General tips when starting

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  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    I lost 75 pounds following one rule: on average, over the long term, eat fewer calories than my body burns.

    The things that make it possible for me to do that in a way that is healthy and sustainable for life are specific to what works for me-and are very different than what worked for you.

    Your specific rules would have doomed me to failure.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    These are some simple things I did that helped me when I started losing weight. I lost 15 lbs in about 10 weeks just by doing this. Nothing too crazy.

    1. 5 small meals a day
    2. At least half a gallon of water a day
    3. No refined sugar
    4. No refined salt
    5. Would only drink water, milk (2%) or coffee
    6. Minimize processed foods
    7. At least 2 servings of fruit per day
    8. At least 3 servings of vegetables per day
    9. Multivitamin
    10. Sleep as much as possible

    7, 8 and 10 are good for anyone. The rest doesn't matter and is just preference. Energy balance is all that really matters for weight loss. How one gets there is up to them.

    This list worked for you. Great. I would hate it. And I've lost 30 lbs without doing most of it.
  • 101810191020
    101810191020 Posts: 51 Member
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    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,127 Member
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.

    The problem with that is that it comes across as "This is what you have to do do lose weight". Info like you posted should probably be only shared if someone specifically asks how someone lost weight.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited July 2018
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.

    Yeah, I think the problem is primarily in the title- "General Tips for Starting"- which implies these things are universal and everyone would benefit from them. You would have been better of saying, "What Worked for Me", which is basically what you said in the post itself. Plus, while you perceived these things to be instrumental to your success, it's basically a list of things you happened to be doing when you lost weight (due to a calorie deficit), the individual scientific merits of which vary.

    That being said, don't be discouraged about posting. The experienced posters here are always on the lookout for posts that could be misleading to the typical new user who is often easily swayed by less than factual information. It's not personal, and is perhaps a little nit-picky in this case. I understand it was just your desire to share what you perceived to be helpful to you. Just be aware that science is king here :)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.

    I get it. But it comes across as "do this". Honestly, in 7 years, I've never seen one of these kinds of threads go well. Intended or not, they come across as unsolicited advice and recommendations that are unnecessary.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.

    Don't do that. There's tons of value here. It's the internet; you can't hear tone, but as near as I can tell responses were cordial.

    Oh....and 7,8 and 10 are great for pretty much everybody (except for those with issues eating fruit.....).
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.

    I think it’s because these forums are full of people posting (and lurking) who are just getting started or hitting a bump in the road and are overwhelmed with the mountains of information on the google machine. They are seeking THE way, and THE rules to make this work. Hence the reason so many end up doing keto/low carb/cleanses/“clean eating”/raspberry keystones and who knows what else because someone said “just do these things” (or usually-don’t do these things).

    The only real rule to weight loss is eating fewer calories than your body burns. Full stop.

    Everything after that (food choices, meal timings, etc.) is a matter of personal preference and finding what works for the individual.

    So when these kind so lists are posted, many of the new and lost will take them as gospel. Perhaps they will have success as you did. Perhaps they will be one of the many for whom those specific “rules” aren’t the right choices. And that’s why those of us who have had success with different choices will post so those same new and lost will see that there are indeed many paths to glory.

    Really your “rules” apply universally as:
    1.) find a meal timing and frequency that works with your individual hunger cues and lifestyle
    2.) make food choices that are sustainable and allow you to be satiated, well-fueled and fit within your calorie goals.
    3.) Focus on meeting your nutritional needs.
    4.) Get enough rest.
    5.) Stay hydrated.

    Everyone is doing these things (or working on doing these things) in the way that best suits them.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    What I did to lose weight:
    • Accepted that I was going to want higher-calorie foods in social settings and budgeted for them, pre-logging when I knew what was likely to be there.
    • Limited homemade desserts to 200 calories or fewer per serving.
    • Decided not to indulge in potential calorie bombs when I couldn't weigh/measure/eyeball with any degree of accuracy (mayonnaise-based salads from takeout can be all over the map. If the company isn't in the database and doesn't list their calories, I pass it up. OTOH, dips like hummus and baba ghanouj may vary by about 20-30 calories per serving depending on the brand. I'll guesstimate those. Ditto cheese or veggie pizza).
    • Over time opted for more snacks that would help me attain a nutritional goal (protein, iron, fiber) and cut back on snacks that were basically salt/sugar and low-fiber carbs. More roasted chickpeas, fewer bags of pop chips. Doesn't mean I don't have pop chips now and again, but I don't choose them as often as I used to.
    • Increased activity.
    • Journaled religiously
    • Asked questions about diet and exercise here when I didn't know the answer/thought the answer I believed I had could be woo

    I think the results speak for themselves:

    eupqvzqtvp82.png

    (September 2016)

    w9iqaml1kvk8.jpg

    (July 2018)

    Wow, hadn't seen your most recent progress pic. Amazing! Also, you're such a happy runner!
  • Kim_S_G
    Kim_S_G Posts: 120 Member
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    101810191020 wrote: »
    All I did was share what I did and how it worked for me. But it seems people here took differently. I guess I’m better off looking for a different forum.

    Please don't let me discourage you from posting here. That was not my intention. I am pretty new to posting here as well. At the moment I have a couple of my posts on other threads that have been ill-received and thus do not feel particularity welcomed, so I would hate to be the source of that for someone else.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Thanks! I signed up to train for a 5K. That was Day One of training!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    mmapags wrote: »
    101810191020 wrote: »
    These are some simple things I did that helped me when I started losing weight. I lost 15 lbs in about 10 weeks just by doing this. Nothing too crazy.

    1. 5 small meals a day
    2. At least half a gallon of water a day
    3. No refined sugar
    4. No refined salt
    5. Would only drink water, milk (2%) or coffee
    6. Minimize processed foods
    7. At least 2 servings of fruit per day
    8. At least 3 servings of vegetables per day
    9. Multivitamin
    10. Sleep as much as possible

    7, 8 and 10 are good for anyone. The rest doesn't matter and is just preference. Energy balance is all that really matters for weight loss. How one gets there is up to them.

    This list worked for you. Great. I would hate it. And I've lost 30 lbs without doing most of it.

    #10 is not good for me. I can sleep 18 hours a day, easy. That's not good.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    101810191020 wrote: »
    These are some simple things I did that helped me when I started losing weight. I lost 15 lbs in about 10 weeks just by doing this. Nothing too crazy.

    1. 5 small meals a day
    2. At least half a gallon of water a day
    3. No refined sugar
    4. No refined salt
    5. Would only drink water, milk (2%) or coffee
    6. Minimize processed foods
    7. At least 2 servings of fruit per day
    8. At least 3 servings of vegetables per day
    9. Multivitamin
    10. Sleep as much as possible

    7, 8 and 10 are good for anyone. The rest doesn't matter and is just preference. Energy balance is all that really matters for weight loss. How one gets there is up to them.

    This list worked for you. Great. I would hate it. And I've lost 30 lbs without doing most of it.

    #10 is not good for me. I can sleep 18 hours a day, easy. That's not good.

    Lol! Well as long as you're getting 8 or 9 hours......

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