29/f 5'7" 250lbs

I think I originally posted this in the wrong spot, so here I am! I am not new to dieting, nor am I new to MFP, but I am new to the community! I am so glad it is here! I restarted my journey 5 days ago and I am currently 234.5 and headed down a new path. My goals have changed from being skinny, to being healthy and fit. I am trying to find new ways to stay accountable (and looking for accountablibuddies so feel free to add me!) and record my progress. I started a twitter, instagram and tumblr account (all @embracingashley) in hopes that it would help me stay on track this time. Any other suggestions?

Also, I am not really sure what my goal should be. I want to be around 137, is that unrealistic?

What to you do at the gym that seems to really make a difference?

Lastly, what do you eat for breakfast?? Oatmeal is just not cutting it anymore, the carbs are a killer!

Replies

  • ASH2038602
    ASH2038602 Posts: 215 Member
    I am 5'6" and I started at 245 and am now down to 208. My only real advice is to use a food scale and be honest when you log, even if you mess up. For breakfast this morning I had one whole egg, one egg white, 100 grams of sweet potato, a cup of broccoli (I should have weighed it, but I didn't) and one whole wheat piece of toast. Sometimes I do oatmeal and blueberries, other times I will do Fiber One cereal with unsweetened almond milk and fruit. I have an open food diary, and always accept new friends :-)
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I started at 250. It's been a long, hard road. Lots of work. Lots of effort. Some slips, but lots of success. And I'm STILL fat.

    You have to be very determined because it's so hard and takes so long.

    I think that making big lifestyle changes really is the best way. Eat healthy food, not junk. Exercise. Do something that will leave you able to continue when you're done losing.

    Don't worry about the goal weight. Just pick a number. You'll want to evaluate again when you get close, so it doesn't really matter much. For the longest time, I didn't even pick a number and just told people, "I'll know when I get there." 137 is as good as any other number. :)

    I am always talking about swimming, but that's because it's so awesome. No other exercise burns as many calories, works all the muscles, gives you cardio and resistance, is easy on the joints, doesn't make you feel hot and sweaty and is really easy for fat people to do. Swimming rocks.

    I also lift weight, but that's for medical and not fitness reasons. I hate it. It's boring. I don't do it as much as I should because I hate it. I don't want to be muscular, anyway. I do the machine ones and stay out of the room where the young guys hang out and try to get all buff.

    I do not eat breakfast. I probably would if I could. I like eating and exercising early. But I can't eat breakfast, so I don't. People who say that you can't lose if you don't eat breakfast are dumb.

    Most of all, I don't think there is any One, True Way. Everyone has to walk their own path. You have to try what you'd like to do, see how it works, change things up if or when you think it's necessary.

    Good luck! :)
  • embracingashley
    embracingashley Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks guys! I really like overnight oats, but holy carbs! I may go back to eating hard boiled eggs.

    I used to do weights and stuff at the gym about 30 lbs ago, and will again once i cardio away this 30lbs. I am doing a 5k on 9/13 mud run on 9/20, a 5k on 9/27 and a zombie 5k on 10/11. I am pumped!
  • ASH2038602
    ASH2038602 Posts: 215 Member
    I usually do 20-30 minutes of cardio, lift weights for about an hour, and then do another 20-30 of cardio. I dont really know of that's the best way to go about it, but it works for me. I would like to do the color run with my son this year. I have never done a run or walk before.
  • sophysings
    sophysings Posts: 28 Member
    I've lost a few pounds, am just over 250 now and also 5'7''. I've put my goal at 154-ish - I think that was based on BMI but I'm going to see how it goes as I have plenty of muscle already as well as the fat, am honestly big boned (!) and I don't want to look emaciated - I like my curves and I want to keep them even when I do drop weight! I can't even imagine being anywhere near that weight though - it still seems a fantasy but there are so many inspiring people around on here who've done it that I think I can manage it.

    As for breakfast, I am a porridge girl at heart - I started having a little less and putting some protein powder and nuts in there to bulk it out without the oats, and that decreases the carbs well. Sometimes I just have a milk-based smoothie which I love as it's so easy and fills me up a lot more than I thought it would with the extra protein powder (who'd have thought I'd turn into a protein shake girl?!). It's also fairly high on the sugar because of the milk but as I rarely eat carbs at lunchtime it all seems to even out OK.

    Your zombie run sounds like great fun! Good luck.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I've lost a few pounds, am just over 250 now and also 5'7''. I've put my goal at 154-ish - I think that was based on BMI but I'm going to see how it goes as I have plenty of muscle already as well as the fat, am honestly big boned (!) and I don't want to look emaciated - I like my curves and I want to keep them even when I do drop weight! I can't even imagine being anywhere near that weight though - it still seems a fantasy but there are so many inspiring people around on here who've done it that I think I can manage it.
    I've lost so much weight already and am just now beginning to see hints of what I will look like when I'm thin.

    When I started, I changed eating habits more for health than weight loss. I didn't even think about what I'd look like thin, lol. Getting into size 22 was my first big goal. I ordered some 14s yesterday. Don't know if they'll fit when they get here, but they will soon enough!

    I don't even wonder if I can or if I will be thin. I know it. It's just a matter of time.

    You can do it, too. If you decide that you're going to be thin and you don't care about how hard it is, how long it takes or what bumps you'll have to face, you will be thin. :)