This is really hard for me...
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Thank you to everyone who has posted so far. I haven't even read half of the replies and I'm already in tears. xoxo0
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You are home now. This is one really nice internet family with lots of help and experience. I'm pretty new. I told MyFitnessPal my weight and it told me how many calories I got. I went with it and lost weight. When you exercise and eat, log it in. Be honest and log in all the food, even when you go over. Log in all the exercise, too. MyFitnessPal gives you more calories to eat based on how many calories you burn exercising. I walk or ride my bike at least 4 out of 7 days. I eat some of the calories I burn exercising, but not all. I lost ten pounds, and they reduced my calories to fit the "new" me. (I have MANY pounds to go. My clothes are getting loose, but I haven't dropped a whole size yet.) I eat the foods I want, but I measure what I eat and add the calories for every bite. We had measuring cups already but they were shaped funny and inconvenient to use so I bought some different ones that are easier. I also bought a digital scale from Amazon to weigh meat and such. If you can't afford one now, get the measuring cups and save up for the digital scale. It really helps. Come to the MFP site and chat with these nice people whenever you need encouragement, or to visit with people who are also working at getting healthier.0
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I was on many many different kinds of diets and could not lose any weight until I started doing what the nutritionist told me to do. Count my calories and stay around 1600. She told me of course she wants me to eat healthy but no food is off limits if it fits into my daily calories.
It is slow, I will not lie to you. I want to lose all of my weight while I have the will power to say NO and while I am so excited and upbeat but it doesn't work that way. It is a struggle meal by meal and that is what you need to concentrate on for now.
Some days I have to cook 6 meals a day, tell the guys I work with that I can't go out to eat with them or go to the company dinner party and not eat the butter soaked garlic rolls that sit in front of me but it is 1 step in the right direction every single time I have the will power to say no.
Just for now plan to tackle your mountain with one step in the right direction and then that will give you the energy and will power for the next step.
Please add me as a friend, I have had a weight problem for many years but this time I plan to only go forward and post the success pictures.0 -
hey Heather,
I'm also 25 and 've been overweight my entire life as well, so I know the feeling of having to shop in the XXXXXXXL section... including mens clothing as well = (. i got teased about it a lot when growing up, but eventually became immune to it all.
I can safely say I no longer have to clothe myself in mens garments (thank gosh!) but I am still far from the 'fit' image i want to have. i have a family history of diabetes, and im not going to let myself follow that same path.
Add me as a friend as well! We need all the support and motivation we can get = )0 -
Your post was very heartfelt and reminds me of when I started.
First off, eat what you like. You have to start somewhere. Don't just eat veggies and fruit when you hate them just to be called "healthy". Start with what you know. Do you like chips? Eat chips. Do you like fried chicken? Eat fried chicken. All in all, make sure you can fit into your calories and macros (such as fat, carbs, sodium, etc)
Make small changes. You don't like raw veggies. Neither do I really. So eat the ones that you do like. Incorporate them more in your diet. Try different foods every now and then.
Aside from food, I've never been able to shop in the regular section of a store. I was always plus size. Saturday, I shopped in the regular section. It was freaking amazing. It's not about being skinny. It's about being healthy.
Want to talk motivation? Your motivation should be to look good when naked because you cry everytime you look in the mirror. Your motivation has to come from within. What do you want to change, and what will YOU do to get there? It's all about you. Nobody can give you the motivation or willpower.
I hope this helps. Feel free to add me. I've been there girl. I've been there..0 -
Here to support you! You can do it!
My 2 sense about diet & fitness:
I have tried various diets and eating plans as well. I have found that a vegan diet (heavy on the produce low on bread) plus calorie counting is the best way to manage your weight. Since I became a vegan it is much harder to gain weight, and much easier to lose with the help of calorie counting and a little exercise. Also, we all know deep down that dairy products are the real diet killers!
Any workout is better than none. I try to do a minimum of 20 minutes cardio (not including warm-up and cool down) 5 days a week. Just say to yourself, in 25 minutes I will be headed towards a hot shower! 25 minutes then done!
We all mess up, you will have days when your diet goes out the window. You can always get back on track! It's never too late and you're never too far gone. Each time you go off your diet or eat something you shouldn't, take a moment to recommit to your fitness plan
I wish you the best!0 -
I'm sending you a friend request! I've been at this for about a year now (we won't talk about how much weight i lost..it's not impressive), but i've found that having a great network of support can really make a huge difference! I log into MFP just as much or more than Facebook. It keeps me "in the game", if you will.
You definitely don't need a gym membership!! There are such an array of useful videos on YouTube..all you have to do is search! This is stuff you can do in your living room with no equipment at all, or minimal equipment! I'm on day 7 of the 30 day shred..it's hard, but it's only 27 minutes. Who can't find 27 minutes in their 24 hour day to just get moving?
I saw some others mention that your body hanging on to it's weight could be medical. Only you can determine if that is a possibility. Couldn't hurt to get to a doctor to discuss PCOS, thyroid or other symptoms that might be dragging you down.
Good luck, see ya around!0 -
Damn I love this site,
Thanks to all who have posted!0 -
Hey-
I'm one of those people that got chunky right around my teen years and it got worse once I got married and got comfortable. I don't diet, that's an icky word and something you won't stick to. I eat what I want but stay under my calorie goal, could I eat better, yes, but for now it's a start. I also started c25k program, it's 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week. I ended up losing 20 pounds this way.
You can do it, it will take work and dedication, it won't be easy but it will be so worth it in the end.
You just have to convince yourself this is what you want and go after it.
Good luck and here for you!0 -
Hi there Heather!! We even have the same name!!
I am 26...I think I was skinny up until maybe 4th grade and I started putting weight on. I was 260ish in high school. By the time I was in college I was 312 pounds. I am 5 feet 7...my clothing size was 26 almost 28. I know how you feel!!
When I was about 22 my first boyfriend suggested I get a lap band. Yea kind of rude...I dumped him. I started doing Curves. Gyms are very expensive! But I did Curves for a year all the while also doing workout dvds at home. After almost a year I quit Curves, just do dvds now. I find this to be cheaper, and it is available anytime I want. It fits my schedule not the other way around! I did a few classes at a Zumba gym, but their classes didn't fit around my work schedule. I would be out of work at 5 and have to be stuck waiting until 6:30 for class to start and I'd still have to drive half an hour to get home. I prefer dvds. I can find them cheap even at thrift shops and I have a nice little collection, so I never get bored. They have all different levels, I started out with Leslie Sanson walking for like 20 minutes a mile.
I slowly adjusted my diet. I just count calories...I started this on sparkpeople and just ate the calories set up according to my account. I slowly improved my diet. I found healthy things that I like to eat, and don't eat things I don't like. I don't like cottage cheese but I will eat greek yogurt. I don't like red meats, but I will eat chicken or turkey. I like red peppers and romaine lettuce but sometimes I won't touch tomatoes and get confused at all of the veggies at the store. You will find things you like to eat!
And I don't deprive myself. I just watch my portions. On the weekends I splurge on some ice cream or something I've been wanting. I know that each week I will get that, so I don't feel deprived.
I am now about a size 12 in most pants. You can do it. It just has to be a lifestyle change, not a quick fix!0 -
What helped me was logging all my food and being HONEST with myself. If I had a bad day, I logged it. I was shocked to learn that some foods I thought were really bad for me weren't so bad. And some foods I thought were better for me weren't that great. Get into a good habit of logging every single meal, every single day. Eventually you will learn what foods work for you and what don't. It won't happen overnight so be patient, realize this is a marathon, not a sprint.
What you want to do is give yourself the right tools and the right education so this will be a life long commitment.
Pretty soon the logging and the eating right and making the right choices will become a habit you don't even have to think about anymore.
You can do this
Don't let bad days discourage you. You'll soon discover that we all have bad days. Even those who have been on here a long time. The important thing is to think of tomorrow as a new day.
Get yourself a great group of friends and lean on them when you have to, just like they'll lean on you when they have to. It helps so much to know there are people here who are willing to listen to you.
One of the things that really motivates me is visiting the Success Stories forum. Seeing pictures of people who have lost weight, reading their success stories, makes me want to be a success story.
Friend me if you want to. I'm on here every day.0 -
I just have one thing to add to everyones amazing advice----don't look at the big picture, it's easier to look at the small victories such as a 5 lb loss then it is to swallow having to lose 50 lbs. You can do this!
Yes. And set some interim goals that are things you want to do. I want to get to 250 so I can ride horseback on the Gettysburg battlefield. I want to weigh 235 so I can fit in a custom outfit I once had made for myself. I want to get to 180 so I'm no longer obese and can buy long-term care insurance. To 175 so I can ride in Hyde Park. This way I didn't start out saying I need to lose 159 or I'm a failure. I said, I want to get under 300 (that was quick). And now I'm just 20 pounds away from my Gettysburg goal. I'll be able to do that in the spring.
Good luck to you. Everyone has given you really good advice.0 -
I'm 25 years old, 5'9", and well, we won't discuss how much I weigh...but I'm a size 28. I've been fat my entire life. Not once was I able to shop in the Junior's department, or even the Misses... Straight to the Fat Girl section I go. I'd say around 90% of my family is overweight.
I've tried losing weight several times. I do the low carb, and I end up wanting sweets. I do the low calorie, and I feel like I'm starving at times.
I'm tired of being the "pretty fat girl" that everyone is friends with and nobody wants. I'm tired of looking in the mirror and literally crying almost every single time I see myself naked. I'm an amazing person on the inside, and deep down I know it, but this extra weight keeps me from shining...know what I mean? It's so upsetting.
I don't even want to be skinny. I'd just like to drop down to like a size 20. I could live with that. I just don't know where to begin. I'm incredibly busy, I don't have a gym membership because they cost me an arm & a leg. I don't eat raw vegetables. I literally almost throw them up every single time. (There's a long, sad story behind that, but we won't go there) I can deal with some cooked like onions, celery, carrots, green beans, peas, broccoli...
I need motivation. A swift kick in the booty. I WANT to get into better shape. Does anyone have advice, or words of encouragement, ways to exercise on the run, simple steps that'd make an impact on losing weight? ANYTHING? Help me out here!
Sorry this is completely random. I don't really know what to say. I just want to know that there's other people currently in my shoes, or that have been in my shoes. I don't wanna feel like I'm alone.
Thanks guys!
Heather
2 1/2 years ago I was 25, 105 kilo's and just where you are except I had a 2yr old and a 6week old...I started walking initially, just 20 minutes around the block and built up from there...I also initially just stuck to my calorie allowance...I didn't worry too much about what I was eating, only that I was under my allowance...
Gradually I started changing my diet and increasing my exercise...
I can now run 10km easily, have a mainly clean diet and weigh 65kilo's which I have maintained since April 2011...There is nothing special about those who succeed about weight loss which means anyone can do it, you just have to commit to staying the course when times get tough and there's a pretty good chance that at times you'll want to quit : DON'T...Don't to it to yourself.
My starting tips would be, just walk and build up your exercise from there...I used to think of it like this : Every step I took I was a gram closer to being at my goal weight...10 more steps = 10 more grams Totally worth it !! Aim to monitor your diet, weigh and measure all your foods so you know how many calories you are consuming and aim to drink at least two litres of water a day...If you like, start changing your diet from now but do it gradually, so perhaps add in a piece of fruit where you would eat a treat, add in multi-grain & low-fat milk to replace white bread and full fat milk, cut out soft drink, etc and ease into it...
Also include a treat as part of your daily allowance so you don't feel deprived and if there is something you would HATE to give up right now then don't give it up, you can always cut it out later when you start to naturally gravitate towards healthier options..
Tracking in advance will probably help you stay in control and allow you to see how many calories things are and if they can be budgeted in or not for your day...
Good luck mate..0 -
You are not the only one who has cried when looking in the mirror. Thankfully I haven't done that in a couple weeks. I don't have a lot of advice but I can be support. I really started working on myself in August when I joined this site. I've only lost 12lbs so far, meaning this is going to be a really slow process for me. But I've found a few people on here that helps me stay motivated. Feel free to add me, I'll offer all the support I can.0
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Hi Heather,
First of all, congratulations for stepping up and wanting to make a change. Anyone who is trying to lose weight will tell you, change is really freaking hard. But it's not impossible. Rather than try to change everything about your life all at once, focus on some really attainable short term goals. Start out with one and make it specific. If you haven't been tracking every single thing you eat, that's a great one to pick. Make the goal, "I will track every piece of food I put in my mouth for the next seven days." Just focus on that. Once you've done it and you get to the end of the week and you feel comfortable with it, try another goal. A good one might be, "I will try to eat one vegetable each day." (or if you already are, adjust it up one level from where you are) try it for a week. If you don't meet your goal at the end of the week, examine why. Was it too lofty? What was hard about it? How could you adjust it or change to make it more successful?
For my first six months on MFP I only did a diet change, no exercise. I started with those really small achievalbe goals. It was great because meeting a goal makes you feel good about yourself and increases your confidence. I dropped my first twenty pounds just by doing food goals. After I felt like my foot was getting under control, I implemented some exercise goals.
Start basic, don't load on too much at once. You can't change your life overnight, and I see way too many people put themselves under ridicioulsy hard goals that are setting themselves up for failure. But if you set yourself up right, you will totally do this!
If you have any questions feel free to message me 0 -
I bet it took a lot for you to write that. You are far from alone, but what sets you apart is you really WANT IT. Now you have to take every negative thing that is motivating you RIGHT now to lose the weight and truly commit. Hold yourself accountable. You are human and will make mistakes.
One thing I always remember is if I screw up, even if I continue screwing up, it is always okay to wake up the next day and do the right thing.
Do not let excuses and bumps in the road stop you. You really have to be dedicated to succeed at this.
Take a look at yourself and tell yourself what you have been doing that has allowed you to gain the weight and continue to gain and remove those habits from your life. Blog about it on here. Who cares if nobody even reads it? It's therapeutic. I blogged several times on here when I first started.
Don't try to drive yourself crazy by restricting too much. If the amount of food you are allowed in your initial calorie goal is just way too low, don't aim to go too fast. Take your time and do it right.
I think if you start losing pounds, you will be motivated to try exercising. Heck, walking is exercising. Just start moving.0 -
BUMP* You can dooo this girl!0
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Never stop trying!
Log everything!
Have a mini-goal!
Protein - If you feel like you are starving at times, check out your protein numbers. Protein can keep you satisfied longer.
Anaylyze Diary - Once you log everything & your at your calorie goals but still hungry, analyze what you logged. Look at what was high calorie - could you have cut the portion in half? Could you replace it with a lower calorie alternate?
If you added in some exercise, could that balance out your food diary? And help you hit your goal for the day.
Plan your meals ahead of time.
Drink lots of water.
Get your sleep in.
Learn something from every set back - we all have them.
I like this graphic:
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Hi, honey !
You've already gotten loads of great advice ........ now you can pick through everything & see what works for you ....... and don't be afraid to experiment with "new" foods ....... you might be very surprised !
Make the healthiest decisions at each meal, watch your portions ..... and take a walk each day ...... you'll start losing in no time !0 -
You are definitely not alone. It is really hard for everyone here, no matter how much weight we need to lose. Changing what we have known our entire lives is not an easy task. I am having a tough time, too, but I am taking things slowly. Know that you are a strong person, a confident person, a beautiful person inside and out...tell yourself that everyday. No one can take that away from you, unless you let them. Celebrate every success, no matter how big or small. Every step you take here is a step in the right direction, a step towards a healthier way of living. Find what works for you and your needs, because you alone know what you need. Be strong, be confident, be beautiful, and be healthy!!! Please feel free to add me as a friend, because even though I only need to lose 40 pounds, I still need support, too 0
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Hi, my name is Stacy... I'm gonna send you a friend request. And let me say, "loosing weight and keeping it off is hard for me too".
Begining the journey is tough, staying motivated is tougher, and keeping it up for more than a month is even tougher ~
I'm here for you ... I'm on the same journey you are! But I know it can be done 0 -
This is also really hard for me. Like you I am a size 28 and have had times of yo yo diets, add me and hopefully we can help each other have a success this time.0
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Hi!!
I know all this info can be overwhelming! But just remember that you can do it and all these people are here to help!!!
Just a couple tidbits that keep me going....
- the more weight you want to permanently lose, the more of your lifestyle you have to permanently change!
aka.... think of this as a lifestyle change not a diet!
- use psychological tricks.... for example... if there is cake in the office and people offer you some: saying " I dont eat cake" is a lot more psychologically productive that saying "I can't eat cake"
- believe in yourself
- when exercise is hard, start small, go for walks even if its once around the block, you'll still be lapping your family members who are on the couch
- get a support system or a buddy to lose weight with - whether its in real life or on here
- make sure you remember to love yourself always, you seem like a sweet person!
GOOD LUCK!!! you can do it!0 -
I think the first step is starting on a site like MFP. I've only been using it for a little over 3 weeks now and it has already helped me so much! I can't say that I am magically eating perfectly healthy, but it has helped me to see what I was actually eating and that helped me to understand why I was never losing any weight. It has also really helped me to be accountable to myself and to say "no" to the extra drink or getting dessert at a restaurant because I know where my calorie count is for the day. Now like I said, it's not always perfect but I like to take it day by day.
Now that you're on the sight the first thing I think you should do is set little goals for yourself. For instance the first thing I did was attempt to eliminate my late night snacking. Now I'm working on drinking more water, and ordering that when I go out to dinner instead of a soda or alcoholic drink. Those are goals for me though... you have to figure out what is stopping your weight loss and figure out what works for you. It's all about baby steps towards a permanent lifestyle change.
MFP is a wonderful site and it really will help you if you commit to it and stick with it. Also, be honest in your tracking no matter what. It will help you in the long run I promise. Good luck with your weight loss journey! I know you can do this! Feel free to add me as a friend too if you would like. I'm always down to help support and motivate others as best I can and looking for friends who will do the same. 0 -
You are definitely NOT alone! I, too, started out in pant size 26/28,, when I chose to take charge of my life and health I found MFP. I LOVE it! I still have a long way to go, but here are a few things I have learned:
Log everything!! (good or bad, each day can be a do-over for the day before, just keep trying)
Start looking at other people's food diaries (you can learn a lot that way)
I searched Craigslist for a Gazelle start with 10 minutes at a time on it. I paid $20 for it. Cheaper than many gym's.
Rule of thumb, drink ONE HALF of your body weight in OUNCES of water (weigh, 200 pounds, drink 100 ounces per day)
Surround yourself with friends on MFP
Take before pictures and pictures once a month, at least (even if you don't FEEL like you've lost weight, you'll see it in pictures)
The same "diet log" doesn't work for everyone. It all takes trial and error to find what works for you.
Please add me I'd love to help support you on your journey (OUR journey-together)
-Velma0 -
Heather, I totally understand what you're going through. I used to be a whooping 286 pounder (I wore size 26) last June, and yes, I know I am beautiful, but the weight is just too much for my body to take in. To date, I lost 69 lbs.
I underwent radical lifestyle modification because I am freaking sick and tired of being sick and tired. Acknowledging that you need help takes a lot of courage, and I applaud you for that.
You gotta make your dreams a reality, and take back lost opportunities.
It isn't easy, but it's possible.
I'm with you on this. 0 -
Heather, your post has touched my heart.:flowerforyou:
I think you need me as a friend. I'm sorta like you. I'm not into all the healthiest stuff, but I have made some adjustments to what I eat, and how much I eat. If you'd like, you can friend request me, and find out my secrets to weight lose. I warn you, my circle is small, but warm Please wipe your feet at the door if you choose to enter.
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You are definitely not alone with feeling sad everytime you look in the mirror or pass by the pretty clothes in the store. It is depressing at times. I know that I am a kind, caring person on the inside, but it is hard to see on the outside. Even after losing my wt. so far, I just don't see it and still can't buy those pretty clothes. All my wt. has settled in my stomach and that is horrible. Skinny arms and legs and a big belly. I know that I am a lot smaller, but I just don't see it when I look in the mirror. But you know what, we are more than what we see in the mirror everyday. My friends on here, just yesterday, reminded me to make a list of the good things I do and about who I am as a person. I care deeply about everyone and I love with all my heart. Please feel free to add me for support and encouragement.0
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Hi Heather,
It sounds like you are where I was a year ago, the fat girl who was funny but always single. It was this time last year somebody that didnt even know me referred to me as "that chubby thing" and since then I got my *kitten* in to gear, joined a sports team and surronded myself in people who would be supportive and caring. Since then, I have found the love of my life, lost 16kgs and joined 2 more sports teams along the way! I'm not a gym person, I hate being inside and I also dont eat vegetables, but I have come this far and I know you can too. I still have another 7 kgs to go but it all takes time, at least you want to try
You can do this, and I promise you will, you just need a good network of support and somebody to tell you "since you ate that sweet today, you must now go for a 30min walk".
Add me as a friend and we can help each other out 0 -
Hi there,
I have also been fat all my life & I'm from a "large" family. The hardest part of all this for me is that my family of origin support me staying fat!! Now that I am losing weight they offer me no encouragement, no affirmation - just the constant temptation of junk food & comments like, "A little bit won't hurt you!" :drinker:
It is hard, but I now have 4 beautiful kids of my own (all "solid" like their mother!!) & I am trying so hard to be a better example of good health to them than my parents were/are to me. It is a PAINFULLY slow process!! I am on 1200 calories a day & running at least half an hour about 5 times a week - with minimal weight loss. But although it feels miniscule cos it's taken 7 months, I have lost 10kg since about April this year, so I have to be grateful for that. And keep reminding myself that if I stay under calories (even 80-90% of the time!!) the weight HAS TO come off over time!! And it will for you too. You cannot fail in anything unless you give up completely & never try again. Don't rely on your own motivation - that will come & go. Rely on the grace of God if your a believer or at the very least rely on your MFP friends to keep you accountable & wining!!!! xx0
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