Need encouragement

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heatherkania
heatherkania Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
I always have been overweight and not very healthy, and it's so hard coming from an overweight family. I am the smallest in my family and that isn't saying much. I always ask those around me to help, but no one is willing to do anything. I need encouragement and I need help with portion control and working out. I would like to lose at least 30 pounds.
if anyone is willing to help that'd be appreciated or give me some tips :) Thanks!

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  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
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    Set your MFP goals up & eat the recommended amount. And some exercise is always good too.
  • heatherkania
    heatherkania Posts: 3
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    Thank you. I guess I just have to try really hard.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    It's easier than you think when you really get into it. =)

    Add me as friend for forum support!
  • LindaCWy
    LindaCWy Posts: 463 Member
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    *slaps butt

    ENCOURAGEMENT!
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
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    You can do it. :smile:
  • kbuelo
    kbuelo Posts: 44 Member
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    Just get started. Don't worry about being perfect with your choices, but be perfect with your measuring/portions! Take a few days to adjust to logging everything you eat. Then you can start to see where you need to make adjustments. Feel free to add me if you'd like!
  • spgipson
    spgipson Posts: 20
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    Everyone needs encouragement! That's why this site works!! I have been the biggest in my family and they too do not understand the dffference. Both my sisters are toothpicks and can eat whatever they want. I can walk by the ktichen and gain 5 pounds. I have to say my biggest issue is portion control too....been overeating my whole life I guess. MEASURE EVERYTHING...my only advice.

    And GOOD LUCK!!
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
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    It's always easier when you have a pal! Do you have a friend that is also trying to lose weight and tone up? Be gym buddies!!
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    The site itself will help a lot. Adding friends on the site helps even more.

    The first thing to do is just to start. Go through the setup process, get your goals set properly, and then start tracking everything you eat. Be as accurate as you possibly can be because the information is there for you and you alone. Start tracking proteins, fats, and carbs and try to get those in balance while you get your calories down to the recommendations. Start drinking lots of water.

    There will probably be a transition period where you'll be a little hungry - cinnamon gum is an excellent starting tool. :)

    After about a week, if you've kept your fat, calories, and carbs in reasonable balance, you should find that you can eat satisfying meals and stay within your calorie goals. If not, try eating smaller meals more often or larger meals less often to see what works best for you. Figure out what satisfies you while meeting your nutritional needs (and as your diet gets better, you'll find a correlation between the two!), and eat that.

    Exercise is a beautiful thing on this site because you earn calories and it allows you to eat more food. Exercise calories taste the best!
  • cmdauscher
    cmdauscher Posts: 4
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    The hardest part is starting! Once you start and stick to it for a few weeks it will get easier.... but for the first few weeks (even when you don't feel like doing it) you need to push through it. It is easier to keep bad habits or go back to bad habits then it is to start good habits! Before long you will be on your way and moving along smoothly.... you won't even realize it was ever hard at that point. This is a big one when it comes to going to the gym as well!

    You've got this... you can conquer anything you put your mind to!
  • sophjakesmom
    sophjakesmom Posts: 904 Member
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    Thank you. I guess I just have to try really hard.

    It is easy to get overwhelmed by all the changes you think you need to make. When I started over a year ago, I tried to focus on one choice at a time and making it a healthy one. If I did have a bad one, I wouldn't let that lead to 10 more. Don't worry about your family history and the past. This is a new day and a new opportunity to make a difference in your health. I know it is hard and you will want to rely on others, but the reality is you will have to find that strength within you. But the good news is it is there!! Good luck to you!!:drinker: :drinker:
  • tesherah
    tesherah Posts: 1 Member
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    If you find yourself losing motivation to exercise, boost your enthusiasm with one of the following:

    • Add variety to your routine.
    • Register for a 5K or other athletic event.
    • Find a workout partner or start a walking group.
    • Make a new music playlist.
    • Try a new fitness gadget.
    • Join a running or cycling club, adult sports league, or hiking group.

    Source: www.acefitness.org
  • dylan1mary
    dylan1mary Posts: 12 Member
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    You need to buy children plates. That way your portion size is smaller and you will not over eat. Buy fresh fruits and veggies on a day you can spend cutting them up. Most people eat for what is easy and that will keep you on track if the food is easy to get to. Drink tons of water! Your body tells you that your hungry when you might be thirsty. Your body doesn't send a thirsty signal until it is past the point of dehydration. Try eating around 300cals at a time 4-6times throught the day. Your body need small meals throught the day and not 3 big meals. You largest meal should be breakfast ( don't skip this meal studies show a lot more weightloss among subjects who ate breakfast) med size lunch and a small portion for dinner and 1-2 snacks. Try and cut you complex carbs at dinner so your body stays in a fat burning state when you sleep and not a carb burning state. Sorry to ramble on I hope this helps!

    Mary
  • Por2gueseMama
    Por2gueseMama Posts: 102 Member
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    As soon as you start seeing results it will be easier to stay on that path. I get discouraged and then i slip up and fall back gaining weight again. For my first few weeks of doing MFP i didnt weight myself just because if i kept looking at the numbers everyday id get discourage and wouldnt want to keep eating healthy and working out if i wasnt seing results as fast as id like to.
    This sight will help out a long and make you realize where you are going wrong. Like i realized that i was eating a really high amoutn of sodium in my diet and not drinking enough water plus i love carbs and most of my carb intake was at the end of the day not in the biggining like it suppose to be.
    Give it a try :D
    Add me if you would like some support!
    Angela
  • cinsuccess
    cinsuccess Posts: 333 Member
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    I agree with the other posts and want to add that's it's important to be realistic. You have to change a lot in terms of how and what you eat but you also have to LIVE! I have successfully lost weight many times to only gain it back because the "diets" I was on were not sustainable for the rest of my life. MFP is helping me to find the balance between eating better and having my "treats".

    This site is also amazing for support. I am so happy I have connected with so many positive people who inspre and motivate me to keep going. They also help me to not get down on myself if I have a "bad" day. Feel free to add me (anyone) if you want a positive cheerleader. :flowerforyou:
  • NWFLDeaconsWife
    NWFLDeaconsWife Posts: 10 Member
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    I always have been overweight and not very healthy, and it's so hard coming from an overweight family. I am the smallest in my family and that isn't saying much. I always ask those around me to help, but no one is willing to do anything. I need encouragement and I need help with portion control and working out. I would like to lose at least 30 pounds.
    if anyone is willing to help that'd be appreciated or give me some tips :) Thanks!

    Hi there, heatherkania!

    I can make a great suggestion for the portion control. We look at a typical 9" dinner plate with the suggested portion sizes on it and we see a lot of 'empty space'. It makes the plate look woefully underfilled. I went to a local kitchen-goods store and bought a set of 5" plates (dessert plates or child plates). Then, when I put the suggested portion sizes on it, it looked more like my 9" plate used to before I cut back. It is a visual trick but it helped me. Now, even when we go out to eat at a buffet I select the smaller plates (think salad plate) so I don't pile it on so much.

    I can't help you with the working out per se, I can suggest that even if you start out slowly (recommended) as long as you do *something* to increase your physical activity it can only be beneficial to you. I couldn't do a lot right after chemo, but I could walk as far as I could, sit and rest, and then walk back. The first few times it was to the end of my front walk and back (about 30 ft) now I am up to about a quarter of a mile before I start to feel tired enough to rest. You could probably go farther than that, if you measured it. But who has to measure it in feet and miles? Use landmarks instead! To the corner of your street and back, for starters is good, then when you can do that quickly and comfortably try going around the corner to the next landmark you pick, like maybe the line where your property and your neighbor's property meet, or to where a certain tree is. The point is to make the goals realistic so that they are a challenge without being unattainable so you don't become discouraged so easily. :)

    Even the journey of life starts with baby steps for all of us. So don't set your expectations based on what others are doing now, they started at some point before you and worked up to where they are now. You will get there, but in your own time. My father used to say "Keep it real, and you'll get the deal."

    You have heard the term 'sustainable' when it comes to natural resources, right? The same is true for your lifestyle changes. In order for them to become permanent, they have to be sustainable...that is, they have to support rather than hinder your progress. Set your daily goals too high and it backfires. Set your daily goals too low and you won't see progress in any encouraging way. Both of these mistakes will make you want to give up. You will either feel you can't do it or that it's just not working. Keeping it a little challenging helps you feel you have accomplished something worthwhile without setting yourself up to fail.

    I hope this helps you!
  • yfwilliams1993
    yfwilliams1993 Posts: 4
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    I am willing to help you in any way i can. I is going to be a struggle for me also trying to get me and my family moving towards a helathy lifestyle change. At this point all i can suggest it take it one day at a time. Start by taking some things out of your menu i.e. whites(flour, sugar, breads, etc.) while you are taking these things out start with walking for 2mins then a cople days later walk for 5mins and gradually add minutes until before you know it you are walking for a hour straight with no problem. I dont know you level of exercise or mobility but this is the bare minimum..... good Luck
  • Nikkei24
    Nikkei24 Posts: 282 Member
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    Honestly I know you have probably heard it a bizzilion times but seriously if my lazy butt can do it anyone can.
  • heatherkania
    heatherkania Posts: 3
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    All you guys are so nice and i read a LOT of good advice! Thank you so much :) I will definitely look into a bunch of this and just take it a day at a time.
  • starry4282
    starry4282 Posts: 5 Member
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    Totally understand always being overweight. I've been overweight my whole life too, and tried many things. Some worked for awhile but I always went back to my old eating habits.
    Think this site will help alot, since it is the first time I've ever recorded everything, both good and bad. It also helps to see that we are not alone in this. No matter how much or little someone has to lose, it's good to see how other people are doing with their weight battle, and maybe get some helpful hints along the way.
    Stick with it, you can do it

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