This is really hard for me...

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.

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..

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

BUMP* You can dooo this girl!

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 !

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

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!

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)

-Velma

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.

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