I feel awful!

You don't say how long it's been since you started trying hard to lose, but it sounds a little like you're not seeing immediate improvements and losing morale because of it.

If your activity is as limited as you say, then that's probably the main problem. Don't push yourself too hard, but keep at it. Make sure you give your body a break, and within a few weeks you'll start to build some muscle which will help burn the fat off as your capacity to exercise improves.

An example from my recent experience: A few months ago I started cycling to work 3 times a week, which is 10 miles each way. The first day I tried, I managed 3-4 miles in 40 mins, and gave up, feeling absolutely shattered, like I could barely stand. A week later, I made it all the way, in 80 mins, still feeling wretched at the end. By the time I was knocked off my bike a month ago, I was doing the journey in 50 mins at a fairly steady pace. Now I'm not suggesting that you'll get the same results, but I could easily have given up in that first week, when I couldn't make it all the way, and people at work were criticising me for not keeping going, but by keeping at it, I improved, slowly at first, and that did a lot to kickstart my weight loss (also from 14 stone, incidentally).

You can do it, and it's frustrating, but if you want it, you will do it, just keep at it.

Also, I'm assuming you're operating at a net calorie deficit?

If I'm way off the mark, I apologise, but without being able to see your diary/activity, I don't have much detail to go on.

Swimming is really good exercise! Just do it all at your own pace. Dont feel like you have to start with an hour. Start with 20 to30min. Three times a week and go from there.

All exercise is brilliant and swimming is a great one because the water supports your body and you're less likely to strain yourself, meaning you can go more often because you don't feel too achey the following day!
Rather than going for an hour, try to set yourself a distance target, say 20 lengths, and see how fast you can do it in. Then challenge yourself to beat that time each week. Once it gets easy, start upping the distance!!

It will take you just a bit to get back into shape. You are in the right place! I found I was pushed the most by going with a friend, we only attended group excercise classes because you tend to be motivated harder in comparison to trying to do something at home. I am a licensed Zumba Instructor now, and even as a fitness instructor I find myself "cheating" by not working so hard at home rather than if I am in front of my class or if I am attending some other sort of group excercise program. Most gyms have a schedule of classes and usually have 1 to 3 a day different times to target a variety of schedules. You need a plan. Going into the gym by yourself when you are already discouraged gives you more of a chance to get frustrated or feel out of place and leave. It is hard I know! I was mainly concerned with people thinking why cant this young overweight girl keep up with the class or why is that fatty here? In reality no one thinks that, and as a group fitness instructor no one is watching you either they are to busy trying to watch the teacher themselves they arent paying attention to what anyone else is doing. If you cant do all the moves first starting out do what you can and walk in place is what I tell my students. You are still getting your heart rate up even if you have to have a couple of minute break, and you will find accomplishment in seeing how much more your body can do each class! Try a buddy system you could help motivate eachother to workout and the main thing is to have a plan. My friend that I worked out with moved far away and she gained 7 pounds and I lost 10 pounds, sometimes it is just the initial motivation you need help with depending on your personality, the man in the picture with you is that your husband? Make it a hobby to go to the gym together and be healthy together this could help with diet at home as well! Until the last 2 to 3 weeks (finals and exams and research papers due for school no excuse i know ) lol I was attending a group class every single day. I find I burn the most calories, push myself harder (but only you know your limits and you will have to work up to when you are back in shape dont push yourself to hard because this can force you away from excercising as well), and feel better about myself because I am not trying to guess what I should do each day, and I am encouraged more because for most of the classes I went to it was full of women who had the same goals as me on wanting to be a healthy active person, and so we all helped and pushed eachother. The main thing is going to be to find something that you enjoy. I do not enjoy running and would rather literally be punched in the face than go run 5 miles (mud runs are a totally different story lol) When I found Zumba I was in love with the music, dancing, and atmosphere. This could be the case with you with Turbo Kick or a water Aerobics class (you said they had a pool and this can be better for joints and not as hard as a 45 minute cardio class just starting out). Find you nich, your plan, and stick with it. You have already went through the hardest part and that is deciding that you want to change to be a healthier you, and you joined a gym which is hard for alot of people to do! Feel free to add me but I have full faith you can accomplish your goals! You are definitely on the right track!

It is super important to track EVEYTHING you eat everyday! If you eat less than you DID and workout more than you did you are going to lose weight. You won't show losing on the scale right away, but you will notice that your clothes are fitting you better!!

It also is important to go into the workouts gradually. You don't want to get so sore that you stop working out.
Along with calorie count. Eat at least 80 grams of protien each day. protein helpd=s burn fay, big time

Also add me to your friend list so we can talk now and then and you can let know how you are doing!

Basil A stone is 14 lbs right?

A stone is 14 lbs right?

Yep

I cant even go on the eliptical trainer for 5 mins im that unhealthy. I feel awful.

I love swimming but i feel like tis not doing enough to shift the weight even though i plan on going 3 x a week for an hour each time.

Sounds like me 14 months ago.

What I did was go on eliptical for as long as Iould and take note of how long, hope off and go swimming till you had enough.

Record your gym session.

Congrats you just set yourself a personal best for beat next time.

Okay next time your in the gym go beat your record by whatever time you can do, second or minutes and record, did you beat your last time? Yes congrats again new personal record to beat next time or no you go back and match or beat next session.

Its all about progression you will get better, fitter and slimmer just set your personal goals and try to equal or better each time.

Record so you can see your progress.

I went from managing only 2 minutes on the eliptical when I started to a full 45 min session at highest setting.

I am pretty much exactly the same- the exercise will get easier and you will be surprised with that you can actually do. Feel free to add me if you want- 5 foot tall and just under 14 stone as well

As great as work outs are (I'm something of a junkie) they really should be on the back burner at this point in your weight loss. MFP is designed so that you can lose weight without working out. Exercise and activity can be used to wrangle some extra calories to make staying within your goal easier. So for now, make building up your workout focus. Walk 5 min on the tread mill, hop on to the elliptical for 1-2 min, then go back to walking. Build up until you are active for 30 min straight. Then work to being able to do the elliptical 30 min straight (same principle goes for swimming -- which burns a TON of cals btw).

Build it up- everything in steps.

Just to start off a massive CONGRATULATIONS! You've started on here and you joined a local gym, which is harder than just trying to ignore the problem, so you must know deep down that you want to do something about your weight.

i know it can be hard to walk into a gym and just decide what to do. Maybe if your gym has trainers in it (the people, not the shoe) you could ask them to make you up a programme? It'd start you off really easily as the times and levels would be adapted to suit you personally. I also agree with the woman that suggested a group class. Although these can be intimidating at first, you'll find that a lot of the people there are in the same boat as you, plus the only people that I personally watch in classes are myself and the instructor, I don't know if that comforts you in any way.

As for swimming, it really is up there in terms of a complete body workout, but without the impact of running, so even though you feel like it isn't doing anything, it really is.

My last piece of advice for you is 'Mind over Matter' - if you can, try to say to yourself 'Okay, yesterday I did 5 mins on the elliptical trainer without stopping. Today I'm going to do 5:20 without stopping' it doesn't matter if you need to say 'I can do this, I can do this, I can do this' the entire way through that 5mins20 if you get your brain convinced that you can do it, then your muscles will follow. Yes, sometimes it hurts, sometimes you're tired, sometimes you just don't feel like doing it, but internally you just need to tell yourself that you aren't stopping until you've achieved your goal. i tend to find that I have some inner rage that I can channel to get me through really tough workouts.

Please, please, please don't be disheartened. No, you wont drop a stone overnight by going to the gym and eating less, but the more you do it, the more you'll want to do it and if you can find that mentality of wanting to exercise and wanting to eat healthier then you'll be able to achieve anything you set your mind to, you just have to appreciate that it takes time and grit.

Honestly five minutes on a elliptical the first time is FANTASTIC! Those things are hard.

Start small. You can't start anything and have it be easy straight away. Work at it and it will get easier.

We all started where you are. Baby steps and you will get there.

Swimming is an excellent full body cardio workout. You don't think you're doing much because you're not actually seeing the sweat like you would out of the pool. Just be patient with yourself and realize it's going to take some time to see change.

If you can do Jiliian Michael's DVDs, they are definitely great at improving physical fitness. I was going 40 min on the elliptical most days and when I added in JM Ripped in 30 I saw a huge difference in my fitness level.

You can do it! And very important: don't let 1 mistake or bad day make you give up. Just do better the next day.

I just dont cease to be amazed at the support this forum provides ! One cannot help but stick on:)

You guys out here rock!

Thanks to each of you who have taken time out to respond with genuine care....just wanted to convey that it helps a lot of other people apart from the one who initiates the message!

Am so thankful I found this site and got to meet so many wonderful people!