Weight Loss Tips, Tricks, and Motivation

arianabredeson

Post all your weight loss tips, tricks, and motivation. What works for you may work for many others too

meritage4

eat less move more

golfbrew_matt

1. Weigh in regularly (at least weekly)
2. Use a digital scale to weigh foods for more accurate logging.
3. Take pictures and record measurements (body fat, waist, neck, chest, hips, etc.) at least once per month to track progress.
4. Use Fitbit to encourage more activity every day.
5. Get some friends on MFP and Fitbit to provide motivation and accountability.
6. Get some real world family and friends to do it with you (especially helpful if it is your spouse!).
7. Use dietbet if you need a little extra motivation and money motivates you. Or just make a bet with family, friends or co-workers.
8. Make fitness goals in addition to weight loss goals.
9. Get a workout partner.

terbusha

There are no tricks to healthy sustainable weight loss. It comes down to establishing a healthy diet at a moderate calorie deficit, pushing it hard in a good exercise regime, and having the determination to stick to the plan. That's it. If you need help with any particular aspect of this, I'm always happy to help out.

jacksonpt

terbusha wrote: »

There are no tricks to healthy sustainable weight loss. It comes down to establishing a healthy diet at a moderate calorie deficit, pushing it hard in a good exercise regime.

Agreed.

The "tips and tricks" thing is about doing things to set yourself up for success doing the above.

Don't like breakfast? Fine, don't eat it.
Like bigger meals? Fine, eat 1 or 2 a day, not 5 or 6 small meals.
Hate being hungry? Eat smaller portions/snacks/meals more often.
Hate cardio? Don't do it, focus on strength training.
Want to be able to snack at night? Save some calories from earlier in the day so you can.
Can't control your eating? Be honest with yourself about why and fix those issues.

beemerphile1

The first step is your mindset. If you don't have the commitment you will not succeed. You need to want it bad enough to really commit and do what is necessary. Reversing the weight gain is a long process and not an overnight thing. There are no shortcuts.

For motivation I only need to look at where I was and where I am now, that keeps me going. The MFP app keeps me honest.

sherbear702

You know, I completely disagree with those who say there is no such thing as “tips and tricks” to losing weight. There are tons of tips about losing weight such as;

Stay at or under your daily caloric intake
Weigh your food, don’t say “Meh, that looks like 4 oz or 1 teaspoon”
Make smarter choices about what you put in your mouth
Cook with less butter and oil, use applesauce instead of oil if you bake
Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day
Drink plenty of water
Cut down on alcohol intake

The TRICK to losing weight is stay dedicated and disciplined. You have to make changes you can live with forever. Losing weight (and keeping it off) is about changing habits. You can lose 50 lbs, but if, when, you get to that goal and you revert back to your old ways you’ll end up gaining everything back. There is no quick fix, weight loss is a slow steady marathon. Not a race.

When you feel down just remember, it takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing, 8 weeks for your friends to notice and 12 for the rest of the world to notice. Give it 12 weeks, don’t quit!

diannethegeek

These are all of my tips & tricks:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

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

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1290491/how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Enjoy!

AmyRhubarb

-Reasonable goals - calories, exercise and pounds per week lost.
-Log everything as accurately as possible - food scale, measuring cups, and a good HRM or tracker of some sort.
-Don't let the number on the scale drive you crazy - realize that weight loss isn't linear, fluctuations up and down are normal, and that scale will mess with your head every chance it gets. Better to make friends with your tape measure and track progress that way, as well as paying attention to how clothing fits.
-Be in it for the long haul - not a quick fix, not a goal reached and then you're done. True weight loss and fitness that lasts is a lifestyle change and takes some time. Develop habits that you can stick to and that fit in with daily life and events - birthdays, weddings, celebration dinners, etc will come up, and you can still enjoy them, just don't go crazy. Illness, jury duty, work, houseguests, etc will interrupt regular routines, and that's okay too - be ready for these things and don't stress about missing a workout here and there or allow these things to derail you. Just go back to regular meals and exercise when things are back to normal, no big deal.

Good luck!