New to the site, and dieting!

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Hello everyone, my name is Chrissy, and im new to myfitnesspal, and new to dieting.
Im 26, mother of 3 homemaker still job hunting! (grrrr)
I met with a nutritionist yesterday and discussed my weight issues and what foods ( that i like) to focus on.

So basically Im a bit dazed and confused about doing this diet right, and Im worried I wont stay on goal.
Any support you guys and gals can offer I would greatly appreciate!

Recipes!! If you have any recipes you deem AMAZING let me know! Im a big lady and used to eating all the super fattening foods, and I really need to get the heck away from them and closer to healthy meals that still taste awesome!

Just to help you better understand my tastes...
Im so picky about what i eat, which is a problem because hardly any of it is GOOD food.
Veggie wise Iove corn made pretty much anyway possible hehe, Peas, Carrots, Potatos. (trying to branch out to more)
Im not a fan of fruit, weird huh? i think its more of a texture issue though.
Meats, I have no reservations about, I like it all
Poultry, chicken is number one for me, i do have trouble finding good turkey recipes, as im not a huge fan of it. ( i blame thanksgiving hehe)
Seafood, I love shrimp, lobster, tuna, and I have had salmon patties, but havent tried it prepared any other way. Fried fish is also something i like, but its not healthy swimming in all that grease.
I hope this helps in the recipe hunt!


So i know its said that you are more likely to lose more weight when dieting with a friend, my problem there is that my friends aren't as willing to get out there and take walks with me, and just arent as enthusiastic about eating right as I am.
I would love it if I could find someone on here thats in my area, so if you're in Ohio, send me a msg and we can see if were near each other!


Exercise
im not the greatest at it, i can tell you that.
I never know what to do or how to do it.
walking is about the only thing i CAN do hehe.
So if you have any tips or how tos on exercise at home for a large lady, let me know!
Right now I have Wii Fit, which i realize isnt ideal, but its still more exercise than i usually get, which is none!

I hope this isnt too long of an intro!
Thanks everyone for reading!

Replies

  • simplysassi
    simplysassi Posts: 138 Member
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    Hi Chrissy

    Welcome to MFP. You've taken some incredible first steps in the right direction. From your post it sounds like you already know your pitfalls - that's a good thing. Make some small attainable goals to get started. Can you find some ways to work some additional vegetables into your day? Do you like salads ?
  • Chrissy9Smith
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    Well I bought a bag of mixed fresh veggies, like raw califlower? broccoli and carrots. I also bought some light ranch dressing to dip them in, see how that goes.

    I tried salad many years ago, with italian dressing, I loved the dressing taste, but i wasnt too impressed with the lettuce.
    Im still going to continue trying them though, especially since there are quite a few dif kinds of salads, i just might find one that I click with.

    I feel like if i keep trying the healthy stuff that I will eventually get used to them and not always want to run to the junk food, its just making those first few attempts and swallowing!

    Im also trying to fig out ways to get my boys to eat better.
    We live with my mother, and as a grandma she likes to spoil them and do all the conveinent treats, which has unfortunately resulted in my 8 yr old son weighing 120lbs, granted hes like 4'11 tall, he is still large.
    So any tips there would be great!
  • vipergts223
    vipergts223 Posts: 114 Member
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    Welcome Chrissy. I accept all friend requests, and am on everyday!
  • Chrissy9Smith
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    Thanks vipergts!
    tho this is my first day I dont have a clue how to add ppl yet, but im gonna try to lol
  • MelodyBronson
    MelodyBronson Posts: 67 Member
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    Welcome!

    I'm not new to dieting but new to this site. You have taken a great step by joining this site and reaching out. Everyone can give you great tips and advice...you just choose what works best for you. The weight loss journey is a tough road but with the support of this site and talking to others with you same issues you can do this!

    I'm alone at my house when it comes to dieting and exercising too...so I can understand...it's tougher doing it "alone"...but I know you can do this....

    I have a long road ahead of me and I have detoured many times...but I plan to stay on this journey until I am successful at my weight loss and getting healthier..

    Good Luck to You!
  • Daknar
    Daknar Posts: 5
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    Just start tracking and get religious with it. Don't worry too much if you go over your calorie count a few days of the week but just keep tracking. Get the phone app as well. The more you track the less you will eat. Also don't rely on the calorie counts from the exercise you do. Try to get where you have burned more than you have consumed on a normal basis. If you fall off the wagon for a day get back on the next day. The more you track the more you realize what you are actually putting in your mouth and you will soon start to realize what it will take to start to drop quickly. Get a gym pass or find an exercise you love to do or you think you will want to do. Then start small and build up. Just don't give up. If you mess up one day don't sweat it, consistency is the path to seeing improvement. Measure weight over a week even if you are weighing every day don't worry about it from day to day but more week to week. I have five boys and I will go biking with them or when they were younger I would push them around in the stroller/trailer for hours. Get to love the feeling of being empty. Hate the feeling of being full. Chew gum a lot. It helps a ton. There are a few suggestions. That really help me to keep the weight off and whenever I need to drop I just remember those thoughts.
  • simplysassi
    simplysassi Posts: 138 Member
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    I've been successful in weight loss before (I did WW, and it was wonderful). One thing I found to be the most helpful was to only eat foods that I absolutely loved (or at the very least liked a whole lot). If salads truly aren't your thing, then don't force yourself to eat them. It will only make this journey difficult for you. On the other hand, vegetables are certainly a good way to get the good nutrients your body needs and can give you a feeling of fullness to keep you from eating the bad stuff.

    Corn, peas, and potatoes should be eaten in moderation however because they are high in carbs.

    Keep in mind, it doesn't have to be just plain vegetables. there are lots of wonderful soup recipes, and there are always ways to spice them up with garlic, small amounts of butter spray, and other spices.

    Water is amazing too. Don't skip the water.
  • Chrissy9Smith
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    Thanks Melody!
    I have a long road ahead me too, I have to lose about 150lbs to be at a healthy weight for my height, but I have to do this. I have to remember that losing this weight is important and deserves my attention and effort. in the past i would start out good for the first week and just get tired of it and go back to bad habbits, I simply can't afford to do that again. Having a more than a few heavy family members near me almost all the time makes it discouraging, but i just need to find the right mindset and not lose focus!


    And thank you as well Daknar!
    Those are actually some really good tips and advice.
    I never even thought of trying to chew gum to keep my mind off of wanting to snack on the junk.
    I also need to quit smoking, so it might help me in mroe ways than one. Its been a huge fear that If I quit smoking that i will put on even more weight.
    So wish me luck!
  • Chrissy9Smith
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    simply sassi,
    like you said eating things you dont like will make it more difficult, but for me, its just trying them out to see if i like them. Ive never given the good stuff a fair chance, so Im gonna give them all a go and weed out the things i cant stand lol.
    I def have to watch how many of the corn peas carrots and taters i eat, it figures the ones i love are the ones i have to be really careful about!

    Im a big fan of icewater, I cant seem to drink it just cold, its gotta be full of ice and frigid, but i love it!
    Im also a big fan of the crystal lights, tho i know some ppl have reservations about long term effects of it, but i fig if my nutritionist says its a go, then im going for it!

    I just made some crystal light, light lemonade, and stuck a few halved lemons in it, its amazing!
  • amgriffin69
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    you can find good tasty recipes online...allrecipes.com is a good one I use a lot! try not to look at this whole thing as a diet either...thats what I had to do. I dont stick with diets...they are too restricting. It is a lifestyle change! I think, too, what has helped me is I dont restrict myself from anything I want to eat. If I want that candy bar, first of all I make sure I have earned enough exercise calories to have it. Then maybe I break it into half and save the rest for another time so I am eating only half of the calories! If I restrict myself from everything I used to love before then I am sure to fail. I think it is just portion control for me. and i will tell you, my cravings have really subsided by allowing myself to have very small portions of the real fattening/sweet foods I used to eat a lot of. As far as your exercise, there is nothing wrong with just walking. If that is all you can afford right now then make the most of it. find a trail to walk on...do short bouts of sprinting. that will increase your heart rate without making you want to die. find some hills to do and try sprinting up some of those. Walking is a great exercise and its free! you can do this! you are just young and need to learn how to prepare and cook healthy. Maybe you can get your mom in on this quest. Hope this helps.
  • Chrissy9Smith
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    thanks amgriffin!
    Im trying to keep some of things i really love having a part of my diet because it is hard to just cut it all out and start completely over with new and strange foods and drinks.

    Alot of ppl love having their coffee as a wake up in the morning, but i hate coffee lol
    so my go to wake up drink has been mountain dew, i realize its bad for you, but it gets me goin in the morning when the kids are driving me batty lol
    so i figure i can afford the 170 calories it takes to make a happy chrissy in the morning.
    i used to drink mt dew constantly, so its gonna be rough going from 5 cans a day to one, and then to diet, but i will get there!
  • PlumeriaToo
    PlumeriaToo Posts: 188 Member
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    Welcome! Just joined a couple days ago myself and have found that this site (all the people here) is very welcoming, supportive and FULL of good ideas. I started my weight loss project on 3/21 and have found success (lost 8 pounds) with eating Lean Cuisine meals once a day while at work with a cup or two of added vegetables. From that you could get an idea of how much to eat, what you like, how to make your other meals. Also, eat breakfast every day.

    A good tip I got here was to exercise with a weighted hula hoop which sounds like you could do that in addition to your walking to begin with.

    Veggies rule so really give it an effort and good, good luck to you -- to us all.
  • PlumeriaToo
    PlumeriaToo Posts: 188 Member
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    I like the comment about learning to love the feeling of hunger. I used to eat until I was uncomfortable which was an awful feeling. Just yesterday I was thinking that it feels kind of good to feel that tickle in my stomach as I near meal time. I remember that from childhood but have rarely felt it in the last couple decades. It's all good..
  • Taimarra
    Taimarra Posts: 60
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    Hi Chrissy :) Welcome! We actually have about the same overall goal (I'm just taking it in chunks ... putting down a 150 pound goal was WAY too overwhelming for me!) We have a lot in common, I think we could help each other out. By all means, feel free to add me. I'd love to have more friends on here to slap me around when I slide off the wagon :)
  • tinkermommc
    tinkermommc Posts: 562 Member
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    skinnytaste.com has been a lifesaver. Family doesn't even know they are eating healthy! Sounds like you've got a good start and a plan going! As for exercise, Just Dance kicks my butt! And Jillian Michaels for Wii! I just got Zumba to do too but I haven't tried it yet, Tonight's the night :-) I also found I'm part fish and love to swim laps! Good luck finding what's right for you :-)
  • Chrissy9Smith
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    Thanks so much to all of you for the support and great advice!
    today is my first day and I've already done so much to get me in the right direction!
    I hope each and every one of you succeed in your goals on your individual journeys.
    Im really glad that my nutritionist told me about this site, its so use friendly, and you guys and gals are just wonderful people!
    <3<3