Want to be half the woman I am now

Hi, I'm Cheryl. I've allowed life to get the better of me and now I'm 122 pounds overweight. I've experienced some recent personal heartbreak, and have decided to take charge of my life and not look to others to make my happiness for me. Hoping to make some friendships here and also give others support in their weight loss journeys. Today is the 1st day of my new life.

Replies

  • mmreed
    mmreed Posts: 436 Member
    Hello! Welcome to MFP!

    MFP is a really great resource to keep you focused and connect you with a wealth of fitness resources and like minded folks.


    1. Log your foods every day - don't skip days, or parts of your day. log everything!
    2. Analyze each day - see where it went good and where it went bad - too much fat? maybe too many carbs? over the calorie limit? Identify and plan how to correct it for tomorrow.
    3. Reach out to the community with questions or advice needs.
    4. Build a network of friends here!
    5. Above all, do not believe everything you read here. There is a lot of great advice, but also some misleading and hype type advice. Part of getting fit is educating yourself in aspects of health and fitness. Make sure any questionable advice is looked at with a scientific eye and look for facts, evidence, and most importantly real world proof.
    6. You are more than a number. Sometimes the scale may not say what you hoped - thats fine. weight loss is not a straight line declination. Its a bumpy line that drops over time. Don't let single day numbers get your focus away from term based results.
    7. Vary your exercises. Your body forms memories and can slow down how it burns fat and builds muscles. Keep it confused! Hit it hard with cardio styles. Build lean muscle to burn even more fat.
    8. and above all - take your photo now! You will want to look back and have a starting BEFORE picture to proudly display along with your series of PRESENT or CURRENT photos during your transformation and continued lifestyle of fitness.

    I welcome you, and anyone else out there to add me as a friend. I have made fitness and health my passion and love the idea of folks joining me in my new lifestyle of being fit, healthy, and most importantly - HAPPY!.

    I'm here to support and motivate!!! I find my own success comes easier when I help and fuel other folks success.

    and remember - most folks care more about the quality of fuel they put in their lawn mowers than the fuel they put in their bodies. Don't be one of those people. Whole foods. Natural foods. Intelligent choices.



    Fit for life,
    Mark M. Reed
    aka Marc Mayhem - Fitness Blogger, and Motivator!


    Add me as a friend and take part in my daily fitness discussions, tips, and commentary on MyFitnessPal!
  • angimac
    angimac Posts: 145 Member
    Welcome Cheryl.

    Life has a way of beating us up, and it seems that once it starts, it likes to kick us while we're down.

    It took me 40 years to realize I was worth fighting for. It's not easy, but it's possible.

    You're not alone. Add me if you like. I'm no weight loss guru or anything, just a human who stumbles and trips and gets back up and trudges along. We're in this together, and together, We Got This!

    Angie
  • mommymeesh
    mommymeesh Posts: 17 Member
    Hi, Cheryl. I'm Michelle and I hear ya. I started out with 113 lbs. to lose initially - I may adjust that down when I reach my goal. I've lost 40 so far and MFP has been the only thing that's ever worked for me. In the past I've lost 10, 15 and as much as 20 lbs. but never more than that and I've always gained it all back. With MFP you have a network of people to support you and keep you accountable but it's only going to give you results based on the effort you put into logging everything - and I mean every bite that passes your lips. Best wishes on your journey and feel free to add me as a friend!
  • Hello! Welcome to MFP!

    MFP is a really great resource to keep you focused and connect you with a wealth of fitness resources and like minded folks.


    1. Log your foods every day - don't skip days, or parts of your day. log everything!
    2. Analyze each day - see where it went good and where it went bad - too much fat? maybe too many carbs? over the calorie limit? Identify and plan how to correct it for tomorrow.
    3. Reach out to the community with questions or advice needs.
    4. Build a network of friends here!
    5. Above all, do not believe everything you read here. There is a lot of great advice, but also some misleading and hype type advice. Part of getting fit is educating yourself in aspects of health and fitness. Make sure any questionable advice is looked at with a scientific eye and look for facts, evidence, and most importantly real world proof.
    6. You are more than a number. Sometimes the scale may not say what you hoped - thats fine. weight loss is not a straight line declination. Its a bumpy line that drops over time. Don't let single day numbers get your focus away from term based results.
    7. Vary your exercises. Your body forms memories and can slow down how it burns fat and builds muscles. Keep it confused! Hit it hard with cardio styles. Build lean muscle to burn even more fat.
    8. and above all - take your photo now! You will want to look back and have a starting BEFORE picture to proudly display along with your series of PRESENT or CURRENT photos during your transformation and continued lifestyle of fitness.

    I welcome you, and anyone else out there to add me as a friend. I have made fitness and health my passion and love the idea of folks joining me in my new lifestyle of being fit, healthy, and most importantly - HAPPY!.

    I'm here to support and motivate!!! I find my own success comes easier when I help and fuel other folks success.

    and remember - most folks care more about the quality of fuel they put in their lawn mowers than the fuel they put in their bodies. Don't be one of those people. Whole foods. Natural foods. Intelligent choices.



    Fit for life,
    Mark M. Reed
    aka Marc Mayhem - Fitness Blogger, and Motivator!


    Add me as a friend and take part in my daily fitness discussions, tips, and commentary on MyFitnessPal!




    Thanks~ You are great at motivating! Good luck everyone~
  • tlnurse
    tlnurse Posts: 229 Member
    Hi...and welcome! Feel free to add me....we all need each other's support!:flowerforyou:
  • kympow
    kympow Posts: 145 Member
    Welcome Cheryl,

    I am Kym. For me it has been helpful to surroind myself with people who have similar weight to lose as I do/ are have lost a big chunk already.. I have friends that motivate me and inspire.

    I have lost 41 pounds and have 119 to go. My health has changed soooo much in the little I have lost.

    Feel free to add me (anyone can too)... I tend to be quiet on the weekdays (I work 10 hour shifts) but make up for it on the weekends :)

    My exercise is non-existent right now...I am having surgery this next week and will slowly start to work on my exercise from there.

    And welcome to MFP!

    Kym
  • angimac
    angimac Posts: 145 Member
    Oh, and first piece of advice... don't look at that 122 pound goal just yet...

    Set a reasonable goal first. Maybe not even weight related. Set an exercise goal.

    My first exercise (or that day, it wasn't exercise, it was "just let me die" torture, LOL) was a 3/4 mile walk with my son and daughter. Before the half mile point, I told my daughter that she was going to have to either go get the car, or call the ambulance because I was going to die. I didn't die. I walked a little farther the next day. And kept walking farther. I can't run or jog because of a bad knee, but I can walk 4 or 5 miles now, and enjoy it, instead of thinking I'm gonna die.

    And I may just be walking, but I'm walking laps around whoever that person is sitting on the couch with a bag of potato chips and a 2 liter Coke, watching The Biggest Loser on tv... (and I'm not talking smack about people who do that, my husband and I used to be those people.)

    Every positive change you make is important, it's a milestone, yell it from the rooftops!
  • JESSJESJ
    JESSJESJ Posts: 121 Member
    Hi, feel free to add me, i have about the same amount to lose too. so far, i've been enjoying this site over others i've tried. everyone seems very enthusiastic.
  • sweetsobright
    sweetsobright Posts: 4 Member
    Hello, I to have let life and relationships get the best of me. I am the true emotional eater and am now over 100 lbs. overweight. I joined last September but as of last month just got serious. I have lost 13lbs. So far!! You can add me if you like and we can do this together. I am a size 20 and my goal is to be a size 10.
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
    Oh, and first piece of advice... don't look at that 122 pound goal just yet...

    Set a reasonable goal first. Maybe not even weight related. Set an exercise goal.

    My first exercise (or that day, it wasn't exercise, it was "just let me die" torture, LOL) was a 3/4 mile walk with my son and daughter. Before the half mile point, I told my daughter that she was going to have to either go get the car, or call the ambulance because I was going to die. I didn't die. I walked a little farther the next day. And kept walking farther. I can't run or jog because of a bad knee, but I can walk 4 or 5 miles now, and enjoy it, instead of thinking I'm gonna die.

    And I may just be walking, but I'm walking laps around whoever that person is sitting on the couch with a bag of potato chips and a 2 liter Coke, watching The Biggest Loser on tv... (and I'm not talking smack about people who do that, my husband and I used to be those people.)

    Every positive change you make is important, it's a milestone, yell it from the rooftops!

    Hi Cheryl! Like she said.... Get more active and don't worry about worry about that 122 pounds, It'll be gone before you know it.
  • TiffanyCza
    TiffanyCza Posts: 30 Member
    Hello Cheryl!
    We all go through tough times in life but the important part is that you want to change and I am sure with a community like this, we all can change for the better.
    If you'd like support, I would love to have you as a friend. I am about 130lbs overweight and my first goal is 250lbs (the weight I was when I graduates HS).

    So good luck honey and remember that there are people that are willing to support you here! =D
  • CitaPita
    CitaPita Posts: 8 Member
    Hi Cheryl (and everyone else here!)

    I'm at a similar place in my life having realized that I need to focus more on myself and how I can improve my life. I have spent the entirety of my adult life overweight, as I started gaining steadily around 14 years old and never stopped.

    I would love to have you (and the others here with a similar goal) on my friends list! There will be moments on the journey that we might feel weak, and having a support system will really help motivate!

    Good luck! We can do this! :)
  • Thank you to everyone for such a warm welcome and the friend requests...it's great to realize that I am on this journey with others.