new to mfp but not to losing weight

misschaplin

Thought I would introduce myself here and say hi, hoping the site will help me to stay motivated.
I am a single mum of one. Over the last 3 years I have gained 2 1/2 stone in weight and spent half the time binging and half the time crash dieting. So basically I have spent the whole 3 years feeling guilty about food and hating my body.
I have decided once and for all to shift this extra weight, before I give up completely and just resign myself to being trapped inside a body that I loathe.

I have started on the slim fast diet and will be working out for an hour 3 times a week with friends. Also I have a dog so will be making myself walk him at least a mile every day. And I dont drive so will be walking my daughter to school and back every day.

I have been on slim fast for 4 days and have already dropped almost 3lbs, which Im guessing was water weight.
Am now hoping for at least 2lbs a week, with a final goal weight that may change when I get there.

I had an eating disorder in the past which I think has simply changed course to now cause me to over eat. basically I have a very unhealthy attitude to food which I am desperate to change.

Am hoping being on here will help me to learn more about what I should and shouldnt eat, encourage me to continue and persevere and finally shift the weight that i making me miserable. But also stop me from going OTT. A lot to expect from a forum lol.

Have been reading the success stories and am amazed and totally inspired, so well done to everyone.
Thanks for reading all this

sauza

Food is fuel.

I was once a successful (in that my clients were healthy, happy, and beautiful) trainer. I, then, must have lost my mind because I started to diet and break down my body and ended up fat and unhealthy. In fact, I became so unhealthy that I am having trouble rebuilding a fitness level. I am sharing that with you because your intro sounded like you are doing what I did.

What you REALLY, seriously really, want to do is "build a fat burning machine". You mentioned you thought you were losing water. You are problem right. You can lose water. You can lose mucscle. But fat can only be burnt. You can't lose it, you have to burn it. You will be doing that with muscles. If you keep moving just the way you are AND feed yourself, you will "feel" like doing what you should be doing. You will love moving. It doesn't take all that long to get to the point that you are looking forward to your workout, whether it is walking or whatever. But you have got to eat. I know it is terrifying because we all think the way we will lose is by deprivation. Heck, I KNEW better and I did it. Please! MFP is brilliant. You can use this site and be sure that you are eating enough. Think of yourself building a fitness level, as I said - build a fat burning machine.

When I regained my senses and started back on the road to fitness, at first I actually gained weight, then my weight maintained - this went on for weeks - BUT! I lost three clothing sizes. I finally treated myself the way I once treated my clients. I kept them from knowing weight and measurements, but they felt so much better and they were shrinking, therefore they trusted me. Once they reached their goals and would see their charts for the first time, they most all said that is was a good thing they weren't watching the scale or they would have quit and failed. Instead, they all, I mean every one, went well beyond their original goals.

Now I am at a point where I am still chunky and not able - yet- to workout the way I want. This is ultra humiliating for a former trainer. But I know that I know that I have got to eat and move. Please see food as your fuel. Food, good food, will help you reach your goals. Your goal really is to build muscle (including your heart) and that muscle will take care of the fat for you

Good Luck!

misschaplin

Thanks that was truely insperational post
I am not a lover of exercise anymore but I am going to learn to be.....the whole fat burning machine thing sounds fab
I am not going to tarve myself, I am eating 3 meals (2 of which are shakes) and 3 snacks a day to try and keep my metabolism up. admittedly I have taken laxatives a couple of times recently but I am hoping to knock that on the head asap as I know how dangerous and unhealthy they are.

I would love a quick fix, like we all would, but I am sensible to know its just not possible. So diet and excersise it is

Thank you for your support and advice. I really hope you can get back to where you want to be very soon.
Good luck x