New and in need of advise

margoo19

Hello, I am new to this whole thing about keeping track of calories, And i thought I could get other peoples tips on actually sticking to it. Do a lot of you do protein shakes or protein bars? I need to loose 20lbs to join the military.

wildeyezz

i lost weight with a combination of healthy eating (whole foods, less processed etc) and excercising regularily. My take is that whatever process you follow, it needs to be sustainable.

records1138

I do three squares a day, keeping each meal between three hundred and five hundred calories. I don't cut out foods such as carbs or sugars, but I stay in my limit. So far so good.

funchords

Hi Margoo!

Please read my diary -- sometimes you'll see a meal bar there but it's rare. I usually eat normal food. I never have a protein shake.

The keys to this are different for everyone. My suggestions:

1. Keep accurately logging. Use a food scale. Do your best. If you have a bad meal, a bad day, even a bad weekend or week -- log all the way through it. Never quit logging. Logging is the key to control (if you don't know where you are, then no map will help you). If you keep logging during a tough time of keeping to your diet, then you can be back in control as soon as your next meal.
2. Get active. Running is in your future as it is part of basic training. Get the C25K app and start working with it. It's great for weight loss and great for prepping you for basic.
3. Keep your portions small, eat slowly, and go back for seconds if you want them. Eat until you are no longer hungry instead of eating until you are full.

xcalygrl

I drink a protein shake if my protein is too low. I probably drink maybe 1-2 a month. I sometimes eat protein bars as a snack if it fits in my calorie goals for the day.

Weight loss comes from eating in a calorie deficit. You can eat whole foods and still lose weight. If you aren't hitting your protein goal numbers, you can try a shake/bar to get closer to that goal. You can also try eating more lean meats to get your protein number closer to goal.

trogalicious

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

NaomiJFoster

It's been a very slow, yet very steady process for me.

I set my goals at 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fats. I just eat. Food. Frozen/prepared foods are not off-limits for me, I just am now more choosy about which frozen/prepared foods I pick.

I don't use protein shakes or bars from the health/nutrition aisle. Well, occasionally I have a bar if I'm famished and need something from the cart at work immediately. That's more about my own poor planning, though.

I do like Nature Valley granola bars. They have a protein-rich variety, with several different flavors. They have a nicer texture and flavor to them (in my opinion) and are actually much higher in protein than some of the supplements I've seen. I snack on those.

As far as sticking to it, just do that. Stick to it. You probably wont' see immediate results, because it doesn't work that way. Lots of people expect things to be instant and then give up when it takes 'too long.' Don't stop. Just keep going. It will happen.

Calliope610

I'm just gonna leave this right here.

Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Want to lift heavy things?
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Stronglifts Summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

Stronglifts Womens Group
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

SueInAz

Protein shakes and bars have their place but that's not in a weight loss approach, not really. I do use protein shakes after I've been lifting weights but not at any other time. I only suggest protein shakes for muscle building or weight gain purposes and here's why. Our bodies process liquids differently than solids. Drinking a protein shake as a meal replacement will have you hungry again a lot faster than eating the same amount of protein in solid form (a chicken breast or a tin of tuna), so eat the food instead.

Since you mentioned joining the military, do you have a set time frame for losing 20 pounds? It's better if you don't but understandable if you do.