308 Days....
notsothinlizzie
Posts: 20 Member
In 308 days I am attending a family reunion. Sadly I am the largest person there. But I'm here to change that. My goal is 80 pounds by June 11, 2013. I have to lose about 200 total. I do not want to have surgery. Kudos to those that have, just not for me. I figured out that I have 44 weeks and less than 2 pounds a week will get me my 80 pounds. (unless my brain fog didn't figure the math right).
I'm very nervous. I want to suceed. My biggest issue: exercise. At this size it hurts to move and it's hot. I live in a very small town the pool is basically a kiddie pool. My goal is to take advantage of our lovely walking path. It's 8 blocks to the path and the path runs 30 miles one direction, 25 the opposite direction. I've no excuses. This weekend we are going to a HUGE shopping complex and I'm buying some new tennis shoes. I know I should do some sort of weight lifting... I want to find a YOGA DVD.. Any suggestions of an introductory one?
Any positive help would be greatly appreciated. :flowerforyou:
I'm very nervous. I want to suceed. My biggest issue: exercise. At this size it hurts to move and it's hot. I live in a very small town the pool is basically a kiddie pool. My goal is to take advantage of our lovely walking path. It's 8 blocks to the path and the path runs 30 miles one direction, 25 the opposite direction. I've no excuses. This weekend we are going to a HUGE shopping complex and I'm buying some new tennis shoes. I know I should do some sort of weight lifting... I want to find a YOGA DVD.. Any suggestions of an introductory one?
Any positive help would be greatly appreciated. :flowerforyou:
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Replies
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Hi Lizzie and welcome!
I'm new here too, so take all my advice with a grain of salt.
I suggest trying to start off slow - changing habits one habit at a time, one step at a time. It seems less overwhelming that way and you're more likely to stick with it in the long run. I know it's hard with the pressure of a looming date, but you'll get there with the baby steps and perseverance.
I found walking is great exercise - you could load up your ipod/music player, if you have one, with your favorite songs and use the path, or even walk in the mall. I have countless yoga dvds, but I find they lose their appeal pretty quick (before I get their worth).
You could also start with the food diary by adding some of your favorite recipes into the recipe section - I really like that feature because it helps me change up my recipes and make them healthier - still letting me eat some of the foods I love - just maybe "diluted" with veggies or in smaller portions. You can plan out your day's meals and "budget", which I have found really helpful.
Good luck!0 -
Great Ideas. Thank you Melissa. and thank you for the welcome!!0
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Melissa's got a lot of great points - for DVD's, I suggest Netflix or your local library (the good ones are usually out, so look in their online catalog and reserve a few). That way you can try out several and return them when you get bored.0
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Start slow and work your way up. Walking or any kind of exercise that gets your heart going is good.
Good luck!0 -
Hi Liz
I've been on MFP for just over a year now and lost about a lb a week, which was fine for me, because cutting back on how much I eat was the hardest thing and I felt like if I cut back too much I wouldn't be able to stick to the new lifestyle change. My first 2 months I also did no exercise because I just didn't feel ready, but after a while I took up walking and now I also do swimming. There are people on MFP who have lost huge amounts in a very short space of time and do massive workouts and that works for them, and could be what works for you, but I guess I'm saying you don't have to push yourself on MFP you can ease yourself into this new lifestyle too
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Welcome!! I found some pretty good workouts on Cox On Demand in the Free Zone a while back ago, assuming they still have this feature. They had a variety of different types of workouts but they changed them out every once in a while so i ended up purchasing the DVD for a few of them. It was nice because i could try them out before i bought them. Youtube can be a pretty good source as well. Oh yeah and Hulu has some good yoga workouts. I have a friend doing them and she has really enjoyed them because they have different types and levels of yoga.
I agree with the previous posters in taking it slow and becoming accustomed to a new, healthier lifestyle. And don't think that you have to deny yourself of every indulgence. The way i see it is as long as you are within your calorie goal, you can indulge a little bit. After a while, you won't even crave all the things you might now.0 -
Hi and welcome to MFP. Lots of good advice, but that's one of the great things about this community. Any question just throw it out there. Some opinions/advice helps, and some doesn't. I realised that with all the will in the world I am not able to live on celery and diet coke. My weight loss is averaging two pounds a week and though I wish it was more I know that this is a good realistic pace.
Good luck 0 -
I have found some great online yoga/pilates/exercise videos for free at Hulu. com The are easy and beginner to advanced.
I have also gone to a garage sale and gotten a small weight set along with a treadmill (the people were moving) which would be a good starting point for you also. I have found that these help me when it is hot outside because I can do this in the privacy of my own house any time I want.0 -
You should check out keto.
Exercise, while it's nice for general health, it's required to lose weight.
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf0 -
The single thing that helped me most is weighing myself every morning no matter what!! No matter what! Because I knew I'd have to face that scale it has kept me from nighttime gnoshing that has been my biggest downfall. Do it 1 day at a time and the more you see the scale move the more motivated you will be. Don't beat yourself up with lack of exercise. The desire may come as you lose. If not, you'll still be losing by eating less and learning to keep portions down. Good luck and good attitude!!0
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Welcome! You can totally make that goal.
I walk all the time. I've actually purchased a fitbit. It is a pedometer that links to myfitnesspal wirelessly so all my calories burned from walking are automatically added to my diary. If you plan to walk a lot you might like that.
Also, if you're walking outside and have a smart phone I highly recommend the mapmywalk app. It uses your phone's gps to track how far & how fast you walked. So you could manually enter the data into myfitnesspal also for your exercise.
I don't really do yoga. But I have found that my cable company has free workouts (including yoga) on demand. And they are free with your cable subscrption. I also go to a Zumba class twice a week but I love dance aerobics and since we all look crazy together I don't worry about how badly I dance in public there.
If you need friends or motivation feel free to add me. I'm always on here.0 -
Hi and welcome!
Like Marina, I started off with the calorie monitoring. Then I started walking a bit, then I started walking more. Then I consulted a nutritionist and I'm still making one change at a time with him. Recently I started aquafit classes and then a couple weeks later started strength training twice a week. So it took 6 months for me to start the weights and maybe 2-3 months before I started walking so take it slow and go at your own pace. The best advice though is this: DON'T GIVE UP! You're going to have bad days and times where you just want to quit. Go to bed that night telling yourself that the bad day is over and you WANT this so tomorrow you start again.
This of course is what worked for me but as you go through this, you'll find what works for you.
Good luck and have fun!
PS. I started a group called "Quirky challenges for the "Lighter" side of health". If you're interested in joining us, I'm giving out one food challenge and one fitness challenge each week but they're made to be fun as well as challenging and they're made to motivate and make you laugh while helping you get fit and healthy!0 -
Hello, and welcome! You have taken the first steps to a brand new you ... log everything and be honest (I was not always honest with myself in the past about what I was putting in my mouth). And WALK!!! I started this year at 253 pounds and my knee and my foot hurt so bad I could hardly get off the couch. I lost about 30 pounds by April and in April I started walking. I can't tell you how great it's been for mind, body and soul. I've tracked my inches and it's been amazing. I walk almost every day now and look forward to it. My goal is to run a 5k before the year is out. You can totally do this! Good luck!0
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Moving gets easier the more you do it and the smaller you get. My sister has lost 40 lbs in 4 months by simply walking 2-3 miles a day and eaing about 1500 calories a day.
Keep at it - I wish you the best of luck!0 -
Welcome!! I think you have a great attitude about weight loss, good luck getting ready for your family reunion. And I think walking is great exercise, being outside and being active daily really puts me in a great mood and gives me something to feel good about!0
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Hey Lizzie.
First of all, welcome!
Second of all, you're awesome for taking that step and wanting what you want. I've only just started out here myself and this place is full of helpful tips and tricks.
For me, this place made me realize how much calories you actually burn simply from walking! So instead of taking public transport between work and the trainstation. I try to walk it as much as possible. Walking is simple, not so straining on the limbs, because when I tried running/jogging my knees and ankles started to protest, but walking seems like something I can do for eternity.
I'm keeping close tabs on calorie intake, but also keeping tabs on healthy food. I've been doing that little under a week now and I am actually actively feeling the results. I just feel better being me.
Best advice I can give is that you find something that fits you, and stick with it. Things might not always go as fast as you want, but you'll get there, I'm sure you will.
Good luck!0 -
I agree with the people who say concentrate on food habits first, then incorporate exercise. Exercising a bunch right off the bat is going to make you hungry which will of course make it very hard to consume less than your usual. Get your stomach and body used to the new calorie intake and then start walking...get that under wraps and try walking REALLy fast for a minute...maybe in a few months you can jog for a minute walk for a minute etc. Take it slow and get the eating under control. Losing weight (for me) is 70% eating habits and 30% exercise. Oh and a good purchase along with your shoes might be some light weights to take along with you walking! You can just hold them while you walk or do arm exercises while you walk.0
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I understand your motivation, my motivation was to save my life.
My suggestion, is eat plenty of vegetables, especially green leafy ones like kale.
I try to have a green smoothie every day, and it's helped me not only loose weight, but to be healthier...
4 -6 cups of kale, 1.5 cups water, 2 bananas, 1 -2 cups of frozen fruit... Tastes like a fruit smoothie thats green, add some sesame seeds for extra calcium...
1 ounce of sesame seeds have 277mg of calcium... much more than dairy... 1 ounce of whole milk has 31.6mg
Good luck... You will succeed if you stick with it... 0 -
I started off slow, mainly just working on the calorie tracking, reducing my portions, figuring out how to make better choices so I could eat more food for the same calorie counts, and drinking A LOT more water. I also cut out any and all sweetened drinks as it seriously makes it hard to stay within your calorie goal while getting a decent amount of food to eat. After those first ten pounds melted off, it motivated me to do a lot more. And, I realized pretty quickly that I really needed the exercise component just so I could eat more. I started in May, and I've lost 28 pounds so far in roughly 13 weeks. So, it is totally doable. You got this, you can so do it. :bigsmile:0
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Welcome! You can totally make that goal.
I walk all the time. I've actually purchased a fitbit. It is a pedometer that links to myfitnesspal wirelessly so all my calories burned from walking are automatically added to my diary. If you plan to walk a lot you might like that.
Also, if you're walking outside and have a smart phone I highly recommend the mapmywalk app. It uses your phone's gps to track how far & how fast you walked. So you could manually enter the data into myfitnesspal also for your exercise.
I don't really do yoga. But I have found that my cable company has free workouts (including yoga) on demand. And they are free with your cable subscrption. I also go to a Zumba class twice a week but I love dance aerobics and since we all look crazy together I don't worry about how badly I dance in public there.
If you need friends or motivation feel free to add me. I'm always on here.
Neat! I'm new to apps (MyFitnessPal was my first), didn't realize this existed. Going to have to try MapMyWalk!0 -
Welcome! I'm THE BEST at making excuses so I will only give tips on how to ensure success (and I still have a LONG way to go)! Make realistic goals that are achievable. Do not make a goal to work out every day for an hour at 5am. It's just not going to happen, and because I know I'm not a morning person, morning exercise goals are simply unrealistic for me (at this point). I started by walking for 10 minutes every-other-day during my lunch break. And even when it's super hot outside, 10 minutes is doable. Then 20 minutes at lunch. Then add another 20 minutes on a stationary bike in my home after my kids were in bed. I also know that as much as joining a gym sounded good, unless I went right away after work, I wouldn't go if I went home first and would need to drive back to the gym.
Then there were eating goals. Cutting out foods I loved was also very unrealistic. No pizza? No bread? No cheese? No sweets? No thank you!! So I decided to concentrate more on my portions and still allow myself the foods I loved, just in moderation. Can I have a cupcake that someone brought into work? Sure, but I don't need three. Or instead of 5 pieces of pizza, I'll have two with a salad, or another veggie to fill me up. I also allowed myself unlimited vegetables to help fill me up and slowly I noticed I was eating less, naturally, and becoming fuller faster. If I had fresh, ready-to-go healthy snacks in the house that I could quickly grab, those are the snacks I'd reach for. I also found that having one of those mini candy bars (those little squares) could curb my sweet tooth, and if I only brought one or two, that is all I ate.
Simply tracking what you eat, and EVERY LITTLE THING that you eat, helped a lot. It's the little things that add up quickly and I had no idea how much I was eating in just drinks, condiments, etc. Once you are aware of that, you will notice you will start making healthier choices.
Good luck!!
Edit - I wanted to add that little things add up. I heard once the key is to simply move more, and that doesn't necessarily mean scheduled exercise. Park further away at work, at the grocery store, etc. Instead of asking your kids or hubby to get you something, get up and get it yourself. Take the long way to the bathroom. Walk an extra time around the store. Stand instead of sit. Those little things burn calories and aren't a huge shock to your system all at once. The more you start moving, the more you'll want to move!0 -
Glad to see others reply on here that they're taking it slow. I found in past attempts that too much at one time became overwhelming for me and made it easy to give up. I am focusing on my eating habits right now and trying to exercise some but not forcing it just yet. I use our XBox Kinect to get some indoor exercise which is great if its too hot outside to walk. Although I agree that walking is better for you, my asthma makes it difficult to exercise outdoors in the heat. Although its a game, I at least get off the couch to do something and it's not as boring for me as being on the treadmill for an hour and I live 45 minutes from the nearest gym.
Good luck on your journey!
*Should note that I'm only on day 10 with MFP but am loving the tools, the community, and the empowerment I feel being here!0 -
Results don't happen over night, so the best advice I can offer is to keep at it. Don't give up. You're in it for the long haul!0
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When I started I was 350 lbs... I didn't even start with exercising a lot because I had a lot of weight to carry around and I had no energy. After about a month of eating differently, logging, watching calories, I think started adding just plain old fashion walking.. for me (I hated exercise) it was all I could muster. There's nothing wrong with taking it slow especially when you have more weight to carry.
You can do it !!!!0 -
Welcome! You can do this and you have a great support team to help you! 0
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Congrats on staring your journey, I too have a 3 digit number to shed but this format is awesome and I have lost my first 5lbs in my first week. Surgery just doesn't sound like fun to me. so I too am gonna go it the ol' fashioned way eat less move more and guzzle the water. Good Luck and may you be blessed with strength and wisdom for the days ahead.0
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All I can say is HOLY COW!!!
Thank you everyone for the HUGE replies. WOW. I'm very excited. I think I'm in the right spot.
I truly appreciate everyone who took the time to reply and offer advice. I shall read all of these.
Thanks for the new friends too!!!0 -
I gotta say, you that are going this without surgery, need a HUGE hug! You ARE in the right direction! YOU CAN DO IT! I do not speak from experience, but I know you can! I really give you credit for not taking the route of surgery. You're doing it the healthy way! Good luck and God bless!0
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I'm very nervous. I want to suceed. My biggest issue: exercise. At this size it hurts to move and it's hot. I live in a very small town the pool is basically a kiddie pool. My goal is to take advantage of our lovely walking path. It's 8 blocks to the path and the path runs 30 miles one direction, 25 the opposite direction. I've no excuses. This weekend we are going to a HUGE shopping complex and I'm buying some new tennis shoes. I know I should do some sort of weight lifting... I want to find a YOGA DVD.. Any suggestions of an introductory one?
Hey There, As someone who use to be 340 pounds I know how you feel and the key is baby steps, do a little a day and keep adding on when your body allows it. As far as DVD's I started with Leslie Sansone Walk away the pounds DVD's because i didnt want to be walking outside at 340 pounds as horrible as that sounds. Found it easier to do it at home private. They come in 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -5 miles, each mile being 15 minutes and I found EXCELLENT to do. Lost a lot of weight with them. Hope I've helped and YOU CAN DO IT!0
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