am i wasting my time here? i am 150 pounds overweight

alishaflanary2015
alishaflanary2015 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 10 in Getting Started
Help is greatly appreciated. How do I add friends and get a support group?
«1

Replies

  • ms_smartypants
    ms_smartypants Posts: 8,278 Member
    edited January 2015
    click on the person's avatar . It will take you to their profile and there is an add button
  • You are definitely NOT wasting your time. I am also 150lbs overweight. Knowing what you put in your mouth (macronutrients) and exercise help you to be 'mindful' of what your doing. Drop me a line if you need support. I will help!!!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Not wasting your time at all. I know people on here that have lost double of what you need to lose. Stick with MFP, weigh and log ALL your food and drink. Set a resonable calorie goal. Best of luck. You can add me if you like although I didn't have much to lose.
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    Hi. You can get great support here. Browse the message boards and if you find someone you think could be of help to you, click on their photo and send a friend request.
    I've made some awesome pals here who are active on the site and log in daily.
  • I was diagnosed with type2 diabetes and weighed in at 342 Last Nov 21st. Now with low carb diet and a little excersise I am already 312. It's a long journey but very cool to know others are on here looking for support and community!
  • krysmuree
    krysmuree Posts: 326 Member
    It's definitely not a waste; you'll find wonderful support here and plenty of sound advice. :)
  • bookwormliam
    bookwormliam Posts: 11 Member
    you are certainly not wasting your time. This is the place to be. Everyone here is in a similar situation. Yes, the weight loss goals are different, but generally, everyone here wants to be healthy. I've done a couple other of these sites, but this one is by far the most community focused and accepting and supportive. Feel free to add me as a friend if you like. I have to lose almost 130 lbs, so I know how you feel, and I too am a great cheerleader and will be as helpful as I can with anyone who needs support...
  • barlovo
    barlovo Posts: 151 Member
    Not wasting your time. No matter how much you want to lose, you can improve your health a lot by just starting with a goal or 10 or 20 pounds. Start there, and then take the next step. It can take while to get used to logging your food, don't get discouraged if you struggle to meet your calorie goals during the first couple weeks. Just know that you are learning and that it is part of the journey. Feel free to add me as a friend if you like.
  • NK1112
    NK1112 Posts: 781 Member
    Adding friends to your profile means that you and they will see one another's status updates on each other's home page. Any posts you put on your page will show on theirs, similar to how it does on any other social media.

    I don't like that approach, for myself, and do not add friends even though I have a support group on MFP. I do it by being a regular poster to the threads on the community page that resonate with me. I bookmark the thread (click the star next to the thread name) and it will show up in your bookmarks (the star at the top of the community pages) and new posts will show up under the bell at the top of the community page. That makes it very easy to go back to that same thread every time.

    The reason I do it this way is that I keep my home page as a diary for myself. Much easier to find the things that are meaningful to me as I go along this journey. It took a bit of changing my profile settings to get it the way I want it ... and I've slowly learned a lot about myself, my eating habits ... and made changes that have allowed me to lose about 40 pounds. I still have about 60 pounds to lose to get to my goal ... which will not be the perfect weight for me, but will be the place I want to be for now.

    Good luck.
  • No you're not wasting your time!! We are all here for the same reasons: to lose weight, get healthy, and to become more fit. However some of us have more to lose than others or want to lose more than others. But ideally, we're all here to support and encourage one another... good luck to on your journey.. add me if youo'd like. :)

    Angie
  • CinthyN
    CinthyN Posts: 64 Member
    Start slowly. Making drastic changes can be very overwhelming to the mind and body. For example, if you're drinking 8 glasses of soda a day, cut it down by half for a week. Then cut that by half again the week after. Go on until you cut it out completely. Soda is very bad for you anyway, so I won't even advise is as portion control item, but I leave that to you. Do the same thing for processed foods which you're currently consuming. Gradually make changes.

    After a month or two, once you have your diet preferences in check, start to include exercising. Walk 3-5x a week for minimum 30 minutes, then gradually increase duration. Continue with other forms of exercises i.e. cycling or running. I have very bad
    knees so I use stationery bikes and elliptical (which comes with a seat). Or I walk.

    One thing I also learnt in my journey is that not to be overwhelmed by how much you have to loose. Set up mini goals. For example, every 3 months to loose 20lbs. If you keep at it, you will eventually loose what you want in less than 2 years! Sorry my friend, you're not going to loose it over night. After all there is the saying "you did not go to sleep thin and wake up fat, so don't expect to go to bed fat and wake up thin" :)

    FInally make some friends here on MFP. Trust me, they are going to motivate you and keep you in check. I've had friends who would enquire about me when they don't see me logging in. Now that's the support you will need.

    I am not perfect, i've been using this tool for the past 4 years. I've dropped off the wagon 3 times but this 4th round, I'm actually seeing some progress.

    Don't give up even before you give it a chance.

    Sorry for the very long message, but I've been in your shoes, and I am sharing that it is not impossible!!

    All the best,
    Cinthy
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    Not at all. Remember to give support too.
  • totally not wasting time! you are worth it to work hard and lose the weight you want to lose to be happy and healthy. remember: you ARE worth it!!!! Please don't let anyone ever tell you any different!
  • bainsworth1a
    bainsworth1a Posts: 313 Member
    Definitely not a waste of time. BUT you get out of this what you put in to it. I still have a long way to go to get to my goal weight but I break things down into smaller increments like 5 lbs lost or breaking a zero am close to hitting my first 10% loss. Tracking everything I eat good and bad to the best of my ability has helped me the most. AND the great support from everyone on the site.
    Good luck and welcome aboard
  • SbetaK
    SbetaK Posts: 398 Member
    Stealing what bainsworth1a says above, you get out of this what you put into it. So yes, if you are just cruising the forums for fun, looking for magic fixes, wanting friends who can spell out your every move for you, and logging what you eat but not learning from it, then it IS a waste of time. BUT, if you log every day, pay attention to what you eat, learn to modify your diet to stay within your macros, learn the benefits of exercise and how it can fit into your daily logging, read through the forums and try things that may work for you, learn from other's experiences, and if wanted, accumulate a group of motivated, supportive friends with the same goals in mind, then NO, it is certainly worth it and NOT a waste of time. See first sentence again!
  • EricaAshley913
    EricaAshley913 Posts: 17 Member
    you are not wasting your time when you put the work into it. I just started getting serious using this and lost some weight, body I am more mindful of what i am putting into my body. the help is so vast and so great. I agree with everyone in saying if you want to lose it you will use this tool the proper way and keep going in your journey. You can add me as a friend, I'm still learning, but not giving up.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    SbetaK wrote: »
    Stealing what bainsworth1a says above, you get out of this what you put into it. So yes, if you are just cruising the forums for fun, looking for magic fixes, wanting friends who can spell out your every move for you, and logging what you eat but not learning from it, then it IS a waste of time. BUT, if you log every day, pay attention to what you eat, learn to modify your diet to stay within your macros, learn the benefits of exercise and how it can fit into your daily logging, read through the forums and try things that may work for you, learn from other's experiences, and if wanted, accumulate a group of motivated, supportive friends with the same goals in mind, then NO, it is certainly worth it and NOT a waste of time. See first sentence again!
    ^ This, well said @SbetaK‌. I could not have said it any better.
  • jklei169
    jklei169 Posts: 120 Member
    Help is greatly appreciated. How do I add friends and get a support group?

    This group is amazing for advice and support. Have no doubt that you have come to the right place to achieve a healthy weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
    As to whether or not you are wasting your time is up to you. Your decisions and actions will determine your level of success. We are here for support. I do wish you success and keep us posted on your progress.
  • the social benefits of having people like us to talk to is amazing, the world is cruel and unfair. sometimes it is nice to have some real support threw this with outher people that feels and struggles like you do. if you want a friend add me , im new here too
  • xMrBunglex
    xMrBunglex Posts: 1,121 Member
    Logging in, weighing in regularly, tracking everything, and joining the discussion are the only things that helped me lose the weight (237 lbs in July 07, 171 this morning.)

    Every single time I thought "I've got this, I don't need to track every handful of peanuts or every push up:...I have gained. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

    It freakin works.
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    Help is greatly appreciated. How do I add friends and get a support group?

    Think of where you would be if you started a year ago today!
  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
    How would joining MFP be wasting your time?? MILLIONS of people connect here, use the tools, and lose weight.

    The support here is amazing. Add some friends, log in DAILY, eat at a deficit, and you will lose weight.

    Put in the work (it's honestly not that hard) and you'll lose the weight. I'm almost halfway to my goal of 100 pounds in 4 short months.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member


    LOL +1 to this.
    Help is greatly appreciated. How do I add friends and get a support group?

    Think of where you would be if you started a year ago today!

  • wow, this really is the place to be. So motivating and inspirational. I am actually excited and happy about this now!
  • jklei169
    jklei169 Posts: 120 Member
    wow, this really is the place to be. So motivating and inspirational. I am actually excited and happy about this now!

    FANTASTIC!! Hope you crush your goals.
  • GingerbreadCandy
    GingerbreadCandy Posts: 403 Member
    Look at the motivation and support section. :smile: You should find plenty of inspiration there. :smile:
  • Archerychickge
    Archerychickge Posts: 606 Member
    You are DEFINITLY NOT wasting your time here. MFP works if you stick with it and are committed to it. You don't need crazy schemes, diets, gimmicks, or pills. Eat at a deficit and move more. I've lost over 80 pounds so far and I'm not stopping. Still losing weight and feeling GREAT!

    YOU CAN DO THIS!
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    No you are not wasting time at all. I have been on MFP since 3/12/12. I have lost over 160#, more than half my present body weight, and have been on maintenance for almost 15 months now. If I can do this, anyone without health problems can. I am 63 years old.
  • doomspark
    doomspark Posts: 228 Member
    Look at the motivation and support section. :smile: You should find plenty of inspiration there. :smile:

    And the Success Stories! I read them when I'm feeling depressed.

  • ChronicOptimist
    ChronicOptimist Posts: 558 Member
    No ma'am! I started with 160 to lose and I still have 100.4 to go, but remember - doing what's best for the one, single body you'll ever have is the most important thing you can do!

    My advice would be:

    (1) Don't try to do everything at once. Don't pledge that you're going to eat below your target AND make all your food at all AND no processed food AND work out 6 days a week AND only eat organic AND ... AND ... you get it. It's too much. Picking up one habit is hard enough, and picking up 10 is impossible. Start by doing your best every day to stay below your calorie target and log everything. Once that gets easy, you can add one more thing.

    (2) Forgive yourself and appreciate yourself RIGHT NOW. For me, I had the hardest time letting myself off the hook for my weight gain. I constantly was thinking "How could you let this happen" and "All this is your fault, look what you've done." You have to let it go. You have to love yourself right this minute, extra weight and all.

    (3) Make friends on the forums! I'm happy for you to add me if you like, I'm very active. I've had huge success participating in weight loss challenges that pop up from time to time and it's allowed MFP to be a fun, supportive place.

    (4) Breathe. The amount of time it takes to lose weight can be overwhelming but before you know it you'll start to see some amazing results. Remember - the time will pass no matter what you do. You might as well spend it doing something exceptional.

    You can do it!
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