Hi..I have been a lurker for awhile on the forums. I finally decided I need to take charge of my weight/life and I figured this would be a good place to start. I would like to get involved in this forum..maybe one of the support groups..I really think that would help me stay focused. A quick overview of my situation...I am 24 yrs old...330 pounds..hypothyroidism..and prediabetes. Its really hard to put my weight on here..I never tell people my weight! I really don't have much of a support system through friends or family. I basically have been stuck in the mind set of going to tackle my weight..and then the next day I just give up. I know the basics..eat right..work out..but I just wanted to see if I could get some advice from you guys... I really am not sure where to start..like I said I know the basics..but its like why can't I get going on this? I feel so stuck in my present mindset. So, basically I was going to ask how did you guys get started on your journey? What are some of the smallest things you cut out that made a big difference. I really honestly think something that has totally aided my weight gain is sodas! I drink way to much coke! Also, since I am starting out so high of a weight..I am finding it really hard to work out. I live in a small town in Alaska..and its literally way to cold and snowy to walk around the block...so I was looking into buying a treadmill. Anyways...I would just appreciate so much ANY type of advice at all on tackling weight. Thanks ahead of time for reading! I hope I will be able to get to know some of you soon! Have a good day!

Michelle

Add weight lifting.
Subtract processed foods.
Do you have an account at fitday.com?

I think just by posting your story, you've already helped yourself a lot! My advice would be don't necessarily cut things out, just cut back at least to start out. Cutting things out totally will leave you feeling deprived and can affect your willpower to make good decisons.

I have a treadmill. I like it but I can't do it all the time because I get bored. Not sure i'd buy another one if this one died. There are so many great exercise videos out these days and I really like the variety. I use my treadmill when my kids are watching tv and i can't do a video.

I also live in the middle of nowhere with no gym nearby. I have to drive about 45 minutes to get to a ww meeting. You can do weight watchers online (if you have the discipline). My husband did it with really great results!

Drink water, move your body more, watch your portion sizes! You're well on your way!

Well done on taking the first step. I felt like I was in some sort of alcoholics anonymous meeting when I first posted my weight. I thought the computer would explode or something. This isn't meant to sound nasty or *****y but there is always someone bigger than you here. I found that kinda comforting, because I was always the fattest in my class, in my team at work, etc etc.

Work on changing things a bit at a time. You didn't gain all that weight overnight, and unless the weight loss fairy visits you in the night, you're not going to lose it over night. I never found the weight loss fairy!!!!

The first thing I did was look at the reasons I overate. I did a lot of substitution in the early days, substituting low fat yoghurt for cream, oven chips for deep fried ones etc. Then I started finding great low fat, high protein, good carb recipes and I didn't do the substitution thing anymore.

I got rid of fizzy drinks and had them as treats occasionally, and concentrated on water and no sugar squash.

After a month of dietary changes and having lost about 10 pounds on dieting alone, I added exercise. I went to a gym, found a great instructor (who came with the membership) and slowly added weight training into my regime.

It's not always been easy, and I have had some really long plateaus, but in a year I have lost 62lbs (and lost one this year so far LOL) so I am really thrilled with that, my goal was to lose 50lbs. This year I hope to lose at least another 50lbs, and get the rest off by my 35th birthday in June 2007!

Welcome Michelle! I'm Gwena. Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and my dear you have made that first step.

I agree with Susan's recommendation of getting an account at fitday. The no frills account is free, and it can be private if you don't wish to share it with anyone. Realizing where our calories come from is a powerful tool!

I would like to recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds exercise tapes/dvd's. You can do them inside and you don't need any equipment at all. It's an excellent way to get started.

Michelle - Welcome to the forum.

The things that have worked for me so far were cutting out all sweet drinks - between the soda, juice, coffee and tea I was drinking I was adding so many extra empty calories per day. The other was knowing where my calories were coming from and making choices. Fitday is a great way to start to understand where calories are coming from. It is really eye opening to see what the calorie content is of certain foods. Also, I am at approximately 2000 calories per day. Before, I always tried to go way too low thinking that less calories = faster weight loss, but that is not necessarily so, especially if you want to lose weight for good.

Regarding exercise, my advice would be to not try to do too much at once. My goal is a minimum of 10 minutes per day. 10 minutes is something I can do and doesn't feel intimidating. Sometimes I do more, sometimes I do just the 10 and I have been sick recently so there were days I didn't exercise at all. The important thing is to build strength and stamina and not wear yourself out. When you can do 10 minutes, move to 12. Or perhaps you can do 10 in the morning and 10 in the evening. It is not all or nothing and you don’t have to start with hour long workouts.

I second the Leslee Sansone tapes. I have the 1-mile and it is something I can do - no jumping, just walking and some kicks. I also have some bellydance tapes that I can do - they are with Veena and Neena, although I have to modify some of the moves. The important thing is finding something you like to do and enjoy. Sometimes I also just walk in place while watching TV.

The one other thing that has really helped me was realizing that I can’t do this on my own – I need support and somewhere to be accountable. This forum is fantastic for that, and there is so much great information here and such wonderful people.

Definitely cut out the soda!! And if caffiene tends to affect your appetite, give it up completely (don't switch to diet). But if caffiene doesn't affect your appetite, my favorite diet pop is Diet Shasta and Coke Zero. You might have to sample a few before you find one you like. If you drink 3 full sugar sodas a day, it's 450 extra calories, and it will only take a little over a week to equal 3500 calories, which is a pound of gained weight.

I started out at 307, and exercise was difficult for me. I started out with Denise Austin (she's on Lifetime in the early morinings) I taped her and could only physically do the aerobic sections. I probably only managed maybe 15 minutes of her routines, but it still was effective. The movements are basic and not too hard to follow. It's a great idea to invest in a treadmill. I didn't use mine when I started, because I walked outside. A treadmill is one of the most effective exercise machines you can get. It tends to get a little boring, so have music or a tv around. I use mine with an incline now.

For my diet, I cut out fried foods, processed packaged foods, and "white carbs." White carbs are white bread and flour, white rice, baked goods (cakes and cookies) and white pasta. The energy in these carbs is quickly used up, and you have to eat more of them to feel satisfied. I eat only brown rice and whole grain bread and pasta. I make sure the ingredient list begins with the word "whole" in whatever grain-based foods I eat, including cereals, pasta, bread, and crackers. I eat a lot of fiber as well. It staves off hunger pangs.

If you have any specific questions at all, feel free to PM me anytime.

veggie cheese, low fat versions, fat free soymilk or milk, lots of veggies more legumes and whole grains

1500 cal a day and 1/2 hr of exercise everyday

cheat days!!! try to keep those under 2000 so you dont gain but treat yourself every once in a while, feeling deprived does not enable long term weight loss indulge when appropriate and keep to your goal when not!

positive attitude!!! preserverence!!! it is possible, live your dreams!

“All the problems become smaller if you don’t dodge them, but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, its spines crumble.”

~ William S. Halsey

When I started my journey in September I was 367 pounds and was unable to walk 1/2 a block without being out of breath and tired. I started slowly by walking around the house more then parking the car farther from the door and I did that until December when I started trying to do 5-10 minutes of a Richard Simmons video. Then I found WATP by Leslie Sansone and Found the best exercise in the world for me. I was able to do 5 minutes for the first week then I managed to get to 15 and then I did the whole tape one morning and I cried when I realized I had reached the end! Now I walk outdoors for 30 minutes every day and go to the gym at least 3 days a week for strength training and the eliptical machine. I was able to do a whole Sprint Circuit which is 25 minutes of alternating weights and aerobic on Friday and it feels so good. You can do it too, don't rush. Go at your own pace.

Join a group on here for support and encouragement. I can recommend the 300+ group and the Losing for April Fools group. You will get all the support you could want here!

Hi you are in a great site.....you will make it

you and me have the same problem(hello my name is Leigh its been 2 mounths sence my last real Mountian Dew)may I suggest crystal light i have it at home and at work I have love it so far and it keeps me from drinking the other stuff...shhhhhhhh not talk about Mountian Dew..mmmmmmmmm....I also use a note book to wright down all I eat and the workout I do I use it to put all my feeling in too. I also dont have much of a support system here eather. I would be glad to talk any time you want to just send me a pm..I dont have the money to do a plan like ww or others so I have to do it all on my own. If you dont have a fit day acc get one they are a god send ...

Leigh

first ... WELCOME !!!! it is good to have you here !!

like the others have already said, you have ALREADY taken that FIRST step to a healthier thinner you !!

start small... that is the easiest and best way if you jump in head first and full steam ahead (gee that sound familar... oh yeah i just posted that sumwhere else ) its the easiest way to fall... and we have ALL been there and done that...

i'll tell u what I have done with my soda intake, i have gone from drinking NOTHING but soda all day everyday to 2 a day, an out ounce can with my lunch and about a half a glass with dinner, and tomorow i am going to start curring out that lunch time can...

if you go to the support forum, there as a thread for 21 day challenges... i am new here and just signed up myself a few days ago and i am a HUGE advocate for this... i started my first challange 5 days ago, i vowed to get in 60oz of water a day... hey thats only 3 - 20oz bottles... easy !! today is day 5 successfully completed !! and the 21 day challenge can be ANYTHING you want to try to do for 21 days, there are 3 levels you assign the level you think best fits with your goal, the levels allow you pause days the pause days are days you can use to take a break or if you totaly mess you u can use that so it dont count against you, and i think its a great way to get started implimenting new changes into your life, like giving up your sodas...

as for exercise... do you have a game system?? x-box? PS2? game Cube? DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) is a great cardio work out and in game mode there are different levels so you can start out slow and work your way up and most of all the 3 rounds you play for game level are only like 15 minutes, so that could be a great way to start.. i have DDR and havnt done it in a long time but am hoping to break it back out tomorow...

your treadmill idea is a great one but that can get pricey for a really good one ( i wish i could afford and had a place to put a treadmil)

also you can get free weights at places like walmart or target in the fitness and sports section... not sure about targets prices but i know at walmart ( i get everything there lol) the yare like a dollar a pound, so one pound weights are 1 dollar, 3 pound weights are 3 dollars and on up... you could get a set of weights and just do simple excercise with them for your arms and upper body

ummm... what else... do you have a curves around your neck of the woods?? there have been a bunch of girls on here who have great results with that (i'm going to join in a few months) or a rec center or some place like that where you could use the work out room

anyway just kind of rambling and throwing out some ideas

but really you are already doing a great job by taking that first step and there are 4 things to remember:

start small
remember we have all been there
if you need us we are always here
and YOU CAN DO THIS !!!

i didnt read all of the replys... but Sheri's idea of walking around the house is a great one !!

when i got married in 2001 i couldnt fit into my wedding dress shortly before the wedding... and i did just that... we had a pretty small house so i would start at the tv in the living room and go straight to the back door, turn around and go back to the tv, back and forth back and forth (it was a straight shot from one to the other from living room to dinning room to kitchen) after a few days i increased my speed and kept that up til i was basicly running laps back and forth (yes that had to have been a sight to see at times i thought the house would fall down cuase it was shaking, i had to take the breakables off the entertainment center, but) ya know what... it worked, come wedding day i had to keep holding my strapless gown up because it kept falling down

so that is an EXCELLENT IDEA i cant beleive i hadnt even thought about that !

hey guys!

Wow you guys have been wonderful! Usually on some of the other forums...no one replys lol! I really appreciate the support and advice. I for sure am looking into the Leslie tapes and the treadmill. Where I live in Alaska we do not have a curves or a workout place. So I think the tapes and workout equipment will help! Also...I agree with all of you about sodas! I never realized how much that aids my weight! I really wonder how much weight people would lose just by cutting coke out! lol The hardest thing though that I am dealing with is getting into the right mindset. ITs so easy to keep saying..o I will start tommorow you know? Also, its so hard for me to stay focused. Thats why I think this board will keep me focused! But how do you finally reach the point in your mind where you say enough is enough? I felt like I have/had those moments where I am so determined..but i ALWAYS fail! How do you make it? I find this is the biggest block to successs for me ...is the mental part of weight loss. Any more advice will be greatly appreciated! You guys really inspire me..and you all have been awesome!

Have a good day

michelle

Set everything up. Shop and only buy the right foods. Know when you are going to exercise. Just go from one step to the next and if that's a problem ... come call on us.

Hey Michelle.. I had to laugh when you said "ITs so easy to keep saying..o I will start tommorow you know?" Thats totally my problem too. Everybody here has great suggestions, I think you will do just great.

As for sodas, I use to be a fiend myself. I LOVED Coke. I now drink Coke Zero and think it's actually better than regular Coke After drinking zero for so long, I can't even look at the regular stuff cause it's waaaaaay too sweet!