On a journey to 135lbs. Starting weight...

iamthylight

360 Lbs. Any tips, tricks, or light meal idea's... really ANYTHING would help me. I need to do this now, for my family. I figure I can get support here as much as anywhere...

jala9656

just start by recording food and exercise. Good luck on your journey!

Mommyof3texans

Hi, welcome!! There is so much great information here so be sure to look around the boards. Some basic tips I'd give:

1 - Drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep!
2 - The more vegetables, fruits, lean protein and fewer processed foods, the faster the weight will come off
3 - Move! Start walking!!

Everyone has different ways of going about this and you will find what works best for you. For me, I just keep my eye on the goal and it really helps me stay away from the foods that I know will hinder my progress. Some cut back a lot and use moderation to reach their goals.

There is a lot of great support on here! Good luck!

kbanzhaf

Welcome......you will find lots of support here. My best advice for you would be to remember that you will have good days/weeks and bad ones. Just "dust yourself off" and get back on track if you lose focus for a short time. You have a journey ahead of you, and it is one that will take some time.
In addition to watching what you eat, try to get some form of exercise every day. I am a true believer in walking, as it is the main form of exercise that I get. Over the course of 15 months, I walked off 72 pounds. I've kept over 60 of it off for almost five years. Am trying to get so that I range from 130-135 instead of the 135-140 I current weigh. I had gained back about 20 pounds, but I've lost and kept 10 of those off for about a year. I'm trying to focus on a range of weight instead of one specific number.
Good luck to you!!!!
Kaye

StaceyL76

Baby steps.. It would be good to record what you are eating now.. so you know where you are starting from. You would be amazed at how it starts to impact your choices. Starting there is a great step. In the mean time you can educate yourself on healthful eating, cooking, gain insights and tips from those who have been doing this a while now.

Welcome!

Kristylarson

Realize it's a lifestyle change and not a diet. If you are like me you'll always struggle with your weight so it isn't just about dieting and taking the weight off. You'll have to stick to it for the rest of your life.

Know you can do it. Mental sabotage is the main reason people give up.

Calories in, calories out. You have to burn more calories than you consume.

Once you get the hang of it you'll see how simple it really is. Good luck and feel free to add me

xcountrymom2

First of all, good for you for doing it for your health and your family. The first step in actually doing it is deciding you are serious and utilizing myfitnesspal shows that you are serious. I do believe the best way to start is just recording your food using the food diary. Be accountable for every little morsel you put in your mouth by registering it in your food diary. This has helped me tremendously! It has really helped me stay on track and helps me make better choices throughout the day. There is not anything that is not in there that you can't get a calorie count on, and you can put your own recipes in also. The second most important thing is to force yourself to exercise every day. I am talking about simple walking. You can do it with a baby stroller, walk your dogs (thats what I do) every day. It will really rev up your metabolism. Don't short yourself on sources of protein. I keep hard boiled eggs at all times in my fridge now for when I am hungry. Many times I feed the yolk to my dog! I love shrimp and thats low calorie. I also keep lots of 1% cottage cheese around. What are you favorite foods? If they are high in calorie, try to see if you can somehow lower the calorie content by using different ingredients. You can replace butter and oil in many recipes using apple sauce. Try to eat as "pure" or raw as you can, ie. 6 oz steak, small baked potato, salad. Ingredients that you don't have to guess to get a calorie count. Good luck, good health, good eating!!!

socre8eve

First congratulations on your decision to make a very important change!! You are in the right place for support. My advice is to get in tune with your body and mind. Pay attention to what you are eating and why you are eating it. Keep your food and exercise journal and track how you are feeling. The hard part for me was consistency.

I menu plan and grocery shop weekly based on my menu, as well as cooking about 95% of our meals. Be gentle with yourself; It is definitely a lifestyle change, but it very doable! Best of luck to you. Feel free to add me as a friend.

KBrenOH

It's definitely a lifestyle change and good for you on deciding to do it!

Countrymom - what you said helped a bunch for ME so thank you!!


Try not to eat out much. It's much healthier to make your own meals / snacks. Trust me - I long for McD's sometimes but almost always I feel like crap after I eat it. If you do eat out look at the menus; now days a lot will have either a symbol or something designating that they're healthier.
Drink lots of water!! If you don't like the taste, try some of the flavor packs. There's a bunch out there that or you can even use a lemon to give some taste to it.

Good luck!

theresa7576

drink your water, eat all your allowed calories, do not drink your calories.. there is no need for that. Eat healthy lean protein and lots of veggies. Fruit gets a good reputation....but it is still sugar. A serving of fruit always has more calories than a serving of vegetables.... choose veggies When you want something sweet, choose fruit. When you need something really sweet, drink a BIG glass of water first, have a little of the sweet you crave and walk away. don't deny yourself anything.. but LIMIT your portions and intake. If you fall off the wagon, get right back on. Park far away from the store and walk. little things add up Good luck! focus on a pound at a time.. not all of them at once.

iamthylight

Wow! I am so overwhelmed by all of your warm thoughts and encouragement! Its really getting me motivated! Thank you all so much and good luck on your individual journey's as well!