I need to say this

I'm with you!! Anything you need, your MFP friends will be there!! I can;t however babysit while you go to the gym, cause I don't do diapers until I have too!!

You have lost over 13 pounds in less than a month.

That is awesome!!!!

I know it is hard when you feel like you have a long way to go, but it's the starting that counts. (you hit the nail on the head with "get the DVD and start". It's not "just do it" that's super-powerful...it's "just start it."

Again, 13 pounds in under a month = awesome.:flowerforyou:

Good for you! Because you have already taken many baby steps to get started. Getting the scale is a big step! Getting on it is another! Truly! You CAN do this. You MUST do this. We're here for you. :flowerforyou:

You CAN do this! We're all here for you!!!

Keep going!!!! This is for your children AND for you!!!! The support on MFP is amazing!!!!

I will echo what others have already said: 13 pounds in one month (without exercise!!) is AMAZING. Great Job! One step at a time gets the job done :flowerforyou:

hi and welcome to my fitness! i was starting out at 358... 4 months later im at 329! its slow going... do not get discouraged. you are just like me- a far cry from our goal. its ok! it took forever to put it all on , its going to take a few good years to get it off! honestly i have made some food intake changes, not a diet. i only eat egg whites now, no soda ( ever) i use sweetener , not sugar when possible. i still eat desserts( sometimes) if it fits into my calories. its really just lifestyle change, and it becomes no big deal. i go to the gym 4-5 times a week for a hour also. i have a long way to go but i quit smoking this year and have just been focused on being a healthier me, for my self, my man and my children. i want to live this life as long as i can , thats what keeps me motivated. good luck !

you CAN do it! Take your success and multiply it. eat as cleanly as possible, and stick to your exercise, also if you are able get in a little yoga or silent meditation, even if its just 5 mins a day, it can make all the difference in the world

Yep -- I agree with viviakay! Congratulations on losing 13 pounds in less than a month. That is outstanding. You can do this!! Just don't stress out too much about it.

I'm with the general consensus here: 13 pounds in less than a month is a tremendous achievement. DO NOT STOP! Continue making healthy eating choices and remember the positive feeling that exercise gives you. You can do it!

I am so proud of you for doing this! Just remember that this is a lifelong change, not a "diet" that will end when you reach your goal weight. If that's your attitude toward it, you will just gain all the weight back.

You have lost 13 pounds in a month and you are frustrated?! That is a lot!! It's hard to watch shows like Biggest Loser and then be excited about that, but that is not real life. They are working out for 8-10 hours per day! Just to put it in perspective for you, I have been on here about 3 months and I've lost 13 pounds. Set small goals and celebrate your victories. When you hit 15 or 20 pounds, do something special for yourself.

Feel free to add me as a friend. We all have different amounts to lose here but we are walking this journey together. That is what is so cool about MFP.

Melinda

Consider that the reason you're sitting at 371 is because you lost 13 lbs in a month! Wow! Your body is designed for one thing: Survival. Eat too much, and it stores everything to use later. Eat too little, and your body thinks the famine you've been prepping for has hit. 13 lbs in a month is too much, if you want to get technical about it, too much because the rate triggers your body's calorie hoarding skills. But...I've lost 15 in a month so I know how freaking awesome it feels

I have a slightly different viewpoint to offer. I agree exercise is important, but more important than exercise are two things: the math of eating and water. You don't HAVE to exercise to lose weight, and I don't know about you, but when I was 300 lbs and super morbidly obese (there's a frigging horrific term I lived with) working out felt horrible. Absolutely. Stone. Cold. Horrible. Oh sure I'd feel good about myself for a little while, but the backlash to my body, gravity, mass, jumping, sweating, all that great stuff, never REALLY felt good. I never had endorphins...I just thought I did. It wasn't until I got past the 80 lbs down mark that working out felt unbelievably good, better than I ever thought possible. THAT was endorphin release. I get psyched about working out, WHILE I'm working out. It doesn't hurt even at the worst burn, like it hurt 100 lbs ago. Go easy on yourself

So rather than beat yourself up about the exercising, try focusing on this:

Go to http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/weight-maintenance-calculator-women and see what your body is actually burning per day to operate. As long as you consume under that number, you will steadily lose weight. 3500 calories = 1 lbs. So 500 calories a day in deficit means you lose 1 lb this week.

But remember that losing too fast will cause hoarding. I'm 200 lbs, and my number is 2400 calories a day to maintain. I eat 1200 - 1500 calories, and have a few days of "really enjoying myself" so I come out to about 1600 per day ...I lose about a pound and a half a week when i'm being consistent. if I hit a plateau, or don't drink enough water, or eat oddly salty foods, yes, it stalls, but only for a week or two, then it comes off. The numbers are never wrong!

Don't stress about the exercise. It will come. As you lose weight, you're going to be ROARING with energy and can't sit still. It happens to me all the time and I'm still surprised by it.

Don't believe popular opinion that you can only lose weight with exercise involved. It's about the math.

Oh, and if you don't drink enough water, your body can't dispose of the fat it's burning. Over drink water, and keep an eye on your caloric intake, and it'll melt off.

Your plateau is just your body's way of saying "hold on...what's going on??" Keep it steady and consistent.

I agree with the others...13 lbs in a months is AWESOME! I did not weight quite as much as you but was still OBESE. I have lost 90 lbs. Just keep in mind...you did not put the weight on overnight...it will not come off overnight. I think sometimes people go into losing weight wanting to get it off FAST and then get discouraged when that doesn't happen. Break it down into small attainable goals...for example 10 lbs by Valentines Day, 40 lbs by spring...that kind of thing. I knew going in it would be well over a year for me to meet my goal. I'm hoping by Sept (my 57th birthday). Also, yes you need exercise but you might need to take small steps. And even if you don't get exercise in every day in the beginning if you are eating within your calories you will lose. Good luck...please don't get discouraged.

Deb

doesn't sound like you need a wake up call to me. you are right on track darling! you didn't gain all that weight in a day and you will not lose it in a day. you have taken such great steps already! be proud of yourself for that! Whenever you need motivation, look at your kiddos. or, come here and talk to us.

You are definitely on the right track to getting healthier, Congrats for taking the leap! You will find much support on this site. Welcome!

You've got this!!! 13 pounds thus far is GREAT!!! Sometimes when I'm beat and don't want to go to the gym I'll look at other people's exercise logs and get ideas like moving furniture or cleaning. Sounds weird but I've gotten good cardio messing up my apartment and then cleaning it again!