Uneducated in being fit :(

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TheRatorGade
TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
in Introduce Yourself
hello! My name is HolliBeth. I'm 40 years old. I weight 240 pounds. I have a 19 year old daughter that weight over 300. I know NOTHING about being healthy or dieting. But after hearing my daughter tell me she wants to kill herself because she is tired of guys not loving her because she was fat, I've decided it was time to attempt to learn to change our lifestyle. It has been four weeks now, and we both went from being complete couch potatoes, to now walking 2.5-4 miles a day~ depending on how far I can push her that day. ANY nutrition advice would be EXTREMELY appreciated. And anyone that would like to be my friend on here to help keep me motivated on days when work was long, my feet are sore, and I just don't feel like walking the 2.5 miles would be a HUGE blessing! I NEED tons of cheerleaders helping me along my journey to a healthier lifestyle.

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  • Sorova
    Sorova Posts: 101 Member
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    Hey HolliBeth. Welcome and congratulations to both you and your daughter for getting started! When I first started a few years ago, I knew nothing about fitness or health. It took a while, but I learned a lot about nutrition and changed the way I eat. I started at 265 pounds and dropped down to 175 in about a year, by logging my food, eating healthier, and a lot of walking. As I lost weight, exercising got easier, so I tried new things: now I do fun stuff I never thought I could, like rock climbing and biking.

    My biggest pieces of advice:
    1. Don't look for a quick fix, and avoid fads and hype. Any diet built around a magic food or a special program is just a gimmick. You know what works? The boring old fashioned approach: eat more fruits and veggies and home-cooked food. Count calories. Limit junk food. Go for walks. That's all it takes.
    2. Have realistic expectations and be patient. It'll take time. Setbacks will happen. Be mentally prepared for the long haul. Understand that even when you reach target weight, you're not done. Maintenance takes work.
    3. Educate yourself about nutrition from reputable sources. Ignore people who are trying to get you to buy anything or join their bizarre diet cult. This comprehensive guide, posted on another forum, is one of the best intros to sensible weight loss I have seen for beginners: http://www.caloriecount.com/forums/weight-loss/new-improved-calorie-count-diet (That website's calorie counting tools are not as good as MFP, in my opinion, but the guy who wrote that guide is worth listening to)
    4. Learn more about yourself. Understand that the hardest part of weight loss is the mental/emotional aspect. Many many people start out well but then end up getting sidetracked after they have a bad week or a bad month. They lose motivation, they feel ashamed and they disappear. A year later they show up to try again, weighing even more than the last time they started. If you want to avoid falling into that trap, you need to understand yourself, and expect those mental challenges, and know how to deal with them. Every person I know on this site who has had drastic success has achieved it because they were able to weather the inevitable ups and downs without giving up.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Hi HolliBeth. Great job getting moving, and I'm so happy to see how you and your daughter are supporting each other.

    Remember, weight loss comes down to calories. So if there are some days your are tired from walking or need a little break, it's okay. The main thing is you need to eat less calories than you burn, and you will lose weight. Nutrition is another thing, and it can take a little time to learn about it and find the best macro ratios for yourself.

    First step, eat the calories MFP gives you. Keep moving. Get a food scale and weigh your food to be sure of your portions, and use the proper food entries.

    Good luck!

    Don't forget to take a look through the Success forum, you'll see people who have literally lost 100s of pounds by using this app and calorie counting.
  • rsmontgomery63
    rsmontgomery63 Posts: 1 Member
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    WAY TO GO!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! I believe in you. Don't give up. On days when you are tired know you have a friend who is praying for you and your daughter. Baby steps. Remember you did not get to this point in one day. It is going to take time to get to where you want to be. The goal is to keep moving. :) You 2 are awesome! Need a friend to talk to... you got it.
  • TheRatorGade
    TheRatorGade Posts: 18 Member
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    I know literally nothing about reading labels, knowing what carbs are, knowing what foods have protein, nor what is healthy...... I just know the first day we started, I was embarrassed because all we could handle was walking the parking lot~ and here it is~ four weeks later, and the minimum dont go to the water door walk is 2.5 miles a day. Trust me~ we will never give up~ she is worth it to me, and I intend on learning enough to help the two of us..... Thanks for your help, prayers, and encouragement ahead. :)

  • lalasmiles1
    lalasmiles1 Posts: 9 Member
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    I have hit :'( altime high of 312 lbs n Iam really sad about this. I always been plus but now it like way toooo much my goal is 100 gran total for now then work more. But I want to get out of these 300 first. Need motivational friends who are also trying or have been here. Add me please Iam also on under armor record tracking app add me.
  • rodneytracy
    rodneytracy Posts: 182 Member
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    You can do this. You can add me if you like

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