Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and I need help!
I live in the UK, but I am from the US originally. I thought I should come to the UK section as I'll be eating UK food.

When I first moved to the UK, I was thin and at just the right weight. I have been here for four years and since then I have gained 3 stone, and I am only 5ft. I am desperate to lose weight as being this way depresses me highly, and I also worry about health problems later in my life (I am 29 now). My father is suffering from a few things, which I think are linked to his weight, and I don't want to be in that position when I'm 50.
I don't really know what to do. I have tried changing my eating habits, eating more healthy, eating less etc, but my weight doesn't seem to move anywhere. I used to go to a gym, but I stopped going after 2 months of no results.
I have had my thyroid checked to be sure I am not suffering from an underactive thyroid.

I do have a cross trainer, an abdominal exerciser and some weights. I need some guidance on how much exercise I should be doing per day, and what kind of diet I should follow.
You all seem like a really nice group of people! Any help would be much appreciated. I am desperate!

~Christine

Hi Christine, I am Christine too, but usually go by Chris, and I am a Brit but now live in the US. I reckon we must be meant to support each other, what do ya reckon?
I can't really help you with brands and stuff to get over there, cos I have been away too long, but I feel sure the other great girls will help out. They have been a Godsend to me since I joined this group.

I hope you do well and welcome to UKFC. Hope to hear from you soon.
Chris.

Welcome aboard, you are in the right place for help and motivation, this sitehas been my lifeline this year and kept me motivated.
I am no exercise expert but since i joined a gym a few weeks ago I have felt so much better and have been less inclined to overeat.
The best piece of advice i could give you is to get a notebook and write everything down that you eat, whether you count cals, fat grams or carbs. Boring i know but it does help. I only get weighed once a week as past experience of living onnthe scales has got me nowhere, our body weight fluctuates so much.

Don't try to be perfect just aim for a little improvement each day.
Good luck
TQ

Two good things that have worked for me:

- Being true to yourself (i.e. admitting when you've cheated!)

- Not letting one slip stop you from carrying on - it's just a slip, we all make them, pick yourself up and start again.

I'm sure you'll do fine!

Hi Christine

I agree with everyone here particularly TQ when she said to write everything down - it really works (if you're telling the truth that is ). I've just strarted AGAIN after falling off the wagon a million times but I wouldn't have got back on track if it weren't for these gals.

Thanks for all those who replied. I really need some encouragement but just don't know where to start. I feel optimistic that I can lose this weight, but then again I am worried I won't get anywhere.

I have started to write everything down, and I do find that I am usually just under 1500 calories a day, should I be eating less?

~Christine

It really depends on how much you need/want to lose Christine. I started at 18 stone 4 in January (5'6" tall) and started on 1,750 cals - at that I was losing anything between 2-4 lbs per week, then as the weight stopped coming off I dropped to 1,500 cals - at that I lose about 2lbs per week. Oh and don't forget the importance of exercise, when I started aerobics and dancing it really got the weight loss going again. I hope that is of some, help if only a guideline. Sarah's the person to ask on that and I don't know where she is at the moment. Good luck.