Where do I start?

brewer054
brewer054 Posts: 32 Member
edited November 2024 in Getting Started
I've always been a big girl, but the past two years I've really let myself go. 213 lbs, this is my heaviest weight and I'm so ashamed. I'm tired of eating bad, and tired of feeling bad. For goodness sakes, I'm only 24; my body shouldn't ache like someone in their 60's (no offense.)

I've gotten to the point that I only have yoga pants, leggings, and jeggings in my wardrobe. My body is a disgrace...

My list of where to start:

1.) Loath in self-pity
2.) Get a gym membership
3.) Put my big girl pants on (yes! They are big..and stretchy)
4.) Somehow become the person I really want to be.

Replies

  • _BrewingAZ_
    _BrewingAZ_ Posts: 252 Member
    edited December 2016
    Hey, stop it. Don't define who you are by your body. You can be the person you want to be in the body you're now. As for improving your health and fitness, you have to start somewhere so start here. This can be a great place for people to get into shape and lose weight. Chin up and smile :) You can do this. And remember, while you may hate where your body is at right now, just know that someone started off in a worse spot than you and have successfully accomplished their goals. You can and will do it! Just keep plugging away.

    Feel free to add me as a friend here if you'd like!
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,196 Member
    Enter your stats into mfp with a reasonable goal. Eat at the calorie level mfp gives you. If you exercise log it and eat back at least 50% of the exercise calories it gives you. After 4 weeks reevaluate and if you are losing faster than your goal then you can eat back more exercise calories. If slower eat back less. You do not have to exercise to lose weight, just eat at the goal mfp gives you. But if you are more active then you will be able to eat more in order to fuel your activity. Eat foods that you like that will keep you full and stay at your goal. You will figure out as you go which foods keep you full longer. Be patient. A good rate of loss is 2 pounds per week if obese, 1 pound if overweight and when you only have 10-20 pounds you should aim for .5 per week. You can do it. You don't have to give up any foods you love. You may have to eat smaller amounts of them. And if you have foods that you can't moderate you may need to not keep them in the house and only by single serving sizes. But if you are too restrictive then you are more likely to give up. You don't have to do any crazy amounts of exercise. I started with walking then added in yoga and now I also run 3 days a week. Good luck!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    CICO + Exercise. MFP makes it easy. You can do this. Be accountable to yourself and log everything you eat and drink and you'll be fine if you follow the set calorie goals. You're young, your body will bounce back, so it's good you're getting started now. Just remember this takes time a dedication, don't get in a big hurry, cut your calories too low and fail and binge. Start at a 1lb a week loss, then eat back half your exercise calories. See where that gets you after a couple of months. Should average you out at around 1lb per week loss or a tad more.
  • TreyTnt9
    TreyTnt9 Posts: 104 Member
    edited December 2016
    Just start at the very beginning.
    A very good place to start.
    When you read, you begin with--
    A - B- C
    To lose weight, you begin with MFP
    MFP
    The first three letters just happen to be
    MFP

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    Read the posts linked here http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest
  • LegacyLion
    LegacyLion Posts: 25 Member
    You seem to have it down. Just remember that in the beginning is a lot of trial and error. You gotta see what works for you. You might go your 1st week without losing weight and it might get you down or a lot of other possibilities are possible. Just remember to keep going even after disappointment. Learn from it. Good luck!
  • zorander6
    zorander6 Posts: 2,713 Member
    1. Enter your stats: Be honest
    2. Set a reasonable starting goal (I'd suggest 1 pound per week maximum, half pound may work better)
    3. Log everything and weigh your foods
    4. Log that too
    5. There is no step 5
    6. Profit
  • brewer054
    brewer054 Posts: 32 Member
    Thanks, guys! I've logged my food for the day so far... One day at a time! :smiley:
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    You've got this - hang on to that determination! What everybody else said, but also, don't cut out any food groups that you love to eat. That was my downfall every time...thinking that THIS time it will be different. It never was until I stopped with the quick fixes. Take your time! You'll get there. Finally, there's nothing wrong with a great pair of jeggings - I have two.
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    Welcome!
    Lots of great advice.
    Don't be so darn on you... you are still healthy and alive and you can choose to make changes from here on out!

    Do you Like the gym? then you can get a membership and go if you know it will fit in your schedule. Not sure?
    Start with the food and all the wonderful information you can get here.
    Plenty of workouts you can do at home!
    Walking
    Etc.
    One step at a time!!!!

    Also.. write down your bigger reasons. why you want it, (not to hurt) what does that mean? (feeling free) how else does it feel? (more cute clothes... or whatever it means to you) etc. Because there WILL be days you will not feel like it worth it. Have those reasons to remember that this is a journey and a life, not a quick fix! things will go up and down a bit. keep consistent and you will WIN
  • brewer054
    brewer054 Posts: 32 Member
    leajas1 wrote: »
    You've got this - hang on to that determination! What everybody else said, but also, don't cut out any food groups that you love to eat. That was my downfall every time...thinking that THIS time it will be different. It never was until I stopped with the quick fixes. Take your time! You'll get there. Finally, there's nothing wrong with a great pair of jeggings - I have two.

    Wait you have a favorite food? All food is not your favorite??? I love it ALLLL!!!
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    brewer054 wrote: »
    leajas1 wrote: »
    You've got this - hang on to that determination! What everybody else said, but also, don't cut out any food groups that you love to eat. That was my downfall every time...thinking that THIS time it will be different. It never was until I stopped with the quick fixes. Take your time! You'll get there. Finally, there's nothing wrong with a great pair of jeggings - I have two.

    Wait you have a favorite food? All food is not your favorite??? I love it ALLLL!!!

    Then eat it all...just not AAAAAALLLLLLLL of it! Yeah, pizza and burgers...they take some planning but I fit them in. Desserts are an every day must for me if I don't want to feel deprived.
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Check out Skinnytaste.com (and I have both of her cookbooks). I've never tried one of her recipes and not liked it.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I've been there; my heaviest weight was 215 lb. There's no reason to be ashamed, and your body isn't disgraceful no matter what you weigh. It's just got some extra fat on it, and you'd like it to have less fat.

    For me, the most important things have been patience and consistency. Measure and log everything, even if it's one bite. Most people find that they eat the same set of foods repeatedly, and once you're used to logging your usual foods, it gets easier. I usually pre-log: I plan out my meals and snacks for the day so that I know I'll stay in my calorie budget. If I eat something I didn't plan to eat, I adjust accordingly. I haven't stopped eating foods that I wanted to eat; I just budget my calories for them and eat smaller portions.

    I also started exercising when I started tracking. You don't have to exercise, but it helps. It was just important for me to build an exercise routine as a logging routine. I started running with Couch to 5k, and recently I've added a strength class. I wish I had started strength training sooner.

    The weight might come off pretty quickly at first, and then slow down. That's what the patience is for. You didn't gain the weight all at once, and you won't lose it all at once.
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
    Just one day at a time.

    I got to 214 this year at 5'5 and only 26. I was 211 at the end of October when I started weighing myself regularly and logging my food. I'm 197 now. Just slow and steady. Slow and steady.
  • brewer054
    brewer054 Posts: 32 Member
    leajas1 wrote: »
    brewer054 wrote: »
    leajas1 wrote: »
    You've got this - hang on to that determination! What everybody else said, but also, don't cut out any food groups that you love to eat. That was my downfall every time...thinking that THIS time it will be different. It never was until I stopped with the quick fixes. Take your time! You'll get there. Finally, there's nothing wrong with a great pair of jeggings - I have two.

    Wait you have a favorite food? All food is not your favorite??? I love it ALLLL!!!

    Then eat it all...just not AAAAAALLLLLLLL of it! Yeah, pizza and burgers...they take some planning but I fit them in. Desserts are an every day must for me if I don't want to feel deprived.

    Luckily I'm not one to binge on sweets (maybe a piece of candy here and there, but nothing dramatic.) However throw a pizza in front of me, and you better keep your fingers away or they might be an extra topping! lol.
  • brewer054
    brewer054 Posts: 32 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    I've been there; my heaviest weight was 215 lb. There's no reason to be ashamed, and your body isn't disgraceful no matter what you weigh. It's just got some extra fat on it, and you'd like it to have less fat.

    For me, the most important things have been patience and consistency. Measure and log everything, even if it's one bite. Most people find that they eat the same set of foods repeatedly, and once you're used to logging your usual foods, it gets easier. I usually pre-log: I plan out my meals and snacks for the day so that I know I'll stay in my calorie budget. If I eat something I didn't plan to eat, I adjust accordingly. I haven't stopped eating foods that I wanted to eat; I just budget my calories for them and eat smaller portions.

    I also started exercising when I started tracking. You don't have to exercise, but it helps. It was just important for me to build an exercise routine as a logging routine. I started running with Couch to 5k, and recently I've added a strength class. I wish I had started strength training sooner.

    The weight might come off pretty quickly at first, and then slow down. That's what the patience is for. You didn't gain the weight all at once, and you won't lose it all at once.

    Wouldn't it be nice if it all came off at once though! :smile:
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