Suggestions please

Oliviadavis17

I really trying to lose my weight .. this is probably my 1000th time trying however I want this time to be different. .any suggestions on what the best meal plan or exercises program when trying to lose massive amounts of weight. ..I take any help I can get

seska422

The best meal plan for weight loss is the one that gives you a calorie deficit while being a comfortable way for you to eat. The closer you can stay to your comfort zone, the more likely you are to stick to reduced calories over the long term. Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.

I suggest that you start by logging the way you eat now for a week or two to gather some data. You can then look back through to see where you might eat smaller portions and/or make satisfying substitutions. Don't try to change everything at once. Baby steps.

As for exercise, do something you like. Just like with food, you are more likely to keep doing your exercise over time if it's something you like to do.

I lost most of my excess weight (~120 pounds) with no exercise and a hand-crafted food plan that aims for 80% of my calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats. I started walking for exercise when I got close to goal.

Patience is key. Don't give up if the results you want don't come quickly. Weight loss isn't linear. Keep doing what you need to do to stay in a calorie deficit and the weight will be lost over time.

LivingtheLeanDream

Put in your stats to app. Depending on how much you have to lose pick appropriate loss amount per week. E.g Less than 30lb choose 1- 1.5lb per week.

Log every single thing you eat. Commit to doing that every day.

Stay within your allotted calories as much as possible.

If you exercise, you can eat some of those calories back

Have patience because counting calories works it takes time, more time than you think actually!

Take measurements because sometimes the scales won't play ball but you could still have lost inches.

In the beginning it's easy to lose several pounds quickly, but loss will tail off which is normal. Up to 2lbs loss per week would be more than average after the initial whooshes.

And to give you an idea, to lose 1lb per week you need 500 calories deficit each day. So that's 500 less than you eat now per day.

This app gives you the tools, it's up to you to use them

All the best.

SueSueDio

Start by reading some of these threads:

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

This one is a particularly good place to start:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1


All you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit - how you choose to achieve that is up to you and what you find enjoyable and sustainable. Some people choose to follow a particular meal plan, but at the end of the day it all comes down to eating less.

So yes, you can lose weight eating a diet comprised entirely of so-called "junk food", but that's not a great idea for health and nutrition reasons. Eating mostly nutritious food but leaving some room for treats works for a lot of people, so that they don't feel deprived and miserable.

As for exercise, if you have a lot of weight to lose you might find it difficult or uncomfortable to begin with. You can start by just walking a little bit, and work on gradually increasing the time and distance that you walk (try "walk at home" videos if you don't want to walk outside). As you start to find it easier to move, look for a sport or activity that you enjoy - you'll be more likely to keep it up if you like it! There's no reason to force yourself to do activities that you detest.

One thing I would definitely recommend is some sort of strength/resistance training, as soon as you feel able to - you don't need to go and lift weights at a gym if you don't want to (although lots of people would recommend that!), but some sort of routine with bodyweight exercises or resistance bands would be beneficial. I didn't do any, and I regret that - now I'm much smaller but flabby, so I need to work on that!

So - get yourself a food scale, set some realistic expectations, and settle in for the long haul. Don't look at a large weight loss goal as one huge obstacle, break it down into manageable chunks that aren't so scary - 5 or 10 pounds at a time, for example. And celebrate every milestone!

Don't beat yourself up if you slip up and go over your calorie goal. It happens, we're all human. Just don't let it derail you completely... pick yourself up and carry on.

And finally, if you don't want there to be a 1001st time to do this, while losing your weight think about how you plan to maintain it afterwards. That's where a lot of people fall down - they have no plan for the future. You need to come up with a way of eating now that you'll be able to continue with once you get to your goal weight. It might take some experimentation, but that's what you need to aim at for the longer term.

Good luck, and we're here for you if you have questions along the way!

Momepro

Break things down into individual behaviors and habits. Instead of looking at this as an all at once, or all or nothing proposition, find ways to break things down into smaller and more sustainable habits. That makes it much easier to pinpoint where something is not working, and fix it, rather than staring at the whole jumbled mess of NOT WORKING. Plus, when you do backslide, you are less likely to drop everything, just one or two habits, that can then be fixed again. Otherwise, trying to everything at once, means that you are likely to leave out something important (like weighing food), and pay excessive attention to things that aren't. (Like fiber drinks and vinegar)
Don't demonize foods that don't actually make you feel bad. Obviously if you have food sensitivities avoid those things, but don't cut out all your favorite goodies because they are not "healthy". Think of your calories as a type of currency. You should purchase the nutrient rich stuff first, budget for regular treats, and don't waste any calories on stuff you hate, even if it is theoretically good for you.
Log EVERYTHING.
Don't JUST weigh (with a scale is best) everything you eat, also write why you are eating it (i.e, lunchtime, hungry, kind of bored, out with friends, watching tv) and how you are feeling right before, right after and an hour after (hungry, comfortable, normal, full, very full bloated, drowsy, OMG I am so damn sick of this crap I want to throw the whole plate out a window, etc).
This gives you a baseline pattern for your normal habits and routine. From there, it's just a matter of experimenting. Are you very full after dinner? Cut back on a few things. Does lunch leave you bloated and gassy after an hour, try less or no mayo, and see if there's something you don't mind dropping each meal (fries, or cheese, or maybe only 2 tacos instead of 3).Are you starving an hour after dinner?Maybe more fats during.
It's amazing how quickly these small and easily sustainable changes will add up to big calorie cuts. Only cut one or two things at a time, until they become habit instead if trying to do everything at once. That way they become individual habits instead of one big "diet".

solieco1

Put in your stats and then stay within your calorie goal MFP gives you. Don't go crazy thinking you'll eat a lot less than the goal. You'll likely only burn yourself out. Enjoy the fun of getting the most from those allotted calories. Get a food scale and be sure you're logging everything.

Exercise is important to overall health, mood, motivation and often reducing appetite. That being said it's not the most important for losing weight. That's primarily done in the kitchen,

Think about getting the calories under control for a few weeks then adding in something you like to do to move more after that. All at once can seem quite overwhelming. Get started and see some results then you'll be motivated to deal with details.

Reach out on the forums and be willing to listen to well meaning advice from the successful folks on here. Lots of knowledge. Of course there're also some wingnuts but it's usually pretty easy to tell the difference

Make a plan, be patient, love yourself

Also, here is a handy link to a whole lot of great success stories. Chances are there's someone here you can relate to and gather tips and motivation from.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10394510/the-ultimate-success-stories-guide/p1

ridiculous59

People have given you lots of great, practical ideas on here.

Firstly, if you are an emotional eater (like lots of us are) you need to find a healthier way of dealing with disappointment, stress, etc. For me, I now know that going for a walk is a way better alternative than a bag of cookies. It lifts my mood and gives me the clarity that I need to solve a situation. An entire cheesecake never did that for me. In fact, I'd just feel worse afterwards.

Eat real food. I can't stress that enough. Processed food will never provide your body with the fuel that it needs. Cooking from scratch may seem overwhelming at first, but like anything else, it gets easier with practice. I make a big pot of soup on a Sunday and that's the base of my lunches for the week. In the summer I make a big salad instead. Then in the morning I just have to grab a can of tuna, a couple of hard boiled eggs, or some leftover protein from last nights dinner, and my lunch is ready.

Plan. Plan your meals. I log my food for the day as I'm drinking my coffee in the morning. Plan your exercise. Look at the weather and decide what you think your exercise should be for the day. A walk outside? A youtube yoga video? Some marching in place while watching tv? Nothing too difficult at first. Just do something that makes you move.

Know your weaknesses. There are certain foods that I just can't have in the house. On the other hand, if my husband buys potato chips or ice cream, I know that all I need is a taste and I'm satisfied. You'll figure out what foods you can handle in moderation and what foods you can't.

Learn to enjoy the journey. Don't beat yourself up if you fall down. Everyone falls down. That's life. Just get back up and start again. You are worth the time and effort. Never ever doubt that.