200+ Pounds to lose Please Motivate

Hey and welcome to the forum! I'm in a similar position and to be honest nobody else can motivate you, we can all cheer you on and share the journey, but ultimately it has to be you who decides it's time to make that change. Ideally I'd like to lose around 185lbs, but I know to do that I have to change my whole lifestyle and attitude to food and exercise. I'm not even sure what got me here, I just decided enough was enough and I needed to change. Luckily MFP and all the lovely people on here are alwYs around for help and support. Add some friends, get logging, maybe think about getting a fitbit for more encouragement and get yourself on the road to a healthier lifestyle. I'll add you now and I'm on here everyday so let's help each other xx

speaking of Netflix, I recommend Fat Head
You gotta find what inspires YOU

Hey,

I think it's great that you have taken the first step on your journey to losing the weight; recognising that you need to and sourcing at ways to help you by joining MFP.

I've added you as a friend and am happy to encourage you! I think we all need a little help sometimes.

x

It may seem overwhelming, but you can do it!
You are worth it! One day at a time. They add up very quickly.
It is not easy, but worth the effort you put in when the results begin to show. Read the success stories. That was one of the most beneficial things for me, especially when I felt like giving up.

Eighteen months ago, I never would have believed where I would be today. So many attempts and so many failures. I will be 62 at the end of September. I wish I would have had MFP decades ago.

Best of luck to you!

I started of needing to lose 235 lbs. At first for me it seemed long, hard exhausting. I started off with small steps and worked my way into a routine. I always have kept the long term goal in mind but did not only think about that. I've set small goals and gave my time limits to reach them. If I fell short, I did not beat myself up because the truth is when you have this amount of weight to lose you will have days where you slip up, fall down, fail. You just get up and keep going no matter what and be patient with yourself. I'm sure it took a while to get where you are today it will take some time to get to where you want to be. Bad long term habits have to be broken and replaced with good healthy habits. It takes 30 days to create a habit and 9 months to create a lifestyle. Last of all use this support system and tell others that are a positive influence in your life what you are doing to help keep you accountable and motivated. Once the weight starts to fall off you will be proud and want to keep going. Find a plan that is realistic, and doable. That means not something restricted and too hard whearas you cannot possibly stay on it the rest of your life. You are in control of your life, and you CAN do it. There are people before you who have. Don't ever ever give up no matter what!

When I started, I had 120 pounds to lose, and I was afraid I'd never be able to do it, but then I decided to lose one pound, and that was so easy to do that I realized I could do it 100 times.
So far, I've lost that first pound 35 times, and it's getting easier and easier.
Just lose one. Just one....

You have to motivate yourself and put in the work just grab a bunch of friends and keep plugging along..really people have a hard enough time keeping themselves going...best thing to do is make a plan and stick to it ..stay accountable and have goals.

Congratulations! The first step is the hardest. I am using a health coach thru my Doctor...it is helpful. I am also eating 5 small meals. That seems to really be the key for me. Hang in there. I am just starting as well.

On where to start:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

It's a long read, but well worth it.

As to motivation, that's really up to you. You are the one in control.

Well joining MFP is the best start for your time-for-a change as logging your food and exercise really helps you know what and how much you are actually eating .. Now for where to start , just start with small changes in your life style and your food and beverages choices .. You can start cooking a healthy meal once a week and try drinking water often .. shop for healthy snacks like fruits & nuts and try to eliminate temptations from your pantry as "if it is not there , I can't eat !!!" .. Try to fit a 30 minutes exercise 3 times a week at the beginning , you can break it up into 2 15 minutes sessions .. do anything you enjoy to make you move more and you will see pounds lost with these small changes .. for motivation , as others said it is YOU who decides the time for a change but what worked for me is being in a challenge with my demons and bad cravings and you know what , after a while these cravings disappear thought they come back every now and then but not as frequent which means I AM THE THE ONE IN CONTROL now..
All the best in your journey and we r all here to help each other .. :flowerforyou:

Congratulations! You took the first step and that can be one of the hardest parts about the upcoming journey! I know it was for me! Motivation can come in many different forms, but you are the only one who can find what clicks for you, but there are plenty of awesome people here who can definitely be a support for you! I started out with about 200 pounds to lose, and since I started here 10 (ish) weeks ago, I've lost 27 pounds to date. It's not "easy" but it hasn't been terribly difficult either. I found a workout routine that works for me - swimming, Wii, walking, dancing etc. - and I'm slowly trying to change what I eat. As of right now, I haven't changed my eating except to limit how much I ate and keep under my calorie goal. One step at a time. My next step is creating a healthier eating habit. It's a tough, uphill battle but its not impossible!

Good luck! If you'd like you can add me

-Kristy

Hi, and welcome! There is a special forum here for people who want to lose 200+ lbs., which might help you.

I did find it hard to start, and what helped me was to work through A TON of my emotional issues stemming from my childhood. Yes, how tedious! I know! That might not help others, but it helped me.

The next step was for me to decide that I am not in a competition or a contest. I want to chage my lifestyle. I have a goal weight in mind, but it is secondary. My primary goal is to change the way I live around food and exercise. I want to be healthy - whatever that turns out to be for ME. I concentrate on learning about food: what do I like? What makes me feel satisfied? (I have found that lowfat popcorn, etc. does NOT help me ... I need veggies and protein to feel full. Also, if I eat more fruit than vegetables, I get shaky by the end of the day.)

I read these forum posts and I read my friends' posts and I log everything I eat. For one thing, I will continue to learn what nourishes me most satisfyingly. For another, I am approaching geezerhood, and having this log of my food will help me not have to remember EVERYTHIG in my brain.

I believe weight loss and weight maintenance can vary greatly from person to person, so if I read something interesting, I try it. If something doesn't appeal to me, I ignore it.

All the best to you!

Helen Z.

Add some friends they will cheer you on. Please feel free to add me okay

HI......Good Luck on this journey that you have began!!! Just take it one day at a time. Small steps will lead to your individual goal. I believe that if you really WANT it for yourself then you WILL achieve it!!!! Hard work and dedication are the main keys but do not forget to reward yourself for achieving those small steps. For those small steps lead to victory!!! My thing is to write down EVERYTHING I eat and drink before I eat it .....down to the cream in my coffee....I still eat the things I want. I mainly do portion size......Instead of the box of brownies I eat 1 that way I'm getting the best of both worlds ....my cake and eat it too. Wishing you all the best

Just take small steps, if you try to make goals to be big it gets discouraging. I lost 187lbs 9 years ago, I never got the last couple off. I am now back up 65 so back here.

You can do it!!