Getting started and I'm so confused!!

LeoLivingByDesign

I've been wanting to get healthy for a long time, I'm over fifty and after losing my sister last year to cancer, I finally decided enough was enough. Now that I've found this site, I feel I actually have a chance of succeeding, but I am so overwhelmed at times by all the measuring, calories counting and recording. Grocery shopping scares me to death now. I'm trying to follow the Canada Food Guide recommendations, but when I do, I go over my calorie limit on MFP, then I tried Fat Secret and they give 1800 calories per day, compared to 1200 here. I'm sure I will figure it out, I'm nothing if not determined, but I may not have any hair left on my head. lol

try2again

Welcome! Really, don't overthink it. It sounds like you filled out your profile, which is the first step, but it does sound like you may have your weekly weight loss goal set too high, if it gave you 1200 off the bat. The biggest key to success is for your eating to be sustainable, and most people (not all) cannot be comfortable on 1200 calories. If you've set it at 2 lbs/week, try 1.5. I've never had to feel deprived or hungry in my 6 months here. The weighing, logging, & label reading is a little time consuming at first, but like anything else, you just need practice. Plus, once you've logged an item, it's in your database after than and you won't have to look up the same item again. Don't try to make a bunch of changes at once, mostly focus on logging & getting started, and as your confidence builds and you start to see results, it will all get easier & more fun!

try2again

I should clarify about the 1200- not to say it won't ever be necessary, but it's usually not right off the bat. It's important to leave ourselves room to adjust down as we lose the weight. And also, many on 1200 calories are actually able to eat more than that due to exercise. But I definitely believe in not making things any harder than they have to be! And to those who are comfortable at 1200 calories, no need to jump on me- I realize it was an unfair generalization.

LeoLivingByDesign

Thanks for the suggestion, I've changed and set mine to 1 lbs/week for 1700 calories, but I will aim for 1450 (1.5lb). I think it will be more encouraging if I'm always under my target. Hope that makes sense.

try2again

LeoLivingByDesign wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion, I've changed and set mine to 1 lbs/week for 1700 calories, but I will aim for 1450 (1.5lb). I think it will be more encouraging if I'm always under my target. Hope that makes sense.

I think that sounds perfect The mental game is half the battle!