200 pounds to lose... I'm gonna need some help.

welcome back to mfp...feel free to add me.

Add me. I have a lot to loose also!

You've gotten some good advice already, but I wanted to say that if you are eating good quality food, you shouldn't feel physically hungry. Nice lean proteins (chicken and turkey breast, lean pork loin, occasionally some lean beef), whole grains, low fat dairy, and lots of veggies will satisfy you. I think everyone should feel satisfied (not stuffed) after meals and your food should last you until it's time to eat again. Eat at regular times a day, whether the traditional 3x a day works for you or the 5-7 small meals a day type program, you'll be keeping your blood sugar from sharply spiking/dropping. All of that will help you drop the pounds. Make sure you eat your calories that MFP gives you. It's a TARGET to reach, not a number to fear. Your body needs fuel. Lastly, take the macronutrients seriously and try to eat a balance of protein, carbs, and fat. (Unless you're under a doctor's supervision and he/she suggests something different for your targets.) Real food doesn't have all the salt, so sodium is usually only a problem for those who eat a lot of preserved food. It does help the weight loss along if you limit your sodium.

Bon voyage, and I hope you have a successful weight loss journey!

vamaena wrote: »

Hey, I started out here in May at 338lbs. I'm down to 287lbs.

Some advice I can give you that helped me:

-Get a food scale if you don't already have one. It seriously does help with accurate logging.
-Log accurately/honestly and log every day.
-Make room for treats, otherwise you may potentially end up giving in and binging
-I made some food substitutions which helped me, instead of putting juice in my morning smoothie, I switched to almond milk. Less sugar and calories.
-Make smaller goals. Having to lose 200lbs is daunting, believe me, I know. I started by having small milestones, 5lbs, 15lbs, 25lbs, 50lbs, 75lbs, and so on. Tiny goals are much easier to face than a single large one.
-If you can, take measurements as well. Sometimes the scale doesn't budge but you lose inches.
-Progress pictures. If you havent already, take pictures of yourself now. and again in a month or two. Continue doing this throughout your journey. You'll see changes in photographs that you might not notice in the mirror.
-Be active. Even if it's just a walk around the block. That's so much better than sitting at home.

This!!

I started this journey at 386 and am now at 222. And I do all of these things. I didn't focus on losing a specific amount as suggested. For me focusing on getting to a certain number worked better. First it was 350, the 300 then 275, and so on. Right now I'm working toward 200. Same idea, just a different goal in mind. And I built non-food rewards into my journey. I wanted a pilates machine, but it has a 300 pound weight limit. That was my reward for getting below 300.

I have been at this for 3 years now, but that's OK. When I look at where I started (size 4X or 34) and where I am now (size XL or 18) it's just too amazing to get discouraged that I'm not done yet. I will eventually get to goal (160). As long as I'm still going down it's all good.

So take all the Fantastic advice Vamaena listed (she is so right!) and send a friend request if you want.

Pat

Stay motivated! When I get bored with an exercise routine I find a new one. I just started C25K and I love it. Before that I was doing daily burn videos. I like to change it up a lot. In the summers I swim. Weigh your foods DONT think you can eyeball an amount it will be wrong. If its something like veggies its NBD but if you are eyeballing peanut butter or sour cream it can add a lot of extra calories.