Don't know where to start....

79Jenni

I am new here, well actually I signed up 4 yrs ago, one time and never came back, I had forgotten about it. I went to sign up this time and realized I already had a page.

I am 34, 5'6, and I weight 265. I have no idea where to start when it comes to losing weight. I know I need to cut out soda, exercise, and eat right but it overwhelms me to do all of this at one time. Any suggestions on how to get started?

Thanks

ObtainingBalance

If it overwhelms you to do it all at once then start slowly.

Start limiting how many sodas you drink per day, or week.

In another couple of weeks (once you've managed to limit soda to a controlled amount, or totally eliminated it) start working in an exercise plan - go on a 10 minute walk every day...too much? Do it every other day, slowly work up how many minutes you walk. Bring music along, it helps you lose time.

As far as diet goes, just keep an eye on calories for now. You don't have to totally cut any food out while using MFP, you just have to be aware of how much calories you're eating and honestly log them.

Good luck on your weight loss journey.

zoeysasha37

Hello!
Start small. Start by just learning how to weigh and measure all of your foods.get a food scale if you don't have one.it's very important. Walmart sells them for about 15$.
Then start to log your foods, after weighing them.
Then you'll have a good idea of how much your consuming from there. It's very important to learn how to weigh and measure all your foods and also learn to choose the correct entry in database. There's plenty of wrong info in the database, so it takes practice.

After you've gotten that figured out, then you can work on lowering your calories to eat at a reasonable deficit.
Read up on the forums and you'll get there :-)

Kath1391

Baby steps! . The first week I just adjusted my portions,then the second I started having less of the bad food and introduced myself to better foods..third week I ditched the fizzy drinks & the fourth I started doing more exercise ..taking one step at a time is much easier x

79Jenni

Thanks everybody. So far I have only had 1 mountain dew and I am going to try not to have another one today. That is a lot of my problem, I have around 4 or 5 a day.

I am going to try the baby steps and take it 1 day at a time and see what happens.

marvelmo

1. I filled out profile
2. Logged all food eaten 3000 plus calories daily
3. Took my dog for a walk
4. evaluate and adjust weekly
5. Water & tea replaced soda
6. Ate breakfast daily
7. Took dog for longer walks
8. Ate salads with protein daily for lunch
these changes were gradual and I'm still morphing
most important! Log in daily and read as many success stories as time allows
check out ihad's blog

deetee6718

That step alone will empower you & show you that when you set your mind on something you can achieve it. Good luck, much success, you are unstoppable when you decide to be!

jillebee44

Set mini goals. NOT weight ones. i.e. stay under/in your calorie range for the week. or exercise 30 min a day for 5 days. Little things at a time. If you want a little bigger try eating within/under your calories 6 days a week for a month.

Little things first. Cut soda, and track everything.

Mocha02

I know its scary out there of the unknown. But thats why we are all here to help each other. It definitely takes time and patience, but you also have to truly be dedicated to reach your goals.

First thing you want to do is hire a personal trainer that specializes in nutrition. If you cannot afford one, ask someone you know that is an avid health/gym nut if he/she could guide you in the right direction. Maybe they will workout with you and show you how to use weights and cardio machines the correct way.

Nutrition: Are you cooking your own foods instead of eating out every day? Start there. Eat ~ 5-6 small portion meals a day. I eat 7 meals a day but thats my journey. Choose smarter food choices. Consume healthier fats (olive oil, unsalted almonds, peanuts, avocado, coconut oil, canola oil, natural peanut butter and natural almond butter). Choose complex carbs (brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, whole grains, multigrains-if sensitive to wheat choose gluten free, sweet potato (baked or boiled without sugar/syrups), squash/zucchini, etc. Protein: Your protein intake should be no more than 1-1.5grams of protein per body weight. Choose clean and lean proteins like fish, chicken breast, lean meats (95%-99% lean), hard boiled eggs, egg whites, etc. Dairy: Low-fat dairy. Examples include 2% or skim milk, plain or lower sugar yogurts, and low-fat cheeses, such as cottage and natural cheeses. Fruits and vegetables. Examples include fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, 100 percent juice drinks without added sugar, and fruit and vegetable smoothies. Choose low-sodium versions of beverages, though. Combine these food groups with each meal in small doses allows you to have complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and a small amount of fat — a combination that packs health benefits and helps you feel full for hours.

Most importantly....water water water!!! Drink PLENTY of water instead of any sugary drink. That aids in cleansing, and speeds up your fat burning arsenal. :-)

I truly hope this helps.....because Lord knows I spent an incredible amount of time on this!! LOL

79Jenni

Seems like I will do good for about 2 to 3 days, I start feeling better and just go back to my old habits. I even thought about posting a picture of myself on the fridge so that when I go to get food out, it would be a reminder. Nothing has ever really worked. I have been this weight for a long time.

I weighed 193 when I got pregnant with both of my kids and lost all the weight after birth. But after my 2nd child 9 years ago, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom and that is when I ended up at 265. I have been 265 since I started working again 5 yrs ago. I really think that I could keep the weight off if I could just lose it.

marvelmo

For some really good ideas, try these links: 

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

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it 

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets 

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think 

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817188-iifym 

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html 

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read
check out eat trsin progress
No trainer required!

And for continued, informed discussion, consider joining this group: 

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress- 

DistantJ

Others have probably advised similar things, but this is what worked for me.

I was obsessively tracking calories and was completely addicted to Zumba 2 years ago. I didn't lose much, which was depressing since I was 230 lbs and not tall enough to pull that off. However, I did realize that my clothes got looser and I looked better and felt GREAT. Zumba made me happy!

Then I got preggers and fully expected I would continue Zumba (my midwife said it was okay) and tracking calories, though eating a bit more.

Shockingly, my 7th baby made me sicker than a dog immediately and right up until I gave birth. I hadn't ever experienced morning sickness in my life, but at any rate, I wasn't able to leave bed much during that time. Didn't gain a lot of weight during the pregnancy because i was throwing up all the time and couldn't eat, but I got in TERRIBLE shape. Then once he was born and I felt better, I gained what I should have gained during pregnancy! Oh my! Topped out at 253!

So this time, I started out by just cutting out soda. That was NOT EASY. In 3 months, I had 2 - 3 sodas, and that was when I was at a movie and had no willpower to resist. Darn. But still! LOTS better than before. I didn't switch to diet, because I"m convinced that all soda is poison for our bods. I limited my calories, but didn't really change *what* I ate other than the soda. Just ate less. I lost about 25 lbs, and then STOPPED. I mean I couldn't lose a pound to save my life.

Time to shake it up.

SO recently I started tracking calories more diligently. I got a call from my doc, following some bloodwork, that I have prediabetes, so that is a great motivator to get with it. I have given up sugar and white flour. Boy did that get my body's attention! In just the few days I have been doing that, I have lost 1.5 lbs! I know it won't continue to go that fast, but wow! Not to mention, I"m not poisoning my bod. I'm OLD to have a baby (44), so I really do need to take better care of myself for his sake.

I need to figure out what exercise I actually *will* do with a toddler and a baby and a job and a bunch of older kids. Perhaps make use of that danged elliptical that my older kids but that I just sort of look at. OR maybe I will do the Yoga DVDs my mom gave to me. Novel concept! At any rate, I'm going to do SOMETHING. I like to think that I don't have time since I work from home, and all of my job, plus kids, plus all the housework falls on me, but holy crap! If I have time to write this post, I have time to get on the elliptical, right??

Anyway, best wishes to you. Feel free to friend me if you want to. I know it's soooo not easy. Food and sugar are addictions! I really have had to get past eating when I'm happy, sad, bored, watching tv, etc! My hubby works out of town, so I am stressed out a lot since all the kids/house/cars/etc falls on me most of the time. The exercise would help with that! And it did help with it previously! So let's get this show on the road!

DistantJ

Seems like I will do good for about 2 to 3 days, I start feeling better and just go back to my old habits. I even thought about posting a picture of myself on the fridge so that when I go to get food out, it would be a reminder. Nothing has ever really worked. I have been this weight for a long time.

I weighed 193 when I got pregnant with both of my kids and lost all the weight after birth. But after my 2nd child 9 years ago, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom and that is when I ended up at 265. I have been 265 since I started working again 5 yrs ago. I really think that I could keep the weight off if I could just lose it.

I saw a quote once that said something to the effect of: If you fall down one stair, do you give up and hurl yourself down the rest of them? NO! You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue to walk down the steps."

If you mess up, so what?? Just dust yourself off and get back on track. Do this as many times as it takes, and it will probably take a lot! You have been doing things a certain way for a long time! Cut yourself some slack if you fall back into years-long habits from time-to-time, but do NOT let that be an excuse not to get back on the staircase!

marvelmo

From Alice in Wonderland
"This is impossible," said Alice
"Only if you believe so," replied the Mad Hatter

We make choices about our lives every second of everyday.
When I started mfp and many days still I make a choice about food and exercise.
Some choices healthier than others but I continually move forward.
If you choose, you will or will not.

HMonsterX

Get a Heart Rate Monitor, so you can accurately log your exercise calories.

Don't cut anything out. Just limit it and log the calories, then you can decide if those things are worth their calorific bang. That way you find you wont have that many of them, if at all, but it's because YOU are making the choice, not because you are denying yourself. Makes you feel in control.

AwesomeSquirrel

I would recommend that you start by just getting an overview of the situation, i.e. try to measure and log all of your food as accurately as possible for a week. No judgement, although you may be surprised to see that some bad things are not THAT bad and vice versa. Please consider getting a food scale for accurate measuring. I know it feels boring, but it is also helpful and a cheap investment.

When you know what you're dealing with, try changing one thing at a time. This is some of what I did:

- Always bring a packed lunch and snack. Boiled egg/cheese, homemade soup, oatcakes and fruit. This was an easy one for me as I had just started a new job, I didn't have an established routine in place so I took the shane of sneaking in a good one from the start. I also instituted a strict no-vending-machine policy at my new office.

- Started a breakfast routine. In the past I would sometimes skip, sometimes have cereal, sometimes have a bagel with ham, cheese and pesto. I changed my breakfast to always be oatmeal porridge with different toppings such as strawberries, blueberries, apple sauce or fresh apple and cinnamon + skim milk.

- Changed my commute to walk further to and from the bus.

- Started the C25K to slowly re-intoduce running into my life. (at 5am so nobody would see me - I'm happy to report I'm no longer a secret runner. Now I'm just awesome )

corgicake

For a week or two, don't consciously try to cut back (you'll probably do this whether you're trying to or not) and just track. Note what you eat, how much you eat, and where it's coming from. Figure out the most painless and convenient ways you can cut back and pick some exercises to start doing that are realistic for you right now as well as what you would feel comfortable ramping up to doing. After that week or two, start plugging in the changes you picked.

If you are American, accept that the country is down to 35% of the people being at a healthy weight and that successful weight loss is against the norm. If you become active, looks for eating less will become looks for moving more and the looks will sometimes turn into full out stares. Welcome to being weird... it's good here.

sarahsweightlossjourney

Hey join my new group. Were gonna have lots of advice and support. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/21694-wws-inspired-group-meetings-sat-9am-est

bkcuti3

I know counting calories can be a drag so before you do that just try using small plates instead of big plates whenever you eat. Trust me when I say it really helps you eat less.

cebreisch

Like others have said, start small. If the worst thing in your diet is the amount of soda you drink, then try to bring it down to a more reasonable amount. I usually have one soda a day at lunch, sometimes I'll have one at dinner, but that's where I try to limit it.

My worser thing when I started was the "drive-thru breakfast" every workday. I started bringing greek yogurt to work. I've got a dorm fridge next to my desk that has yogurt, light string cheese, and bottled water in it.

Once I got breakfast under control, I made sure to drink more water. Then I tried to incorporate more fiber.

None of the changes were "overnight things". It was usually a few weeks in between the changes. Enough that I could manage the change, but not enough of a change that it would completely blow me out.

If I go to a buffet, my first plate is 1/2 full of green beans, and 1/4 plate of corn. Then I go for protein.

That's the only occasion where I don't go to protein first. Every other time, I consider protein first. A bariatric dietician told me that if you focus on protein, the fats/carbs will take care of themselves, and I've found that to be pretty accurate.

The other important factor is realizing that the better quality the food, the more of it you can have. If you choose baked chicken over fried, you get more. If you have a baked potato (limited "fixing's"), you can have more of it than fries. With carb's it's all about choosing your doom. Do you want the bread on the sandwich, or would you rather have some chips? Would you rather have the bread the waitress brings you before the food, or the fries, bun, or other starch with the meal? It's all a trade off, based on deciding what you really want.

Those are just a few things that have helped me.

wannakimmy

Be honest with yourself.

Weigh and log everything, you will be surprised by many foods... both good and bad.

Do not get discouraged. Keep focused on the future. Where do you want to see yourself one year from now? A healthier happier you?

You CAN do this! We are here for your support. Use us.