Hi all need motivation please

Barbarablw

Hi my name is Barbara 27 years old trying to loose at lease 30lbs. Always was a chubby girl but now i want to work on getting healthy not only for myself but to be more active with my kids and hubby.started going to the gym again. Any secrets or good tips to loose weight the right way? Hope to hear from you all have a great day

nedbun

The best advice I can give you is this; don't push yourself so hard that your motivation plummets. Small changes over time tend to stick more than large sudden changes.

Try to tackle one thing at a time and be patient with your mind and body as it's not easy to suddenly develop good exercise and eating habits. Remind yourself that although you may not feel like you're working as hard as you'd like, being consistent is very difficult and takes time to get used to. Making the decision to change your habits is a large step in itself, so give yourself the credit you deserve for the motivation and dedication to get started.

Listen to your body and don't punish yourself for making mistakes. Instead, use the information and support available on this site to help guide your decisions in the future.

It's a lot easier to lose weight when you're not stressing out about it!

As many have said on this site, "It's not a race."

Jennieam

Hi Barbara,

Congratulations on joining MFP. I joined a couple of months ago, and have found MFP a great way to track my calories. I was really surprised that a few foods (such as pasta) were so high in calories, and others (such as pre-packaged Risotto and Sushi) were so low.

My suggestions would be to log all your food/drink, try to exercise every day, drink lots of water, and get enough sleep. Easier said than done!

Enjoy the journey ...

cthoma70

You can do it, just set your head and want it more than anything else in the world. If I'm temped by food in a room, I'm no longer in that room. You can do it, just stayed focused on the new you and it will come and you'll feel GREAT!!!!

colwellk

I would like to second the recommendation to go slowly. Your body can adjust to slow weight loss but quick weight loss and you will end up with a bunch of skin you don't want! I lost eighty pounds a couple of years ago but have regained thirty and am back on the wagon as of a week ago. Reminding myself that slow is better. I will say, however, that losing weight and becoming more physically fit changed my whole perception of life. I slept better, fit better in airplane seats, ran up stairs just for fun...you name it. Life was a lot more fun than it was before.

The best thing, I think, is tracking everything you eat. For the first few weeks, this is likely to make a big difference in what you're eating and how much. But seriously, even on a day when it's too much, put it in anyway. For me, it's a helpful reminder that even a "bad" meal where I overeat doesn't mean that the rest of the choices I make that day don't matter!

I'm sure others will chime in with lots of other motivating things!

discodaddy61

first thing is eliminate all soda pop because they are empty calories and no nutrition plus loaded with sugar. try to eat fresh fruit and avoid fruit juices for the same reason. did you know there is more sugar in fruit juice as opposed to soda? drink lots of water because the hunger pains that you get are not from lack of food but from dehydration and you need to drink half your weight in ounces of water to help boost your metabolism and get rid of all the excess toxins in your body. add me as fried i can share more help with you. good luck david

soon2bhotmom

Hi Barbara...its great to be aware of what we eat. Seeing it in black and white is a huge eye opener. Try to exercise most days and find friends on here for support. Add me if you'd like. Welcome:)

legrangetackett

Start with small goals. Don't give up on yourself!! It is completely worth it in every way! Watch 'The Biggest Loser' while you are on the treadmill on Tuesdays. Definitely motivates me! :happy:

nedbun

I would like to second the recommendation to go slowly. Your body can adjust to slow weight loss but quick weight loss and you will end up with a bunch of skin you don't want! I lost eighty pounds a couple of years ago but have regained thirty and am back on the wagon as of a week ago. Reminding myself that slow is better. I will say, however, that losing weight and becoming more physically fit changed my whole perception of life. I slept better, fit better in airplane seats, ran up stairs just for fun...you name it. Life was a lot more fun than it was before.

The best thing, I think, is tracking everything you eat. For the first few weeks, this is likely to make a big difference in what you're eating and how much. But seriously, even on a day when it's too much, put it in anyway. For me, it's a helpful reminder that even a "bad" meal where I overeat doesn't mean that the rest of the choices I make that day don't matter!

I'm sure others will chime in with lots of other motivating things!

I completely agree. For me this was an exercise in cutting out bad habits like excessively large portions and way too much sugar. I ended up losing weight along with that and now I'm determined to keep going.

I don't believe in "bad foods" either. I try to stick to the goals that this site has made for me and exercise as much as I said I would. Some weeks I skip workouts and some weeks I eat out and know I've gone over my goals, but I just move on and make better decisions the following day. I still eat an occasional cheeseburger and fries, but it's all about balance. Check out my diary if you'd like!

In the end you have to do it because it makes you feel good, and I know once you start seeing results you'll want to keep going!

Add me as a friend if you'd like.

angie_04

Welcome:) This is not my 1st attempt but i am starting 2morrow:) since school started back i have been slacking but now ready ta get back in the groove.. feel free ta add me as a friend:):flowerforyou:

rosenh

I love this site. I learn so much about my choices. I keep track of what I eat and I plan each day in advance. I love when they say if you eat like this you will weigh that in 5 weeks/ I make it into a little game. I do have some real good advice and since I am doing it anybody can. Once I got rid of sugar and sugar substitute out of my diet it was easy to stay away from the wrong foods. Try it. It sounds harder then it is. I don't drink diet soda, just seltzer, water and decaf tea. I weigh and measure everything else. I know since I ate that way yesterday and if I eat that weight today I know I will be fine. I have been doing that for about 11 months and have lost 67 pounds. Good luck and just take it one day at a time.

Barbarablw

I just want to thank everyone for your advice. very very helpful!! Thnx again