Hi all

I joined the forum last week - pumped and ready to get started exercising and eating better. So far I have done nothing. I need some help getting started. I'm not good at making plans.

Any suggestions?

Yup, go get yourself a free account at fitday.com. Fill in all the food you ate yesterday ... and from now on work on eating less and moving more.

Sounds simple doesn't it? NOT! Come back here and often and we'll help you.

As long as your plan is realistic and works for you its a good one. I made my plan by figuring out what my goals were, how much time I had, and by making sure it was something I could stick to.
I also examined my reasons for not getting to my goal in the past and made changes based on that so that I wasn't encountering the same issues over and over.
Seeing results early was a huge motivator.

One change I made that I think made a big difference was to drink 10 glasses of water a day. It does wonders.

Keep posting. This site is great and there are lots of different groups to join.

Hey! Welcome! It's one day and a time, and TODAY is THE DAY! This is the ONLY day in which you can make a change--not yesterday, and not tomorrow! right now!

SusanB has a good idea--just start tracking your food--see what your daily intake looks like. List everything, whether you think you "should" be eating it or not!

Good luck!
Jay

I agree, tracking your food is the best place to start. I was so surprised at how many calories I was consuming. No wonder I wasn't losing weight. Even though I'm hyperaware of the nutritional content of most foods, if I slip and stop counting, I sabotage myself. Little things add up.

What are you going to do for exercise? Can you join a gym? The YMCA? Local rec center?

Here's your plan...

Get started. It's that simple. Just plan to do it. Then tweek your plan as you go. Drink soda? Switch to water. Just one simple thing. Sit in front of the TV? Get up and do some squats or jumping jacks or just march in place while watching. One simple thing. Change something each week if you can't handle it all at once. But the only plan you need is to actually start. The rest will come.

I totally agree with the others. Just start making some changes. They don't have to be huge ones...you don't have to throw yourself with a big belly flop into the weight-loss pool, dip a few toes in first. Change something you're eating, find a lower-calorie, still enjoyable alternative. I mean, an example for me is: THEN: 1-2 slices lo-fat swiss cheese on regular white bread; NOW: 1 slice turkey, lettuce, lo-cal mayo on lo-cal white bread. THEN: 1/3-to-1/2 can of Pringles; NOW-100 calorie snack pack. I'm still eating things I like (bread, salty snacks), just lower portions or calories. And here's a kicker: I find that by still allowing myself to eat things I like, I have more discipline than I thought I would. By allowing myself a little of something rather than totally eliminating it, it satisfies the craving and I don't have to go back to the feedbag (this week I have a box of Cheese Nips in the house that I literally count out 20 pieces for 100 calories and put the box away). Granted, it's not an approach that works for everybody but I have lost 19 pounds in 2 1/2 months basically just moderating myself foodwise and doing mild-moderate exercise. Aside from feeling good about losing weight, I feel good in the knowledge that I still have room to kick things up a notch when I'm able--whether I reach my goal in 4 months, 8 months, 12 months is not as important to me as the fact that I am striving to reach it. The tortoise did win over the burnt-out, cocky hare, after all.
As for exercise, got 10 or 15 minutes free? Do some indoor walking. Put on some good music and dance. Jog around your house. Do it several times a day. You don't have to plan it. Just get up and do it.
Don't overwhelm yourself into inaction thinking you have to attack in one fell swoop. Start with small, simple changes, they're easier to adapt to and help lead you to more changes.

I couldn't agree more. This is what I've been doing and it's working. The weight loss is a little slower and less dramatic, but the changes are sticking and that's what's important.

I started four months ago by dropping Diet Coke and switching to water or Crystal Light. That was the only change I made that week. I slowly cut out the bad stuff (caffeine, overeating, trips to the ice cream parlor, etc) then I switched tactics and I'm now focused on how to properly fuel my body. I'm slowly learning how to finetune it in it's current revved up, healthier condition.

My progress on the scale is slow. But my physical condition has improved tenfold. I don't fall over gasping after two flights of stairs anymore.

Slow and steady wins the race!