Need some encouragement!

[Sunshine85]

Hello everyone!

I am new to this site and am beginning my new workout/diet tomorrow. I'm so excited and anxious to get started and begin seeing results! I would like to lose approximately 30 pounds. My self-esteem level isn't doing very well lately. I feel so frumpy and blah. And the clothes I see at the store, the really cute ones, I can't wear because no matter the size, it doesn't fit right. Although I embrace my curves, I'd like to get them toned and looking good. I just want to feel more confident and physically feel better. I also quit smoking about a month ago and so far I haven't gained any weight. I'd like to keep it that way. So, if you have any tips or words of advice I'd love to hear it! Thank you!

[Boss Man]

Given your height and current weight, I think you could aim for a goal of 60 lbs less + 5 lbs of muscle, so you'd be looking at 120 lbs.

It will obviously take time and no rubbishy pills and shortcuts will get you there, only hard effort, self belief and knowing that you are going to a much better physical place and hopefully that includes a good long life.

Be proud of yourself, for recognising the need for change, for valuing it and for realising you are worth more, than you may have previously considered yourself to be worth.

Although a tough thing, the easiest part is to admit change is necessary, then the harder step is to make it happen, but the toughest part is sustaining what you worked for and not regressing back to a lesser physical state.

If you really want this then you will make it happen. It's something many can do, but less achieve, because it's about their own belief and their abilty to want to change things, if they don't quite start working as well as was expected and not giving up completely.

There are people here, many of whom are female, who have doubted, dispaired, worried, felt upset, ashamed, embarrassed and self inflicted moments or periods, of emotional self destruction, because of perceived lack of progress, but one thing those still posting here have proven, is that they have never given up on themselves and still continue to find or want to find, a way forwards, no matter how often they have slipped up or taken knocks.

So you're not alone here and you're amongst males and females, regardless of the similarity or lack of, to your circumstances, who can and / or will understand, what you will be going through.

You have the self worth of someone more than you currently are and it's about remembering that and letting it grow with time, by using the right eating and exercise methods, to make the end results happen and continue to last.

I'm sure if you really believe in yourself and prove you can make it to the end of the first month, relatively mistake free, you will be well on your way to the new you, I think you deserve to be.

So I wish you well and I hope one day, you will become a great example of womanhood and humankind to others and become someone who can inspire and thought provoke, with your past efforts.

GOOD LUCK and anything you need don't hesitate to let us know and anything you have to offer to anyone else, even one little word, can make such a difference .

[zumbawjade]

As always, Boss Man gave you some great advice.


BUT I think the best advice you can get will come from a woman because no one knows how difficult the weight loss journey can be for women other than women themselves (no offense Boss Man).


Build up a network of people who will encourage you. The first few weeks (for some the first week, for others it can even go up to the first month) aren't that hard. You are sore but you are seeing results and it's exciting and you love it because you feel better about yourself. But then after whatever amount of time (for me, it's three weeks) you forget how you used to feel about yourself and remember all the things you'd rather be doing that eating right and working out and so you stop. If you are surrounded by people who encourage you, when you hit that point you will have friends to help you so you don't stray and you reach your fitness goals. That's the best advice I can give. Oh, and also drinks TONS of water and get enough sleep.

If you need someone to talk to about your weight loss journey, feel free to email me at zumbawjade@yahoo.com. I also send out a weekly newsletter with a bunch of nice fitness tips and tricks as well as deals and discounts on some fitness stuff that I get as a fitness instructor and extend to my students as well as anyone I meet via my out fitness endeavors.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you see great success with your fitness endeavors!

P.S. good for you for quitting smoking, those things really are cancer sticks!

[Boss Man]

No offence taken .

At the end of the day you are more placed to know how it goes, because you're a female who presumably has been there. I'm a male who's never had to lose weight, so personal experience is not by modus operandi and therefore I'd be being crass, to make out I know what a real world weight loss experience feels like.

It's all good .

[Trish0102]

Just be determined in achieving your goal. Nothing is impossible with perseverance.