New here- many questions, NEED SUPPORT!

I'm no expert but that sounds like a good work out to me. If you are just starting this workout program than I wouldn't add much more to it.

You've got it. Start too much too soon and it's easy to quit all together. What your doing now seems perfect. When that starts becoming easy for you, try adding a little more...but not much.

Hi Nicole! First off, I want to say, get on the scale sooner than later if you can bring yourself to do it. I know from experience that the worse it seems when you start, the more exciting the progress is!

Second, keep up the good work at the gym! You are doing exactly what I did years ago (before three pregnancies in four years). I was at my heaviest and was able to run a 5k within six months of doing just what you are doing. Another three months, and I could run six miles at a time. (For the record, I cannot do that anymore, but I am working towards it!) My recommendation: use the elliptical if you can. It helped build my leg muscles without putting so much strain on my knees. I would do that for a bit either before or after walking/jogging. If you can work up to twenty or thirty minutes at a time, it will get much easier after that. (Random side note: I also took glucosamine to help my knees when I started...they creaked like crazy.)

Good luck and good work

I need support too! We can get through this!

I stepped on the scale in January and was mortified! lol
But I'm glad I did because now that is my 'before' number... I know how far I have to go.

It sounds to me like you're doing well. Being here on MFP and logging your calories will DEFINITELY help you reach your goals. Just keep it up; it sounds like you're just starting. Cardio is definitely good if you've got a lot to lose, so that's a good place to start.
I had to build up to the elliptical, but that is my favorite machine now! In the beginning, you have to do what you CAN do; you don't want to push yourself TOO hard and end up injured and unable to work out at all.

If you need some motivation or support, feel free to add me as a friend. I log every day and am getting more active here on the forums now.
Our stats (weight, age, height) are similar, so we may run into similar issues.

Good luck!

Baby steps, when I decided to take my life and health back, I got on the elliptical for 15 minutes max at level 1. I have progressed greatly from there, but there are so many many things you can do. Make changes here and there and before you know it, you live it and breath it. Feel free to add me, anybody can add me, here to support, encourage, give and take advice. or if you need an ear to bend after a bad day. Hope you day is awesome!

Hi Ya'll! I wanted to take a moment to introduce my self! I'm Nicole- 27 years old in PA. I am currently 5'7 and I am guessing my weight is around 298- I refuse to get on a scale.. It scares me. Any who. I just signed up for planet fitness about 2 weeks ago. I have been going 4-6 times a week. I usually start off by walking on the treadmill for about 10-20 min, then head over to the bike and bike for about 4-5 miles then do the weights. I also mix it up by doing the 30 min workout. I feel that this is NOT ENOUGH but for some reason, I cant push myself to do more. When walking, my legs start to burn and I have to stop- I can't go to fast (usually between 2.5 and 3.1). Does anyone have any good recommendations for me?

I am also looking to supplement my breakfast with a weight loss shake. Again, any suggestions would be helpful.

I am taking baby steps. My first goal is to loose 30 lbs. I really need motivation, support, and tips

Read this...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=short+sweet+<span class=

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants



Walking - go to a running store and get fitted for proper running/walking shoes. That will help. Walking in the wrong shoes will hurt and can lead to injury.

I would say push yourself, but slowly at first. Each week push for a little more. Also, get rid of the word CAN'T...that's a bad word. You can and you will get better.

Breakfast supplement shake...no. Just no. I could suggest a protein smoothie.

Here are the tricks...
It's about moderation NOT deprivation.
There are no good foods or bad foods. Only bad eating habits.

PM me if you want the protein smoothie recipe it's super easy and super yummy...chocolate peanut butter banana.

ETA: correct grammar...man alive that was bad.

Trogalicious is an awesome MFP'er...and he will usually post this for any noobs. His advice is spot on. Dude's lost 153 lbs.

(This is his advice post...)

Not sure where to start?

Well, you're already here. So you've got that going for ya. As for the rest?

Here:

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

here is where I started and my tips to progress:
Jan 2: yearly physical - couldn't escape the scale - 270 lbs (on a 5'9" frame - shudder!!)
joined a gym and started working out 5 days a week
treadmill - gasping after 10 minutes at a 3... seriously out of shape
minor weights to build strength - gasping again
joined MFP and started logging food and exercise (was I really eating that much food?!?!?)

wanted to quit but didn't... kept it up for myself, my wife and my kids - made smarter food choices, kept to the routine - 5 days a week in the gym (before or after work depending on my schedule), pushed myself harder when it got easy to do an exercise - added weights, increased distance/time/resistance/etc.

3 months later:
CW - 236.2 (as of this morning) - gasp - 33lbs in 3 months!!!
I can do the elliptical for 30 minutes w/o stopping
I can actually run at a 7 or greater on the treadmill
I can do real weights for strength training

How did I get there? Just keep working at it - push yourself a little bit every day, log your food and make small adjustments as you figure out what works and what does not work.

Most of all - don't quit on yourself - you are worth the effort and you deserve to have the life that YOU want to have!!

Feel free to add me:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

The more of us working together maybe the easier it will be.

Congratulations on taking the first step in your weight loss journey. Yes, journey. 7 years ago, I began mine and it has been a roller coaster at the very least. I successfully lost 100lbs in under a year, however, I had major health complications, very difficult pregnancy and I'm still on my journey to get to a healthy place. So, you know you are not alone.

Step one, take one step at a time. If you have begun the gym, that is great. Keep focusing on that and build from there. Don't try to change everything all at once, otherwise you will get burned out and overwhelmed to keep up all the changes, all the time. You are making the changes for the long haul so one step, one change at a time.

The burning in your legs is good. Usually you can push just a little more and get past that burn. If not, go to the next thing at the gym. Then, the next time you are there, add 1 minute to the time on the machine or activity you are doing.

Track 100% of everything you eat. Every bite, lick and taste. Be honest. If you have a bad day, log it so you can see it in black and white. I hate doing it when I have a binge day, but I do it because that is one of my hardest thing to do is to be honest. I hide food from myself and my husband but not from my journal.

One thing I did, once I was feeling more confident in my strength, was to add 1# weights to my cardio. I would carry them with me as I walked on the treadmill, or the track, or the trail. I would then incorporate arm movements that were exaggerated with those weights, like bicep curls, overhead press, or the T-lift thing with your arms out stretched. Whatever I could do to get more focused movement. I also found that when NOT on the treadmill, I would do a side to side movement to work my obliques. I looked like a crazy fool when I was walking but I did not care. I still do that now and still don't care!

I am proud of you for getting on the scale. Weight Watchers says the hardest thing in life is to walk through their door. Same goes for stepping on the scale. Good luck, feel free to friend me.

I agree with pretty much what everyone else is saying. When your workout becomes too easy, add to it slowly. If you try to do too much at once it can be discouraging. Congratulations on taking the first steps to a healthier life!

Keep it up you have begun a great start to the workout. Small steps is the way to go, that is what I did in January and was at 271 and now down to 251 with just the small steps. My past was always gung ho lets change everything and by one week I gave up. Little changes do add up, we can do this girl!!