Hello everyone - this is my first post although i have been lurking for quite a while. I have been "planning" to loose weight for years now. Every Monday I start out with good intentions but by Wednesday my good intentions are long gone. Now I am 75 pounds overweight and I don't know where to begin. I want so badly to lose weight but taking steps to even begin a weightloss journey seems VERY overwhelming. Where/ how did you get started?

Thanks for your advice,
Jay

i had an emotional breakdown pretty much, but the next day i woke up, and i didnt WANT to eat a ton. i didnt WANT to lay around the house all day. i think i just had enough. ever since it hasnt really been a question of if im going to do it, its how hard i am going to work at it.

like you i 'planned' to lose weight, and i would eat a little less, work out a little more, and then i would just stop.

you took the first step. thats the most important thing. now you just have to keep on telling yourself that its all going to be worth it, and dont let yourself quit! you are more important then food.

i just started keeping a food journal. and i log on her every day for a bit of inspiration. i have been making rapid progress and it just encourages me more!

i wish you the best, start wherever you are comfortable, and keep at it.

Hey there. Congrats on starting what will be a really excellent life change for you.

I've kind of started out recently, too, but I'll tell you what has helped me stick with it.

~Figure out what you want to do, and what you're physically able to do (when it comes to gym equipment, and for health reasons talk to your doctor)
~Decide if you're going to join a gym (if it's in your budget right now and all of that) or if you want to do your workouts at home.

I dunno what your living situation is or how many people you have that you prepare meals for, but look up some delicious low calorie meals that you can get excited about! The night I decided I was sick of being heavy I made a really yummy pork chop baked over apples with some brown rice, and as silly as it sounds it made me feel like it was going to be SO much easier losing weight if my options for meals were affordable and delicious. Try to cut back on soda. Remember if there aren't sweets in the house you're less likely to indulge.

Anyway. Pick a work-out plan and stick to it. Make sure it's something you WILL do and want to do. I'm going to the gym right now and I do 45 minutes of cardio on the elliptical and then some resistance on the machines, and I'm also looking into some home-workouts :3

I bet you can find some really great classes, too. Like Zumba and everything...I've heard people who have seen excellent results by going to a class like that.

I know it's overwhelming, but like I said, this is gonna change your entire life, so of course it's going to be a lot to handle! If you go to the gym, jump on a treadmill or elliptical, do some time on there. It's simple and you can listen to music, it's not hard on the back or knees. It's a great place to start.

I lost 81lbs as of today and I am not looking back. I started with a list of things I am grateful for based on advice. Then I wrote down everything I ate, then I decided to hire a fitness trainer. That's not necessarily for everyone, and cost could also be an issue. The trainer made me understand that leaving meals out, or avoiding to eat frequently was damaging my body and holding me back from my goals. I was encouraged to add a shake (Delicious and according to all the research its the best one out there for nutriton) My energy doubled and I started to understand what my body needs. Maybe you can start there, GOOD LUCK

I'm brand new too, we can do this together For me I've decided to count calories, since that sounds like one of the easiest and most flexible way to go about losing weight. There's a Calorie Counting area on 3fc so I'm browsing through the posts there right now. I've also picked up some Slim Fast products and will use these to ease into the calorie counting method. The nice thing about these is you know exactly how many calories you're eating, without having to figure out anything. Boy, I sound really lazy lol! But, for me if something is easy to do then I'm more prone to sticking with it. Down the road I'll get more creative and start making calorie specific meals, but it was lovely to eat a Slim Fast meal bar this morning and know I had eaten 200 calories and that was that

You've gotten some great feedback so far! Do you have a food plan? (ie weight watchers vs calorie-counting vs packaged meals) I'd start there. Do some research and decide what works best for your lifestyle, family, food preferences, etc. Then make a menu for one week. Plan 3 meals a day plus snacks. I LOVE DandelionChick's idea of planning dishes you're really looking forward to. IMHO success or failure is all about finding a balance between healthy foods (and portions) and not feeling deprived.

Measure, weigh, and document EVERY bite, lick,and taste. Your journal will be your new best friend. And obviously: check into 3FC often! The wisdom and support here is just amazing. Don't stay away when you slip and don't be embarrassed, you'll find that by checking in you'll get support and strength you really need.

Best wishes on your new journey, I wish you much success!

Welcome! My first step was to make a food plan and stick to it for one week. You can do anything for one week! Decide whether a certain diet like South Beach is the route you want to take, or whether you want to count calories. I use the "Lose it" app on my phone (its free) so I can track everything. It even has popular grocery store and restaurant meals.

Also, make a fitness plan and start with managable goals. I always do 1 week at a time. I am not as into excercise as some of the other ladies here, but my goal is to get 10,000 steps a day on a pedometer. This works better with my busy schedule instead of a gym membership or an at home DVD for now- but you can always change your mind!

And- join a challenge here! Keep checking in and possibly enter the daily weigh in thread- it has helped me a lot :-)

Welcome and good luck!

Welcome! There are many many wonderful people here and they will all do their best to help you. I guess the first place would be to see what type of diet is best for you. You may want to check with others who have succeeded and see what they did and how they ate. You will soon learn what will and will not work for you. I know I cannot do low carb so I say away from those types of diets. Good luck and welcome.

Congrats on the start. I am getting back into losing the weight and have lost about 30lbs from my highest weight. Everyday is a challenge and you have to know that you will try different things and some may work, and you will get discouraged but you have to keep going.

I worked out 17 days this month which is my highest, and I was battling with not losing fast enough and slipped on my diet. I don't have cheat days but my body is getting use to the new way I eat and go about my day and I know that in time the weight will drop off and this time next year I will be maintaining my goal weight.

I keep a food journal for fat grams and use my fitness pal on my iphone. I have also written down my goals throughout my journey and what I will reward myself with when I lose 15lb increments with a piece of jewelry or makeup I have been eyeing. This all helps in my journey.