Desperate and not sure where to start?

[shelly5]

Hi my name is Shelly and I am new to the group. I have been suffering with my weight for some time which is now severely impacting on my health .

Approximately 4 years ago I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries and sleep apnoea and as a result I have become inactive and a bit of a couch potato, which has in turn caused me to be borderline type 2 diabetic.

I now feel anxious all the time due to the weight gain and breathlessness even on little exertion which makes me embarrassed. I feel I'm stuck in a vicious cycle as I now don't want to leave the house therefore, I am gaining more weight and feeling fatigued all the time!

Not sure really where to start? any ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome, Shelly

Please don't panic any more, you've come to just the right place for help. Like you, I'd eaten myself into the life of a miserable recluse, but that was 21 months and 7 stone ago. I've never felt better and I'm sure that you can achieve the same too

Take a look at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), or in the drop down on the 'Posts' page (it says 'arrange by'). Read the Welcome Newbie thread, then move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you.

Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news.

Take a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as a lot of people have been successful with it, making sure to enter your details into the BMI calculator, to get a calorie allowance tailored to your personal requirements. Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate.

To the right of the HOME page (bottom on a mobile), you'll find Events. In there, you'll find links to our daily Weigh-in's (you will choose just one day per week), our Daily Diary, where we post our menu and exercise plans, for accountability, advice and support and our “What's happening today” thread, where we pop in for a chat.

Be aware, that the HU app doesn't give you access to all of our important features, so we advise that you use the full website page.

We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too.

It's only left for me to wish you well on your journey

[VickyDLM 2 stone]

Hi Shelly5!

I would definitely recommend the 12-week plan as a great place to start. I wasn't sure what I needed to do as I didn't want to "go on a diet" but definitely needed to lose weight and get off my butt. I found the NHS plan easy to follow and not too overwhelming as they show you how to change your lifestyle gradually rather than a crazy restrictive diet. I want to be healthy for life, not just lose weight that will get put back on when I get fed up of the restrictions!

You've also made a good start by coming here, it's much easier to do these things together.

Good luck!