Hi everyone,

I have tried several times to begin the journey of weight loss and needless to say, I have failed at sticking to it for more than 3 weeks. I am tired of being overweight and not having energy to do anything. I want to begin this journey again and not give up. Part of the reason why I kee giving up is because I have no idea where to even begin. I see people meal prepping and knowing what to eat and do and here I am without a clue. Do any of you have any suggestions? I am currently at 347 and initial goal is to get to 300. My overall goal is 185 but that's a long way ahead. Any suggestions to getting started would be appreciated.

Start with baby steps. I'd just begin with tracking what you eat (I like MyFitnessPal the best) drinking plenty of water (1/2oz per lb is what you usually hear) and just walk whenever you can. Once you see what it is you are eating, start making small changes, one at a time. Maybe add in an extra veggie per day, maybe cut out soda, maybe limit desserts to once a week.

Ditto on the baby steps! just start making small positive changes and adding to it every couple of weeks. I also use myfitnesspal.com and love it. Since I have gallstone issues (yes, i still have my gallbladder), i have to count fat grams. But you can make it work anyway you want. This forum is also very supportive and can motivate you to stay on track. best wishes!

Hello and welcome

Congrats on embarking on this journey. My #1 advice/suggestion is different strokes for different folks. What may work for one person may not work for the next.

With that said, I myself had tried everything. I have struggled with weight issues my entire life, and am a recovered Anorexic/Bulimic.

At my highest weight in October of 2014 I weighed 323 pounds. I am Diabetic, and my Diabetes was out of control. I decided to go lower carb (80 ish carbs a day) and be mindful of my caloric intake (while I do not count calories per se, I'm assuming I eat around 1500 calories a day.) I eat foods I enjoy, I just happen to enjoy different foods today then I did at 323 pounds. And yes, I 'cheat' so to speak. I do so mindfully though, and only once or twice a week. I try and go to the gym, but not always successful because of my work schedule. I enjoy meditation and yoga. While losing weight is a part of my life, it is not my entire life. It's easy to become obsessed with it, and then if you fall off track to feel like you've failed. Or at least I know it was for me. I personally feel as though balance is important.

Best wishes to you, and welcome again. This support forum is fantastic!

One thing you might try that was where I started at first is to keep a food / mood log. Write down what you eat, the calories, and how you felt before and after you ate it. It can help you see if you are eating to get rid of unpleasant feelings. I don't know whose signature it is, but it's someone on this site. They have the quote, "If hunger is not the problem, then food is not the answer." That has really helped me to think about.

I did that for quite a while and it really did help!!!

I agree with all the recommendations of tracking everything you eat. There's something very powerful about seeing how many calories you're consuming, even if after awhile you start to know all the calories by heart. I never lose unless I'm tracking.