where to start?

sineadramsay
sineadramsay Posts: 48
edited December 27 in Introduce Yourself
hi and help

i'm new. joined this site about 20 minutes ago. i really need to loose weight. i'm 33 a mum to 2 young girls (5 and 2) and obese. i've always been obese. even as a child. i really want to change this. how? where do i start?
i weight 17st :-(
i walk everywhere pushing a pram as we don't have a car. i have a job that has me on my feet 12 hours a day. i have no money to join a gym, fitness class, swimming etc and even if i did i have noone to mind kids. one of my big problems is night duty. i snack all night when at work...chocolate, sweets, biscuits, takeaways and no proper meals. i eat way 2 much chocolate (which stops now) and drink way 2 much coca cola (full fat)

please give advice and motivation

xx

Replies

  • Gabryka
    Gabryka Posts: 21 Member
    I too, love my sweets, and you took the first step by starting this up :). I don't know quite what finally bit me in the butt, but it did, and I'm glad it did!

    I, personally, don't cut out any food from my diet, or I have a tendency to binge on it later... for example, I wanted chocolate the other day. So I got a chocolate bar (Ghiradelli) and broke off ONE square. Now, before I ate that square, I had 2 full cups of steamed broccoli and ate the chocolate square at the end, that way I got my craving gone and it felt as though I filled up on the yummies :)
    Not saying that will work for you, but that helped me a lot. I also changed from Coke to Coke Zero... pretty dang close in taste. I still don't have soda very often anymore, but when I do, that's what I have.

    You can do this! Remember, you've already taken the first step by joining. All it takes is the will to do it and I'm sure you have it!
  • gabaldon21
    gabaldon21 Posts: 1
    Sounds like you are probably getting enough exercise to start with but maybe starting to work on exchanging some of your unhealthy snacking with healthier choices. Perhaps some low-fat cheese and crackers, veggies and low calorie dip, trying to make some healthier meal choices (take them with you to work, i.e. tuna sandwiches, lean meat, whole wheat bread, lower fat mayo). Just do one or two at a time for a week, then try adding another. Also sounds like you get too hungry so try to schedule your snacks and meals so you don't get overly hungry inbetween and go for the stuff that is keeping you heavy. The sugary drinks are killers for the diet. You should try to drink some water flavored with lemon or lime, try diet sodas for 10 days to see if you can drink them instead of the sugary ones. After a while, they taste pretty good. A little good chocolate is ok but, again, schedule one time a day to savor a very small serving. Also, taking your children to the park and chasing them is very slimming. Good luck! :)
  • sineadramsay
    sineadramsay Posts: 48
    thank you

    i don't think i can go cold turkey on the coke but have told hubby to buy coke zero rather than full fat when at supermarket in the morning.
    i don't buy crisps, sweets and biscuits for the house (but i do buy chocolate *sigh*) but we get these in work as presents from patients. when ya so busy you can't have a lunch break or it's the 5am witching hour and your struggling to stay awake these are what keeps you going. starting tomorrow night thou i SHALL resist
  • sineadramsay
    sineadramsay Posts: 48
    am thinking i'm going to keep this quiet from my husband and family. think i'll work better that way
  • paula987
    paula987 Posts: 3
    You have taken the first biggest step by joining here :-)
    I havent cut chocolate out cos like you, I cant! lol I dont buy it to keep in house now so if i want some, I have to walk to the shop and buy it. I have a drink first of all and if i still want it half hour later then i eat it but i log it down. It is hard but i really want to be a normal size.
    x
  • barmum
    barmum Posts: 73
    Oh dear , bringing back memories of six years of night shifts and eating to stay awake. Is there one or more people at work who would like to lose weight (I bet if you ask around you will probably find there are!) If so form a weight loss syndicate and support each other. The other possibility is and I know this won't be popular with some people on the ward but ask the patients to make a charity donation rather than buy chocolates (maybe if theres a friends of the hospital )? Maybe raise it as an idea at the next staff meeting ? The only way I ever managed to avoid the chocs was to take in lots of fruit and water and I had reward goals I was working towards.
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
    well done you. i hear ya with the temptations but if your not hungry you are less likely to binge and 'treat' yourself. take LOTS of good food to work with you, Fruit/veg/ - eat a hearty but healthy meal - don't starve yourself - keep full but with healthy foods.
    take the kids to the park. keep walking. buy a home work out dvd and do a work out while the kids sleep, or even better, get the kids to do with you!
    Well done on this first step, you CAN do it. Good on you for being a good role model for your children.
    If you feel like you might slip - come on this site. You cannopt help but be motivated!
    xx Good luck!!
  • sisterofseven
    sisterofseven Posts: 82 Member
    We all have to start somewhere and here is a good a place as any! I too am a serious chocoholic :-( and could easily have chocolate for every meal but obviously know that I cant! I have found this site really helpful (support from members and ideas are always free flowing) and it keeps me accountable. I log everything (even if its bad) and have found that even on bad days/weeks the damage is managable and it is easy to get back on track. I dont restrict ANY food, I just keep with my daily limits - my family eat the same food as we always have, just smaller portions and plenty of water. You can do this :-)

    PS. I also use a 10-15 minute rule when I'm about to have something 'bad'. If I still want it after this time has passed - I go right ahead. Often after the time has passed, I no longer feel like I HAVE to have it!!
  • fstephanie4
    fstephanie4 Posts: 196 Member
    Well done for joining this! You'll feel better now you have as I did a few days ago! I've only been on mfp for 6 days but I love the support and the control it gives. Seeing what you eat during the day with a calorie counter really opens your eyes to the way you eat and will make you able to chat particular areas. For example, I used to snack a lot at night in front of the tv, I don't anymore, well I might have the odd apple or banana but still :wink:
    As for exercise I log walking, even if it's 15 mins. Also I do what is called the 30 day shred. You can buy the DVD or watch it on YouTube and its 20 mins on 3 different levels. I'm on level 1 and it is tough but it'll be worth it.

    Good luck with it and feel free to add me if you want! Support helps and we are all in the same boat :smile:

    S
  • TaylorsGranddad
    TaylorsGranddad Posts: 453 Member
    Hey feel free to add me, I'll give you loads of good support and I'll never judge or criticise, no matter what, read my blog to give you an insight into my journey.

    STEP ONE DONE, sigining up on MFP, now step two,


    WELCOME X

    Craig
  • sineadramsay
    sineadramsay Posts: 48
    thank you all for your support. have logged my breakfast. i love bread and will struggle to limit that but do have a "halving" solution. only eat it when kids are around. the little one always steals half my food lol. ie this monring i only had half a slice of toast as she had the other half.
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
    please don't 'starve' yourself as you will only end of binging ... make healthy food choices and make sure your appetite is sated. xx
  • katietothejo17
    katietothejo17 Posts: 1 Member
    Hello everyone - Im Katie Jo. I have been on here awhile but Ive made excuses and havent been keeping up with this as I should be. So anyone out there wanna help a girl out and tell me to stop stuffing my face? :P I seriously need someone to tell me to stop eating. Its not helping my thyroid issues.
  • sineadramsay
    sineadramsay Posts: 48
    don't worry i didn't starve myself. had 2 slices of rivita crackerbread with thin covering of philedelphia and a tomatoe as well as the half slice of toat
  • PlushHyena
    PlushHyena Posts: 28
    As said before, reduce the intake of your favorite (unhealthy) food. Learn how to count calories and count them. It's not difficult, usually any very tasty chocolate or biscuits will have 450-600kcal per 100 grams. :D I sometimes eat sweets instead of a meal. And this is what my mom always says - eat what you like (in reasonable quantities), but make sure to eat enough of the stuff you need (to be healthy).

    I started drinking Coca Cola Zero recently, even though I wasn't used to drinking a lot of coca cola. It's good when I need a snack and don't want the extra calories. I like it, but it shouldn't be consumed too much (on my bottle, it says maximally 2 liters per day for a person weighing 70 kilos). Now, Coca Cola wouldn't lie and poison us, but I still avoid drinking it every day!

    * Which reminds me, I should go and get some instead of this bag of tortilla chips I've been looking at.
  • Purple_Orchid_87
    Purple_Orchid_87 Posts: 517 Member
    welcome and well done for making the biggest step of actually joining a site and logging food

    My diary is open, and we are already friends on here :)

    I am 25, and am trying to get healthier by eating normal food - i dont beleive healthy means only salad and plain grilled chicken

    I look at each day and say:
    "Can I do this every day for the next 12 months?"
    If I honestly believe that I can, then I know it's sustainable and not a yo-yo diet

    Hope to see you on here LOADS
  • nymami
    nymami Posts: 54 Member
    you have made the first step by joining MFP. you don't have to completely give up what you like, but make sure log everything you eat. this has helped me reach my goal weight and to maintain. i guarantee you that by logging everything it will make you accountable and when you see it, it will help you make changes. have you tried purchasing dvd's to workout at home?
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Hi and welcome! First up, use MFP exactly as designed and you can't go too wrong. Set yourself to lose 1lb a week - it doesn't sound much but in the first few weeks the weight will fly off much faster and you won't feel hungry or tired. It sounds like you're activity level is lightly active or active. This doesn't include your exercise.

    Track EVERYTHING that passes your lips, and keep an eye on portion sizes - I found I was eating double what was considered an MFP portion size for some things. At first don't worry about what to eat, just stop when you get to your daily limit. In time you'll find healthy choices enable you to eat more volume of food, and you'll be drawn towards them more as you adopt a healthy lifestyle.

    Exercise DVDs you can do at home can be bought very cheaply especially if you go for second-hand ones, and there are plenty of free workouts on YouTube and the like. No need for any special equipment - for resistance you can start with body weight exercises like squats, push-ups, sit-ups, star jumps etc. Then you can think about introducing cheap items like resistance bands and dumbbells - you can get these very cheap second hand from somewhere like Gumtree.

    Track your exercise and eat back a good proportion of your exercise calories - say 80% to allow for a margin of error. MFP is designed so you're still at the same deficit to maintain a steady loss even after you eat these "freebie" calories.

    Good luck, and keep us posted on how you get on!
  • karijoeide
    karijoeide Posts: 103
    Well I think your figured out where to start, you are here!! :) Start by making small changes, if you drink pop, switch to diet, cut out the whites....white sugar, white flour etc. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of the things you like, moderation is the key. Track everything you eat or drink, this really is an eye opener. Most people have no idea how a chip here, cookie there adds up throughout the day. Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like...I log daily and would love to accompany you on your journey to better health! You can do this! Every day is a new beginning! :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories