CaitieCat27, welcome! You've taken the first step, and you can do this! I lost nearly 100 pounds--the first 85 in the first year, the next 10 in 6 months, and the last 5 took (still take!) some doing. But being here is a good start. Read the star McDougaller stories, starting (if you want!) with mine--int he link in my signature page. Read Dr. M's articles in the newsletters--well over ten years of great info! Read the opening post on this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=26620There are two whole threads devoted to recipes, meal plans, and so on.
viewforum.php?f=5viewforum.php?f=10Especially read the posts of Jeff Novick, the dietician for Dr. M's plan:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=7828This can be an incredibly simple way of eating! It's more important to plan, than to have a routine! If you get food prepared that you can grab at a moment's notice, then you are ready for things that come up. I work 10-12 hour days, so I have little time at home during the week, but I do get weekends off. I bake a bunch of potatoes, and cook up a big pot of brown rice,so I can have my food all ready to grab and go. I have bags of many different kinds of mixed vegetables, that can be zapped int he microwave in 3 minutes, and then have them with the rice or potatoes. I buy baby carrots by the 5-pound (Costco) bag, and munch on them all afternoon, adding some sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes if I can. I use canned beans--I'm favoring pinto beans right now--to add a little fun to the mix.
It's good that you are starting now, at your young age--my Lord, I wish I had! Motivation for me was all about being able to move freely again. I'd been heavy most of my adult life, but I was a trim teenager. I was never ill, but the older I got, the more difficult it was to get around../to the point that if I knelt down, I needed to find a good sturdy piece of furniture to grab onto to help me get back up again. I can now get up from the floor using only my legs! What a feeling!
I hope this helps a bit--come back for more support--this is a great forum. You can do this!