What is your best piece of advice for a newbie

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  • NCK96
    NCK96 Posts: 146 Member
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    View this as a lifestyle change, not a diet.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Take pictures (even if it hurts) as you go along, or take your measurements weekly and keep a journal.
    This because as you lose, you become the "new you" and forget how far you've come. When you hit a stall (happens to everyone, sooner or later) you can pull out that tape measure and see those 10'' you've lost, and it will give you the push you need to go on.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    If you are really craving something, if there's a particular high-calorie, 'unhealthy' foodstuff that you haven't been able to stop thinking about for days - just go ahead and eat it!

    Maybe fitting it into your calorie allowance will mean having a small portion, maybe it will mean making some substitutions or missing out some sauces, or maybe it will mean having smaller other meals. But you need to be psychologically satisfied as well as physically satisfied, and trying to eat a healthy salad while thinking of pizza just leads to misery and overeating. Have the gd pizza and be done with it!
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    If you fall off the wagon and have a horrible eating day that put you way over calories. Restart the next day. Don't let one bad day make you quit
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    My best advice is to commit to this (calorie counting, healthier choices, etc) for the long term. Tell yourself "I will be healthier and weigh less in a month and in a year" but don't beat yourself up if that means you lost 2 stone instead of 2.5 (for example). If you just keep going, you'll succeed.
  • anothermfpuser
    anothermfpuser Posts: 84 Member
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    All good stuff that's been offered up.

    One thing I will add is to try assembling a good/supportive friends list for yourself. A good support system here can be pretty important over time. Realize people will come and go from your list. There will probably be a handful that are instrumental to you.

    I have a bunch myself and consider them paramount to my success.
  • justpeachy2274
    justpeachy2274 Posts: 147 Member
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    Take pics and measurements so those times the scale won’t budge you can see results and not get discouraged
  • healthyfictionreader28
    healthyfictionreader28 Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks guys :D
  • docmase
    docmase Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm a newbie as well. As others have stated, be honest with your intake. Be consistent. Excercise regularly, even if it's just for a short time. Having extra calories to consume because you exercised is one of the best paybacks I can think of. Drink lots of water. I drink warm water, cold water, sparkling water, ice water, lightly flavored sparkling water...so many different variations on this zero to low calorie drink.

    Recognize that it takes a long time to get to your goal weight and this is a lifestyle change. Once you get to your goal weight, you will need to maintain at that weight. Loosening up your diet to much will cause you to gain your weight back. You will need to monitor your weight and adjust accordingly on a regular basis if you want to maintain your ideal body weight.

    Just take things day by day. Some days you will exceed your calorie targets. When you do so, don't beat yourself up. Just hit your target the next day so that over the long run, you eat less than your target. If you do this week in and week out, you will steadily lose weight.

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