A Long Road Ahead..

HerbalPsyche
HerbalPsyche Posts: 9
in Introduce Yourself
Anybody want to walk it with me? :flowerforyou:
I've got about 100 lbs to lose. I'm at the highest weight I've ever been at, and I'm feeling pretty bad about myself currently... I'll get through it though, and I'm determined.. now that I've actually weighed myself, I don't have much of a choice!
My plan: to start nourishing myself, so I can feel better during the days, have more energy, and get my life back on the right track. I think instead of focusing on restriction, I will put more energy towards eating the right kinds of foods, and slowly adding more physical activity to my life. Of course restriction is going to be part of it (my current calorie intake is set at 1,250/day), but maybe if I put more focus on what goes in rather than what can't go in, then I'll start feeling better sooner, and the rest will fall into place.
I really need to find friends who have the same kind of goals - the real-life friends I have who are on diets are on weird faddy ones, extremely restrictive (like, 500-800ish cals/day), are already fit, or aren't going to bother trying right now.

Replies

  • Rsharp76
    Rsharp76 Posts: 4 Member
    Awesome plan! I've had to change my way of thinking about food too. I've been back on track a week and feeling much better throughout the day. It won't be long till we are both seeing results. You can do it!
  • anallydiaz
    anallydiaz Posts: 48 Member
    Welcome! I added you. I log in everyday and keep my diary open. Good luck :)
  • HerbalPsyche
    HerbalPsyche Posts: 9
    Thanks! :)
  • mimismommy11
    mimismommy11 Posts: 80 Member
    I sent you a request!
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    Why so low daily calorie amount? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE go back and change your goals so you are eating closer to 1500 to begin with. Did you let MFP set your goals? What weight loss per week did you select (of course it was 2 lbs). I would be happy to receive a friend request after you've been here a couple weeks!
  • breeskienicole
    breeskienicole Posts: 4 Member
    I have to change the way I eat also.. What you said about the way you think about food really encouraged me!! Feel free to add me!!
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    I will add you !
  • HerbalPsyche
    HerbalPsyche Posts: 9
    I added you Bree :)
  • HerbalPsyche
    HerbalPsyche Posts: 9
    Why so low daily calorie amount? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE go back and change your goals so you are eating closer to 1500 to begin with. Did you let MFP set your goals? What weight loss per week did you select (of course it was 2 lbs). I would be happy to receive a friend request after you've been here a couple weeks!

    I did let MFP set the calories for me - I don't think I'm going to be starving on that, and as long as it's healthy food I'm eating I won't be concerned if I go over :) I'm assuming that after you weigh, the program adjusts itself to suit your needs?
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Why so low daily calorie amount? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE go back and change your goals so you are eating closer to 1500 to begin with. Did you let MFP set your goals? What weight loss per week did you select (of course it was 2 lbs). I would be happy to receive a friend request after you've been here a couple weeks!

    I did let MFP set the calories for me - I don't think I'm going to be starving on that, and as long as it's healthy food I'm eating I won't be concerned if I go over :) I'm assuming that after you weigh, the program adjusts itself to suit your needs?

    No it will not readjust itself for you...

    Read these:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

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

    I agree, you may need to eat more than 1250. Sure you'll lose for awhile, until you won't. You have to properly fuel your body.

    it's about moderation not deprivation.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    (I know you didn't ask, but I have to ask anyhow: are you sure that your calorie level is an appropriate one? I've seen a lot of people run into problems because they tried to eat too few calories. I'm not saying that 1250 is necessarily the wrong amount, but it might be. Just make sure it is before you jump in so you can avoid the feeling that you're starving...because you just might be...and that's a really tricky (read: impossible) situation to try to work around.

    This is where I would post some helpful thread links...IF I HAD ANY! *ahem* But seriously, I don't have the list with me...but I bet one of my friends will jump in and share them...because my friends are awesome like that.)

    ETA: Never mind. One of my friends already posted some links. So, ^this to the post before mine. Click through. Read. Enjoy your success.
  • sarainiowa
    sarainiowa Posts: 287 Member
    Sending you a request.

    Anyone else can add, if you'd like.
  • Dlewis8288
    Dlewis8288 Posts: 42 Member
    You sound exactly like me! I need to lose about the same as well and taking baby steps but so far have been doing pretty good.. and I too have skinny friends lol.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    FWIW, I started MFP weight 232lbs, I have lost 42lbs eating 1800-2000cals/day and walking. Check out my profile; if you like what you see, feel free to add me.
  • bearsgal9
    bearsgal9 Posts: 65
    Good Luck!! Starting is the hardest part. :)
  • HerbalPsyche
    HerbalPsyche Posts: 9
    Thanks everyone, and thank you for the links!
    I went to the Accurate Calorie Calculator page (from the link provided) and apparently 0.8 lbs a week, I need to eat 1,214 calories a day.. and if I go to the next exercise level up, it says to eat 1,391/day for 0.9 lbs a week. I am only 63" tall, so maybe that has something to do with it. Soo.. MFP doesn't seem to be too far off in my case. We'll see. If I get hungry, I will eat healthy foods and not worry so much about the calorie limit. I do appreciate the advice :heart: and I will look further into the sexypants links - there was a ~lot~ of extra info there!
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
    if you want something that you can actually stick with long enough for it to work (and not be hangry), please please read the sexypants thread and consider eating more. learn about BMR and TDEE.

    i've lost a quite a bit, and i average 1800. and i'm older and likely shorter than you.
  • HerbalPsyche
    HerbalPsyche Posts: 9
    if you want something that you can actually stick with long enough for it to work (and not be hangry), please please read the sexypants thread and consider eating more. learn about BMR and TDEE.

    i've lost a quite a bit, and i average 1800. and i'm older and likely shorter than you.

    I just finished reading it.. some of it was a little hard to understand though. (my height is 5' 2.5", or 63 inches)
    Anyway, I'm off to bed - I promised myself I'd go to bed early for a week, to help reset my clock - I was going to bed between 2 & 4:30 am , and waking up at 7:30am, six days a week, for almost two months.. not so good. This will be my 3rd night going to bed before midnight, and I'm already feeling a lot better!
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
    we are close enough to be almost the same height. please - chances are you won't last with those low calories... to lose a lot this will take a while.

    feel free to message me with specific questions.

    etc - did you read about BMR and TDEE? i know my BMR, so you are def eating below yours = not a good thing for living or weight loss!!
  • sobit1970
    sobit1970 Posts: 39 Member
    Im just starting and i was going to do 1600 calories a day and start walking even though MFP said 1200 calories. I need to lose at least 80 lbs!!! I've struggled for a long time. I keep thinking i should do low carb but that isn't realistic in the long run. I could use some motivation.
  • stevefisher4274
    stevefisher4274 Posts: 12 Member
    I have only been here a week and I have a lot of weight to lose (about 200) so take this however you want. I have tried restriction diets over and over again. I have chosen to look at my weight loss as a math problem (what can I say, I love math). I have diligently logged everything that I consume and all of the exercise I have done each day. I let mfp choose my calorie goal but what I shoot for is a calorie deficit each day knowing that if I have a calorie deficit each day I will lose weight consistently. The more I consume, the more I need to exercise. Also each additional 3500 calories in deficit will equal an additional lost pound. Logging the food each day keeps me honest because if you eat something unhealthy you will have to have a plan to pay for it. No deprivation, just informed choices (I can't believe how many calories I was consuming before).

    Again, I have starved myself many times over trying to lose weight. For me, once I was done starving I went right back into my old habits. I for one am trying to start new, better ones. Please feel free to add me, anyone else is welcome. Obesity sucks, time to fight back!
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
    +1 for math!! it really is that easy.

    most folks overcomplicate things... which is close to my biggest pet peeve about weight loss - is that the weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that confuses the &%&*% out of people, and makes a super simple concept >>math<< seem so freaking hard!!
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I have only been here a week and I have a lot of weight to lose (about 200) so take this however you want. I have tried restriction diets over and over again. I have chosen to look at my weight loss as a math problem (what can I say, I love math). I have diligently logged everything that I consume and all of the exercise I have done each day. I let mfp choose my calorie goal but what I shoot for is a calorie deficit each day knowing that if I have a calorie deficit each day I will lose weight consistently. The more I consume, the more I need to exercise. Also each additional 3500 calories in deficit will equal an additional lost pound. Logging the food each day keeps me honest because if you eat something unhealthy you will have to have a plan to pay for it. No deprivation, just informed choices (I can't believe how many calories I was consuming before).

    Again, I have starved myself many times over trying to lose weight. For me, once I was done starving I went right back into my old habits. I for one am trying to start new, better ones. Please feel free to add me, anyone else is welcome. Obesity sucks, time to fight back!

    Sounds like a solid plan. As a fellow math nerd, it's my general approach as well. Almost three years of daily food and exercise logs later, I have a remarkable insight into how my body works. Just be sure not to try to hit *too* much of a calorie deficit to the point that actual extreme hunger leads you to make drastic decisions. (And occasionally take a look at the micro profile of the foods you're eating to check for any glaring deficiencies in vitamins and minerals.) Keep your calories at a level where you make satisfactory progress towards your goals without feeling like you're dying and you'll get there.

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