New to MFP

kebbing

Okay...I am new to MFP as of this week...I am really trying hard...but it is difficult for me! I need to add in the exercise still and can use all the support I can get!
So...here is my story...I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My mother who was a large woman and was very unhealthy was also diabetic and died at 57. My father who died at 56 was also unhealthy too. I am fearful I am headed down that same road and I do NOT want that...I am 31 years old and I have to take action now!
The thing is I have done this before...but have gained it all back plus some! My motivation isn't were it should be and I am struggling with getting it there...especially with the excerise. I don't know if I am fearful I will fail or what my problem is...but I know I have to do something!
Any advice is much appreciated!

SVPQR

Hi there! Im new to MFP as well. My uncle found out a few months ago that he had diabetes and as a result deicded to get in to shape. Try to imagine a 60 year old man who had never exercised a day in his life and thats my uncle. He saw a nutritionist and got his diet in check but he was having a hard time finding the motivation to exercise. What he did was hire a personal trainer, and my uncle just ran his first half marathon last month! He said that it felt great to have someone always looking over his shoulder and reassuring him that he could meet his goals. While its understandable that a personal trainer may be out of your budget the point of the story is that anyone can do it if my ole lazy uncle could! I heard a statistic on the radio that said if you can mantain a good habit for just 2 weeks, you are 50% more likely to keep that good habit up for 6 months, and if you keep it up for 6 months you are 50% more likely to keep that habit for 2 years. Im taking things a day at a time and MFP has proved thus far to be an awesome tool. I wish you the best of luck and please dont be fearful of failing, it sounds like the risk of not acting far outweighs the risk of trying.

rgm66

Im on here everyday so feel free to add me if you like

twilightlvr79

Hi! I'm in the same boat you are with the exercise. I am doing really great with the nutrition but the exercising is the hard part for me. They are supposed to be adding Anytime Fitness to my health insurance Wednesday and I am planning on joining that but I have to try and find a way to work something in before then. Feel free to add me if you like, maybe we can motivate each other!

susanswan

Hi, and welcome! I've been here over a year. Lots of great people and lots of interesting opinions on how to do it all. There are many approaches and keep reading and searching through to find what works for you.

If you haven't heard of Dr. Joel Fuhrman and EAT TO LIVE I'd like to introduce you to his website. www.drfuhrman.com he is an MD with focus on nutrition. He's helped thousands of patients with diabetes, heart disease, etc with his nutritional approach using real food. NOT supplements. It doesn't have to be a vegetarian or vegan approach but it can. I started in October and have never felt better. There is a group here for Eat To Live and a growing community for it.

My mom had Type 1 Diabetes and died at 68 after 44 years of having it. Type 2 is largely considered to be brought on by food choices. You don't have to let genetics take the lead here. YOU can change your health by eating healthy. I hope you'll choose to at least look into this. You start just by adding veggies to your diet. In no time you'll be doing so much better. Check out his website and search through success stories, too.

Please friend me if you think this might be for you. You can take control of your health.
Susan

endsine

Hi kebbing. Welcome to what will hopefully turn into one of the most fun challenges of your life!

I was thinking about what I would say to myself if I went back to last year when I started my own journey towards better eating. What is one thing I could tell myself to help stay motivated.

Think long term.

Try not to get sucked into extreme diets that make fast promises. Don’t sign up for exercise packages that take you way out of your comfort zone. These things won’t last as you won’t enjoy them. This only works if its something you can live with pretty much forever.

Start with small ideas and build on it. You have your entire life experience that you’re trying to deprogram and it won’t happen in a few months.

Use this website to record everything you put in your mouth. Turn it into a game. And then start with one idea.

For example, decide that you are no longer going to drink soft drinks. Do that for a few weeks or as long as it takes until it’s not difficult. At some point it will not be a big deal and you’ll gain confidence from this.

Build on confidence and step it up a notch. Start paying attention to artificial sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup. Decide to start minimizing or eliminating anything you can that has HFCS in it. You will learn how ubiquitous this culprit is in our culture. Spend a few months doing this. While it sounds small, the results will be profound.

My point is that taking little steps over many months will build upon your confidence and strength much in the same way that SVPQR writes of building good habits. If you take one brick down at a time the giant wall suddenly doesn’t seem as intimidating.

Most of all, try to have fun with it. This is the best kind of game you can play because as long as you keep playing you can only win and feel good.

Living4Liz2012

Good luck on your journey everyone, and know I am here for you all:)

FelicityEliza36

Whoever wants to add me on Facebook.... I started a weight loss group on there with some other MFPers.

We mostly just chit chat and complain about our daily struggles (or success) of trying to lose weight.
But we have weekly weigh ins, we give each other motivation, tips, and share recipes top.

So far it's a great support group!

- Felicity Merrill

kebbing

Thank you all so much! I love the support on here and the advice! It is so awesome and impowering!

fay4721

Hiya ! Welcome to the party .. it's hard to find motivation I struggle very bad espcially at the moment .. But your in the right place! The best thing to rememeber is if your having a bad day or have a question about anything then come on here and ask were all here to help eachother. Feel free to add me and anyone else can as well for that matter. much love x

TNBurns

I am new here as well... I've only used MFP for about a month now. I am looking for others who need motivation and support as well as i do. You can add me if you like And we can do this together!

LORA0504

I am new as well. Signed up in May but never really did anything with it. That changes this week. My biggest challenges are Pepsi and exercise. Pepsi is definitely a weakness and I have a really hard time getting motivated to exercise. I am uncomfortable in a gym environment and have work out equipment and videos at home....if i would just use them. Work zaps my energy and I don't want to do anything when I get home. My goal is to change that this week no matter how small the change is anything is better than nothing. I'll start by taking the stairs in our office bldg. Congrats to you for making the committment to get healthy. We can do it.....just have to get started and take one day at a time...