How did you get your push to start?

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muggys2020
muggys2020 Posts: 5 Member
in Getting Started
I'm having a hard time starting I don't want this to be a start stop thing. I'm about to be 30 and I need to become healthy. Any suggestions on how others started?

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  • marissanik
    marissanik Posts: 344 Member
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    You have to want to do it for yourself, nobody else is going to do it for you. Motivation needs to come from within, other people can only get you so far and you really have to want it.

    I started with small changes - eliminating fast food soda, adding more fruits and veggeis.
  • emmaxbon
    emmaxbon Posts: 123 Member
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    Don't try to do everything all at one, that makes it too overwhelming and setting yourself up to fail.

    Take it one step at a time.

    I started with less junk food and walking 30 mins per day.
    Then a few weeks later looked at portion control and increasing exercise
  • ninav1980
    ninav1980 Posts: 514 Member
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    one day at a time. Dont start at 100% or you will most likely quit. Once you start to see small results, you will get motivated to do more and more. Eventually, it will al become 2nd nature
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    For me I finally looked, really looked in the mirror and thought "Nope, you're more than this". I started by giving up my daily coke, went down and joined a gym then two weeks later started logging food. Three weeks ago, I quit smoking and I'm doing massive strength training.
    Bottom line, this is an inside job, you have to want it for you. Once you have that, this site is a great community of support and you meet friends on the same journey.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    It took me years to be ready for the commitment. I knew it would have to be a lifetime change this time, but I was maintaining at 200 eating whatever I liked, so I didn't care. Until I went to the doctor and the scale showed 213 and she ordered an EKG and whatnot because I was obese... Scared me. Took me another month to be willing to do it, ate a lot during that month and honestly made myself sick with food, then I woke up one day and I was ready to do it.

    Turned out that it was much easier than I thought it would be... I thought I'd have to give up everything I love. Turns out I didn't even have to.
  • anna3669
    anna3669 Posts: 33 Member
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    It is supposed to take 21 days for something to become a habit so I started by doing 30 day fitness challenges I found online. They worked for me because it introduces you slowly to exercise making it a lifestyle rather than a fad :smile: Now I'm hooked:laugh:
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    I lost a fair bit of weight unintentionally through illness. When I recovered I found I felt much better about myself and also felt physically better too. I was still very overweight so joined here to try and continue that feeling.
  • jessieleah
    jessieleah Posts: 204 Member
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    I agree with making small changes to start. If you don't feel ready to eliminate food from your diet, you can start by just logging everything you eat. It's kind of an eye opener seeing how many calories you consume on a daily basis. I also look at the calorie count of everything I eat if I'm not familiar with it already. It might seem obsessive to some people, but it holds me accountable for what I put into my body.

    Other than potato chips & fast food (& soda more recently), I didn't really forbid myself from eating anything. I just cut back on portions and after awhile, I started making healthier choices and the unhealthy foods kind of diminished from my diet on their own. I still let myself have chips every once in awhile because I still love them, though.
  • sharonmcinnis7
    sharonmcinnis7 Posts: 1
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    Congrats on wanting to start now! I wish I had done it when I was 30, because my life would be better now and I would not be as overweight as I am. I am 55, which is still, in my mind, pretty young. Until recently, although I was overweight, I could do anything I wanted. Carrying, lifting, moving around, no problem. I even played volley ball. But 7 months ago, I slipped on ice and messed up my knee - torn meniscus. Well, none of the doctors would listen to me because I was bone-on-bone with arthritis. I finally found one who scoped my knee to trim up the tear, but he cannot fix the arthritis. The wear and tear of carrying the extra weight caused the arthritis. I never had any symptoms until after I fell (the doctors say this is common). Anyway, now I am facing a total knee replacement. I seriously do not want one so I started going to the gym upon doctor's recommendation. In just 3 weeks, the pain became manageable without any drugs of any sort, and I think I can postpone the replacement for quite a while. I have lost 35 lbs (over a 5 month period), which is only a portion of what I need to lose. But the motivator is that surgery that I do not want. I was never limited, prior to my fall, and now, I cannot walk on the beach without pain and if I sit for very long, I walk like an old lady when I get up. I had to GET a CANE! The thing is, we only get one body. At thirty, you probably are concerned about how that body looks and can take how WELL it works for granted. But believe me, 55 arrives quickly and how well it works becomes more of an issue. That said, my friends tell me I look great now! I am not in this to look good. My goal is to be able to walk without thinking about it again. But if I look good doing it, that's a pretty nice plus. I hope you find the thing inside you that makes you determined.
  • twolittledogs
    twolittledogs Posts: 2
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    Begin with scheduling an annual physical exam. Follow up with your doctor to discuss the results of your blood work (i.e., cholestrol HDL & LDP and sugar blood levels, etc.). At 3-6 months retest your blood and discuss your progress. Believe me, that should be enough to motivate anyone into making weight loss, exercise and healthy life style changes in eating habits a priority. The MFP Food & Exercise Diary is truly a wonderful tool to keep yourself in check. You will not find a better group of supportive and understanding people who share your struggles. Exercise....? Start with 15min cardio in morning, at noon a 15min brisk walk, followed up with 30min in the evening. You can do this!
  • vmlabute
    vmlabute Posts: 311 Member
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    meal planning and green smoothie. Then getting my *kitten* up every morning at 5:30am to run 2-3 miles. Then when the habit was formed, started going to the gym everyday :wink: hard work and scheduling pays off
  • Chalk_Slinger
    Chalk_Slinger Posts: 1,012
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    I struggled my whole life, so many starts and failures. I have tried EVERY plan possible for weight loss from Paleo to Deal A Meal. (Turns out if I ate those cards instead of food I may have had a chance.) I went to the doctor at 43 to discuss weight loss surgery and broke down in tears in his office, crumbling like a tin car in a major wreck. He agreed to the surgery as I was nearing 5oolbs, and sent me to a cardiologist who has practices in Stockholm, Sweden, and here in NYC. What a great meeting! This man explained that no matter how hard I tried at most I would lose 50 lbs as my genetics are inclined towards an enormous frame. He stated that most people blame the overweight individual for their size, but in many cases, like mine, there is little one can do except surgery. This is the FIRST time any doc EVER took the onus of obesity off my shoulder, which I know my diet may have been poor from time to time, but I worked two jobs and walked at least three mile a day and even exercised a few times a week, spending weekends running all over the city. Long story short, on July 8, 2013, I had a gastric sleeve and through much hard work am down well over 200 lbs, most loss in the first nine months. Oddly enough, many think the surgery is a cop out or an easy answer but it proved much harder than diet and exercise as I am forever altered and cannot live the same way everyone else does.
  • onlystavros
    onlystavros Posts: 30
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    I was struggling to get into my car, and I just kinda flipped and knew something needed to be done. I'm running on pure willpower.
  • TXRanchGirl
    TXRanchGirl Posts: 303
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    I started at 31..well, REALLY started..I half hearted did it afew times in my 20's..and did some faddy things..

    I started my journey because I was so emotionaly void I couldnt eat..at all..no appetite. Gradually I channeled that energy into fitness to fit some ideal in my head that I had..an ideal that I thought would solve my problems..it didnt.

    In the end, I lost weight and got fit because I wanted to be a smexy beast for MYSELF..plus all the kickboxing I do is a great way to release alot of pent up frustration and keeps me from going to jail..;)
  • 40andFindingFitness
    40andFindingFitness Posts: 497 Member
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    I started by eliminating soda first. I switched from soda to carbonated water, then to regular water. You'd be amazed at the amount of calories you can drink. I started cooking at home more often as opposed to eating out because restaurant portions are ridiculous. From there I upped my fruit and veggie intake and increased my water intake. It takes time and each time you stop you could be on the verge of a breakthrough. Stick with it! :0)
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
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    You have to really want it and be ready to dedicate yourself to making this lifestyle change. No one can do that for you. It's ok if you aren't ready, it took me 25 yrs to finally get there.

    My push happened when my feet went numb. A doctor's visit revealed type 2 diabetes and the real possibility of losing the feeling in my feet for the rest of my life. That was my wake up moment.

    Within 3 weeks of changing my lifestyle, most of the feeling had returned. Talk about incentive to stay on this path!
  • Justdoitkelly
    Justdoitkelly Posts: 23 Member
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    Hi there!

    I am new here and am only on day 2. I am familar with the feeling of "Where do I start". I started walking with my Ipod (in a safe area). Rain or Shine. I have always been a healthy eater but found myself inactive. I am starting small in effort to build some endurance then will take on bigger challenges as my fitness level progresses. It is easy to become overwhelmed and we are own worst critics.

    Good Luck!

    Kelly
  • arrrrjt
    arrrrjt Posts: 245 Member
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    I was approaching the max weight for riding my horse - and I wasn't going to left my weight stop me from doing something I love. Plus, I got a new driver's license photo and I looked FAT (and not the ph kind). Kind of half assed it through football season (where I was working out like crazy, but had no time to focus on diet). About two month ago started to truly crack down on tracking. Down 30 lbs since this time last year, I think my horse appreciates it :)
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I was told today at the office that I look like Where's Waldo. Waiting for the end of day date with the barbell now.

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