How did you guys start your diet/lifestyle change?

stfuriada

I have a friend who wants to lose about 15-20 lbs, but can't seem to be able to start her diet. I've told her how I began mine, but of course, different strokes blah blah.

I would like to know how you guys started yours, and show her. Did you guys just wake up one morning and started portion controlling? Did you look up certain diets and made food plan/lists? Maybe something will stick, if I give her options.

Gigsluvscw

I went for a walk.

Of course there were other things leading up to it (cloths not fitting, feeling cruddy, etc.), but on a pretty afternoon I went for a walk. I liked the way it made me feel, so the next day I did it again, and again...

It snowballed into making me feel better, so I wanted to eat better, which made me feel even better...

jenna808

Decided I wanted to make a change, so started slowly. Started by cutting out pop and sugar, then fast food, started eating more fruits and vegetables, started tracking my calories using the mfp app, then came portion control, and more recently consistent exercise. With all the slow changes I made everything feels pretty much like habit now.

clarkeje1

The first thing I did when I started getting into fitness was cutting out pop and drinking only water. I lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks! Then I tried to make more meals at home and avoid eating fast food. Then I started logging food on mfp and then started working out. Slowly I am changing my habits and becomming healthier day by day. I still have a lot of work to do but I see every day as a new opportunity to make good choices. Setting goals and logging onto mfp daily helps so much. Tell your friend she can learn a lot by reading the forums on here.

underwater77

Very slowly.

First to go was fast food and soda (which was rare anyway).
Second thing I did was get religious about the gym, which shaped my current healthy eating habits.
The more often you log and the more accurately you log, you start to see what is "worth" it and what is not.

I never cut out any specific food or food group. I just made room.
I didn't have much to lose, so it's been SO slow, so patience is key.

The past week I have had more compliments than ever, so it's almost like 10 months of hard
work manifested itself in a week, which I know not to be true.

JUST STICK WITH IT and be very patient!!

vgpeterson1984

I would like to see more of these responses.

Bump!

lorettasnewbeginning

I predict you will get dozens of responses and they will be different, but the common thread will be "I decided...". I don't think YOU can put your friend on a diet. It will never work until SHE is motivated to change her eating.

mgobluetx12

Last July I just started eating a bit less and lost weight without doing anything too tough. I started logging my food in August and really saw progress after that.

cwolfman13

Actually, if you do it right it's really not "painful" People have silly and just incredibly skewed ideas about what constitutes "healthy" and do all kinds of unnecessary nonsense that really has nothing to do with sustainable nutritional and fitness oriented lifestyle change.

Too many people think it has to be bland and boring and you have to drone away hours and hours on some stupid elliptical. Those people are doing it wrong.

Ultimately, she has to make the decision though...she eventually will or will not.

Slothronaut

Got rid of soda and nutella (i miss the hazelnutty goodness) first. Then started browsing reddit and the rest of the internet for success stories to motivate me. Downloaded some tracking apps (they're a pain to use imo) but eventually found mfp. Love it here so I stick to this now. In terms of exercise, I found the Stronglifts 5x5 program (also on here). It's got a really nice progression so that you don't get hit with anything too difficult to early. It's got a membership but I did without it (might consider one in the future though). Also looking into keto now as well.

Chucksteakswife

First thing I did was read about nutrition. Then after I had a bit of knowledge of what I should actually be eating, I began to plan my meals and swapped out the unhealthy for healthy. I focused on my nutrition first, lost 20 pounds and then began learning about and introducing fitness into my life.

I_Will_End_You

I just randomly decided one day I wanted to start working out. End of my story!

Zaniejane

I logged my food, then had fun with graphs and averages. I noticed a relationship between my weight and my calorie intake. I read interesting, funny, sarcastic and informative ideas from various mfp'ers and I started to understand that I wasn't a special snowflake.

Next, (pivotal point)I trusted that I would lose on a calorie deficit.

I lost weight very slowly and felt proud when I reached my goal weight!

Unknown

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grimendale

I hired a dietician to teach me how to eat. The very first thing I learned was keeping a food diary (mine was in excel initially) and measuring portions before eating. Having someone work one-on-one with me to answer questions and correct mistakes taught me a lot, and those lessons served me well after I stopped working with the dietician. I lost about 50 lbs with professional help, and an additional 40 lbs on my own, and have had sucess keeping it off and bringing down my body fat now. It has to become a hew habit, not a short term fix. As soon as you return to the habits that made you fat in the first place, the weight comes right back. I've done that several times, but I know better this time.

RAGGEDYANN1970

my husband joined a gym on our anniversary and said, "GO JOIN TOO!" so i did. RELUCTANTLY, i might add! but i went every weekday (forced myself) until it became habit - which didn't take long! now i LOVE It and can't imagine NOT going. i changed my diet, too, but started the exercise first. my advice: don't do too much at once - it's easier to make changes if you do baby steps. i think it took a good 6 months before i had changed my diet, exercise and living habits.

lambchristie

Seeing a friend, who is more overweight than me posting on FB about all she was doing to change her life by eating a balanced diet and working out inspired me. I decided while on vacation I was going to the gym (not a big box gym) when I got home; and I did.

As far as food goes its a personal decision ... and I decided (I knew) I was over eating because nothing was ever weighed or measured; so I got out measuring cups and spoons; purchased a food scale and each day was a new victory because I purposely change one thing in my life. Measure that food, what I drank, and I started at the gym 3xs a week. Yes its a struggle, and each day is a new day.

Its a mind set, a personal mind set. You can only encourage her by your actions.

SJVZEE

I have a friend who wants to lose about 15-20 lbs, but can't seem to be able to start her diet. I've told her how I began mine, but of course, different strokes blah blah.

I would like to know how you guys started yours, and show her. Did you guys just wake up one morning and started portion controlling? Did you look up certain diets and made food plan/lists? Maybe something will stick, if I give her options.

I was researching different plans and stumbled onto a forum that had a group of people who were doing alternate day intermittent fasting. I'd never heard of it, but reading all of their successes with it I decided to chose that as my plan. I'm here today, 50lbs lighter, and in maintenance I'm very fortunate that I chose a plan that was the perfect fit for me!

gracetillman

I decided that I was tired of being out of shape and unhealthy. I decided to do something about it and not wait one more day or I would look back a year from now and wish I had done something.

I started to look at all labels and do research. My first step was simple calorie reduction and then I started changing WHAT I ate to be more whole foods and less processed stuff. Then I started to add in exercise.

My diet keeps evolving and my knowledge keeps growing. I keep making small changes and tweak my eating and exercise trying to make things work better and also so I don't get bored.

So far its working --

JulieAnn72

I went to a party in Dec and had a picture taken of me and a group of friends. I was horrified at how fat I looked. I was always thin until I had kids. So I decided I could eat and drink whatever i wanted until the end of the year and then I'd start back on MFP. On Jan 2, on our ride home from our annual trip with our friends, I logged in. I've logged just about everything I've eaten since then.

Getting into working out took longer. I lost a lot of weight without doing any exercise. Then the weight loss slowed down so I joined a group here and started 30 Day Shred. I never would have done it without that group. I found I need to do quick workouts at home or I won't commit to doing it. I set small goals or I'll feel overwhelmed and stop.

mtnhiker1

I love candy and many other things, I am overweight and I knew it. So my candy ran out and I decided that is it. Cold turkey, I am a math person, so straight calorie counting with out the hype or fads or money (as advertised on TV) appealed to me. I am not looking at sodium or sugar or protein, that may come later but right now it is strictly calories. 1 month later I am down ~ 20 lbs. pretty good start but that is the point it is just a start.

mygrl4meee

First thing I did was look at my really bad items that I was eating. I exchanged my bad choices at mcdonalds for less calories until I lost the craving all together. I also quit buying little debbies and hostess at the gas station. If I wanted chocolate. I will eat a candy bar or have a homemade treat.

SRB8710

I actually started about three years ago after I had my daughter. I thought I wanted to lose the baby weight and then as I learned more I wanted to be a healthy role model. I lost about 60 pounds and was in pretty decent shape. I got a job at a restaurant and gained about 20-25 pounds back because the food was right there. Then I started working two jobs and really lost track. Now, I am back at it and familiar with what will get me off track and trying to do my best to avoid it.

Basia_and4345

I have a friend who wants to lose about 15-20 lbs, but can't seem to be able to start her diet. I've told her how I began mine, but of course, different strokes blah blah.

I would like to know how you guys started yours, and show her. Did you guys just wake up one morning and started portion controlling? Did you look up certain diets and made food plan/lists? Maybe something will stick, if I give her options.

Little by little ... started making healthy breakfast choices. Then took a good look at what I was making my meals out of and made changes to that such as no white or enriched bread, whole wheat only. Brown rice, quinoa replaced potatoes and white rice. Added more veggies to my diet and things like that.

I avoid soda, and anything that is marketed as a "Diet" product. I read labels like crazy, my poor husband is so patient with me in the grocery store- he waits while I do all my ingredient and price comparisons. I do not follow or add in any plan that tells you to eliminate certain types of food (even if those foods are supposed to be introduced back later). I have added components of juicing, blending and the Raw food diet to my dietary options.

Very importantly I DO allow myself binge days, usually as a treat when it's a girls night with my two youngest daughters.

I remember that this is a life style change and will not change over night, so I'm not going to make it a horrible life experience,

baiye1

I first read a book called Eat To Live that really spoke to me, I made a lifestyle change that stuck with me for about 4 years. Then I just went back to eating crappy. This time, what started it again, it was because of two things: 1) something that happened with my child and I realized that if I didn't make some changes, I wouldn't be around to fix it or I wouldn't be able to stop it and 2) I realized that not moving during the winter had made me feel just gray. So, I had downloaded MFP a few months before but got serious about it. I move more and eat better. Not really less, just better.

bwogilvie

The short answer is that I realized last December that what worked in my 20s to lose 60 lbs.--exercising lots and paying more attention to food, but without counting calories--didn't work in my 40s. I decided after Christmas that I needed to actually compare intake and output. Fortunately, I saw a review of MFP in Consumer Reports in January while visiting my sister, and decided to give it a try.

The longer answer, though, is that over the course of many years, I've tried to stay physically active and to eat well. Physical activity went from swimming to running to cycling, depending on whether I had easy access to a pool (no longer the case) and the state of my knees (which is why I quit running and started cycling). There were a few years when I didn't get much exercise due to a number of factors. Eating well involved learning to cook well, so that my wife and I don't eat out much and don't have too many meals from boxes or the freezer.

I put on weight despite all that because I was simply eating more than I needed. My change in January was really not a change in diet or lifestyle, but rather, a realization that my sense of how much to eat was out of whack, and that if I just continued the exercise I was getting, while cutting back on the amount I ate without really changing my diet, I could lose the weight I had slowly put on over the years.

The only moderate change I've made to my diet recently is to cook more vegan food, because a good friend became vegan and we like to have her over for dinner a few times a month. That inevitably results in vegan leftovers for dinner a few days later. But I compensate by eating extra cheese, so I can't claim it's eating more healthily.

Marina809

I'd been disgusted with the weight I'd put on in the last 5 years. It was only 30 pounds but I'm only 5" 1.5" tall with a small frame. Besides that it was all (every bit of it) in my midsection. Since I'd read that this is the most unhealthy place to have a fat surplus it worried me a lot but not enough to motivate me to make a serious commitment to change. One day I was at my daughter's house at her husbands birthday party and A friend of hers who I hadn't seen in about a year stopped by. He (and his wife) had lost so much weight I hardly recognized them. I was shocked and amazed at the change they made so I asked what kind of diet they were on. The answer- MyFitnessPal. What? "It's an app I use on my phone." So, I d/l the app on my tablet and checked out the website. Reading the forums, especially the success stories, inspired me to no end. I signed up and began eating at a deficit and logging every bite I put in my mouth. Seeing these two lose their weight, all the success stories in the forums and the accountability of logging everything is what motivated and keeps me motivated to get rid of this weight. I wouldn't even go near the scales before I started here but now I can't wait to get up every morning and see what I weigh. It really is that easy... just quit eating so much.

yo_andi

I started working out. Eating better followed later because I wasn't getting anywhere with my workouts.

capnrus789

You already have it right. It's a lifestyle change.

A "diet" has the feeling that something will end. When it does, and the old habits return, mission failure.

A lifestyle change is permanent.

Laroka

why did you get rid of nutella? The calories? I need to know because I eat it a lot, but I stay within my calories.

AuntieMC

bump