Your #1 tip for a Noob?

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Replies

  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Same as it was 18 months ago

    Eat at a calorie defecit across the week
    Move more

    Read the beginners threads

    Ignore all the woo in your head - avoid your next big weight loss idea - don't go from IF to low-carb to the next thing

    focus on calories and calories alone

    Great advice from rabbit, as always! <3
  • peter56765
    peter56765 Posts: 352 Member
    dinosaurparty wrote: »
    Motivation is overrated. It's awesome if you actively want to do something, but no one feels that way 100% of the time. Eventually you won't want to stick to your diet or get up and exercise - it happens to literally everyone. I think in that situation it's really tempting to be like 'I don't wanna', and sit back to wait for the Motivation Fairy to come along.

    In reality, that's probably not going to happen. That's how you get complacent and discouraged, and that's so much worse than just not feeling motivated.

    Keep going when it sucks, and soon it won't suck anymore. A bit of discipline is going to be 100% more important to you in the long run.

    This. It is oh so easy to give up when you don't feel motivated so don't let that be what keeps you going. Same goes for workout buddies, friends and family. They won't always be there for you so don't use them as an excuse. Weight loss requires you to be a little bit selfish. You're putting your needs in the forefront. Lose weight in spite of everyone else, not because of them.

    Think of diet and exercise like brushing your teeth and taking out the garbage. Nobody likes doing it and nobody is really motivated to do it and yet we all do it anyway. It's a habit we've learned over the years and that's what keeps us doing it. So make diet and exercise your new habit. Force yourself to do it for two to three weeks and then it will become a habit. Habits beat motivation any day of the week.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    Ride out the discouragement waves. Don't reach for food. Take a deep breath, take a short walk, and then just press on.
  • mmarshall74
    mmarshall74 Posts: 183 Member
    Don't go on a diet. Change your lifestyle... meaning: how you relate to food. Log everything and eat a deficit. If you log correctly and eat to your deficit you will lose. Exercise helps but is not required.
  • gradchica27
    gradchica27 Posts: 777 Member
    I'm new here but not to the calorie counting method of weight loss, which truly does work! So take heart that you're signing on to a real plan that will give you what you put in (or in this case, take out
  • gradchica27
    gradchica27 Posts: 777 Member
    edited November 2015
    Sorry, phone glitch.

    Remember this does work when you get down about slow progress and feel tempted by a quick fix fad someone is selling on FB.

    I second the "log it all" advice. Sometimes just knowing I'll have to log "donut, 800 calories " and stare at it all day helps me make better choices.

    Know your triggers. I cannot just eat one or two cookies. So I don't eat any. Figure out any overeating triggers and how to deal with them in a way that works for you.
  • wrenak
    wrenak Posts: 144 Member
    I'm going to agree with weighing and logging. You really won't believe a serving size for some things. I was surprised to learn those personal-size pot pies are actually 2 servings. So are ramen packages. Half the brick is one serving. Who does that?

    Learn what's going to satisfy you without breaking your day. If you see something you want, take a look and ask yourself if that one thing is really worth those calories. Some days the answer is, "Oh, Heck Yeah!" Other days you'll be able to say, "No, not really." You'll get the hang of what works for you, and if you stumble, don't beat yourself up. Just dust yourself off and keep going. One poor choice does not need to snowball into an avalanche of bad choices!

    This isn't all or nothing, this is a whole lifestyle change that you can live with for the rest of your life. Making it work for YOU is key. Some people have to eliminate things to avoid their cravings and are happy that way. Other people need to incorporate small amounts of those things to feel satisfied and in control. Figure out what helps you and go from there.
  • tristen_leigh
    tristen_leigh Posts: 214 Member
    PLAN your meals and workouts. Then prep (meals, schedule, even gym bag and clothes if you need to) as much as possible for the week. That's the most effective way to stay on track.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    edited November 2015

    Gleny, what supplements does she take, and where does she buy them?
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and carry on. That one bad day isn't going to ruin all your hard work.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    Be honest.

    Log everything you eat. Be honest about the amount, however you measure it. Be honest about your daily activity. If the scale isn't moving, verify that you are telling yourself the truth, with measurements and activity tracker.

    Be honest.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,224 Member
    Forget woo, ignore anything that promises magical sounding results, believe the science, listen to the people who have actually suceeded and appreciate their advice, find a plan you can live with and stick to (don't change tactics every 2 weeks), don't overestimate calorie burns (you're only cheating yourself) and don't over-complicate it.
  • PrincessRina112
    PrincessRina112 Posts: 18 Member
    I tried to make it simple for my fiancé to understand the whole CICO thing.

    I told him it's like money. I have 1,800 dollars to spend today. I can spend it however or on whatever I want. I can spend it anytime throughout the day. I can use very little in the AM and go on a shopping spree at night. The goal is to end up with 0 at the end of the night.

    I think he kind of gets it now :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Get a food scale.
  • tashspring68
    tashspring68 Posts: 14 Member
    Use My Fitness Pal. Log everything you eat. Buy scales for weighing your portions. If you do that, and you stick to your calorie limit as given by MFP, you'll lose weight.
  • AlciaMode
    AlciaMode Posts: 421 Member
    Stick to it. Even after you mess up do not give up get back up and keep going
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    stop looking at yourself as new to this. you've been doing it for a long time, so look at it as as journey that you're still on. You've been on the uphill side, and not getting anywhere, but honestly, you've been making it hard for yourself. If you haven't been losing weight, it's because you've been eating too much, plain and simple.
    Now get back on the road, and stop struggling. Buy a food scale, weigh all of your food, log it, and be honest with yourself. Log everything.
    Stick to your deficit every day if you want to lose the weight. If you want to have treats, have them, but have them in small portions and adjust your portions in other areas so that the treats fit into your calorie deficit. Don't get caught up in the idea of 'cheat' days. Those lead to one cheat day now and then, to more often, to cheating yourself all the time.
    The only person you hurt when you cheat or lie on your logging is yourself.

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