Tired of the put downs :c

Being a waitress is a physically demanding job, when I was a waitress and started to eat healthy I would go to workout as soon as I got off work I would take work out clothes with me to work so I could change and just go because when you get off work and sit down you finally notice how tired you actually are. I use to work 3pm to 9 pm and then workout from 9:30 to 10:30-11. Once you get started with your routine it will get easier to manage. Hope this helps a little.

Good Luck!!!

Hi, Lin. Welcome to MFP.

First things first: don't worry about the naysayers. In life, you will undoubtedly meet people who are jealous of the success of others. There is no sense in indulging their egos. Just do what you gotta do, and measure your success your own way.

I recommend first that you set a far-reaching goal for yourself, and then set mini-goals to help track your progress toward the finish line. For example, commit to a 2500 calorie deficit every week, and just make sure you hit it no matter what! Not every day is going to be perfect, but you can still have a perfect week if you plan ahead. Don't worry about the scale; just make sure you keep that deficit every week!

If you're having trouble exercising after work, then try to exercise before work. That way, if you have to skip in the morning for any reason, there's still a chance you can get some exercise after work. The added bonus is that your morning workout will allow you to start your day on a high note, thus giving you confidence and energy the rest of the day.

Always remember that you can't out-exercise a bad diet. Most of the work involved in maintaining a healthy body composition is earned at the dinner table, and not on the treadmill. I've talked to numerous fitness experts about this very fact, and all of them agree that 70% to 80% of a person's weight loss success is determined by diet, and not exercise.

Don't forget to lift (heavy) weights; strength training builds muscle, and muscle will allow you to eat more without gaining weight, as well as give you definition (and definition = confidence). Many young women are afraid of the weight room, and stick to the elliptical. This is a big mistake. For improved body composition, strength training is far superior to cardio. You can lose just as much weight in the weight room as you can on the treadmill, and you'll become stronger and leaner with resistance training than you could ever become from running all day. I can't say this enough: every woman I have ever known to have started a strength training program has been so happy that they did.

MFP is all about empowering you to make the right diet and exercise decisions every day. It's also about making sure that you hold yourself accountable. When you record everything you eat, you suddenly realize how little food you actually need to live. You start eating to live, and not living to eat. In our society, so much revolves around food, and most of it is barely fit for human consumption. But most people on MFP "see the light" after a couple of months and realize that regularly eating burgers and pizza is just about as foolish as smoking a pack of cigarettes.

Some of your friends may try to pressure you into eating poorly alongside them. Just ask yourself: if they were asking you to smoke or do drugs, would you say yes? We don't typically think of food as a drug, but it certainly has the ability to be just as destructive.

My advice comes from a good place. I lost over 50 lbs once I figured out that what most people eat (and consequently, what I was eating) is NOT healthy. I now focus on getting the proper macros (protein/fat/carbs) every day, and I record it all in MFP. I also live by a simple rule: if what you're about to eat has more than 3 ingredients in it, then it's probably not good for you.

Again, welcome to MFP, and congratulations on taking the first huge step in an awesome journey ahead.

Torred, sounds like you and I found a similar path. Congratulations on your mega weight loss. WOW!

Do your very best to remember a couple of things you like about your mom. And when she is awful, if you can, tell her "Mom, if you cannot say anything nice, please don't say anything at all."

Then turn from her and walk away. Avoid her. Take care of yourself. Try to forgive her she clearly has her own problems. Try your best to divorce her problems from your problems and remember that you have to take care of yourself emotionally.

It is really too bad that she cannot be supportive, but accept it and get your encourgement from friends, this website, meeting your own goals, etc.

I have a critical mom.. then I married a critical man.. it was a disaster.. I am much older than you are... don't let it happen to you. Learn to stand up for yourself and get away from the criticism. Learn some affirmations.

It is worth fighting the mental battle so that when you feel down or stressed you don't eat or drink the wrong things. Every human is precious and deserves to be treated well. However.. most of us are messed up. So start by treating yourself well and realize we cannot fix those around us, only how we react to people.