[nonabee]

Hello everyone, I'm Nona! I discovered 3FC last night while searching for something online. I read a couple of posts and decided to join since it's a support group for those that want to lose weight.

I'm currently weighing my options for the best track to losing weight for myself and I desperately need to because this weight is beginning to cause all sorts of problems for me. If anyone has any suggestions or comments regarding how they got started I would love to hear them.

[mandalinn82]

Nonabee -

Well, in my experience, to get where you want to go, you need a PLAN. How to know if a plan is right for you? It should be something you can do for the rest of your life (because you have to not only lose the weight, but maintain that loss, which will mean a lifelong change in habits). It should also something where you think you'll be satisfied, and that gets you adequate nutrition while reducing the number of calories you consume. For me, that was Calorie Counting - head on over to that forum to check it out. For others, it was South Beach, Weight Watchers, or another plan that reduces calorie consumption within specific guidelines.

Don't worry about finding the perfect plan for you right away. You can always start with one thing (calorie counting is my example) and then tweak as you go along (in my case, I tweaked to add more protein and fiber so I'd stay fuller longer).

The other half of the equation is your calorie OUTPUT...the number of calories you burn through exercise and everything else you do in your daily life. Anything that increases that output will help increase weight loss.

You may want to check out the 100 lb club, for those looking to lose or who have lost 100 lbs or more. We also have forums for each of the eating plans I mentioned, by age range, and a whole lot more, so look around!

Can't wait to get to know you better!

[midwife]

Welcome to 3FC!

My suggestion would be to simply track your food for a week in a tracker such as the Daily Plate. Once you see what you eat (how much, types of food, etc) you can tweak your daily intake and go from there. Do check out the 100 lb Club for lots of great support. Walking Away the Pounds videos seem to be a popular tool for starting exercise. Baby steps!