Hi Everyone

deleciak

I'm new to MFP and I'm excited to be starting my weight loss plan this week . Been consistently gaining weight for the past 10 years and just turned 40 this month and finally decided to do something about it. I have two kids and a 1 year old grandson, my daughter is 19 and my son is 10 and has autism. I'm also just going back to school to pursue my degree after 20 years. My days are usually pretty hectic so fast food is often on the menu. I am from the south, New Orleans, so even when I cook...rich sauces, spicy, fried foods are what I love and crave. But I'm older now and although m yself esteem is in great shape, my body is not. For my last several visits to my doctor my blood pressure has been elevated and am borderline diabetic. I simply can not stand for that...So, here we go!

I am so excited to have found this site and the app for my android (can't wait to use the barcode scanner). It is so easy to use and a wonderful way of tracking the nutritional values of the foods we eat and giving helpful guidelines to follow. This makes it somewhat fun for me rather than just work. Before MFP I had no idea how many calories I was eating in a day..I was floored to find out! Being able to see where I am in calorie intake at certain points during the day, and how many I have left for the following meals is great! I love everything about it. I know this journey will not be easy, but I am dedicated and optimistic that I can reach my goal. Having this tool and the support of other members here will certainly help on those difficult days. Looking forward to being a part of the MFP community and living a thinner, healthier life.:happy:

dww63

Best of luck.. I think you will like the site and using the smart phone app as well...Welcome!

maserati185

Congrats!! I like how you became aware of your calorie intake. I feel so strongly that education is key. If you haven't yet, get curious about your food - like the amount of sugars in it and things you can eat to up your metabolism. You can learn ways to substitute healthier ingredients in your new orleans meals. The more you know, the more you can do. Nutrition is the real deal when it comes to weight loss!

deleciak

Thank you dww63.

deleciak

@BellyFatCure: I am nearly obsessive about reading lables now, checking not only the calories but also the fat, sugar and sodium contents of everything I eat. I'm just getting started but thankfully there is a lot of information out there to help with healthy recipe ideas. And I love the quote at the end of your post....funny, but so true.