Scary but necessary

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  • Ephena
    Ephena Posts: 615 Member
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    Welcome to MFP. Best of luck with your journey, feel free to send me a friend request and I will do my best to offer support and encouragement.

    A few things to keep in mind to help you succeed....

    1. This isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle change.

    2. Forbid yourself nothing, it will make you binge.

    3. To make this lifestyle stick you have to admit and accept your weaknesses. Then work on overcoming them.

    4. Calorie counting isn't always easy but MFP does a great job at helping and you can learn how so much about what you eat and how you feel afterward. What keeps you full the longest (lean protein and fiber), what won't stay with you and will make you have junk cravings (processed sugars, starches).

    5. Plan to allow for some special treats not as a reward for doing good but as a small indulgence. Many people on here work to plan out these indulgences to make as much room in their calorie allowance as possible so that they don't halt progress.

    6. You will fall off the wagon, everybody does. The trick is not the throw in the towel (sorry for all the expressions), but get right back up and stick with it. Don't bail on the rest of your day much less week, just accept the slip and put some extra veggies on your plate at your next meal.

    7. Log everything you eat and drink, EVERYTHING!!! Even the bad stuff, otherwise you will never learn how to manage your eating habits.

    8. One step at a time. Exercise is a very important part of being healthy but your can't dive into it recklessly or you will injure yourself. Start slow and see what you can do right now, then work your way up in intensity and duration.

    9. When you have a question or concern, ask somebody. A doctor, a nutritionist, a personal trainer, or the forum on here.
  • AMIS456
    AMIS456 Posts: 34 Member
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    Good for you for making the choice to get healthy.

    Just remember when you cave in (cause it will happen) not to let that derail all of your efforts. If you go out to a restaraunt and order badly or eat something not so healthy...just make up for it the next meal. Don't let one slip up knock you off track completely. It won't come off in a day so don't let one day wreck you! :flowerforyou:

    Great quote "It won't come off in a day so don't let one day wreck you!" thank your for that! I am going to write that down where I can see it everyday!

    And congrats for getting started! Get your daughter on board by enlisting her help with throwing out the junk, gorcery shopping and meal planning! When she takes ownership in it you will both be more likely to succeed! You two can rely on each other for strength on the days you just aren't feeling it. Best of luck!
  • grannisue
    grannisue Posts: 37
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    You will find amazing support here. You can do this and if you dissapear for a couple of days the people you have added as friends will hunt you down and give you encouragement to keep going. I love being able to track my food - the good, the bad and the ugly ~ I always know where I stand on my calories. I don't always make perfect choices but it makes me think twice if I have to write it down. You can choose to keep your diary public or private. My friends see mine. They see I have a weekness for rolos and Fat Boy Ice Cream Sandwiches but that's okay. I feel this is a life style and I can eat right, have some treats and still lose weight. I have learned to check a restaurants website before I go and decide on what I will have and I will usually stick to my plan.

    I want to be able to keep up with my grandkids, see them get married and hold my great grandkiddos. I know that will not happen if I return to being like I was a year ago. I am no longer considered pre-diabetic. Hadn't seen my doc in a year and he was shocked and wanted to know what I was doing and he was looking into this website to recommend to his patients.

    It's all about what we really want out of life - YOU CAN DO THIS - believe in yourself and take those baby steps to make changes and before you know it you will not recognize yourself in the mirror. Good luck on your journey. Feel free to add me as a friend.
  • kandrews24
    kandrews24 Posts: 610 Member
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    You can do it. Just keep doing it and start out easy. This requires a lifestyle change, not a fad diet.

    I spent 3 months just logging what I ate. The next three months, I spent walking around our block, 3x per week. Now, I'm nuts! I try to do it all = log, count calories, eat fruits and veggies, keep protein high, keep sodium low, cardio, strength, core, stretching . . . challenges, lots of water. I'm 10 months in to my fitness frenzy. I'm down 54 lbs. I stayed on track over Thanksgiving!!!

    I'm a new person and I've got A LOT MORE TO LOSE. I've been overweight my entire adult life. In the past, all I did was gain. I could not even think of dieting. Now, worst case, I switch to maintance mode, enjoy a few days of higher calories, and then get back in the game. I don't intend to ever gain another pound. And now I know I can do this = not gain anymore, and lose if I chose!

    You might start out just logging what you eat. The rest follows. I promise! Then maybe switch your goal to losing half a pound a week. Baby steps leads to great success!
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    I agree...first step is the most important one! Try not to be too hard on yourself and don't feel the need to make all the changes at once. Baby steps in the right direction is all you need to start! Cut out something, move a little more...keep doing it and before you know it you'll be there =)

    I have 125 to lose...feel free to add me too! =)
  • ecalonge
    ecalonge Posts: 33
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    Reading everyone's posts here makes me very glad I joined this site! It's so helpful to have others who are going through the same issues and getting support as well as giving. We can't do it alone and we shouldn't.

    Please consider this your "DAY 1" and continue logging, being aware of calories, portions, etc and log on EVERYDAY that you are able to check in, especially when your feeling discouraged. Even if you have an "unhealthy" day - share it. It's amazing what that does for you and what kind of loving, encouraging responses you'll get. And the responses that aren't positive.... screw 'em! LOL

    Reaching our goals is inevitable and guaranteed with dedication and a good support system.

    Let us help you reach yours!
  • Lady_Senie
    Lady_Senie Posts: 100 Member
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    I really wish there was a way to save one's favorite Threads, 'cause, honestly, I would save this one and read it whenever I start to feel that I'm never gonna make it to my 127lbs. I know that 'Rome wasn't built in a day' and all, but sometimes I just wanna do something drastic (and likely stupid) to make it all go away.

    Then I come to this site and see folks doing what needs doing to reach their goals. No magic, no fads. There's real struggles here, real battles being fought and won - even lost for the day. But everyone keeps coming back. It's humbling to behold. It's amazing to be part of something so big and good. I'm just glad to be a part of all this. ^_^

    Keep up the good work, everyone. We're all gonna make it!

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