Depressed about my starting weight.

You're just starting a journey that will bring a great sense of accomplishment at many points along the way, not just at the final destination.

The higher the number you start with, the better it will feel to see numbers like "10 pounds lost", "25 pounds lost", and "50 pounds lost"

I used to be almost 400 pounds and could barely walk a mile. I just ran my first full marathon a month ago and have gotten down to my goal weight. It took me years and it wasn't easy, it was worth it.

You can turn this around, it won't be easy and it will take time to lose the weight in a healthy way, but it can be achieved if you put your mind to it.

The hardest part will be the first 30 days imo. Once you get past that and see the results, that should keep you motivated to stay on track. I know for me now if I eat bad, I get really sick and that movitates me now to stay on track.

Good luck, you can do it.

Everyone Im sure feels like that at the start of their journey.
I know I did.
But things get better. You're just starting out. And Welcome to MFP. We're all a bit crazy here.
Seriously though its a great place for support when you need it
Feel free to add me and we can do this together :flowerforyou: xxx

I used to be almost 400 pounds and could barely walk a mile. I just ran my first full marathon a month ago and have gotten down to my goal weight. It took me years and it wasn't easy, it was worth it.

Amazing!

I also started a few weeks ago at 242. Add me as a friend if you'd like!

Every journey begins with a single step. You're on the right track now to make some great changes to your life. The sad fact is that weight loss is a long, boring, frustrating, time-consuming process, whatever your starting weight. It must seem like a huge mountain you have to climb right now, but you really can climb it.

Maybe try to break it down into smaller chunks and have mini-goals to aim for. That helps a lot of people. One thing I've found useful is to track my weight in a spreadsheet and plot it on a graph. (You can also use the graph on MFP, but I prefer my spreadsheet!) Also, have a look in the "success stories" section, if you haven't already, for some motivation. There are so many people on this site that have been exactly where you are now, but have achieved their weight loss goals.

You can definitely do this, and one of the biggest things that will help you in the long run is patience. At least at the moment, you will see changes on the scales relatively quickly, and that should keep you motivated. Later on, when you get close to your goal, you may find it takes weeks to lose a pound. So, however close to your goal you are, you still need to be patient and keep focused!

It is a big step to just get started - no matter what the starting number. Congratulations on starting. And it is just a number (that will go down).

I also encourage you to take your measurements - not so much to see where you are now, but to track progress at times when the scale doesn't want to move.

Turn that depression around to motivation. Make it work for you, not against you. It's a mental thing - every time you find yourself thinking about how bad it is force your thoughts to how awesome it will feel to lose this weight and feel slim and strong. don't let it give you an excuse to eat.

I started at 235. I was depressed about that weight, but once I hit 5 pounds lost, I got this feeling of accomplishment and it felt great, it was the motivation to turn that 5 pounds to 46 and going.

I was 244.5lbs when I started losing weight - that was mid July and I'm now 47lbs lighter.

It's scary yes, but oddly liberating too: making the decision is the first step. Soon you will be bagging up clothes that are too big and digging into the wardrobe for old favourites. Going shopping for new clothes and actually finding some that fit... and more to the point, look nice on. These are things that will come and probably more quickly than you expect.

I had the same experience, I saw a photo of myself, then got on the scale. Holy cow. I was also 20 lbs more than I thought, my SW was 222 lbs. I had an overwhelming amount of weight to lose. It seemed like too much.

I read through the success stories, looked at photos, and got started. No time like the present, eh? I thought I'd just give it a shot, no pressure. I figured that my body was too far gone, that I would never look like a thin person. But what was the harm in trying? I was a size 18 and my knees ached constantly from the extra weight. I assumed that if I let my weight stay this way, I'd eventually start to have blood sugar issues. Now waitaminnit. WHY am I doing this to by body again?

I filled out the MFP profile and decided that I'd start out as slowly as I could. I set my goal for a 1 lb loss per week and tried that calorie intake on for size-about 1800 per day. It really wasn't bad after all, I figured it was something I could stick with. And I did.

My life is completely different now. It is, without a doubt, the very very best thing I have ever done for myself. For the first time in my adult life, I am not a fat girl. If I can do it, you can, too.

And since I was so inspired by the before and after photos, I'll share my own. I am not at my goal yet, and am not in any particular hurry to get there, but I know I WILL get there.

Before


Now

I started at 245! You've got to stop focusing on what you weigh. Start eating right and exercising. When you start losing, focus on what you've lost and not how far you have to go!! I joined two months ago and have lost about 33 lbs... every pound lost pushes me to work harder Add me if you need some extra support!

Don't be depressed - think of that extra 20 as additional bragging rights when you get to goal! :flowerforyou: Instead of saying "I lost 80 pounds" you'll be able to say "I lost 100 pounds!!" (or whatever your goal is, I'm just throwing numbers out there :bigsmile: )

Seriously, DON'T get discouraged. Get started and it will be gone before you know it.

The great thing is - you will never be this weight again. Keep working hard, eating right, exercising, & you will see results. If you do it right - it'll be slower than you want. But you will get there. You can do this!! :flowerforyou: