[OwnedByCats]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and I need help!
I live in the UK, but I am from the US originally. I thought I should come to the UK section as I'll be eating UK food.

When I first moved to the UK, I was thin and at just the right weight. I have been here for four years and since then I have gained 3 stone, and I am only 5ft. I am desperate to lose weight as being this way depresses me highly, and I also worry about health problems later in my life (I am 29 now). My father is suffering from a few things, which I think are linked to his weight, and I don't want to be in that position when I'm 50.
I don't really know what to do. I have tried changing my eating habits, eating more healthy, eating less etc, but my weight doesn't seem to move anywhere. I used to go to a gym, but I stopped going after 2 months of no results.
I have had my thyroid checked to be sure I am not suffering from an underactive thyroid.

I do have a cross trainer, an abdominal exerciser and some weights. I need some guidance on how much exercise I should be doing per day, and what kind of diet I should follow.
You all seem like a really nice group of people! Any help would be much appreciated. I am desperate!

~Christine

[BritinNJ]

Hi Christine, I am Christine too, but usually go by Chris, and I am a Brit but now live in the US. I reckon we must be meant to support each other, what do ya reckon?
I can't really help you with brands and stuff to get over there, cos I have been away too long, but I feel sure the other great girls will help out. They have been a Godsend to me since I joined this group.

I hope you do well and welcome to UKFC. Hope to hear from you soon.
Chris.

[tupperware queen]

Welcome aboard, you are in the right place for help and motivation, this sitehas been my lifeline this year and kept me motivated.
I am no exercise expert but since i joined a gym a few weeks ago I have felt so much better and have been less inclined to overeat.
The best piece of advice i could give you is to get a notebook and write everything down that you eat, whether you count cals, fat grams or carbs. Boring i know but it does help. I only get weighed once a week as past experience of living onnthe scales has got me nowhere, our body weight fluctuates so much.

Don't try to be perfect just aim for a little improvement each day.
Good luck
TQ

[NickyB]

Two good things that have worked for me:

- Being true to yourself (i.e. admitting when you've cheated!)

- Not letting one slip stop you from carrying on - it's just a slip, we all make them, pick yourself up and start again.

I'm sure you'll do fine!

[veggie]

Hi Christine!

[Delaney]

Hi Christine

I agree with everyone here particularly TQ when she said to write everything down - it really works (if you're telling the truth that is ). I've just strarted AGAIN after falling off the wagon a million times but I wouldn't have got back on track if it weren't for these gals.

[OwnedByCats]

Thanks for all those who replied. I really need some encouragement but just don't know where to start. I feel optimistic that I can lose this weight, but then again I am worried I won't get anywhere.

I have started to write everything down, and I do find that I am usually just under 1500 calories a day, should I be eating less?

~Christine

[Delaney]

It really depends on how much you need/want to lose Christine. I started at 18 stone 4 in January (5'6" tall) and started on 1,750 cals - at that I was losing anything between 2-4 lbs per week, then as the weight stopped coming off I dropped to 1,500 cals - at that I lose about 2lbs per week. Oh and don't forget the importance of exercise, when I started aerobics and dancing it really got the weight loss going again. I hope that is of some, help if only a guideline. Sarah's the person to ask on that and I don't know where she is at the moment. Good luck.