I'm 5'3 and 210 lbs need tips and motivation

Hello and welcome to MFP! Our stats are very similar. I'm also 5'3". I started my "journey" at 205 lbs. My goal is also 135 lbs. I exercise sporadically at best and I've lost almost 40 lbs.

Unfortunately, I can't do much for you in the way of motivation. That has to come from you. But frankly, I think it's over-rated. Motivation waxes and wanes. Even people who have made it to goal and are successfully maintaining feel their motivation flag from time to time. What gets you through then is determination. Sometimes you just have to hold on and white-knuckle it for a while.

Have you started logging your food? That's very important, logging faithfully and being 100% honest with it, no matter how ugly it gets, LOL. Weigh your food on a digital foods scale. Measure liquids in measuring cups. It can seem daunting at first, but soon it will be second nature. I find it helpful to pre-plan my day. Every morning I figure out what I want to eat that day--all my meals and snacks--and put it right into my food diary. Then I just eat what I logged.

Get started! What do you have to lose, besides extra weight? Good luck!

I also find reading the threads and participating helps.
Also, accept that it will take some time. Believe in the numbers! (ie count all of your calories - weigh, measure and track!)

Just don't get overwhelmed. Start off slow just by counting calories. Once you see the scale moving in your favor you will find the motivation to add a little exercise. Then you will wonder why you didn't do this for yourself earlier. Good luck and have fun.

I'm 5'2, started at 224 lbs. down 66 at this point, with a goal of 137.

Weigh all your food, measure liquids only
Take baby steps- work on improving one thing at a time so you don't get frustrated/overwhelmed
Realize there is no magic to losing weight. Eat at a deficit and the losses will happen.
Don't give up after a bad day or bad week, jump back at it and keep going.

Above all, be patient, the weight will come off, just not overnight.

Good luck!

I'm 5'2" started at 248, now 146.4. Great advice given so far - weigh all solid food, measure liquids. Preplan in the diary - I do it for the day, some people do days or a week at a time. Drink lots of water. Make small changes you can live with for the long run. Don't try to be perfect. And as crazy as they can get, read the forums. There are lots of educated and friendly people here with great information, links and help. I think me learning the whys of what I'm supposed to do have made this a success.

First you REALLY have to commit to it. Then start with small steps. And even if that means just walking. As you progress, you add more physically challenging things to your regimen that you enjoy. It always takes time to do this though and don't have expectations that in a few months, your goal will be reached. It may take a year or more. But CONSISTENCY will help to keep you on the path.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I have found that tracking things has helped so much. I used to have a lot of calorific drinks which I didn't even realise we're that bad. Tracking everything has made me realise where I was going so wrong all the time.

Hi Lilmomie,

I would recommend starting with something I call the "golden trifecta" - I posted the idea below from an article I wrote:

In February, I spoke with a friend who told me he was so overwhelmed wondering what health changes he should make.

He was so overwhelmed with all the stuff he could do, that he did what most of us do when we get confused and overwhelmed – nothing.

(I actually later found on he took some diet pills… so after I pimp slapped him, we had a heart to heart about where to begin).

Despite the overwhelm, there are three habits in three different categories I think everyone should cultivate – and if you just spend a few minutes each day on these, I guarantee you’ll see amazing results.

Introducing The 3 Daily Habits of “The Golden Trifecta”


A Look At The “Golden Trifecta” In Action – Easy Results Even If You’re Overwhelmed

Consider the following: When researchers typically want to figure out what’s most effective for diabetes or weight loss, they’ve often found a few common trends.

- Changing nutrition (DuH!!!!) – For example, check out the article here on reversing diabetes naturally. The researchers found that changing nutrition alone dramatically prevented and potentially reversed diabetes.

- Exercise (DUH!!!) – For example, check out my video on the 5 psychological habits of people that successfully maintain weight loss. Exercise is present in 90% of the maintainers.

- Some kind of accountability – Another video I shot on “actually achieving new year’s goals” found that just by reminding people with a five minute call every two weeks it DRAMATICALLY boosted their ability to be successful at achieving goals.

These three principles I call the “golden trifecta” because I guarantee that if you pick one tiny habit in every one of these, you’ll see dramatic changes in your health and your body.

They aren’t magical at all, but they produce a 1 + 1 = 3 synergistic effect.

In other words, even if you pick a TINY habit in each one of these spheres, the very act of combining all three results in something incredible.

So If You’re Ridiculously Overwhelmed… Here Are 3 Proven Habits (That Get You Results)

the golden trifecta - what to do when you don't know what to do to lose weight

Here’s a super simple golden trifecta:

Nutritional habit – have 30g protein with each meal.

Why protein?

It helps stabilize your blood sugar, keeps cravings at bay, and even if you’re eating out you can find a way to eat 30g of protein.

If you go out to a place for lunch, they can add extra chicken for you.

Or you can get fish (like salmon) that’s already insanely high in protein and good fats. In other words, it’s easy to do pretty much no matter where you eat.

Exercise habit – walk 10 minutes per day.

First… walking is awesome because anyone can do it, unless you’re in a wheelchair.

Second, anyone can do it anywhere.

And anyone can do it pretty much any time of the day, whether you’re in a big city or on a tropical beach.

It’s also easy. It doesn’t psychologically feel like you’re going to do a grueling p90x workout. It’s so much easier than that so it’s much harder to talk yourself out of.

“I’m just going for a brisk walk.”

Accountability habit – do a nightly 60 second review.

What did you do today to get one step closer to the health and the body you want? Write down what you did today.

Just by doing that, you are going to force yourself to think about what you actually did.

And subconsciously, you are going to prime yourself with a “health consciousness” – where you’ll make more smart health choices without ever thinking about it.

That’s the magical “homer simpson effect.” Once you subconsciously become more aware of health, you find yourself showing up at the coffee shop and magically avoiding the muffin without realizing why or how.

It’ll also remind you of any mistakes you made, e.g. if you didn’t take your walk because you were too tired in the morning.

It also might remind you that the morning is a terrible (or a great) time to do whatever habit you set for yourself.

All three of these habits produce almost miraculous results when they’re done consistently, and they’re easy.

Your Tiny Habit For Today

So if you’re looking for something to really kickstart your health and weight loss, either follow this golden trifecta or come up with one of your own.

– Alex