first time poster from uk

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loopylou_83
loopylou_83 Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I'm new here and beyond nervous... I've never done anything online like this before and have spent a week or so looking at posts before even plucking up the courage to join haha. I barely exercise at the moment... I work shifts and I suffer from a few health problems. I want to move but even though I live opposite a gym... it scares me. Any help advice will be greatly appreciated as I don't know where to start especially where exercise is concerned :embarassed: x

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  • NidiaG24
    NidiaG24 Posts: 31 Member
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    Welcome, there are great people here who can help. My advice is to document what you eat daily, this way you can see what you are really putting in your body. You would be so surprised what we eat that is not necessary or nutritional.
  • Junctionbox
    Junctionbox Posts: 47 Member
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    If it is just weightloss you want at the moment then get in that gym and start doing some light cardio. Personally I can't stand cardio, but I do it because it works. You want to do something that leaves you out of breath and perspiring (or glowing in your case). Experiment with all the machines and pick one that you can get along with. For instance I can't run, but I can do the stairmaster or the rowing machine. I'm rubbish at the elliptical and the stationary bike.

    So start slowly and build up the time/resistance as you get more confident. Measure your food intake, drink lots of water.

    The main thing to remember in the gym - no one cares. When you first go in you feel like people are staring and judging you, but I promise they're not. Most of them, like me, are deep in their own workout - wishing it would end :)
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    You've joined the right place.

    Recommendation would be weight loss is 80% diet - 20% exercise (for healthy weight loss you really ought to do both).

    For the calorie intake follow MFP recommendation (don't do too much of a deficit).

    Also try and make your diet quite protein rich (sometimes when people focus on just weight loss they will eat the wrong types of foods and will lose weight from their lean body mass as opposed to body fat).

    To start with you may drop a larger quantity of weight through water but after that a nice healthy amount is around the 1lb a week mark (this will be dependant on your activity level and lifestyle) to do this healthy its not a quick fix.

    The best form of exercise is resistance training and HIIT - don't get too bogged down with cardio (cardio has it's place, but it is less efficient than the other two forms I've just mentioned).

    A great website to get you started on easing into exercise is www.nerdfitness.com - its fun and like MFP it's free.

    Final piece of advice, if you've been on the forums already you will notice everyone has their opinion and a lot of the time they are conflicting opinions.

    As it's your body and your health I would suggest that anything you see which may be of interest, don't just blindly follow (sorry if this sound like a lesson in sucking eggs, but you would be surprised). Do the research on it yourself.

    If it looks credible and fits your lifestyle - run with it. If it doesn't - drop and look for the next suggestion that you like the sound of.

    Good luck on which ever direction you take on your journey,
  • lucyloutoo
    lucyloutoo Posts: 522 Member
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    Hello

    Loving your name. :)
    Start small so you don't get overwhelmed, lots of walking maybe?

    I'm a big fan of the c25k app...Got me from not being able to run for a bus to running the full 5k with much pride.

    Online I'm also a big fan of fitness blender, they're on YouTube and have their own website, works for all level of fitness.

    Add me as friends of you think I can be any help.

    Good luck
  • BlueAngelChar
    BlueAngelChar Posts: 1,364 Member
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    Firstly lass well done for plucking up the courage to join, that's the first step!

    Second step and only speaking from personal experience is to start exercising, that's the easy part the diet you can work on once you get the movement under your belt. I love this site and have used it religiously for nearly a year and I've lost 112 llbs mostly through exercise. My diet still isn't the best but the exercise has literally changed my life.

    Start out small....some walking each week, at the end of each week keep a tally of how far you travelled and aim to beat it the next week. Its a great way to start out or perhaps some swimming ( if you can swim) its low impact but extremely effective..

    wish you the best of luck

    Charlene xx
  • loopylou_83
    loopylou_83 Posts: 4
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    Thanks very much for all your advice :) I joined late last night and woke up this morning again wondering if I'd done the right thing after reading your messages I feel more determined than ever!

    I am aiming to do this sensibly to give a realistic weight loss, I've already cut fizzy juice and white bread completely from my diet... I was a fizzy juice fiend and I craved too much bread to just cut down haha x now it's all about portion control and eating the right things and of course... exercise :) x which I'm actually looking forward to!

    Thanks again x
  • mathbug77
    mathbug77 Posts: 10
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    You've definitely made the right choice! I joined yesterday too after losing 30 pounds on my own over the last 3 months. I needed the extra boost to get these last 19 off for good.

    Like you, I cut out diet soda and all breads/pasta. The initial cravings were the worst, but it was well worth it. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you over the initial cravings. :)

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