Needing support

lacye7
lacye7 Posts: 11 Member
edited November 10 in Getting Started
I am at my heaviest. I need to lose 40lbs. I have been in the gym for the last few weeks. I am doing cardio and weights. It seems the longer I do this, the higher my weight goes.

Also, I can't find a workout partner for the gym. It's hard to find someone near by with a similar schedule and goals.

Any advice is welcome!

Eastern NC

Replies

  • Kendall2006
    Kendall2006 Posts: 124 Member
    Add me as a friend. We can keep each other accountable and stay on this path to a healthier life and not just a minimal weight loss. I am currently down 31lbs and have about 80 to go.
  • lacye7
    lacye7 Posts: 11 Member
    Thank you Kendall! I will add you as soon as the app allows me to. I just finished a gym session( I go as late as possible to avoid crowds). There were a few very fit people in there. I know it's likely just me, but I felt like they were making fun of me.

    I plan on a morning workout anyway. ;)

    Congrats on your success so far!!!
  • thegreatcanook
    thegreatcanook Posts: 2,419 Member
    I'd love to help you out. Feel free to add me for support. You've got this.
  • Kristina79Marie
    Kristina79Marie Posts: 580 Member
    Add me!! Kms71079@gmail.com
  • smam00
    smam00 Posts: 2 Member
    Southeastern NC here :smile: I'm new to this too - add me! I'll help to keep you accountable as well, I need the support too!
  • Superpook
    Superpook Posts: 20 Member
    I'm in SC and have a very similar goal! Add me, and anybody else willing to add me it is appreciated!
  • Fsunami
    Fsunami Posts: 241 Member
    Hi

    The best place to begin is at the beginning.

    All you have to do is lose 1 pound 40 times. Not 40 pounds, all at once.

    That kick to get it done comes from inside....

    The fact you are reaching out and being honest about your struggle is a sign of growth and progress, for which you should be commended. Take comfort in that.

    The difference between MFP and everything else? If you adopt the mindset that its a lifestyle change & not a diet, the rest will fall into place.

    The past is done. The future will be here soon enough. Try and focus on today & today only. Its all we have to work with.

    7 months ago, I weighed 312 pounds. I woulda been dead in 5 years if I hadn't made this commitment. All signs were pointing that way.

    Just a few things the MFP tribe and common sense has taught me:

    1) This is a thing you DO, not a definition of who you ARE. Just like laundry. Take the emotion out of it wherever possible. I cannot stress this enough.

    2) My approach? This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. So there is no finite number of days that I am trying to get to. I will be logging in and logging food for the rest of my life, because:

    a) This program works
    b) I don't want to die young and I was headed that direction

    3) Try to remember - We are the results of the choices we make every day, whether those choices are good or bad. Make as many good choices as you can, and the ship will stay steady. At the end of the day, we are the man in the mirror. We are accountable to ourselves and no one else. We can help you with getting there, but the doing is up to you. Leave rationalizing at the door, and continue to be honest with yourself. Its the only path to long term success

    Cal tracking is considered a good choice (whether boring or not) because it tells you where you really are (just like your check register tells you your balance) - remember to be honest with yourself all the time. Ultimately, you will achieve that which you are seeking much sooner.

    Knowing that plus the support I get from my MFP buds make enough difference that Ive lost 51 in 245 days without doing anything stupid. You just find what works and then hammer the crap out of it, staying in the present while doing so.

    If you will stay committed to this, your MFP tribe will commit to helping. Why? Because that's what we do. And we have ALL been there.

    You only get one chance to live your life.

    FR on the way

    Fsunami
  • lacye7 wrote: »
    I am at my heaviest. I need to lose 40lbs. I have been in the gym for the last few weeks. I am doing cardio and weights. It seems the longer I do this, the higher my weight goes.

    Also, I can't find a workout partner for the gym. It's hard to find someone near by with a similar schedule and goals.

    Any advice is welcome!

    Eastern NC

  • What part of eastern NC do you live in? I live Washington ... I to have a difficult time finding someone to workout with, or someone to have support me in this endeavor. I to need to lose no less than 40 pounds. I am at the heaviest I have ever been at in my life and not enjoying it at all. Hoping maybe we are close by...
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Honestly nobody cares what you are doing or how overweight you might be. They are interested in their own routines, but people in gyms tend to be supportive becayse they realise you are making an effort for self improvement. You arent in a race against anyone else except yourself to improve.

    Get some knowledge by understanding how weight loss works.

    Get weighing your food and logging at a deficit under control. Its 80% diet for weight loss.

    Get an undestanding about how exercise fits in and what the benefits are. If you dont know what to do then ask so that you have an effective program to help you towrads your goals. A mixture of cardio and resistance work 3+ times a week would be a good start.

    Its about consistent deficits. Tbh I prefer going to the gym on my own then im no feeling beholden to anyone and I have ultimate flexibility of when and for how long. In many instances another person cna make the experience last longer and I like to get in and out.
  • liltpot78
    liltpot78 Posts: 21 Member
    add me to list as well. I am trying to loose the baby weight from second child. I need to stay on track. I am halfway to my goal
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Have you done any research about what happens to your body biologically the first 4-6 weeks that you are working out? Do you understand why this happens and how?
  • HappierMe1023
    HappierMe1023 Posts: 14 Member
    I've been on MFP for a while but I have only just recently really started taking it seriously. I also started doing Weight Watchers online. I use WW with MFP to compare points to calories. Last week was my first week and it was hard but doable. Give yourself credit for asking questions, looking for support, and for being active in the gym.

    Here's my best advice from my own experience. I worked out with a trainer for about 4 months. I did strength training with him and did a day or two of cardio on my own. In those 4 months I did not lose weight. Unfortunately I fell into a trap of believing that I could eat more because of working out. I can't be certain but I strongly believe I overestimated what I was burning during my workout sessions. I was relaxed on my diet and here I am thinking that I wasted money those months of paying for a trainer.

    Being in the gym is a great start and if you have a routine going now and it's easier for you to make it part of your life each week it's a great start. I think it's really hard for most people to go from being sedentary and eating poorly to changing eating habits and being in the gym all at once. Our bodies get accustomed to things and changing up everything at once can be hard. You've got the gym part down and now it's time to really look at your eating habits.

    Lastly, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are going to weight train and you have gotten heavier it might be that. I would try putting on some clothing items that haven't fit well and see how they are fitting. If they are fitting better then you are getting smaller and don't worry about the number on the scale.

    Best of luck!
  • lacye7
    lacye7 Posts: 11 Member
    Thank y'all so much for the wonderful advice!!!! I am in Benson, NC.

    I have a strange work schedule that fluctuates and I'm in my car for the majority of my shift. This makes healthy eating a struggle. I'm trying to make up for the sitting all day by hitting the gym.

    I have gotten to the point that I like to go and I know I feel better after going. The mirror and the scale is still a bit of a struggle and can sometimes steal the wind from my sails.

    Reading your messages has put a smile on my face and hope in my heart! I can't thank y'all enough! With that said, I'm off to the gym!
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
    yoovie wrote: »
    Have you done any research about what happens to your body biologically the first 4-6 weeks that you are working out? Do you understand why this happens and how?

  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
    999tigger wrote: »
    Honestly nobody cares what you are doing or how overweight you might be. They are interested in their own routines, but people in gyms tend to be supportive becayse they realise you are making an effort for self improvement. You arent in a race against anyone else except yourself to improve.

    Get some knowledge by understanding how weight loss works.

    Get weighing your food and logging at a deficit under control. Its 80% diet for weight loss.

    Get an undestanding about how exercise fits in and what the benefits are. If you dont know what to do then ask so that you have an effective program to help you towrads your goals. A mixture of cardio and resistance work 3+ times a week would be a good start.

    Its about consistent deficits. Tbh I prefer going to the gym on my own then im no feeling beholden to anyone and I have ultimate flexibility of when and for how long. In many instances another person cna make the experience last longer and I like to get in and out.

  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
    ^^If you truly want answers to your problems, these are the kind of replies you need to pay special attention to.
  • ashleyadeline
    ashleyadeline Posts: 20 Member
    Hello there! I know this is really hard. Extremely hard. But as someone who was forty pounds overweight and am now in great shape, i promise you it will get better. You need to create a plan for yourself. Minimum three days a week with a mix of cardio and resistant training. If you do not have a plan, you will go to the gym, not know what to do, stand around looking at the equipment, and get discouraged.
    You also need to not so much focus on cutting calories but switching out unhealthy foods for better options. Instead of eating beef, eat lentils because they are lower in fat, high in protein, and full of fiber. bring vegetables with you everywhere you go. Each so many vegetables and fruit! Just keep eating them and you will become full and you will end up enjoying them (I promise).
    Go on the days you don't want to. When all you want to do is curl up under your sheets, you need to go to the gym. I can promise you that you WILL feel better.

    This is the most important part: do not exercise and eat healthy with the main intention of losing weight. Do it because you care about yourself enough to want to feel good, not only physically but emotionally as well. Do it because you want to gain more mobility and more strength. Do it because you don't want to end up a statistic with heart disease. Do it because it WILL make you feel better, enough if it's tough now. You can do it.
  • eeelizabeth2012
    eeelizabeth2012 Posts: 132 Member
    Are you on medications that could prevent weight loss? Are you sleeping? Are you stressed? Also I heard that weight loss is 80% diet. Could you be gaining some muscle and losing fat, causing weight to stay the same or go up? I am currently experiencing some weight gain and am unsure why too. Very frustrating.
  • candylarocque
    candylarocque Posts: 21 Member
    lacye7 wrote: »
    Thank you Kendall! I will add you as soon as the app allows me to. I just finished a gym session( I go as late as possible to avoid crowds). There were a few very fit people in there. I know it's likely just me, but I felt like they were making fun of me.

    I plan on a morning workout anyway. ;)

    Congrats on your success so far!!!

    Most fit ppl will go out of their way to help you. Don't judge hun...insecurity does a number on your mind. The fact that you're in the gym earns some respect...
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    Just remember, you can't out exercise a bad diet. I exercised all through the holidays, like 5 days a week. I also was on the cookie diet. Cookies for breakfast, cookies for lunch, and a sensible dinner. lol. I lost nothing.
  • ThinByThanksgiving
    ThinByThanksgiving Posts: 115 Member
    lacye7 wrote: »
    I have a strange work schedule that fluctuates and I'm in my car for the majority of my shift. This makes healthy eating a struggle. I'm trying to make up for the sitting all day by hitting the gym.

    I'm in the same boat. Drive a lot for my job. I try to plan ahead and pack a lunch. I bought a thermos to keep soups warm and an ice pack/lunchbox for most everything else. Plus, I bring lots of water!

    Feel free to add me. I'm 5'4" with about 80 lbs to lose.

  • lacye7 wrote: »
    I am at my heaviest. I need to lose 40lbs. I have been in the gym for the last few weeks. I am doing cardio and weights. It seems the longer I do this, the higher my weight goes.

    Also, I can't find a workout partner for the gym. It's hard to find someone near by with a similar schedule and goals.

    Any advice is welcome!

    Eastern NC

  • lacye7
    lacye7 Posts: 11 Member
    I'm not on any medications. I will avoid eating until I get home just to avoid the drive thru.

    My sleep pattern is wacky. My shift can change over night. I can be on days today and switch to nights tomorrow. I am a law enforcement officer. Sometimes I don't have time for a bathroom break much less a healthy meal.

    I'm trying my best to make changes to that and compensate on my off duty time.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    ^^If you truly want answers to your problems, these are the kind of replies you need to pay special attention to.

    thanks for trying, but Ive been banging my head against a brick wall here for too many years already. you only find what you're looking for, unfortunately :(
  • Endless_Journey
    Endless_Journey Posts: 135 Member
    So your journey has started, get a supportive friends list and you are half way there. It works I have lost 46kg. Good luck
  • coachRichie
    coachRichie Posts: 27 Member
    Consistency and hard work will prevail. It is great that you have started to go the gym and by doing both weight training and cardio workouts you will see results.. Just do not expect it to happen over night. Remember it took a long time to put on the weight and it should and will take a long time to take off the weight as well.
    Do not starve yourself.. make sure you are eating healthy meals throughout the day and snacking on healthy foods.
    As far as a gym partner goes.. meh.. not really necessary but I guess some people need someone to push them.
    I just find most people that workout together are usually doing more talking than working out.. I prefer to put on my headphones some really good motivating music and go to it. 1 hour at the gym for me and I am soaked with sweat compared to the ones that are there together working out and talking.. they never seem to break out in a sweat.
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