Starting positive - looking for tips from experience

atl0484

Hi, I am new to MFP, and generally to this type of community. The last time I made a concerted effort to lose weight, almost 10 years ago, it wasn't that hard: I was young, and really wanted to impress a girl. I lost almost 90lbs and I maintained a healthy weight of approximately 200lbs for almost 7 years, but have put on 70lbs in the last 4 years thanks to a lack of discipline and leading a sedentary lifestyle. I can tell my body has changed, and losing weight is just not that easy any more.

My question: For those of you who have had success in maintaining a weight loss regimen, what tips do you have to get off to a good start and to keep focused on end goals?

Thanks,
Aneil

AnvilHead

The focus/motivation shouldn't be hard for you - judging by your profile, you were a high-level athlete, so you understand discipline and perseverance!

Set a reasonable calorie deficit, set up your macronutrients appropriately (there's an excellent post here by @Sarauk2sf which details exactly how to do both of those), and get to it. Get on a good strength training plan to help preserve your lean body mass as you lose the fat. Don't make it any more complicated than it has to be - calories in less than calories out and train hard. At 31 years old, you've got plenty of gas left in the tank to get this done.

Kalikel

Eat right, exercise, lift some weights and get enough sleep.

Those are my best tips!

Keeping the end goal in mind is all good and well, but I spend more time focusing on my immediate goals. For me, right now, 149 would be the goal. When I was 222, 219 would've been the goal. I like that digit in the tens spot change.

Whatever you want - that's your goal. Long term, you want to drop 70 pounds. Whatever it is you want now (like, "to get started") - that's your immediate goal.

Staying positive is about confidence and happiness. If you know you can do it (and you can), you have confidence. Happiness - part personality and part choice. Unless you're clinically depressed or grieving or something, you can choose to see things in a happy, positive way or you can be negative and unhappy. That's up to you! (Choose happy.)

Good luck on your weight loss journey!

Protranser

Switching from sedentary to active is about making movement a regular part of your life. I've seen great suggestions written by the community here that demonstrate this. Parking further away from your destination and walking, or just relying less on labor saving devices can really add up over time. Start slow if you're struggling with getting back into being active. You probably have already figured this out, though, when considering your history and athletic background.

Sued0nim

Eat to a calorie defecit across the week

Move more in general...choose to walk

Follow a good progressive resistance programme

Read this: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/10/26/how-to-not-suck-at-working-out/

Get a programme

Structured online programmes
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength

If you can't bring yourself to do free weights yet then do a decent bodyweight programme
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

But it all comes down to calorie intake for fat loss so don't forget your calorie counting
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started

afatpersonwholikesfood

In my personal experience, my metabolism hasn't really changed. It's been a few years since I worked on my weight, but it's coming off at the same rate as it did when I was 19-25 or so. Don't psyche yourself out. I've discovered some differences, but those have to do with lost elasticity in my skin and the stress of losing - getting the weight off is a relief for my body, but it's still a major, ongoing change that my body has to cope with, and I can tell I am not 20 anymore.

You maintained for some time. That means you picked up at least a few sustainable habits. Keep what works and toss what doesn't. Use your past experience. I also think it's important to lose for yourself and no one else. Remember that this is the project of a lifetime. There's no deadline or quit date if you want to keep your weight controlled.

tomteboda

1.Being honest with myself. I log everything. I try very hard to be honest about my eating, and my exercise. It was too easy to gain weight when I would pretend that some calories didn't count.

2. Moving. I went from averaging 1.5k steps/day to 12k+. It took awhile. My initial goals were mdest. It took eight months to break 10k.

lisalsd1

Don't try to change everything all at once.

atl0484

Thank you all for your advice. The general trend seems to focus on discipline and will power, setting realistic targets, be detail oriented in the short term, and keep on top of caloric intake/output.

Hopefully sticking to my game plan and seeking support from platforms like MFP will keep me on track the next 12 months+. The difficulty with maintain support from friends and family is that they have little understanding of the difficulties of losing weight. Almost all of them are in great shape. The moral support they give is genuine but I have been told that communities like this where people are all going through a similar time in their lives, more or less, are very helpful.

Thanks again.

DeguelloTex

Keep in mind that while 12+ months might seem like a long time, that time is going to pass whether you're meeting you your goals or not. You might as well meet them.

vespiquenn

DeguelloTex wrote: »

Keep in mind that while 12+ months might seem like a long time, that time is going to pass whether you're meeting you your goals or not. You might as well meet them.

This. In today's world, we want instant results. Patience and a vision of the future are the only things you will have when your willpower diminishes. Dedication is what will help you persevere.

betuel75

A lot of it is in the mind set. If you have been used to being the active ,athletic type and being slender/fit/lean what ever you want to call it then is not hard to get back to that mind set. Its your style. There may be some hiccups and downs through the years but in general that mind set can be put back in place and get you where you want to be pretty easily. Judging by your profile pic it doesnt look like you'll have to much difficulty getting by to that mind set.

atl0484

Thanks again everyone. Taking your advice, laced up and headed to the gym.

PeachyCarol

There's one thing in your initial post that concerns me. Actually, two words: end goals.

Health and fitness are ongoing ventures and have no end. You may reach a desired goal weight one day, but there are always fitness gains to be made, and every day is a chance to meet nutritional goals.

The mindset to have is not that you're doing this to lose weight, but that you're doing this to create a new lifestyle where you're never in a position to need to lose it again.

Keep in mind that every step you take is a step towards not reaching a goal that has an end, but rather that it's the first step in forming a new, healthy habit that you will build upon.