Getting Started

Hi,
This is the first time in my life that I really, really felt that I needed to lose some weight. Ideally, I would like to lose 25-30 pounds. Somehow getting older, having kids, and eating too many sweets has caught up with me. I need some help to get started. Any ideas, what should I do first? Make a menu, start tracking calories (points) or something else.

Any insight on how to get started on this weight control process would be appreciated. Thanks,

Link

Wed. Jun 14, 2:59am

I have found that logging every day, with EVERYTHING I eat (both good and bad, even a stick of gum has calories...) has helped me to become more aware of what I should or should not be eating. Some people calorie count-- I don't necessarily do that per se, but I do log in my food and exercise so that I am aware of what I'm doing to my body...

It has helped me tremendously. The weight is going away slowly, but also in a more healthy manner for me.

I also find that joining the groups and setting a "Public" goal helps, too! :-)

Good luck!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 3:22 AM

one step at a time

yes, in order to lose weight you need to eat less and exercise more. however i found i couldn't go from "zero to sixty" overnight. i set goals for myself and slooowly acheived them. when i started working out, it was 2-3 days a week for 30 min! now i exercise 6-7 days a week for an hour. PT has helped me immensly b/c i can look back over my logs and SEE the progress. sometimes we forget where we came from (ie, not exercising) and it's good to reflect. most importantly is logging every thing every day! otherwise there's nothing to reflect on...

Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 8:26 AM

Before you go crazy counting calories, pay attention to what and when you eat. Maybe you snack when you are bored or stressed but not actually hungry. Maybe you clean the plates for your kids even if you are full after dinner. Replace high-fat foods and sweets with more nutritious ones to cut out calories you won't even miss (skim milk instead of whole, fruit instead of candy bars, water instead of juice or pop). Add in exercise 3-4x a week for 30 minutes and you will start seeing a difference without have to go from "zero to sixty" as the above poster said.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 9:09 AM

I definitely agree with the 8:26 poster. Since you seem pretty new at this, set one goal for the week. Maybe it's to drink a little more water. Maybe it's to exercise for at least 10 minutes every day... or if you already do this, make it 15 minutes. Maybe it's to leave a little bit of food on your plate after a meal, or to just skip that chocolate bar after the kids are asleep. It's impossible to go from zero to 60 right away. You're just setting yourself up for failure that way, because you'll tire yourself out, and give up (not saying I have no faith, because I do!! You can totally change yourself if you're willing to work hard!). I've just been there so many times :) So start small, write EVERYTHING down, and good luck!!! YOU CAN DO IT.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 9:15 AM

Definitely first start by logging EVERYTHING you eat and do. If you go for a walk, that's exercise, even if it's around a grocery store or mall. If you eat 3 bites of food that your kid left on his plate after dinner, log those bites, they're calories. After about a week, look at the logs. If you see one thing that stands out to you as unnecessary, make it your goal for the next week to cut it out. Then the next week, do the same, only keep the first goal too.

For example, maybe you drink a lot of soda. Maybe you want to cut it down to one a day, or none a day. Do that all week. Then, the next week, you still don't drink the soda, but you also stop eating off of your kids' plates. Then maybe the next week, you don't drink soda, you don't eat off of your kids' plates, and you change your afternoon snack from chips to fruit. You get the picture.

Set a mini goal for yourself - 5lbs, or so, and when you reach it, reward yourself with something non-food related. Maybe a manicure, or a massage, or a new shirt, etc. Depending on your circumstance, make it work for you. Make mini goals along the way. 25lbs will take awhile, but if you have small accomplishments and rewards along the way, it'll make the process seem easier!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 10:42 AM

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