New here and just started my weight loss journey over 300lbs

It is possible. You taken the first step. Don't give up

Hi Jennifer, I'm new to this site but not the struggle. Don't set your mind so much on the actual weight loss. Focus more on the plan, the meals, (the carbs and fat are more important than exact calories), start off with light exercise (Don't let ANYONE tell you different on the exercise), and most importantly... Keep telling yourself that this is not temporary! It's how you live now! You're going to be there for your children and your going to be happy. You'll start noticing little changes, and after the initial start, you'll feel better. It's not an assumption, and it's not a guess... It's science and numbers and while everybody's body is different, the "mechanics" of how things work are the same. Good things are coming your way! All the best to you and your family.

Hi Jennifer! First of all - you are going to do fantastic! And you're in a great place, because you will have so many people on here cheering you on and motivating you the whole way!

I do want to ask a personal question: are you currently seeing a therapist? I ask, because you mentioned you suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and recently attempted suicide.

As someone who also suffers from anxiety, depression and panic attacks (stemming from my O.C.D.), can attest to the extreme benefit of seeing a therapist - be it a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a licensed counselor. They can help you address underlying issues, which might even be attributing to some of the weight you are trying to lose. If you are not, I would urge you to seek one out. A healthy body needs a healthy mind to pair with.

Regarding the weight loss: just admitting there is a problem and facing it head on is a huge step. I think you will really enjoy MFP. I know I have been, and I feel inspired every day to improve myself. I peaked at 315 lbs. earlier this year, and I'm down to 295 lbs. as of my last weigh in. You are welcome to add me if you'd like someone to help motivate you, and who can relate with some of the struggles you are facing.

amaderax wrote: »

Hi Jennifer, I'm new to this site but not the struggle. Don't set your mind so much on the actual weight loss. Focus more on the plan, the meals, (the carbs and fat are more important than exact calories), start off with light exercise (Don't let ANYONE tell you different on the exercise), and most importantly... Keep telling yourself that this is not temporary! It's how you live now! You're going to be there for your children and your going to be happy. You'll start noticing little changes, and after the initial start, you'll feel better. It's not an assumption, and it's not a guess... It's science and numbers and while everybody's body is different, the "mechanics" of how things work are the same. Good things are coming your way! All the best to you and your family.

@amaderax Jennifer is trying to make a life change and lose weight here. This opinion that you gave is 100% backwards. I'm not trying to be rude but for a beginner in this I had to point it out so that she isn't getting incorrect information.

Rules 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and so on are to focus 100% solely on calories. More important, how many calories you consume vs. how many calories you burn. There is nothing else that is going to be more important for losing weight than counting calories. People lose weight on here with every possible combination of fat/carb/protein ratio. There is a man on here that has literally cured years of pain and suffering by going to like 95% of his calories from fat and has dropped an insane amount of weight. There are also people who do cuts with like 95% of calories from protein. There are many high carb low fat eaters. Macros are not going to matter until way way down your journey.

Go into your settings on MFP and set your weight loss to 2lbs a week. MFP is going to give you an amount of calories per day. Stick to it. I would highly recommend eating back a MAXIMUM of 50% of the exercise calories you earn on this site. They are grossly overrated and will hamper your weight loss if you eat back all of them. At the start I would recommend not eating any of them back, this will be debated but with a significant amount of body fat to lose your body will be fine with it for a while.

You literally don't need to change the types of food you are eating you just have to eat less of them. Make sure you record everything you put into your mouth. EVERYTHING, this means any oils or sprays for cooking, any mayo or ketchup, every spoon of sugar that goes into your tea. Everything needs to be recorded, and recorded accurately. Use measuring cups for liquids and a scale for solids. It wont take you long to realize that the healthier the food you eat, the more you get to eat.

If you are honest and weigh accurately without eating back too many exercise calories you will be blown away at how fast it all works. There will be times during the journey that feel like its moving really slow. Maybe a week or two where the scale slows or perhaps even rises a pound or two. Trust me when I say that it is normal.

If you manage to stick to the plan you will look back each and every month and be astonished as to how far you have come.

Luck? Hell, I'm going to be amazed at your cat-kicking awesomeness!


Visit this site. http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm There's good information there and no woo.

Hi Jennifer. I wish you all the best on your journey

You can totally do this! I was at 299 at the start of my journey. I'm at 266 as of today. And recently started working harder towards my goal. good luck