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Mrs_Roscoe
Mrs_Roscoe Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all!

I'm Kelly, 31 and a fatty! I've not always been fat, but since having my children my weight has rocketed and despite losing weight for my wedding in 2008 (with the help of slimming pills) I've tried most diets with very little success. My main issues are: time - being a full time teacher and mummy means getting home and then exercising just doesn't happen, I'm exhausted and planning for my next day as well as sorting out the children. Food - I love it, I love the sensation of being full, I love the endorphins you get from eating a food you love the taste of. I hate to feel down or tired and find that diets tend to make me feel that way. Take-aways - far too easy option, I'm not a good cook so preparing food on say a Sunday doesn't tend to work as I am limited on what I can prepare!

As you can see I need help! I'm ready to be me again, nothing drastic, but being able to walk into any shop and pick up a 14 and know it fits......I'd be more than happy with that :)

Replies

  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    welcome to the site, i hope that you will learn a lot from here, and pick and chose what works best for you. remember, no two ppl are alike, and what works for me, might not work for you.

    that being said, i think you should up your calorie intake if its too low. on the home screen, go to goals->change goals->guided, continue->and scroll to the bottom where it says "what is your goal?" you should really put it at 1lb per week, especially if you are new to this. ease into it, and you will be less likely to fail and go over your calories.

    remember, you are already at a calorie deficit, so you should be coming as close as possible to the number MFP gives you. plus or minus 100 calories is not a big deal.

    portion control was personally my biggest hurdle. you should defintely pay attention to serving sizes. start serving your food with measuring cups, measure your drinks, and weigh your food too. buy yourself a nice food scale, which go for about $20, and get into the habit of using. pre-log all your foods too, before you eat them. when i first started, i entered everything the night before for the next day, and really had to be disciplined to control my appitite. after a while, i realized i was hungry, but i just wanted to pig out. when i started to tell the difference, things got easier.

    when i moved out, my mom got me this cook book. http://www.amazon.com/Best-Slow-Easy-Recipes-Flavor-Packed/dp/1933615249 the recipies are surprisingly easy and in large portions, so it makes it easy to cook some meals up on the weekend and save them for the week.
  • PreacherRam
    PreacherRam Posts: 33
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    MFP has really helped me to lose my weight. I am now conscious of the calories that I eat because I track them. I think that doing that is what is helping me to lose. I have lost 45 pounds so far.

    Don't be discouraged. You did not get to your weight overnight. It will take some time to get to your goal. If you stick with calorie count that MFP has, you will be successful.
  • melbajane
    melbajane Posts: 5
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    Awesome!!! Welcome!!!! I'm abig ole fatty too, so you fit right in with me. I may not be a teacher, or have a job at all, but I am a stay at home mom of a 2 and 3 year old so time is not easy for me to come by either. I agree with engineman about the writing it all out before your meals so you can keep better track and just stick to what you wrote. Go ahead and add me as a friend if you wanna!!!!

    Mel
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
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    Dear Mrs. Roscoe, thank you for teaching those kids! By this you care for them, their education & I'm sure you do your best with this. Now is the time to care for yourself & do the best for you.

    I identify with every word you wrote about enjoying food & using it to satisfy your needs, believe me.

    Best of luck to you on being he best YOU! You deserve
    all that life has to offer!
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    ok, i was going to bite my tounge because the OP is a newbie, but melbajane, what is up with the self degredation? calling ourselves "fatties" isn't motivating at all. you need to be positive, and not use terms like that. i don't care if its humorous or whatever. that is just so unmotivating.
  • doogerbeck
    doogerbeck Posts: 3 Member
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    First off I think "Pleasantly Plump" sounds so much better than "a Fatty." I am not a mom and I am much older than you, there I said it, I am a 51 year old male that is pleasantly plump. I too enjoy the experience of eating great food and feeling sufficiently fed at the end of each meal. None-the-less, I come from a family that carries excess weight and losing it seems to take an "act of congress". I used to use with great success a program called "Diet Balancer" but over the years it's various owners killed it in a slow death. I was left adrift for a number of years until a friend recommended MFP. It was like finding an old friend.

    the tools that this application provides can make you very successful with some effort on your part. (I sound like an advertisement). The take-a-ways I have learned over the years is that you should enjoy eating your favorite food but also seek pleasure in walking by one of them and NOT eating it. It is hard but remember, you are doing this for you and your kids (that is my biggest motivation, as I want to be alive and healthy when they grow up, they are 9 & 11 years old).

    I struggle through plateaus about every 8 pounds lost and they can last weeks but this program, as long as you use it, helps keep the focus on your ultimate goals.

    Hang in there and have a low-calorie, delightful holiday season. We are all in it together.... Douglas
  • Mrs_Roscoe
    Mrs_Roscoe Posts: 2
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    Thank you all for your replies - your advice is giving me a great starting point for my new life phase.

    Engineman - my use of the term 'fatty' is not self degrading....its reality. I have to face up to the reality that I am fat in order to do something about it. Like any addiction, admitting it is the first step and I admit I am fat and I am addicted to food. MFP has been recommended to me to help overcome that addiction, to grab a new addiction - being healthy - and I am hoping that some time down the line I can say 'Hi I'm Kelly, 31 and HEALTHY' :)

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