Finally taking charge, any tips?

CalypsoNi
CalypsoNi Posts: 44
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys! My name is Chelsea, i'm looking to lose.. well, quite a bit of weight. An online friend had actually mentioned this site to me, so I figured i'd give it a try. =)
I'm 5'3" and.. last I saw 210lbs(No shame to say it, it's going byebye anyway. =P), and i'm in a household where I don't get to choose what is bought, and I have no support or anybody I can exercise with. My boyfriend could, but he's a lazy butt(He really needs some weight loss to, so i'll try to force him to move with me).

I have some questions though. =) How do you stay motivated when tackling something by yourself? I find myself being demotivated if I don't see some kind of progress after a week or so. Is light Yoplait yogurt a good snack item or should I avoid it? I love yogurt, and it helps my sweet tooth without completely caking calories.

I plan on trying out Zumba, either for the Wii or Kinect since I can't get a way to any classes currently. How are these games? Has anybody tried them? And which would be more beneficial to get(Wii or Kinect)? Sorry for 1001 questions!
I also plan on doing some strength exercises here and there to the best of my ability, going to have to buy some weights.

I'm looking to lose maybe 70lbs over the course of the next year if possible, get myself back down to my highschool weight. You never know how small you were until you're much bigger and you see how tiny those clothes you wore were haha. Thanks guys! =)

Replies

  • dnish53
    dnish53 Posts: 162 Member
    You may not get to chose what to eat, but you can decide how much to eat. Start measuring and logging everything you eat. It is so worth it to get correct portion sizes. You could also go buy healthier food at the store. Any movement is good. I have a Wii and like it but then again I am in my 50s.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Glad to have you around!

    The first thing you are going to want to do is to calculate your TDEE, or Total Daily Energy Expenditure. You will use your height, weight, gender, and activity level to calculate how many calories per day your body needs per day to function without gaining or losing weight. Once you have this number, subtract 20-25%. This new number will be the amount of net calories that you should consume each day. Net calories mean you will eat back the calories you burn during exercise, or at least most of them.

    This will give you a fairly steady weight loss while also teaching you good eating habits. The biggest reason people fail at weight loss is that they eat too little and then binge constantly, ruining their progress and motivation. Using what I described above will help you to not have to deal with being hungry constantly.



    As for what types of food you should eat, that is relative. No food is inherently healthy or unhealthy. Some food is more nutrient dense while others are more calorie dense. So that yogurt, as long as it fits into your calorie and macro goals is fine. It will take you a little bit to fine tune your new diet to your liking, but remember that there is no reason yiu cannot have your favorite treats as long as you plan for them and keep it in moderation.
  • donnakcraig
    donnakcraig Posts: 23 Member
    I just started by eating the 1200. that will work. now I have learned that all calories are not created equal and have learned better.

    make a circle of friends on here to write to and keep track of and you will learn from them.

    but if you chose a # and stick to it, the weight will come off. lots of weight will come off. now I try not to eat breads, crackers ect after lunch. I learned that drinking my water instead of lying about my water to get everyone off my back works so much better.

    I walk every morning before I eat breakfast. just cut calories and then cut them again and you will get there. good luck donna
  • CalypsoNi
    CalypsoNi Posts: 44
    Thanks guys. =) I'll try the measuring thing out as well.
  • Laurie5896
    Laurie5896 Posts: 29 Member
    I just started by eating the 1200. that will work. now I have learned that all calories are not created equal and have learned better.

    make a circle of friends on here to write to and keep track of and you will learn from them.

    but if you chose a # and stick to it, the weight will come off. lots of weight will come off. now I try not to eat breads, crackers ect after lunch. I learned that drinking my water instead of lying about my water to get everyone off my back works so much better.

    I walk every morning before I eat breakfast. just cut calories and then cut them again and you will get there. good luck donna

    Donna is correct and remember with your daily calorie intake, the first two weeks are always the hardest but if you stick to it after those first two weeks it becomes easier. Never give up. I have been on here since Aug 2012 I have gained, loss, gained, loss, but I won't give it and with the friends I have made on here, they are very caring, here for you and I am inspired by all of my MFP friends :)
  • marcvandenberg
    marcvandenberg Posts: 190 Member
    Walking is the best exercise to start with.
    You can do it everywhere and anytime.

    The are lots of apps to measure how much you burn.
  • ABetterJayme
    ABetterJayme Posts: 29 Member
    I recently tried one of the Zumba games for the Kinect and I did not like it. Admittedly, I didn't spend too much time with it and have never tried Zumba outside of this game, either. It was the first one, I think, so it may have evolved since.

    What I found pretty fun was Dance Central 3. I beat the story line of the game in about 2 hours and burned about 1200 calories. It was a blast! Also, a game that I tried, wasn't too thrilled on but definately felt it the next day was the Your Fitness (I believe was the title). It has strength training, dancing, cardio... All kinds of things! Good luck on your journey and feel free to add me as a friend! :)
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
    I have some questions though. =) How do you stay motivated when tackling something by yourself? I find myself being demotivated if I don't see some kind of progress after a week or so. Is light Yoplait yogurt a good snack item or should I avoid it? I love yogurt, and it helps my sweet tooth without completely caking calories.

    This is the part I can relate to the most.

    When I first started, I was the only one around me who was working out/eating right. I feel it made me a stronger person, because I can only rely on myself, and my victories are truly mine. If you have concerns about keeping motivation, there's a couple of things to keep in mind.

    1) you fluctuate daily. only weigh in once a week. the food you eat (thinking about me and sodium) affects water retentions, which affects weight.
    2) your body is smart, and will figure out what you're doing to lose weight. it will try to hold on to weight. it will become harder to lose the weight. this cannot stop you. push through, switch up what you eat, switch up how often you eat, change your workouts.
    3) I stay away from anything "light" because aspertame/artificial sweeteners are really not good for you. at all. Have you tried greek yogurt? it's so good, high in protein, and it's yummy. I'll take the extra calories (usually only 50 or 60) and eat the yoplait original.

    Feel free to add me or send me a message with any questions :). I've been here for about 2 years, lose 75 points, got off track, put weight back on, and I'm on the road again.
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
    I just started by eating the 1200. that will work. now I have learned that all calories are not created equal and have learned better.

    make a circle of friends on here to write to and keep track of and you will learn from them.

    but if you chose a # and stick to it, the weight will come off. lots of weight will come off. now I try not to eat breads, crackers ect after lunch. I learned that drinking my water instead of lying about my water to get everyone off my back works so much better.

    I walk every morning before I eat breakfast. just cut calories and then cut them again and you will get there. good luck donna

    I recommend ignoring everything about this post. Except the part about making friends and drinking water. Friends and water are good things. Friends IN water is better.

    Haha aqua buddies.

    I agree. And don't think that less calories = faster weight loss. It's counter productive. If I eat less than 1500 calories I know I won't lose weight.

    It's all about your body. Listen to it, trust it. It knows. If you're constantly hungry and weak and tired, you're probably not eating enough. It takes practice to recognize what I call "true hunger". Your body knows when it is and there's signs to look for.
  • schaskes
    schaskes Posts: 103 Member
    First of all, congratulations for taking the first step. It is not easy.

    My diet suggestions are: 1) Drink a lot of water, especially as a way to avoid emotional eating. Water is also great for your skin and your digestive system. 2) Plan ahead for every meal and snack. Planning is crucial to getting "caught out" without any healthy options.

    My exercise suggestions are: 1) Wii Just Dance and/or Zumba. I like Just Dance A LOT! It's the only exercise where I smile while I'm doing it. 2) Walk...my husband lost 40 pounds pretty much just by walking.

    My other suggestions are: 1) Stick to MFP and the "good" friends who support you 2) Celebrate EVERY victory, even the teeny tiny ones 3) Don't let any minor setbacks become major ones 4) Read success stories - they are inspirational.

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you want. I'm in maintenance now, but I log everything and am still learning.

    YOU CAN DO IT!!!
  • CalypsoNi
    CalypsoNi Posts: 44
    Thanks for the suggestions guys! =) Really awesome people here so far.
    I don't have a cellphone(strange right?) so no apps for me, going at it.. somewhat old fashioned, haha. As for yogurt, any yogurt is fine however greek I have a hard time finding really that appetizing. It doesn't taste so bad really, but the texture and consistency just.. feels weird to me, I can deal with it if needed of course. =) Water is a must of course! My only problem is I tend to forget to drink anything, which really isn't a good idea considering my place of residence, haha.
    Walking is one thing i'm at ends on myself about. I'm a very self conscious person now, and much of the time I prefer not to be seen at all.. and we have no hidden paths or anything here, so I often feel like i'm on display when I walk alone. I could go early morning of course, so maybe i'll try that.
  • oldandhealthier
    oldandhealthier Posts: 449 Member
    The things I do that have helped, Walking every day, tracking cals, eating slower, no longer eating in front of tv or computer. Nothing fancy just the little things and they add up. I am doing this without help (my wife is eating a brownie as I type this) but thats OK since I am doing this to improve my health. Just hang in there and wait out the plateaus and enjoy the little victories. See you at the finish line.:flowerforyou:
  • kcaffee1
    kcaffee1 Posts: 759 Member
    As another poster stated: "Congratulations on taking the first steps". This is very true.

    I'll chime in on the exercise "games". I've got the kinect, and I LOVE the zumba party. I've looked at the Just dance, but since I'm not up on the club dances, and basically have NO dance coordination, the more structured (and to some repetitive) moves in the Zumba "game" are great for me. It definitely gives me a hard workout! I've managed to get through the first beginner routine (20 mins) consistently, but haven't mastered the second beginner routine... yet.

    Walking is a great exercise, though I do agree walking alone can make you feel "on display". However, after the first few days, you get to know the area, and what to expect. Especially if you are walking the same general rout. You might actually get to meet and/or know some of your neighbors, which can increase the potential for a real life support system. (It sounds counter productive, but for some reason it seems to work that way.)

    As for figuring out where to start on the food - I am also in a position where I don't do much cooking due to living with family. I'm a student, so I tend to focus on school work, rather than meal planning/ preparing. If I remember, I typically try to make a few items that I can freeze for later use, but generally I manage on left overs from dinner tonight for lunch the following day. And, for me it can be a little extra challenging due to having a medical issue which forces me to stay away from most of the family favorites - bread/pasta/potatoes/rice. I get around that generally by buying a FEW things for myself to replace the items that I CANNOT eat, which I am grateful the family respects and stays out of. Perhaps as you develop your menu preferences you might be able to do something similar. If the family wants to have a meal full of items you choose not to eat, you can share in some of it, then fill in the rest out of the limited groceries you have purchased?

    And, depending on your personality type, pre-planning meals can be either a benefit, or a detriment. I know what I typically have every morning, but for me, pre-logging just encourages things to be changed up at the last minute. Same with exercise. I know what I have planned, but things can change at the last minute, and I wind up dong something else instead. If you are organized enough, then pre-planning may be the perfect way to start. If you live minute-by-minute, then learning what different portion sizes are supposed to LOOK like may be the best approach. And, you learn that with a food scale and a good set of measuring instruments (cups and spoons).
  • RepsnSets
    RepsnSets Posts: 805 Member
    Start small, dont over complicate it. Maybe cut back on something from your diet like soda

    Exercise. If you dont like exercising start off slow like a 20 minutes walk, if you go too hard and fast while remaining grumpy about it you will give up

    Introduct some strength training doesnt have to be the latest and greatest fad - just get used to a wee bit of lifting something heavier than usual.

    Cut your food portions - eat what you normally would for a week but just make it smaller.

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