Things You Want To Tell MFP Newbies
kristikitter
Posts: 602 Member
We see a lot of new posts positing the same kinds of questions... so what would you want to tell MFP newbies to help them before they start posting?
Mine would be:
- Read the stickies!!
- Weight gone up from one day to the next? It's probably water retention
- Give your new lifestyle a month, not just a week - if you REALLY haven't lost anything then ask for advice
- You're not gaining muscle on 1,200cals and 2 sessions of C25k
- Nope.
- Nope, I guarantee you're not.
- And again - nope, you're really not.
- Those shakes aren't going to work
- Neither are those teas
Mine would be:
- Read the stickies!!
- Weight gone up from one day to the next? It's probably water retention
- Give your new lifestyle a month, not just a week - if you REALLY haven't lost anything then ask for advice
- You're not gaining muscle on 1,200cals and 2 sessions of C25k
- Nope.
- Nope, I guarantee you're not.
- And again - nope, you're really not.
- Those shakes aren't going to work
- Neither are those teas
28
Replies
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Eat real food.
Log every bite.
You didn't put it on quickly do not expect it to leave quickly.
We are not doctors. Medical issues should be addressed with your physician.19 -
MFP works (the tracking of macros and exercise against a goal) if you stick with it and apply it consistently.
For me, it's true what I've heard others say .... weight loss is 80% calories in/calories out and 20% exercise.
Weight loss is not linear; there is progress and there are set-backs. The key is to make adjustments and corrections. If you go over your calorie limit or miss a workout; don't let it sabotage your whole effort, re-focus and get back on track.
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Love this, except that no one will probably read it
Stickies are the main one, but for those not familiar with forums that means: Go to the forums home page. Click on the Getting Started main page (also do this for the Diet & Fitness main page). Click on the top thread titled "most helpful posts".
Don't choose a weekly weight loss goal of 2 lbs/week unless you have more than 75 lbs to lose.
Women- don't randomly choose 1200 calories. Men- don't randomly choose 1500.
No, you're not gaining weight on 1200 calories.7 -
"I'm not losing weight" means that you have lost 0 pounds. Not 2 or 3 or 5. Zero.
If you haven't lost any weight in a month, tighten up your logging. A food scale will become your best friend.
Weight loss starts in the kitchen.
Don't get discouraged. No one lost a significant amount of weight in a month unless you had surgery.6 -
infinitynevermore wrote: »"I'm not losing weight" means that you have lost 0 pounds. Not 2 or 3 or 5. Zero.
That one. Big time.4 -
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So you want to know whether you should eat back your exercise calories? Read this:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p11 -
Exercise doesn't automatically equal weight loss. Exactly how many calories are you are eating?
A person doesn't stay at one specific weight. Our *water weight* fluctuates constantly, up to 5 lbs or more in a day. It isn't fat, and it doesn't need to be "fixed".4 -
You want to L-O-S-E weight. Not loose it.
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I guess you could go with "I'm working on setting this fat loose."4
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Sorry, that was just BITCHY.
It takes time to build a good relationship with yourself in regards to food and fitness. It takes more time for some than others.4 -
You do not have to give up anything. Chocolate is fine as is ice cream or insert any other demonized food.
Volume and total diet is what counts.7 -
Dude (gender nonspecific), NO, you didn't just gain 10lbs because you went over your calorie goal by 150 calories with that bag of popcorn at the movies last night! Sodium. SODIUM. WATER RETENTION!!!
Seriously, stop freaking out for a second and just do the math, the actual math, of how many calories you would have needed to eat last night to actually gain 10lbs of fat...
*Ugh, sorry but every time I see this I just go nuts.8 -
They should read the below thread by @diannethegeek , simply because she compiled a thread with a bunch of great links from all the common questions that we see over and over in the forums. Advanced forum users might request the list of how many different variations she compiled as to what forum members consider "clean eating".
I like old posts and I cannot lie
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- As long as you're motivated, serious with your tracking, and that you have discipline, you will succeed. Take some time to find your rythm, to see what works for you.
- If you have a lot of weight to lose, you're not on a diet. You're changing your lifestyle. Don't see what you're doing as something temporary, but as a transition between your old self, and the new healthy you.
- It's very important to log every single thing accurately. It's better to go a little over, in a controlled way, than to go overboard and have no idea how much you're over.
- One bad day can happen. The important thing is to keep going on most days. The trend is much more important.
- Go shopping when you're full, it's harder to make difficult decision
- See every hard part of your journey as something to look back on with pride. It is difficult ? Yes, it is, and you're making it anyway.6 -
Log your weight every day and give the process six weeks -- you will probably see a jagged but downward trend.
Buy a new bra every 15 pounds. 10 if you can afford it.8 -
SuperCarLori wrote: »You want to L-O-S-E weight. Not loose it.
Dear MFP newbie, I don't care if you use lose or loose as I know exactly what you meant. I appreciate the fact that it took a lot of courage to write your first or second post (or even your 50th), shared your backstory and am amazed by your determination and efforts to improve your weight and/or health.6 -
Starvation mode is not a thing. No, really. It's not.7
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All good stuff!
Mine would be:
Stop looking for big (insert complaint here, weight loss, muscle growth, body shape) improvements after a week or 2. It took time to get in the condition you are in. It's not going to change overnight.
No, 2lbs per week/ 1200 calories is not not best just because you are impatient. You can do this right or fast. Pick one.4 -
All good stuff!
Mine would be:
Stop looking for big (insert complaint here, weight loss, muscle growth, body shape) improvements after a week or 2. It took time to get in the condition you are in. It's not going to change overnight.
No, 2lbs per week/ 1200 calories is not not best just because you are impatient. You can do this right or fast. Pick one.
Which brings one of my favourite truisms into play:
"It's a marathon, not a sprint."
Also,
"Losing weight is hard. Being overweight is hard. Choose your hard."6 -
robertw486 wrote: »They should read the below thread by @diannethegeek , simply because she compiled a thread with a bunch of great links from all the common questions that we see over and over in the forums. Advanced forum users might request the list of how many different variations she compiled as to what forum members consider "clean eating".
I like old posts and I cannot lie
Thank you for posting this. I am somewhat new and am finding the links and information really helpful!
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It's hard work. Don't ever be fooled that it's anything other than hard work. However, it is only temporarily hard. The longer you keep at it, the easier it becomes. It will become part of your new, healthier lifestyle.
Don't ever starve yourself. It will result in muscle loss and you'll just end up skinny fat.
Don't ever eliminate anything from your diet unless it's for medical reasons.
Educate yourself. Read about nutrition. Learn about macros, TDEE and fibre.
Avoid any marketed that claims to aid weight loss: Meal replacement shakes, pills, tea, coffee, body wraps, etc.
You lose weight by eating less. You tone up and build muscle through exercise. Doing 100 sit ups every day will not burn belly fat.
Muscle is denser than fat. Google '1lb of fat vs 1lb of muscle'. See & understand the difference. Then realise that if you're hitting the weights at the gym like a Duracell bunny on acid and eating at a deficit, the scales are not going to change as much as you'd hope, but that is totally normal.
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There's no need to demonize "junk" foods. Cut down on how much you eat, sure, but it isn't the devil.
"You need breakfast to kickstart your metabolism." So what, now you're a zombie? Your metabolism runs 24/7/365.
Herbalife/Shakeology/ItWorks/Thrive/etc. is just a marketing ploy.
Spot reduction is impossible outside of a surgical setting.3 -
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There is a search button.
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Stay away from APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
and Facebook MLM scams.SuperCarLori wrote: »You want to L-O-S-E weight. Not loose it.
Sorry, but this too.
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If your doctor has prescribed medications for you, KEEP TAKING THEM UNTIL YOUR DOCTOR CHANGES THE PRESCRIPTION. Lots of physical conditions are caused or exacerbated by being overweight, but not all of them. Changing your dosage or stopping altogether may cause very serious problems.8
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