New here and need help.

MercyMe312
MercyMe312 Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I am new here and I am feeling really stupid trying to figure this web site out. I know nothing about how to lose weight other than the things I've heard throughout my life. i know nothing about counting calories or any of that stuff. I have never needed to lose weight before but at age 40 I started gaining weight and everyone said it was the "middle age spread" haha. Well I found out later I have fibromyalgia. I started gaining weight when I could no longer exercise. I am now 60 lbs over weight and with me being short I look like a little fat butterball. :( I know there are a lot of people out there that are needing to lose a lot more than me and would love to say they are only 60 lbs over weight. But it doesn't matter if you are 10 lbs over or 210, you still feel terrible.

Replies

  • Questofachunkymommy
    Questofachunkymommy Posts: 7
    Nice to meet you, I am Jenn and I have lost 19 lbs of 104. Congrats on joining MFP! That's a great first step, and only having to loose 60 lbs does not mean we cant help you! There are people on here that are already at their desired weight, so don't worry about that, we are here to help! If you need anything at all let me know! I'll send you a friend request feel free to add me.
  • lucan07
    lucan07 Posts: 509
    Enter your detail and amount to lose weekly then you will get a daily calorie allowance with a deficit built in to lose at required weight. Exercise calories are designed to be eaten back but be careful not to overestimate them I find MFP is generous with these so use a Heart rate monitor to calculate them and eat back as many as I feel I need usually about 50% I refuse to eat if I do not feel hungry!

    Calories in the database for most things but the barcode scanner on phone app is great or you can enter directly from packets etc.

    Just weigh everything if possible and log everything as accurately as you can it works for me currently losing 3 lbs a week since started logging 9 weeks ago, a little effort but never hungry sometimes have to work at the exercise but thats doing me good!
  • mi18agnes
    mi18agnes Posts: 66
    Hey there! Welcome to My Fitness Pal! Feel free to add me if you want :)
    This is pretty simple: you look through the database of the website and you add everything that you eat during the day. Also, you calculate the calories you lost with your daily exercise.
    You can also go to the Community Section and ask for help (like you did) talk to your friends, give advices, ....

    It helped me a lot. I hope it helps you too :smile: Just try to come here everyday to log what you eat (this is important), it's math!

    Good luck and login in is already an huge step so congratulations and keep going!
  • apierce1991
    apierce1991 Posts: 4
    I actually have a bit of experience with fibromyalgia as my significant other of 2 years suffered from it. I can say that walking at a moderate pace for 15-30 minutes 3-5 times a week should be plenty of exercise, and shouldn't strain your body too much. In fact, exercise could be the best thing for you. Fibromyalgia is, more often than not, centered around stress. The extra weight on your body is going to put quite a bit of stress on you, both physically and mentally. Exercise is one of the best modes of stress relief, and while you may experience some pain at first, overall you will likely get some relief.

    And don't minimize your desire to get fit simply because there are people who need it more than you do. We all have goals, and you shouldn't feel the need to justify yours :). You should be proud that you want to make a change!
  • MercyMe312
    MercyMe312 Posts: 2
    Seriously hope I do not offend you because that is not my intention but, you obviously have no real clue about Fibromyalgia. I have been dealing with this for a lot of years now and it took me years and countless test before I even got a diagnosis. If not for my massage therapist and chiropractor I wouldn't be able to function. As for exercise, well there is a very fine line between enough and to much. Cross that line and you're down for days or weeks. And you say Fibromyalgia is, more often than not, centered around stress of being over weight. That is simply not true. I have been a small person all my life. The weight gain is a side effect of fibro and no longer being able to exercise without pain. I have to decide everyday which household chore I am going to do because if I do to much I will pay and pay dearly for it. And all this I say to you is just a very small window of what it is like to have Fibro. So please, don't give advise on something you have no clue about. And I don't mean that in a bad way. It's not your fault, it's just one of those things you have to have to really know. And I pray you never have to really know.
  • girlzBible
    girlzBible Posts: 1
    MercyMe312.
    Hey... I am sorry to hear you are in such pain and stress... I know what that is like. No, I don't have Fibromyalgia, but I go through lots of stress 24/7/365 or nearly, and I feel inner pain from being under that stress. I was trying to put together a gluten free cookbook. Going gluten free supposedly helps those with Celiac disease, Fibromyalgia, and Chron's disease. I have a relative with Chron's, and several glutenfree friends. maybe I can share some recipes with you. I can also recommend that you pray about your struggle. Sometimes it takes a really long time for answers, but I am promising you here and now that he's answered my prayers even if I am not totally healed. Have you ever tried to go Gluten free, by the way??? I have friends It has helped them to be better in health and pain struggles. I hope and pray that you feel better, MercyMe312... and Because I have felt extreme pain and stress that has come to strengthen me in my relationship with God, I know that I cannot be separated from God's love. It shouldn't matter that no one or hardly anyone understands. Trust me. People can be clueless, as to what is going on even as you know full extent of it. I am telling you from honest experience,; that I know this. I will try to do the things that make me feel better, and if you would like to join me I will be happy to help. Is there anything I can do besides sharing recipes if you would like to go gluten free... I hope you have peace and comfort within the painful days, and have days which you don't feel pain. praying for you...
    -Girlzbible
  • sepulchura
    sepulchura Posts: 95 Member
    MercyMe, would it be worth the effort to arrange to be able to swim as exercise? I don't know if that pushes you over into too much pain, but I know from dealing with spinal damage that swimming is a godsend for me.

    Good luck with all this and I'm sure you'll get used to the MFP, the main things to suss out are Goals, Food Diary and Exercise Diary. It's not easy for many of us to maintain eating less calories than we burn per day, but a lot of us find that MFP is a helpful tool.

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