Wanting to lose weight

falisjennifer1959

Need more support and friendship

kimny72

Welcome! Check out the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each sub-forum, lots of great info there

falisjennifer1959

Where do I start

cmriverside

Start by setting your Goals:

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

http://fit101.org/the-step-by-step-guide-to-losing-weight-with-myfitnesspal/

eoseid

Healthy diet and exercise go hand in hand, so it is important to find some kind of physical activity that you enjoy and can do regularly. Depending on your situation, you may need to speak with your doctor before starting on a program. If that is not possible, pick something that you know you can do, and gradually work up to doing more. Walking is good, and requires only decent shoes.

My life became more sedentary a few years ago, and I am over 50, so it has become easy to gain weight. I enjoy riding my bicycle, so I ride at least an hour on Saturday and Sunday if possible. We have winter where I live, so it is a bit more of a challenge to get exercise during the snowy months. I invested in an elliptical machine and am currently trying to do a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Life can get in the way, so don't be hard on yourself if something prevents you from getting exercise occasionally. Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol for the most part - it is just empty calories and you may be more tempted to have some nibbley bits that you will regret later.

As for food, avoid processed food if at all possible, and be honest with yourself about portion size. Allow yourself a treat once a week. Today I had a Dairy Queen soft serve cone. It was delicious!

Good luck!

smoofinator

Here's a not-so-brief list to get you started.

1. Read the stickies (most helpful posts) at the top of the forums (really helped me hone in on what I was supposed to be doing, and realize how hard I was initially making it for myself): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
   https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
2. Log everything you put in your mouth (solids and liquids, gummy vitamins, coffee creamer, etc.) Everything. Ev-uh-ree-thing. And be honest! There are tons of incorrect entries in the MFP food database. Do you really think that jelly donut only has 100 calories? No. So don’t select that option when you type “jelly donut” in the search bar.
3. That leads to… select the correct entries in the database (compare to the food label) or add your own entry so you know it’s accurate.
4. Weigh your food! Measuring cups and “eye-balling” can be way off (see helpful link above) and consider that packaged foods can be deceiving as well! I’m looking at you, Skinny Pop. The package might say 28g, but I’ve never had a bag with contents weighing nearly that little!
5. You won’t weigh the same every day, so don’t freak out if the number on the scale goes up. Read this too: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/
6. Be patient! No, but seriously, be patient… for real. Losing weight healthily (and, ideally, permanently) takes time. Some weeks will be better than others. The MOST you should aim to lose per week is 2lbs.
7. Don’t over restrict! Pick a calorie goal you can actually stick to day in and day out. There’s no point in being hungry all the damn time… you’ll eventually crack. Increase your chances for success and pick a way of eating that you can commit to. I’d be miserable on 1200 calories/day, so I set my goals accordingly (lose 0.5lb – 1lb per week) and eat more… because food is good and I’ll still lose weight, even with a smaller deficit.
8. Binges happen. Relax. You won’t gain 5lbs of fat after one day of stuffing yourself. Read this, and calm TF down: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10603949/big-overfeed-ruins-everything-nope/p1

There are a lot of other things I could include, but start with the fundamentals. If that’s all you do, you’ll lose weight.

Good luck!

texasredreb

If you don't have a digital scale with a flat plate, ability to weigh in grams, and a tare feature then go buy one right now! Then start by weighing every solid food you put into your mouth and then logging them. Weigh or measure every liquid with calories and log them.

jacqui2494

I'd say, only do what is sustainable. If you can't eat that way for the rest of your life, then don't do it. All your effort will be for nothing and the weight will come back. I listen to "Half Size Me" on Podcast and I find it full of very sound advice.