ummm ok I have no clue where to begin on here. so far this evening I have wrote down that I am going to my first WW meeting on Thurs, joined the YMCA,looking for some type of boot camp,and checked out 12000000 fat free recipes..lol,oh and I am new to this very informative site! All while my husband is sitting in the recliner watching a game saying " oh honey I love you just how you are."..lol sooo REALITY check,where do I start,help!!! Thanks in advance

LOL @ Husband. "But honey, will you still love me if I throw out all the pasta?" I should try that...

Welcome!

Read everything, especially people's success stories! Read about different diet systems, different ways of working out.

DO go to the gym.

DO buy yourself an Mp3 player or portable music player to make it more enjoyable!

Reward yourself for being on track and don't fall into a slump when things don't work out well - everyone here will know exactly how you feel and be here to support you!

Good luck with everything!

And, erm, maybe skip the bootcamp for now? Anyone else?

Here are some suggestions....

Read a lot of information but ultimately realize that you simply need to create a calorie defecit primarily through diet and hopefully with some exercise thrown in. That's it! If you are a computer person use an online tracking tool like FitDay or TheDailyPlate.

The other suggestion I might make and this is mostly to demonstrate to yourself that what you are trying to do is real is to start now. Get in 2.5 full good days (eating within calories and some form of exercise) before your first WW meeting. When you get there you will feel ahead of the game!

Great advice already!!! yayay!! I plan on "borrowing" my daughters ipod while working out. I am 5'4 and I think about 195 -200 lbs. I actually like going to the gym and doing aerobics,just making the time and actually going is the hard part. The hardest thing in the world for me is.. I have 100% no clue what to eat. My husband says he is going to sprout feathers if we eat anymore baked chicken..lol it seems everything I read is different,one week I will buy some fiber oatmeal for breakfast. The next thing I read its go "low fat" so then I am eating all the yummy no fat items OK one more thing and I promise I wont ask anymore tonight should I do any weights right now,or just start cardio several times a week? thanks!!

I've found that diets don't work for me (although they do for some) so I simply focus on making my food choices "good" which generally for me means low-fat, avoiding excessive carbs (I've cut out bread/chips for the time being) and carefully counting my calories, even on bad days through TheDailyPlate.

I'm a guy so my advice isn't best on weights, but I rarely see anyone advise to not do weights. Don't do so much that you hurt badly or lose motivation to go, but coupling it with cardio is great.

One other thing that's helped me a lot is to think of the entire day as an exercise, when my daughter wants to be picked up, instead of groaning, I'll lift her up to the ceiling and down 5 times. Sometimes when she wants me to get up and chase her I'll spring up as fast as I can and do a quick lap around the house. When I carry in groceries I'll do a few biceps curls at the with the bag. Sounds corny, but outside of the gym, I bet I burn 200-300 additional calories a day at least doing little things like this.

All of those little things add up and improve family life at the same time.

When you go the WW meeting you'll get a lot of info on what to eat. I always remember that its 20% exercise, 80% diet. So don't not work out, but just realize that it's not going to do it alone. You have to figure out what to eat. Like everyone else here said, read lots of stuff, WW online (even the free tools) has a ton of recipes (and the points are already figured out!). There's also SparkPeople for recipes and lots more out there.

The thing that really motivated me was looking at as many success stories as you can. If you go to the goal photo album here, there are tons of pictures and stories to motivate you! Congratulations and good luck! You'll do great!

Hi Opotomus!
It all can be info overload sometimes -but it sounds like you're ready to get started with a great attitude -the support you need is here - we'll all be here to cheer you on.

Glad to have you join us! There are lots & lots of different groups and forums - I'm sure you'll find some that will keep you motivated and inspired - you'll be a wonderful addition to any of them. Try the Weight Watchers forum and the weight loss support forums, they're active and very helpful - also the Success stories are a definite must for motivation. There's also lots of first hand advice on different plans & exercise to help choose what's right for you.

There are bunches of people here with more to lose and some with less - the bottom line is that we all have to do it a day at a time. The good thing is that we'll have lots of company along the way.

I've only been here since last fall, having NEVER been part of an online forum. What has been so eye-opening is how much it has helped me. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or defeated, I just log on and read some of the success stories, complete with their before & after photos - or read about others still dealing day to day with their challenges - and before I know it, the time has flown by and so have all the thoughts of going off track or giving up. It has made all the difference in my success so far.

So welcome - you 've found the right place - join in by inspiring us and being inspired!

All the best - good luck with your goals,
Lee

Welcome to the forums, shann007. So glad you joined. I would definitely ease into a workout routine until you find a regimen that best suits you. My personal trainer has brought up the topic of a boot camp. Four months ago and 50 lbs heavier, I would have laughed and said, "no way". Now that I can actually do calisthenics without hurting myself, I am considering it as a way to help train for a relay marathon in May. Music is must for me when I jog. I haven't tried jogging without it and don't want to. Best wishes on reaching your goals.