I'm a Super Beginner! Tips/Advice/Inspiration?

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BellaBerry130
BellaBerry130 Posts: 7 Member
in Getting Started
Hi, everyone,

I'd like to hear from as many of you as possible, so I'll try to make this an easy read...

- I am 23 years old, female, 5'4" and 209 lbs.
- My goal is to reach 130 lbs (which is kind of arbitrary; I just want to be in the healthy normal range of weight).
- Obviously, I'd like to lose the weight ASAP, but I know this is going to be a looong, endurance-testing process, so I've given myself a whole year to reach my goal.
- I don't move a lot at work (office/desk job). I recently started going for 3-miles/hour walks 2-4 times a week after work.

I have some questions for you, and I'd love to hear about your experience, if any of these apply to you:
- Is my goal realistic? (From 209 lbs to 130 lbs in one year)
- What kind of exercise do you recommend?
- General advice on going to the gym? (I've never even been in one before, and I'm kind of embarrassed to go.. Help!)
- I'm Korean, so I eat a lot of Korean food, so it's hard to keep track of the Calories... If any of you are Korean (or in a similar situation) please share your wisdom!
- Any tips on persevering through the temptations of quitting or cheating?

Thanks for reading, and thanks so much in advance for sharing your wisdom!
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Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    I am curious why you say that eating Korean food is more difficult to track than eating any other kind of food.
    It is possible to lose 79 pounds in a year. But it not necessary and not likely. Give yourself time.
  • RoyalWarrior
    RoyalWarrior Posts: 9 Member
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    I have a long way to go as well, and it can be extremely daunting. But the other night, I was feeling overwhelmed by the thought of how long I was going to have to fight, then it hit me: How long is the fight? Just for today.

    Too often I have been discouraged and given up because I was focused on how far I had to go. But the only battle I have to fight is for today. :) Keep at it, you can do it. Expect to make mistakes, allow for them, learn from them and above all - change the way you think about/view yourself, it will make it much easier.
  • SushiKite
    SushiKite Posts: 39 Member
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    Ha! I started at over 200 and want to get to 130 to! I'm on a whole foods plant based way of eating. I bought the book Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman. I lost 40 lbs fast but started to gain again. What can I say I love cooking and trying out new recipes. :-) Maybe track your food each day for sure. Try and keep your food simple so you can track easier. Try waking for a start. As for quitting and cheating you probably will but just get up and put it behind you and keep going. It happens to everyone. The longer you do it the more you want to do it. As for Korean go search the groups maybe you'll find something. Try and stay away from oil and white rice. Eat lots of vegetables. I've forgot about kimchi. I've made that before, yum! You can add me as a friend if you like.
    Suzanne
  • Listeninguponyou
    Listeninguponyou Posts: 507 Member
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    Hello! I'm not sure if I can be helpful, but I'm glad you posted this as I will also be reading some of the responses. I am 200lb and want to be 130 also! I think it is possible to do and healthy for a year's time. I recommend walking daily for an hour or two. Other than that I don't have any other advice. Feel free to add me if you want.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
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    I completely agree with suejoker's list, and also her advice about trying to lose all that weight in one year. I think putting time limits on when you will get to the healthy weight is counterproductive. Since you are really making a lifestyle change and not going on a diet, it is important to realize that you won't really "reach your goal" because you will always have to eat healthy and exercise to maintain that weight. So be nice to yourself and settle in to make permanent changes in your life. For me this involves treats for myself now and then, as long as they fit in my calorie goals.

    Also - I feel your pain on the Korean food as there aren't that many ethnic recipes in the database yet. But you can quickly import recipes and calculate the calories yourself, or enter the ingredients manually .... you only have to do it once for each food, then it will be there for you. Plus you'll be helping out other folks that eat Korean too!

    Good luck, you can DEFINITELY do this.
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
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    Make eating healthy and feeling great your goal, and let the number on the scale be secondary. A reasonable, sustainable goal is 1 lb a week. Even though we would all love to lose quickly, you really want to take the time to learn new eating and exercise habits. Committing to a lifestyle change is the way to maintain weight loss for the long term and you really don't want to fall back into old habits and regain it all.

    For exercise, walking is a great way to start. Add short intervals of jogging gradually until you can jog the whole route. Body weight exercise, such as squats, planks, leg lifts, sit ups etc are great for toning and require no equipment either. A set of light hand weights, stretch bands or a kettle bell are inexpensive and let you begin to tone even more. There are many free video workouts on YouTube and apps you can try.

    If you want to join a gym, lifting weights will help you tone and save muscle mass while you are losing. Cardio 3-4 days a week and lifting 2-3 days a week, with 1-2 rest days is a nice balance to aim for. Check out classes they offer too. You may find you really enjoy something you never dreamed of trying before.
  • suefromgraysWECHANGED
    suefromgraysWECHANGED Posts: 12 Member
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    Hey,
    You are on the right site if you want support.
    Take your time,its not a race and log your food even if you have a bad day.
    Good luck
    Sue :-)
  • Miffylou
    Miffylou Posts: 307 Member
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    Patience and persistence. It won't happen over night but it will happen. Eat well and keep moving.

    The day I joined the gym was when I was at my heaviest but it was the best thing I did. If you can afford it, it's worth getting a trainer for a bit, as the can show you what to do and help you along the way. It also makes you more committed.

    Good luck ????
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,212 Member
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    You've gotten really good advice so far. Don't give yourself a deadline to lose weight.

    Please get a food scale. Best $20 I've spent in a long time. This 3 minute video explains why a food scale is so critical:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 7,897 Member
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    Check the database for Korean food. I've found entries for foods from India, Singapore, Germany, the pretty much every country in Europe. The database is truly international.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    MFP recommends 1 to 2 pounds a week so to be realistic it's 52 to 104 pounds a year. You don't have that much to lose so expect it will come off slower. No deadlines, just hang in there, and you'll get there.

    You're doing fine with walking, when you pick an exercise it's important to find something you like doing. Maybe an exercise class is offered at the gym? Personally machines bore me, so I have to work out with others, so it's Jazzercise for me.

    Korean food, I can't help you there, hopefully MFP has a good breakdown on the ingredients you're using so it's easy to track your calories.
  • rayjdragonballz
    rayjdragonballz Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm korean too. I understand it's kinda hard to track the foods because they're either complex or they're not on myfitnesspal. Just do your best.
    Lift. Heavy. Definitely. This, in my opinion, is one of the most important factors if you want to look good and feel good.

    Do light walking a good amount throughout and just try to be more active in general. You don't have to run marathons but maybe take a few walks or just get up here and there and clean or something. Hope you get the idea.

    Eat your veggies and drink water, but make sure you eat your carbs, fats, and proteins. I'm a proponent of iifym so you don't have to cut out all "dirty" foods but if you think that would be good for you personally and your personal journey then go for it.

    Just be conscious and try to be more active. Small things can make big differences. Don't worry about what people say about this and that. MAIN POINTS, count your macros and lift. Persevere. Do not lose your motivation. You can do this. Your goal may be a little too ambitious, but just follow the guidelines and don't worry about the number on your scale. If you feel better and look better, the weight won't matter. Cool? Hope this helps
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,804 Member
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    best thing to read if you are new here from a MFP Allstar Trog;

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
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    Consistency is more important than perfection. Remember no matter what happens and you "fall off the wagon" that we ALL do. The ones who see success are the ones who get back up and keep on trying.

    i also think making small achievable goals, and small achievable changes along the way is a good way to go.

    Also, remember you are awesome, you can totally do this!!!

    Good luck with everything:flowerforyou:
  • BellaBerry130
    BellaBerry130 Posts: 7 Member
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    Hi, Everyone!

    I'm a bit late in replying to this..
    THANK YOU all so much for your encouraging words and advice!!!!

    It's been a month, and I'm surprised that I haven't given up yet hahah

    Everything you said in your replies were super helpful, and I love how positive you all are!! haha

    Thanks again, and best wishes for your own ventures!
  • sweetsoonergirl
    sweetsoonergirl Posts: 16 Member
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    I know this is a bit of time past your original post. I've been on a yo-yo with my weight every since I hit puberty. The best thing to do to lose the weight is stay consistent and keep it off:

    > A combination of cardio and weight training is important for not only burning calories but burning fat and increasing endurance. Though muscles weigh more than fat, they do burn more calories at rest and take up less space than fat.
    > I'm not an expert on Korean food but you could probably google the ingredients and then create your own recipes in your diary to calculate the calories
    > Remember even after you lose the weight in 1 year, 18 months, or 2 years, still find ways to be accountable such as remaining on my fitnesspal and checking in at least every week. The weight can easily creep back on in stressful situations. Know that life continues.
    > Don't let anyone discourage you. Do this for you and your health.
    >Probably the best eating habits I've followed when striving for healthiness is eating healthy throughout the week (within my calorie goals) and then allowing myself a yummy treat once a week.
    > Also be sure to be drinking, at minimum, 8 - 8 oz glasses of water daily, especially when it's hot outside and you're working out. Drinking plenty of water will help to flush out the toxins in your system and help your kidneys, liver as well as your digestive tract function to their fullest capacity.
  • Fatandfifty3
    Fatandfifty3 Posts: 419 Member
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    Well done on that weight loss!
    You can do this just don't be too hard and strict about the time scale. Allow 1-2 years to get to your final goal weight but in the mean time set small achievable goals and milestones along the way.
    Good luck!
    ;-)
  • curlygirl513
    curlygirl513 Posts: 199 Member
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    I just gotta say how lucky you are to be Korean and get Korean food. So very very wonderful!
  • BellaBerry130
    BellaBerry130 Posts: 7 Member
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    Hi, everyone.

    Not sure if anyone will read this post, but it's been a bit over 2 years since i first created this thread, and reading all of your responses is still absolutely so very encouraging.

    It has taken longer than i would have liked, but since the day i posted here i have gone from 207 lbs to 155 lbs. Still some more pounds to lose, but i am on my way. Slowly but surely i will get there!

    I definitely needed a bit of an energy boost today, and re-reading this thread was exactly what i needed. So thank you all, and i hope someone else like me will come across this thread and be just as inspired and encouraged as i was/am!

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