat a good breakfast for 350 calories or less, and a filling lunch for the same or a hundred or so more. You can eat snacks between meals if you want as long as you plan the calories, and also enjoy a good dinner and an evening snack. You just need to choose foods that allow you eat at a deficit.

_HeartsOnFire_

Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Want to lift heavy things?
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Stronglifts Summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

Stronglifts Womens Group
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

FattyFatsoMcTubby

There is lots of good advice in the posts above mine. The journey in front of me seemed so daunting and quite impossible when I started. You need to view the changes you have to make, to reach your goal, as a lifestyle changes. It's not a diet. Trust me, I know. Diets end and the weight goes back on. The changes you make need to be permanent. Keep the changes small and you'll be amazed how easy it can be.

You can do this! I'm rooting for you!

lorrennon

Welcome aboard... First, dont say you've got 120 pounds to lose.. You might but it creates this "insurmountable image". I know as that where I started....and gave up. Set small goals, and they dont even have to be about weight directly. In my case, my reality check was at the amusement park and my daughter wanted me to ride a roller coaster with her cause she was nervous (she's 11) and I couldn't fit. That stung. Well this past weekend I went back to that park and rode it with her. This gives me confidence to continue to lose more. Eventually, I will get there, but now my new goal is to need to buy new clothes. I set aside the money and cant wait for the need.

As for the how, you;ll get many types of advice in here and elsewhere. Just find some that works for you. Personally I gave up very little. Still eat ice cream and such though I gave up some super-fattening (1000+) burgers that many fast food places sell. This way I dont really miss anything. I just watch the calories in and out and make what I want work within that. Sometimes its portioning, other times it watching the rest of the day. I have learned to NOT skip meals. always eat something to keep our metabolism up, just make it small. For me.. jelly beans. I have a few (2 or 3) every now and then to keep my belly satisfied between meals. As they are multi flavored I get this experience too. Yea they are empty calories, but I dont even go through a full serving during the day (140 cal) and it keeps the metabolism up. Well worth it to me.

So dont fret the little stuff,. Just find what works for you and just stick to it

HerbertNenenger

Jenn, I'm sorry but I don't agree with the person above who said you are doing everything right. Instead, I'm afraid what you are doing is going to cause you to give up real soon. Why eat 2 protein shakes a day instead of real food? Why eat pre-packaged "diet" meals that are frozen instead of food you cook? How long do you realistically think you will do either of these things?
( quote)

^^^ this
I 100% agree with this poster,!!. If you do just a liitle poking, you will read some very disheartening statistics on regain after dieting. 95% of dieters regain what they had, and more. Why? Because of heavy restrictions, and unsustainable exercise expectations and goals. The very small handful that succeed have taken a very different approach. Sure, you must maintain a caloric deficit to lose, but you don"t need to give up your favorite foods to do so. You will find masses of mfp"ers that have lost weight eating carbs of all things unholy (kidding here), and just doing moderate exercise. Having this fanatical, excessive extreme views on food and exercise is a good way to binge, then feel guilty, then starve yourself again, then binge . Etc etc ad nauseum. Welcome to fat America. You need to make small changes and have short term goals. The weight will come off much easier with a lot less pain and heartache if you do it sustainably.