I've been on this website infrequently since January 2006. I just could not commit to it, but I need to. I am 5'8 and 195 lbs, so while I don't look horrendous, I still don't look fit either. I don't feel healthy and I want to become fit and healthy, and attractive.

Please give me tips and help me lose just the first 10 lbs. That will be a start, at least.

You can do this!

Exercise at least 3 times per week, even if it is just 30 minutes of walking. Watch your portion sizes. Eat more veggies, low fat or fat free dairy, lean meats, fruits, and whole grains.

I personally find that calorie counting works best for me. I eat between 1200-1500 calories per day and exercise 4-6 times per week. I eat smaller meals every 3 hours instead of 2-3 larger meals.

I read somewhere that the governmental guidelines suggest 60 to 90 minutes of exercise a day for weight loss, but that's so discouraging. No way I could do that everyday! So 30 minutes 3 times a week is good enough??

Yes, if that's all you can do. Anything is better than nothing. You'll lose faster if you do more, but at least you are doing something.

I personally shoot for an 45 min-60 min of cardio 4-6 days per week. I do fun classes instead of cardio machines because those bore me. I do kickboxing and turbojam. I also do strength training twice per week for 30 minutes.

But there are some weeks that I don't meet my exercise goal, and I'm ok with that. I just work out as much as I can.

Don't forget to change your eating habits too!

I am bribing myself to loose the first 10 pounds. I wanted an iPod Nano so badly for Christmas. I was going to get the Nike+ to go wtih it. Well, Santa didn't bring it, so I've decided to buy it myself-but only after I've lost 10 pounds. It'll be my reward.

That sounds like a GREAT idea! I wanted one also, and I've seen the Nike+ on iTunes & on the TV. I love OK Go. They are awesome. Hrmm..I might make that my reward, but...that is a big reward for me money wise, so I might do that for myself when I get to my goal weight. heh.

Getting started is just that -- getting started.

My best advice is to pick somethings to do that you know you SHOULD do to lose weight, whether it's getting more exercise or eating better foods and DO it. That will start you.

I started by cutting down portion sizes and bringing lunches and snacks to work. I built from there.

I agree with all of the ladies above.
You just have to start doing it. That is the only way you will see results. Start and keep at it. If it matters so much time wise to lose the weight fast you might just gain it back. Take it one step at a time Melanie. Be positive and keep at it. I walked 30 minutes 4 times a week and lost weight.

It is up to you and your body. Do what is best for you. Good luck. If you need anything we are here.

Try not to go out to eat (bring your lunch to school/work), cut out calories in beverages (juice/soda/alcohol) as much as possible, and start moving every day, even if just for 15-30 minutes.

take the stairs instead of the elevator! get up and walk around your office or apartment. try doing 100 crunches a night. the little things do add up!

So very true. And I second the little things can make the biggest difference. Taking the stairs, parking farther away, getting up and walking every 30 minutes or so around the office, etc. Movement, movement, movement.

My problem is having enough energy to keep going in my workouts. I've been doing Turbo Jam, and I can get through the 20 minute workout pretty well, and I can do the Ab Jam pretty well. But I get into the cardio parties and i'm dying after 10-15 minutes. So I shut them off and then try and do at least 10 mintues of the Ab Jam to get a little bit of a longer workout in. I'm mad at myself over the past few days.. I've been working out, but I've been eating stuff thats not been too good for me. So I'm trying to buckle down now with what I'm eating, and I hope that will help at all. I'm afraid that if I keep seeing the scale either go up or not move, then I'll think that the working out is pointless and cut that out of my life again.

Wow, that probably didn't make any sense because I tend to ramble from time to time, but oh well! =)

Aubrey

Thank you for the advice everyone. I'm still finding it so hard to just get started, though. I want to, but don't have the energy. What is wrong with me? Why am I so lazy? I'm 21 years old and getting married and I don't want to be overweight. I used to be slender! My sister has had two babies by age 18, the last one on November 1st, and she's already back into tip top shape. She was never huge to begin with.

It makes me so insecure. I feel like a huge whale around her and I'll bet my fiancee wishes I was that small. I'm good at disguising it, and a lot of people try to tell me that I'm not fat, but I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES! I don't have body dysmorphia or anything like that. I'm starting to get really soft around the chin and I practically have a waddle. My stomach is huge, I used to have the flattest belly around. I got a bit thick around the thigh/butt/hip area for awhile there but that's nothing to complain about, curves are great. But now I've got this horrible gut and my arms jiggle and I'm a nearly a D in bra size and I used to be a B. I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror one day and was disgusted. My belly looks stretched out and distended, and I'll bet a million bucks if I lose weight I will have horrible loose skin on my stomach. My butt is immensely large, and covered in cellulite! I never used to have that. My legs are thick like tree trunks, and I used to have nice long legs. I used to have thin arms and a tiny waist and.. what happened to me?!?!?!?

And I've made so many attempts at losing weight but nothing's worked.

I just can't do it.

Right now I feel so miserable and depressed and unattractive.

It's really not as hard as you think it is, Melanie. Just start and you'll see that soon enough. You'll have more energy, feel better and have a better outlook on life. I see you come and go around here and I always hope you'll find what you're looking for, but the truth is none of us can help you unless you help yourself. Your posts always remind me of the way I used to feel, even though I was never skinny like you... I had the same defeated attitude, and it never got me anywhere until I just started. I'd love to support you and I know everyone else here would too, you just gotta get the ball rolling.