Hi Marie:

Thanks for your post and hope things improve for you.
I believe slow and steady will get us to our goals.
I am working on portion control, eating healthy foods and more movement.
Just take one day at a time.
It is also a mental game. I say just for today I will eat healthy and move more.
My best to you and keep coming back here for support.

When I first started trying to lose weight, I focused more on exercise, and taking walks, rather than cutting down on calories. Besides, restrictive type diets are usually only effective on a short-term basis, and hard to stick to.

I would try to find a specific activity which you enjoy, and which you can see yourself doing on a long-term basis. Popular ones are dancing, swimming, aqua fitness, etc.

Once you start losing weight, it may be easier to change your diet. I found it helpful to drink a lot of water, take in a lot of fibre-rich meals, add vegetables and fruit, etc.

Good luck.

Hi Marie. I too get down on myself for my weight. I just try to do simple things to change my diet and activities. Because of chronic pain I have difficulty with exercise. I started by getting a referral for physical therapy and then shifted to the gym after 6 weeks. Even at the gym I try to be kind to myself. Sometimes it is hard when I see older people than me walking harder than I. It really is a mental game as Rose said. Finally I would say that slow weight loss is the best way to go. Fad diets don't last. Even contestants on the Biggest Loser are gaining their weight back after the show is over.

Hi Marie -
So glad you posted. I too agree that it is about the long haul. It helps to have the mindset that it's a healthy lifestyle we're working at daily, and tweaking our efforts all the time. We learn as we go and all in our own individual good time.

You are unique as we all are and you deserve the love and respect that we all want in this life. It starts with you. Small, achievable goals are the best way to go. We can have very grand long term goals but it's the little steps we take that we need to be able to plot out and notice our achievement as we go.

We take it one day at a time like Rose mentioned. Finding an exercise you enjoy is a great idea like songstress mentions but be careful to start gradually. Janette mentions a fabulous idea - sometimes physical therapy is the way to go... we learn how to do exercises in good form so we don't stress our joints. That is important at any age, any weight.

If you need help, advice, encouragement, please share with us again. We are all in this together. Try thinking about the you that you would like to see in future and how you would like to feel. We're all rooting for you as we all root for each other. This is a really good group.
((Hug))