Where and how do I begin

NIT4aloss

As a working, over-weight, single mom of kids 1, 2, and 9 how do I start. I need and would appreciate tips and suggestions from someone who has been in my shoes. I would like to lose 70lbs.

queenliz99

You could start with the stickies! Like this one

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

Best wishes

enterdanger

@NIT4aloss I would start just by logging your food. If you are on here for calorie counting (which works) you need to get used to logging your food. I'd do that for a week before changing your diet. This way you can see what you currently eat. It was eye opening for me. I always thought I ate healthy, but just too much. I was lying to myself.

Then go to the guided weight loss settting and tell MFP how many lbs you want to lose a week. I recommend 1. It's slow, but it's not such a shock when you reduce your food intake. This will tell you how many calories to eat. Just try to stay around the amount MFP tells you.

The hard part is figuring out what will fill you up and is within your calorie limit.

You can do this. I had a similar amount to lose and I lost half of it pretty quickly. Now I'm expecting my 3rd baby so weight loss in on hold.

cerise_noir

^ These.
What helped me was to delete the whole 'diet' and 'rules' from my mind.

Set up myiftnesspal diet profile. If you have more than 50lbs to lose, chose the 'lose 2lbs per week option'. If you have less to lose choose 1.5-.5lbs per week. The less weight you have to lose, the less you should be losing in a week.

Eat food that you like.. no need to cut out any food. Calories are king when it comes to weight loss. If you want dessert, have it as long as you stay within your calories. No need to eat foods you don't like just because 'healthy'. Food is food. You'll lose weight just as long as you stick to your calories accurately.

Get a food scale to weigh everything that isn't a liquid. Use measuring cups and spoons for liquid only. Measuring cups for solid foods is completely inaccurate.

Log everything you consume every day. Don't miss logging any food. Your body counts them, so count everything you consume. Choose accurate food database entries (make sure the entries are the same as the food packaging.

StaciMarie1974

Weight loss is about how many calories you consume in a day, compared to how many calories your body uses. Its like a budget, and your excess weight is your savings. If you consume less in a day than your body needs, it taps into the savings - and over time you gradually lose weight. Consume more than your body needs, and it adds to the savings and you gain weight.

Start by tracking what you are eating and drinking in a day - and then look for ways to cut back. Cut out or at least reduce calorie-loaded drinks. More baked/grilled food and less fried. Lower fat alternatives like 2% milk, cheese. Smaller portions of starchy sides, and larger portions of veggies. These are different ways you can trim calories from your daily routine.

brenn24179

basically just log what you eat every day. I try to eat filling stuff, for me that is beans, oatmeal, protein, peanut butter, soups, watermelon, lots of water.