New and scared stiff

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Replies

  • fuzzieme
    fuzzieme Posts: 454 Member
    View it as exciting instead of scary.It's gonna be amazing to know that by 2015, you will be the you that you want to be. How fast does a year go by? VERY. Once you get started, and stick to it, you'll become addicted, and in my opinion it becomes fun. It feels really good. There will be dark days, but just knowing that you are taking steps to be healthier and happier, you'll find your weight bothers you less, because you're doing what you can to combat this.

    If you think of it in terms of 80lbs, it's too daunting, far too daunting. Mini goals is the only way. I did it in half stones, and I got a brick and chipped away at it until it weighed exactly 7lbs, I held it every time I last a half stone. It's very, very encouraging. I also put a half pound of lard into a sandwich bag which I looked at on weeks were I was annoyed that I'd only lost a half pound. I highly recommend that too
  • sunshine421969
    sunshine421969 Posts: 273 Member
    :smile: Welcome to MFP.. It is a great site and people are always here to help.We all have our down days..but the important thing is to get back up.I have lost 32 pounds using this site since Jan..I have about 25 more to go..I would like to reach it by Jan..but if I don't I will not stop..As others have stated..Its a life change and its for the better..I wish you the best on your joureny and I am here to help in anyway I can.. Set small goals...looking at a big number can get you discouraged.Small steps makes big progress...:smile:
  • karenmetfan
    karenmetfan Posts: 62 Member
    Wowza! you got a lot of great advice here. Most definitely agree with setting smaller goals that seem more attainable. I have lost 91 (and a half!) lbs with my eyes set at 100. Then I'll shoot for the last 30 (don't know if I'll do the full 30, but I'll give it a go). My first goal was 40 because I knew that was attainable. It will be 2 years in mid/end October. I now enjoy working out and don't mind sweating during it. NEVER thought I'd say that. I don't deprive myself--I am a chocoholic. I factor in my daily piece of chocolate with my eating. I like to bake, so I've found some really good, lo-cal recipes. I like ice cream, so I look for lower cal options instead of getting that delicious, full fat, high calorie, haagen daaz. I don't freak out with days where I'm over--you're allowed to go over every once in a while as long as you don't make a habit of it--that's what got us all here in the first place. I just try to make sure, on days when I know I'm going to be over on a certain meal, that I eat better for the other meals and eat better the other days in that week.

    Remember, slow and steady wins the race! GOOD LUCK!!! You can do it!
  • SmallMimi
    SmallMimi Posts: 541 Member
    It does feel overwhelming but also liberating as you lose the weight. Just know that no one here is perfect we have all had our down days and like me there are those of us who have even had set backs and gained a few pounds back before refocusing our efforts and losing again. Don't look at the end game too soon, like others have said set mini goals that you feel are attainable and shoot for those.

    ETA: corrected spelling due to my fat finger errors.
  • Yes2HealthyAriel
    Yes2HealthyAriel Posts: 453 Member
    measuring everything by measure cups, spoons and some things by food scale has really helped me. I have just recently gotten back on track as starting 3rd shift really messed me up and was hard for me to figure out when to eat and when to workout. I was tired all the time and averaging 3 hours of sleep a day. You can do this!!! Feel free to add me.
  • stillnot2late
    stillnot2late Posts: 385 Member
    Hello everyone, Ive just joined MFP today. I got weighed at the doctors today and weigh 208lbs (14st.12lbs), I knew I was overweight but thought I was a lot less. So today I joined this forum and I bought a set of weighing scales as I didnt believe the doctors scales, lo and behold i DO weigh 208!!! I woudl like to get down to 9st. (126lbs) which is 82lbs and am terrified of that figure it seems enormous to me. Doing my maths at a 1lb a week thats 82 weeks to shift it? Just over a year and a half, a year next march. March 2015! However I know that I can do this one day at a time and more importantly I need to watch my food for life to keep it off, so I guess the time scale is unimportant, what is important is I make a start, stick to it and dont look back.

    if anybody would like to add me as a friend I sure could do with the encouragement and hopefully learn from people already losing weight

    thanks everyone :)

    Don't look at as 82 weeks. View it as every day. I started off at 208. I played too much though, and I'm still 20 pounds away from goal. but you plan on living every day, right? So every day, just do it. You will get there!
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    You've already taken the most important, first steps. Congratulations! And you've already lost some weight. As others have said, set interim, less intimidating goals, as well as your long-term goal. It may take 82 weeks to get there, but that's better than being your current weight in 82 weeks, isn't it? And you will feel better long before you get there. (There will also be bad days. But you knew that, didn't you?)
    Best wishes!
    Here are some suggestions I've collected from the people here who have been successful over the long term. (I'm still on my way.)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/how-to-use-myfitnesspal-427993 It also links to other good posts.
    ETA (edited to add): I recommend setting your ticker to you interim goal, rather than your longer-term goal -- at least to start.
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
    You don't sound to be "scared stiff" to me. It sounds like you are already pretty aware of the big picture of all of this.

    I lost 67 lbs. my first three months with diet and walking alone which has slowed since I cannot do any exercise because of injury but I have lost 70 in 5 months. You can do it hopefully quicker than you think but if it takes longer, no big deal. This is not a race. I still have 34 lbs. to go. I never set small goals choosing instead to keep my one goal in mind.... MY TARGET WEIGHT.
  • N8r8r
    N8r8r Posts: 75 Member
    A few things that I've found helpful:

    NEVER put yourself as "Sedentary". Unless you literally lay in bed all day and do absolutely nothing, you should at least be at "lightly active"

    Another thing, and others may disagree with me on this: Get a Fitbit.

    It incorperates well with MFP and will give you a much more accurate readout of what you should eat calorie wise, because it more or less uses your BMR+your daily activity to calculate a relatively accuate TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expendature). If you'd like a better explaination, send me a PM on here and I'd be glad to elaborate.

    N8r8r
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member


    thanks Christine, congratulations on your weight loss so far, do you know as you lose weight does MFP automatically adjust the calories im allowed a day? Ive just changed my MFP settings which told me to eat 1200 calories a day and told MFP I only want to lose a 1lb a week and its now allowing me to eat 1450 calorioes a day, this seems a bit better to me.

    After I lost the first ten pounds, I did get a message from the system that it might be good to adjust my calories for my new weight (I think it was about 50 cals less per day). I have not seen an adjustment since.

    I also have mine set for Lose 1 lb/wk with working out 6x/wk (30 min). I had already been doing a 30 min walk most days so this was do-able for me.
  • amberlynyeager
    amberlynyeager Posts: 48
    Anyone can add me. Accepting all requests. Please add me! Giving and receiving all support. 24/f/tx
  • JaneAero
    JaneAero Posts: 95 Member
    Thanks everyone for the great messages of support, its quarter to 1 in the morning in the UK so I have to go off to bed and I will read your messages/add folks/send any o/s replies tomorrow, goodnight and god bless you all xxx
  • ManderWebb
    ManderWebb Posts: 19
    Just sent you a friend request. I have used MFP in the past but never really got involved with the community or anything. So I'm going to try that out this time to see if I have better success! Good luck!
  • SarahRosewriter
    SarahRosewriter Posts: 6
    Hi, I just joined today, but I am no stranger to weight loss (and gain!). Over the years, I have lost 75 pounds, gained back 150; lost 75 pounds, gained back 60 ... the numbers can be depressing but the main thing is to focus on your health. I know the time it takes to lose the weight sounds daunting, but I tell myself this: it may take three years for me to reach my goal if I follow my plan. But how much will I weigh in three years if I don't follow the plan? Besides, if you're going to keep the weight off, you'll have to change your lifestyle--forever. So don't think of it as "I have to be on a diet for a year"; think of it as "I'm changing my lifestyle permanently, starting now." You can do it!
  • Skrib69
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
    Welcome aboard! Remember, it is 1lb at at a time! Not 80, or 50, or 10, but just 1lb at a time. Just as you can only deal with 1 hurdle at a time. Think baby steps, and I am sure you will have it beaten
  • ejdutton
    ejdutton Posts: 329 Member
    Like many people on here I have struggled for years with yo yo dieting and loosing weight then putting it back on. I started to loosely count calories about 8 weeks ago and I lost 7 pounds in 4 weeks. I was frustrated as I felt like I needed a better result, although to be fair 7llbs is a great start.
    I have now been doing the fast 5:2 diet for 3 weeks and I lost 7 llbs the first week, had a bad week and lost 1.5llbs and then last week another 8llbs!
    I have been very strict with myself and have restricted my calories to 500 on the fast days and 1200 on the other days, it was a little hard in the first week but im really getting into the swing of things now and am determined to keep it going!

    I just need to start with the exercise as I am noticing things getting a little loose and need a bit of work!

    If anyone has any hints and tips on how to get started with this I would be most grateful.

    Look forward to reading about everyones journeys!

    Please feel free to add me :)
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
    So much great info in this tread! I need to read some of it again to absorb it better.
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
    So much great info in this tread! I need to read some of it again to absorb it better. Is there any way I can go back and change any of the initial info that I put in? Not just the stuff it brings up when you go into goals and change them.
  • _TimeForMe
    _TimeForMe Posts: 156 Member
    I'm on daily. Feel free to add me!

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