Where to start...

[kadee]

I'm finding some of these threads intimidating because of several different reasons.
First, I'm way older than most of you gals & can't do a lot of these things.
Second, I have medical issues that won't allow me to do a lot of them.
Third, I live rural & don't have a Y or gym/health club available close (besides, they are tooo pricey for me).
Fourth, most of you are WAY ahead of someone who is just beginning.

Soooo, for us beginners....

shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-only-5-diet-rules-you-need-2431161/

Yes, exercise goes with diet changes but neither have to be drastic, we just need to start somewhere!

[kadee]

I started on Jan. 1!

I'm NOT doing a diet. I am trying to eat more healthy foods & prepare them in a more healthy way.
example: baked potato instead of fried, oven roasted potatoes instead of mashed (cause I put real butter & milk in my mashed).
I haven't eaten breakfast on a regular basis for about 5 yrs...so now I do & vary it every day.
I also have 2 big freezers FULL of various meats & veggies that will need to be used before my new more "healthy" eating is completely on track. So just making small changes where I can...baked chicken breasts instead of fried, etc.

I also started some exercise....
I have a very large front yard (almost 5 acres). Our driveway is 0.10 mi. long & I'm using that to judge my distance. I've started walking the perimeter of the front yard....down (we are on a hill), across, up, across...reverse so I am getting hill both ways (one side is steeper than the other). This is about 1/2 mi. total.
Once I feel comfortable doing this I will up my distance...it is 1/3 mi. from the end of our driveway to the highway...hills both directions. So I will walk down the driveway & up to the highway & turn around & come back.
But you can figure something out no matter where you live. Even if it is only parking further from where you are going....example, 1/2 way out into the parking lot at the grocery store...same for work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk around your building X# of times, etc. Any extra moves we add will increase our calorie burn!!!

Please, anyone/everyone feel free to add articles, suggestions, whatever here!

Good luck!

[kadee]

Found some more helpful hints...

fitbie.msn.com/lose-weight/tips/simple-ways-cut-500-calories?gt1=50002

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Getting started is easier than you'd imagine.

1. Eat more veggies. (I aim for 8-10 servings)
2. Eat fewer things that come from a box, a mix, or a package.
3. Find an exercise or activity that you like doing, and just start doing it.
4. Eat at least 30g of fiber every day.
5. Repeat, as needed.

About a year ago, I was dismayed and disgusted to find myself horribly and morbidly obese, mid-40s, with bad knees, a bum thyroid, and Type 2 diabetes so severe than I needed 4 shots (180 units) of insulin daily. My cholesterol and triglycerides were sky-high, too.

So I started learning more about nutrition. And healthy eating. And diabetes. And I drastically altered my diet and my lifestyle. I got off the couch, and I got on my bicycle. I changed my diet to focus on heart-healthy whole grains and high fiber, plenty of lean protein, and 8-10 servings of veggies every day. And I kept biking.

Fast forward to today.

I'm off insulin. I just take 1 pill per day for diabetes... 1/4 of the dose I had been taking.
My cholesterol dropped more than 60 points. Currently, it's 138.
My triglycerides are normal.
My blood pressure is nearly normal.
And I've lost more than 110 pounds ~ so far.

All because I just started.
And then because I kept going.
It can be done.

Just take things one meal at a time, one day at a time, one pound at a time.

[daisylu]

Type 2 diabetes so severe than I needed 4 shots (180 units) of insulin daily.I'm off insulin. I just take 1 pill per day for diabetes... 1/4 of the dose I had been taking

That is great molly! I am borderline diabetic which is pushing me to change things before I get there. My dad's mom and all 3 of his sisters had to take daily injections - when you grow up seeing that it almost seems like the norm.

And his mom and 2 of his sisters died at the age of 53. That is scary to me.

[kadee]

Today is the 4th day I have eaten breakfast in a row! I'll head out for my walk here shortly!
If I can make it thru the first week without missing anything, I think I will be good to go!

So, has anyone else "started" anything?

MM, do I have your permission to copy some of your posts & share them with a friend who is having some major problems???
She is full of excuses & just won't try. I would like her to see words from someone who isn't quoted on tv or in a mag. who has actually done something! She does have LOTS of medical problems but I'm hoping by seeing that someone else that had some of her same problems has made some drastic progress!

[Deleted]

K65 I have started to eat smaller portions. I have stopped eating out 3 times a week. I have gone back to cooking healthy meals (with an occasional not so healthy meal just to get my butter and heavy cream fix).

I just jogged around my block. That is huge for me because I hate running.

[kadee]

angel!
I've been doing smaller portions since around Christmas & can now zip my jeans without laying down on the bed....I think (?) 6 lbs. worth!
But I hadn't been eating "right" for years! It should make a difference overall for me. I may gain some to begin with since my body wasn't getting anything until late afternoon before. I hope not much gain!

We also live rural & it is a hassel to eat out. So we rarely do. And I've always been pretty much of a scratch cook...just not bread.

[thyme4change]

I also have 2 big freezers FULL of various meats & veggies that will need to be used before my new more "healthy" eating is completely on track. So just making small changes where I can...baked chicken breasts instead of fried, etc.

I'm not against meat, even if you are overweight. In fact, I'm not against any given food.

BUT, you should be really, really careful about portion sizes. I wouldn't worry about "getting rid" of the meat in your freezer, I would just make sure you only eat the amount you should eat. Just because it is prepared healthy, doesn't mean it becomes an unlimited free for all. 2 pounds of baked chicken is worse for weight management than 3 oz of fried chicken.

If you aren't up to the point where you can judge a portion size, and/or if the meat isn't clearly marked, I would strongly encourage you to buy a kitchen scale. They are about $40 at Target (probably Walmart, and everywhere else.) They take up less than 1-square foot on your counter, and you can weigh the package before you defrost it. Then you will know if you are taking out enough meat to feed 2 people 2 meals, or 4 people 10 meals. I stick with less than 1/4 lb per person. (3 oz is the official serving size of meat.) You can round up if there are bones in it. Or guess and then pull the meat off the bones after cooking and before eating.

If you are use to more calories than are necessary, it is highly likely that you will feel hungry when you go to a healthy portion size. Eventually your body will get use to the new portions, but it takes a while. Don't be surprised if you still feel hungry when you leave the table for the first 3 months. I always consoled myself by saying that if I was still hungry in an hour I could have an apple. Usually an hour later I forgot I was hungry, but there were definitely days that I ate that apple!

Congrats on your new thought process. I hope you are able to incorporate the changes you have stated so you can be healthy and happy.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

k65 ~ of course! Copy away!

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I love my digital kitchen scale. I weigh. measure, apportion and count everything these days ... except for lettuce, bean sprouts, raw spinach and raw broccoli.

[thyme4change]

I, too, love my kitchen scale - and I've never even used it for weight loss reasons. I had always put off buying one, and now I wonder why. A lot of recipes have weights instead of measures (Thanks Alton Brown) - and now I can actually make those recipes.

A lot of times recipes say 1 pound container of .... (whatever) - which is great if you go to the store, buy the full container and use the whole thing, but if you already have some in the fridge that you want to use first, or if you want to split the recipe in half - you are down to guessing.

I also use it when I buy a million pounds of Costco meat and I want to split them up into even portions. I also weigh letters to make sure I have enough postage.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

(We've used ours to weigh foster kittens to see if they weigh enough to be spayed/neutered!)