I am definitely not new to this site - I've been browsing for many years and have gone up and down in my weight loss journey. Lately, however, I've been feeling down (emotionally) and I just really need to kick this weight in the butt! I've got 100 pounds (maybe more) to lose but I don't know where to start or how to start!! I know I can't jump into rigorous exercise right away - I'll hurt myself - but I need to start with something. I'm sure there's lots of starting out posts and people might get sick of them but I'm ready to listen and any and all ideas/suggestions/stories of what you've done would be the biggest help to me!!
I never get tired of people who are serious about getting on track, not in your case, but I think sometimes people sign up and are disappointed when the people on this forum don't have any easy way out.
I have a bad back, so I understand not wanting to overdo it - there's nothing less motivating than an injury right out of the gate! I take my dog for a 20 minute walk every night, I take the stairs instead of the elevator, I don't find the closet spot to the store, and I do 20 minutes of cardio a few times a week. It's nothing too strenuous but it has made a big difference.
Eating wise, I started clean eating and calorie counting. I know if you have a family not eating processed foods can be impractical at best, but just cutting out boxes of hamburger helper and boxed pastas can make a big difference. I cycle my calories, eat three meals a day plus a snack, and cut out a lot of "white" foods - bread, pasta, apples, potatoes, etc. I only eat red meat once a week and I eat fish once a week even though it's gross. It's been a trial and error process, but I've been successful so far without making myself miserable.
Setting small goals has helped tremendously - someone on here has their tagline as something along the lines of - I can't lose 100 lbs. but I can lose 5 lbs. twenty times.
Just having the willpower to try, even if you fail at first, is the biggest part. There are some lovely people in the 270's-280's thread who would love to have a new member.
You can lose weight without exercise. Of course working out is beneficial to your health but there are plenty of people who lose weight through diet alone.
I recommend getting a pedometer and just setting up small goals. See how many steps you take in a typical day and then try to beat that amount little by little, every day, do a bit more. You can also get some resistance bands and find some youtube videos on how to do them....many of the exercises can be done on the floor or even in a chair.
The most important component that can lead to weight loss is calorie restriction. I recommend starting the day with a big glass of water and then once you eat, for me, it helps to start with protein. Don't drink anything caloric and just stick with water. It's also good to have some protein at every meal, as well as fiber to keep fuller longer.
Snack on veggies and...you guessed it....protein. I like to have string cheese and some berries as a snack since they are lower in sugar and have lots of antioxidents.
Perhaps you can keep a food log? I use a free program called LoseIt but many people like Sparkpeople. I know counting calories isn't for everyone, but it works for me so I thought I'd mention it.
Hi Love114! When I started out last year I started out slow....I changed my eating habits a little at a time by removing certain foods and replacing with healthier choices. One week I stopped anything with sugar, the next I stopped items with flour, the next I stopped high carb foods including potatoes, rice, bread, etc. I did it this way so I wouldn't burn myself out like I had in the past going full on in the beginning. I also started out exercising slowly by just walking around the neighborhood in the evenings. I came on this site and learned a great deal and started tweaking my diet even further till I found what suited me best.
Experiment and play around with a variety of foods and see what feels right for you and will help you stick with it for long term. I do not feel deprived at all, I eat foods I enjoy along with the occasional treat. It took me some time but I have found a way of eating that I can maintain for life.
For getting in shape, lots of options for free online!
Tiffany Rothe - I LOVE her. Here's a link to the warm-up vid. She recommends doing this vid along with another one 3 times, but don't sweat if you can't that. Some of her other videos are REALLY(rock climber!) hard but only 10 minutes. So start with the warm-up and adding in 1 more, then keep adding when you get more in shape.
Thank you all so much for your help and all the wonderful suggestions!! I'll start out slow with the exercise like maybe just walking or something everyday.
And I like the idea of taking things out of my diet slowly instead of quitting cold turkey which would probably make me go back to it quicker! I knew I could count on this forum
i appreciate each and every one of you that took the time to read and reply!
I'm not sure how old you are, or if you've tried to lose weight before. If the answer is YES, I always encourage people to REALLY think "HOW can this time be different from all the others?"
Really, when you think about it, going through the process of dropping pounds is a bit of a drag lol I can't imagine ever wanting to do it more than ONCE in a lifetime!!! If there's any way you can dig deep into yourself, really SEE who you are, what your issues are about food, and really deal with them, I see only success ahead!!
*and that concludes the rant portion*
Otherwise, I say have some FUN with the whole thing - if you like stickers or treats for motivation, have at it! If you can't do much exercise, at least commit to yourself that every tv commercial break you'll GET UP and walk around. A few short walks in a day. Hula hooping is insanely fun!! Just dancing in your basement helps!
All the usual food things we've all read a million times, cut down your portions, eat less garbage, eat more good stuff.
And plan for crappy days. If you have some energy one night, make a big pot of veg soup or cook some chicken breast to keep in the freezer for nights you can't even move....be kind to that tired lady and make her dinner
Starting out help
I like to have string cheese and some berries as a snack since they are lower in sugar and have lots of antioxidents. 
