You're not coming off as a goof ball-----yet!
All kidding aside--there's some very nice people here who are very willing to help.
Welcome!

Don't ever lose the sense of humour--it is a valuable resource!

Hi Russ you are not alone do not toss the towel unless it is in the dirty clothes hamper. loosing weight is probally one of the hardest challanges any of us will ever face. hang with us. go to the laughter club for a good dose of laughing everyday and here for support.
Hugs

Hi Russ and welcome.
I am sure with the right approach and a bit of persistance, you will lose weight and keep it off. There's no real secret to weight loss or quick methods.

What you will be doing is just making permanent changes to your eating habits. Don't even think diet.

I guess the first thing you need to do is to see your dr for a complete checkup and the OK to start on a plan. For your other health issues, you need to know how they will affect your plan and what limitations you have.

From there, you will keep a food journal for about 10 days. Write down everything you eat and drink, the times you eat, and note the portion sizes too. After you have the journal done, you will be able to see where you need to make changes.

There is one meal that you must be sure to eat and that's your breakfast. Try to make it a good healthy one; I have porridge every morn with currants and cinnamon, and it fills me up for hours.

Try to break up your food for the day into 6 small portions. Usually 3 meals and 3 snacks works for many people. Eating something every 2.5 to 3 hours keeps your metabolism up and that's what you need to burn off the calories.

I hope you like water because water's a great weight loss aid. Try to drink close to half your body weight in ounces of water. I know it's alot, and when you first start increasing your water intake your body seems to reject it, just keep drinking. Water flushes out the toxins in our body, and helps with fat loss, among other things.
Our bodies are supposed to be 60% water, but most people are way below that number.
Did you know that by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated? So often, when we think we feel hunger, it's really our body saying give me some water!
So drink up.

Another free thing you can do is try to get a decent amount of sleep. I think you are supposed to aim for at least 8 hours a night, as sleep also assists with weight loss.

I saved the best for last; Exercise.
Get moving; do any sort of moving.
Exercise is half the equation. Eating and Exercising.
Once you see your dr, ask what issues you may have with exercise and see if your dr can offer some suggestions.

Exercise must be fun. Start with forms that you like, and go from there. Exercise gets the endophins going and you will notice a big improvement in your mood. Exercise cheers you up.

You ultimately need to use more than you consume.
Pretty simple.
Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to maintain your current weight. Stuff like just breathing needs some calories, and the bigger you are, the more of those base calories you need.
Once you calculate that number be sure that you are not cutting back your calories more than 500calories below your needs.
If you do, your body will go into survival mode and hang onto the fat because it thinks you are starving it.

But those details, we can get to later.
First things first.
See your dr for a checkup and a plan.
Keep your food journal.
Drink more water.
Eat breakfast.
Get moving.

And there's your start.
Good luck and be sure to ask any questions you like; someone here will help you.

I second everything Justblue said! she is a pretty savvy person!

Hang in there Russ, we care!

thanks Justblue... those are some ideas I hadn't thought of... been tryin the small portions and eating healthy foods.. fruits and love them veggies... I'm eatin way less than I use too... lots of salads... make my own low fat ranch dressin...

I'm on a salt and water restriction diet.. two quarts a day all I suppose to drink.. that one is hard cause I use to drink like gallons lol... but hey I'm tryin water retention is my biggest problem... got a letter today about my blood test... i was good in all the areas they wanted me to be... but they said I was Pre diebetic... so now I got more to worry bout on my plate... but hey...according to my research on blood pressure meds I take...in rare cases they cause diebetics... (theme from twilightZone) so i'm not using sugar and he my sugar still goin up... wonder whats next? thanks for the advice I will get out my old blood pressure journal and make a food journal... maybe my pontica butt get reposessed lol... haul that big butt away lol... there it goooeeeess... hehehehe

Of course a good healthy diet is in order, but you really need to have the mind set to follow thourgh and support i find when i come on here for support or just know that i am not alone i do better that day.

Of course a good healthy diet is in order, but you really need to have the mind set to follow thourgh and support i find when i come on here for support or just know that i am not alone i do better that day.

Ehhh... watz up Doc...(munchin on a carrot..) nope aint no regular carrot... it's one then carrots looks looks like someone done nawed most of it away already.. yepp...
Dem stubby little buggers but bigger than the baby carrots.. I left them case the babies get hungry...

I got two dem baggs of apples too cause they on sale.. apples N carrots hehehe...yeppers my farts gonna smell funny... (Oh gagg...)

Gee looky at doggy...she wants a bite of my carrot lol... crazy doggy ya don't like carrots... WOW, she ate it..

Now she just sittin dar lookin kinda funny... EEeeewwwwee dang don't feed doggy no more carrots.. gotta go...

Later friends still hangin in here russ