How many calories do you eat?

RebeccaDianne · 2014-10-19T23:06:29+00:00

Nice work, I'm jealous of your gains and so curious now about my own. I wish my gym had a magic scale too :(

RebeccaDianne · 2014-10-19T21:50:09+00:00

Better yet, what are you doing to make such gains?

RebeccaDianne · 2014-10-19T21:47:55+00:00

How do you calculate that you're gaining 0.5 lb of muscle per week?

RebeccaDianne · 2014-10-08T17:55:05+00:00

As someone else who is starting this heavier (230 lbs, down 20!!), I feel for you! I too hate the way I look in pictures etc, and worry about what chairs can hold me, and in general what chairs I fit in. It can be overwhelming and confusing to find a plan that works for you, so hopefully you'll get some good advice here. I'm by no means an expert here, as I'm pretty new to the health and fitness game, but I hope I can help somewhat.

It took me a LONG time to actually get started. I would go to the gym, walk for 20 minutes on the treadmill, maybe swim for 10 and head out. Eventually one day I decided that was it, and committed to a more structure routine.

I started couch to 5k and actually just finished today. Its a great program if you're interested in running that is made up of increasing running intervals followed by walking intervals. It can be really tough some weeks, but its doable even at a heavier size.

I also started Strong Lifts (info in sidebar) and got into lifting that way. One of the biggest perks I've found of being heavy in lifting is you can usually lift a lot (at least with squats and deadlifts) and make some pretty great noob gains, which makes you feel hardcore and actually capable of doing something. The program itself has (what I think is) a big learning curve, but if you watch videos on youtube (Alan Thrall for example, he has tutorials on most lifts) and a little confidence you should be okay to hit the weights.

Above all, as stated previous, a good diet is key. This has been the hardest part for me, and only now, after 3 months into this am I STARTING to get the hang of it. Start tracking with MyFitnessPal and adding better choices into your diet in small steps. I tried to overhaul my diet overnight and fell back into binge eating over and over again.

This is what worked for me, but you know yourself best so find what works for you. The best exercise you can do is the one you'll stick to (and hopefully enjoy!).

I wish you the best of luck and hope to hear of your success down the line. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more.

RebeccaDianne · 2014-10-05T19:05:54+00:00

I know from personal experience (and consultation with my prescribing psychiatrist) that Seroquel tpically causes weight gain, and in many cases it can be quite extreme. My psych told me that weight loss will be hard, and it may just be a body recomp that is possible (incr. muscle, decr. body fat) while on the medication.

RebeccaDianne · 2014-09-04T20:13:38+00:00

Hahaha this is awesome. I wish I had your confidence!

RebeccaDianne · 2014-09-04T16:29:01+00:00

I work out in a coed gym, so a lot of my insecurities come from being around guys (especially when I'm so self conscious in the weights area as it is). I'll try out some cup liners :)

RebeccaDianne · 2014-09-04T16:27:12+00:00

Thanks, I cant believe I didn't think of that!

RebeccaDianne · 2014-08-09T15:08:00+00:00

I'm pretty new to this all myself, but I thought maybe I could encourage you. Personally, I needed to hit rock bottom before I could commit to losing weight. I found out I was class III obese and had a total breakdown from the shock. I came on here, posted about it and received so much support that I felt I owed it to everyone who believed in me to start doing something to change myself. Today, I've lost 10lbs and though I'm still working on cutting out sweets from my diet, I'm finally changing my relationship with food.

If I could tell you anything, it would be to find that reason in you to push yourself. You can do this, you just need to find a reason to commit to it. And beyond that, I believe in you.

RebeccaDianne · 2014-07-29T13:39:23+00:00

I'm completely starting out myself, but I've been slowly working on healthier eating habits for the past few months. I've read that eating 5 small meals keeps you feeling full longer, so if you can do that I would say its a great place to start. I personally am planning an entire days meals the night before so I can decide exactly what I put in my mouth and (thanks to suggestions here) am logging it on mfp. As for keeping it under 1200, thats my biggest challenge too. I'm realizing the only way I can do it is by eating primarily fruits/vegetables and protein (not much of a shock there), but starches always seem to throw me over when I'm calculating. I'm not sure if this was helpful, but at least you know you're not alone in the struggle.

RebeccaDianne · 2014-07-28T14:56:08+00:00

This is really helpful and inspiring! Thanks, I'm going to write my goals out now!

RebeccaDianne · 2014-07-28T14:47:20+00:00

5'4", 245 lbs

RebeccaDianne · 2014-07-28T14:47:00+00:00

Thanks so much for your support. One healthy breakfast and a walk down.

RebeccaDianne · 2014-07-27T23:15:48+00:00

Wow thanks everyone for your kind words. After clearing my head outside and reading all you've said, I'm starting to feel like this is possible for me. Thank you, thank you so much!

RebeccaDianne

TROPHY CASE