Need to lose weight, and some help please

[Purpleneonpinkunicorns]

Hi all sorry if I do this wrong itsy first thread,
So after years and years of being hideously overweight I've now just decided that I'm going to attempt to go on a health kick/diet/healthy eating..I'm ashamed and horrified by the way I look and feel and I'm still only young but always been overweight and I hate it, but instead of doing something about it I just do the whole bi he eating when depressed and always find myself in the whole binge cycle, but decided now is the time for me to finally get my ass into gear and try and reach a 'normal' weight, I know there's alot to lose so I'm just wondering if anybody could help me, ie: just for some support, advice, low calorie meal ideas etc.
Sorry for it being long and me going on just need to get it all off my chest as to emabressed about my feelings to speak to people in real life, it's really affecting my mental health and could just do with some support..
Thank you for reading.
And good luck to anyone else who is taking the weight loss journey...maybe we could share ideas etc.

Of course you can , there's nothing worse than shift work is there? As you can never stick to a proper routine..
Some posters on here have given brilliant advice and it's my first day on a healthy eating, I normally binge eating and I have also been known to binge eat at midnight onwards I'm not proud of it but I have and that's why I'm going to change.

I spent years trying to follow diet plans and even tried two awful slimming groups where women had long, long discussions about the calories in a chip and we had to clap the women who had resisted chips, etc etc etc. It was mind and soul destroying and all it did was reinforce my guilt and feeling that I was bad, food was bad and I was a waste of space because I couldn't follow plans.

The light dawned when I realised that most of us MUST know that an apple is better for us than a packet of crisps, that a hummus dip and a carrot stick is a better snack that a Big Mac. We know the theory. We know we have to eat sensibly, have smaller portions, find activities we enjoy that get us moving and not to use food as a crutch when we feel down.

I know it is easier said than done. If it was easy we'd all be slim and fit.

I have decided that I shall eat little and often and drink lots of water. I won't count calories or follow plans or be guided by celebrity know-alls earning a fortune telling us what worked for them.

I am stocking the fridge with good foods, ones I enjoy. I have a list of snacks to hand posted on the fridge that I can have whenever I think I need to eat (I eat from boredom and low moods) Fish, chicken and veg are to become my friends. I shan't cut out carbs completely but I'll limit them. My evening meal will be light and I shan't follow recipes.

My downfall is in not exercising more. I have a fairly sedentary job and don't have to run around the house so much now the children are older. I feel a bit self conscious about going out to walk as I huff, puff and sweat having to climb hills and there are many around here. I feel myself becoming a bit reclusive so getting outside and walking, even if it's only once around the hilly block in the evening is going to be my challenge. At home I get up every time there is an advert break on the TV. I intend to follow a few YOU TUBE exercise routines for beginners. I'll start with ten minutes and work my way up.

That's my plan.
What I do need is faith in myself to endure (Isn't that where most of us fail/pack in classes etc?) and to really, really see my being slimmer and fitter as an important goal and not a punishment. You really have to want it, don't you? Once the head is in the right place getting going is easy. I wish I had a switch that kept my head in positive mode.

Flossie.. Don't think of it as enduring.. It's just how life is.. Try to not think of it as a diet or a plan, it's just how you live your life.
Think of yourself as one of those mindful eaters, those people who enjoy nice food in moderation without appearing to have to try at it. Fake it till you make it.. Or if you think this way soon it will be habit and hey presto you will be that person.

I think though to succeed you have to stop using food as a crutch and pacifier.. So no snacks... Just Cus your bored doesn't mean you need to eat.

Maybe try each day to stop yourself once on the way to the fridge and identify the emotion that drove you towards it... If your bored go find something else to do... Go for a walk, do fitness dvd, read a book, fold the laundry, ring your granny... Anything to distract yourself.
Same basic whatever the emotion.. Sad... Have a lovely long hot bath or do some exercise
Restless... Go for a walk
Happy... Do some online window shopping for lovely new clothes.

And do NOT reward yourself with a snack when you realise you have distracted yourself from the original fridge raid. :)

I've just finished a 2 hour walk with the dog and been eating the NHS diet soup today although I have skipped breakfast as I can't stomach food first thing in the morning but will try tomorrow, and I've also not had my usual lots of amounts of coffee just been drinking twinnings plain and cold ice water, I do think some slimming groups can be awkward..how's everyone getting on today?

There's no need to have breakfast if you don't fancy it. Don't eat if you're not hungry, that's key to reprogramming how you think about food.

Thank u I feel better knowing that about breakfast as everyone always says it's the best meal of the day but I'm never hungry first thing, I managed to have wholewheat pasta and a grilled pork chop for tea with some of my homeade tomato soup as sauce as I needed meat so me going to attempt to do just soup this week has failed, so I'm just going to stick to healthy options and limit my calories and eat when I need to.

The "best meal of the day" thing is a marketing gimmick made up by cereal companies!

Hey Unicorns,

I know I'm a little late to the thread, but reading your post felt like something I would have posted a few years back.

For starters, congrats on deciding to make the change! As cliche as it sounds, finding that motivation can really make all the difference. It sounds like you already have a good handle on what your issues are, and the steps you're taking toward achieving a more low calorie diet is a fantastic first step!

In addition to counting calories I would highly recommend getting a free app to help you track your water intake. Most people don't drink nearly enough water during the day and you'll be surprised to see what a difference being properly hydrated makes on your appetite and metabolism.

As for exercise, you're not wrong to wait until you've lost some weight from your diet. Being heavier makes it a lot harder on your body to exercise and the last thing you want to do it get discouraged because your workouts are taking it out of you instead of giving you more energy! That being said, I think easing your way into a low-impact routine would be a smart thing to start doing! Going for walks, doing yoga, etc. would all be great ways to start getting active without killing yourself.

I'm a big fan of Beachbody workouts and they have some really great free resources on their blog that would be worth exploring. They've got a really robust recipe section and they're always posting collections of free workouts from their programs that are absolutely worth taking advantage of. This guide on weight loss for beginner's is probably a good place to start: www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/weight-loss-workout-plans