New & need support & motivation!!

Hi Melissa! Welcome and don't feel down on yourself. We all get to the point that we feel there is no return, but you will prevail. You WANT it! You've said it out loud, you know how it makes you feel right now and it's all good things going forward.

We are all here for encouragement and support. What is your plan to reach your goals? Do you have a program in place? A meal plan? I'd be happy to help you, otherwise I'm here to be an ear, shoulder or whatever.

The very best to you,
Taryn

:bigsmile: You've come to the right place. We all need support and encouragement. This is great site. It can help you with what you need. Accountability is so important. Glad you started your journey now to a healthier, happier you.

You can do it.... start slow, with mini goals.... You're off to a great start!!!

Thanks guys! My plan now is too start off slow...i usually jump into a diet and it becomes soo overwelming and i give up, So the first thing im doing is cutting out sugar and cutting my portion sizes in half. I love food and dont know when to stop. I dont really know any sucessful diets or anything so i am open for suggestions! I just got a double jogger and am going to walk daily for a goal of 45-60min. I would ideally like to jog/run but i am a long way from there! Im so badly out of shape and i get winded walking up a flight of stairs quickly. It just sucks cuz im 26 and i dont feel my age...i feel sooo much older!

Hi Melissa, and welcome to THE best site on the web! :flowerforyou:
Between the easy to use food counter (which by the way is SUCH an eye opener!) and all the wonderfully supportive members, you WILL be able to lose the weight that you want to, AND, it'll "almost" be easy doing it!
I recommend logging ALL your foods BEFORE you have them, rather than later, as it tends to lead to better food choices. (not to mention you'll know if you've got enough numbers left to have a night time snack, like I ALWAYS try to do!) Some people also like to weigh and measure some things, such as meats, rather than just estimating and possibly being WAY off! :noway:
Don't go making the mistake that if you have LOTS of numbers left at the end of the day that you'll lose even faster, because that DOESN'T happen. Feel free to read any info about the site in the "help" section at the top of the home page. And also under "Community", then "Weight Loss and Healthy Living", then "general diet and weight loss help", and then check out the first few threads. They'll REALLY help you understand how MFP works.
Before coming here, I had tried just about EVERYTHING out there, including hypnosis, TWICE, and nothing really worked until MFP!
Just the word "diet" would make me cringe and set me up for failure. :grumble: It meant depriving myself of all the "good stuff" out there, and as a result, I'd only last just so long, (maybe a few weeks if I was lucky!) and then I'd "cave" and go right back to eating all those "goodies" again! :embarrassed: But, MFP ISN'T a "diet". :noway: It's a "lifestyle change". (When I first read that, I said "Ya, SURE it is!", thinking that it WAS just another diet. :grumble: But, it wasn't! :noway:)
The main reason that I've managed to lose the weight that I wanted to is because I HAVE been able to eat "real/good" foods. :bigsmile: (Not Slim Fast or any other easy, quick, fad "wacko" diets!:noway: ) Through MFP I learned that I just needed to "work for it", through exercise, and watching my numbers (MOST of the time! ) As long as I do that, I CAN occasionally have stuff like Chinese food, a double cheeseburger, pizza, and even homemade ice-cream!
As far as exercise goes, it doesn't always have to be awful. :noway: For my exercise, I walk almost every day, (weather permitting! ) I also dance to a fast oldies CD that my husband made up of all my favorite old songs. (Like "Love Shack", Wild, Wild West", "Mony, Mony", "Footloose", and "Gloria") :happy:
It's free, (unlike a gym!:grumble: ) fun, and I can even watch tv at the same time, so I never get bored! :happy:
I also have Wii Fit, and jog to that, which is a lot of fun, and easy too!
So, to make a LONG story short, make good food choices, eat in moderation, get some exercise, and you WILL lose the weight that you want to!
MFP REALLY, REALLY, DOES work! :happy: Give it a chance, and it WILL work for you too!

Hi,

Im new here too. I gave up smoking 8 days ago and the weight is going on. I have already gained 4lb. I know that might not sound much but that's a gain of half a pound a day and at that rate who knows where I'll end up!
I am using the site primarily to keep track of my food intake carbs, fats etc it really helps me see what I am doing wrong.
Can I just tell you about a diet that I have used in the past, it's brilliant because its not a diet as such just a healthy eating plan. It's from the British Heart Foundation and is so easy to use and tells you real portion sizes and easy ways to serve them out.
Good luck to everyone on here.

Regards Hils

:happy: I too just joined and wanted to wish you the best of luck. It will take time so do not get discouraged. I was at my highest of 229 and went down to 155 and now back up to 175 and want to be like down to 145. I struggle so hard as with kids you tend to eat whatever and whenever. I hope by tracking what I am eating it will open my eyes, Again best of luck to you.

Jennifer