Start at the beginning, work to the middle, then head for the end.

I get asked that question a lot, and wanted to share some of my thoughts on losing a lot of weight.

My very best advice is to do the following:

1.) Be totally rigorously honest with your food and exercise log. On food err on the side of logging more than you ate and on exercise err on the side of the lowest amount of calories burned.

2.) Start out logging what you eat now and then work your way down to your lose 1 pound a week number by making smart food choices. You should not be eating less, but eating better if you make good food choices.

3.) Exercise, exercise, exercise. Just do it. Find the time, make the time, invent the time if you have to. Consistency is the key. Make a plan and follow it. Make it so that you would no more start your day without some exercise than you would skip brushing your teeth.

4.) Use the forum. Lots of good people here willing to help and share knowledge with you. Everyone is so encouraging and supportive.

5.) There are many paths to fitness. Find what works for you! It is not the same for everyone. If something is not working for you - change it, find what will work for you. Find what you are willing to make part of your lifestyle and run with it.

Lastly - you have to believe that you are willing to make a change in your lifestyle and that it is something that is good for you. It is something that you want. It is not willpower, but willingness to change that lets us break out of old habits that are unhealthy for us and move in a new healthy direction.

I wish you the very best and would be happy to help anyway I can.

A good message for starting another year--thanks Charles!

Tracy

Thanks Charles.

There are great tips here. I think the ones that I especially need to focus on are the being honest with my logs and getting the exercise going. There are so many wonderful stories here on the boards spotlighting everyone's success that I can really feel a jumpstart to motivate me to get the weight off.

Thanks!

You post is very timely. I can resonate with it so....sometimes I get very overwhelmed with the whole 100+lbs to loose. But...you're right...you need to just start at the beginning.

wow.........i really like the advice your giving. i alwayz have to remind myself that its a lifestyle change not just something i think i can change over night and expect results instantly. i hope i can overcome the sugar cravings. wish me luck

This is great stuff Charles! It means so much more because you actually walk the talk! Thanks!

I always thought, before I made the decision to lose weight, that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to lose over 100 pounds!!! But, then I thought to myself, "100 pounds seems like an awful lot of weight to lose, but if I break it down, I can surely lose 10 pounds ten times!!" I don't know, it just seemed a lot more "do-able" that way. And here I am 127 pounds lighter. It wasn't impossible at all!!

Wow! You reached your goal in 8 1/2 months??? That is amazing! Would love to hear what a typical day or week is like for you.

I am impressed as well!! I was wondering how you did it?

Excellent post Charles! I'm going to make link and hopefully all newbies will see this.
Give me the blast and I'll delete it if you wish but I really do think it's wonderful and should be spread around.

Link away We are all in this together to over come the obesity monster.

Thank you for these ideas. I get lost sometimes in all the different thoughts, but I guess I would get somewhere if I would "just do it".

Great thread! Thanks for posting it Charles!