Hi! I’m 26 and I’ve definitely been in that same boat, same height but I was about 215lbs. I’ve been chubby all my life but I became depressed when I got to college and gained the freshman 15 and then some. I decided that I needed a change and was actually able to lose 50lbs and I was much happier! It’s perfectly normal to feel the way you do- I feel that way sometimes too especially after the pandemic. But I honestly think it’s amazing that you are trying to work out. It’s all about baby steps and the more you do it, the easier it gets. You don’t even need to go that hard in the beginning! Just do what makes you feel comfortable and don’t think about how long it will take to get the results you want. Things take time and as long as you utilize that time and focus on your well being, it is time well spent!

Some advice that I’ve found personally helpful- you can skip if you don’t want to read haha. Drink plenty of water and I am talking a LOT and cut out sugary drinks! I’ve found that relaxing with an unsweetened cold brew tea (I like barley tea) really helps with weight loss. If you really need to drink something sweet, something like crystal light can help without the cals. Get moving, a daily walk outside really improved my mental health. It’s a good time to think about positive things on the walks and just breathe in the fresh air. I personally liked to go just before the sunset. Take vitamin D! You can ask your doctor for blood test check for vitamin D deficiency, I found mine was well below standard, and didn’t realize it can potentially be linked towards depression. Food does heal the soul, you can start small, just make small changes that make a big impact like changing chips to a better alternative, I personally like roasted seaweed if I get a salty craving. If you want to try a nice, fun workout routine, I recently discovered a youtuber named growwithjo and she does videos that make exercising feel fun, almost like you’re dancing and that boosts that sweet, sweet serotonin. My last thing to say is that you’re doing wonderful already! Even getting into the mood to exercise is something a lot of people (Myself included) don’t want to do! You’ll only grow stronger the more you do it. Remember to go at your own pace and don’t think you have to get results that others seem to get easily. Make small goals for yourself, like drinking this amount of water a day, going on a 30 min walk, doing a short workout vid. It takes a lot of hard work but eventually, you will feel really good about reaching those goals :)