i need some encouragement!

Hi Dani,

welcome back!! Feel free to add me - I'm on here fairly often and would love to encourage you as you go.

You got this!

welcome back to MFP...hope you reach your goals...if you need more support (anyone) feel free to add me.

Yes You can do it girl!! Welcome back.. I will keep in touch!!

Woah, you lost 20 pounds in April? This time, try going a little slower, your body will thank you in the long term!

Welcome back Dani-please free to add me-I been on this journey for 5 years-and MFP since November 2013-i am on here daily-I believe in ahealthy lifestyle-I never call it a diet-because for me it is truly a way of life-always happy to give support as well as get it so good luck to you:)

Feel free to add me! The support I've received over the last 5 weeks has made a huge difference!

You can do this. I thought it would be hard but it gets easier each day! Feel free to add- we are about the same weight so it could be fun motivating one another!

Welcome back to the fold. A few pointers:

1. Set attainable weight goals - You did not get to this point overnight. It is going to take effort and time.

2. Set an attainable fitness goal - Maybe you would like to try out a 5k, do 20 push ups, 5 pull ups, something. There are a host of free apps out there that will help you reach them. Couch to 5K (or C25K) is an excellent place to start, even if you don't want to run one. However, the goals should be attainable. After you reach your goal, build on it. Maybe you want to try a 10k, or you want to invest in a Fitness DVD (TapouT, P90X, Insanity, Zumba, etc)... get your fitness feet under you and then see where they lead you.

3. Do some some form of exercise daily - Something is better than nothing. I am not saying you have to do cardio 4 times a week and alternate back/bis & chest/tris. We all have busy lives, but everyone should be able to carve out 20 or 30 to do something.

4. Get your beginning weight and measurement ASAP - this gives you a baseline to watch progress. You may have a month where you only lose 2 to 4 lbs, but the inches are dropping off. That is GREAT! Muscle weighs more than fat. I am going to bust a lot of peoples bubble by saying this... The Scale is a Liar! Body Fat Percentage, not weight, is a true measurement of health. Weight is just another stat that helps you determine your BFP, just like your hips, waist and bust measurement. Taken alone they offer and incomplete picture. Put them all together and you get a true feel for where you stand.

5. Write out a diet diary of what you eat in an average week before starting your diet. Be honest. BRUTALLY honest! Then mark off the things your are cutting out of your diet and then write why. Put it on the fridge. Maybe that is cookies and milk before bed, sodas, fried food, cake, ice cream. If you need to switch out to a substitute first, then something is better than nothing. Going from full calorie soda's to a diet soda (though I think all sodas are bad), or maybe switching out ice cream for a low fat fudge bar or iced fruit. For example, going from a 2400 to 4000 cal a day diet of whatever suits your fancy to 1500 cal diet can be a shock to the system. That is a good thing, but your brain and stomach were wired for what you had before.

6. Toss out the junk food in your house. If it is there it will tempt you. Maybe you can take the stuff to work, school, friends or even a local food bank. Tempting you to eat something is one thing, tempting you to eat it AND it is in your fridge is a 2 AM snack time call!!!

I have a lot more tips, but 6 is probably more than most people can handle at one time. Feel free to add me as a friend. Here is a hug to pass along. ( Hug ) Again, welcome to the club.

Welcome back! I also started at 220lbs and have lost 5lbs so far with the help of MFP. Still have a lot more to go, it's not impossible.... Feel free to add me

welcome back I am in the same shoes as u maybe we can help each other