[[In an attempt to prevent this thread from going off-topic or moving into a hate thread, please ignore any hateful posts and report them to the moderators. Please do not enter into any arguments on the thread, or provoke "rep wars" or the like. This thread is supposed to be happy and healthy for all.]]
First of all, welcome to the thread. This is for anyone who would like to make positive and healthy steps towards changing their life. This could be losing weight, gaining weight, gaining muscle, improving your stamina- whatever you like.
Please remember that it is normal to experience weight changes during your teenage years. Don't mistake these weight changes for changes that will remain with you for your entire life. If you feel as though this is you, then simply ensure that you're eating healthily and doing a good amount of exercise (3 x 30 mins per week). If you are are school, then you should find that you get enough exercise during your PE lessons. We don't know how old you are when you join this thread, so we will just answer your questions as needed, however be aware that we will not promote unhealthy weight loss or fad diets.
Please feel free to post helpful links and resources, I will be more than happy to add them into this starting post if they're helpful. Also, when you post for the first time, please introduce yourself and include your aims, stats and a little bit about your situation!
Please be aware that we will only be supporting healthy and realistic aims, but we will be able to offer support to everyone.
Useful Links/Resources
BMI Calculator Although BMI is not the be all and end all, it can give you a rough indication of how much weight you have to lose, or whether you're a healthy weight. Obviously if you're building muscle this will not be entirely accurate for you; but for most who are trying to lose weight this is helpful.
BMR Calculator Your BMR is basically how many calories you'd burn on an average day if you did nothing. You should eat over your BMR if you're gaining weight, and under it if you're losing weight. Obviously you have to factor in how many calories you're burning during exercise, too.
MyFitnessPal This allows you to keep a track of how much you're eating and how much exercise you're doing. The forums are helpful for specialist advice and there are lots of progress photos which I always find to be very helpful and motivating.
List of TSR users' MFP names (to add as friends if you wish):
Spoiler
SparkPeople Similar to MFP, also includes exercise videos, workout/stretch routines and healthy lifestyle articles.
TickerFactory If you want to keep everyone updated with your progress, a ticker is very helpful (like the one I have in my sig). It helps to show how far you've come, and how far you have left to go. You can update your ticker at any time simply by clicking on it in your sig.
If you feel as though this thread is not enough, there are Slimming World/Weight Watchers meetings literally all over the country. Try out the websites to see where your nearest one is. They're not free, but a good option if you find that face to face meetings are more effective for you than online support groups.
Body Building Any additional resources in this category will be much appreciated, as I (OP) know next to nothing about body building at the moment, so I'm relying on everyone else posting some good info!
..Obviously I will add more links and information as the time goes on, just thought we'd get the thread up and running so as many people could contribute as possible! I don't have much of a clue about anything other than losing weight, so if anyone wants to add weight gain websites, quote me.
I'd love to set some goals but it's impossible to say with bodyweight exercises when these will be achieved. I've listed them in my blog. My MAIN goal is to continue with my 'change for life' and hit the 1 year mark. On 28 November it will be 6 months. I can't believe I've managed to go to the gym for so long I don't have a gym partner and have found TSR members have motivated me lots. Just reading and posting has kept me in that mindframe.
Just realised that it's been a year since I started on this journey with you guys I'm now 45 pounds lighter than this time last year. Bring on the next 45 pounds!
Hopefully this thread will see me making some proper gains in my running. I struggle to get anywhere during the summer cause of the heat, and missed out on making improvements last winter due to a knee injury.
Today is my official weigh in and since yesterday, I have gained 0.4lbs. Which sucks because I had a perfect day yesterday and even went to the gym for the first time in forever. Now I just want to eat allllll the food
Aims: get to my target of 10 stone 9 before christmas. Complete couch to 5k (maybe...I haven't done any running for ages). Stop binging permanently.
hahaha angel I was going to quote you and then I realised the thread is done! I was going to say it's a good idea trying to improve fitness, It will definitely make it easier to maintain the weight now your nearly finished! My aim for now is toooooo loose 6 pounds my christmas. Then I will be the same weight as last christmas. haha! Didn't realise I had it better then!
Ok so I've decided to actually start doing this properly now and start losing weight again I've just booked a summer holiday with my boyfriend so as it 32 weeks away I want to lose 32lbs by then I'm going to be doing 90 minutes of taekwondo twice a week, spinning and netball once a week and swimming at least once a week. I will do it!
for shiny new thread! Woke up at 2pm, I didn't go to bed until 6am. It's the weekend, and that's my excuse :L
I did this too, no idea how I'm gonna be able to wake up for work tomorrow.
I bought an empty plastic tub and I'm gonna put exercise prompts in and pick one out each time I think about it - stuff like "do 10 squats" and things like that to get me moving in ten minute breaks, it's so often that I get these breaks so might as well make the most of it.