has anyone joined a gym recently and wants to motivate and be motivated ?

Was at the gym again today. My usual: speed walking at 6.5kph on a 4% incline for 30 mins then stepper machine for 15 minutes. I was doing C25K but stopped last week due to TOM. Will resume that next Monday. Am on week 4.

Kettle at 5ft11 you should actually eat more than 1800 (I'm only 5 ft 4.5!). Input all your data here and eat at 10, 15 or max 20% cut of your TDEE:
scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ If you eat too much under your TDEE then your body will get used to eating low calories and you don't want to eat so low for long do you?

Update, I lost another 2 lbs this week - so 57lbs in total in a year. Hurrah!

I had no idea how much I was eating either. I tried to exist on 1200 cals for a while but I didn't lose much weight and I felt absolutely terrible. I'm 5ft 11, and my BMR is around 1700, so it's no wonder really I was feeling so rotten on 1200. I'm going to aim for the same as you - 1800-2000, with plenty of exercise and paying attention to portion size, and see what happens.

Kettle MFP has completely revolutionised my understanding of normal portions. I now read the backs of packets and pay attention to the recommended serving size. It's been a real eye opener. At my heaviest I was eating well over 3000 cals, daily. I had no idea. I still eat alot (as I refuse to do low calorie eating and mess up my metabolism - I even refused to eat at MFP's recommended, to me, 1200 cals - I averaged 1800-2000 cals and lost weight) but still not enough to hinder weight loss anymore.

Well done both! I went out for a run today, so got some fresh air to complement my gym time.

Bssh I'm back using MFP today. Just logged today and didn't try to cut down on food. Turned out I am (surprise, surprise) eating far too much. Tomorrow I'll be much more aware, hopefully.

Was at the gym today. Did 30 minutes on the treadmill at 6.5 kph on a 4% incline and was sweating like a pig and my heartrate was at the top end so happy with that. Then did 15 mins on the stepper. Felt so invigorated. And it's a fast day today so I exercised on no food. It was fine. But looking forward to my dinner tonight :)

I'll go again tomorrow as I couldn't go earlier this week due to buillders in the house.

Kettle I just did basic calorie countingusing MyFitnessPal. I worked out the calories I needed to maintain my current weight (via this calculator: scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) - my TDEE - then simply ate daily/weekly at 10-15% reduction of that. I started at 210lbs in Feb 2012 and am now 155lbs. I didn't do any exercise last year. So it was diet alone. Never cut out anything. Ate sweets, chocolate, crisps as well as the good healthy stuff. Now I do 5:2 fasting and am losing average 1 lb a week (and am exercising).

I'd like to get to the point where I can just go on my own and get on with it too, but I'm trying to go to lots of classes to begin with so I get in the habit of going to the gym and get used to the feeling of moving and sweating. Otherwise I know me, I will just go and do two minutes on the cross trainer and then think 'phew, that's quite enough for me' and go home! Not the best way of getting fitter.

BsshBossh I work from home too - the gym is a great place to go to avoid doing the washing up get out of the house and do something productive.

What dietary changes did you make to lose the weight, if you don't mind me asking? Congratulations on such a massive loss!

I joined a gym last month and am loving it. I like the routine of going there after school drop off (work from home so am able to be flexible) plus the monthly cost makes me go so I feel I get my money's worth! I'm a loner who suits solitary working out rather than classes and I like listening to my own music (the only time I manage to listen to music these days) or watching BBC News 24 on the gym TV whilst on the treadmill or stepper. I try and go 4 times a week for a 45 minute cardio workout. Am 10lbs to goal weight (though have lost virtually all my weight - 55lbs - through diet alone in the last year) and am soon planning on shifting more towards weights training.

Hi travelling, toad here but have namechanged... I like to think my new name could either summon up images of crunching kettle chips on the sofa, or doing badass kettlebells and ab crunches! Hopefully I'll be doing more of those second two.

Well done for doing the evil shred. I hate that thing but it's an excellent fallback for if you can't get out of the house, or just want to fit in some exercise while dinner's in the oven.

I just did my first ever bodycombat class tonight. Bloody hell all over again. I think it broke me. Would SO rather do an hour on the treadmill!! But I might have to go back next week, once I've forgotten the pain a bit...!

I know exactly what you mean. I feel like it's what my body's meant to be doing, iyswim? Hopefully that feeling will stick around...

Had pilates today, it was fun! never done it before so struggled with a few things - it looks like you're doing just easy, small movements but they're actually really hard! Going to aim to do some cardio tomorrow though.

Hope you manage to get there tomorrow - I know what you mean, I've never felt so keen to exercise before... weird feeling.

Let's hope so! Just got back from my first session, feeling good. Going to go to a class tomorrow morning too.

Oh good! Well hopefully we can keep motivating each other! We'll be turning into a couple of those skinny, bouncy, shiny-haired gym bunnies in no time.

I'm joining a gym TODAY! So I will be haunting this thread. It's just the local council gym but they have loads of classes and stuff. I suffer from pretty bad anxiety, especially around gym classes (after being really terrible at school PE lessons - I hate not being able to do things and I am really badly co-ordinated), so hopefully I'll be able to work on overcoming that. When I do exercise I feel better, so it's a case of breaking a vicious cycle.

I might try My Fitness Pal when I start the diet. Parents are visiting on the 15th for a few days and will start after that as I've no idea what plans we have for food while they're here and they're rather fussy.

Haven't been to the gym this week. Started Monday late afternoon with sinus pain. Luckily not sinusitis but meant I've struggled all week (haven't been able to tilt head or bend much). It's getting better though.