Once more into the breach.....

lejasp

So, I'm here again. This time with a better attitude and more transparency. I plan to share my diary postings with my SO to keep me on the straight and narrow. Since hitting my mid 30s (I'm 47 now), I've developed horrible eating habits, and coupled with poor self-discipline, I'm now at a very unhealthy 260lbs and have never felt in worse physical shape in my life. I'm hoping to get guidance, wisdom, and support from this community, and hopefully, share my successes here, as well. Thanks in advance for any and all responses and support.

-L

tinkerbellang83

I was at 255lb when I started, I'm down to to 225lb now, and I still have another 40lbs to go. My advice is don't try to change too many things at once, I have used MFP since 2011 but December 2016 is when I got serious and educated myself and used it properly.

• Set your account up with honest and accurate details - don't necessarily choose the highest weight loss rate of 2lb per week, this can be the beginning of the end for many, slow and steady wins the race, choose something that is sustainable for you.
• Use a food scale, eyeballing food portions oftens results in underestimating your intake - log your normal intake with the scale for a couple of days.
• Review the results of your few days and see where you are taking in extra calories - this could be large portion sizes, liquid calories, cooking oils & condiments, nutritionally sparse high calorie foods.
• Make small changes to meet your calorie goal - this could be reducing portion sizes, switching out soda for diet or water, changing cooking methods/using spray oil, using lower calorie condiments or switching to more nutritionally dense foods.
• When you have your calorie goal under control you can then start to focus on making better food choices for nutrition.
• Strength training is a good way to maintain your muscle whilst losing weight.