Hi everyone

I need help! I just got off the scale for the 1st time in probably 6 months and weigh more now than I ever have (231)....GULP!!! I am sick to my stomach and scared. I have been wanting to start a program/diet/getting healthy lifestyle for a long time. I have learned over the years that I have no will power. How do you even start? I know all the things I shouldn't be doing, but I can't seem to put down the Pepsi/chips/whatever is handy. On a good note, I quit smoking 11/11/11, which I am extremely proud of, however that has made the eating worse. I know it's all just hard work, but I don't know where to begin. Does anyone have any advise on how to start?

I know it's so hard to get motivated. What I did was join a fun exercise class and start a diet plan with my friend. I joined aerobic exercise class like cycling or zumba and we motivated each other to come everyday. We worked out an eating plan where we only ate low-calorie foods like oatmeal, salads, carrots, and whole wheat pasta. Hope that helps.

Sometimes I think, "What's more important? Chips or my health?" I'd start with taking one thing out of your diet and choosing the healthier option. Instead of regular chips, get some pop chips or cracker chips (don't eat the entire bag). Switch pepsi with tea or something. Or you could even start adding in more activity. Get a pedometer or try to walk the stairs. I really like Beck Diet solution stuff because it gives you exercises to keep going.

Learn something really fun that's active: hula hooping, bellydance, dancing, poi, flow wand, yoga, etc. Something that might get you off the couch. Walk and stretch during TV commercials. Start small in the beginning. This isn't a race.

Hi Just wanted to say its hard for me too. I love to cook and eat but i also want to be healthy and feel good in my clothes and the older i get the more i realize how important that is to me. If your not familier with what is healthy read up on some plans like Weight Watchers or Medifast for a more packaged ready to eat meals. The internet has a world of info. I dont have a diet buddy or exercise buddy. I pretty much read forums like this one for support.
Make your mind up and do it for you.

Thanks for the encouragement and advise. I'm feeling a little less stressed already. I know it's just a matter of making up my mind and doing something. It seems so overwhelming when you look at the big picture, but I will just take one thing at a time.

One of the ways a lot of people on here seem to start is to not change anything at first, just spend a few days tracking the calories you're eating. There are lots of websites and apps that will help you do this. If you bite it, write it! It is often surprising to see how many calories you're taking it, and it helps you get used to food journaling and seeing how many calories are in specific foods. Then, you can make a decision about how many calories a day you need to eat to keep your metabolism up and stay healthy, but also lose weight at a reasonable rate. One of the things I have noticed is that trying to stay in a calorie range helps me eat healthier just by trying to stay in my range. For example, veggies have a lot less calories per cup than ice cream. If I'm not going to be hungry, I need to make choices that will allow me to have the most VOLUME of food for the least amount of calories. Usually those are healthier choices than calorie-dense foods (with some exceptions). Calorie Counting also helps me because you don't have to have any specific foods to do it. You can do it anywhere, anytime, with anything! In the past, when I have tried more strict diets that say, "Eat this for breakfast, this for lunch, this for dinner", whenever I went outside of the plan, or went somewhere my food was not available, I felt like I had failed and gave up. Now, I just look at my calories per day as a kind of allowance. I have x calories to spend, what is the best value for my money? It's kind of fun! Also, reading the goal posts here is really inspiring. A LOT of people here have lost a LOT of weight and many of them include how they did it in their stories. You can do this! Welcome!

I will definitely start the food journal...although is scares the crap out of me. I know I will be shocked and horrified. I guess it starts with accountability, right. Here we go!!!

Here's what I do:

When you're tempted, do some squats (or whatever exercise scares you most). Then do another workout (pushups on your knees maybe), then do another (maybe bicep curls w/ 5-8 lb weights). Then chug a huge glass of water. Ask yourself if you're still hungry. If you are, go to (a), if you aren't go to (b).

a) cook a meal high in protein, like an egg quiche, or a piece of chicken and make sure you use plenty of herbs and spices so that it tastes yummy. Give yourself a pat on the back for eating a delicious healthy meal.

(b) do each of those exercises twice more. Once you can do this on a regular basis, you're on your way to weight loss, and you've actually STARTED! Give yourself a pat on the back for working out.

Hi - well done for joining the site - I only joined this week after just viewing for a while!! I too gulped big style at my current and heaviest weight - 209lbs - I've tried lots of diets and mostly failed and got bigger - but I'm really enthused with all the successes here and I'm sure you will be too.

Regarding advice - I think the saying 'that the longest journey always starts with the first step' fits here and you've done that by recognising your desire to lose weight and followed that up by joining 3fatc!!

I've decided this time that I'll try to eat 3 healthy meals a day with fruit/veg snacks and 1 small treat a day whilst trying to do some exercise - I don't want to start too strict then fail early on - not quite sure how long my first phase will last - but I'll review things in a month and perhaps then start calorie counting - and up the exercise - I'm taking a long term view.

I'll watch out for your posts and wish you well. I hope we'll be able to keep going and use the support on the site - we'll need that most when we're struggling (when I'm most likely to hide myself away and take comfort in food - sooo wrong ) take care and good luckxx

Hello everyone! I am also new! I decided to start eating healthier and to start exercising . . . So here I am!! I need LOTS of support! I actually started on Monday of this week eating less and better. I weighed myself today, and soooooooo wanted that scale to say something else!!! I weighed in at a heaping 185 even!!! My long term goal is to get down to 135. I am almost 40 years old and I want to take my weight back!! I have asked Santa for an exercise bike for Christmas, hope he got my memo!

I didn't weigh this much pregnant with my 3rd child!!! I'm totally ashamed of myself for letting it go this far . . . Have had some changes both physically and emotional that added to my weight gain, but NO MORE!!! Had a procedure done on my heart in July, and the doctors say I'm ready!!! I also quit smoking the day before the procedure. I know if I can do that cold turkey I can do anything!!!

Here's to all of our success!!! Thanks for letting me vent and start pumping myself up!!! LOL!!!

Its great there are so many on here wanting to go and get their lives back and become healthy again. this is a great motivating site

So I did my first day of food journaling...it went okay. I ate more than I should have, which I knew was going happen, but it was good to see it on paper. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little better than today.

Desi, I can totally relate to your first post...just thought I'd let you know that youre not the only one! Pepsi is my weakness lol.

Today is a better day. I tracked my food yesterday, which I am amazed 1. by how much I eat, and 2. that it instantly makes you reconsider what you are going to eat. I understood the purpose of the food journal, I didn't expect the shame and embarasment of having to write down everything I was eating. I'm glad I have started it, and hope to keep it up long term. It is definately work, but I feel like I have STARTED, which is a great feelling.

My mom came to visit this weekend, doing a little christmas shopping. Had a hard time staying on track as far as eating healthy. We ended up eating at Olive Garden for dinner....yum I did split my dinner with mom, so that helped but still not wonderful. Oh well....I guess it's the start of a new week tomorrow, so I will try again. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.