New Member, looking for support

Hi

I just registered here.  I have been fighting a battle with losing weight for many years now.

Well I'm trying to lose weight again this year, and decided I need some support.  Just before Christmas, I gave up smoking with 2 friends at work.  The support & to some degree peer pressure really helped me.

I've been 6 weeks without a cigarette, if I can do that I can lose some weight if I have the right support.

Not using a specific program, just keeping a record of the calories I eat every day & keeping them below 1800.

Lost 3lb in my first week.  Hoping the support of this site will help me keep it up!!

Use the tools here. Try to eat a balance of protein 30% carbs 40% and good fats 30%. The CC food log will figure out home much of each you have consumed all you have to do is imput the meal or food types you ate. If this becomes too much to deal with. Consider using a program like a jenny craig, weight watchers where you get counseling and support and the meals are figured out for you.  You will get good support from the people on this sight and will make some new friends along the way. Welcome
M

Welcome! Good Luck reaching your goals and congrats on making the decision to stop smoking... 6 weeks is great!! way to go!!

Sarah <3

Welcome!  I hope we'll be seeing a lot of you!

Dave, here are some things that worked for me.  Hope they help you on your quest.

I started by doing a food long .(handwritten) of all the foods I was eating (even carried around mearuring cups to be sure I knew how much).  I did this for the first two weeks. Then I looked at the calories of the foods I ate, WOW, what an eye opener that was. I was eating around 3000-4000 cals a day. I should have been at 2500 based on my actiities at the time.

The example I like to use most was fruit juice, healthy right?  Well I was drinking around 4-5 serving a day that's 800-1000 cals, cut that to 1 and saved 700-900 cals right off the bat.

Portion size. Can't say enough about how important this is.  Saw this really tasty looking choclate covered apple in a store and looked at the calories, 370, OK!, its choclate covered, then looked at serving size. There was 8 servings in that one apple, that's right 2960 cals if i had eaten that thing.  Read labels!!

Don't deny yourself anything, just cut it back.  I love cookies, would venture a quess of about 12 a day at one point.  Well no way could I stop eating them, but now it's 2 a day (and sometimes that doesn't work, but I try).  Moderation is everything in this.

My biggest trick is excersise, I enjoy it and it makes me feel good. Hope you can find it the same way.  If I over eat then it just means I need to burn more on the bike trainer or do extra of something to make up the cals.

By the way I started at 185 and I am at 142 (at my goal). might go for 140 but my body kinda likes this weight.

Lastly for now is this, it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change.  Once you get that part going the rest will follow.  I have found it has changed me in a lot of ways, not just weight loss and health but on outlook at life as well.

Hope this is helpful and good luck, OH! nice job kickin' that tabacoo habit,  You already have improved your life and this is just the next step.

Thanks for the help and encouragement

Looking forward to loosing weight with the support of others here

Welcome....and BIG Kudos for the 6 weeks without a cigarette....that's wonderful!

This site is a great tool for learning and support.  Good Luck!

Wow, Dave!  I am a reformed smoker too.  I know how extremely difficult quitting can be.  Congradulations.  I think the very best way to continue being a "non smoker" is cardio work.  20 intense minutes on the cross trainer and you'll swear you'll never smoke again.  Of course, see your Dr. before beginning the exercise portion of your transformation.

If I didn't work out, I'd be in a world of hurt.  I've been exercising for two years now very regularly, and the addiction I once had for tobacco has been transformed into a need for the gym.

My biggest challenge is writing down what I'm eating.  I didn't lose any weight during this time, but I did decrease my BMI from 44% to 38% and I feel so much better.  Now I'm working on the calorie side to remove that weight.

One thing at a time...one day at a time.  Don't be too hard on yourself, and if you drop the ball one day, pick it up the next.

:0)  Jhenia

welcome Dave!  and congrats on no smoking...that's awesome!

I just joined here a week ago and already I'm loving it.  The people are great, and so is the food/weight/activity logs.  I plan my meal the night before, then print it off and post it on my fridge.  that way I don't even hafta think about what to make myself, I just eat what's there.  I make sure to mix it up so I'm not eating the same thing everyday for breakfast, etc.  Take it slow and easy and pamper yourself along the way, you deserve it!

Welcome.  I have been here 10 days and have enjoyed tooling around the site.  It is fun to join in on things, post my weight every day, post my food choices and see how nutritious they reallly are, and to give and receive support from everyone here.

Good luck.

Dave, my congratulations, too, on quitting smoking.

My one piece of advice is to be sure your diet is nutitionally balanced -- I don't mean the % of carbs/protein/fats, but the amount of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, water, etc., that you need to get from your diet to be healthy and strong.

Food labels don't give the whole story for nutrition.  This site is good for having "complete" nutritional information on thousands of foods.

http://www.nutritiondata.com

Wow Congrats on quitting smoking!  That's a giant step.

I am a new member as well.  I am just learning the tools, but they seem to be quite helpful.  Try under Accout -> Food log.  It can help you keep track.  :) 

Welcome to CC!  There is lots of support here as well as a ton of useful information!  Good luck, we're here if you need us!  Missy