Richard, just exactly what are you going to amputate? Your arms so you can't eat? Gosh, that's goonna make it hard to write isn't it? Starving, or feeling like you are isn NOT good. Just start slow, heck if you just cut, say one cola a day (Melina?) you're going to cut over 100 calories (sorry I don't know the exact number of calories in a soda, all we have are diet drinks). In a week's time that's at least 700 calories, in five weeks that's a pound.
Now, I know losing weight at that speed isn't gonna work, but you can keep adding what you cut out, or back on, and slowly change your eating habits and soon you'll find yourself losing weight and not feeling deprived.
One of the 'baby steps' my husband and I took a few years ago was cutting down, or eliminating the egg yolk. A whole egg has something like 91 calories, the egg white only about 18. So since we had fresh eggs he has an omelet with 5 egg whites, and one whole egg, giving him about 190 calories for his main breakfast dish. He used to eat omelets made with 4 whole eggs, almost 400 calories. One little change and he cut his calories in half. When he first started it was 1 whole, 1 white. He kept changing the ratio until he reached his current formula. I have started leaving the yolk out all together when I fix mine.
I know the 'diet specialists' say have a two egg white omelet. Well, excuse me but 2 egg whites aren't enough to fill anybody up.
Remember, you can come here anytime, that's what Good Word started this thread for, so we could support each other. Good luck.
Renee, running a mile a day sounds good to me. One thing at a time, eat heathly get in shape then consider if you want to give up smoking. My family thinks my addiction to the cooler is a vice. If you run out of vices you can always count that one.
Heck Kit, even one situp counts.
Rhyme - welcome to the fray, the more the merrier.
Cute Chuck - wahoo, way to go. Gonna take the wife out dancing for your birthday to show off your new slim, svelte figure?
Nita