Hi,

First post, just saying hi and a little background about me

I'm 40 and I have been hugely overweight throughout my whole life - even as a toddler I weighed too much. All the family members I grew up with had issues with food and were really underweight - I seem to have gotten my own issues but put on the weight instead.

I have high blood pressure and am very unfit. I rarely go out now as I just find walking too hard - especially in this summer heat

I currently weigh 309lbs. The heaviest I have been during my adult life is 329lb, the lightest is 191 - I have spent the last 25 years yo-yoing between these two weights. I'm currently on my way up again.

I want to be fit and healthy so much, but I just don't know where to begin. I have crash dieted in the past and this has thinned out my hair and left me with awful stretch marks. I can't believe I have done this to myself.

Yesterday I bought a wii fit board - not a huge step towards improving my fitness I'm sure, but at least it has got me moving a little more.

I am almost resigned myself to failure before I have started, that's not the best start, is it?

I'm going to have another go at this, though. With my health and fitness levels in the state they are, I probably have an awful lot more than my pride to lose in the not too distant future if I don't do this.

I'm looking forward to getting to know people on here and hope to find some support from others.

Hooray! Welcome and good luck! have you talked to your doctor for a healthy weightloss plan that can cater to your needs? I recently lost 120 lbs, and at the beginning, I just cut everything I ate in half. I wasn't able to exercise. So I did that for a while until I lost about 30 lbs.

One thing I've learned during this process, is if you can accomplish this, you are unstoppable at anything! I can't wait to track your progress!

Of course you can do this!! Find a plan that you can see yourself doing *for life* as this is key to your success. Educate yourself on that plan and then get prepared and take that first step. Plan..Plan..then plan some more. You can do this!

Welcome! You can do this~take one day at a time. Thinking in terms of each day as a new slate has helped me get past some obstacles (binges).

You have made the first step & you will love the Wii board!

Welcome, Marmite!

I know (and I'm sure most others on this site do, too) exactly how you feel. Definitely knowing the feeling of being so out of shape that you are on the sidelines of life instead of really living. Also know the feeling of "I've been fat so long and failed so many times, how is it possible that I can really actually do this?" Blech to both of those feelings, they suck!

It's got to be inspiring to hear from the 3 people who've posted on your thread who have all lost a LOT of weight! And listen, I am sure they are very special people, but there is nothing MORE special about them than you and me! I think it really boils down to wanting it from the bottom of your heart, and when/if that happens for someone is totally an individual thing. I personally gained my last 60-70 lbs in the past couple years, and there is an unbelievable difference in how I feel at this weight -- an unbelievably BAD difference. I think I hit my 'rock bottom', and I'm clawing my way back. It's not been long since I've been on this program, and so of course I question what will make it stick this time after so many failures. But hey, I'm still trying, and so are you by posting here. Just keep trying and don't give up -- that's what we gotta do!!!

In case this helps, I have taken note of the fact that my biggest obstacle is always that when I have a backslide, I just throw in the towel. My biggest goal this time is that if I have a bad day/week, I brush myself off and get back to it as quickly as possible. NO MORE letting a holiday meal or a vacation of overindulging turn into a year or 2 of gaining before I get back in control.

You are not doomed to being overweight and unhealthy. It's a hard road, but I bet the successful people on this thread had doubts, too. Look at 'em, they're doing it! And so can we!!!!

Hi Marmite! I too am just getting started and have spent many a year trying - temporarily succeeding - gaining it back.....The biggest obstacle for me has been feeling utterly hopeless. Anyways, I've only lost 7 pounds so far but yesterday my favorite pants (1 of 2 pairs that fits - for now!) were loose. I swear, I had to keep pulling them up and at first I thought, "well that's annoying," but then I realized MY PANTS WERE ACTUALLY LOOSE!!! So now I am savoring this feeling. I think if we really focus on and celebrate the small victories along the way that we will begin to feel the hope and encouragement again.

@Shannon: I had a span of about 3 days where I got really tired and I had to break out the claws. Seriously, I felt like I was taking it an hour at a time. I faltered a bit, but rode it out and the past few days have not been a struggle at all! I really like what you said about backsliding. We may get down, but we musn't stay down!

due to my size and back trouble, there's not a lot I can do and not be in pain, so I have been focusing on strength training. Anything I can do on my exercise ball, in a seated position or on the floor - I do. Whenever the mood strikes. I've been doing 20 minute mini sessions a few times a day. Baby steps, a little at a time, and we'll get there!

If you need to break it down to one meal at a time...so be it! When I started there were days that I did not know if I could make it through the entire day, but I sure could commit to one meal. I now refer to them as choices. That is how I am getting healthy and my mobility and freedom back...one choice at a time. If I make a less than healthy choice...I make sure my next one is better. Its much easier that way!! You really can do this.

Hello! Think Positive and say Yes, I can! I am 43 and had enough on this weight. Each day is a new beginning and we are worth it!! You can do it, we all can do it.

Looking forward on your efforts!! Good luck!!

Some great advice - thank you, thank you, thank you!

I'm taking it slowly, one meal at a time. I spend a lot of the day grazing and so I'm swapping all the high fat / sugar snacks for fresh fruits and salads. I'm also trying to eat fresh, basic foods at meal times - my aim for the moment is to just get into a habit of making healthy choices and to get somewhat fitter.....I will worry about calories and such in a week or so, once I have cut out a lot of the rubbish in my diet.

Thank you for the replies - I wrote the OP in a hurry as I wanted to give an intro and didn't want to spend time composing....I just wanted to talk and let everything in my mind tumble out! It's been lovely to read the replies - thank you so much! I've spent some time looking around the forum and it seems like such a lovely, supportive place

shannon's right -- we big losers are no different than you!! You CAN do it and we'd love to talk with you about it. Maybe you should check out one of the weekly threads, too!

Sounds like you're going baby steps! That's exactly what I did. I was too overwhelmed to change everything at once, so I started by bringing snacks and lunches to work and watching portions. That was it.

So, WELCOME!!

Hi,

I'm so glad you've come here. It really is a great place. I completely understand feeling overwhelmed. I have a lot of weight to lose, and exercise for me is very limited by a heart condition. Diet for me was the most important factor. I started eating smart and it sounds like you have a great start with that. I only exercise lightly (Wii boxing, light walking, stationary bike) for about 10-20 minutes a day, but I've been working on doing more. Most of the weight I've lost so far has been from diet changes, and it has been since I joined the board in April. But absolutely get as much exercise a day as you can do safely/comfortably because it will just add to the benefits. Keep doing well with your diet and doing what exercise you can!

Hi marmite,

I'm a new member here too and I 'hear you', about getting myself into this state and can only say you're here and making a start, and that's what counts now. One thing I do, and I suggest you do is regularly look at the goal photo albums, the stories are amazing and do wonders to rev up motivation. I can't remember where or what thread but someone wrote no matter how many years we treated our bodies badly, we can make amazing changes in one year. This really hit home for me, one year is nothing..and just imagine this time next year - you'll be fit, much healthier & be out and about enjoying yourself. You can do it.

I have recently started my journey...again as well. I have spent most of my adult life over weight going up and down. I KNOW how you feel. This site has been such a wonderful tool for me. I am on here everyday reading and posting. It makes me feel like I am with a bunch of friends who are on the journey with me. I know we can do this, one day (or one hour) at a time. One foot in front of the other. Baby steps!

Everyone is right that says we are no different from you. You don't even have to believe that you can do. I am an example of that. When I started, I really did not believe that I could lose the huge amount of weight that I needed to lose. I decided to lose 10 or 20 pounds because my doctor promised me that just 10 or 20 pounds would make me feel better. The smaller amount seemed possible.

I took it one day at a time, still do actually. Don't even look at the big picture. Just focus on today. What do you need to do today to get healthy? Today you need to eat right and move a little. That is all. You can do this for one day! Then get stubborn! Just keep repeating. One day at a time. They mount up!