So tired of being overweight.

Carllinda
Carllinda Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
Hi I my name is Carllinda, I am 29 yrs old and I have a 14 mon. old son. I want to be able to have a active live with him. But I need to lose about 80lbs. But I could really use some motivation. Any advice is very much appreciated. Look forward to hearing from you!!! Thanks :)

Replies

  • Bola17
    Bola17 Posts: 120 Member
    Feel free to send a friend request....It´s easier to lose when you have some moral support :) And I have been very inspired joining a challenge. Find one that fits your liking - walking, running or calorie watching. It´s great fun and I feel more commited when I HAVE to weigh in once a week !!
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Have a look through the success stories, they will truly inspire you!
  • mommitch
    mommitch Posts: 3 Member
    You can do it....mfp has been the best helper.I decided after seeing a picture of myself that I had enough. I wanted to lose 50 pounds and I'm down 30 since april 9. Its not always easy but I'm 100% dedicated. I hate to exercise but I do 30 min on my exercise bike everyday and it doesn't kill me...good luck and add me for support :)
  • gjulie
    gjulie Posts: 391
    Hi And welcome! you will find alot of support on this site,you can do it start with little changes put the little man in his buggy and start with half hour walk every day,gradually make more changes repalce unhealthy habits with more healthy ones,its difficult with a small child to find time for yourself but you can walk with him,dont expect major results too quickly,I have found with calories of 1500 a day Ive lost weight without being hungry,anything under that I personally can manage,now thats just me!
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
    My baby wasn't much older than yours when I started, too (she's 20 mo now). Working around a little one is its own challenge, isn't it? Here's what I did -- it takes some guts, but it worked for me. I knew I needed to lose weight, I knew I needed to eat healthier, I knew I needed to exercise more, and I knew how much better I'd feel, but I just couldn't make myself DO it. So one day I got fed up with myself and got on the scale, took a photo of my weight, and posted that photo on Facebook with a promise to post an updated photo every Sunday morning.
    I think it's sad that I needed that external motivation (my own health should be good enough reason) but it worked -- knowing I had to post that photo was a HUGE help in keeping me motivated to get on the elliptical or skip the other half of the chocolate bar. I lost my first 10 lbs that way, then my doc introduced me to this site. At about 20 lbs lost, I discovered that posting the photos to Facebook had become an afterthought instead of the motivation, so I stopped -- but that definitely gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get the ball rolling, and my friends and family were very supportive.
    Now that i'm on track (25 lbs down!), I think this site is great for motivation to stay that way. I love the daily "if every day were like today, in 5 weeks you'd weigh X". What a great (non-judgmental) way to get a pat on the back or a kick in the pants. I still look at the week overall as what counts -- as long as my calories are in the green for the week, I don't care if a day or two of that week are in the red.
    One thing that was hugely helpful was buying my own elliptical. I found a good one on Overstock for under $200 (including shipping)-- it's strictly basic, none of the fancy electronics you'll see in the gym, but it works great, and having the ability to get a quick cardio session in without having to track down a babysitter is priceless.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    That's a cute baby!!! I added you. Good luck!! :)
  • calicat0925
    calicat0925 Posts: 16 Member
    Brandy, I've been wanting to get an elliptical for myself for years, but didn't think I could afford one. Thanks for the tip!
  • calicat0925
    calicat0925 Posts: 16 Member
    Thanks for the add Carlinda! I've been saying the same thing since my son was 8 months old. Now he's almost 6 and I need to seriously make some changes. I am one of those people who gets seriously discouraged by setbacks or not making progress quickly enough. I made my son do Pilates with me today. He lasted 10 minutes, but it was great that he was enthusiastic and supportive, because that's what I need. I'm doing the MFP thing with my mom, so I hope that by making myself accountable and seeing her logging in daily to chart her progress that I will, too.

    Good luck!
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
    Carlinda, the longest journey begins with the first step. It may seem daunting, but it really isn't. I found the key is 1) making modest changes in what I eat (lean protean and fruits and vegetables and a little whole grain here and there, cut refined carbs, starches and high fat foods), and 2) fairly significant changes in activity level, doing something active every day.

    After about 2 months these to changes become habits and once they are habits, then you are home free.
  • MFPBrandy
    MFPBrandy Posts: 564 Member
    Brandy, I've been wanting to get an elliptical for myself for years, but didn't think I could afford one. Thanks for the tip!
    CaliCat0925, here's the one I got -- the price is up to $230 now, but you can find ellipticals for less, and Overstock always has free or super-cheap shipping ($2.95).
    http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/Crescendo-Fitness-CrossTrainer-Elliptical-Machine/2302090/product.html
    You can also find them for even cheaper if you look for a used one! People buy exercise equipment all the time, then put them up on Craig's List or at garage sales because they never use them. My town has a "Swap or Sell" Facebook page; yours might as well. I'd try to stick to the basics -- less electronics to break -- but you CAN find them for relatively cheap ($200 is still nothing to sneeze at, but it's so worth it!).

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