[ready2lose40]

Hi Everyone!
I just joined this page after going to the doctor and realizing that I gained over 40 pounds since january. I started stress eating when I had a couple of things go really wrong in my life a couple of months ago, and now everything is better in my life, but I can't stop eating. I've been depressed since I gained so much weight, and now I eat because of that. I'm ready to lose all of the weight that I put on because I know that's the only way that I will be happy with myself again. I've been trying to stop snacking for the past month and a half but have been having a really hard time with it. I can use all of the support that I can get!

[gagalu]

you can lose weight. i know you look around here and see all of the people who've been successful -- use that as inspiration. there are some crazy stories out there.

have you lost a lot of weight before? starting out by counting the amount of calories you eat per day helps a lot. after you've figured that out, you can pick a calorie goal that feels comfortable for you. after you've got your diet back in your own control, slowly incorporate some kind of exercise, even if it's just walking.

you really are capable of losing weight. you were 40 lbs lighter before you gained it, right? you can easily get back there again within the next year. easily.

[ready2lose40]

thanks for the support! I really needed that!
about two years ago I went from 151 to 126 without really trying, I just made lifestyle changes. Now that I'm actually trying to lose weight, it's really hard to not give into cravings and cut out useless snacking. I want to be one of the success stories that I've been reading about and I think this forum will really help me get there

[gagalu]

it definitely will! this forum helped me out a lot back in the day. before i'd joined here, i'd lost about 100 lbs in a year and then gained about 90 of it back the next couple of years. i felt like such a failure, but eventually learned that's not the way things should be looked at. past is past. leave it there!

i've officially been at this for 3 years now and it's all gone by so fast. looking back, i'm so glad i made decisions that changed my life. you can look back at this and remember the point you decided to change your life, too.

[ready2lose40]

Wow! Well keep up your good work! I know that once I start losing weight it'll be a lot easier cause I always just feel better and healthier when I'm eating well and exercising. I just need help to get through the first couple of weeks!
Any tips on starting out?

[StrangeJourney]

I'm really new here but want to offer some support!! In the past year I've lost about 80 pounds, give or take and I know once you've decided " I want to lose weight" it can maybe seem really difficult and impossibly out of reach ( as in my case) but the biggest tip I can give you is just, baby steps. You absolutely can do it!

It took a lot of messing around and finding what works for me, but the most basic things I'd recommend to anyone are:
1) movement! any form of exercise and at some point some strength training will help in so many ways

2) eat foods that make you feel good. think about what fuels you, gives you energy and what makes you feel sluggish and tired

3) don't be too hard on yourself. if you fall off the horse, get right back on. for me weight loss was not a linear journey, it was more of a general downward slope.

4) love yourself and believe in yourself!

The first days are the hardest but you can do it!

[ready2lose40]

thanks gagalu! I've been trying to start a diet for awhile now, but I always fall off the wagon after a couple of days. I think the support of everyone on this site will help me reach a more long time goal