Hi everyone,

I know it's a struggle to stay OP, but I'm having trouble getting started. I seem to start every few day, fall down and start all over again. How can I get myself to overcome obstacles an get rolling???
How did you do it??

Looking forward to your replies,
Love, Flattum2be

what is your plan? That will give us ways to help you stick to it. Calorie Counting? A specific diet? Can you post a sample menu?

I used to follow a set eating plan,but now my plan is to start calorie counting, but I'm not sure how much calories I'm suppose to eat. I currently weigh 230 pounds. The calorie counter I'm using is suggesting 1900 calories a day,without exercising and 2200 if I do light exercised. For me it sounds like to much,but I also don't want to starve,because that usually cause me to give up. Low carb also don't work for me,but what is the max grams of carbs to take in if you want to lose weight??? Confused!!

Hi there! Welcome!

Okay, now take a deep breath. Relax and come up with a preliminary plan that you can live with. I think 1900 is a good number to start with. Do that for a month or more and see how much weight you lose. If you're not losing weight, then drop 100 calories and give it a few more weeks and see how that goes. This is a good way to find your target calorie amount.

For me, personally, I've never counted carbs or anything other than calories. There are some days/weeks where I want carbs BADLY, so I eat a lot of them in my calorie budget. There are some times when I don't want them much, so I naturally eat less. Some people have lost all their weight eating high carb, too, but for some they need low carb because it cuts cravings, etc.

Try not counting carbs first, see how it goes, and then adjust.

This will be a learning process as you get to know your body, its cravings and hunger, and what you need to do for it.

Just know that you CAN do this. Do your research, accept that it'll take a lot of work and a lot of time, and settle in for the ride. That's some advice that has worked for me.

Good luck!

Thanx for your advice LiannaKole. I will try that and start posting in the daily/weekly weigh-in thread. I'm getting excited, because I finally feel I found something I can do for life,that's not just a diet for a few months. Congrats on your progress!!!

I use the MyPlate calorie counter on Livestrong.com, and I find it works very well for me. It will suggest calories based on your height, weight, activity level and weight loss goal. You can also track your fitness and percentages of fats, carbs, and protein in your diet.

Remember, it's not a "diet" it's a lifestyle change. Ease into it if you have to, everyone is going to have slip-ups here and there. Don't beat yourself up if you indulge in a sweet treat once a month. I would actually recommend it, but not as a "reward" for good behavior. Never as a reward.

Find something that works for YOU.

I was just as lost as you when I first started - I tried exercising/changing my diet/restricting what I ate, but I really didn't know the best solution for my body. I started and stopped so many times, and I gave in to cravings on a regular basis. The key for me was educating myself. I used this site (and other fitness/diet sites/blogs) extensively, and spent a lot of time learning about proper nutrition and diet friendly "cheats" that let me eat the types of food that I want without overdoing it on calories.

I'd suggest you spend some time reading about the different plans out there, and find one that works for you. You may have to do some experimentation to find something that you like and can stick with, but ultimately weight loss isn't a race.

I totally agree that you have to find what works for you. For example, I could never do low carb. It just doesnt work for me and makes me feel miserable. I am actually much better on a higher carb, more balanced diet. For example, today I ate cereal and milk for breakfast, muesli bar for snack, wholegrain rice crackers and hummus for second snack, wholemeal pita for lunch, low fat rice pudding for afternoon snack, and steak, potato wedges and veg for dinner. Which sounds very carb heavy, but with me getting up at 5am and doing 1 hr of hard hard exercise a day, nothing else really fills me up and keeps me going than complex carbs with a bit of protein. So basically, what works for you might sound like someone elses worst nightmare, but it doesnt mean it is "wrong" or not going to work!

The thing that REALLY helped me get started on this eating portion of my journey is sitting down and admitting why I was obese. No excuses, no "slow metabolism" no "big boned," none of that—I ate too much. When I fixed my eating everything else fell into place.

I've been on a healthy living journey for 8 years. I started off exercising regularly when I was a teen and last year I started eating smaller portions. It can take a long time, but that doesn't matter...what matters is getting there in the first place :O

You know Sontaikle that is something I also started admitting to myself. For years I've been saying this diet don't work or this exercise DVD don't work,but actually I was expecting miracles to happen. Eating for 3 PEOPLE and expecting weight loss. I must say it's difficult to except that I HAVE TO EAT LESS.lol. But I think I'm in a space where I'm no longer thinking like a mad person and starting to think realisticly. Also I have to stop being mad at the fact that if I give my all today I won't magically wake up at my goal weight tomorrow morning. Anyway, i think I'm a fan of yours!Lol You inspire me in so many ways. And I'm not just talking about the weight loss (which is so AWESOME) but I read your blog about excepting your hair,meant a big deal to me. Made me think about why I can't except my curly hair. Why I can't teach my daughter to except her curly hair. Anyway I just wanted to thank you for that.

And to everyone else thanks for the advice, I think if I want to make this weight loss last a lifetime I have to start educating myself and stop dieting.