I need help.

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I need help. I cannot motivate myself to start exercising and watching my food. I need something to click for me to start this whole journey for real. Have about 7-10kg (14-20lbs) to lose, after two babies in 18 months, changed jobs and emigrated. Now we are here and I really want to change just can't seem to get started. Anyone who has those magic words of wisdom, motivation or support - please feel free to be the one who helped get me really started to get back in shape. I know what it's like to be fit and healthy and I would like to be that way again.

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  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
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    Just find something and start, I only started working out 8 weeks ago, before that I never had any interest, it was just luck that I was thin, It took me a while to figure out what I liked doing, But really just start somewhere, Jillian Michaels has her 30 day shred on Youtube, I love that, its free, takes 20 min, you can go at your own pace, you can decide of you want to follow the program or do it just a few days a week just start something, I was AMAZED but what a junky I have turned into once I found my thing! (which turned out to be circuit training and weight lifting!)

    Good luck
  • shbretired
    shbretired Posts: 320 Member
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    Look in the mirror. How much more can you grow?
  • Cheryl4726
    Cheryl4726 Posts: 17
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    Hi,
    I had slightly more to lose than you want to, motivation this time for me was having a wardrobe full of clothes that didn't fit anymore, and I did want to spend money on larger sizes, and 2 other people at work wanting to lose weight too, we have all found our own ways, for me it's been strict calorie counting and exercising at home, for one it's been cutting back on quantity she eats and exercising when she can, she is still losing but a little slower, but because she doesn't feel like she's dieting she feels it easier to stick at it, my other colleague is calorie counting and is getting exercise by taking her children swimming and walking to school and not driving.

    You are a busy mum, finding time for yourself will be hard, rather than paying for gym membership, may be think about an exercise bike for your home, I started doing 15 minutes at home each night after work, I've gradually upped that to 30 minutes, if you can exercise infront of the telly the time passes quicker, and there's not extra time travelling to and from the gym, so finding 15/20 minutes for yourself might be easier. If the weather is nice, may be you could start going for walks with your children in the buggie.

    My partner has also been a great help to me, he looks at the calorie labels on food, and helps me work out what I can eat and measure quantities, in fact helping me has made him realise how much he's been eating and has now cut back on or changed his snacks and has lost a few pounds, his advantage is having a physical job, he burns more in a day than I do sitting at a desk all day.

    Take one day at a time, we all have bad days, and we are all different, if you can find something, no matter how small, that fits in for you, it will be a start and should lead to more, please don't give up.

    Good luck :happy:
  • pbear1
    pbear1 Posts: 42
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    Thank you, I think I just needed to write this down and realise that I have to just start. I appreciate the advice and I will start today and hopefully in a few months I will fit into some of those clothes!!
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    As a fellow emigre, my advice is to take walks! That way, you get to know your new neighborhood and get some exercise at the same time. Then, add small changes as needed. Another idea is to combine meeting new people with exercise. For example, you could sign up for an exercise class, or go folk dancing, or join a weekend biking group. Whatever fits your interests and schedule.
  • ilitos
    ilitos Posts: 33 Member
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    Don't try to change your whole life arround from one day to the other, make one little change at a time. It was very helpful for me to go into the bodubuilding.com website into the female motivation to read success stories, they all say how they did it and how they did it and the more I read the more I thought "Ican do this" So I started by cutting sugar off my diet, that took a couple of weeks, then I swapped bread for burgen Rye bread, and slowly and steady I've been getting fitter and slimmer and happier...
    Sugar is an addictive thing, so the more you have the more you want, don't punish yourself if you don't stick to your plans, be gentle with yourself
  • Soadrokr
    Soadrokr Posts: 34 Member
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    Practice the type of healthy lifestyle you would want your kids to have.
  • Julietecosse
    Julietecosse Posts: 165
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    What worked for me was to keep logging on to the success stories and photos - so motivating and inspiring. Good luck.
  • pbear1
    pbear1 Posts: 42
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    I did bring my runners to work today and plan to go for a 20min walk around the neighbourhood to get a sense for it. I don´t really have time to joing a club yet but maybe in a few months. I want to go out walking/running in the evenings so I will just have to start with a short walk. I do want my kids to be healthy and I want to feel happier in myself - it has just been so much going on for the last while. I am going to do as you say and make small changes and try to keep motivated. I know I will feel better when I get going. Thanks.
  • Shajadea
    Shajadea Posts: 57 Member
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    The motivation for me was moving to a country where I am as big as their Sumo wrestlers. Not cool. And since I am in a lady of smaller people everything they make is for their size. Yikes! I feel like a bull in a china closet. And their grocery isles are so narrow! I take up almost a whole isle!
  • ilitos
    ilitos Posts: 33 Member
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    I did bring my runners to work today and plan to go for a 20min walk around the neighbourhood to get a sense for it. I don´t really have time to joing a club yet but maybe in a few months. I want to go out walking/running in the evenings so I will just have to start with a short walk. I do want my kids to be healthy and I want to feel happier in myself - it has just been so much going on for the last while. I am going to do as you say and make small changes and try to keep motivated. I know I will feel better when I get going. Thanks.
    EXCELLENT!! I will be keeping and eye on you!
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    For me I'm results driven. I went hard from day one, exercising daily and getting all the processed junk out of my diet and eating as clean as possible. I started seeing results in how clothes fit within 2 weeks. That was all the motivation I needed to know I could do it and make a permanent change. Now whenever I feel my self-control leaving me, I go clothes shopping! It works wonders!!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you like.
  • rnsailor
    rnsailor Posts: 2 Member
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    Do what I did, set a timer for 5 minutes...walk as far as you can at a comfortable pace, when the timer goes off, go home.

    Increase your time by 5 minutes every two weeks!

    For weight lifitng you have two babies? Sit in a chair, put the oldest one on youir feet and do leg lifts, fun for you and baby. Lay on your back, hold the little baby on your chest, lift baby to the sky!

    good luck...you can do it.
  • Katwilkins
    Katwilkins Posts: 39 Member
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    At least start entering your calories on MFP, and be super honest, because you would only be lieing to yourself or to the computer. Then think of an upcoming event, and start dieting to look better for that event. Like a reunion, a wedding, a birthday, it helps to set a goal with a certain time period, and then think of the next event when that one is over that you want to look good for like a birthday present to yourself. Loosing weight is 90% diet, exercise, is of course a great thing, and we should all do it. But watching your food, is going to get you results. It is a mind set, I had been dieting for years and as soon as I ate breakfast every morning I was done. Then one day it just sunk in and everything felt right. Now I have been at it for over a 100 days and lost about 26 pounds. I am only half way there, but I sure feel and look better. Remember it's a slow process,, but if you do it slowly, eating some normal things and treats balanced with healthy eating it will be a lifestyle change.
    Good Luck I know you can do it!
  • pbear1
    pbear1 Posts: 42
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    Thanks everyone, I didn´t eat bread yesterday, went for a walk last night, and no biscuits after dinner! I will try again tonight - I am jusst going to make these small changes and hope that it starts to kick in. Thanks for the messages - it really has helped!
  • BHRussell
    BHRussell Posts: 83 Member
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    Let's go....see how we roll.