Getting started...

[Lotty9]

Does anyone have some good tips for 'getting started'... My big problem is that I spend so long planning I don't do any doing. I think my being overweight is down to fear. If I sort that out I have no excuses for why I'm single and why I don't have the life I want. I'm aware it's weak but it's stubborn. Anyone else have the same problem and how did you jump over it?

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome to the forum Lotty9 😊

You are not alone, the first step is by far the most difficult. But we are here to hold your hand. Maybe you are trying to do everything at once, try breaking it down into smaller steps? Slight reduction in portion size and a 10 minutes walk is an excellent start. Trust me, weight loss does not have to be painful or involve deprivation.

If you haven’t already, then please read the Welcome post here which has lots of useful information about all the things we have on offer. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

I also highly recomend coming onto the forum regularly, daily if you can, reading posts and replying to others. Being part of a community is proven to help weight loss. Why not join our daily chat thread ‘What’s Happening Today?’

For your own privacy and safety online we suggest that you lock your posts by selecting ‘only community members’ when you write a new post. Please read our security post here healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... especially as your post isn’t locked

Best wishes

Indigo 😊

[bikegrrrl 1lb in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome, Lotty9 - the good news is that your success in weight loss will probably come down to planning! I probably spend 20 mins each evening planning my next day's food.

I have learned to really appreciate what I eat, and to be good to my body. I have read on this forum somewhere that eating well is a form of self-respect, and that really struck a chord with me. You absolutely deserve to eat healthily.

My tips:

1. understand that you need and deserve to lose weight

2. find your extra motivational tools. Losing weight can be a lo-o-o-ong process and sometimes you need something there to steer you away from hitting the biscuits. Some people respond well to pictures; I wrote and kept in my purse a little list of things that would happen when I got to my goal weight - NB real, practical things like, "I will look good in trousers" and "I will be able to run up the stairs without getting breathless" (not "grown men will swoon in the street as I pass"). Some people set themselves mini goals and non-food mini rewards e.g. buying a new top after the first 7 lbs or whatever. I looked at my list every day, to keep me in the right mindset, not just when I was wavering.

3. There's loads of support available on this forum, you will get most out of it if you join in.

Losing weight has not made me prettier or richer or more successful in my job (dammit!), but it has made me much happier with my body: I feel healthier, I walk taller and I look better in clothes.

Best of luck on your weight-loss journey. Once you have had a chance to read and understand the info IndigoBlue61 has given you, I hope we'll see you on the Daily Diary, joining the rest of us in planning each day. 💪🏼😊

[NannyEJ]

Helo Lotty9 and welcome to this wonderful forum. As part of your planning, throw away all the unhealthy stuff that you may be tempted to eat. Eat smaller portions and no junk food and you will definitely lose weight. To deal with your mental resistance perhaps try CBT or hypnosis. There are many downloads that you can buy really cheaply. My two favourites are Glen Harold and Paul McKenna. If you can get your sub-conscious on board then the rest will be easier. You know your life will be so much better when you are healthier and slimmer, so try not to think of this as a diet but a change in your lifestyle for life. Those first few steps are the most important, have the courage to take them and you won’t regret it. Good luck!

[Hidden]

Hi Lotty9 - Starting is defiantly one of the biggest hurdles. Knowing you need to lose weight / eat healthier and actually doing it - well that's a different matter.

I don't know if you saw the post from mazza36 yesterday but this really resonated with me so I thought I'd share the link to see if it inspired you too!

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

It was the last paragraph on how they have got so far that I love!

[Lytham 3 stone]

Baby steps, would you like to join our Easter challenge to lose half a stone by Easter? Just post your weight on the Easter Countdown challenge post, hope to see you there, I will attach a link for you.

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...