Hello. My name is Aradia. I'm a 30 year old single mother, and right now I weigh 344lbs. I know if I dont start doing something about my weight, I'm going to have serious health problems. I have tried WW and had some success on it, but I couldnt keep up with it. My life has been so stressful this year, but now its behind me, and I need to move forward. What I'm looking for is support and any ideas of how to start getting healthier, or the best weight loss program out there. Thanks in advance



Aradia

Welcome, Aradia. You've picked the right place to post. I'm sure you'll be most welcome and others will give you the tips you need. Be sure to start small and with things you CAN manage because this is a lifetime journey and well worth it to maintain your health. It's not necessary to be perfect all the time (you'll see most of us bemoaning ourdays when we don't live up to our goals) - just stay with it - and us and post when you're tempted. It's a nice distraction.

aradia!!! what a nice name!!!

welcome to the place where some of the smartest, wisest folks share all kinds of stuff...

what kind of plan are you thinking of? some folks follow ww, others count calories or fat grams or carbs, and others just experiment until they find the right combination.

glad you're here!!!!

The best way is to start with small things I think until you find out what you want to do. Some ideas are the following: If you drink regular soda, switch to diet. Also be sure to drink plenty of water. If you eat something that has a lower fat alternative, switch to the lower fat item. If you are lacking vegetables and fruit in your diet, try to incorporate more into your meals. Also, don't forget trying to fit in some exercise and the easiest thing to do is walk.

There is really no best weight loss program out there because everyone is different, but if it is a plan you will follow, that would be the best plan for you.

I've been reading alot of threads on here, and I think I'm starting to see why I always 'fail'. I try to change my whole life-style at once, and now I know I cant do that. I have to take baby steps. I need to put new habits into my life....so my first new habit is going to be drink lots and lots of water and cut out whole mayo. I know that dont seem like a lot, but for someone like me, it is. Thank all of you for the wonderful advice, and keep it coming! Thanks again!



Aradia

Aradia...

I'm a semi-newbie too. The people around here are very supportive, so you've found yourself a good spot.

I'm just taking baby steps, too. I'm doing WW now but I went on the program slowly and didn't try to make all the changes at once. And I'm also considering changing programs all together.. I have some mini-goals for myself and I'm just working into everything slowly.

My best advise is don't beat yourself up to much if you have a "bad" or "off" day. Just make the decision to let it be in the past and just go forward with your program. This has been a big stumbling block for me. And I'm still working on it. But we can all learn from each other so don't be a stranger!

Hi! It sounds like a great idea to start drinking water and cut out the mayo. Perhaps you can think about other things that you can replace gradually as time goes on and you feel more comfortable.

My own biggest obstacle was to stop making excuses for myself. I (and as I've ready, many other posters here shared this problem) would use every little slipup to beat myself up and go on a ridiculous, self destructive binge, and *that* is what I think accounts for most of the 85(!!!!!!!!!! GAH) pounds I've put on in the past three or four years.

So yeah.. a big part of it is knowing your boundaries and not beating yourself up over little slip-ups. Also, you need to pick something you know you can live with and keep up with indefinitely. I'm sure you know all this, and I hope you figure out what's right for you. HOpe to see you post more!

Well Hun, you've definetly come to the right place!

I would suggest reading through the posts, and seeing what's working for others.. then it will be easier for you to figure out what's gonna work for you! We're here for you and you CAN do this!

Make sure to post often...

Hi Aradia, and welcome

Sounds like you're off to a great start.....coming to this wonderful place for encouragement, advice, support and motivation, and making a wise decision to go the 'baby steps' route. One suggestion - as you're figuring out the 'baby steps', it really helps to focus on the positive ones, ie eating lots more great foods like fruit, veggies, etc. Also, I think it helps to figure out your approach on the things you are cutting back on - some people cut out the things that tempt them most entirely; others eat them occasionally in moderation....you just have to know what works best for you!

Let us know how you're doing on the water and whole mayo front!

hello aradia..my name is jamalyn and you left me a post reply to welcoming me..you sound alot like me too..ya know i joined a gym but i have this unbelievable viral infection in my body that is dragging on and on and on. so i am hoping that will help me when i feel better..do u have a gym near you that you can join? do u walk? my legs hurt too so i know the pain..hope to hear from you..thanx jamalyn