Hi Everyone,

I just joined 3FC to search for support. I have a long journey ahead of me and I feel very overwhelmed with how to start.

I know that I got to 300+ pounds not just because I love to eat but the emotional reason behind eating. I can't seem to find that control and I know I need to find it because I'm tired of feeling this way. I look at the mirror and I think, "this can't be me? I'm not that fat". I'm embarassed to go to social outings (I'm not going to my 20yr reunion). I'm tired of it.

I think I know what I have to do for eating but any suggestions on exercising? My feet hurt constantly.

Suggestions? Support and love is always appreciated.

Hello,

I just joined today as well. And I too have a long, long journey. I have been on a new plan (defined by my doc) for almost a week. And for the first time ever, I have not cheated one bit. I am not starving. Key for me has been 6 meals (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and evening snack that are all < 300 calories and > 10g protein. I am sure my doc and nutritionist will tweak it, but I have been shocked at how good I feel. I feel like I can do this. Still week 1, but it is a start.

As for exercise, I am still in the walking phase. I walked about a mile today at the park. If your feet hurt too much to walk, you can try some basic calisthenics. Search Youtube and you will find some you like. They key is to do something besides sit and watch TV. That was my usual weekend routine. But not any more. I have not even turned the TV on today.

I don't know how useful what I have learned is. Far be it for me to give advice on weight loss. But I figure if we all share everything we learn and what does and does not work for us, then we'll have a fighting chance.

Good luck.

LADIES ~ VANWOMEN -- I agree that you can try toning exercises that you do on a chair, a bed, or the floor (if you have no knee issues). Dancing is always fun and can be done in short spurts as can walking. You can do short walks each day (5-10 minutes) if your feet hurt; even doing them indoors (marching in place). Hand-weights can be used too.

I think your eating plan is the most important thing to start with; plus take a good look at when and why you eat. Maybe keep a journal so you can look for any trends or triggers. Then you can look for alternate strategies that don't involve food to manage your emotions.

Best of luck, ladies -- and come and join us in the 300+ Chat Thread in this forum for some great support!

EDIT2ADD: I just remembered when answering another thread that I used my Rowing Machine for quite some time in the beginning to burn calories as it is much easier to do; and doesn't hurt your feet. Sometimes, I just used the rowers, and kept my feet in place ...

Vanwomen100plus, I recently discovered DDP yoga after seeing a video about a man named Arthur Boorman (definitely recommend checking that out on youtube) and I've never been happier with a workout. Granted I haven't really done it much in the past few weeks but that had nothing to do with the program, just personal life issues getting in the way. Anyway, when I was doing it, within two weeks of consistently working out, I could already see/feel the difference. It's basically no impact cardio, so you can tone and burn fat without all of the painful stress on the joints that usually accompanies traditional cardio. Sounds too good to be true I'm sure, but it's not! The more I talk about it, the more I wonder why I'm not doing it right now haha

Hello! Welcome to 3FC!

Losing 150 pounds is a big goal, but you can break that up into lots of mini-goals, like eating within a certain calorie range every day or losing one pound, which might be more manageable and less overwhelming.

What approach do you plan on using to modify your eating habits (e.g., calorie counting, Weight Watchers, Ideal Protein)? Is it something you've tried before and/or that you think you can sustain?

With the weight you're at now, you probably don't need to start an exercise routine to see weight loss. Of course, if you just want to do some activity for your overall health and your doctor's cleared you for exercise, that's always awesome. Some people say they've done well with the chair calisthenics stuff. Have you considered swimming? That would allow you to get your heart rate up without putting a lot of stress on your joints.

Have you looked into joining Overeaters Anonymous, applying the principles of The Beck Diet Solution (an approach to weight loss, not a diet), or getting formal therapy to help you work through your emotional eating issues?

Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback ladies...I'm excited about starting this journey and your encouraging words and advice will help sooo much.

THANK YOU

Welcome ladies....my advice.....listen to your bodies.
Once I had managed to tune out the voice telling me to "eat eat eat" all the time I found my body was actually telling me what it wanted.....I just couldn't hear it until then.
Of course the voices are still competing for attention!
Good luck and welcome!

My advice: find an indoor pool and spend lots of time in it. The water takes the weight off of your body and you can do things in a pool that you can't do out of the water. You will have to pay for it, but this is an investment in your health, and therefore priceless.

The formula for weight loss truly is simple (unless you have a major health issue): take in fewer calories than you burn. I said it was simple. I didn't say it was easy. Changing habits is never easy, but it CAN be done.

Realize that where/how you are is a choice. This puts you in control.

With every bite of food you take you either move closer to your goal of losing weight or further away from it.

With every excuse you make not to exercise, you either move closer to your goal of losing weight or further away from it.


This is reality and your reality is your choice.


Emotionally:
1. Accept and love yourself as and where you are. Your size doesn't equate to your value as a person.
2. Stop beating yourself up. It doesn't matter how/why you got here, only what you do to get out of here.
3. Be patient with yourself. The journey is long and arduous.
4. Stop living in the past.....and in the future. We can only act in this moment.
5. Realize that this won't be any easier tomorrow or after the holidays or after your job settles down or after the kids are grown or after your husband.......realize that tomorrow never comes.
6. Accept that your choices must change and that it won't be easy, but that you CAN do it.
7. Realize that there are no failures, only slow successes.
8. Lastly, don't listen to those in your life who don't support your goals...whatever they may be.

Good luck. And, before I stop talking in bumper stickers, remember: whether you believe you can or you can't, you're right.

What a beautiful post!

^I AGREE^ ... wonderful post, BEGINME!!! Love it!

I know how you feel. I'm an emotional eater too, and I expected this to be harder than it is. I started on the 1st of November, and have lost about 5lbs so far. I've had one moment when I've felt very down, and instead of turning to food, I thought about how amazing I will feel once this weight is gone. That knowledge keeps me going and will hopefully keep me going further down the track! I've also been reading the success stories on this site, and it's definitely keeping me motivated.

I've been doing dancing as my exercise so far, and haven't had any sore feet the way I get from even walking!