Posts: 5,461
8/11/09 1:46 P

Sharon! You have come to the right place. Stick with it, start slow and build from there so you don't feel overwhelmed. Holler if you need anything cuz we are listening.
Nancy

current weight: 148.6

176 165.25 154.5 143.75

133

SparkPoints: (5,999)
Fitness Minutes: (3,399)
Posts: 456
8/9/09 11:19 A

Welcome, Sharon!

I have to agree with Carol about tracking what you eat. If you haven't done it yet, explore the "My Nutrition" link. You can make the suggested meals go away and enter what you actually eat. Almost everything is already in the data base, and you can enter your own food if you need to. It will break down the calories and all the nutrients for you, so you can even keep track of specific things like sodium or fiber. It even helps you keep track of the correct percentages of each area - protein, fat, carbs. I find that I lose weight better if I keep close to the recommended values, but everyone is different.

Good luck to you, and I hope to hear about some success from you soon!

SparkPoints: (75,810)
Fitness Minutes: (74,406)
Posts: 10,615
8/9/09 9:40 A

Sharon...I had totally given up on ever losing weight. My doc wrote an awful word in my chart...obesity. I was 194 pounds. I set a goal to lose 50 pounds and I did it...even a little more.

Sparkpeople was the answer for me. In fact, on that dreadful day in the doc's office...my doc told me the only people he had seen be successful at weight loss were the ones who tracked everything they ate and counted calories. I vowed from that day on to give it my best try. That's how I found SP. I had to do the work...and lot's of days it wasn't easy (dang HARD, in fact!!), but SP gives you all the tools, you just have to put them to use.

I know your fibromyalgia will limit what you can do for exercise, but I am convinced that counting calories is the main ingredient to weight-loss success ( look at Pam Collins!!!). I can workout all day, but if I don't eat right...the scale will not budge. I had a couple of weeks last year where I hurt my back and couldn't work out. I really watched what I ate those 2 weeks. Those were some of my most successful weight-loss weeks.

I'm going on and on...and I could keep going. Things have taken a new direction for me healthwise...now my husband is running with me and doing better heathwise, too. I'm with ya, girl...let's fight this thing!

current weight: 136.5

195 178.75 162.5 146.25

130

SparkPoints: (190)
Fitness Minutes: (0)
Posts: 45
8/9/09 8:04 A

Hi, I'm Sharon. I'm 61 years old and have struggled most of my life with my weight. I was diagnose with fibromyalgia a couple of years ago and am now on disability and fighting it all the way. My doctor's tell me I would feel so much better if I could get my weight down to about 126 from my current 162. When I got myself up from rolling on the floor with laughter, we compromised on an initial goal weight of 142.

This is where Spark People enter the scene. HELP ..... don't know how I'm going to do this.