A whole lot to lose and feeling somewhat overwhelmed!

You can do it. Weight loss is more of a mental journey than a physical one. Make a promise to yourself that you will make choices, every day, that will get you to your goal.

Hey Elizabeth Im proud of you for taking that step getting healthy for yourself. What I would suggest is you do Cardio first to burn down the fat and calories. While exercising diet by creating calorie deficit. I found out on my own that Ive been lied to all this time of course. It is 500 calories in a pound. But all over the internet they claim its 3500 calories lol wow. But It's 500 in each pound, 250 in half a pound. Set and eating goal of how many you comsume vs what you burn off before or after. Drink some Green tea sometime to surpress your appetite so that your brain wont trick you into thinking your hungry when you just ate 2 hours ago. Last motivation, will drive you to your goal period but remember why begin wanting to lose it to begin with. "I dont train to defeat other's, "I train to defeat myself.

Depends on what macro you're talking about. If it's FAT you're looking to lose, a pound of fat consists of 3,500 calories. If it's a pound of muscle, it's approximately 600 calories (protein). The problems is that one cannot dictate what the body loses when in calorie deficit. Fat and muscle will always be lost, to what extent will be how they supply correct nutrition and what exercises and duration are done.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

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

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

I started out almost exactly where you are now. I was 296lbs and my goal (which I am 9 pounds away from) was 140. It seems SO impossible but as someone who has been there, it CAN be done. The time is going to pass no matter what. If you;d like to add me, feel free!

Take it one week at a time. The human body is a wondrous machine. You can get back into shape in a fraction of the time and effort it took to get out of shape. Bear in mind you aren't trying to change one large habit, but multiple small habits that will lead to a positive life change. Stay focused on the small details and your end goal will just happen.

Set up a goal day on your calendar and stay on track. I do Friday morning weigh ins and it far less daunting than thinking of the whole loss at once.

Keep a keen watch on your negative triggers and get support, whether real life or online.

Looking at the long term goal can definitely be overwhelming. I myself am trying to take it in smaller chunks. Right now my goal is to get back into "one-derland." Then I'll figure out my next goal from there.
Good luck with your journey! Feel free to add me

hi elizabeth, read success stories when you need motivation or are faltering. sooo many people have been successful with this. read the posts recommended. remember, as others have alluded to, that it isn't an all or nothing goal. you will be happier in 2 weeks, even, and much happier in 2 months, 5 months, etc. you get rewarded for your effort all along the way, in the way you feel, the way you look, and your overall health.
also, shortly after I joined mfp at the end of april, a woman wrote in a thread that her husband had told her not to think of it as how far you have to go. think of it as a journey home. you are slowly, steadily making your way back to YOU - the REAL you, the person you can be, living a fuller, healthier life

Hi Elizabeth, I have a whole lot to lose also. I have been like a yo yo and so I've decided to look at it a little differently. Trying to look at all the weight I need to lose makes me feel that I can't do it. So I am making small goals for myself. 90 days from today is October 28. You can change a lot in 90 days. That's what I'm going to do, try to make some changes in 90 days. I'm sending a friend request. Accept it if you like. I'm the old one here.

Everybody has to start somewhere and why not here for you? Just keep going, be aware of what you eat, and exercise. I'm in the holy crap I have alot to lose club too.

I just read through all the posts to you and was encouraged myself. I started a few weeks ago at 260 and am down to 255...I also have a long way to go. So much good advice...especially taking it slow and a day at a time. I am going back to my Y next week to start water aerobics...I have been in the class before and it is a good place to start along with walking. You have taken the first step and that is AWESOME!! We are all on this journey together...through good days and bad, the ups and downs through thick and thin (smile). Please add me as a friend