Just joined & not sure where to start

Gottastop

So I just joined & I'm not even sure where to begin.
I'm turning 41 next month.
I'm at my heaviest (unless you count 4 yrs ago when I was pregnant & weighed 8 more lbs than I do now).
I weigh 242 lbs ....which makes no sense. I have gained 8lbs in the last 3 months & I've been eating a salad for one of my meals 5 or 6 days a week.
I have hypothyroidism & have always been told it will be harder to lose weight, but geesh.
I am trying to get back into exercising but having a hard time with my ankles & feet just plain hurting (I swear I walk around like my dad who has severe arthritis) I do have tendon damage so I can only do low impact.

& yes to me all that above sounds like excuses & I need to be around for my kids, I always wanted to be an active parent & I'm not.

I have been doing the Leslie Sansone videos & can do about 1.5miles. I joined so I can be accountable to something.

oopsiedaezie

Welcome to MFP! I think you are going to find everyone here to be so helpful and supportive I am sure you are going to do fabulous!
~Daisy

sagetracey

Congratulations on making the decision and making yourself accountable!

Just start out logging your food and exercise and reading other people's posts etc. You will pick up great tips and support on here to help you on your journey.

reneem_84

The best place to start is at the very beginning! You are going to be fabulous just stick with it and hang in there!!

Artemis_Acorn

Welcome to MFP! Start by making some good friends you feel that you can relate to, and start logging everything you eat, even before you've figured out all the nuances. The rest will start to fall into place as you start to focus on getting healthy - at least that's been my experience. Good luck!

Apazman

I have posted this before, so I appoligize to anyone in advance if they have seen it before.

A few things that are working for me (May not work for you, just my 2 cents):
1. Log in to MFP EVERYDAY!, never miss a day. Make it your home page
2. Review the forums and comment on friends pages and forums to keep you mind active and thinking about it
3. Try different approaches to find what works best for you (for me, I am having 1 meal a day .. and its great. again, I don't recommend it to everyone)
4. Phase in 1 change in your life every week or so, Don't try to do too much all at once. little tweeks work better long term FOR ME
5. Talk to yourself as you would your child or loved one, be a best friend to yourself.
6. Have a Cheat day or Meal where you eat what you want.
7. Lifting weights is easier than lifting life long burdens and self doubt
8. If you never quit, you never fail

Lastly ... Take it one day at a time.

catherine4211

This site will help tons. It keeps you accountable. It's so easy to overeat when there isn't anyone who will know. If you make your diary open it will help. I didn't at first and once I did it made me think of all my MFP friends looks at it and thinking "no wonder she's fat!" And congrats on getting only 8 pounds TO you pregnancy weight. I got to 10 pounds OVER!!!! You can do this............just be patient.

Marybeme

I'm with you I turned 50 and went I have to drop some pounds. So I started on a Monday, have found that making sure I log in ever day helps.. I had some issues just before I started and so I can't do high impact excise I can swim. So I do it when I can.. I find that making sure I write helps. And if you had a bad day, just re start and keep going... If you beat your self up it will not help.. When I signed in I took what I really wanted to loose and then added 15 LBS to it and put that as my goal. So when I hit the first goal then I can change it to add another 15.. Its the way I trick my mind... Good luck... Hope things work out..

londanfudd4eva

the first thing u need to do is log everything that u eat and drink cause u would be surprised that even when we think we are eating healthy sometimes we r not. this site is great with lots of good friends to help keep u motivated. im about to be 41 in a few days so u can add me as a friend also! other than that get u in some kind of exercise 4 - 5 days a week and drink pleeeeenty of water. cut out junk food ( except the occasional treat) & eat plenty of fruits and vegatables. i baked me some fish for the first time 2day with lemonpeper and sea salt and it was really good a first because i love fried catfish. you and i are getting older so we cant go on a diet we have to make a lifestyle change so that we can be here for 41 more years! but not only be here but be healthy 2!

londanfudd4eva

also click on success stories and check out some b4 and after pics it will help u c where others have come from and its very motivating caus your turn will com to show pics as you are on your way

martinez3004

Hi, I am also 40, work FT have 2 girls a husband and a hectic life. I totally understand were you are coming from. I also wanted to be the fit mom and vowed never to be that mom sitting on the bench. But guess what, I have turned into that mom on the bench with out even realizing it. I can't give you any tips as for as were to start but only tell you that you are not alone in this journey. From what I can tell so far , this site has a lot of support. I will keep you in my thoughts as i try this again. As one of my kids told me when they were in first grade, "If you first don't succeed try, try again."

stubsy1968

Welcome! I'm also new and still finding my way around this site. Agree to have your diary open to MFP friends as they can help give you advice about what you could have done better and also what you did right. Research the message boards and try to find as many like-minded people as you can on here. Surrounding yourself with people like this will help keep you successful!

Kathy