Hi I'm new to myfitnesspal.

I am new too. I am trying to stay involved with the community here to keep myself motivated. I wish you the best!

Welcome! And remember you didn't gain weight in one day - set small goals like walk 10 minutes next time! There are so many here in the same boat you can find what you need to help keep you motivated.

Welcome...this is a great place for motivation and support. It is great to keep track and see in writing what you have actually done for each day. Any little step you make in exercise will lead to more tomorrow. If you over eat one day...just start fresh the next. It isn't easy and it takes time...you didn't put it on over night...so it takes time to get it off...but it does come off ! :flowerforyou: wishing you each the best for your new journey.

I'm 1.5 weeks into this. I know how important it is to exercise, but sometimes I just don't have time, or motivation. I am also 40 but a single mom w 2 little kids(3 + 6). I'm might be completely wrong here, but I feel that if I stick to the calories alotted to me- then I'm still improving. If I get a chance to actually exercise- great. If I get a chance to walk around the block once- it's still something. If I do nothing and stick to my calories- fine. It's all better than what I was doing before, and I will get healthier and thinner. Just remember- exercise is much easier when you are thinner- without the extra stress on your knees- on your lungs. I have to lose 70 lbs to be in my target healthy zone for my height. Not to be thin- just in the range of healthy. That is the same as trying to exercise while strapping BOTH of my kids to my hips at my target weight. Exhausting. Don't be too hard on yourself- take small steps and small victories as they come. If you only limit your calories- it is still inevitable that the victories will come. Exercise makes it happen faster- and a walk around the block does count... You can also do some little things to trick yourself into getting some more- park at the back of the lot at the market- go up and down the steps twice every time you need to go upstairs, etc. Good luck!

HI!

Fitness is extremely important but a fitness program can be really tough on your joints, tendons and ligaments if you aren't used to high levels of exercise. You can do an amazing amount of stuff in a pool before doing out-of-pool programs. You can build muscle strength and stretch and improve ligament and joint mobility so that when you are in gravity you have the strength and support that you need to stay safe.

I wish you luck and injury-free success!!

I started yesterday and was discouraged by last night. So I thought I would introduce myself today. I am 40 years old, married and have 2 teenagers (16 & 17). Over the last 20 years my weight has gone up and down but now I am at an all time high of 268 and must do something. I did ok with the food yesterday but when I tried to exercise last night I only made it 6 minutes into the Walk A Mile DVD and thought my shins would break if I didn't stop. I did alright with the Tony Little Abs video and made it to intermediate on all the different crunches. I really want this to work so I am going to keep with it.

when I started the Leslie Sansone's walk videos I felt the same way. It takes time dear. It took me a week or a little longer to be able to do mile 1. Each day I did what I could, pushed a little farther then the day before.My shins and calves hurt so bad I thought I could never do it. In about a months time, I am now able to do mile 1 and mile to without a break. Please don't give up. When we come from the places that we do, it takes time for our bodies to get used to the change in activity. You can do it. Keep doing what you can.