New! Frightened, nervous, and excited all at once

mockingjay63
mockingjay63 Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all! I'm an 18 year old from Canada. I currently weigh 205 and am hoping to drop down to 140 eventually. I've always been slightly overweight, but I gained a lot of weight throughout high school. I weighed in at 145 in grade 9, and then it sprang up to 200 by grade 12. I just finished university and throughout this school year I gained 5 more pounds. I have always attempted sporadic diets or crazy fitness regimes, but just decided a couple of days ago that I would try again and this time, REALLY change my eating habits, health, and lifestyle altogether.
Two big reasons why are (besides the fact that I want to live longer, be healthier, feel better, and all that jazz!) is that I have this spider vein in my right calf and I've had it ever since I was 13. It was pretty harmless for the most part, but throughout the years, it has grown a little . And recently, i find that it will ache maybe once every couple of months or so. It's not agonizing--more of a dull pain--but nonetheless.. I don't want it to be detrimental towards my health in the future!
Another reason why is that my current job requires me to be in good health. I am a lifeguard and have been one for a while now. It's always been a bit nerve-racking during staff trainings because almost everyone else is slimmer, and more importantly, in shape. This isn't to say that I am completely, 100% lazy, or that I am an awful lifeguard, but I am a bit on the slow side and get worn out easily when we do lengths and such since I don't exercise regularly. I want to excel more with my job but finally figured out that to do so.. I need to work out a lot more!

I'm nervous because I've been reading some success stories and have seen some youtube videos regarding weight loss, and a lot of people mention the "dark days" ahead where you will cry or just be burnt out or want to give up, and I just.. I don't know, I don't know what to do when I face those. I just.. I don't know. I'm not sure how to express my thoughts on this properly, but I'm just nervous.

Sorry for rambling! Just wanted to type my thoughts down. I hope to find some friends here. This seems like a great community!

Best!

Replies

  • LilNightingale
    LilNightingale Posts: 7 Member
    First off I like your username. The books are awesome.

    Second of all make lots of friend son here, whether you talk to them on a daily basis or not doesn't matter. Use the blog function to write a blog as well so you can vent. Make sure to post status updates on here when you go through a hard time and most importantly -READ- what everyone says to you when you do make them. IT will help so much and I wont lie there are dark days where you just lose hope and want to give up. Although on here you will have so many people telling you why you shouldn't and helping you remember why you should keep going.

    I have sent you a friends request as well. :) Good luck hun I am sure you can do it with the right support.
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    Welcome! There is a ton of information on this site and so many helpful, supportive people. I know it's scary, but don't be afraid of having a bad day. We all have them. Your best bet is to prepare for it. Think about what you'll do to get back on track and how you can motivate yourself when you just don't feel like continuing with your healthy goals. The important thing is not giving up.

    One thing I did that keeps me motivated was making a list of all of the problems I have because of my weight. There were some health issues, but there were also things like not being able to tie my shoes without losing my breath or not being able to walk up a flight of stairs. You'll be amazed at how quickly you can start crossing things off the list after even a small amount of weight loss.

    Good luck!
  • Nikki_42
    Nikki_42 Posts: 298 Member
    Welcome! I was scared too, especially in the beginning. But it's only been a little under 2 months and this site and supportive people have helped me sooooooooo much with my eating habits and goals. I hope (and know) it can do the same for you. :smile:

    Try not to get discouraged if you don't find what you need immediately, there is so much on this site to pick and choose from that you'll find it with a tiny bit of patience.
  • Longtobeslim
    Longtobeslim Posts: 67 Member
    Welcome!

    Don't be scared, you are starting something great here. This site is amazing, the people are super friendly and supportive and its a great way to help you SEE very clearly the good and bad of what you are eating.

    I started 7 weeks ago and have lost 22 pounds. It is the easiest thing I have every done and I've done many fad diets, Weight Watchers etc...

    What helped me most in the beginning was planning ahead. Most nights I sit down while watching tv and plan out what I will eat for every meal tomorrow, including snacks. Many times I log my meals and snacks the night before. It helps me stay on track. I figure if I already recorded it, then I should eat that. It also lets me know if I have planned right to stay within my calories.

    I do try to leave myself some wiggle room in case there is some treat that someone has brought to work or for that one piece of chocolate when I am having a stressful day.

    Also, for me, I started by mainly focusing on my food for a couple of weeks before putting pressure on myself to start exercising again. I mean I would take a walk here and there but I wanted to get my eating under control and get used to planning my grocery lists and meals before getting into the exercise. That works for me, but you have to do what works for you.

    Make friends, tell your friends about this site. The other thing that really helped me was to get a few my friends and family to start using the site as well. There is strength in numbers.

    Last thing, DON'T be afraid to ask for help if you are having a rough day, or feeling discouraged. Everybody here understands what you are going through and has been there themselves. Sometimes they will offer great advice, sometimes they will just be a supportive, listening ear. But we are all here to help each other so don't be afraid to post.

    Okay, I guess that's it. Sorry its so long. Good Luck, I KNOW you will do great!

    Erin
  • blissmanifesto
    blissmanifesto Posts: 37
    I think it is terrific that you have decided to take better care of yourself now, while you are still quite young. So many of us don't get around to it until years of bad living have taken a real toll on us. So definitely feel proud of yourself for deciding to work on it now! What have I got for you in the helpful hint department?

    1. Don't be in a big hurry. It's a great dream or fantasy, to make all sorts of dramatic changes and have the weight just fall off like magic. In my case, this did not work. I lost about 76 lbs but it took me several years of making small, cumulative changes to my diet and my fitness routine. And anyway, the changes you are making should be ones you will stick with forever, until you are all old and grey. So, as I say, take it slow. Give your mind a chance to adjust to all the changes you're putting yourself through.

    2. Take some "before" pics. It's fun to go back and look at them, later.

    3. It's quite boring to log all your meals but it really, really works. So stick with it.

    4. Exercise is not really necessary to lose weight. However, it's completely essential if you plan to maintain that weight loss. So get started on some exercise, even if it's just walking.

    5. The dark days to which people refer will certainly come. They arrive when you've been working at losing weight for several weeks or months and your initial fast success has slowed down. The excitement wears off and it all gets a bit boring . . . and you may begin to feel a bit unmotivated. . . very normal. This is when you will need to rely on the support of friends/MFP/family, and also on the healthy routines which, hopefully, you have spent time establishing. The trick is, no matter how blah you may feel, just keep on plugging away at the situation. Eventually you'll see more progress and start to feel better.

    6. I really agree with LilNightingale who said you should blog your journey. I've blogged through my whole journey on LJ and Tumblr and it has made a world of difference for me. I found a lot of support that way and also worked through a lot of baggage that came out as I lost weight.

    Anyway. . . I hope this helps you. You can check out my food diary if you like, or send me messages or a friend request. Good luck on your journey!
  • mockingjay63
    mockingjay63 Posts: 2
    Wow, thank you all so so much for all of your kind words! You've made me feel welcome and much less nervous in such a short time :) Words cannot express how motivated your comments made me, I'm happy that we are all embarking on this journey towards good health together! Thanks!:)

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