Im 299 and I need HELP!

The problem is dieting. You need to slowly change your diet to something you can do. A fad diet is only temporary and useless. Start by cutting out 1 or 2 bad items in your diet and add 1 or 2 healthy items. My diet has been a work in progress for the last 1.5 years and its starting to look ok. I've found the harder people jump into a strict diet the harder they fall. You have the rest of your life to improve your diet and health. You didn’t go from 135 to 299 over night. You shouldn’t expect to drop it over night. Baby steps work the best. My first steps were to stop buying pop, potato chips and turned off my cable TV.

Sent you a message--add me if you wish. Log in each day for support and to track your food. It truly does help.

I started at 292 and I've lost 22 lbs in about 110 days. I will be the first to tell you that after many failed attempts, this has been the easiest... You can eat whatever you want as long as you are under your calories... however, you will find that you get SO MUCH MORE if you choose wisely. However, I still eat chocolate on a regular basis. I still have an ice cream bar at night. I still drink regular pop now and then... I struggle with exercise too.. I'm either on or off but if you are a nurse are you already pretty active? Especially running after three boys? Don't focus on exercise for now. Focus on making small changes.

Also, check out this great tool: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/682138-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 If you calculate your TDEE you'll find you get plenty of calories and still lose weight!

You can do it!

I'd love to support you in your journey. Please feel free to friend me!

I'd also like to add, that you need to log everything. Losing weight without logging is incredibly difficult for most people. You need to be able to see exactly how much you're eating. It also helps others give support and guidance when they can see if you're slipping. Don't be afraid to log it all, good and bad. I've also heard that there are some apps that you can use so that you can do it on the go, but I almost never eat anywhere except at home, so I don't have to worry about that.

Just remember what you're doing this for. You don't just want to lose weight, you want to become healthier... not only for yourself, but for your kids, right? Every time you think of an excuse to not exercise, think of them.

I think the biggest hurdle you'll face is time. It's easy to excuse yourself from a workout or eating healthy foods if you feel like you're strapped for time. So:
1) Have a workout schedule laid for the whole week. Maybe even for the whole month. Then stick to it, giving yourself 1-2 days of rest each week.
2) Have a meal schedule for the week. This will make things SO much easier on yourself when you don't have to think about what to cook. Cook in bulk (try googling "Once A Month Mom"- she has great recipes and guidance for this).
3) Be realistic with your goals. You want a sustainable diet.

Good luck.

You are an inspirational person for me! You are a Nurse and a Mom with a sick child, and doing evrything on your own, what a beautiful soul you have!

Now here is a small thing you need to do.... be selfish! Focus on you and your health, so your boys have the happiest and healthiest mama they can. They need you and you need to do this for yourself and for your quality of life.

And welcome to MFP, it's a fantastic site with great tools and great people, I'm a working mom too, my girls are 2 and 4. Feel free to add me if you like!

I'm sending you a friend request. I don't think you are lazy at all. I think sometimes being a nurse (I'm one as well) we tend to give all we have to everyone else that we forget to give to ourselves and it just becomes habit. This is going to be part of the lifestyle change you make; making sure you include time to eat healthy and exercise to be healthy. Don't dwell on the past with guild and look at today as the beginning of a new journey.

You are already taking the right steps. Realizing that you need to make a change is the first step, coming here and reaching out for support is the next. I'll be happy to help provide the support and motivation with all the other steps!

Jenn

I too have not done well on dieting but once I started MFP, it was like a light switch clicked on. Until logging it, I was not aware of how much crap that I was putting into my body. I now try to log before I eat so I know if I can fit it in and not starve the rest of the day! It's not easy with the kids. My husband works 2nd shift so he is not home in the evening and gets home too late to get up with the kids to get them ready so that makes exercise difficult. I go on the weekends before anyone is awake (hubby's home but sleeping). During the week I try to do active stuff with the kids like bike riding or a game of kickball. Most importantly though, log your food accurately and stick with it. If you have a smart phone, get the MFP app. I also do not take the time most nights to cook myself something different than the kids, just portion control. Skinnytaste.com has tons of easy recipes. The kids seem to like most of them that I have made. Another thing thats helped me is buying a couple of those cups with straws. I have one on me at all times filled with water. Drink boatloads of water! I started out at 263 and am down to 223 now. With us being bigger, we can lose by just changing our food. If I can do this, so can you!
Also if you have a smart phone, check out the couch to 5K running app. I sometimes can squeeze this in right after work. 1/2 hr and you're done.

Well with a stressful job and kids your plate is definitely full (no pun intended) BUT this is not impossible and many many other people with challenges do this. Today is the day you need to stop the excuses and start with your new life! You have a lot to lose so I would keep it very basic at first. Find your calorie goal and stick to it. Try to make healthy choices but don't beat yourself up over a grabbing a 'meal out'. Just make sure that meal stays within your calorie goal. As you lose (and you will if you stay in your calorie goal) you can then fine tune your eating habits more. Exercise is wonderful way to help you stay within your calorie deficit. Try to work it in your schedule. If you can't afford the gym or haven't the time invest in some workout DVD's for at home. Leslie Sansone's walk at home DVD's are excellent if you are just getting into a fitness regime.

Top priority for the first month - STAY WITHIN YOUR CALORIE GOAL

And lastly, my tough love statement - as a mother I know how important your children are to you. How many old obese people do you see?? Obese people in their 50's, 60's 70's.....not many. Because obese people don't have longevity on their side. You know this your a nurse. Even if they make it to 70 their quality of life is diminished due to health issues related to obesity. For you kids DO THIS!

1. I don't think you are lazy. I think you are a single mom who works and just has nothing left to give herself. Women have a tendency to place all others before themselves. You are not alone in this.

2. You already made the first step by admitting your faults and knowing that you want/need to change.

3. I have done this whole weight loss thing more times than I care to admit. I have found the MFP community more supportive than anything else I have tried. The "program" itself is straightforward. You eat, you track, you exercise, you track, etc. The database is vast and you can add your own foods and recipes. I liken it to Weight Watchers but better and FREE!!!

4. I started my most recent journey at 280 lbs - the heaviest I have ever been (even with two pregnancies). I'm only 5'2" (I like to say I'm 5'3" on a good day) so you can imagine what my size is/was. I started slowly. For the first couple of weeks I focused on changes in my food only. I slowly added in exercise and nearing a 30lb loss. I still have very far to go but I'm not in a rush. I will get there in a safe and healthy way.

5. Exercise - I think you need to find something that you'll like, that you'll continue, and that can fit into your life/schedule. I HIGHLY recommend the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds DVD's. They start at 1 mile (approx 15-18 mins). I think they are PERFECT for beginners and even those more advanced. You can do them in the comfort of your own home and at your convience. As you progress you can add hand weights, more miles, higher intensity, etc. I do all of my exercise in my home or around my neighborhood. A gym membership isn't really in the budget for me and frankly I don't see the need at this point in my journey. I have hand weights and resistance bands that I add to my walking DVD's.

Like I said, I find the MFP community very supportive. Stick with us and you'll get to where you need to be!! :-)