Glad you're here at 3FC!
While I wasn't 300+ at my highest weight - I can definitely sympathize. When you have a LOT of weight to lose, it seems almost impossible - like trying to move a mountain using a teaspoon and a coffee cup...
Here's how I started though...even before I started with the eating part, I started exercising - the easiest and most economical exercise which is walking. I put on my Keds and my Walkman, ventured out the front door and put one foot in front of the other! The first time I could only manage a couple of blocks at most, but as I got fitter I was able to tackle the hills around my neighborhood and it didn't cost a cent
(and if the weather isn't great, hit the nearest indoor mall...some malls even have walking groups or clubs - check it out).
When you feel up to doing more - try your local Parks & Recreation department to see if they offer low-impact exercise classes; check your nearby community college or YMCA as well.
As far as diets are concerned...there is no one 'diet plan' that I can say 'works' for people at a certain size - they all work under the same premise - eat less, move more. There's no *secret* per se; it's not really about 'dieting' as much as making *healthy lifestyle changes* Rather than going into the "diet mindset" that often turns out to be a temporary calorie reduction or something impossible to maintain over the long term (such as a 3 day juice fast or living on packaged meals or shakes) go for something that you can live with for a LIFETIME.
A suggestion is to start a food journal - even BEFORE you start to change your diet - for a few days jot down EVERYTHING that you put in your mouth, even if it's just a nibble of something (as Meg, our astute moderator of the Maintainers Forum has stated, it's those
B.L.T.'s - Bites, Licks, and Tastes - that seem so innocent but show up on the scale). Besides what you ate, jot down how hungry you were, your emotional state etc when you ate, what you were doing etc - a lot of us got here by doing either 'mindless eating' or 'recreational eating' - not eating out of true hunger.
Do some research on nutrition - a great place to start is the US Government's 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (
www.nutrition.gov). Lots of *free* info there!
and PLEASE don't get suckered into the 'quick fixes' - the infomercials, the hyped-up faux diet pills, and the gadgets. Most of it is, to be blunt, total crap (see the "Does it Work?" forum for more info).
Support is very important - check around here at 3FC and find a place where you can be comfortable - like our 100 lb. Club
Good luck! See ya around!!!
Help!!!
