Newbie - wanting better lifestyle

irvinbl97

Hi everyone! I am so excited about joining MFP!! I am 33 years old, and am pastdue to make some changes in my life. Over the past 19 years, I've had a total of 18 surgeries - ranging from arthroscopic knee surgeries (multiple times, on both knees), thyroid removed, cyst the size of a tennis ball wrapped around some inner female parts, and other various issues. Also, for the past 8 years, my grandmother was living with me, due to having a one-floor house. She passed away in February at the age of 91. I also teach elementary students who have multiple disabilities. Over the past several years, it was always so very easy for me to use the surgeries as excuses, or saying the day I had was a rough one - I always found myself just eating whatever was handy and quick (HUGE fan of pasta).
My aunt introduced me to MFP, and I was very hesitant at first. But after doing some browsing, I have fallen in love with MFP!!! Today is my first day, and after documenting what I ate, as well as how much I worked on my elliptical, I realized something...I didn't pass out, am not in any pain, am not sick, and am feeling extremely positive about joining such a great group!!
I can not wait to make new friends, hear some of your stories, and most importantly...getting my life back on track!!!

SlimSumday

Hi! I'll be your friend! The more support, the better! :flowerforyou:

DesireeLinn

Hello! i'll also be your friend

azwarner

Welcome! I'll be your friend. The more support, the better!!

benol1

Hi irvinbl97 and welcome!
Its great that you've started turning your life around. Very many people never do.
Personally, I have found the lifestyle change that I have enacted over the last four or more months to be transformational and profoundly positive.
One word of advice I can give you - don't obsess over what your scales tell you from one week to the next. I see a lot of people here develop an unhealthy obsession with their scales. Keep your eyes on the bigger picture of total health and wellbeing. If you do that then weight loss is a part, but an important part, of the whole package.
Feel free to friend me if you wish.
kind regards,

Ben

MrsWells1983

Welcome! Good luck with your weight loss journey, you can add me as a friend if you like. We can all use as much help and support as we can get!

Tam x

Just_Dianne

Good for you for finding MFP! I've been here for almost a year and love it! Add me as a friend if you wish!

WolffEarl

Hello and welcome

As a fellow teacher I know well the stress and thrill of teaching. Often too tired to think about our own health in our pursuit of giving the best to our students (I teach Gr. 8). You will quickly realize that this is a long time commitment that, like your special needs kids you educate, require a slow and steady progress, no miracle cures. So enjoy the journey, delight in the many small changes you notice, focus not on the scale but on how much stronger and fitter you will find yourself becoming. Welcome to the journey. Friend me if you like, we teachers need to support each other.

keely1998

feel free 2 add me, I am all about good motivation

Makenziesnana

Welcome. I am a newbie also. Let's get this party started!!!!
:laugh:

johned63

Hi, welcome to MFP, there are a lot of great and supportive people here and it is a great tool to help you on your journey. I also used the surgeries as a "crutch" that allowed me to gain weight and become less fit. One I was quit using that as an excuse I was able to get healthier.

Feel free to add me if you want and if you want to see how stopping using the excuse of surgery helped me you can see a few pictures here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/910953-what-a-difference-a-year-makes-long-and-with-pics