Starting my weight loss journey

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I started my weight loss journey on 2/22/12 and I have quite a bit of weight to lose. I know there are no quick fixes and I'm in this for the long haul, it truly is a lifestyle change and reteaching yourself everything you know about food. I'm tired of being overweight and just want to be healthy, so far mfp has been helping in terms of seeing what I'm eating and how much. I would love some tips if anyone wants to share and just anything that could help.... I've never been as determined to lose weight or motivated, feel free to add me. Good luck everyone on your journey!
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Replies

  • RussetBrunnette
    RussetBrunnette Posts: 107 Member
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    Drink a lot of water, make sure you get your 8 glasses. Thats really been helping me a lot, not only keeping hunger at bay but losing some weight as well. I'm glad you are joining us on your journey, best of luck!
  • Calipalm
    Calipalm Posts: 114 Member
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    You've got the right mindset so far! This is exactly what will help you to reach your goals! :) A lifestyle change! Be patient, committed and honest. I have never lost any weight in my life until now! This site has really helped me out! Realize that you will learn as you go, and you will have ups and downs. Focus on what your body needs, and don't let others success be a competition for you, take it as an example and realize that now you are taking action. And it will no longer be, "If Only" or "one day" It is now, and it will be more in your reach to be healthy and fit as long as you take it moment by moment and realize every action you take will get you closer! :)
    Ps i sent you a friend request!
  • YennaBean
    YennaBean Posts: 77 Member
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    I agree with RussetBrunnet. Drink lots of water! That's the best drink you can have! Something that I've learned on my short 40 day journey is that calories DO matter! Try your best to not go too far over your limit, but try to get as close to it as you can! If you do go over, don't beat yourself up over it. Remember that tomorrow is a new day and not to give up! I've learned that eating is the key to losing! Best of luck to you!
  • sezziejm
    sezziejm Posts: 147 Member
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    Hi, i too have a lot of weight to lose....at least 100lb.....i have yo-yo dieted for years, but am more determined this time :)
    feel free to add me
  • tinie081
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    I have started my weight loss journey since last year but its quite difficult to really keep up with it. Anyway, I thank my friends for going with my plan. What I usually do is jogging for an hour everyday after office hours. I realized jogging is not enough, so my friend referred me to this site where she bought her juicer. http://www.juicerreviews101.com/compare-best-juicers

    Juicing has been her back up plan in losing weight. With the juicer, you can squeeze any fruit and vegetables then just drink it every night. I use the juicer to make fresh fruit and vegetable juices then, I don't eat dinner anymore.
  • chrmoody
    chrmoody Posts: 6 Member
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    watch what you eat, track everything (hence myfitnesspal apps...) drink water, avoid sugary drinks, snack right, and have a positive mental attitude! I find keeping it simple is the best goal when dieting and exercising. The minute, at least for me, it get's too complicated, I just get bored and want to quit. So what I've done, is just watch calories and run every day I can. And I've gone from 205 to 165 doing that in about two months. So it's possible! Also, get a dog! My black lab Ty motivates me to get my butt out there!

    Also, signing up for 5K's, fun runs, is another great motivator and good way to meet like-minded people and sign up with friends and fam, makes it more fun!
  • SueStubbs
    Options
    Well it great that you started this. I can tell you that i feel like a dif person. I even do some of my workouts with kids love this weather walking with the kids. Drink lots of water. i know stop drinking soda has helped me. If you would like to add me go ahead i love encourging others.:smile:
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
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    Drink a lot of water, make sure you get your 8 glasses. Thats really been helping me a lot, not only keeping hunger at bay but losing some weight as well. I'm glad you are joining us on your journey, best of luck!


    Drinking water has also help me a lot with keeping the hunger at bay, I always have a bottle of water near me :happy: . Thank you and best of luck to you as well!
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
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    You've got the right mindset so far! This is exactly what will help you to reach your goals! :) A lifestyle change! Be patient, committed and honest. I have never lost any weight in my life until now! This site has really helped me out! Realize that you will learn as you go, and you will have ups and downs. Focus on what your body needs, and don't let others success be a competition for you, take it as an example and realize that now you are taking action. And it will no longer be, "If Only" or "one day" It is now, and it will be more in your reach to be healthy and fit as long as you take it moment by moment and realize every action you take will get you closer! :)
    Ps i sent you a friend request!
    I've realized that losing weight is really mainly about your mindset. You have to be motivated and determined and also doing it for the right reasons. I understand that everyones journey is different and as long as I'm getting healthy and losing weight it doesn't matter if I'm losing it slowly or quickly (although I would prefer to lose it quickly :tongue: ) Thank you for your words of encouragement, good luck on your journey!
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
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    I agree with RussetBrunnet. Drink lots of water! That's the best drink you can have! Something that I've learned on my short 40 day journey is that calories DO matter! Try your best to not go too far over your limit, but try to get as close to it as you can! If you do go over, don't beat yourself up over it. Remember that tomorrow is a new day and not to give up! I've learned that eating is the key to losing! Best of luck to you!
    Water water water! I guess I'm lucky that I've always actually liked water and not one of the people who hate it because drinking it really does help. And you're right calories do matter and I've been trying to stay on my limit and it has worked so far! :) Thank you and good luck to you too!
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
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    Hi, i too have a lot of weight to lose....at least 100lb.....i have yo-yo dieted for years, but am more determined this time :)
    feel free to add me
    I'm a former yo-yo dieter as well (: However even in the few days I've been at this I can feel a difference that didn't happen with those diets. Good luck !
  • carmy43
    carmy43 Posts: 8 Member
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    Same here..I started mfp and body pump on Monday Feb 20th 2012..I have well over 100 lbs to lose..Staying motivated and focused is very important for me..I gotta start drinking more water too..Good Luck to You .It is a hard journey we are undertaking.But we have taken the first steps to success! Btw my profile pic is from Halloween 2 years ago and I was 60 lbs lighter then too.
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    I have started my weight loss journey since last year but its quite difficult to really keep up with it. Anyway, I thank my friends for going with my plan. What I usually do is jogging for an hour everyday after office hours. I realized jogging is not enough, so my friend referred me to this site where she bought her juicer. http://www.juicerreviews101.com/compare-best-juicers

    Juicing has been her back up plan in losing weight. With the juicer, you can squeeze any fruit and vegetables then just drink it every night. I use the juicer to make fresh fruit and vegetable juices then, I don't eat dinner anymore.
    Juicing is a great idea, I have a juicer some where in my kitchen I guess I should start using it! Thanks for your idea, good luck!
  • lisag2007
    Options
    Hi. Congrats on starting your weight loss journey. One thing that helps me not be hungry is chewing sugarless gum. And, if you get tired of plain water, those Crystal Light packets that you can add do help to break up the monotony. Also, as far as exercise....interval training is the way to go. If you are walking for exercise, speed up for two minutes and slow down for one...do this for 20 minutes or so and then you have your warm up and cool down and before you know it, you're thirty minutes of exercise is over. Doing the intervals has really helped me out. I wish you all the best on your weight loss. Feel free to add me. :)
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    watch what you eat, track everything (hence myfitnesspal apps...) drink water, avoid sugary drinks, snack right, and have a positive mental attitude! I find keeping it simple is the best goal when dieting and exercising. The minute, at least for me, it get's too complicated, I just get bored and want to quit. So what I've done, is just watch calories and run every day I can. And I've gone from 205 to 165 doing that in about two months. So it's possible! Also, get a dog! My black lab Ty motivates me to get my butt out there!

    Also, signing up for 5K's, fun runs, is another great motivator and good way to meet like-minded people and sign up with friends and fam, makes it more fun!
    Thank you for all your tips! And wow, from 205 to 165 in two months! That's great :happy: I also have a dog, she's two years old and a lab mix but she spends most of her time sleeping! Good luck on your journey.
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    Well it great that you started this. I can tell you that i feel like a dif person. I even do some of my workouts with kids love this weather walking with the kids. Drink lots of water. i know stop drinking soda has helped me. If you would like to add me go ahead i love encourging others.:smile:
    Right now I'm loving playing just dance, not much of a dancer but I love the challenge. I have a treadmill but I HATE it... That is probably one of the reasons it took me so long to get started because of the dreadmill :tongue: Good luck to you!
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    Same here..I started mfp and body pump on Monday Feb 20th 2012..I have well over 100 lbs to lose..Staying motivated and focused is very important for me..I gotta start drinking more water too..Good Luck to You .It is a hard journey we are undertaking.But we have taken the first steps to success! Btw my profile pic is from Halloween 2 years ago and I was 60 lbs lighter then too.
    It is a hard journey, but a necessary one. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and while I know at times it might be tough always look at the bigger picture. Drink water and get healthy! Good luck! :happy:
  • jwaters1006
    jwaters1006 Posts: 136 Member
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    water, water, water! As much as you can. I have a bottle I carry EVERYWHERE I go it holds just over 24 ounces. I fill it minimum 3x a day so I get at least 9 glasses a day, usually more. If you drink soda, cut it out of your diet. If you're a caffine addict like me try to limit that as well. I drink 1 cup of tea w/ 2 packets of splenda if I need a boost, maybe 1 day a week.

    fruits and veggies- make sure you get as close to 5 servings per day.

    exercise as frequent as you can. Sometimes I have to trick myself into it. I've had days where I do 20 squats everytime I go to the bathroom. Sometimes I make 10 trips to the car bringing in groceries. Park at the side of the store farthest from what you're going in for.

    And most important to me is make sure you find a group of active friends here on MFP I was gone for close to a month but got emails from friends asking me where my butt was and reminding me to stay accountable. I can talk to my MFP friends about things my real life friends may not understand. I browse my friend's food diaries. I don't criticize what I see, but I use it as an idea source and sometimes hit them up for recipes.


    Feel free to add me!

    Oh, and EAT! Don't starve your body. Eat as close to your calories as possible. If you go over, tomorrow is a new day. I see a lot of people that eat 600 calories a day and are so happy with their progress and then after about 30 days they're gone. They can't survive on so few calories and they over eat, get frustrated when they gain weight, and quit.
  • ball858
    ball858 Posts: 395 Member
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    welcome to the journey

    feel free to add me
  • heeytheresunshine
    heeytheresunshine Posts: 33 Member
    Options
    Hi. Congrats on starting your weight loss journey. One thing that helps me not be hungry is chewing sugarless gum. And, if you get tired of plain water, those Crystal Light packets that you can add do help to break up the monotony. Also, as far as exercise....interval training is the way to go. If you are walking for exercise, speed up for two minutes and slow down for one...do this for 20 minutes or so and then you have your warm up and cool down and before you know it, you're thirty minutes of exercise is over. Doing the intervals has really helped me out. I wish you all the best on your weight loss. Feel free to add me. :)
    Thank you for all your tips! That seems like a good way to pass those thirty minutes of walking. Good luck to you too!