New here!

Hi All!

I just joined today at the recommendation of a friend who lost a boatload of weight. In a perfect world, I would like to lose about 110 pounds, but realistically, I would be really happy with 75. I have 2 small daughters that I want to be around for, and a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. I'm already experiencing degenerative arthritis, and had knee surgery last summer to remove a bunch of goop from cartilage pieces, etc. I'm facing a knee replacement before I'm 50 if I don't make some significant changes and soon! So... here I am!

I love to cook and bake, and have a terrible chocolate addiction as well as a coke addiction (-acola, not -caine). I'm also a really picky eater, but more due to texture than taste. Not really big on veggies and fruit, so that makes the whole weight-loss thing really hard! I'm also a food snob. It has to be really good, or it isn't worth my time. Hopefully increasing my movement (I sit at a desk all day), and getting a grip on portion control will make a big difference for me!

Replies

kellygirl5538

I THINK you will like fruit and veggies when u start eating them. I don't like salads but like veggies. If you have 110 pounds to loose you have to be on this site or your life may be in danger. You need to stop drinking soda starting today. I don't belive in making small changes...you need to make big changes and go cold turkey, I love choc. too but it is a trigger food for me...even dark chocolate. Start walking...and get a food scale and start weighing. I know from experience..use to be around 220 now 148 and got more to go! Good luck and you can do it!

palmerb2

Welcome to MFP! You sound a lot like me when I started last year. My first step was to walk more. I got a pedometer and tracked my steps and would try to increase them by 500 each week until I got to the goal the doctor wanted which was 10,000. I would walk after dinner for about ten minutes. Was really all I could take at the time. I slowly increased the time and how fast I was walking. Coke was the only thing I drank but as I started walking more I found I wanted more water to drink and the balance started tipping towards water and not much coke.

DebHutton55

Hi! With the weight you want to lose, you will probably want to rethink your whole idea on food or it will probably never happen. It's not just about moving more. That won't get you where you want to be. Find fruits and mostly vegetables that you can do. It is more important to eat the right foods than to just watch your calories.
It is all about a lifestyle change, not just exercise and not just calorie reduction. It is finding a reason to want it. Your health, your daughters... You are the person they are going to look at when making decisions on everything, including nutrition.
I have learned this through many years of doing it wrong. I have a sister who has lost 75 pounds in the past year and will give you her info if you would like.

Indyimp

I have lots of weight to lose and I'm in a similar boat, except I love my veggies. My husband hates them, but finds the better he feels, the healthier he craves (he used to be a candy addict). I have one bad knee, but I try to keep active, because I'm afraid if i don't use it, I'll lose it so to speak. Feel free to add :flowerforyou:

RunningOnPurple

Hmmm... Interesting advice so far. Just like to say I still don't eat veggies and do eat chocolate and have diet coke in moderation. The key is lifestyle change. What are you comfortable doing for the rest of your life that is healthier than what you're doing now.

So glad you joined! Love ya .)

ImmaZombie

Woohoo! Welcome to the club!

iveyroze3

Glad you're here. Logging your calories, making healthier choices,drinking water,exercice and getting support from others is key. You have all that here. You kind of have to rethink your food preferences and make healthier choices. Food snob for me meant I liked rich,tasty,indulgent foods and I used to eat out alot. Well eating out for the most part is very unhealthy. If I do eat out I ask for a to go box immediately and put 1/2 my food in there to take home. I also am not a big lover of fruits and veggies. I tend to go towards lean high protein foods .I have found as I cut out sugars and white carbs an apple tastes super sweet to me and I like them. I eat a bit of cheddar cheese with it. I am incorporating more veggies too. It seems when you choose to be healthier you make better food choices. I often ask myself "Is the calories in that food worth it ?" Alot of times it isn't.

debsmithmoore

I'm actually a lot better about veggies than I used to be. Since I love to cook so much, I'm learning how to hide them in the food I like... Pureeing roasted onions and peppers and the like and putting them in stuff like meatloaf to stretch it as well as make it healthier. Meatloaf, au gratin potatoes, homemade bread and green beans has to be my hands down all time favorite meal ever (but MY meatloaf... I don't eat any other). Also, I roast all kinds of veggies I wouldn't normally even think about eating and puree them into my homemade marinara, which is pretty kick butt... thick and rich and meaty without the meat (thanks to the eggplant). According to my MasterCook program, it has 57 calories per half cup serving.

I don't crave junk food... I crave comfort food. Give me a bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy and I am a happy, happy girl. The exception is chocolate, and occasionally ice cream. I really fear the caffeine withdrawal headache too, even though most days I only have 1 regular coke, and the rest are caffeine free. Not ready to admit to others how many that actually is...

Thanks to everyone for the tips! And a big, giant, huge thanks to Jamie for introducing me to this site! I am hoping that the plan I have now will finally lead to some success! I have shared this site with my husband, and if he chooses to join also, I believe it will make a difference in our lives. You all have been so nice so far and I am truly amazed by how many people who have no idea who I am have asked to be my friend on here. Y'all are awesome!

*hugs!*

debsmithmoore

@Jamie,

Me too! Love ya back!