I need some motivation

I'm 22 years old and I'm probably the farthest from being in shape. I use to be in decent shape when I was a kid but once I got into high school I started packing on the pounds. Now I'm up to close to 270 pounds (& I'm 6ft tall) and I just want to get back on some kind of a exercise & diet regimend and get back into shape again. I have no motivation because my parents (yes I still live with my parents unfortunately) always go out to eat to fast food places and all-you-can-eat restaurants. I'm VERY addicted to soft drinks (particularly dr. pepper...dunno if I could live w/o that or not lol) and all I eat is snack foods and seriously fattening and sodium packed foods.

I don't have a job either, which doesn't help any, when it comes to money or my mood, and all I do is sit around on this computer or watching tv all day long. I need something to help myself out. Where can I even start with getting back into shape and losing some of this weight? I'm wanting to lose at least 80 pounds but I wanna start with just 10 and work on it from there.

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Permalink Reply by Vex on January 28, 2009 at 1:35am: I am in the same boat as you, I am not as fit as I once was, and it is amazingly cheaper to eat fast food than to buy anything healthy. I am currently working on bettering myself, and if you want to talk about your plight, feel free to message me.

A good way to start is ordering healthier things off of the menu if you can't stop the going out to eat. As well as cutting back on the soda and replacing some of it with water or tea. Get up and go on a short walk everyday. You'd be amazed at the change little things can make.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by October Lightning on January 28, 2009 at 1:50am: Thanks Vex :) I sent a friend request so we can chat some about our plans for making changes in our lives.

I am going to try to cut back on some of the sodas since I know I'd be a very cranky and unpleasant person if I didn't have my daily dose of caffeine LOL. And I was watching 'The Biggest Loser' on tv last night and it motivated me to want to do something about all of this weight, to get rid of it and to feel better about myself and have more confidence to do what is right for my body and for my soul instead of just settling for what I have now.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Glenda aka Gg on January 31, 2009 at 9:06am: You could discipline yourself on your sodas, by drinking one 80z glass or a can (if cans are what you drink)..Then after he 1st one, drink eight 8oz glasses of water before you allow yourself to drink anymore sodas for that day...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kaellanna on March 9, 2009 at 8:36am: Track your food. Write down everything you eat and drink for a while. Measure it. Figure out the calories. It can be an eye opener and help you not eat some things (there is nothing like seeing how many calories are in an order of fries to make you not want to eat them).

If you need a bit of structure try joining SparkPeople.com. It is a free site that will help you track calories, form a meal plan, and provide some free exercise videos. The people there are really supportive, and there is an active pagan support group on the site.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shadow wolf on May 6, 2009 at 6:50pm: I have a site it is called fitday.com it is free or you can pay whatever you like. It keeps track of all goals. what I have started to do is walk in the morning and drink pleanty of water and do cardio. morning is the best for cardio. what do you for weight training? If you don't mind me asking.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amethyst Samia on June 7, 2009 at 3:25am: a really easy and painless start would be to drink diet dr. pepper...i know i am addicted to diet mountain dew...and know how hard it would be to give it up completely. that one simple change would help a lot i'm sure!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Darkfire on July 1, 2009 at 3:56am: Welcome to all the new faces here, and a heartfelt hello to those who have been here for some time. Who's been the one who hasn't been here? ME! Sheez, time can really slip away, but I'm back now. My work schedule still keeps me away from home for some time, but now I've started using my laptop again to keep up on the net with my friends and family here at PaganSpace. :)

October Lightning:

No, it's not EASY to start doing something that one hasn't done for some time, if ever. lol. The advice I've heard here sounds, well, sound! :) Listen, chat and just enjoy the group and our answers, tips and advice. With that being said, here are a few tips from me:

1. Yes, drink more water - less soda. That doesn't mean cold turkey, but it does mean cutting back.
2. Never eat food 3 hours before you retire for the night. (no in-bed snacking!)
3. Cut out fast food, or at least order differently from the menu. There are healthier options there.
4. Do some type of exercise at least every other day, even if that means walking just to start.
5. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
6. Try using water, Crystal Light or tea as your soda alternatives eventually. Coffee is fine to in moderation for the caffine intake.
7. Listen to the members! We all have some type of our two cents to give ya. :)
8. Try to eat either 3 meals a day, or maybe 5-6 meals a day, but with smaller portions. No, this doesn't mean grab your favorite bag of chips and hit the couch! lol - One thing to remember about chips, NEVER eat directly out of the bag, instead, place a small handful of chips in a bowl or on a dish and JUST eat what's there. :)

Warm blessings,

-David Darkfire-; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Fiona on September 14, 2009 at 7:29pm: Actually, number 2 has been proven untrue.
You would not gain weight if you eat 1 hr and 30 mins before sleeping.
So it's don't eat 1 h 3 m before sleeping.

This was by Dr. Ian on the Tyra Banks Show.
and I've tested it out and it's so true.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shadow wolf on July 5, 2009 at 9:55pm: Hello there, It can be easy to be good and still eat out. It is all in what you order out fast food or not. I am going to be a personal trainer soon. If you like ad me as a friend and i will help the best I can.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by persaious on July 14, 2009 at 1:04pm: I know where ur coming from, i go to school full time, work part time, have 2 kids and i take care of my elderly parents. i barly have time to sleep let alone eat right and exercise. I did stop eating fast food but junk food is my biggest problem, its quick and easy to grab that is my downfall. i use to be fit and healthy even after i had my kids but it has gotten worse over the years, so like u i also need the motivation to get moving; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Charmed1-326 on August 1, 2009 at 6:53pm: Since you aren't working, try using some time during the morning or evening and walk. That's what I do. I also dance to my favorite songs (in privacy). These are the two best ways of getting into shape for free. Start by figuring out where you'd like to walk. I live in a building complex and decide to walk out of it and through a neighboring area of houses for my walks. By deciding where you want to walk, or rather how far, you can decipher how long it may take you to walk. I personally know that at my speed, it takes me around an hour to leave the building complex, walk through the houses ans return home again. Start by walking for at least a half an hour three times a week and find various locations with a walking travel of that amount. This way you can switch up on your walks without growing bored of the scenery. Also try dancing to our favorite songs for a half an hour. Pretend you're filming a video or are performing on stage with your crush (if any) watching. I personally pretend Tom Welling and all the men of Smallville are watching me in awe and are mesmerized, lol. I know its weird but this makes it fun and makes me want to dance more by putting on a good "show". You can alternate between dancing and walking.

Also, in order to start eating healthier foods, you need to cook your own more often. When you cook, you know exactly what is going into your food. For starters, ground turkey instead of ground beef for burgers, chili, etc. Wheat bread instead of white. (Shop around. Not all wheat bread tastes the same. You can even find some that tastes like white bread. The same goes for the pasta). Salads are wonderful when they aren't the traditional iceberg lettuce, tomato and cucumber combo, so add what you like and see what works. There are other things you can do for healthier eating.These are just a few examples. Allow yourself the sodas, but limit one cup with dinner. Allow yourself the snacks but designate a day to have them. When you do have them, have them in moderation.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Charmed1-326 on August 1, 2009 at 7:15pm: Also remember that the key to weight loss through healthier eating and exercising is to eat LESS calories than you burn during your workouts, or, in other words, burn MORE calories than you're actually eating.

And like David said, start eating smaller more meals throughout the day without skipping any. The more mini meals you eat, the faster your metabolism works to burn the fat and convert the sugar into energy. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and healthy snacks in between. Healthy snacks do not just refer to naked fruits and veggies. There are all kinds of healthy snacks you can make to satisfy your hunger until your next meal (which like stated, you should never skip). And lastly, please try to eat all meals at the same time each day. Regulate your body for meals.; ▶ Reply to This