Im fat. signed up... now what. HELP

cretamae

I'm a girl/ woman, graduating and turning 23 this month. I already have my sedentary 8-5 office job, and I'm currently overweight with a BMI of 27.5 about 5'5/165. I can cook, and usually do. I love drinking water. hate running but can pull at least a lousy 10 min mile. I am on an ADHD med that KILLS my appetite. I usually just eat lunch, and maybe a snack later + weekend binges (which I've read is a recipe for disaster). Weight gain came as a freshmen 40, not 15. Stress plus an extremely less active lifestyle and easily accessible fast comfort food were my partners in crime.

many half *kitten* attempts at trying to lose weight, but time, motivation and dedication were always my excuses. Also, I didn't help seeing my friends drop 30 lbs by just not eating anything.. period, tried that and lost weight but felt like crap gained it all back quick.

In high school my nickname was muscles i was lean and cut and not afraid of weight benches at all. I want that back. 135 is my goal.

Where do I start? tips? please help.

Karen_145

Routine routine routine. This takes time to build but will help immensely. Try to work in some exercise at least three times a week. I bought a pedometer and walk. The pedometer helps me get accurate calorie readings as many of the things listed on MFP tend to be high. You want to overestimate food and underestimate exercise.

As for food, start logging EVERYTHING. You'll quickly see which areas you need to cut back the most. Some meals are easier than others. When I started breakfast and lunch were about 500 cal each or more. Now I can usually have a 350 cal breakfast and 400 calorie lunch. Just cut back whatever you can. Do you really need that second piece of toast? Can you cut back on the butter? Can you swap chips for carrot sticks as a snack? It's harder in the beginning because you have to figure out how many calories each of your meals are, but once you do all the calorie math once it gets much easier.

Apazman

here are a few tips that I found to work for me:
1. Make MFP your home page
2. Log in EVERYDAY, read the message boards post.. Keep your mind actively thinking about it.
3. Don't try to change too much at once, Implement 1 change every week or so. Little tweeks over time seem to work best or at least better than but load of change all at once
4. Always be honest. We al fall on our way to the top, be honest, no one is judging you here... we all support eachother
5. Keep trying new things until you find what works for you (It took me a while to find my plan and it works great for me but I wouldn't push it on anyone else)
6. Its easier to lift weights than the burdens of carrying weight.
7. take it one day at a time.
8. Have a cheat day or meal, where you eat what you want
9. Try to talk to yourself as if you are talking to your child or loved one. Often times the thing we need most is to be a better friend to ourselves.
10. Smile.

CurlyQTee

here are a few tips that I found to work for me:
1. Make MFP your home page
2. Log in EVERYDAY, read the message boards post.. Keep your mind actively thinking about it.
3. Don't try to change too much at once, Implement 1 change every week or so. Little tweeks over time seem to work best or at least better than but load of change all at once
4. Always be honest. We al fall on our way to the top, be honest, no one is judging you here... we all support eachother
5. Keep trying new things until you find what works for you (It took me a while to find my plan and it works great for me but I wouldn't push it on anyone else)
6. Its easier to lift weights than the burdens of carrying weight.
7. take it one day at a time.
8. Have a cheat day or meal, where you eat what you want
9. Try to talk to yourself as if you are talking to your child or loved one. Often times the thing we need most is to be a better friend to ourselves.
10. Smile.

Well said.

cretamae

I try when i do eat to go for the healthier options whole wheat if i do any pastas or breads at. but I mostly try to stick with turkey burgers, skinless chicken breasts, talapia, with broccoli, green beans any veggies steamed. I try to cut back as much as possible on salt. no chips, sweets whatever.

Is this right? I usually don't stick with it for more than a week just due to laziness. What do you do for snacks in between? like carrots and hummus?

and as far as exercise what is considered "vigorous". I usually run about a mile or two for the first 30 min. arm reps with free weights, crunches, lunges for the next 30 and then split... is that enough?

cretamae

Wow thanks for the replies, I wasn't expecting any this late or a AT ALL. This is my first time venturing to the community tab since I've had an account. Pretty awesome.

cretamae

alecta337

Your diet seems a little too restrictive to me. As you said, you usually end up giving up.

I'd try to replace sweets and chips with dark chocolate and sun chips (or something baked) and only eat them rarely when you're really having a craving.

I do not believe in cutting anything out of your diet entirely. Moderation is key! Eat 30% what you want 70% what you should or something like that. Just be sure your calories don't go over what MFP suggests for you =]

Also, PLEASE eat at least 1200 calories per day, or bad stuff will happen

Good luck on your journey, we'll be here for you =]

capriciousmoon

Find an exercise you enjoy, it makes it easier to stick with. If you hate it and are forcing yourself you'll be tempted to quit,

Make sure you're getting enough sleep. When you're tired you'll want to eat more to keep yourself awake.

alecta337

Make sure you're getting enough sleep. When you're tired you'll want to eat more to keep yourself awake.

Also if you're sleeping its time that you're not eating... sounds obvious but WebMD lists getting enough sleep as one of their top 10 diet tips

StacySkinny

5'5" and 165? That doesn't really sound very fat to me. But I wish you luck with your journey. Feel free to send me a friend request. I'm always happy to have new friends on here. We can all use the support.

Solstice1

nice to meet you! don't get all overwhelmed. the other posters had some great tips. it's one day at a time--or even 15 minutes when you're trying to distract yourself from a food craving. just do small changes, allow yourself a treat now and then. do you have some favorite fruits? do you like tea? my favorite is stash mangosteen tea. best of luck to you on your journey!

cretamae

5'5" and 165? That doesn't really sound very fat to me. But I wish you luck with your journey. Feel free to send me a friend request. I'm always happy to have new friends on here. We can all use the support.

Not fat, I shouldn't have used that word, I don't think I'm fat just not where I want to be and I feel like I live a "fat lifestyle" I guess. I just don't want to let my habits lead me to complications later in life I've lost two family members recently to health problems. I just don't have any excuse not to take care of myself this is the only body I get and I'm not treating it right.

[sorry I'm so wordy, I'm in that [new] phase where I'm trying to convince myself to change]
thanks for the compliment and reminding me of that though.

Pebble321

It's never late of MFP - only the middle of the afternoon in my part of the world!
You have some great advice here, so I'm not going to add much, just to say: if you eat it, log it. Get some exercise in there, get in the habit of eating good food regularly.
It really is that simple!

StacySkinny

5'5" and 165? That doesn't really sound very fat to me. But I wish you luck with your journey. Feel free to send me a friend request. I'm always happy to have new friends on here. We can all use the support.

Not fat, I shouldn't have used that word, I don't think I'm fat just not where I want to be and I feel like I live a "fat lifestyle" I guess. I just don't want to let my habits lead me to complications later in life I've lost two family members recently to health problems. I just don't have any excuse not to take care of myself this is the only body I get and I'm not treating it right.

[sorry I'm so wordy, I'm in that [new] phase where I'm trying to convince myself to change]
thanks for the compliment and reminding me of that though.

I think you're great for doing something now before it does become a real issue. If you feel you have a "fat lifestyle" then you are definitely in the right place! Feel good about your choice to be here, just remember, it only works if you log everything you eat accurately. You can do this, I have faith in you!

unmitigatedbadassery

here are a few tips that I found to work for me:
1. Make MFP your home page
2. Log in EVERYDAY, read the message boards post.. Keep your mind actively thinking about it.
3. Don't try to change too much at once, Implement 1 change every week or so. Little tweeks over time seem to work best or at least better than but load of change all at once
4. Always be honest. We al fall on our way to the top, be honest, no one is judging you here... we all support eachother
5. Keep trying new things until you find what works for you (It took me a while to find my plan and it works great for me but I wouldn't push it on anyone else)
6. Its easier to lift weights than the burdens of carrying weight.
7. take it one day at a time.
8. Have a cheat day or meal, where you eat what you want
9. Try to talk to yourself as if you are talking to your child or loved one. Often times the thing we need most is to be a better friend to ourselves.
10. Smile.

^ALL THIS^

StacySkinny

here are a few tips that I found to work for me:
1. Make MFP your home page
2. Log in EVERYDAY, read the message boards post.. Keep your mind actively thinking about it.
3. Don't try to change too much at once, Implement 1 change every week or so. Little tweeks over time seem to work best or at least better than but load of change all at once
4. Always be honest. We al fall on our way to the top, be honest, no one is judging you here... we all support eachother
5. Keep trying new things until you find what works for you (It took me a while to find my plan and it works great for me but I wouldn't push it on anyone else)
6. Its easier to lift weights than the burdens of carrying weight.
7. take it one day at a time.
8. Have a cheat day or meal, where you eat what you want
9. Try to talk to yourself as if you are talking to your child or loved one. Often times the thing we need most is to be a better friend to ourselves.
10. Smile.

This is AWESOME! I love it!