Making Physical Changes

You already know how, just make a plan and try new things, the wieght issue I'm in there with you I joined the gym and have tried several classes even Zumba I didn't care for it, I really like Body Combat it is hard but I get my anger out and feel better when I'm done, I also like to walk and when I do I don't discuss anything major if I walk with anyone. I also like to run and yes fat girls can run! I used the couch to 5k program and it did the job!
I buy tons more friut and veggies and use those to snack on. Have fun, if you don't like try something else.
Audio books from the libruary are great while at the gym or on a walk!

Walking is good. I eat healthy and I love to cook so I didn't want to start a mealplan that tells you exactly what to eat/cook. I just started off by writing down what I eat all day and I was shocked how it all adds up. I find Sparkpeople.com works well for keeping track of Food and Exercise and it's free. They also have a lot of recipes, a blog and all kinds of information.

Luckily With 80 lbs to lose half of that will drop off easily. Work out 6 days a week and watch it melt away. It will be that last 40 that will be hard.

I've lost a lot of fat this last year and key me just say that the only motivation I needed to keep going was my mirror and buying new clothes.

Good for you. Don't worry about the 80 pounds. Make a goal to lose 5 pounds first. Here are 5 things to start today: Walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week. Drink water instead of soda, stop eating fast food. cut cheese from everything you eat, eat chicken or turkey instead of red meat or pork. After you the first 5, add either more time or another day to your walking. Eat smaller portions, etc. You will be motivated to maybe try Weight watchers. Good luck, you can do it.

Awsome plan and 80 lbs sounds like a lot but it does not have to be if you are committed and it sounds like you are. Walking is the best way to start.

added: I have been doing the below mentioned excersize and the stairs at work are always a hard goal but you see the results much quicker. When doing the stairs consistently I have lost 2 lbs a week but they are such a challenge!

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/16418838149037490177

Good for you!

After my #2 baby I was not in the best of shape and I started walking, but wanted more. I did couch to 5k with my sister to kick start the activity plan - awesome. Most of the program is online and all it takes is your tennis shoes and some headphones.
I love that it is something I did (no one else can run that 5k for you) and it got me in the right frame of mind to renew my gym membership and I felt I had stamina to take advantage of the classes,etc. and not feel SOOO self concious I couldn't move - lol.
That would be my suggestion C25K, baby! You can do it!!

I love the elliptical machine. It's my best friend. I plug in my headphones, set it for a level that works for me and go as long as I can. I am up to 45 minutes.

I'd start there - or walking outside.

You'll see results quickly if you are consistent, and also start calorie counting. Healthy food still has calories, so if you are putting more in that you are burning off you won't lose any weight. There are lots of resources online to help with calorie counting, google it.

Good luck!

I think it’s awesome that you have decided to take time out for you and make yourself happy again. You can do this!!

Take small steps…hitting the gym for a 20 minute round of cardio to get started is great! Try a different machine each night you go until you find the one that is the most comfortable for you to use (I personally like the elliptical or the bike). Up the amount of time you are on the machine and try out the routines available on the machines each week or as you feel less challenged. You will also start to get more comfortable in the gym and then decide to slip into the back of a class or try using some of the weights. Finding a partner to go with will help.

Take another small step…change what you drink. Leave the sodas and sugary drinks for someone else and pick up an extra glass of water. You should drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. You will feel like you are in the bathroom a lot but your body will stop retaining water because it knows it’s going to get more. Try drinking green tea, it might be gross at first but has been said to have a lot of health benefits including helping with weight loss.

Add another step…change your portions. Counting calories is a lot of work and to me the point system from Weight Watchers would seem like a lot of work too. I found calorie counting to be time consuming and difficult when trying to figure out a meal that isn’t “typical”. Instead of these things, cut back the portions. You may find yourself hungry at first so don’t be afraid to snack on fruits and veggies. Small meals more times a day should help increase your metabolism which will help shed weight. Don’t cut out the things you love to eat and don’t be upset if you cheat once in a while. Eat what you want in moderation.

Changing how I eat and what I drink has helped me to keep off the 20lbs I worked hard to lose during the warm months. My exercising happens to be swimming because I found that I love it over all the other exercises I’ve tried, but during the winter it’s a bit chilly to be outside doing that. Make these things part of your life rather than look at them as dieting because it’s a lot easier to stick with life changes than it is with diets. Good luck! We are behind you all the way!!

Don't worry about the 80 lbs all at once...focus on 5lbs at a time...it's a lot easier to "handle" in smaller chunks! :)

I'm another person that recommends Couch to 5K. It starts you off with walking so no need to worry about how "fit" you are right away. Weight training is great, once you get started, but I would start with just getting started walking. It's not "hard" to do, so it's easier to keep the motivation up.

2 things people don't often think about when it comes to weight loss: water and sleep. You need LOTS of both. And make sure you eat a good/healthy breakfast to kick-start your metabolism.

Good luck!

Try to use stairs instead on an elevator, especially if you're just going up one or two flights. Maybe take a walk around the block after, or during the day, whenever you have ten minutes. The fresh air and the few minutes to yourself can be very invigorating. I found a decent elliptical on Craigslist. I have it in my living room so I can watch tv while I use it. Try putting on your favorite music album and dance! My niece and nephew introduced me to Just Dance 3 for the Wii. It's so simple and fun, yet I felt myself getting a nice workout. Just start out slow, but be constant. If you miss a day of exercise, it makes it harder to pick it up again. Good Luck!

I think you're on your way to making big changes, good for you!! I know you're going through a difficult time and I'm sorry for all of the stress. But I find it very admirable that you're ready to take the bull by the horns and make some changes!

If you have access to a great gym, use it!! Start with whatever is comfortable for you! Push yourself as far as you can and be proud of yourself for each achievement. With a treadmill or elliptical, you'll be able to see your own improvement day-to-day, week-to-week!! Once the pounds start coming off, you'll be ultra motivated to try new things!

About Zumba, I say just do it. I go 3x per week and I LOVE it. Best workout in town and by far, the most fun. Last night there was at LEAST 100 people there and I can promise you that no one is watching anyone other than the teacher. There are always people there from all ages/body types and no one judges anyone. I've seen plenty people there that are probably trying to drop 80 or so pounds and they just take the class at their own pace. Seriously, just try it. It's so fun and motivating, I'm sure you'd love it.

Best of luck to you!!

Yes! Start with small everyday type changes to get some control of your life back. If you can go to the gym and just do 20 minutes on a treadmill OR a bicycle OR an elliptical machine at a slow pace 2-3 times a week it will make a difference - not only in your body, but your stress level, too. After that gets comfortable try to add 20 minutes on a different machine and maybe some work on the strength training machines as well. The main thing is to start slow and build on what you are doing.
Another everyday change to look at is what you are eating. Make smarter choices - homemade bread, homemade soup, less pre-packaged foods, fruits & nuts for snacks instead of chips, cookies, or candy. Eat something for breakfast, up your amount of protein everyday, and watch the types of carbohydrates you are eating. If you start with just adding an additional 8-16 oz of water per day, you will be amazed at how much better you will feel. Then next week, try to add one piece of real fruit everyday.
The point is to make small changes to what you are already doing, instead of drastic ones that are harder to actually make a part of your life. I have been overweight for a number of years, and only recently started to take control of my own problems again. By being conscious of my choices - what I eat, drink, and do - I have found that it is easier to try to make small changes than it ever was to go on diet and exercise programs. Do I actually make the goal every single day? No. But, I also don't beat myself up over not doing it as I realize it was my choice in not doing it. A lot of days, I just don't choose to eat a piece of fruit, but just by drinking that extra water, going to the gym more often, and making smarter choices about what I am eating, I have managed to drop almost 10 pounds in the last month.
One of the things that is getting me to the gym is having a workout buddy who is about my size and shape and has similar health goals to mine. It has really helped us both get to the gym more often, just because we are accountable to each other to be there and work out together.

I agree that walking is your best bet to start out. + it will give you time alone...or you could push a stroller/have your child walk with you.

As for the gym, ask the staff for a plan which will benefit you the most!

Good Luck!

Head over to the treadmill or elliptical and find one in front of a good show on tv and you will be all set. No one there cares what anyone else looks like because they are either watching tv or doing something on their own. The last time I went to the gym I brought my nook with me and read the whole time. Before that I would go to the gym and get on the elliptical and just watch tv. It was great because once you get into the workout its easy to keep going. I spent 2 hours at the gym once because I was watching a movie. It wasn't a super intense workout just walking. I lost 20lbs the 1st month I started going.

If you are going from no activity at all, then starting any type of workout will make a difference. Just go to the gym and do whatever you can whenever you have the opportunity. Even if you just start by walking on the treadmill, it will help. You can either add time or speed or incline little by little as your body gets used to it. Once you get used to going to the gym, you can then try other machines, weights, and even zumba classes. Walking in the door and starting is the hard part, once you are used to it you will find that you will have more confidence to try more things and the weight will start to drop. If you combine this with diet (not an actual "diet", but being more careful about what you consume and how much), I think you will notice results even more quickly. Good luck!!

You start with where you are today and with what you've got. Right now, you say you'd be embarrassed to take a Zumba Class, but know this, I take them and there are MANY different sizes and shapes.. don't let that t.v. commercial scare you. MOST are not in that good of shape, those people are hired dancers with a couple REAL people thrown in.. Otherwise, in those classes, you dance at YOUR pace.. but for now, how about you just go for a walk each day... start out slowly... set a goal and then add to it each day or whenever you do it..
Additionally, DO keep a good journal.. I thought I ate decently as well, but that was the problem, decent food or not, I was ALWAYS eating something... Use stairs in lieu of the escalator.... park farther away from a destination.. Buy a pedometer.. this way you can truly measure how much you are actually moving each day.. you'll find the steps add up..

Lastly, do as I do... write down specific REASONABLE goals.. e.g. this month I want to lose 5 lbs.... (don't focus on ALL 80) that is too daunting.. focus on what you can do in the immediate moment .. this way, you don't over think the weight loss and become stressed out.... vs if you think, omg. I have 80lbs to lose... that just feels like a lot.. start slow... also... when writing your goals.. consider what it is you will have to do to lose 5lbs a month... for me, it's exercise min 4 days a week and keep a food journal.... Don't go into this blindly.. by writing this all down, you can begin to see your progress and where you might need to tighten up..

lastly.... try and track your monthly cycle.. I think you might find like many women, the week before your period is the most difficult... CRAVINGS..... and lower energy.. it's during this time that you will need to have a plan of success in place.. otherwise, it's too easy to give into that specific time of the month... this might mean pre-making snacks.. this way, you eat every few hours and your blood sugar isn't allowed to get so low that you end up binging (like so many of us do) I think the more you PREPARE for success, the more you will succeed... :)

I wish you all the best

I love Jenny J's reply...it's flexible and free! And you can challenge yourself by increasing the distance or picking up the pace whenever you're ready. PLUS, it's YOU time. I was in your situation and I lost most of my weight by walking, I was only able to do a little at a time, but it was a little more than I could do previously, you know? I could either get up early in the morning or do it later in the evening, whenever everyone was in bed. I invested in an eliptical machine later so I could use that when the weather was bad. As my endurance/stamina increased, I would run a block, then walk a block. It took dedication but I eventually got to where I could run 2 blocks/walk 1, run 3/walk 1. I still can't run the entire 4 miles all in one outing, but I couldn't belive the changes I saw in my body so I know it works.

You CAN do this!! :)

I have at least 60 lbs. to lose so I can relate. I would recommend what a lot of the ladies have said. Just getting in the routine of walking 3x/week for 30 minutes is a good place to start (or the treadmill, or the elliptical... when I started the elliptical I could only do 15 minutes and then I would do another 15 minutes on a treadmill). Now I can do 30 minutes and am working up to 45. I also have several Leslie Sansone dvd's. The old Walk Away the Pounds dvd's with the 1 and 2 mile walks on 1 dvd and the 3 mile walk on another are great. The 1 mile is a good workout for just starting out. It is gentle yet effective. I do these at home when I can't get to the gym. I also have been working on my sleep habits so that I am rested. Between sleep and regular exercise, my energy level increased dramatically. Add in trying to drink enough water daily and it becomes easier to make good food choices too. I eat a good breakfast with protein almost every morning and it makes a huge difference in curbing my appetite for the day (along with exercise- I do it in the morning). Once you have the 3 day a week habit you can increase the days/week, and the amount of time per workout.
I've seen it recommended recently to start with a goal of losing 5% or 10% of your current body weight. Then at that point you can set further goals. It really helped me to not feel so overwhelmed that way. Also I weigh myself every morning to keep track of where I am at.
Just some things that have worked for me as I make changes. I hope some of it is helpful. I can tell you will do great; you sound like you are ready. ((((hugs)))))

I got a few Leslie Sansone DVDs and I'm loving them. It's easy, and you can do several (or one) mile at a time, and then work up to more. I have lost about 40 pounds so far with these DVDs, I still need to lose about 70, but I'll be waiting a bit as I just found out I'm preg again. Right now, there are a few days I've skipped, and I've decreased from 5miles daily (which it took me two months to work up to) to four miles daily during two sessions. I do two in the morning and two in the afternoon or evening. It's easy, it's safe, and if you keep at it, it will really work. There are 15 minute miles and 12 minute miles, so just make sure you start with the 15 min when you're just beginning. I suggest getting the 5 mile DVDs to start with, and then you can do one and just do it daily until you're ready to work up to more. Right now I have 3 DVDs of hers. I can mix and match how I want, though right now I'm just doing the same one b/c it has a lower intensity than my others.

Walking is great and you should do that. For the first week, do a comfortable walk. The next week try to beat your time or speed and keep doing that week by week.

I also highly recommend incorporating weighs into your workout. I use this book everyday:
http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp...

If you have 10, 5, 3 lb dumbbells you can pretty much do everything in the book. Muscle burns calories faster and more efficiently that fat. It will make you feel strong too.

Don't snack after dinner. This is hard for me, but when I cut out that night time snack, it do much better.

Good luck.

First of all let me just say good for you for wanting to better yourself, you can't make anyone happy, unless you yourself are happy!
Second: You are going to have to get in a mindset that this isn't going to be easy! It is going to SUCK actually! You are going to sweat, hurt and be pissed off MANY of times! Your tummy is going to feel empty at times, there will be hunger pains! But the benefits of the weight loss and your increased self esteem far outweighs any of that! To me, it is empowering actually! Start small...increase water intake TREMENDOUSLY(half of your body weight in ounces every single day.) You don't have to COMPLETELY cut out those special things that you like to eat, moderation is key. Park the car a little further away when you go to the mall or grocery store. Get you a bike to ride around the neighborhood when it is nice outside. If you have a smartphone, Couch to 5K app is FABULOUS! I haven't ever ran in my life and once I completed that program, I was able to run a 5k, no stopping! It DOES work! And also, I used the app LOSE IT, You put in your current height/weight and goal weight and how many pounds you are aiming to lose per week. It tells you the calories you need to intake daily in order to reach that goal. Very easy. Good Luck, walking, jogging, anything that makes you sweat and hurt is a TREMENDOUS stress reliever! Be Patient and let it work...oh and also Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. The combination of that, calorie counting and Couch 2 5K had me in the best shape of my life....and that was after having 2 kids!

Walking does help but if you are serious about portion control and losing weight then I would suggest going to weight watcher. It has been doing wonders for my mom. You go the a meeting once a week, weigh in and listen to supportive stories. Weight watchers helps you in getting into a routine by counting your point with everything you eat, you only get soo many points a week. When you exercise you u earn bonus points! You can look into in online. So far my mom has lost over 30 pounds. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Start with walking. Bring some headphones. If the weather is bad, go to your local mall. When I was losing my baby weight, I would go 2 miles in the morning and 2 miles in the evening. It's nice quiet alone time and you can lose a lot of weight going 4 miles a day. Then after you lose the weight, you won't feel awkward at the gym.

Hi, Melissa;
It is so difficult to change habits, but change can
happen since you know you want to change.

I would suggest you contact:
Overeaters Anonymous
Lois at ###-###-####
Milford Bay Hospital
Thursday nights at 8:15 p.m.

Hope this helps.
Good luck.
D.

Please get this book "The Perfect 10 Diet"-it will change everything you've ever learned because it deals with the hormone imbalance that makes all of us gain weight. You're going to be amazed! Good luck. I downloaded this book into my Kindle for $1.99.