I am holding up that RED AND WHITE 'HELP WANTED' sign.

So....today was MY day.........I woke up and busted out the scale and tried not to get too upset, but upset enough that I was FINALLY (and I do mean FINALLY) READY to do something about it.

So here I am .....with the HELP WANTED sign.

I turned 40 last July and now, as of today I am at 260 lbs- WOW.

Sooooooooooo, I went for a 30 min. walk. I am drinking Water. And so far so good today.

Any advice on what meal plans work?

I am married with 2 teenagers, I do work at home, so I can do food prep.

Thanks for listening and I am open to any ADVISE you'd like to give!

Hi there and

Congratulations on deciding to take the first step! My best advice right now for you would be to become a regular on 3FC. There are probably weeks worth of reading to do accross the site to learn all about the various things that come up during this journey. There are threads for meals, exercise, various plans, and ways to deal with emotional roadblocks. Dive in, participate and take off! I can't wait to watch your progress!

Welcome! This is a great place for support.

I think you'll see a lot of votes for calorie counting from this group because it works, it doesn't cost anything, and it's flexible for when you are cooking for your family. Whatever you choose, though, best of luck!!

Welcome Summerblue!

I'll put in a plug for good old calorie counting as a meal plan. You can prepare healthy foods for your family and just eat the portions that fit into your personal plan.

and whatever plan you decide on, getting water and activity is always a big part of the total picture, so good for you for getting off to a great start!

Hi there and welcome to 3FC.

That is more than 95% of the weight loss equation in my opinion. Being ready and being WILLING to do what it takes. This. Is. A. Great. Place. To. Be. That's when the desire to be thin, fit, trim and healthy outweighs, overpowers and overtakes the desire for *the food*. That's when you are willing to find what works for you and MAKE it work - no matter what.

My plan involves calorie counting (built in portion control and accountability), with a strong emphasis on whole foods, while avoiding the sugar-y, non-veggie, non-fruit - carbs. I also aim for volume because I like/need/want to eat lots of food. I eat frequently to avoid getting hungry and I drink lots of water to help fill me up. I slowly added in exercise as well.

I'm excited for you!!! The losing portion of my journey was one of the most fun, fascinating and thrilling times of my life.

I look forward to hear of your progress.

I'm going to be another vote for calorie counting. I personally do mine with the help of a body bugg and if you can afford a Body Bugg or a Go Wear Fit, I would suggest it. I will also add another vote for water, water, and then some more water (though I do mine in the form of crystal light). Small steps were important to me. These days I don't eat much in the way of processed foods, but I didn't get rid of it all at once right at the beginning. I started with just counting my calories, then I started eating more veggies, then I added counting my fats, then I started balancing my carbs and proteins, then I saw it was easier to do with less processed foods so I started cutting back on them. Just take it one day at a time. 3FC is an awesome place with lots of great info and a wonderful support system. Asking for help is a good thing, and no matter how many times you need to do it, the chicks at 3FC will be here to give the best answers we can. Congrats on taking your first steps.

Hello, and welcome ! You've come to the right place for inspiration and support.
My vote is for calorie counting as well. It gives you flexiblity and stucture, which keeps you on course. It also allows you to explore new approaches to nutrition that can also help.

Welcome! There are lots of plans out there & finding out which one will work in your life can be a bit of a pain but in the long run doing your homework really pays off
I wish you the best of luck and please make yourself a regular on 3fc, being on this site has been the best!!

Another vote for calorie counting! I'm 36 and have tried so many other plans with varying amounts of success. The things I really love about calorie counting are
1. Nothing is off limits. As long as I count the calories, I can work just about any food or treat into my day. At the same times, it encourages to make mostly really healthy choices, as healthier foods tend have fewer calories, and I want to get the most out of my calorie budget.

2. I'm learning how to eat real food, in real life...not just following a program to lose weight. Know what I mean? I've followed programs before and lost weight, but gained it all back when I went back to eating the foods I actually like. Counting my calories is actually teaching me HOW to eat the foods I like in a satisfying, yet healthy, way.

3. I feel good about myself for what I'm doing and, most importantly, I feel like I am setting a wonderful example for my children.

Also, I recommend that you use some sort of online journal for recording your food. I use fitday.com and it really has made all the difference for me. You record everything you eat and it calculates the calories, fat, fiber, etc...and really shows you how you're doing.

WOW thanks Ya'll......great advise and thanks for the warm welcome! I looking forward to 'seeing' you daily....uh, err hourly

I'm with Fit FlirtyGirl...Go wear fit/ BodyBugg all the way. I am calorie counting and using a GWF and for the first time EVER, I have stuck to my plan for 2 months and am down 18#! I think I have finally found the plan for me that works.

Good luck with whatever route you go! We'll be here cheering you on!

I started off with the Insulin Resistance diet and Southbeach then moved to calorie counting. The IR diet and SB taught me healthy ways of eating and calorie counting just makes sense to me. I also use a Bodybugg which I love, but you can easily do this without one. I like the Daily Plate for logging my foods.

Welcome! You've come to a great place. I just joined on Thursday so I am on day 5. I have tried to get involved in a lot of the threads and find it is helping me to stay focused. The accountability thread is awesome - it has made me think about what I'm eating because I think about the fact that I "have" to post it. lol Whatever works, right?

Good luck on your journey!

Kris
Dancing away the pounds!

Hardest part for me was waking up and facing the music and then DOING something about it! YAY for taking that step!!!!