Weight loss tips

Hello, and welcome!

I'm sorry you're struggling and not currently feeling like your best self. Committing to change is a good step toward better health and well-being, plus taking action can be self-empowering.

Speaking as a long-term vegetarian - 50+ years now - I have to say I'm concerned about the anemia, since iron is one of the nutrients that can require a bit more attention to get enough when eating more plant-based.

I'm assuming you have reasons other than weight loss or health for becoming vegetarian? I was thin when I became vegetarian, then gradually progressed to overweight and obese, all while still vegetarian, then got slim again, also vegetarian. It isn't really a guarantee of weight loss, nor is it IMO necessarily healthier: I had a bunch of pretty dire health conditions while vegetarian, too, but those have pretty much resolved with the weight loss.

It's certainly possible to be healthy as a vegetarian, and there are plenty of good reasons to be vegetarian - obviously I must think that, right? 😉 - but it does make getting good nutrition a little more complicated. Protein needs focus, of course, but also things like iron, calcium, B-12 and more can be more challenging, too.

Weight loss is directly triggered by calorie level. The implication is that it can be accomplished entirely on the eating side of the equation, so if exercise is currently not very viable, that's not necessarily a deal-breaker.

In my experience, MFP can be a help in improving health and fitness through weight management and improved nutrition. I lost around 50 pounds, and have maintained a healthy weight for 9+ years since, with its help.

My biggest tip is always going to be to make the easiest-to-follow possible plan that gradually takes a person toward their goals, rather than attempting an intense, restrictive plan that requires large amounts of willpower, motivation, or discipline to follow. Change can be powerful, but life is complicated enough already, without making it unnecessarily much more complicated than it truly needs to be in order to reach our goals.

I'm cheering for you to succeed, because I want everyone to have the quality of life improvements that come with success. Best wishes!

Girl, I feel you! I also crested 200 for the first time EVER, including pregnancies. You can make important changes by May, but the results are not going to be huge in that time frame. But please take the step and look beyond vacation. Set some reasonable goals and allow yourself grace from time to time. Nobody will be perfect, but we can all be better than we were. Best of luck!

I agree with @tomcustombuilder, enjoy your vacation. You didn't gain the weight you have now in four weeks, you cannot expect to lose it in four weeks.

Losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle are long term journeys. Be kind to yourself and don't stress about it. I suggest making small sustainable changes one at a time and only adding another change once the first change is your new normal.

To lose weight, you need to be at a caloric deficit. Caloric deficit's are created by eating few calories than we burn.
Exercise is for maintaining and building muscle.
Only a small portion of weight loss is attributed to exercise.

Check out this video for some additional guidance. My honest advice to someone struggling to lose fat