Not sure where to start

Vettech2014
Vettech2014 Posts: 9
in Introduce Yourself
Just not sure where to start. I want / need a lot of weight and I have no clue where to start. I'm just starting out with my own little place so I have no money for really anything I'm on a ramen noodle kind of broke diet, yet I know that's probably one of the worse things I can be eating. I'd love to do swimming for exercise but the YMCA monthly cost is so much. Any ideas or tips on what I can do? And where to start with this lifelong journey?

Replies

  • arpcoleman
    arpcoleman Posts: 9
    You're in the right place! Feel free to add me as a friend. I've been on here for a minute and it has really helped me and my husband (both busy with "adult" lives) lose a significant amount of weight and generally feel better about ourselves.

    Some tips:
    1. Log in every day and add to your food journal every day, even when you think you're going to go over. It can be tough, but worth it.
    2. Get some friends to be on here with you! It's a lot more fun with support, both online and in real life.
    3. Don't forget that it's not all going to come off today, or tomorrow, or maybe even this year. But it will if you keep with it and stay motivated.


    Also, many YMCA's have income-based memberships. You can check into that. Or if you have other gyms in the area, some of them are less expensive. I know that Gold's Gym here in Indianapolis is only $15/month, for example.

    Add me as a friend! I will be supportive. :) And good luck!
  • SopranogirlCa
    SopranogirlCa Posts: 188 Member
    Welcome!!! You are in the right place to start on your new healthy path.
  • licorice_twig
    licorice_twig Posts: 16
    Going up & down stairs is great calorie-burning cardio, and you can do it just about anywhere.
  • CurvyJen384
    CurvyJen384 Posts: 9
    Haha I'm with you on the ramen noodle plan. Those babies made up my meals last week.

    Don't let anyone think you need a gym membership to do this. There are tons of videos online that are good workouts. You might not be able to swim until it's the season though. Do you live near a college or a high school with a pool? I've found that sneaking into those can be surprisingly easy ;)
  • michellemains1983
    michellemains1983 Posts: 14
    Hello,

    I haven't been on myself that long either...I don't know if you are familiar with the reality TV show "The Biggest Loser"... But, I started this website 2 weeks ago...and, I'm challenging myself to use Jillian Michaels: 30 day shred 3 days a week for 30 days..meaning it'll last until the end of december...maybe, try to do that? Get a dvd like that, and challenge yourself. I also agree with adding a great support group of family & friends...hopefully, you'll encourage them to join you and keep you motivated!! :)

    If you need another new friend, you can find me on here!

    Best Wishes & Good Luck to you!!! :)

    ~Michelle
  • gramacanada
    gramacanada Posts: 557 Member
    How much a week do you have to spend on groceries? I spend $40 a week. I don't live near any discount 'big box' stores, and coupons here are minimal. It's all regular grocery stores. $10 a week on produce. $4 on milk. $4 on bread. The rest carefully on meat, cheese, eggs, fish. Then oatmeal and pastas, a few canned goods. Some frozen vegetables or fruit. And once a week a couple of dollars on a junk food treat. I use very few condiments. They're expensive for the food value they provide. I do not buy drinks except for milk. I buy almost Nothing convenience sized, processed, pre-made, pre-cut, pre-washed, pre anything. No baby carrots, pound for pound they're a budget killer. The same with cheese strings, the price of those compared to block cheese is horrendous. I only buy what fresh food I'll use within a couple of days. I never have to throw anything out. This won't work for teen-aged boys, or people who work hard physically. It takes a bit of learning but in the long run it's worth it. It amazes a lot of people who find out out what they can actually get for that much money.
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
    Hi!
    This place is a good place to start. It's very helpful in tracking nutrition and thus learning about what you eat.
    I've been here for a while and not very interactive but the ap and the site have been a big help in weight management.

    As for money & exercise.. above posters are right, there's lots of things to do for free or low cost.
    Before I had access to a gym, I walked outside (or rollerbladed when I lived in an area with smooth streets) and I watched a ton of workout videos at just did them at home.
    That was nice to be able to do because no one saw me working out.
    I borrowed DVDs from friends and just did anything so I was active to burn calories.

    Also, if you have a smart phone, there are tons of aps. Like 10 minute ab workout and so on.

    And for food. My grocery budget is sad. I eat a lot of eggs and frozen veggies and cheese and make stuff that I can stretch out into multiple meals - home made soup n such.

    Eating proper is really so very important. So the days where it's too cold and dark to go for a walk and your downstairs neighbor is mad at you for jumping around you can make a good food choice to make up for not exercising.

    Hmm... what else..??...
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
    How much a week do you have to spend on groceries? I spend $40 a week. I don't live near any discount 'big box' stores, and coupons here are minimal. It's all regular grocery stores. $10 a week on produce. $4 on milk. $4 on bread. The rest carefully on meat, cheese, eggs, fish. Then oatmeal and pastas, a few canned goods. And once a week a couple of dollars on a junk food treat. I use very few condiments. They're expensive for the food value they provide. I do not buy drinks except for milk. I buy almost Nothing convenience sized, processed, pre-made, pre-cut, pre-washed, pre anything. No baby carrots, pound for pound they're a budget killer. The same with cheese strings, the price of those compared to block cheese is horrendous. I only buy what fresh food I'll use within a couple of days. I never have to throw anything out. This won't work for teen-aged boys, or people who work hard physically. It takes a bit of learning but in the long run it's worth it. It amazes a lot of people who find out out what they can actually get for that much money.

    This.
    A good description of how I spend my grocery money. My budget is also $40/week
  • gramacanada
    gramacanada Posts: 557 Member
    There's a lot you can do at home with a yoga mat and some exercise bands. Indoor walking videos are good exercise.
    Learn to read grocery flyers. It can make a big difference in what you pay week per week.
  • rdpolley
    rdpolley Posts: 2 Member
    You can buy some videos at Wal-Mart for about $10. The videos are not the newest, but new to you! There are walking tapes that my birth mother LOVES. If you really are interested in the YMCA, find out if they have a scholarship program that would help with the cost.
  • laurenmcallister
    laurenmcallister Posts: 37 Member
    FIRST TIP - Don't try to start too much at once. It's overwhelming. Start logging your food daily - everything, everyday - I really don't believe in the so-many-days-a-week logging. I'm not saying you have to eat 1200 cals a day (I sure don't), but log it no matter what your goal is or if you're over/under that day. Then, when you have that down (a week or two), start making an exercise habit too.

    Now, even though you haven't made an "exercise goal" yet in that first week, doesn't mean you can't do some! Start by walking half an hour after dinner (or another time that works for you). You'll slowly build up some initial stamina so when you start an exercise plan you'll feel more confident.

    $$ TIP - I find surprisingly few people cut meat out of their diet, and it is SO expensive. I'm not a full vegetarian (anymore) but I eat little meat at home for that reason. A block of tofu is under $2 and is FOUR servings. There are a ton of recipes online to try. I also made some roasted chickpeas today which were delicious, super easy, and less than $1 for two servings.

    I also suggest 30 Day Shred which you can stream from YouTube for free. But, it is intense and it will be very, very hard the first few times you do it. GO FOR IT!!
  • Sarah_jb
    Sarah_jb Posts: 5 Member
    I'm a college student so I know where you're coming from and how lost you're feeling. Feel free to friend me! If you're not ready for running or want an exercise that's not too hard on your joints or for beginners, try walking for 30 minutes to an hour every day. If you find yourself getting bored with just waling, walk 15 minutes to a park, then go up and down the bleacher steps for 15 minutes, then walk home. Try watching YouTube videos for strength training and just doing what you can until you see improvement. I know healthy food can be really expensive, but if you look carefully enough, you can find some cheap things that keep well in the fridge or cabinets.
    My favorite recipe is this: Buy a large can of pumpkin puree ($2) a jar of curry powder ($2) a box of spinach ($3) and a bag of brown rice ($2) Heat te pumpkin in a pan with 1/2 cup of skim milk and 1-2 Tbs of curry powder. Bring it to a boil and add the spinach just to wilt the leaves. Steam 1/4 cup of brown rice and serve the pumpkin curry over the rice. 2 cups of uncooked rice, a large can of pumpkin and a bunch of spinach should provide you with dinner or lunch for a whole week, and you'll have plenty of rice and curry powder leftover.
    Sweet potatoes, dried beans, canned tuna, brown rice, canned tomatoes, and frozen vegetables are all about $2 and under, and a single package can get you through multiple meals.
    Combine these less expensive ingredients with an exercise program that's totally free and you should be seeing results in no time!
  • hbm616
    hbm616 Posts: 377 Member
    I'm not on much of a food budget right now but I still try to shop smart. If you can find oatmeal, rice and beans in bulk bins or at least large packages it will work out to be cheaper in the long run. Just look for the least processed stuff. You end up overpaying when someone is doing the prepping or cooking for you. Do you get store circulars in the mail? See which stores have the best deals for that week and stock up on canned goods and frozen vegetables. If you eat meat look for sales and "manager's specials". Also buy cuts of meat that require you to break it down. I bought two whole chickens the other day for ridiculously cheap, froze one and roasted the other. I ended up giving some of the roasted meat away to a friend and used the rest in chicken salad, chicken pot pie, curried chicken and rice and a cheesy pasta bake. I still have a bit more to throw on my salads for this week. It may seems like a lot of chicken but I'd rather be eating that than ramen personally..

    Check out different online recipe blogs for good ideas. I personally like this one: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-is-budget-bites.html

    Food Network has a show called $10 dinners where she makes dinner for 4 people. For you that could be dinner and lunch for a couple of days.

    Best of luck!
  • iceyann
    iceyann Posts: 1
    i need help so if u have any tips come find me cause i dont no what im doing on this site




    :flowerforyou:
  • merkuri22
    merkuri22 Posts: 13 Member
    I didn't really know where to start, either. When I started writing down my calories and measuring what I was eating I realized that I was eating way too much for my activity level. I started scaling back what I was eating, figuring out by trial and error what I could eat that wouldn't leave me hungry and wouldn't push me over my calorie limit.

    And if I felt like eating more (or if I did eat more) I'd go do some walking or stairs to work off the extra calories.

    I wound up buying a FitBit pedometer, which encourages me to move more during the day. Just regular stuff, like parking further away at work so I get more steps in the morning and evening.

    Just keeping track of what you're doing and eating (and being honest about it, lying hurts only yourself) will help you realize what's good and what's bad, and you can start making small changes in the right direction.
  • czar54
    czar54 Posts: 3
    Find out your ideal calorie needs per day using an online calculator.
    Fruits and vegetables are relativity cheap and very healthy
    Running and walking outside is always free
    Give it time remember this is a marathon not a sprint
  • mandy0688
    mandy0688 Posts: 335 Member
    Unswet tea with splenda. That will cut calories and if you can go take a nice walk. Its free. Oatmeal is cheap and its so good! Good luck to you
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    Welcome aboard! Feel free to friend me.

    1. Start slowly. Get into the habit of logging your foods and exercises. My logging has become second nature now. Start your exercise routine off slowly as well, especially if you've been sedentary for years. Go to a high school track and start with a simple 1 mile brisk walk. Build from there. You can find yoga bands on Amazon pretty cheap and they can help you with basic resistance training for your arms and legs, etc. I know money is tight (for everyone) but look into a gym like Planet Fitness. It's like $10/month. Of course you don't NEED a gym, but it's harder to not exercise when you've already driven there. If you want a virtual personal trainer check out http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html
    Jamie Eason is awesome and her FREE 12 week trainer can be done by anyone at any age or fitness level. I suggest a virtual trainer because it's a structured transformation program. All you have to do is just do it. I'm personally on Week 4 of the Kris Gethin 12 Week Trainer, it's been awesome. But again, build your exercise up slowly so you don't get hurt or discouraged. I walked around my loop for a month before joining a gym and starting a training program.

    2. Get your nutrition under control. You can Google a lot of info about nutrition. However, yes raman noodles are really bad for you LOL. Do you eat the whole brick? If so, then you've eaten TWO servings... check the label. Not to mention the sodium is insane. Google "eating clean". Eating clean can stretch your food budget longer too. Another plus is you can become a pretty good cook by learning new ways of cooking the clean foods. :-)

    3. Drink a lot of water. It cleanses your system and keeps you from feeling hungry. How do you know when you're hydrated enough? Simple. If your pee is clear, you are good to go (no pun intended). If you are thirsty? You are dehydrated.

    4. Surround yourself with people who will support you on this journey. Remember this HAS to be for you and you can't let anyone tear down your goals. MFP is a great place for support.

    5. Commit to your journey. No excuses. This is a lifestyle change. You have to allow yourself to start thinking differently about your body. But remember it takes time. Don't psych yourself out with huge goals. Take the overall goal and break it down into 5 pound increments or mini-goals. You can do this. Others have. But in the end it's all about how badly you want it.

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