Overwhelmed! Any tips?

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mamabear204
mamabear204 Posts: 28 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I'm just trying to get started working on a thinner, fitter, happier, healthier me but I'm completely overwhelmed with ideas and info I don't have a clue where to start! Anyone have some suggestions? Thinking about doing something like C25K but I absolutely hate cold...maybe start out changing some eating habits first. But trying to find new recipes then shopping then keeping a food diary etc etc etc seems pretty time consuming. Feel like I'm losing my mind just trying to THINK ABOUT losing weight.
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  • alexandrajane84
    alexandrajane84 Posts: 34 Member
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    I felt exactly like this at the beginning, and still do some days. Its all about making manageable goals.
    Start with a few changes and go from there -its a slow process and trying to do it "all" at once can sometimes set you up for a massive failure.

    Some things that I found made a big difference and were good starting points are goals like to consciously drink more water. Drinking water is a big thing with weight loss.

    Also trying to do something active 2 -3 times a week - be it going to the gym or going for a walk with the dog - it doesnt have to be marathon training at the beginning.

    C25K is good - but I found it overwhelming and never got past week 6 so maybe getting more active to begin with is a good stepping point.

    Logging your food is a big help, also reading the serving sizes on things - you may find that you are actually eating pretty healthily and don't have to change too much other than the actual amount you are consuming!

    Make it a pleasure not a chore, so one day spend some time looking for a couple of new recipes and incorporate them into what you are doing!

    Hope this helps! (Also add friends - they help and make you accountable, and also someone to cheer with or commiserate with! feel free to add me!)
  • mamabear204
    mamabear204 Posts: 28 Member
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    Thank you for responding! Thats exactly the advise I'm looking for! Don't wanna jump in and make make too many drastic changes all at once. So far I'm trying to drink more water and cut out drinking coffee with sugar every day and reduce the pop that I drink. Thanks again for the tips!:happy:
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
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    Well done for taking the first few steps and joining up to MFP!

    Start small, for example - drinking more water (aim for 2L a day), eating a couple of pieces of fruit and veg a day, etc.

    Then, consider something you could cut back on - for example, I've stopped drinking fizzy drinks i.e - "soda" and cut out biscuits and chocolate bars for 6 out of 7 days of the week. You could aim to reduce sodium intake or cut out takeaways for example.

    Finally, add the exercise in - as others have suggested this could just be a short walk, or signing up to a gym.

    Start with small changes that you can keep up with forever - try and see this as a lifestyle change, not a fad diet :) good luck! xx
  • Darci128
    Darci128 Posts: 2 Member
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    No tips yet, but I am looking for advice myself.
  • mamabear204
    mamabear204 Posts: 28 Member
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    Thanks for the tips! Still looking for some more ideas on eating, recipes, and time saver tips would be awesome too! Thanks!
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
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    I agree with the small changes. It took well over two months before I was completely weaned off the soda (reduced to two cans, then one, then replaced soda with sugary lemonade and tea, and then finally replaced that with water.) I counted calories for over a month before I added in any exercise at all. And I did low-impact exercise for a week before I added cardio.

    A slower plan that you can work with is better than a major plan that doesn't work at all.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    One step at a time - if you are overwhelmed, start by tracking what you eat. The very act of tracking will make some people eat better and will shock the deniers into realizing just how much they are eating. Once you have tracked for a week, add in a new goal.

    If you might use the cold as an excuse, start with indoor exercises. This week, jut math in place for 10 minutes a day while you look into other activities.

    Good Luck!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Step 1 - get your intake under control. You don't have to worry about thinks like fat/carb/protein ratios or whole foods vs packaged foods or any of that stuff just yet (unless you want to). First step is always to get your intake to a reasonable number. MFP can give you an idea of what that should be, there are lots of other calculators out there too.

    Step 2 - get some exercise. At this point you don't have to worry about how long to work out or how hard or what type of exercise you should be doing. Just get moving. If possible, find something you enjoy doing.

    Step 3 - be patient. This is a long process that involves some trial and error. If you don't see results the first week, don't get discouraged.


    Once you have a good handle on those 3 steps, then come back and see us for more tips.
  • gkelly1397
    gkelly1397 Posts: 7 Member
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    Congrats on taking the first step! Weight loss is kinda a lot. If you think too much into it, you're bound to get overwhelmed. The point is, just like you said, to get healthier and happier. I started out slow, just adding some extra fruits and vegetables in my diet everyday. I used to eat fiber bars, but I instead started eating a small salad or big bowl of mixed berries. By adding extra fruits and veggies I actually began to naturally eat less carbohydrates like pretzels or crackers for a snack. Now I don't even miss them, when I used to be carb crazy. I also started upping my water intake. I used to crave a diet soda every other day, and now I have a reserve can on my desk at work; its been sitting there for 3 weeks! I wear camosoles underneath a lot of my clothes, and seeing how my stomach bloat has gone done inspires me to keep up the work.

    Another things I found that works for me is eating what I like. A lot of people think the only way to loose weight is to eat a bunch of salad and deny yourself of the things you like. I love fajitas and making soup. So every week I cut up chicken, onions, peppers, and tomatoes, and use not fat cooking spray and a little bit of organic taco seasoning and prepare fajitas. I typically use a ratio of 3 to 4 servings of veg to chicken, I found a good tortilla, and my lunches and/ or dinners make me feel satisfied. I have also had a lot of fun playing around with soup recipes. You can add whatever you like, make it spicy or mild, and its perfect for this time of year; keeps you warm, full, and satisfied. You can also use pureed veg to thicken a coup so it doesn't taste so broth based.

    Also, food journaling is hard. I joined this site a few monthes back and couldn't commit. I recently started back in and I sometimes still struggle with logging in, but I try to stay mindful of what I am eating. Food journaling is great, because you see where you could use improvement and I find I tend to hold myself more accountable of what I am eating. I've recently started adding more friends, so seeing them doing well inspires me to do the same. Hope these few tips help. I wish you luck, feel free to add me!
  • Sindaelys
    Sindaelys Posts: 37 Member
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    I stopped my couch to 5k when it got cold... There are SO many workout and exercise videos online though that there's always something to do! Yoga, tai-chi, pilates... You name it, it's on youtube or digitally on Amazon!

    Watching my food has definitely had the most impact, though. I don't eat super-unhealthy, but boy did I eat a lot! Since looking at my portions I've slowed down my eating, and frequently have a good sized tea or coffee (no milk or sugar) after a meal, which will usually shut my stomach up until it realizes it's full. If I get the rumbles in the afternoon it's now carrots or green beans, which I also end up eating slow, since you need to chew them so much!

    As an impatient person I WANT to do everything at once, but it is definitely overwhelming. Even if you take it slow, the results will come. :)

    Edit for recipe discussion: skinnytaste has an amazing collection of recipes, and a section about quick meals.
    Because looking to change 3 meals immediately is definitely daunting, log your food for a couple of days and see what your problem meal (if any) is. For me it was dinner, so that's what I try to focus on the most. Once you have one meal down, you can move to the next one, and so on!
  • krislyn84
    krislyn84 Posts: 337 Member
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    As a single mom with 2 jobs and school, I completley understand being overwhelmed by all of this. I try my very best to do all of my shopping, and cooking on Sundays. I make A LOT of freezer meals. Fantastic stuff like Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans. Throw all the ingredients in a freezer bag and, when you are ready to cook it, dump it in the crock pot before you leave in the morning. My crock pot is my best friend. Seriously. Two of my favorite websites for recipes are skinnytaste.com and hungrygirl.com. Even my kids are eating better... they just don't know it. =)) They help me put together lunch boxes the night before so we aren't rushed in the mornings.

    There aren't really any "time-saving" tips for working out. You really just have to put in the time. I get up at 4:30 in the morning to get my workouts in before the day starts, otherwise I know I will come up with a million other important things to do throughout the day. If your short on time, try the 10 minute videos. Any amount of time is better than none.

    Baby steps. Start out slow. You want progress, not perfection. =)
  • iivye
    iivye Posts: 10 Member
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    I get most of my recipes from skinnytaste.com, lots of variety. I especially like the comments for each recipe. I second the crock pot suggestion. It's so much easier to eat healthy when the meal is already prepared when you get home. Good luck!
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    I also started slowly. I started by switching to diet soda. Then I started counting calories but only reduced them by 200/week until I was at MFP's recommendation. This allowed me to get used to eating less without my body freaking out. Eventually, even diet soda didn't taste good to me. I drink water, sugar-free juice, and tea now.

    I started walking. That's it. I walked until I got into shape enough to do some workout videos. Once the workout videos got easier, I joined a gym. This took about six months. (You may be ready sooner if you weigh less than me.) Now I rotate the gym with working out at home, and if I'm feeling sort of tired one day, I just go for a walk. Whatever gets your heart rate up is good.

    Also, I started out at 30 minutes 3-4 days per week. Now I'm up to 45-60 minutes six days per week. Again, I eased myself into it.

    As a result, my weight loss has been slow and gradual, but that's GOOD. I lose about 1 - 1.5 pounds per week instead of 2-3 pounds per week like other obese people, but that's okay. I also had an eight-week stretch where I didn't lose anything. It happens. Be patient. Good luck. :)
  • ZombieBubbles
    ZombieBubbles Posts: 110 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as you. I've been doing all this research on what I should be doing and it gets confusing quickly. Jjust take baby steps. You have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Keep up the good fight.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    a lot of good advice, and perhaps the best advice you suggested yourself, start small.

    The first step (as all ready stated) should be the most simple and effective: make sure your eating an appropriate amount of calories. Some people might find this is all they really need to do to look and feel better.
  • sandobr1
    sandobr1 Posts: 319 Member
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    Great advice here already. I will add when I found MFP in July I started by logging what I ate everyday for about 2-3 weeks, mainly to really pinpoint what my problems were, of course I sort of knew but seeing it laid out in front of me made it a little easier to identify the biggest problems first. For me it was portion control, my portions had become epic, making meals for a family of three that might serve 8-10 and me and my husband (and small child) would eat nearly all of it. So to fix this I hit the dollar store and bought several sets of measuring cups so I always had clean ones to measure, put the digital scale on the counter for weighing. I always have clean measuring cups, no eyeballing because that cup I need is in the dishwasher.

    Then taking existing recipes and making them healthier or figuring exact calories, I actually was using spark recipes unti I realized there is a calculator here on MFP, however you do it figure before you make it and if needed adjust. For me looking for lower sodium options, or making it with 1 of something instead of 2 or 3, just as example. Some recipes I swap quinoa for rice, yogurt for sour cream, if a recipe calls for a cup of cream cheese, cut it to 1/2 cup, it all helps, you make little changes like that that allow you to have your favorite foods just a little healthier. I also find planning ahead by a day and laying most meals and snacks helps me budget for outings or special meals that might be more calories.

    I only walked some in the beginning and would say the first 30 pounds that was pretty much the only exercise I did. I have slowly been adding more and am still figuring what I like and what works for me, I have purchased a few DVD's a kettlebell and some hand weights for home. In 2013 I joind the YMCA and now do a deep water aerobics class, dabble in spinning and bought a 10 session pack with a personal trainer and started weight training just this week, so through about March I will continue with this plan.

    I think it is important to be open minded and change things up as keeping it the same becomes boring and your body will get used to it and no longer respond to those changes. At least for me, I know adding different exercises will be key, I would prefer to just eat healthy and get all the results I would like, but changing is necessary for me to keep losing. I have been playing with calorie intake since mid December and still not sure where I am going to land and results are definately slower, working through this and realizing going back is not an options keeps me going even when it gets hard.

    Small steps, learning and trying everyday will pay off over time. Good luck!
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    I'm all for baby steps so overwhelm doesn't lead to burn out. Just set your mfp at the "suggested" weight loss goal for a week..and start logging your calories honestly and stay within them. See that glass with the arrow at the bottom of your homepage? drink all 8 during the day and click the button each time. Don't do the 1200 calories a day thing... eat more make sure your loss is at a pound a week..it is so much easier to stay on track. ( i've done this and have lost 2 pounds a week so far)

    Start there... then look around the recipe forum and get ideas for food that is tasty and low calorie. Another great way is to look into other peoples food diaries. Some are open..others closed to only people who are accepted as friends.

    Then work out when you feel the motivation and start slow..make it manageable....then step into more when you're into it..and really want to do it.

    Good luck!!!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    My advice: Start tracking what you eat. You don't have to make any changes at first, although you can. It's your diet that is going to make or break your attempts to lose weight, so you need to see those calories. They add up fast!

    Fill out your profile and goals here on MFP.
  • kg047
    kg047 Posts: 95 Member
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    A time saver for me with regard to working out is to sleep in my work out gear. Just wash face, brush teeth and put hair in a pony tail in the morning.

    Preparing meals in advance as stated prior.

    You can do it!
  • Jerrypeoples
    Jerrypeoples Posts: 1,541 Member
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    My advice: Start tracking what you eat. You don't have to make any changes at first, although you can. It's your diet that is going to make or break your attempts to lose weight, so you need to see those calories. They add up fast!

    Fill out your profile and goals here on MFP.

    this.

    even if you eat junk, still track it on here. once you see how horrible it is for you it will help to change your mind about eating it again. im sad to say i ate fast food (wendys and burger king) at least 4 times a week and went to the gym just to maintain how big i was without getting any bigger.

    once i saw how many calories etc were in that scrumptious double whopper with cheese no tomato it was like getting hit in the face. just like you can tell a kid not to touch the pan on the stove cause it is hot, until you physically see how horrible it is it may not sink in.

    it was then i decided to really cut back on the fast food and after about 3 weeks i eliminated it completely.

    its not about losing the weight as fast as you can nor is it about giving up because one week you gained a lb after 3 straight weeks of losing.

    its about making changes and sticking with them, then finding out what works for you. while its nice to hear others advice on what exactly they eat or their workout routines, they arent you. your genetics may be different and it will not have the same effect on you.

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