I'm new here && need MAJOR help with losing weight!
 

Hiya Whitney, I am Lisa 44 and have loss 80lbs in 22 weeks on Ideal Protein. I started off at 388 and now at 308, I still have 58lbs. Once I reach my goal of 250lbs I will probably go down another 50lbs to get to 200. You have your hands full that is for sure. With your hubby being away it will be kinda easy since you really just have to fix yourself food. You can do this, just chose the program that is right for you:)

I lost 80lbs in a year by counting calories, eating a whole foods based diet, and exercising. I did this with a toddler at home. What really helped me was exercising at home, going to a gym with a toddler is impossible, and not affordable for me. I use the daily plate on the livestrong website to track my calories. When I started, I was eating about 1800 calories per day and not tracking my fruit and veggie intake. Give us an example of what you eat in a day, and maybe we can help and give you some pointers. One thing you have on your side is your age. Keep that in mind.

Welcome to 3FC =)

You certainly aren't alone! There are a lot of people who are in the process of losing 100 pounds or more :) I'm one of them.

You might want to start out looking at the 100 lb Club and chatting with others who are going through similar things. :yes:

Best of wishes on your journey!

One suggestion is to find a way to get work resistance training in your workouts. It's great to loose the weight, but anyone with a c section scar (or scar like it) can tell you that there is nothing worse than having a flat stomach that hangs over the scar (sooo bad) Resistance training will help shape your new body as you begin to lose weight. It also helps in increasing your metabolism. You want to build some muscle while you are burning off fat.

Try keeping a food/exercise journal.
I have always eaten a very healthy diet, too, but when I started tracking how much I was eating, I realized it was too much of a good thing! Writing down everything I put in my mouth during the day really makes a difference.

You can do this!
:welcome2:

Hi Whitney, my name is Sherri and I am new to this forum as well. I also am looking to lose 100lbs. I just recently started the Weight Watchers points program and I am working on getting a good exercise plan. I walk and jog on the treadmill but that is about it. I need a really good, all around exercise plan.
I know how tough it is to try and eat right and healthy with little children around the house. You usually eat all your meals standing up and running around after them. Some days it is even nearly impossible to make time to eat. I know i spent many days just picking off of my kids plates, or eating what they were to save time. Usually that consisted of pizza and chicken nuggets. I am not only looking for a healthier lifestyle for myself, but for my Husband and kids as well. I wish you the best of luck in achieving your goals. Hopefully it will not be too long before we both reach that 100lb mark we want so badly. :hug:

Can you explain to me what Ideal Protein is, and how it works? Please and thank you :)

Hello! I'm new here too. I would like to lose about 100 lbs also. I really just started today. I feel that I did ok...lol. I did feel hunger pains for the first time in like...2 months.lol. I had a meal replacement shake for breakfast. I had a slimfast shake and slimfast bar for lunch. Then a snack bar for late snack ...water.water and more water. I don't like water! ! It was hard today but I'm proud of myself because I did not give up...although I had many times I wanted to. I have a addiction to fast food. I love it! It's fast and with my job it fits right in. But I don't want to be fat anymore. So...I'm here with you if you need support. I believe in a few weeks, it's going to get easier! ! By next year we will have them little bikinis on too. ;) Willpower+Determination=145lbs;)this is my goal. I'm 227 now. Ways to go...but it will happen for me and you:)

hi whitney and everyone, i'm new too and just posted a rather long introduction, but i'm hoping that we can all help each other here, gain support, and lose weight. the easiest way to lose weight is to change what you eat. ok, so it's not so easy, but if stuff doesnt go into your body in the first place, there is nothing to lose!

i've plummeted in weight by hardly eating and ballooned by eating too much and eating unhealthy food. try to slowly alter your diet, add exercise, and you will be where you need to be.

hi tiffany,

great that you want to change! i'd say, however, if you're "addicted" to fast food, dont go cold turkey and cut it out completely, only to replace it with slimfast. it's best to ween yourself onto a healthy diet. start by replacing one meal a day with healthy food (veggies, legumes, proteins), then go to 2 a day, then just be healthy!

theres no benefit in eating meal replacements - they are just loaded with sugar and are more like candy bars. it's just propaganda and a way for corporations to make money.

keep up with the water!

Ideal protein is a package meal plan.

Breakfast packet
lunch packet, 2 cups of veggies and a salad
dinner 8oz of meat/fish 2 cups of veggies and a salad
snack packet

The food is great and the program works fast, its really easy as well.

This is a 4-stage retraining eating plan that helps stabilize the pancreas and blood sugar levels while burning fat and maintaining muscle and other lean tissue.

Track your calories! I know what you mean about "eating well." I love healthy food- but I eat too much of it! you probably don't realize how many calories you're eating a day. Just track EVERYTHING you put in your mouth for a couple of days without changing anything and see where you are/ what you can change up. It's eye opening!

Good luck to you :-) Hopefully in a year we will both be at the weight we want to be at and happy with our bodies :-)

Good luck to you, and I hope you reach your goal weight :-)

How much is that plan, if you don't mind me asking?

How many calories are in an Atkins bar? Is it loaded with protein?
As strange as this sounds, you may not be eating enough calories. Do you drink milk? Are you getting any dairy products in?
I have exchanged a baked potato with Cottage cheese. I would also suggest ditching the crackers for a piece of fruit or another low calorie snack you enjoy.
You are really close to my starting weight and I kept my calories between 1300-1400 per day so your calorie range should be close to that. Guessing on the amount of calories in an Atkins bar (100) it looks like you are barely eating 1000 calories a day.
Are you getting any exercise? Try taking the kiddos for a walk, using a DVD at home to exercise, bet your kids would find it a hoot to work out with mom. Anything you can do to get in more movement throughout the day will help.
Best of luck to you!!

Hello & welcome,

I to use IP, I could not lose on WW or Nutrisystem, but have been able to lose using Ideal Protein. There are lots of threads, some based on how much you want to lose (100 lb club), some based on specific programs and others are based on age, so dig in and get reading. :)

I no longer eat the crackers, I exchanged my snacks with fruit and vegetables. :) I eat between 1200-1400 calories a day, and yes I do excercise, I do a at home work out, Monday through Friday, for 30-45 minutes, then I go walking Tuesday through Sunday and walk in between 1-3 miles at night. The atkins bars have anywhere from 140-190 calories per bar, depends on which bar it is. I am trying to follow the atkins plan, they sent me which says, eat a bar for breakfast and lunch, then a light dinner. I don't really drink milk, or anything like that, usually only water. I have severe anxiety so sugar makes it act up really bad, so I was told to stay away from stuff with lots of sugar. =)

I'd rather eat a pile of Edamame for 150 calories than a bar. In the morning I can have two scrambled eggs and a half of a whole wheat english muffin for 190 calories, and it is actually a meal. Something you might want to think about. I also think for your weight and activity level you might need to start at about 1600 calories.

I would recommend stuff high in protein and fiber content. Go to the Atkins section of this forum, and talk with some of the folks there, I'm pretty sure not all of them eat meal replacement bars but rather lean protein and veggies and items high in fiber. Good luck to you.

Its roughly about $90 a week but that is for 21 meals, 7 breakfast, 7lunches and 7 snacks it breaks down to about $4.75 a meal. Can't eat out for that price!

Fancy meeting you here Bella :)

Does the food taste good?? I have tried other weight loss food products, and couldn't stand the taste lol.

Eat natural, whole foods, in proper portions. Use a BMR calculator to calculate how many calories you need to eat on a daily basis at your GOAL weight. Don't enter your current weight, but enter 115lbs if that is your goal. I enter 125lbs and get ~1350 calories so I try to eat that many calories or a bit less when I get stuck on a plateau and never less than 1200 a day. And I eat whole foods 90% of the time. No processed foods, no take out, no packaged stuff, just whole grains, fish, fruits, veggies, quinoa, etc...with spices and whatnot so stuff tastes good. Those Atkins bars are not doing you any favours and you can't eat like that forever. You want to build healthy eating habits that are also sustainable, right? Or how will you maintain your weight loss after doing all this hard work.

I've also had success with weightwatchers and it's a good way to learn about portion control and get some extra motivation.

Hi and welcome whitney:hug:
My name is Cristina and I'm new here as well.
I'm doing Calorie counting and exercising, I started at 260lbs and now 230.
I believe in you, you can do this!!!
Look around the forum you'll find not only great info but motivation, the people here are truly amazing!

Cristina