Hello,
I am looking for some advice, maybe just a point a in the right direction! I am a 20 year old man in the UK. I have struggled with my weight since my early teens, and I recently found out I weigh.... the wrong side of 28stone I was very shocked to find this! Of course I knew I am big but I think I had been in denial of how very BAD!! I decided I must change things.

Exercise is... minimal! I hate sport. Hate it! The only good thing is I ADORE dancing, and my joy can bring me stamina for this. I also walk quite a lot as I don't drive. My diet is the worst. I love fried food and sweet things. The amount I eat is a lot, especially in the evenings. I am quite fixated on food, sometimes I wonder if I am almost compulsive eater. I just looooove to eat!!! Sooo, this is how I find myself at this size!

BUT! Since many many years I have been trying to diet, only to get bigger and bigger. The thing is I had no plan. Just trying to eat less really. And this is not working for me. I think maybe I will have more success with something a little more structured. That said, I tried Slimming World when i was 16, and quit due to GAINING 2 stone (I'll be honest, I didn't manage to stick to the rules ) Ooops!!!

I feel a little sad and worried, but I like to feel hopeful too. I have a good life, but I feel losing weight will help me. For health, and also just to feel normal. Being a 28stone 20 yr old doesn't make a guy feel normal
JoseLo
xxxxx

Hi fellow geordie?
I don't get on with slimming clubs, I always did well just going it alone and counting calories, keeping myself accountable to a forum helps alot!

You've taken a great first step by joining here. Maybe use this thread as a diary?

Have you counted calories before? It's the best way I believe - then there's no rules as such, and youre doing it for you not a slimming club leader.
Stay hopeful and focused and by then end of the year you very well could be heading for 20 stone and I bet you'ld have a spring in your step
Good luck Joselo x

Hi JoseLo. The great thing is you've decided to make a difference, Congrats!!

I agree with Pentangle. Calorie counting is probably the easiest, least complicated and CHEAPEST way to do it, and you can still fit the odd treat in. I would suggest using a site like www.fitday.com, or my new fave my www.myfitnesspal.com (that ones my fave coz it lets you work out cals, fat, carbs... everything per recipe aaaand branded food cals too!!)

It'll ask you to input you height, age, weight etc and it'll tell you what sort of calorie intake you should aiming for, for a healthy loss each week, and you can plan your meals in advance (which i find useful the day before).

Don't worry too much about the exercise to start with, the fact that you walk loads and love to dance will already be a great help. Once you've lost a bit, maybe then start looking at other exercise you could fit into your lifestyle.

I hope this has helped, and don't feel disheartened. We're all here because we want to change, AND WE WILL!!

Aww, thank you both! I am a geordie, indeed! Well, I was not born in Newcastle or even the UK but it is my adopted home. I love it!
I agree with calorie counting; it gives some structure but without too many rules. I think also slimming clubs aren't for me. I'll be looking into low calorie options, so I can still eat not too small. Tiny portions depress me, haha!
I need to learn to love fruit, I think!

The difficult thing is, I need to lose over half my body weight. I don't know if I'll ever get to a healthy weight, but something like even 16stone would be so so much better. Basically anything is an improvement. Because right now I don't feel good about that fact that I can't always fit into things like seats/belts on transport and cinemas and generally often feel just too big to fit in with the world. I also get sometimes people shouting unpleasant comments (especially on nights out when there are drunk people). I know that is their idiocy but I could do without this in my life. Just want to feel more like my friends I suppose.

Don't think of the overall loss you want yet, I would just tell yourself to lose say 3 stone and concentrate on that. Then the next 3... I bet if you aimed for 2,000 cals a day you would see good lossess, you could maybe even go up a bit more.

I got called a fat headed walrus the other day in the street by a group of lads so I know how it feels, I was with my little girl too which makes it worse. Fact is I'd rather be me than someone who shouts names at strangers in the street! We'll have our day Jose!! We can lose weight but idiots like that have lost their soul! x

Hi!! I'm not from the UK, but I do have some advice?

Calorie counting is a total winner, but if you love dancing, have you thought of Zumba? Don't think of it as a workout, but as a dance off! Hehehe It's actually a lot of fun and it gets you in the groove!!

Good luck on your journey!! xo

Hey Joselo and welcome to 3FC!

As well as using myfitnesspal.com which is fab, I'd also echo the comment about not looking at the overall picture as it can be wayyyy too daunting. I set myself small bite-sized chunks to aim for - like 3lb to the next half stone or 4 to get under the next stone marker etc. Also, start with little things like cut out drinking coke or start using fry-light instead of oil for fry-ups. Think of it as a lifestyle change and not a diet and you'll soon be well on your way - hopefully without too much obsessing - something I'm guilty of at times.

Welcome to the forum. Just wanted to check in and say welcome and good luck with your weight loss mission!

Calorie counting will be a great starting point and if you are a fan of dance, definitely embrace that even if it means getting a DVD or dance game for the wii/xbox. Maybe eventually join a dance class or two!

As others have said, don't think about the overall loss you wish to achieve, break it down to smaller, more achievable goals.

I also find that keeping a food diary allows me to keep on track and it's great to see what I'm eating and when.

Best of luck and enjoy settling into this community

Thank you all!! OK; tomorrow I am going to try 2000 calories for the day. I have no idea how much I eat now but a whole lot... eeek, wish me luck!! Caramelkitty, I LOVE Zumba because I used to do Latin dance, i figured I wanted to go professional... 'til I hit my teens and put the weight on I also love the music like raggaeton, kizomba, kuduro, salsa, soca etc, so the tunes is the BEST! I have a secret little dream that I can get back into dancing, maybe even TEACH a Zumba class one day. But for sure some weight to lose first, else I am no good example. But just think how great an inspiration I would be if I made it! Other than that I just adore to go dancing at the weekend, either Latin dance events or just music nights where I can do all kinds of dance.
Looove the Moomins, by the way, 1987. So cute!! xxx

Hows it going today? x

Hmmm... see, I never counted calories before so I have no idea what things are. I thought I had been so healthy though; yoghurt, jacket potato, cereal bar, things like this. I added it up and I was about 2500 calories. 500 above target I am disappointed in a way, but also today was far less than I usually eat (I bet I often eat 4000 if I figured it!). So an OK start, just got a lot to learn.

I also went MASSIVELY over how much fat I should be having (the website worked that out). No wonder I am FAT

It's ok hun. try not to beat yourself up. It's a learning process for everyone. I would suggest working out your meals a day before so you can really get it right. I spend most if my day chopping and changing my plan until I get it more or less in the right place.

Give a few months and it will become second nature

Absolutely agree - it IS a learning process and none of us started off knowing the right things to have. If we did, we wouldn't be here!

Even now I get shocked by random things I eat that I think are fine and MFP tells me otherwise. I've been shocked at salt/fat/whatever content a few times but that's how you tweak your eating habits.

Love your teaching dream - aim for that. How fantastic to love something so much and be able to do it for a job? Now that's motivation for your journey!

Don't be so hard on yourself, you have only just started after all. You will get the hang of it before long.

Some foods can be SO deceptive calorie wise. Don't beat yourself up over 500 cals, if it's still less than normal then it is an improvement!

Onwards and upwards