I don't want to die

Wow, that is quite a story, thank you for sharing it with us! And you should give yourself a huge pat on the back for taking this courageous step towards taking control of you life and health. You will get lots of great advice and inspiration from many people who have similar stories to yours. Let me first assure you that healthy food can in fact be very filling, and won't leave you hungry in an hour. A diet rich in protein, vegetables and whole grains will keep you full and if you eat smaller amounts of food at more frequent intervals you will not feel ravenous at mealtime. But I suggest you start by simply counting the number of calories you are already eating during the day. Then, you will learn how to cut down on your portion sizes so that you can still eat the foods you love, just in controlled portions. You MUST weigh/measure everything, for this to work. And it does work. As ofr exercise, don't sweat it! (no pun intended :laugh: ) Start by just taking an after dinner walk around the nieghborhood with your family. Eventually you will find some type of exercise that suits you, but don't worry about trying to get there all at once, start by making small changes first. There are hundreds of sucess stories, in fact you should take a look through them when you have a chance - I guarantee you will become a little more encouraged that you have the power to do this! Good luck!

I can totally understand where you are coming from and not knowing where to start or what to do. I waited for 10 years before I started doing something and now I don't want to stop. You have to get somewhere deep in your heart, brain and soul and decide what you want for your life. I have 2 toddlers now and it seemed very selfish of me to continue the horrible overweight lifestyle I was leading. What I started doing was walking first, then I tried to give myself a very hard challenge and saw results 3 months later. The point is never letting up when you don't see 20 lbs. come off in a week because clearly we all want to see biggest loser numbers and its just not reality when we are only working out 1 or 2 hours a day. I see that you say you want to be a part of your kids' lives in the future well then do something to secure that! Start by walking an hour every day and have them come with you. You will still get winded at first but then you will be getting better and better as your body gets used to the exercise; baby steps. You can't rush yourself and the weight will follow. Just set a plan and stick to it. You CAN do it if you want to :flowerforyou:

Hi,
Welcome to MFP, always great to see new folks wanting to change their lives and get healthier:flowerforyou:
You're very beautiful, I peeked at your photo

Well you've definitely come to the right place to relearn how eat in healthier ways. It all seems overwhelming at first when starting out making huge changes in our lives. Sometimes the best way is baby steps. Tracking your food, yes every bite so you see it down on paper so to speak, it's actually very helpful. Another thought is portion control, simply eat a bit less than you did yesterday etc.

You sound very overwhelmed and very sad but you don't have to do it all today:happy: . You are here, and that in itself proves you do want to live and do want to have a healthy life.

PM me if you need any help, I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can. Lots of very friendly members around here that will help you get started on the journey, just reading the boards helps ALOT. It's true, the best way to start is simply to begin. One change at a time. Chose one thing and do that change for a week, then chose another etc.

Glad you're here :flowerforyou:
Becca

I actually began my journey for that very reason: I knew my health was in terrible shape (my body, too!), and I wanted to be healthy for my kids. Since I have been going at this for a while now, I realize that I want THEM to understand how important eating well and exercise are. I want THEM to see ME doing these things so that they will probably accept the habits as well.

Myfitnesspal is a GREAT place to learn new food ideas and meet people who are struggling just like you are. If you get breathless after one flight of stairs, that's fine. Walk them until you can add a few more steps...and then a few more...and then do it more regularly. Walk around your block with your kids. Walk them to a park if there is one nearby. You don't HAVE to join a gym to lose weight. Walking regularly and increasing your increments is one of THE best exercises you can do. And it is FREEEE!

Good luck on your journey! :flowerforyou: You are doing the BEST thing ever--beginning the process of becoming a healthier, more active you!

You can do this. Remember, small steps. A little walk is better than no walk. What about the kids, would they like to go for a walk after dinner? Including the family allows for a lot of quality time. As for budgeting for a family of four, what is your grocery bill like now? Can you replace some of the less healthy choices with fresh fruit or vegetables? A good place to shop for fresh fruit and vegetables is to find a local farmers market- another great little family trip. If you need a friend, accept my friend request- I will be glad to help any way I can and cheer you on!!

Most of the ideas I have for you have already been said, but they bear repeating!:happy: When I started my journey last August, hubby and I started by controlling our portions. We pulled out the measuring cups and spoons, we asked for a food scale for my birthday, we were fanatical about measuring everything that went on our plates or in our mouths. I dropped quite a bit of weight just by realizing that I was eating to keep up with hubby, and I'm not supposed to be his size. (This was a toughy for me, and I still fight with my inner-voice that says, "Well, if he can have a bed time snack, so can you! Who cares if you're already over for the day.") We kept eating all the stuff we had been eating (chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, spaghetti, Hamburger Helper, etc etc etc), we just stopped eating more than one serving. At first we were always still hungry afterwards. Then we discovered that veggies helped fill us up without adding too many calories to our day. I go for celery, carrots, tomatoes, lettuces, etc. I've been known to chop some of the aforementioned veggies up and put then in the sauce, (shhhh, don't tell my husband!:laugh: ) to help make it more filling, also.

Don't try to change everything in one day! Once I discovered that exercising meant I could eat more, I decided to exercise. Well, I'm busy, and I don't really like exercising (gyms, weights, machines, etc = ICK in my book ). Soooo, I started walking. At first it was just a few blocks each night with the family. Now my kids (3 and 5) and I walk at LEAST 2 miles a day. (Remember, this is NINE months later, work up to it)

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. You've made the first and joined MFP. The second step is to understand what you've BEEN eating, and adjust that. I recommend starting with portion control, and then branch out to healthier foods from there. Go for a walk around your block every night for a week. Then go around 2 blocks for a week or two. Add a block every couple weeks. You'll be amazed at how quick the distance adds up! Don't try to start out like an olympic athlete, start with one step, and then add another.

I am more than happy to answer any questions you have, share my own experience, etc. Just send me a message asking anything you want to know!

I am here because my mom never got to meet her grandchildren due to untimely death that was an indirect result of being severely overweight. I was headed down the same path, and it scared me. My aunt told my sister about this site, who told me, which caused me to ask my aunt about it. It is a great site.

It sounds like you have been on the same path I was on. It's never too late to turn around and go back!

How's this for a long rambling post? I hope it helps you, and PLEASE let me know if you have questions!:flowerforyou: Here's to making better choices!:drinker:

Wow, that is quite a story, thank you for sharing it with us! And you should give yourself a huge pat on the back for taking this courageous step towards taking control of you life and health. You will get lots of great advice and inspiration from many people who have similar stories to yours. Let me first assure you that healthy food can in fact be very filling, and won't leave you hungry in an hour. A diet rich in protein, vegetables and whole grains will keep you full and if you eat smaller amounts of food at more frequent intervals you will not feel ravenous at mealtime. But I suggest you start by simply counting the number of calories you are already eating during the day. Then, you will learn how to cut down on your portion sizes so that you can still eat the foods you love, just in controlled portions. You MUST weigh/measure everything, for this to work. And it does work. As ofr exercise, don't sweat it! (no pun intended :laugh: ) Start by just taking an after dinner walk around the nieghborhood with your family. Eventually you will find some type of exercise that suits you, but don't worry about trying to get there all at once, start by making small changes first. There are hundreds of sucess stories, in fact you should take a look through them when you have a chance - I guarantee you will become a little more encouraged that you have the power to do this! Good luck!

I think its great that you want to be healthier for your children instead of sitting back and accepting it as an inevitability as some people do. I have two good tips for helping you.

1.) Get a workout buddy. Find someone who can workout with you, especially when you move to workouts other than walking. A friend working out with you helps keep you motivated.

2.) I've found that a good way to work out is dancing. I ordered a Zumba DVD to help me work out. It's a Latin dance DVD and most of the dances on the beginning DVD are simple enough that you get a good workout and get sweating without being exhausting (I'm just starting out too). Maybe something like that would be a good workout for you.

Hope that helped. Good luck!

Hey there girl! I am so happy that you are here because it means that you have decided to change!!! For that please celebrate!!! I am also starting to lose weight and to change me. Mini changes are key in weight loss, increase in water, change where you used to eat when eating out, increase in movement, increase in sleep. Life is all about change and we are only in charge of ourselves. I wish you all the best!

I cant say anymore than what has already been said.

Welcome to MFP and the start of the rest of your life.

Good luck, we're all here and rooting for you :drinker: :bigsmile: :flowerforyou: