New to This and Hoping to Stick With it!

Hello mfp community! I have been debating trying Weight Watchers but thought I'd try this before I spent a ridiculous amount of money. I'm pretty good at starting things but not so great at finishing :( It's a habit I developed when I was younger and my parents would let me start dance, piano, softball, etc. but quit when I was sick of it. Unfortunately it continued throughout my life. I haven't ever tried other diet plans but after my husband inadvertently called me fat, I figured it was time to start and hopefully keep going with my weight loss journey.

My main problem is getting myself to drink water, and exercise. We have a gym membership but I rarely use it. My husband and I work at a prison so by the time I get off work, I'm ready to just be at home. I did start drinking water today and managed to get about 40 oz in, which for me is great! I'm a pop/soda addict and can't get away from it. I only had 2 cans today so that's a HUGE improvement.

SO who wants to keep me on track? lol

Replies

  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    Welcome. Rochelle is my sister's name, so that caught my eye. You can add me, I'm on here every day.
  • HuskerforLife
    HuskerforLife Posts: 30 Member
    Added, thanks :)
  • dlanoux
    dlanoux Posts: 112 Member
    You can add me as well! I'm here daily too. You can do this....just set your mind to it!
  • tjl2329
    tjl2329 Posts: 169 Member
    When I first started in Nov I found it very hard. My doctor suggested I start at five minutes of walking. Easier said than done. It wad do hard for me to walk 15 min. I am only 43. That's crazy. I now go to the gym at least 5 times a week and have lost over 50 lbs. Its small choices that up to big ones. Just keep going and you'll make it.
  • I can relate to the not drinking water thing... I am a soda drinker and it's so bad for us!!! I told myself that for the month of June I wasn't going to drink anything but water... well yeah I had two cans of Dr. Pepper on the first *smacks hand* I just started as well and for the remainder of the month NO SODA FOR ME!!! Water is what we need to be drinking girlie! I'm here for you in anyway that I can be! Good luck
  • HuskerforLife
    HuskerforLife Posts: 30 Member
    Thank you all for the messages of support :)
  • Hey there! I'm a newbie too and your post sounded sooo much like me. I struggle with the water cos I'm a Diet Coke addict and water just does NOT compare, but I am trying. I just hope I can keep up the enthusiasm needed to continue. I just have to lose weight cos I really don't want to be old and unfit. I'm 38 this year and the weight has crept on over the last few years. Now I have bought a treadmill (cos I know I won't go to the gym!) and I'm determined to get slim! I don't know if I'll be any help with motivation but I sure understand where you're coming from :)
  • churchchipmunk
    churchchipmunk Posts: 83 Member
    Hi there!!! Welcome!!! MFP really works!!! Please feel free to add me :)
  • mandasalem
    mandasalem Posts: 346 Member
    Add away! The community aspect here is a great sense of accountability, especially if you're online quite a bit. Good luck, and I'll be cheering you on as you stick with this!
  • CSugaSuga
    CSugaSuga Posts: 6
    Great job with 40 oz of water, sounds like a huge first step!
  • this_is_it77
    this_is_it77 Posts: 17 Member
    You can add me too! I just started back yesterday. I think I finally found my motivation. Good luck to you!
  • chaotic38
    chaotic38 Posts: 8
    I am also a soda addict. I am working on one thing at a time now. First thing I am doing is working on eating a low carb diet. Next I plan on adding exercise. I should, possibly, consider not drinking as much diet soda, but that is in the future. I have found that drink the flavored, and carbonated, waters reduces my soda intake. Please add me as I am on here every day (multiple times) and can offer moral support and an understanding of the pleasures of soda pop.
  • todayis4me
    todayis4me Posts: 184 Member
    Sent fr!
  • Gagirl79
    Gagirl79 Posts: 193 Member
    I can totally understand and relate to everything you said. I have been trying this for over a year with several failed attempts. This time I have been very active and have been logging over 40 days! I have lost 7 lbs and a couple of inches. I was a Pepsi drinker and even when I cut down it was at least 2 cans per day. And I work at a police department and had a gym available for free everyday and only used it once. This time I set my mind to it and joined a gym close to my house and have been Pepsi free for the entire time! I did cheat and have about 4 oz of root beer in a rootbeer float. I drink in excess of 8-10 glasses of water per day. I never thought I could do it!!!


    You can do this! it's hard at first but it is all well worth it!
  • SkinnyMsFitness
    SkinnyMsFitness Posts: 389 Member
    Hi! I'm new here too, so you can add me if you want. :-) I've also had a terrible time gaining any progress for the last 10 yrs...I'd only fluctuate 5 lbs...stupid water weight.

    However, some how, last year I was able to lose 20 lbs and it feels great! Although, once again, I fell off track for about a year. I've just lost another 10 and I truly feel happy!! I feel I can offer you some advice b/c I understand where you're coming from.

    To lose weight, you don't have to diet; you have to change your lifestyle.

    I too had a terrible time getting away from my pop intake; I was living on mt dew 24/7...never any water! Well, my only water consumption was when I brushed my teach everyday, which is not much at all! Today, I drink mainly water. I've found it helpful to buy packs of 16.9 once bottles and I set a schedule. I bring 3 to work with me every day - I drink one before my morning break (between 7:00-10:00 am), one before lunch (between 10:00-12:00 pm), and the other for my remaining time working (12:30-3:30 pm). I then make sure to drink at least 2 more bottles each evening. That's a total of 5 bottles of water each day.

    To get off of the mt dew habit, I quit drinking it completely. For the first week without it, I drank tea - this allowed me to get some caffeine intake, but I wasn't succumbing to mt dew. The next week, I switched to water. No matter the reason you're drinking pop, just know that when you completely get away from it, you'll feel so much better! I used to drink it faithfully because I was always tired. Well, guess what...I feel no different now than I did when I consumed all of that caffeine! The thing is, once our bodies get used to stimulants, the stimulants no longer work like they're supposed to.

    Once I was able to avoid mt dew, I made sure that I didn't purchase/drink/look at it for about 2 months! Although I felt the urge time-to-time, I did not allow myself to give in...I was addicted! I couldn't live without it! Today, a year later, I can drink mt dew here and there; the key is moderation. If I feel I need one, I will just buy a 20 once and call it a day. It helps to avoid buying your weakness in bulk. And let me tell you, once you quit drinking it for a while, it won't taste as good as it used to.

    Exercise - that takes time as well. I've found it helpful to ensure you exercise a variety of ways. I like to walk. I have a treadmill. However, I get bored on the treadmill. I get bored walking the same places. It's a great help to walk multiple different locations. Start out small and gain as you go on; you don't want to overexert yourself or you'll give up...at least I have.

    Best of luck and I'm here if need me! :-)

    **** Not that my post isn't long enough already (sorry), but I thought of something else that really helped me. Google the ingredients that's in most pops. My favorite one is fire retardant. ****
  • Vness813
    Vness813 Posts: 24
    WELCOME! I'm a newbie too! One of my strategies to get all of my water intake for the day in - I won't allow myself to drink ANYTHING else (other than my coffee) until I have all of my water for the day. I've been doing this for over a month and now find that I really don't want anything else. :wink:

    YOU GOT THIS! we are all doing it together.....the beauty of MFP
  • Gagirl79
    Gagirl79 Posts: 193 Member
    I can totally understand and relate to everything you said. I have been trying this for over a year with several failed attempts. This time I have been very active and have been logging over 40 days! I have lost 7 lbs and a couple of inches. I was a Pepsi drinker and even when I cut down it was at least 2 cans per day. And I work at a police department and had a gym available for free everyday and only used it once. This time I set my mind to it and joined a gym close to my house and have been Pepsi free for the entire time! I did cheat and have about 4 oz of root beer in a rootbeer float. I drink in excess of 8-10 glasses of water per day. I never thought I could do it!!!


    You can do this! it's hard at first but it is all well worth it!

    anyone feel free to add :)
  • dlanoux
    dlanoux Posts: 112 Member
    I was a soda drinker a while back. If I was thirsty, I just reached for a diet coke. Then we went on a cruise....lol! Well, sodas are not cheap on a cruise, and I refused to pay the price that they wanted. Talk about quitting cold turkey, well that is what I did. By the time we got home I was soda free for 7 whole days.....and I decided that I would just give good old water a try. Well, here we are a year later, and I can't even tell you the last time I had a soda! I carry water with me everywhere now....it is sort of like my phone....I don't leave home without it. :)
  • HuskerforLife
    HuskerforLife Posts: 30 Member
    Thanks for the tips :) I've actually managed to quit cold turkey...or at least I went all day today with no pop!!!