Long Road Ahead

Hi, so sorry no one has replied to you yet! I just became active here on MFP two weeks ago and I am the heaviest I've ever been. I want to lose 100 pounds. It's a very high, scary number when you look at the whole number like that. But I'm trying to break it down into smaller goals - like 8-10 pounds a month. If we set mini goals it gets easier. Less overwhelming.

Also, it helps to think about the bigger picture. We want to lose a bunch of weight RIGHT NOW. But think about where you'll be a year from now if you keep making healthy choices. 8-10 pounds a month doesn't seem like much but if you keep hitting your calorie goals in a year you will be approximately 100 pounds lighter.

That year of life is going to pass whether we get healthy or not, think how glad we will feel in a year if we keep going, slow and steady. The support here on MFP has been wonderful. Send a lot of people friend requests, maybe choose people who have a lot to lose or who are close to your age, people who post helpful comments, etc. The more friends you have cheering you on the better. The friends I've made have been more helpful and supportive than any Weight Watchers meetings I ever went to in the past. Plus, MFP is free!

You can do this.

Welcome Aboard!! I agree with BookAngel look at this in small pieces. I call them inchstones. Set a mental goal for each week, or even for the day. Use the MFP tool as intended and you will get results. Log everything, measure it, weigh it, be truthful. That is the key, we lie to ourselves everyday, I still do even as I preach to you. You think you know how big that apple is? Wrong, you don't, you have to put that damn apple on a scale and measure it in grams. Soon you will learn just how big that apple really is--this will help you slowly understand your portion sizes. We all have trouble with that.

Next, you need to carve out time for yourself. With kids its hard but you can walk with your kids. I recommend walking to start with as it is easy, cheap and good for you. You need to manage net calories and just controlling your eating is too hard. You can relieve that pressure by working the calorie burn side of the equation. The bonus is that it will increase your physical fitness and enable you to burn even more calories as you get in better shape. A virtuous circle.

Social support on MFP is great. I recommend you join one or more challenge groups as they start up, it's a great way to meet folks and share your trials and tribulations. Also, spend time reading the message board posts, you will learn alot and be motivated by the successes of others.

If you "hit bottom" like I did, you will find this is easy once you get in to it. You will lose weight rapidly at first and then it should settle to fairly consistent loss rate. You will experience some hunger--you need to own that and not be afraid to be uncomfortable once in a while. You will have bad days and you will have moments of weakness or binges. Confess your binges to your MFP friends and then get up and get back on the wagon. Expect it to happen and recover quickly.

I weigh every day in order to keep things on my mental front burner. Some folks are not emotionally equipped to deal with daily fluctuations from water weight. Figure out what works, but weigh in at least weekly. This is your new hobby and you love it.