240lbs and not sure where to start

MinnieInMaine

HI there! I understand what you're going through. I used to weigh 216lbs, have an autoimmune disease, and digestive issues - and I'm a full-time college student, married mom to three grown men - AND NOW FEEL AMAZING! I'm now at my goal weight of 135lbs and did it by literally taking one day at a time. Don't make too many changes at once. The key is to develop habits and that comes with consistency and dedication. Hang in there. You've got this! Take your time and set small, achievable goals and YOU WILL ge there! Just always keep in mind that small achievements = HUGE results! Be proud of them and celebrate each and every one You can friend me if you would like

Best first post ever! I started at at 260 and while I had plenty of knowledge about how to eat right and exercise from all my previous weight loss attempts, putting it to good use was still tough. As others have said, try not to dive in and change your whole lifestyle in a week. Just pick one small goal at a time and focus on that. And be open to learning and trying new things all the time. In the 3+ years I've been at this, I've changed my food choices, workouts and general approach several times in order to find what really worked for me.

I'd also recommend taking progrses pictures and body measurements. Best of luck! Here's to getting healthy!

trammelgal

I am 52 years old and I have arthritis in my back. My pain motivates me. It'swierd, after I exercise my pain goes away for awhile, 4-5 hours.

You can do this. You are a young woman. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Focus on what you are eating and try to adopt a healthier diet. Consentrate on that and when you get that down to a science start some exercise. Maybe you and your husband can dance or better yet, take a walk together.

I am not a healthcare professional, so use my advice cautiously. I just know how you feel. "Where to start?"

jonswife0206

please read this,you will have enough info to get started
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Absolutely this.

Agreed !! This is where I have learned the most on my journey. Feel free to add me if you would like !!

mum212

add me hun, im with you on this x x

Lupercalia

Hi,

When I recommitted to taking care of myself, I started by first tracking everything I ate. Firstly, so I could get an idea of how tracking worked, but also with the idea to just be more aware of what I was eating. The next step was to change my diet. The IPOARM link that has been offered is really valuable and I highly recommend taking that advice. You'll calculate the appropriate number of calories for you to be eating each day, which is probably gonna be a whole lot more than you're thinking it will be.

I started exercising after a week or two of changing my diet. I gave myself that block of time to adjust because I made some pretty big changes. I started drinking more water during that period and adjusting to that as well. When I started exercising after that initial period had passed, I started by just walking for 30-40 minutes at a time. About a month later I had lost a bunch of weight, and was super motivated, so added a new sort of exercise (kettlebells). Two months later, I joined a gym and started lifting weights.

That's how I got started this past summer. I was at 235 in July and have lost 55 lbs since then.

tolae2006

Ask yourself how bad do you want to be healthy why are you doing it. No body can help you reach your goal than you. You have to put your health first, I personally could not find the in strength to workout for a long time with a busy schedule.

I promised myself to workout 5- 6 days a week, be it 10mins or an hour, it could be doing 20 push ups just make sure you do something each day whether the numbers reflect on the scale or not just keeping doing it.

I started in December since then I have lost 17 pounds it works then I added drinking more water I started adding a glass per week. I started working out to you tube video.

You don't need a gym to be healthy.

I do look at the success stories a lot and it motivates me to keep going.

rylovesty23

This is my first time really starting a weight loss anything and after college and starting birth control, I've gained 60 pounds on top of the 180 that I weighed back in high school. Now I'm 25, and I'm getting closer and closer to 250 lbs. I love my husband and he is so loving and supporting of me, and he makes me feel beautiful despite me being so overweight. Though I don't hate my body, I want to live a long healthy life... But I'm having a hard time getting motivated. The depo has killed my energy to get up and move, school takes even more time out of my schedule and now I'm stuck.

What are you guys doing to stay motivated? I'll take any tips you can send my way! This seems like such a supportive community and I'm glad that I get the chance to meet you all!

Just signing up on this website and getting in the habit of logging is a good place to start! If you have netflix I do recommend you watch a couple of the food documentaries, "hungry for change" is really awesome !

squirrelythegreat

Hmm motivation. How do I stay motivated. I look at where I've been, and compare it to where I want to go. Crazy fun workouts will never stand in my way I know how I want to look, how I want to feel and its really all in all pretty simple how to get there. Getting into better shape became something I want more than anything else. Eat right, stay within a suitable calorie limit, and workout regularly. It really doesn't matter so much -what- you do to get started, just -that- you do it. "No matter how slow you go you're still lapping everyone still sitting on the couch"

I was 240 when I found MFP. It's been a happy and fast 6 months

abheshek

don't worry friend! we are there for you!

add me if you wish!

NewCaddy

For me it was a slow start. In the past I've done the 1200 calories and drastic workouts. Didn't take long for me to give up. I don't deprive myself of anything, I just work it into my calories. I joined a while back, but didn't start in until January 7th. I am down 18 pounds. Logging it before I eat helps because if I don't like the number, I change my mind about what I want to eat.

I am not a big fan of walking - I find it boring. I joined the Y and have found some classes that I really enjoy. Everybody is busy nowadays, so you really have to make it a priority. My husband (who hasn't been all that supportive in the past) has been wonderful and does his share of taking kids to activities so I can get to some of my favorite classes. On the nights I don't get to the gym, I started filling in with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. YOu can find so many videos on You Tube to find the one that you can handle for now.

I have found my friends are a great motivator. In my daily feed, I see them succeeding and it makes me want to keep going.

Most important, don't beat yourself up when you have a slip. It's going to happen. Just remember that it's just one time/ one day/ one meal and get back on track. If I can do this, anyone can. Good luck and if you want to add me as a friend, go ahead.

artex1024

When I first decided to lose weight (I weighed 265), I decided to start with my diet. I ate a lot of sweets and fast food, and rather than wean myself off of them slowly, I decided to go cold turkey. I bought the book, "the biggest loser - 30 day jump start" and followed it for a month. By the end of the month, I was down 20 pounds, my cravings for junk were gone and eating healthy was second nature. I won't say it was an easy month, but 30 days was manageable, and it was worth it. After I got the eating habits down, I turned to exercise. It's a lot harder to motivate myself to work out than to eat right. If you just want to lose weight, fitness isn't a huge must, since a good diet will do a lot, but I've always hated being in horrible shape. The best ways I've found to motivate myself to exercise is by setting goals. Sign up for a 5k if you're a beginner or a mud run/color run if you're not. Training for things like that will keep you going. Fitocracy is a fun site to track your work outs and you can level up and receive props from your peers. Nerdfitness.com is a great site for info on how to stay fit without a gym, and the community there is really supportive about fitness and diet. You can also sign up for weight loss challenges, either in your area or online at sites like dietbet.com to help stay accountable to your eating habits. All of those things have helped me. I'm currently 188 and still going strong! and feel free to add me as a friend. I always welcome extra support.

skcardiog

bump

spirit80

Today is day 1, log everything you eat. Log everyday. Today is day 400 for me and down 71lbs.

amandafelts

Ok ok

Getyourshineon

Where I started this time ~ getting my mind right first about the necessity of losing weight for my health and my future and how it could affect my family.. Once that was done I became committed to logging in every morsel I stuff in my mouth, to me, that's the most helpful tool on this site, other than my incredible motivational friends. I started cutting out sugary drinks, like my beloved Dr. Pepper and sugar & cream laden coffee. Slowly I started cutting my portions, started using more turkey, changed most of my pasta and bread to whole grain, started making healthier choices like eating sweet potato fries instead of regular fries, eating black beans instead of refried beans, eating Special K cereal instead of skipping breakfast... I'm still working on increasing my water intake and activity level but I can see a big difference in the way I feel and how my clothes feel.. I still have my fav things that I keep in my diet but I try to keep everything in moderation. Start now, my dear. Because for me, at the ripe age of 46, it's much more difficult to lose.. it's much slower to come off. If you start making permanent lifestyle changes slowly that you can live with now, you will be a healthy woman living a long, rewarding life..

Take advantage of interacting with some of these wonderful people who will help keep you motivated and grounded!!

I know you can do this!

dolphincrazy5

You may add me as well. I'm about 240 pounds right now, so I know how you feel.

crazy4fids

I know how it can be....there is so much info out there it can be overwhelming. I am in a different boat than you. I have never been excessively overweight. Most of my life I have been tall and skinny. Over the past decade as I have been creeping closer to 50 years old, my metabolism has slowed down and now I am unemployed. In Nov. I hit 185 and decided it was time to get healthy.
I have now lost 18 pounds. I jumped in with both feet. Unfortunately, my body does not agree with exercising 60 minutes a day six days a week. Right now I am healing shin splints.
Along with the calorie deficit on the road map, here is my advice;
Ease into a workout plan if your body has no experience with being active in the past decade
Start off easy with lots of walking for the first month, and light weightlifting. Weightlifting is important so when you loose the fat, you have lean muscles underneath.
Good luck!

Erikalynne18

But I'm having a hard time getting motivated. The depo has killed my energy to get up and move, school takes even more time out of my schedule and now I'm stuck.

What are you guys doing to stay motivated? I'll take any tips you can send my way! This seems like such a supportive community and I'm glad that I get the chance to meet you all!

So here's my advice on how to get started
1. set some goals and mini goals I find this helps instead of looking at the big number and makes it easier to stay on track
2. set some rewards for when you get to those goals, this will help you stay motivated.
3. take some photos and measurements. This will do two things; help you get a grasp on what you are starting at, and act as motivation if the scale starts to slow down.
4. skip the fad diets. Many of these tend to produce results fast, but then they don't stay. You need to attact the source, become more active, decrease your portion sizes, and eat healthier Focus on loseing 1-2 lbs/ week. This is a healthy rate and losing at a healthy rate you will be more likely to keep it off
5. find your TDEE, and from there figure out how many calories you should eat. I use this calculator. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
6. PLAN- if you have a plan you will be more likely to succeed. I like to plan my meals the day before, this will help you balance school and nutrition. Also plan in healthy snacks, make sure you have these handy.

Best of luck

amandafelts

Ok ok.......I know that I'm going to get blasted on this but...............When I find myself gaining weight, the first thing that I do is change up how I dress. I'll immediately retire the cute jeans and opt for that sweater that is just a little more loose-fitting and those pants that were a bit baggy a couple of months ago. Aaaahhhh.......that feels better, right? Eventually, when I go shopping I'll buy a bigger size because it just feels better.......Right? (Please tell me that I'm not alone in this.) One day, I recognized that I can cover up a lot of "extra ME" with clothes.

Sooooo..........the absolute BEST thing that I did for myself (don't laugh) was popped in a P90X DVD and exercised to it completely NAKED! Yep, I waited until I was home alone and I jumped around in the naked. (It was NOT a pretty sight!) Wiggle it 'til you jiggle it, baby! It will motivate you! I give this advise to all of my girlfriends who say, "What inspires you to go to the gym everyday?" I say the thought of me naked! If I find myself LETTING myself gain (it is a choice), then I strip down to my birthday suit, pop in my trusty plyometrics DVD, and I'm immediately motivated to jump back on that wagon, with both feet!!

Other than that........Know that you're sexy!! Know that you're toned!! Know that you're a fierce athlete!! You might have a layer of YOU covering up all of these things. But.......you ARE all of these attributes already!! You just have to shed the pounds to uncover them!

Just like I KNOW that there is a six-pack under my belly roll!! I just have to find it!! GOOD LUCK!!

geogirl67

As so many have posted, little changes, small comfortable steps. Don't expect to meet your goals overnight, but embrace every stride made in the right direction! There will be days in which you feel like you blew it, but you can't let that stop you, "git back on the horse'!

What has helped me on my journey (3 weeks in) is to:

a) Be accountable every day. MFP is great place to track food intake and calories. As far as exercise I invested in an interactive pedometer (FitBit - One) that syncs to MFP and adjusts my calories based on my activity level. Between the two there is no escape for me, no place to hide! It doesn't hurt that I am stuborn, but i won't go there.
b) Don't focus on how far you have to go as much as how far you have come, and be very proud of that achievement! Get plugged into the community here, Facebook, etc. and soak in the support, esspecially on days when you like or have slipped.
c) Learn from past mistakes. The biggest awakening for me was when I started logging my meals was not that I was eating terribly (had already switched to chicken and turkey, lots of veggies, staying away from most dairy) but that I was calorie bombing left and right! I am learning everyday how to make the most of and spread out my calories out.

You've alreay made the most important first step! Welcome! Please "pal" me if you wish a companion on this journey. :bigsmile:

dizzzy33

bump

mamamcneil

Try the Ideal Protein diet if you have the cash to spare! It's a great way to jumpstart a weightloss program!! Feel free to friend or contact me. I have had success on it with loosing 30+ lbs and am becoming a coach!

ashleydmassey

Where you start is really, truly one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. You will make it. I try to always say, focus on the actions and let the results work themselves out. Staying motivated is equally as challenging as getting started. Just pushing through and remembering, one bite at a time, one workout at a time will get you to where you want to be.

Good luck to you! You are welcome to add me if you want.

beckyboo19721970

You can add me I have been on this for couple weeks and I'm finding it hard to keep motivated but every day I try my hardest to stick to my good intentions lol

trogalicious

Try the Ideal Protein diet if you have the cash to spare! It's a great way to jumpstart a weightloss program!! Feel free to friend or contact me. I have had success on it with loosing 30+ lbs and am becoming a coach!

no.

Jerrypeoples

realize it has taken a lifetime to put the weight on. it is not going to come off after a few trips to the gym.

also understand this isnt a three month/1 year commitment. you have to change your lifestyle and habits or else you will fall right back into the same cycle