I'm 18 & the heaviest person in my family of 4..

Kaylenray

Hey everybody.. (:
Well, to start, I have been chunky my whole life. I weigh 216lbs and I am 5'3". I am now considered "obese".
I bought myself a treadmill over a year ago.. how many times have I been on it? MAYBE 4...
Did I mention it's by my bed? Somewhere I think there is something wrong with me .... WHY can I not do what I want to do!?
I WANT to lose weight. I NEED to lose weight. I CAN lose weight... but why am I not doing anything toward my goal?
I am going to start walking/jogging tonight for 30 minutes. & I am going to do 40 situps. I am a youngen, so, I will lose weight quickly..
However, I am SOO out of shape. Today is my first day on this site, and I do believe it has given me a little stamina to achieve my goal. I want to lose 74lbs. Hopefully in 4 months.... do you think that amount is possible? Even if I dont lose 74lbs by april and I lose a little less I will keep working toward my goal. It is a half to, a must. For better health, confidence, and quality of life... right?
I'd like to know whats running through your head..
•72lb weight loss in 41/2months?
•how should I go about this?
•how much weight do you want to lose?

~Kaylen.

1smemae94

Hi there! If you haven't been active in quite some time i would slowly work up to exercise that way you don't become injured and then become discouraged and quit. I would aim for 2 pounds a week to start and then reassess your goal. Try to make this more of a " I'm going to do this the rest of my life" than "Only for four months". You can do this, it will just take work. Best of luck and feel free to add me!

edith_t

whilst i think it's good to have a goal in mind, i think it's dangerous to categorically say 'i will lose x amount of weight in x amount of time'. instead, i think it might be healthier to focus on getting as physically fit as possible and educating yourself about nutrition etc and then weight loss will happen but you'll also know how to keep it off. but that's just my opinion, either way: welcome to the site, and i wish you all the very best with your weight loss journey! you can, and will do it!!

MrsM1ggins

Welcome to MFP! :flowerforyou:

I'm concerned that you're giving yourself an impossible goal, and one that will lead to you feeling like you're failing and then giving up. I've lost 75lbs, but I didn't do it in 4 or 5 months, it's been over twice that. I'm more than twice your age, but the weight loss you're saying you want to achieve isn't healthy.

Do it once; do it slowly.

sistergoddess

be careful...That's a lot of weight in a short period.

Try Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, it's hard but worth it

Good Luck!

SwtKittN

In all honesty if it was me I wouldn't set my goal that high in that short of time. I guess it could be possible but 4 pounds a week consistent is very high I think. Should try for more around 2 pounds a week If it was me I would get depressed not hitting the 4 every week and it would have the opposite effect on my attitude about eating better and exercising.

We have a treadmill in our house, had it for probably 5 years or more. No one really uses it, I did at the beginning of the year when I first started getting back into trying to lose weight but eventually I just stopped using it all together. It's weird for me with my family and stuff in the other room and I'm in there chunkin around on it lol. I do walk at home dvd's in my bedroom. Leslie Sansone I think her name is, has some good walking dvd's you could try looking into them you might find you like them more than the treadmill

I'm in the same boat of wanting needing to lose weight and I know I can it's just .. I dunno. I don't really WANT to give up the things I know I need to in order for it to happen I think is where I'm at now. Just take it slow one pound at a time, every pound or half pound you lose is another step in the right direction, you didn't gain all the weight overnight and sadly it's not going to leave that way either

kyrstensmom

First of all, you just have to USE that treadmill...even when you don't want to. Motivation is fleeting, but the need to exercise is always present. I was the same way, but I just made the commitment to do it, and I am....even when I don't want to get up at 5:30am and go to the gym, I do.

Second, I think your 74 pound goal in 4 months is unrealistic...not impossible, but it will be hard to achieve. I say set your goals for 1 lb per week and be happy if you lose more. Its really hard to stay motivated if you consistently don't meet your goals, but if you set goals you can achieve, its much easier to keep moving. Plus, rapid weight loss doesn't tend to stay off...slow and steady is the way to go.

I want to lose another 33 lbs or so. I have lost 16 so far in the last not quite two months.

Good luck to you!

votrubem

74 pounds is probably a little bit extreme, but losing weight is so addictive that once you start dropping weight and get into a habit, nothing will stop you If you do it right you're probably looking at 40 to 50 pounds lost, which is AWESOME, so there's nothing to be disappointed in.

What helped me when I started was having small goals. Sometimes thinking that you're going to be dieting/exercising for months and months and months just feels impossible. So do the 3 week challenge. It's said that it takes 3 weeks to develop a new habit. And I can attest to that. I absolutely hated running, but I forced myself to do it 5 to 6 times a week for several weeks, and at the end of a month my run was the highlight of my day and it's the start to a complete change in lifestyle.

Good luck!

milaxx

74 pounds in 4 mths is not a healthy goal. If I do the math correctly, that's almost 5lbs a week. While you may see a large weight loss initially that will peter off eventually. MFP recommends between .5 and 2lbs a week as a healthy weight loss. You also run the risk of discouraging yourself when you fail to met such a high goal and sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

My advice is to start small. Decided on a weekly weight loss goal. Focus on adapting your eating habits so that you are eating good, healthy foods, including fresh fruit/veg and water. Make it your aim to get some form of exercise in at least 3x's a week. Remember slow and steady wins the race.

amandabrady

Welcome! I'm not quite as young as you (25) but I agree that the weight can come off quickly for young people. I'm not sure if you will get quite that much off in four and a half months, and they say losing too much too fast isn't good for the body either. I'd say though somewhere around 40lbs is definitely achievable if you stick with the plan MFP sets for you. That's about ten pounds per month, and with healthy eating, tracking those calories, and working out you should do well!! Not to mention that in the beginning weight always comes off faster, so you have that on your side . I'm actually probably the most health conscious person out of a family of 4, but I can relate to lacking motivation at times. I think as tempting as it is to just go all out in the beginning here, take all the inspiration and motivation you have and channel it into smaller goals to get started that you can commit to. It's all about making healthy choices become a habit and gradually push harder step by step. Just don't want to burn out before you get on the right track to a healthy lifestyle! Good luck, I think you'll find lots of people here ready to help you reach your goals

darkevix

Hi Kaylen, Welcome!

There's a bunch of reasons to lose weight, but it isn't always easy to find support to do it. I started weighing 208.3 and after a couple rough months I'm now 199.7 (not a lot for that long time uh?). I'm still trying to find a routine that works for me, but however difficult and slow this is going I know I want to get fit and be as healthy as I can be. So do your best but don't set a goal so high it would make you feel bad if you don't get it fast enough, and even if you find yourself going slowly, well, nobody gains a lot of weight in a couple of months, right? The important thing to keep in mind is that you CAN do it and you WILL do it if you really set your mind to it!

Try to incorporate more exercise in your daily life, but if you start to hard you will probably find it difficult and won't want to do it, start slowly and build up from there at least that's what I'm trying to do!

Hope this helps you a bit, my best wishes for you, hope you achieve your goals!

treesha450

I agree with everybody above me. 2 pounds a week is a more realistic attainable goal and you can do that in a safe healthy way. work your exercise up slowly, but exercise everyday. use that treadmill. you can do it.

This site is so helpful so I'm so glad you are on it. I don't think I could have lost 39 pounds without this site. add me as a friend if you'd like. It is easier and more fun to lose weight with friends for motivation and support.

chubbybunnee

Hi Kaylen. I would be very cautious about getting started for the first time. You will get all sorts of advice but not everything that works for others will work for you. Exercise is great for getting in shape but what you eat is the main problem. Congrats for taking the first step in joining MFP! Just remember losing weight is like a giant math problem. To lose weight you need to consume less calories then you burn in a day. 3,000 is approximately one pound so if you want to lose 1 pound a week you need to be burning around 3,000 more calories then you consume. Now water weight, sodium intake and carbs and sugars take a huge effect also. The first step is knowing your BMR which you can find on this website. That is how many calories your body will burn if you did nothing but sit in bed all day. Your calories allotted by MFP is based on those numbers. If you want to lose more then they recommend you need to either consume less calories OR exercise more to burn extra. There is so much to worry about though because you don't eat enough and you will go into starvation mode and your body will store everything and try to hold onto the fat. If you eat too much you will see no results. The happy medium is the foods you eat. If you limit your sugars, that will help. Try drinking most or ONLY water. Try to eat more protein like fish or chicken because you can eat more of it for less calories which will fill you up faster and make you feel like you aren't getting robbed. You can still eat your favorite like rice and pasta, but only in small quantities and only if it is a lifetyle change. If you are trying to get drastic results FAST, then I would say try to eat mainly protein with healthy carbs like broccoli in the beginning and pass on the rice and pasta if you can help it. Yogurt has good sugars but try greek yogurt or the lite yogurt. Get rid of extra carbs and sugars from beverages like powerade, juice and espcially soda. Vitamin C is a good supplement to take and can help battle belly bulge. Exercise but don't waste time on sit ups just yet. The best work outs to get rid of fat are from cardio and workouts that get your whole body moving at the same time. Dance is a good one, walking, step aerobics, WATER AEROBICS, and there are some fun ones on the yoga ball that are low impact but still make you work for it. If you are just starting, I recommend doing some cardio like you are...walking or biking....then try some water aerobics to get started. Change up your routine though. Don't do the same thing all the time, If you are finding it getting easier, then you need to change your routine or add an incline..etc... your body will get used to what you do and it will start requiring less effort and that means you need to challenge yourself more.

I absolutley HATE running. I have a back and knee injury that required surgery. My favorite things to do are exercise bike in front of the tv, or water aerobics but I also do body combat which is like tae bo, and dance with the wii. As long as you get your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day continually, and eat a little better, you are on the road to getting healthy. Try to do things you love and make it fun or interesting so its not a chore to you. The weight loss is hard because you have to be strict in the beginning, but just keep telling yourself......You are NOT giving up pizza or pasta for life....only for right now.....when you get to your goal, you can eat more calories to maintain your new weight. Right now you are trying to lose so you have to give it your all. Just keep thinking once you hit your goal, you can find a new normalcy where you can eat your favorite foods but know a healthy portion and still feel good about yourself afterwards!

Do some research. Talk to girls that have similar tastes to yours in food and get some good recipies and ideas. I am picky so it's hard for me to cook healthy sometimes. Most importantly, have a support system. People you can cry to when you are frustrated, people who support you and can eat healthy with you instead of going to taco bell or mcdonalds, and people who will push you even when you don't want to go.

Good Luck with your weight loss! If you ever feel hopeless and need a pep talk, feel free to add me!

JennLifts

I am a youngen, so, I will lose weight quickly..

That thought shouldn't be in your mind. At 15, it took me 2.5 years to lose 50lb.

MB_Positif

Welcome to MFP. I agree with what just about everyone said, focus on this as a full lifestyle change, not focusing on the numbers as much. Set some small initial goals just to get you going. If you really change your eating habits, you will probably see some great losses in the first couple of weeks. After that I would try and stick with the 1 to 2 pounds per week loss. Good luck!

jmvh59

I once lost 35 pounds in 35 days. It can be done if you are willing to push your body to its limits. I was just finishing my 5 year enlistment in the Marines, and I had gained a bunch of weight while on a month-long special duty assignment and had to lose it all or face administrative punishment. I ate nothing but rice, beans and celery all week. Since I did not have a reliable way to heat it, it was very nasty and I barely ate any of it. I had one cheat day each week to help maintain my metabolism. I crushed the stair stepper for about 1000+ calories per 45 minute session twice a day in addition to the obligatory 4 to 6 mile run through the desert every other day with my platoon.

Will I ever put my body through that again? Hell no! I gained that weight back plus another 20 pounds within two years. Within another 5, I had gained an additional 50 to put me at 300 lbs, where I teetered for the past five years.

Can you lose 74 lbs. in 4 months? Unlikely, unless you've got the muscles and mindset of an olympian hiding beneath your exterior. A goal like that only sets one up for failure. Failure can lead to depression and more overeating in many cases.

Food has always been extremely significant. for me I have celebrated victories and mourned losses with food. A huge percentage of my life's earnings have been spent on dining out. I have always had a tremendous appetite, and not a single care for eating healthy until recently. Luckily, I have been pretty active most of my life, or I would be gigantic.

Most of the advice I have seen from the responders prior to starting my post have been spot-on. Reconsider your weight loss strategy to lose 1-2 lbs. per week. This cannot be a crash diet and exercise regime, but a lifestyle change if you want it to stick.

If there are terrorists who are going to blow you up if you step on a scale in April and it says more than 145 lbs., then by all means, try my ridiculous method. Chop something off, if you have to. Tell the authorities, and they might find someone who kind of looks like a slimmer version of you to stand in for the weigh-in.

Realistically, if you start counting your calories and doing some exercise appropriate to your fitness levels, you should be down to about 190 lbs. or less by then. You will look and feel much better. I must admit, just punching in everything you eat makes you reassess your food choices, and really gets you planning what you eat each day, especially when you find out you've only got 350 calories left for dinner because you ate some 1100 calorie burger/fries/soda for lunch that didn't even fill you up.

There are some really great folks out here who are willing to help, to share their stories, and listen intently to yours. I hope your experience at MFP is as positive as mine has been these past few weeks. Good luck with your weight loss.

bloodguilt

Here's what I can say: "Our mental attitude is the most important part of staying fit."
I guess its self explanatory but just to reiterate, you simply need to start training your mind!
You can own an entire gym, get everyone to train and motivate you but if you will not take actions and discipline yourself towards your diet and lifestyle, still remain obese or overweight. Bear in mind that: "Our physique and total appearance are consequences of our mentality and lifestyle!" Also, "KNOWING is not enough, we must APPLY. WILLING is not enough, we must DO!" - Bruce Lee.

You are still young and its definitely not too late to change your lifestyle for the better.