This thread is a LONG, LONG list of baby steps that have worked for members of the forum. The list can look overwhelming and you might think, “I can’t do ALL of that!!” Please, please don’t try and adopt EVERY baby step posted. NONE of us do EVERY baby step every day. And many of us find that we “forget” and have to relearn the same 1st baby step over and over… this is ok!

If you are just starting out, pick one or two baby steps that really speak to you.

Studies and the personal experience of LOTS of people show that if we try and change too many things at once… we get overwhelmed and quit. Many “experts” recommend starting with food changes, and then adding exercise a little down the road… but do what will work for you!

So pick one or two baby steps and keep at them for a week or a month… and then add another one!

And congrats for taking that first baby step and joining the forum and thinking… “Where should I start?” Yay!! Excellent first baby step!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GoingSkiing,

Good for you. It is always a pleasure to eat a tasty homemade lunch in the face of mediocre bagels. Planning always makes things easier. The hard part, for me, is the actual planning.
Keep up the good work.
--Francie

This is my first full day here. What a wonderful group--I love that people focus on change and doing what needs to be done. My first step--a big one for me was to bring my own wonderful lunch to a gathering where I knew the food would be bagels and cream cheese. So rather than struggle with trying to eat only a modest amount (got to be honest--can't do that just yet)I planned and prepared. Ate my lunch while others ate bagels and cream cheese. No one pointed me out or said I was weird. Planning and being prepared for situations in which I tend to eat unconsciously is a great first step. Eventually I would like to develop the ability to stay conscious and make good choices in situations that are too hard for me just yet.

Thanks, Brie....I did make it to the gym today and am planning to go tomorrow. I just need to figure out a schedule and plan better lunches...I was out of work for a little bit so it is hard to get back to new routine and keeping up new healthy habits!

quote:

Originally posted by ellen:
hi all, just checking in.....I lost 37 pounds since early last spring..I stopped eating a lot of junk food, joined a gym, took up exercising....but I got a new job that involves traveling and driving during the day.....and find I am going back to my old habits....grabbing quick sandwich...not going to gym....I did a lot of changing to get to new me, but since returning to work, I am getting back to old habits...any suggestions?

Grab a cooler for your car and pack it with health snacks and a home made lunch. A wrap or sandwich that you make at home is going to be less caloric and healthier than one you get "to go". Fresh fruit, veggies, baggies of granola all make great snacks that are easy to eat in the car. Freeze some water bottles and use them as "ice" for your cooler and then stay hydrated throughout the day with cold water.

As for your workouts - you don't have to go to the gym - there are some great workouts you can follow along with on TV (just set your VCR/Tivo).

If you miss going to the gym, look at your schedule and see if you could get up a bit early and go before work or find time at the end of the day.

There is ALWAYS time to workout somewhere and somehow. YOu just need to schedule it in and make it priority : )

hi all, just checking in.....I lost 37 pounds since early last spring..I stopped eating a lot of junk food, joined a gym, took up exercising....but I got a new job that involves traveling and driving during the day.....and find I am going back to my old habits....grabbing quick sandwich...not going to gym....I did a lot of changing to get to new me, but since returning to work, I am getting back to old habits...any suggestions?

quote:

Originally posted by peckle0825:
I go up and down on the scale every 2 years by almost 30 pounds...and I'm only 26

I'm just getting back on track now, and my baby step today was walking across the street and getting a low fat veggie sandwich for lunch, instead of eating the pizza my company ordered in for lunch.

And creating a username on the site

Welcome to you!

Great baby step today!

I go up and down on the scale every 2 years by almost 30 pounds...and I'm only 26

I'm just getting back on track now, and my baby step today was walking across the street and getting a low fat veggie sandwich for lunch, instead of eating the pizza my company ordered in for lunch.

And creating a username on the site

1. Continuing with my crunches.
2. Adding a food log this week. I will write all my meals down on paper so I can "see" what I'm eating.
3. Don't eat after 8pm

Ok, so the 6-8 didn't happen, but I did get 4 down. So today I will shoot for 5. Got those crunches done too.

Baby step for me today:

drink 6 - 8 glasses of filtered water

hi lindab, i hate measuring also. you have a great plan. i am fairly new also, and this a great bunch of folks. take care!

I'm a newbie! 15 extra pounds isn't a lot, but I haven't been successful in getting rid of it. At least I haven't gotten any heavier lately (Can I blame my husband - I married a couple of years ago and that man loves to eat, so I cook constantly. The rotten so and so never gains any weight!)
My first steps - using cooking spray. Making my own chicken broth (salt and fat free) in my slow cooker. Getting off the bus a stop early. Drink a glass of water more often. I hate measuring food portions, especially potato salad. Oh well.
My vow is to eat something good for me before I go to the in-laws for Christmas dinner because I have no willpower around fatty treats. She puts out the chips and dip. Last year was a calorie disaster for me.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Thomas A. Edison

That happens in weight loss, too.

It isn't about self control or will power... sometimes we just need a better invention or plan.

I've gone to McDonald's and ordered an Egg McMuffin and a coffee... and gotten sold the whole "Meal Deal" and have eaten the hash brown, even though I didn't plan on ordering it or eating it.

The next time, I pretended that I was ordering for somebody else (Like maybe Oprah had sent me to McDonalds with her order. LOL!) and read the request off a list of my other Oprah errands.

Or knowing that they are going to try and sell me the "Meal Deal" and deciding that I am going to mess with their marketing numbers and just order the sandwich.

Or make the McMuffin at home.

But a LOT of weight loss and maint is trial and error and figuring out what DOESN'T work... so that we can then figure out what DOES work.

"Do, or do not. There is no 'try'."
- Yoda - from Star Wars

A good baby step is to listen to yourself talk.

Do you say things like:
"I'm going to TRY and stay on plan today."
"I HOPE that I can get to the gym today."
"My WISH is to lose some of this weight by Thanksgiving."
“If I’m LUCKY, I’ll be able be able to get some exercise today.”
“I want to get in 5 servings of fruits and vegs today.”
“Hopefully, I will be able to resist the cheesecake in the lunch room…”

Many of us talk about eating healthier or exercise or losing weight like we talk about the weather or winning the lottery. We have no control over the weather or the lottery numbers.

Most of us have control over our food and exercise lives.

Life is not 100% predictable… but for most of us… much of life is fairly routine… and getting to in some exercise or eating better is not luck or a crap shoot or something to wish for… just takes planning… and then sticking to the plan!

Also "Wishful thinking" language lets us off the accountability hook... We wish for the willpower to resist the cheesecake - but if Fate or Lady Luck does not deliver on the determination - realistically, wishes don’t always come true and it really isn’t our fault if we go ahead and have some, right?

And it really helps to talk about plans definitively… even if it is inside your own head. The voice we hear the very most during the day… is our own.

“I am going to eat 5 servings of fruits/veg today.”
“I am going to the YMCA to work out at 10am this morning.”
“I am going to go for a 10 min. walk after dinner.”
“I am going to have a yogurt and banana for a snack today and I am skipping the 3pm cheesecake.”

quote:

One question...Where is the home folder? I see several yellow folders on the left hand side - is that what is considered home?

This is sort of confusing. There are several 'sticky' folders (including this one) in the Home Folder but below those are all of the 'active' posts. That's where the bulk of the conversations happen. If you look at the top of this window you'll see a line of navigation links...Fan Forum...Home Folder...Baby Steps to a Healthier You! If you click on Home Folder, you'll see the list of sticky folders and then a ton of posts. That's what I was referring to. If that didn't help, tell me and I or someone else will try again.

Peg

Thanks! I am peaking in occasionally!! :-)

One question...Where is the home folder? I see several yellow folders on the left hand side - is that what is considered home?

Thanks from a newbie!!

Tammie

quote:

Originally posted by p7eggyc:

quote:

I feel like I'm finally on the right path...

Tammie,
I hope you are still around here lurking. Welcome! You have a great plan laid out there and I hope things are going well. I encourage you to visit the site regularly becuase the folks here can really serve as the support you will likely need for success. This particular folder you posted too isn't super 'active' so I wanted to be sure to invite you to join us in the Home Folder because that's where most of our day to day postings go and where you can count on lots of people seeing your posts and responding much more quickly than a week!

Hope you'll come back often and participate lots. It's a great group.

Peg

quote:

I feel like I'm finally on the right path...

Tammie,
I hope you are still around here lurking. Welcome! You have a great plan laid out there and I hope things are going well. I encourage you to visit the site regularly becuase the folks here can really serve as the support you will likely need for success. This particular folder you posted too isn't super 'active' so I wanted to be sure to invite you to join us in the Home Folder because that's where most of our day to day postings go and where you can count on lots of people seeing your posts and responding much more quickly than a week!

Hope you'll come back often and participate lots. It's a great group.

Peg

I had been on Weight Watchers before my twin boys were born in December, and I did lose weight. I am finally re-entering the world and realize that I am going to need the strength and stamina to chase after them (without looking like the wallrus like Kathleen had mentioned in her book! LOL!).

We really can't afford the $10 per week for meetings, so I need to figure this out on my own. I know I can do it - I'm just that stubborn! :-)
I've had Kathleen books for years and I've used them off and on, but her approach seems the most doable. I am wanting to make changes for myself as well as for the health of my family. I have a six year old daughter who seems to mirror her eating after me, so that is incentive in itself to finally, finally, finally control and improve this aspect of my life.

So...my baby steps are:

Some type of activity for 15 minutes every day. Make time at home to do this, so my daughter can actually see me making the time to do it.

Food...Plan meals for the week and weekend. Eat out only once per week.

Home...Bring order to our home once again, and purge the things not necessary to our daily blessings!

Tammie

Food: I started by identifying (time, place, situation, food) and dealing with my worst food habit. The resolution of my worst food habit alone "saved" me a significant number of calories. Then, on to the next bad habit...

Exercise: I started by buying a (YAMAX / New Lifestyles Digi-Walker) pedometer and taking walks in a local park. Among other things, walking is easy on the knees.