i use myfitnesspal too, i love it! even if you only use the quick add calorie option its a lot easier than having to carry a diary or notepad around when you are out and about, since i always have my phone with me
Jose well done on starting to track, it does make things a lot easier and keeps us accountable.

So far, another good day! Keeping track helps me stay one track, so to speak- snacks I would dismiss as nothing feel a little more like something when I know I have to confess to the calorie counter later, hehehe!!!
xxxx

Hey Jose, first off congrats on taking the step to getting yourself healthy! It's surprising how we can just plow on for years with our out of control eating, piling the weight on without even realising it.

Good job starting to count your calories, too. As other posters have recommended, if you make yourself accountable for every calorie you eat and make sure you track it with something like myfitnesspal, you are far less likely to cheat or go over your limit.

One thing I did think though, reading through your posts, is that your snacks waste a lot of calories that you could either turn into nutritious meals or even cut if you aren't hungry. For instance I would see a triple pack sandwich or a pork pie as a light meal rather than a snack!

For me, one of the most important aspects of changing the way you eat (don't diet - they don't work in the long run) is making sure that you're getting plentry of nutrition. Wholemeal foods and lots of good proteins and fats, for example. The bag of haribo is just empty calories, and it's pure refined sugar and chemicals. You could have a nice big fruity yoghurt or something instead.

So, sorry for the ramble! But that's my advice to you. Keep on counting every calorie, and try to make healthier choices with what you do eat. Oh! And drink PLENTY of water!

Good advice ^

Well done Jose, keep at it

Yeeah...I always had a problem with snacks, they are totally my downfall!! I will figure a way. Tonight I've been writing poems (see the one I post earlier!!) It is good distraction. My 'snack' had more cals than my lunch or tea!!

I just saw your post bout the programme, pentangle. I will look that up!
xxx

There are a number of ways that you can combat snacking. First of all, clear the junk out of your house. Toss all the haribo, pork pies and alll that stuff in the bin. I'm not saying you can't snack, because everyone does - just don't entertain that crap. It's not doing you any favours even if you've accounted for it in your daily calories. You need to switch to snacks that are light on calories and better for you nutritionally. If you have a sweet tooth, get a punnet of berries, some apples and bananas, and make yourself a quick fruit salad. Throw some greek yogurt over it. have a handful of nuts (unsalted!!) or a light sandwich - a homemade one. Try wafer thin ham and some salad leaves, slap on some houmous or cucumber or cherry tomatoes to make it interesting. Anything but the junk!

Secondly, I'll reiterate that you will benefit vastly from drinking more water. If you have to drink pop, stick to diet varieties. You don't want to be drinking extra calories.

It's really great too that you have a hobby to distract you. Boredom is one of the big culprits for over-snacking.

Keep going, and we're always here for extra support!!

The good thing is I ADORE fruit salad and yoghurt, and eat it often. I just need to have it instead of the rubbish I guess. You will cringe, my main drink is energy drinks like red bull... that I am trying to stop!! thanks or all the advice, I am trying to build up my stamina for walking. I like walking, sort of, and I don't drive. Right now I cannot do much because of my size but I am developing that. Thanks for your lovely advice
xxxx

Haha, oh no, red bull! ;D I used to love energy drinks too, but I've cut them out because the sheer amount of unpronouncable chemicals in the ingredients concerns me, lol. If you absolutely can't live without energy drinks, at least switch to the sugar free ones. At least then they're not adding to your calories. Maybe you could try swapping one of your red bulls for a glass of water once a day, and build on it from there. Small changes are fine, because you have to get accustomed to it at your own pace and even small changes add up over time.

As for exercise, I suggest swimming. It's really low intensity which is perfect for larger people, as it puts no weight or stress on your joints. If you can't swim, try aqua aerobics classes. You get the great resistance from the water, and still burn a ton of calories per hour.

Actually, now that I think about it, there should be a government weight loss scheme run by the NHS in your area. In the Cheshire area where I live, it's called 'step by step' and it's basically combining a weight-watchers style group session once a week where you learn about nutrition, portion sizes, how to effectively count calories, etc. as well as a series of free activity classes throughout the week. I was a member when I was bigger, and I loved it so much. I made great friends and the activity classes were really fun. I particularly enjoyed the water exercise class. And as it's a scheme run by the NHS to help obese people back to a healthier weight, it's free. You will likely have a different program in your area, but you WILL have something. I'd ask the doctor, or look into it on the NHS website.

I've talked too much again! But really, any advice I can give you, I'm more than happy to help, Jose.

Congrats on your progress! Keep it up!

My husband is addicted to those energy drnks, every time we fuel up the car, he's always walking back out with one!

I've been on my diet for about a week now, and I find what is helping me stick to it, I did a big shop and then chopped up all the veggies and portioned the items to make me a weeks worth of salad mix for lunch, nut mix for snack and a veggie mix for a snack. In the morning I just grab and go, and healthy food is ready and waiting! I just have to do a tiny but of prep. I've been eating essentially the same thing each day, though I mix it up a bit for dinner (we've had fish, veggies and lentils, venison steak and veggies, healthy chili, etc.)

All the best and keep it up!

Be careful with the red bull, you dont want to have heart problems like a friend of mine ended up with. x

Marchmellow, you so helpful! Yeah, am trying to cut down on those drinks!!
I am interested explore the local schemes. I don't know if group is right for me, I find the support here is very good, I am not sure a class is the right kind of support. I will see. I used to like swimming, I see what you mean that it is good, for no pressure on joints. The only thing I must overcome is SELF CONCIOUSNESS!!! I think the trouble is to swim is great for larger people... but also quite hard because having to go about with no top on, eeek! But yes, this only is a confidence issue, i can overcome. I will definitely be looking into the excercise help available, that I can get involved in

You don't have to swim with no top on. Depending on the material, some pools allow people to keep their tops on, however if it is cotton, the fibres clog up the pools system. If you have something with no cotton, ask at your pool and see if they'll let you wear it. Might help a bit with feeling self-concious!

If you're part of a water exercise class run especially for people trying to beat obesity, everyone will be in the same boat and will be worrying about themselves and won't even be looking at you, Jose. That aqua class that I was in was full of very large people and everyone just made great friends and supported each other. But if you just want to swim on your own, maybe as Linkovicha said, you can find a top to wear when you go. Try a black sports vest that is a similar material to swimming gear. For example, I used to be horribly ashamed of my thighs - and there aren't swimming trunks for girls, we're expected to show our thighs off in swimsuits!! So I wore a pair of cycling shorts over my costume until I felt more confident. There's always a way around it.

How's your eating going, by the way?

yeah, I feel better is my belly isn't on show, I would feel like everyone is looking. Maybe in the class if ONLY other people like me in the whole pool is possible!

My eating has been okish today but not as good as the previous 2 days. I don't know why, I think I need to find a better way to cope with feeling a little low.

Hmm, feeling low was what made me overweight too, years and years ago. The trick is to find things to do that make you feel better without reaching for food. Is it just a low patch, or do you suffer from depression? If you are depressed, you should visit your doctor to find out what options are available to help you. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is hugely successful in easing depression and even eating disorders as it finds the reason that you are feeling depressed and helps you to alter your thought processes to combat negative thoughts before they can affect your mood. Another avenue is medication - doctors can prescribe SSRI medication to increase the flow of serotonin in your blood - the happy hormone, which is funnily enough stimulated by foods like chocolate. Strange that, isn't it? :P Exercise also will massively lift your mood, but as you said, at your current size it's best to find a low impact activity that you enjoy. Back to swimming!

But again, a visit to the doctor can assist you with everything - the weight, the healthy lifestyle groups you can join for free, getting a therapist or even medication - you can get help with all of this from your GP.