need help getting started

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irishrose4
irishrose4 Posts: 2 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Im 43, 5'1 female with bad knees. I've bee on every diet from low cal to low fat to low carb. To tell the truth I have no idea where to start. I need help. I need to lose the weight for a lifetime not for a few months. Please help, where do I start?

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  • flyingpurplemonkey
    flyingpurplemonkey Posts: 105 Member
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    I suggest starting with small changes. It's hard to give you specific suggestions, as I don't know specifics about your diet, lifestyle etc. Do you drink a lot of soda? Maybe start by cutting out a soda a day. Drink a high calorie Starbucks drink daily? Give this up or find one that has less calories (this was my first step). Commit to drinking more water each day. I know you said you have bad knees, but if you are able, try walking 15 minutes a day. Park at the far end of the parking lot when you go shopping. Pick 1 or 2 small changes and once those become more of a habit, choose a couple more to encorporate. Maybe start simply tracking what you eat. I have found this to be really helpful, even before I started intentionally making big changes in what I ate. Stay positive and motivated! You can do this!
  • just4nessa
    just4nessa Posts: 459 Member
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    I'm also 43, female, with a bad back. I didn't know where to start either because I didn't know what I was doing wrong. It's easy for someone else to tell you what to do, but their suggestion may not be right for you, which can be very discouraging. For me, I started out just tracking what I was eating. I learned quickly that while I was eating good food, my portions were way too large. That realization helped me start making better decisions when eating out and tweak my recipes to limit or avoid unnecessary high fat & calorie ingredients. My exercise is limited to the serious knuckle-bleeding housework and yardwork a few times a week, but it's more than I was doing before. I also try to integrate some short walks after dinner a few nights a week. My walks are now faster and longer because it's refreshing and it keeps me away from the fridge. My back lets me know when I've overdone it, but I take a few days off and start again.

    Try tracking your eating habits for a few days, maybe that will shed some light on what changes you can make to get you on the path to your new lifestyle. You can do it! :smile:
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    I agree with lifestyle changes...start by incorporating a veggie with EVERY meal. Slowly work up to eating minimally processed foods as much as possible. Choose whole grains instead of white rice/bread. Eating clean had been so beneficial for me, and I truly believe in it. Pick up CleanEating magazine to get some recipe ideas. Also check out thegraciouspantry.com she has a lot of great meals.
  • irishrose4
    irishrose4 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you for all the post. I think they are all good ideas.
  • blondee75
    blondee75 Posts: 3
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    Like everyone has said, it's about small changes, lifestyle choices and keeping it going. One day at a time... keep working at it and keep trying a little bit harder each time and you'll get to where you want to be x
  • Loveableme05
    Loveableme05 Posts: 4
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    i need friends on here tht will help me out dis my frist time doing dis on my own:smile:
  • simonlcube
    simonlcube Posts: 73 Member
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    My suggestion is to start my tracking everything you eat. Do that for a week, and then review small ways you can starting cutting things out or substituting things with healthier foods.

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