I am a 22 year old female, and I weigh almost 350lbs, and I am 5'7. My first goal is to get under 300, my next goal is to weigh under 200, and my final goal is 145.

I always say I am going to lose this weight, and I always fall back into the same bad eating habits. I just want to get my life on track. I have been overweight my entire life, and I am sick of it. My whole family is larger people, I am the biggest. I recently took my first step to becoming healthier, I stopped smoking cigarettes. It's has been almost 4 months since my last cigarette.

Is there anyone out there that has had similar struggles? I feel silly when I say this, but I just don't know where to start. I know I need to stay away from sugar,, and carbs, but are there any diets that have worked well that anyone can recommend? And exercise routines?

Another thing I am worried about it loose skin. I know there will be loose skin afterwards, and I do believe it is worth getting healthy over, but can anyone tell me if they are my age, and have lost 200+ pounds with minimal saggy skin? I have really good skin, and barely any stretch marks so I am hoping that is a good thing.

I am sick of struggling to breath, I am sick of being so insecure that I don't want to leave my house. I want to be able to take my nieces, and nephew to amusement parks, and be able to fit on the rides. I am sick of feeling like everyone is staring at me, and I am sick of being afraid to sit down in certain chairs in fear that I might break one. I feel I have much more potential than this. I need support, I really do. I've never joined a website before. I just need some guidance, some advice, similar stories maybe.

Thank you all for listening, hope to hear from you soon.

hey! i think you are determined, beautiful, and will have great success!!

you don't need a diet, you don't need a diet plan!

what are your current habits? do you drink pop? do you put cream/sugar in your coffee?

if yes, the first step i took, was eliminating sugar, and cream.
switch to diet pop. put sweetner and milk in your coffee!

do you like veg/fruit?
if yes, substitute one snack/meal a day.

lets say, if you're used to have a grillled cheese sandwich for a snack everyday. why not have a heaping plate of grilled veg?
do you have some cookies after dinner? munch on some cut up fruits!

if you start making substitutions to things that are healthier, just one thing at a time- the weight will fly off!!

and learn to drink lots of water! your body will thank you.

best of luck on your journey and never hesitate to ask!

Yes, I drink soda regularly. I've been drinking nothing but water for a few days now.

What do you do for your workout routine?

Welcome and congrats for not only stopping smoking, but also for taking the step in starting the journey to become healthier! You should be proud of yourself.

Personally, the only program I have ever been on that has been successful is Weight Watchers. It is all about learning to eat better, portion control, ect. I like it because no food is really off limits, it just comes down to if the points are worth it to me. That being said, I know how I should eat, but I don't always do it.

There are many different eating plans, you just have to find the one that works for you.

Good Luck!
-Jodi

Congratulations on taking the first steps!

Calorie counting has worked well for me. It doesn't eliminate foods, and isn't too restrictive. I do try to do moderate carbs (around 100 grams) and higher protein, but that's mainly for the benefit of my weight lifting.

Definitely stick around here! Tons of support!

Congrats on taking this step to start your journey. First know that you can do this. Commit to doing it and start. You don't have to wait, just begin at your next meal. It's empowering to know you're taking the steps to change what you're uncomfortable with in your life. Each good decision is a step in the right direction.

In terms of specific diets and exercise... The truth is the best ones are the ones you'll be able to stick to. There's no point getting on some uber strict diet plan that makes you feel murderous in a week and by the second week you've thrown in the towel. Same with exercise.

For me, I calorie count. I think this is probably the easiest plan because no type of food is restricted. Only portions. Whilst it would be dumb to eat 1500 calories of birthday cake (which I've done), at least I know and don't have a large portion of pasta to top it off. I have an app on my ipod called Tan n' Track by nanobit to track every bite that crosses my lips and all the exercise I do. Without it, honestly, I can't imagine how I would have managed.

Exercise-wise, in terms of weight loss, it is rather less important than food. BUT it is important for health and for making sure you end up with a less saggy and more fit body. Depending on your fitness level, you can start with walking. I started off with a Leslie Sansone (walk at home) dvd and Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I did them at my own pace. I also worked out on the elliptical and walked on the treadmill at times. I probably should have done weights too but I didn't although apparently it helps with tightening things up.

It certainly is a good sign that you have good skin and you are young which is also a plus. Yes of course there will be loose skin, but it does get better as your body stabilizes at a weight for a while. Things do tighten up gradually. Not losing weight in drastic amounts too fast will also help with reducing sagginess.

The most important thing is believing that this journey is possible and that you will be successful. You can totally do this! Good luck and congratulations!

Than you all so much for the kind words, and the advice. I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

I was hesitant to post here because let's face it, the internet is sometimes harsh, and I may be a little too sensitive when it comes to internet bullies. I really need this support, I don't have it in my real life, and in order for me to do this I need all of the positive words I can get. I get discouraged too easily, and that is my worst problem.

I have already stopped drinking sodas, it's been 3 days so far. That may seem like a short amount of time, but (this is embarrassing) I can normally consume close to a 12-pack daily. I've only been drinking water for the past few days.


Thanks to you all this is getting me pumped!

Embarrassing? I don't know. But encouraging! Depending on what kind of soda you were drinking, a 12-pack per day probably amounts to around 1800 calories. Assuming you were eating at maintenance calories, just by making this single adjustment, you are creating a calorie deficit that could theoretically lead to 1/2 pound loss per day. (A pound equates to 3500 calories.) As you lose, that number will get smaller (as your maintenance calorie level goes down), but how awesome is it that one small change can (at least theoretically) make such a huge difference?

Congratulations on starting your journey. It's one filled with both challenges and rewards, both scale and non-scale.

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I totally get how personal this is and how much you really want to change your life. What has helped me more than anything is the book The Paleo Solution. It teaches you a lot about food and how it impacts your weight and health in general. I highly recommend reading it as the first step to your weight loss.

Good luck to you....you can do it.

Lulu

Welcome jg! I can not promise it always going to be easy, but I can tell you this forum is great for support. Here are 2 secrets about my weight loss. When I take the time to come here and give and get support...I lose weight! I lose weight quickest when I calorie count, I use the free app myfitnesspal. For me, it helps me to make informed choices. We had special edition cookies tonight (what a marketing ploy!) I ate 1, it was not bad. Then I looked at the calorie count and decided that a 2nd one was not worth the cals!

I think walking, steps, and jogging are great exercises. The cost is minimal, and they can be done anywhere. Even in a small house.

Another tool I like to use is my fitbit. It keeps track of my movement and motivates me to get extra steps in through out the day!

I just wanted to chime in and offer some encouragement since I know exactly where you are coming from. We're close to the same height and I started out near the same weight; in my case I'm 5' 8" and used to be 360. I still have a ways to go on my journey as I'm currently at 243. I've never been under 220 as an adult but am hoping to reach that number by the end of the year (my ultimate goal is 150, close to yours!). I do remember how overwhelming it can be at the beginning but am living proof that progress can indeed be made.

And congratulations on being smoke-free for the past 4 months! I'm also a former smoker; I had my last cigarette in 2007.

I personally started by looking up "super foods" and focusing on eating as many of those as I could. I took a lot of baby steps from there, slowly eliminating sugar and other simple carbs, and replacing processed foods with whole ones and making sure I was having healthy fats. I made a lot of big salads with lots of veggies (not just the iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots, & dressing I used to loathe, but tons of multi-colored veggies and even fruit for extra flavor and nutrition) and I still make a lot of those salads.

Something I personally feel that's important to success is finding a way to track and record your progress. Some people use certain websites or apps and track calories, exercise, etc.; in my case I bought a pretty planner and use it to make a daily record of everything I eat. It allows me to look back and see how I'm doing, plus I can tweak as I go if necessary. I also add a star sticker to my good days. Regardless, find what works best for you! Lots of members here will have great suggestions.

Be kind to yourself when you slip up; it happens to all of us. Celebrate every victory you can, no matter how small and regardless of what the scale says (it's not always an accurate reflection of your progress). Take "before" photos if you're comfortable with idea, as you make progress you'll be thankful to have them to look back on, even if you never show another soul. Walking is probably the best exercise to begin with, as it's free and can be done almost anywhere! I like to use it as an excuse to head to the mall for a little window shopping. And as you build up your confidence and tolerance level, start exploring other exercises that sound appealing to you. I personally like using dumbbells and doing squats.

I know the internet can be a scary place, but we're all in the same boat at this particular site and most members here simply love to help. I was once in your position: difficulty with breathing (I am asthmatic), too insecure to leave the house, feeling like everyone was staring at me, not fitting on amusement park rides. I once broke a chair at my husband's boss's house! But you're in good hands here. It's not only a great place to get advice and find support, it's also a good place to vent when needed.

Good luck on your journey, and take care! We're here for you.