Howdy!

Well, here goes. My name is Sarah, and I'm 31. I began working out with a personal trainer about 8 months ago, and haven't had the best success. I have lost some weight, going from 232, to currently being at 214. I was down a little more, but slacking off recently I'd gained a few pounds back. I have only 8 sessions left with my trainer, and today I found myself thinking it seems pointless to even continue with him at this point. I know I've got to do something to get back on track and keep my motivated, so that's why I'm here.

I'm hoping this will be more practical than the food journal I've been supposed to keep. I really do want to make lifestyle changes. I don't want to think of it as being "on a diet". And I don't want to just set up some ideal number to shoot for. I just want to be healthy. So that's that.

Hi Sarah!

I have been on MFP for about 3 weeks now and I love it. You say you don't want to think of it as being on a "diet" and I think that too. That is one thing I like about MFP - it's not a diet because I can have anything I want. The thing is that it helps me count the cost of what I do have. If I want that turtle sundae from Culvers, I can, but it'll cost me 660 calories!

MFP has also helped me see the effect of what I eat with respect to fat and cholesterol in addition to other nutrients. You said you "just want to be healthy" & MFP can help you do that. You also said you didn't want to set up some ideal number to shoot for. That's OK, but you do have to keep track in order to know where you're going and how your food and exercise affects that.

I wish you the absolute best of luck in getting and being healthy. :-)

Well, here goes. My name is Sarah, and I'm 31. I began working out with a personal trainer about 8 months ago, and haven't had the best success. I have lost some weight, going from 232, to currently being at 214. I was down a little more, but slacking off recently I'd gained a few pounds back. I have only 8 sessions left with my trainer, and today I found myself thinking it seems pointless to even continue with him at this point. I know I've got to do something to get back on track and keep my motivated, so that's why I'm here.

I'm hoping this will be more practical than the food journal I've been supposed to keep. I really do want to make lifestyle changes. I don't want to think of it as being "on a diet". And I don't want to just set up some ideal number to shoot for. I just want to be healthy. So that's that.

How is your Food Intake? What kind of work is the trainer having you do?

We typically do a variety of resistance/weight training exercises, alternating between upper body and lower body at each session. Due to scheduling conflicts, we've only ever been able to schedule 2 sessions/week, and half the time I haven't even made it for both of those. I also haven't been very faithful with my cardio.

And my food intake has swung between fair and lousy...LOL. I know that ultimately my success is going to be up to me. I've gained enough information to know what I need to do...now I just need to find the motivation and discipline to actually DO IT. So I'm hoping myfitnesspal will be the tool that helps me with that.

you cannot out-train bad eating. I meant to include this in my earlier post. getting the nutrition part right is way more important than any training....as far as fat loss. training is still important for other things, such as your cardiovascular health. feel free to check out my profile. there's a lot on there, but one of the things are my weight loss guidelines. hopefully they help. you may also be interested in my will power blog below.

Hi, Sarah!

It's great that you got a good start with a personal trainer because your body has been primed for exercise.

You won't need to spend money on a personal trainer with MFP on your side if you are faithful about logging in every day and be honest with your food and exercise logs.

I still remember the day I joined: July 22, 2011. Since that day, I have shedded 26.5 pounds and feel so much better!

You have youth on your side, so you may see faster results. (I'm 57.)

Being truthful about your food is crucial. Don't forget to count your water intake - important - you want to FLUSH out that sugar and sodium. It's never too late to start watching those carbs!

My personal advice: I recommend that your food settings/catagories include SUGAR, CARBS, SODIUM. SUGAR: You're going to be in for a shock when you find out how much hidden sugars are in your foods. Same with SODIUM and CARBS. To counterattack SODIUM, make sure you don't short yourself on POTASSIUM. When you're SODIUM is on the high side, drink EXTRA WATER. If it's not H2O, don't count it as water. Don't waster your calories on fruit juice; it's not worth it and fruit juices are LOADED with SUGAR.

Earlier this month, I was tested for insulin resistance, which confirmed that I am prediabetic. This is a REVERSIBLE condition and I aim to beat this by leading a healthier lifestyle through exercise and proper nutrition. I am slowly learning about carbs; there are so many books available at my local library on the subject.

I promise you this: If you are faithful about logging in and updating your food and exercise logs as recommended, you will weigh less than 200 pounds by Christmas. The only obstacle will be your mindset. The holidays are fast approaching, so a battle plan must be set in motion, especially if you're a social butterfly!

Last but not least: You have got to WANT to do this. Success is not for the weak.

I love my MFP circle of friends. They provide hope, inspiration, encouragement and an abundance of positive energy!