Your #1 tip for a Noob?

TuffChixRule

My #1 tip is two-fold: don't deprive yourself and plan ahead. You CAN fit sweets into your meal plan if you account for the calories. You also can fit going out to restaurants into your plan if you look at the menu online and decide what you want to get before you go. When I was first starting out I also pre-measured my snacks into single serving ziploc bags and would spend Sunday afternoon chopping and preparing my lunches for the work week. So far I've lost 26 pounds in a year, and I certainly could have lost more quicker but I wanted this weight loss to be sustainable and I did not want to feel hungry all the time.

brightsideofpink

Understand the science.
Understand yourself.

Those are the two keys for me. You have to understand calories in, calories out. Its the base.
You also have to realize that while the science apples to everybody, how they achieve a deficit can vary and you really need some personal introspection to figure it out. Some people will tell you that eating more often helps them stay the course. Others will tell you they like intermittent fasting. Others will say they have a hard time sticking to a calorie budget without added exercise calories. Others find it easier to avoid exercise altogether. Some will say its best to focus on one day at a time. Others find motivation with a longer term focus. Some people do well with making room for treats every day. Others may find treats to be 'trigger' foods and find it easier to avoid certain things completely.

After the science, figure out what works for you. Sounds obvious but I find it very important to find what works for YOU. It wasn't until I understand the answers to all above that I ever had consistent, long-term progress.

Meganthedogmom

Don't be too hard on yourself. You're not going to be perfect 100% of the time - when you have a bad day and go over your calories or sit out on your workout routine - that's okay, but only as long as you're not giving up. Only as long as you get back to it the next day, and forgive yourself. Now don't use this as an excuse to stop logging for weeks on end, but by all means give yourself permission to make mistakes.
I've been on MANY "diets" throughout my whole life. This is the only time I feel like I've truly succeeded, and changed for the better. Have I had some setbacks, off days, or even off weeks? Yes, but what's different about this time is I've picked myself up, brushed it off, and kept going. Always keep going.

Kalikel

I'm not an expert in weight loss, much less life-changing. But I'll give you my single weight-loss statement: Eat right, exercise and get enough sleep.

There's a lot to that, lol, but that's what it all boils down to.

Need2Exerc1se

My number one tip for someone new to weight loss would be to think about how sustainable any diet plan you choose is for you.

My number one tip for someone new to MFP would be to take everything on these forums with a grain of salt. Every single thing from every single poster.

debrakgoogins

ditsyblond17 wrote: »

I am ready to change my life.

Can you help me? What are some things you would suggest for a beginner needing to lose a substantial amount of weight? Any cool tricks and tips from experienced weight loss experts?

I'm no expert but I will say this, good for you and good luck in your new journey! Don't go crazy trying to incorporate an entirely new way of eating. Make small changes and learn portion control. If you learn to eat what you love but within your caloric allowance, you are much more likely to stick with it and be successful. Whatever changes you make, be prepared to make those changes for life, not just for a quick fix. If you can't imagine never having ice cream again, then be sure you eat ice cream in moderation. Make a lifelong commitment to a healthier you.

Weigh your food. You can buy an inexpensive scale at Walmart to begin weighing your food. It can be a very eye-opening experience to find out exactly how much or how little an ounce really is. Be sure to get a scale that has the "tare" option. What that means is that you can put a plate or bowl on the scale, hit the tare button and it puts the weight back to zero. Add the first food, log it, hit tare and then add the next item. This may sound like a lot of work but it can be 100's of calories a day if you are underestimating your food.

Find an activity that you enjoy and do it, as much as you can. If the only thing you can do right now is walk, get out and walk. If walking hurts, try aquasize at your local Y. Just get moving - you'll be amazed how quickly your stamina starts to improve.

CoffeeNCardio

LOG LOG LOG. In the beginning it will be hard to eat at your calorie level. It just will be. So try not to kill yourself over it. Take it one day, one step at a time. First step is just to make your logging as near to perfect as possible, even if you're eating over by 500 a day. Develop the logging habit, ideally logging foods BEFORE you eat them, rather than trying to remember how much later. Once logging is like breathing, then you focus hard on meeting your caloric intake goals. This will be easier if you are already good at logging, it's just gonna take some trial and error learning how to spread out your allowance throughout the day to keep from getting ravenously hungry. Imagine calories are like money: you wouldn't want to spend them all in one place would you? Then when you're meeting your goal consistently, add in some exercise. And log it. Then a while after that becomes habit, focus on WHAT you are eating. Try to get into the habit of making healthier choices, getting in your protein and fats, and carbs, and micronutrients. One step at a time. Slow and steady wins the race.

earlnabby

ditsyblond17 wrote: »

I am ready to change my life.

Can you help me? What are some things you would suggest for a beginner needing to lose a substantial amount of weight? Any cool tricks and tips from experienced weight loss experts?

Haven't you been around here for almost a year? I am sure I have seen you on the boards. Anyway, My best advice is to read. read, and do more reading. On the forum, read what those who have been successful have to say. Commiserate with other newbies, but look to those who are now where you want to be for how to get there, they have done it and have a wealth of knowledge to share. If someone is peddling something common sense tells you is wrong, check out their profile and see how much they have lost (and kept off). Most of the woo peddlers on here have been here for a while and have not lost much, if anything.

Also, change one thing at a time. Start eating regular meals instead of eating when you feel like it. Then work on portion control, then work on nutrition (and macro and micro nutrient mix), etc. You are not making a big change in your life, you are making a series of small changes.

tracie_minus100

-Have realistic expectations. The weight will take time to come off.
-Choose a plan/strategy that is sustainable for you long term.
-No matter what, don't give up. You may have weeks where you eat according to plan and work your butt off, yet don't lose any weight. It happens, it's part of the process. Just keep going.
-Remember that you get back what you put in. If you aren't willing to work at it, you won't get much or anything at all back in results.
Good luck!! You can do it!

firststepformefal

Weigh and record everything, including water and other fluids. On MFP, if you cheat or avoid recording, the only person you are hurting is yourself. Start meal planning, maybe only 1 meal a week.

blankiefinder

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!

peter56765

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

Ride out the discouragement waves. Don't reach for food. Take a deep breath, take a short walk, and then just press on.

mmarshall74

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

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

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

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

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

Gleny, what supplements does she take, and where does she buy them?

Duchy82

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.