the shock of my life

Firstly let me say I am totally... totally... overwhelmed by the responses to my photos, thank you to all who have viewed and bigger thanks to all who have commented, I have read them all. (blushed a few times)

2 more fat photos have been sent to me overnight (not a great way to start the day). I told my now famous friend (and now owner of some good reds) of the response on here, so later I will post some more before and afters.

Once again... Thank you.

Do you have any pointer for us newbies who started today?

Hello

I won't give specific advice, bit this is how I went about it.

Using MFP I was able to see what I was eating verses what I was burning. So no big changes, just small changes, cut out junk food, then processed food, then dairy and alcohol and finally meat, this took 3 months to do. Along the way I found my body needed 6 meals a day (sounds great eh!), but we are talking 200 calorie meals here. I also took vitamin supplements.

It enabled me to understand hunger, it stopped me overeating, it kept my energy levels up, it made me think about what I eating. It didn't give my body a chance to store anything I was eating as fat, as it needed all calories eaten and extra to live. I am now a vegan.

My guidelines for my weightloss:

1) buy a rice bowl from the supermarket, serve all your food in this, it's for portion control, it's your BEST tool!

2) eat all meals with chopsticks, stops fast eating (and don't eat anywhere near a TV)

3) don't drink calories... water, black tea, black coffee only, no soda, no alcohol, no milk, no juice etc

4) 30 minutes brisk exercise every day, without fail!!! Rain, hail, sun or heat.

5) resistance training, it builds muscle and muscle is where your metabolism lives. Muscle is extraordinarily hard to build. But any muscle you put on makes you look better, nicer legs, better shaped back, arms and shoulders, IT'S MUSCLE THAT MAKES YOU LOOK YOUNGER (and harder, fat makes us squishy).

6) shop for new tighter fitting clothes regularly, you need to feel tight in your clothes, no elastic waists or stretch fabrics allowed.

7) weigh yourself regularly, weight loss isn't linear, some days nothing, some days a pound, some days you gain a LITTLE... Work hard and expect results