Needing some words of encouragement..

No one here will judge you! We are all on our own journeys and have experienced many of the same feelings. Get on board with MFP and stick with it! Put in your stats and find out how many calories you can eat to be at a deficit. Remember, it takes time, patience, and persistence. It's a huge learning process, and don't beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon from time to time...WE ALL DO!! There are some very supportive people here. I suggest reading as many of the permanent posts in the forums in order to educate yourself on the process. You can do this. Remember, too, that the weight didn't go on in a few weeks or months, so it won't come off that quick either. Patience and persistence!!!

The concept is simple: Eat less, move more.
Start slow, so you don't hurt yourself, and cut your calorie intake.
Once you get started there will be bumps in the roads, but you just have to keep moving forward !

Hello, and welcome! I don't think you'll have to worry about being judged for your weight here. I've lost over 60 pounds, and I STILL weigh more than that!

Anyway, here's a personal story that you might find encouraging: Many, many years ago my wife and I struggled with infertility. Weight wasn't the primary issue, but it wasn't helping. We struggled for 5 years. One day, completely unrelated to this issue, we both decided to join a gym and start working out together. For weeks, then months, she and I sweated side-by-side on the treadmills and weight machines. For weeks, then months, she saw my weight begin to drop more and more, while hers held rock solid. She didn't go up or down by more than a pound or so! Everyone told her to not worry, and keep it up . . . women just lose slower than men. Then, after several months, we suddenly found out that she was 4 months pregnant! (And, because of the exercise, hadn't gained a single pound!!!) The exercise and fat loss wasn't the only thing going on, but it very likely had a positive impact. Everything helps.

You've made the important decision . . . to do something about your health.

Next step - start recording everything you eat. Everything. Don't worry about cutting for now; just record it. Once you SEE what you're eating, you will also SEE opportunities to improve. Also, I would greatly suggest an activity tracker of some sort. You can get a clip-on pedometer for very cheap (sometimes even FREE from a health clinic or similar place), or if you have a smart phone you can download a free app (assuming you carry the phone in your pocket), or you can spend hundreds of dollars on a Fitbit or Garmin. They all do pretty much the same thing - they will allow you to quantify your activity level. And once you SEE your activity level, you will also SEE opportunities to improve there.

The only trick to losing weight is CICO . . . calories in minus calories out. As long as your body is USING more calories than you are EATING, you're going to lose weight in the long run. It's that simple. Thermodynamics. You can get caught up in all the finer points later - protein vs carbs, sodium or no, etc - but for now, just count calories, both in and out.

If you can get your husband to do this all with you, it would make it a lot easier. Plus, you can add your loss numbers together and celebrate bigger numbers (as a couple, we have lost X pounds this month!!!)

One more thing . . . don't do like some people and set yourself a time-specific goal. Don't fret too much over how fast you lose weight. Just try to keep the needle going in the right direction.

Welcome, and good luck to you!

ToxicDollCandy wrote: »

Hi, my name Is Lacey. I weigh 221 pounds (please don't judge). I'm recently married and my husband and I would like to start a family, but I'm afraid my weight will make it hard for us to conceive. Any tips or suggestions is much appreciated.

Hi Lacey, congratulations on your new married life!

I started at 220 December 2014 so no judging here, and no one will judge you we all started some where on our own journey/adventure.

My advise is like the others have already said cut back calories and start slowly exercising. I started walking with Leslie Sansone 1 mile walk every other day. She has a lot of different walk types from beginners to advanced, they are nice because you can do them at home if you are shy about joining a gym with lots of other people around.

It is a learning process and you have to find what works best for you. One thing that really helped me in the beginning was to read some of the post at the top of the forums they have a lot of information. For me for motivation I enjoy reading the NSV posts and the "what no one ever told you about weight loss" post.

Good luck and all the best on your journey to a new family

Almost no one here will judge you. We've all been there. Some of us have been there several times... myself included.

The hardest part is getting started. Find active things that you enjoy. I hate running, but walking, swimming, and playing sports are fun, so I do those instead of just plain, boring, sweaty, gross running. Drink water instead of soda. Make healthy decisions as much as possible, but don't eliminate everything you enjoy. A piece of chocolate is good for you. An entire bag is not.

Think positive. Log everything. Seek encouragement and advice. Don't listen to the rude people.

ToxicDollCandy wrote: »

DaveAkeman wrote: »

Sorry . . . one more thing.

Don't wait.

Don't wait until you have the right workout clothes, or have gone shopping and bought the right vegetables, or have read the right articles, or have purchased the right equipment. Start NOW. Sit down NOW and write a list of everything you have eaten so far today.

It's not going to be any easier tomorrow than today.

Thank you. I loved your story! And I wish I could workout with my husband, but you see.. He had the opposite problem. He has trouble gaining weight. I have trouble keeping it off. When we first starting dating (July 21, 2014) I weighed 150 lbs. and he weighed 95 lbs. Today I'm at 221 and he is just now 126! I'm super happy that he's gaining weight (he says it's from all my good cooking lol) but I'm not happy that I'm still gaining. My family has history of a lot of weight related issues. Diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.. And I'm absolutely terrified of that!! The doctor has already told me that my blood pressure has been running higher than normal and they want me to keep an eye on it. One doctor even told me that I was "MORBIDLY OBESE"....

I think you and your husband should still do this together. Maybe you'll have different goals. You might even eat a bit differently. And maybe you'll be doing different exercises. But you can support each other. You walk, and your husband does pushups. Maybe you're not physically side-by-side when you do them, but at the end of the day you can support each other.

Hi Lacey! Don't give up trying. If you fall, get up and start again. I've been promising my doctor I would lose weight for the sake of my blood pressure being slightly elevated. He's just given up on me I think because he's put me on tablets. Now my motivation is to get off them again! I've lost (despite what my profile says), 10 pounds in the last three weeks, and it is largely due to signing in to MFP every day, being honest about what I am eating and keeping strict watch on my calorie intake. I only have another 120 pounds or so to lose! It isn't easy doing this on your own, but with everyone here rooting for you, you can do it. Just don't give up on yourself. Feel free to add me as a friend. All the best.