I dont know where to start...

[Chiriyum]

I just started working out a week ago. Im obese, and desperate to lose this weight, i just went shopping yesterday and my pants size is unneceptable. I cant take it anymore, but at the same time, i dont know where to start. I dont know what to eat, or at what time to eat. Ive basically been eating what i KNOW is healthy. Fruit and egg whites and drinking tons of water. Ive basically been starving myself because i dont know WHAT to eat. I dont know if ham and cheese sandwiches are healthy. I dont know what i should be eating and what i shouldnt. I dont want to eat too much because i feel like ill eat over my calories. Thats another thing. I dont know how many calories i should be eating. I dont know how to start off, what exercises to do, when to do them. Nothing. I started walking for an hour, but i feel like that isnt enough. I want to incorporate other exercises into my life, like squats, or stretches, i just dont know when im supposed to do them or how often. I also want to start the gym, but again, i dont know which exercises im supposed to do for each day, how many sets or reps. None of that. Its depressing me because im so lost. Im losing hope because i dont know what to do. I feel like just starting the gym and going on the treadmill for an hour and leave, but at the same time, i really want to do the weights and the stepper, but i dont know how many reps and sets and for how long i have to do the stepper. Is there anyway or anywhere i can go to learn these things?

[John Dapper]

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

That is where you can find out how many calories you need a day. To lose weight, all you need to do is eat 100 calories less a day than you burn. That includes how many calories you burn through exercise. Eating healthy is great, but if you eat 5k calories of healthy food when you only burn 2k, you're still going to gain weight.

1 Pound of fat = 3500 calories. If you eat 500 calories less than you should a day, you will lose one pound a week. Since you are just beginning, start out slow so you don't just bounce back when you can't stick to the lifestyle. Losing weight is a slow process so stick with it!

If you want to know what is healthy, candy, things high in simple sugars, white bread, and soda are bad for you. Pretty much everything else is healthy for you in moderation.

I suggest just start walking for 30-60 minutes a day while eating 100 calories less than the website says. Try and eat fruits, veggies, lean meats, and cheeses along with whole grains. You CAN still eat candy on occasion, but the MOST important thing is to count your calories. Track your weight every day until you see a general trend downwards. Once that starts to level off, spend more time exercising, or eating less.

WAIT until you start going to the gym. When you do start going to the gym lift a weight that you can do 12-15 reps of for 3 sets on the same exercise. Then just use different machines/exercises for 45 minutes to an hour. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES START DEAD-LIFTING OR SQUATTING. They are very easy to screw up and hurt your self. Go see a doctor to make sure you do not have any hip/spine problems. Once you get the ok after not being obese, then start squatting and doing more intensive lifting techniques under the guidance of a gym trainer or at least watching form videos on youtube.

When you finally get there, here is a great person to learn from on lifting. She will keep you inspired to reach your goals.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBarbellSlayer/videos

[designed for none]

dont even count calories
eat food as close to it's natural state as you can get it
veggies and fruit are your freebies. eat as much as you want from this group. seriously. just um dont eat like 200000 oranges because you'll have issues with pooping. (also vARIEITY)

stay away from corn syrup, cook with olive oil, try to make things yourself and keep away from things like prepackaged lasagna or bologna


how much time do you have to prepare meals?
drink water like it's your best friend! if you get bored of water, tea. if you need to sweeten, use honey.

try to eat less corn/potatoes/bread
as far as grains go, wild rice is super good for you, or basically anything that hasn't been overly processed/bleached, that type of thing

for protien, whole eggs. peanut butter (the type without all the sugar if you can handle the taste), nuts, beans, chicken, beef (you can cook out the fat in ground beef if you're patient), ground turkey, FISH (dont worry about the fat here, especially salmon, salmon fat is GREAT for you)

you need to make sure you're feeding your body nicely, and balanced
sTAY AWAY FROM PRESERVATIVES AND THAT TYPE OF s**t

fat in your foods is NOT a bad thing as long as its a natural fat.
as far as dairy goes, like a glass of milk (who cares if it's skim or whole it isnt that much of a difference. whatever you prefer taste-wise) or a bit of cheese (not Kraft Singles)
yogurt is good for you! i dont like it myself so i always forget about it, but yogurt is pretty great

oh and completely ignore the food pyramid that's complete BS

[Anyriss]

I use this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
When you join (and at any point in the settings) you put your height, weight, ideal weight, etc. in and it gives you a goal to be at calorie wise every day.

What I suggest to new people is for the first 3 days, eat like you normally do, log it all. Find out about the average you eat on a normal day, say 2300 calories. Then for the next week eat 2200 calories a day, and keep bumping it down 100 calories a week until you get to whatever it says you need to do.

You'll lose weight in the process, but it won't be a total shock like cutting 1000 calories out of your diet in one day.

You can also log your exercises on there. And it gives you an exercise goal for the week.

I really like it, not necessarily for the calorie counting (I hate that part) but because you can keep total track of what you are doing and tweak it if you need to. No forgetting if you ate too much three days ago.

But I also agree with Designed for None. You want to eat as much natural food as you can. You aren't going to be able to get rid of all preservatives or anything, but try to make natural foods at least 60% of your daily intake.

Veggies for the most part are very low in calories. I think a whole cucumber is like 60 calories, so veggies should be about half your plate each meal, with meat for 1/4 and grains taking up the other 1/4. Fruit would go with veggies, but fruit is high in sugars and calories and such so you should limit it.

[Sky ina hentai]

IMO start slow, do walking and make sure whatever muscle training exercise you do, your gonna be able to do it for a whole year otherwise if you stop that exercise ( pushups etc...) the muscle will just turn into fat. Losing weight is to me 80% diet 20% exercise. I don't think its so much what you eat but how much you eat, especially if your obese its all diet at that point in your weight loss. Exercise just adds muscle which in turn burns fat a bit faster. Just listen to your body and dont focus on counting calories or looking in the mirror everyday for progess. Especially stepping on a scale is a big no no 3nodding