Hello and welcome! :welcome I am happy to lend you support. That amount of weight loss is a substantial goal. It will require strict calorie restriction and increased exercise. And it will require you do this for a long time. It won't be easy, but good things aren't always easy. But it will be worth it in the long run. There are just too many long term health woes to worry about with that much weight. You should start keeping a journal. Take a "before" picture you of yourself right now in all your glory. It will help keep you motivated. Welcome aboard and good luck. You are not alone in your effort to lose weight and I wish you all the luck in the world!
Hi! I'm sure you can do it if you set your mind to it. Try not to set unrealistic goals for yourself, though. It's great that you are ready to get started, but make sure that it's something you can keep doing for a year or more. Losing weight is hard stuff. I know, too! Just stick to what you set up for yourself, and use us to lean on. Good luck! I know you can do it!
That is the truth! Weight loss is one of the toughest things you can set you mind to doing. But it is also one of the most rewarding. There's no better of a personal accomplishment than to get yourself in the shape you want!
Thank you guys for your support. I realize that I shouldnt set unrealistic goals but I think I should try to find the balance between a goal that is going to motivate or demotivate me. I used to say oh i'm going to lose 3o lbs in a month (I know I must have been crazy), but I would kill myself doing it and at the end when I didnt get even close I would be disheartened and would not even want to try again. This time I have set goals which I know I am capable of and I know will keep me motivated to go further till the end. I have spent far too much time being big and I am tired of it. The thing is I dont eat alot, I just get cravings occasionally ( alright frequently :roll: ) and then i go on binges when I am bored or emotionally distraught. I feel like I have no control over this weight and it is spilling into everything in my life. I have to get rid of it and I think like you said Henrietta that it is one of the biggest personal accomplishments that anyone can ever have. So wish me luck!! Thanks again
nice to meet you! setting realistic goals is the best thing you can do when you are ready to make a commitment to helathy lifestyle changes. once you are ready to do this everything will fall into place. how long has it taken you to gain the weight? i'm guessing that it has been over the course of a year or more, so losing 30 pounds in a month is almost sure to disappoint you. what leads you to binge?
I wish you all the luck in the world, but I can also say that your goals are VERY tough! You want to drop 30 pounds by New Year's Eve - which is only about 6 weeks away! 8O To do this, you will have to be very focused and strict with yourself. 1) Your caloric intake should be no more than 1000 to 1200 calories a day. Get a good mixture of carbs (about 50%), protein (30%) and fat (20%). Eat LOTS of fruits and vegetables and high fiber foods. Drink LOTS of ice cold water (64 ounces to 172 ounces a day!). 2) You must weight lifts and do some sort of muscle building exercises. By weight-lifting, you'll build muscles which will burn more calories. Either use a gym or some home equipment. Do exercises that strengthen you all over - arms, chest, abs, shoulders and legs. Weight-lift at least 3x a week for 20-30 minutes each time. If you have access to a weight machine (gym or home) use it. Otherwise buy some smaller weights and follow various work-out videos. 3) Add aerobic exercises of some sort - including walking a mile or so. Walk on the days you don't weight-lift. Try to walk at least 20 minutes at a good pace. This combination will allow you to drop the maximum amount of weight. Skip as many pure sugar foods as possible. Skip as much caffeine as possible. Eat lean meats. Do get some healthy fats (monounsaturated) into your system. Eat carbs, but again, limit the sugar but bulk up on the fiber. The more fiber, the better. You can get this from cereals like Fiber 1 and from fruits and vegetables. Eat more small meals and snacks (carrots, an apple, etc.) a day, rather than several larger meals. As you can only eat 1000-1200 calories a day, you will be hungry, so spread that food out more throughout the day. What I described above is the BowFlex 6-Week Challenge. Women tend to lose about 20 pounds on this plan, but also gain a few pounds of muscle - for a total weight loss of about 18 pounds. Even if you follow this program exactly until the end of the year, you still might not drop 30 pounds. However, don't berate yourself for not accomplishing your goals. You *want* to build muscle. You *want* to become healthier. The actual amount you weigh isn't important - it's just a number. The way you look and feel are important. So even if you are down to 260 by New Year's, praise yourself for having dropped 20 pounds during the holiday season!! That's very significant and you will be proud. However, if you can't do what I recommend and only lose a few pounds, that's still a start. Remember, you didn't put all that weight on in 6 weeks, so you shouldn't expect your body to drop it that fast either. Weight loss occurs over months and years, not days and weeks. Just keep moving, make healthy eating decisions, and try to eat less. This will guarantee weight loss. Good luck!
SlimDown's Christmas Day Goal - 230 lbs
it'll be here before we know it, that is for sure!