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MyFitnessPal Community

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

BellaBerry130

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!

Replies

RodaRose

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.

suejoker

Welcome, RodaRose!

Yes, you could lose this amount of weight in a year but, you would be much happier and more likely to keep it off, if you went with an 18 month or 2 year time span in mind. I'm more than twice your age and, when I was determined to get rid of all of my extra weight as soon as possible, I was losing 2lbs/week. This went on for a few months, but then I hit a killer plateau. I think that my body went on strike, after being underfed and overexerted for too long. So, I've recently slowed down to do a metabolism reset and then will continue my weight loss journey at a more relaxed pace. I still have 30lbs to go and will be happy if I get to my goal weight in a year.

It shouldn't be difficult to find most Korean food in our database. MFP has a HUGE database of food from all over the world. Sometimes, I'll stump it, but then I can find the calories on one of the other calorie counting websites. I just google "calories in _____". Very infrequently, I have to enter the recipe and let MFP calculate it for me.

Speaking as a fellow Asian woman, I want to encourage you to not try to get straight A's in weight loss. It may feel great for a minute, but it usually backfires. Try to make small, easily achievable changes, one at a time. Here are some tips that have helped me a lot:

Maintain unconditional positive regard for yourself, no matter what

Show love and care for yourself, at every opportunity

Celebrate every milestone, no matter how small

Start where you're at (i.e. if you can only walk for 10 minutes, commit to walking 10 minutes/day)

Make small, easily achievable changes, when you are ready

Pair your strengths & passions with change objectives (i.e. if you like to dance, dance your booty off)

Setbacks and struggles are normal

Create a strong support network

Acknowledge anniversaries of your change with your support network

RoyalWarrior

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I just gotta say how lucky you are to be Korean and get Korean food. So very very wonderful!

BellaBerry130

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!

memickee

I love it when someone comes back to update their progress. Good for you!

dejberry

Good job!

b3achy

BellaBerry130 wrote: »

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!

I was going to respond to the OP, but when I saw the date, I had to wonder who dredged up a 2 year old thread. I was hopeful it was you the OP'er providing an update, and so glad to see it is!!

Congrats on your progress so far, and bigger congrats for not giving up and continuing with the journey!! Sometimes it's just about persistence, sucking it up through the tough times, readjusting goals that were missed, and rejoicing in the successes.

Any chance you want to share what you did do to lose so far, and what worked for you to keep sticking with it? I'm sure your full story would be quite motivating to others!

linda45ll837h

love this post encouraging words i have loss 25 since january and have 25 more to go. slow and steady but i will get there.Thanks everyone