I'm currently 350 pounds, I know. Its a lot... But I have decided to turn a new leaf and begin the process of losing weight once and for all.

I have been reading lots on the internet about how best to lose weight. Trying to exercise a little but it just doesn't seem to want to shift.

Live in Phoenix, lots of restaurants around that serve unhealthy food and finding it hard to eat healthy..

Any tips and advice would be good.

Bill.

Congratz on making the first steps and making a commitment to lose.
I agree with others when they say they would dont want to "lose" the
weight, as it implies and can be found again. Instead choose to
"get rid of" the weight.

I have cut out alot of eating out, and when it comes to fast food it was
easier than I thought. I just read "Supersize Me". I literally have not eaten
at a fast food joint since reading that book over 4 yrs ago. I still frequent the casual eateries, but opt for the healthier selections and even then, only eat half, and take the other half home. I hope these tips help you on your way!

Good Luck!

Any fad diet is doomed to fail from the start...
Diet will only work if its something that can be adopted long term.... A balanced long term healthy diet... fish, vegetables, etc... maybe eat less of them sometimes, but surely that is the best approach... is it not?

Bill

Welcome.

I'll be honest - if you are to lose weight, getting control of your food is crucial. Exercise is good and will help, but 80% or more of weight loss is what you eat.

I have family in Phoenix and while I agree that there are a lot of unhealthy eating out options, there are plenty of healthy ones as well. Even at a Mexican restaurant, you can get grilled chicken or beef, skip the cheese and sour cream, eat salsa (which is very healthy and low calorie), skip the rice, and ask for your beans plan and not refried.

And, of course, there is the option to not eat out at all.

I would suggest your first step should be to register for a free account at fitday.com or thedailyplate.com and start logging your food. You'll see quickly how many calories you're consuming and where your nutrition is falling. For a lot of people, logging their food every day is eye opening and helps them to begin the process of changing what they eat.

At your weight, you could easily lose by eating 3500 calories a day, to start. As you lose weight you'll want to adjust that figure of course. But for now, you can eat a heck of a lot of food and still lose at 3500 calories.