HELP !!!!!!!!!!

hi add me if you want, i have been on here about a 6 days now, so far with encouragement from others i am starting to lose a couple ofpounds, i think. The more friends you have on here the better as it helps good luck and welcome

I"ve been on this site for a few days now and have found that everyone has provided a lot of great support and motivation. I'm seeing results and also feeling a lot better about myself. Feel free to add me as a friend to provide support and encouragement. Together we can all do this!

Welcome Caz..

I was also very self conscious when I started trying to lose weight, but I went down to the local park to walk anyway.

Yes there were sooo many thin, athletic people running and biking and wearing tight outfits, I was embarrassed.

But then I saw another big guy, moving slower than the rest, trying to work off the pounds. Then a couple of big girls, chattering away as they walked. I saw lots of overweight people in fact, all with this look of determination on their faces.

I started to offer encouragement to the ones I passed who were sweating, who looked like they were trying very hard, "keep it up!" Being outdoors among the trees really helped give me positive energy, and with my iPod playing music I liked, who cared what anyone else thought? When I was in my zone of achieving step after step, I barely noticed anyone else.

Everyone out there, exercising on the trails are there to have fun and get healthy. Push past the negative feelings, get out and join in! All great journeys begin with the first step. Go out and take the steps with us!

Hi Caz. I think I have been in a similar place as you, as far as being self-conscious, at a point in my life. Then I hit a phase in my life where that all disappeared to a great degree. I finally realized 'Why would I want to go through MY life believing I was ANYTHING but gorgeous and wonderful?" Really. Think about it. Why would you do that to yourself? You have the right to be your biggest fan. Everyone possesses beauty - it's not just reserved for models or whomever society deems as attractive or deserving. So get out there and OWN your space in the world and the all beauty you possess. You deserve it, girl!!

I have been on for 6 days and wasn't sure how about the friends thing and message boards. I was just going to log my food and be done. Then I started reading messages and found a lot of information and a lot of people in the same boat as I am.
I definately think that having friends on MFP is very helpful and motivating!!!! I do not have a support system outside of my MFP friends so I love it.

Feel free to add me. I am 5'8" Used to be 346 down to around 200. I'd also LOVE to see around 150 one day.

Hi caz, I have been on here since March and I have met a lot of people that are truly motivating whether I run up the stairs for one minute or walk for 5 hours on the beach. Feel free to add me, we are all on this journey together.
:flowerforyou:

Hi and welcome to the gang here. yes, friends here really do help with motivation. Don't be ashamed of you, you know what you want for yourself... It's all good. Feel free to add me as a friend. I'm on often during the day and try to help as I can. I have a big job ahead of myself as well....

feel free to add me. I made my lifestyle change on 1/1/11 -- I have gone from someone who wouldn't set foot in a gym to being a gym rat. I've lost 111.4lbs. I started at 303.4 and I am now at 192. (I'm 30y/o, 5'6'')

Just a few tips:

Slow and steady always wins the race. It's great to have a goal, but please don't expect to reach that goal tomorrow. I think lots of people give up because it gets hard. It is hard, it's the hardest thing you'll ever do. But it's so rewarding!

Log everything that goes in your mouth and don't lie to yourself. You are going to have days that you want a cookie, donut, cake, chips, etc. Eat them. Just eat a serving and stop. And log it. And if you eat it, don't even something else. It's like life, full of choices. No choices are bad, you just have to learn from them and move on.

Keep up the workouts, but don't get obessed about it. You still need to LIVE through this journey. If it's between going out with friends or working out, go out with your friends, just don't eat/drink everything in sight. You have to learn to live like this for the rest of your life. It's not a diet, it's a new lifestyle.

If you fall of the wagon (and trust me if you are human, you will), get back on THAT day. Don't wait until tomorrow, don't wait until Monday. Figure out what you did and don't do it again.

Really take a hard look at your diet before you even start. If you have a tendancy to be a convienence eater, stop it. If you tend to be a couch eater, stop it. If you eat when you are happy/sad/depressed/etc and not when you are hungry, stop it. Etc and so forth. If you can cut things out (go cold turkey) without it making you miserable, give it up. But learn that you won't be able to cut it all out, keep one thing that makes you happy. And never feel bad about it.

Ok, enough words of wisdom. Go out there and get them. And congrats for making that first step!

Welcome Caz! I have been on here for about a month and have found this site to be so helpful. Everyone has been nice and offer encouragement and support. There is lots of helpful info in the boards from recipes to exercise and sucess stories. I have lost 7lbs and have another 50 to go. You are not alone

Reading the message boards also helps with tips and motivation. Just being here has helped me a lot. I have attempted to diet so many times and quit within three months. Although I am losing slowly (my choice as I want to truly make life changes, not a diet for awhile), I have worked at it much longer this time. I have been on here since January (yes a resolution). It helps just being here and knowing others are going through exactly the same things I am. Good Luck on your journey to weight loss and healthy living.

Welcome! The more friends the better Encourage them and they encourage you

Just a few tips:

Slow and steady always wins the race. It's great to have a goal, but please don't expect to reach that goal tomorrow. I think lots of people give up because it gets hard. It is hard, it's the hardest thing you'll ever do. But it's so rewarding!

Log everything that goes in your mouth and don't lie to yourself. You are going to have days that you want a cookie, donut, cake, chips, etc. Eat them. Just eat a serving and stop. And log it. And if you eat it, don't even something else. It's like life, full of choices. No choices are bad, you just have to learn from them and move on.

Keep up the workouts, but don't get obessed about it. You still need to LIVE through this journey. If it's between going out with friends or working out, go out with your friends, just don't eat/drink everything in sight. You have to learn to live like this for the rest of your life. It's not a diet, it's a new lifestyle.

If you fall of the wagon (and trust me if you are human, you will), get back on THAT day. Don't wait until tomorrow, don't wait until Monday. Figure out what you did and don't do it again.

Really take a hard look at your diet before you even start. If you have a tendancy to be a convienence eater, stop it. If you tend to be a couch eater, stop it. If you eat when you are happy/sad/depressed/etc and not when you are hungry, stop it. Etc and so forth. If you can cut things out (go cold turkey) without it making you miserable, give it up. But learn that you won't be able to cut it all out, keep one thing that makes you happy. And never feel bad about it.

Ok, enough words of wisdom. Go out there and get them. And congrats for making that first step!

^^
This = awesome post