Advice / Guidance
Tom1997B
Posts: 10 Member
Hi All,
I wasn’t going to make a new post for this but thought it could help others overall etc.
So with myself personally, I’m not sure where to start exactly - I know everyone is different with weight loss but where is a good place to start?
Is there anything that anyone has followed and it’s worked well for them personally (e.g. low fat and high protein)
Again, just an idea to put this discussion board up. Hopefully it will be of some use, not just to myself but other people
I wasn’t going to make a new post for this but thought it could help others overall etc.
So with myself personally, I’m not sure where to start exactly - I know everyone is different with weight loss but where is a good place to start?
Is there anything that anyone has followed and it’s worked well for them personally (e.g. low fat and high protein)
Again, just an idea to put this discussion board up. Hopefully it will be of some use, not just to myself but other people
7
Replies
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I'm just starting as well, and I am making small adjustments. Getting rid of pepsi was the first. Replacing it with water, and/or veggies. I eat more small meals during the day. I work straight days, and have a 3 year old at home, so I work out before work. I did add more protein to my diet. I say if you don't know where to start, then start small. Replace one bad thing you like to eat or drink with one healthy thing, and get moving. Not necessarily the gym, but walk around the block for starters.
Be patient until others read this. You will get valuable knowledge from some of these people!11 -
This is a good idea. Glad you started it.
Since all you need is a calorie deficit the best place to start is with what you are eating now. Change only what you absolutely need to change to get inside a deficit while staying full until just before your next meal.
I believe the best plan is the one you customize for yourself. If you have ever tried to lose weight in the past start with where you feel like you went wrong. Learning from mistakes helps us adapt.
What you don't need to do is classify any food as good or bad unless you are on a medical restriction. Most of what you need from your food is energy not nutrients. Nutrients are important but you can get a large number of them from any fast food meal. Potatoes, for instance, are highly nutritious. If your diet is unbalanced right now then make that a secondary goal. It does not have to be addressed immediately it can be done in small changes over time.
I highly suggest getting a food scale and weighing all solid food. Work on logging your food accurately.
Learn as much as you can about the true mechanics of weight loss. Unlearn things that are myths like set points, slow metabolisms (excluding diagnosed medical problem), starvation mode, etc.
Here are some threads to read:
General starting guide:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
Customizing a plan for yourself:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1
Using a food scale:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Logging accurately:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
Common diet myths to unlearn:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10183824/things-i-had-to-unlearn-about-losing-weight/p1
Here is a must read article on weight fluctuations that might help prevent you from making incorrect assumptions:
http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/7 -
Here are a couple of threads about my journey that might be helpful since they pertain to being a Larger Loser:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10722305/my-new-normal/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10731694/after-a-year-over-150lbs-lost-learned-a-few-things/p1
Here is an example of one of the ways I customized a plan for myself:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10735146/the-six-day-calorie-deficit-aka-banking-calories/p16 -
davemacdonald31 wrote: »I'm just starting as well, and I am making small adjustments. Getting rid of pepsi was the first. Replacing it with water, and/or veggies. I eat more small meals during the day. I work straight days, and have a 3 year old at home, so I work out before work. I did add more protein to my diet. I say if you don't know where to start, then start small. Replace one bad thing you like to eat or drink with one healthy thing, and get moving. Not necessarily the gym, but walk around the block for starters.
Be patient until others read this. You will get valuable knowledge from some of these people!
+12 -
Hi!
When I'm done, I will have hopefully lost 120 pounds. (That's my first goal, anyway, in the middle of my healthy bmi). With that said, it's a daunting number! How can anyone ever lose so much?! At least, those are the thoughts that swirled in my head after I realized that I needed to make a change.
Now, the first thing my husband and I did was go to the gym. All we needed to do was exercise, right? Well right around the time I was having this epiphany (after seeing a picture of me at Disneyland during the Christmas holidays), I noticed that one of my FB friends seemed a lot thinner. And I asked her if she was doing something different. We chatted about weight loss and how much she lost and how she did it. It was also at this time that another friend pointed me towards MFP which unlocked this idea that my food is a much bigger part of the equation than I thought.
All of these factors eventually lead me down a road towards weight loss. I started in 2012 and I'm still trying to get to my final goal in 2019, and might not really hit it until 2020.
My best advice is to find what works for you. Experiment. Enjoy the experiment. It's not going to come off quickly or easily, so get into that mindspace now so that you can set realistic expectations with yourself. I am much happier now than I was 7 years ago, though 7 years ago, this mountain seemed insurmountable. It wasn't and I found ways to be joyful along the journey. If you like the gym, go to the gym. If you like walks, go for walks. Find the foods you enjoy and experiment with eating less of them.
I'm a super picky eater and I would NEVER last on any prescribed diet (especially with all my additional food allergies) so I manage my food by eating less of it. I have found that I like bigger dinners than I do lunches, so I keep my lunches light and small (prevents food coma at work, plus!) and eat the bulk of my calories for dinner. I don't give up the things I love (except where I can't eat them anymore due to allergies), but I'm also not a food person. I consumed the bulk of my calories in liquid form (Starbucks, sodas, etc). So I don't have the same lure to food that some do. Coffee??? That's a whole different story. XD I have to limit that and the few foods I could mindlessly eat (peanut M&Ms, granola... XD). Growing up, I could have lived on a food pill, otherwise as I never LIKED eating, so my struggles here won't align with many others.
The most important piece of advice I can give anyone starting out is this: "There's no wrong answer once you find out what works for you." Caveat being of course that the answer needs to be mindfully driven and health-focused, not super low calorie diets, etc. YOU know yourself better than anyone else. What foods you like. What motivates you. What brings you joy.
* Do the things for your health that bring you joy. (I love hiking and walking and swimming and so I do them).
* Eat the things that bring you joy in moderate amounts based on a calorie goal. (I am constantly adjusting my calorie goal based on TDEE and my own observed experience. Ex: I eat way less on the weekdays so I can eat more on the weekends. I treat my calories like money and I go over and I go under. I pay the piper when I go over and suck it up and move onto the next day)
* Holidays and vacations are special! Don't fear them! Life is about living, so learning to live with ups and downs is important.
* Whatever else I can say in this, the most salient point is this: Find what works for you. Listen to others, explore your options, and when you find what works for you... do it.
I like to gamify my experience. So for me, I mark milestones in "bosses" or "dragons" to defeat. I've conquered my dragonpants (the smallest pants I'd worn before I'd regained the 20lbs). I've conquered mental dragons and dress dragons and other "bosses", gaining more experience along the way. This makes it "fun" for me.
Oh oh oh! I also take a bunch of pictures of myself. Change is VERY slow to see, so I keep a folder of weight loss pictures by year. I take one progress picture at least once a week. I also have a spreadsheet I use to track my measurements. Often the place we want to see change the most is the one that doesn't change. So I track measurements all over my body so I can see okay, I've changed half an inch here. I use my progress pictures to see change when I can't see it in the mirror. Every day I try to find one positive thing to tell myself, even if it only, "I am farther than where I was 2 years ago."
You can't fail if you keep putting one foot in front of the other and pushing forward.
Okay so this got way way way longer than I intended... sorry for the MASSIVE wall of text, but maybe something I've said will help you and/or spark ideas. Good luck! Perseverance, habit, and a positive attitude even in the face of overwhelming odds are key to success!13 -
@dhiammarath
Did I mention I was happy to have you here? I was wrong. I am ecstatic to have you and your experience here with us.4 -
@NovusDies Thank you!! I am really glad I took the plunge to join!
I am more than happy to share any and all experience I've had if it might help even one person. Even the points that aren't so awesome!
One more thing I wanted to add: Losing weight does nothing on mental clarity. I am STILL struggling to see me as me and not me as 40 pounds ago. At least I no longer see the 100+lb of me, but this is why pictures can be so important. You can put your thumb over your head to abstract "yourself" from your brain and see a little bit clearer picture. OR, that might just be me. XD But if I don't think I'm me, I'm astounded by what I see!5 -
Whups, hit enter too early. So, don't be discouraged if you can't 'see' what others might. Or that you struggle to see the new you. It's not just you and you're not crazy, but this is part where you have to work on the mental. On loving yourself and accepting yourself. Tell yourself something positive!
Today, I am AWESOME. Awesome for being where I am. Awesome for just wanting to start to be better. Let your awesome flag fly, my friends. Because each and every person has something important to give the world.6 -
My beginning was similar to the others here. I am a picky eater... I joke that I eat like a typical 10 year old (kids menu type items... just more of them). So, any diet I ever tried that limited what I could eat always always failed & the more limited, the quicker it failed. So, this time I decided I needed something that would let me eat whatever I wanted. I bought a food scale, signed up with MFP and decided to give it a try. I also decided to start walking my dog (until it got stupid hot!). I'm only 45 days in, but I don't have the mental fatigue I had on previous attempts. The only thing I'm having to consciously fight is my perfectionism tendencies. I obsess about finding the right things to log, especially when I'm eating out somewhere that doesn't provide nutrition info & when I bank calories, I log those foods on the days I left the bank so all the days show up as at or under my goal. This is something I know I need to work on, but... baby steps!
I have found that I am now much more aware of the choices I make and I will more often order the grilled nuggets instead of fried or the blackened tenders instead of the spicy crispy ones (and have found that I actually like the blackened ones better!). I still eat whatever I want as long as it fits in my calories for the day/week.
I really like that I feel like I haven't changed much at all. 45 days logging.. 15 lbs down, 150ish? to go.6 -
@jlucas210 I was also super picky! I joked that I could fit on one hand what I liked to eat. When I was little, my mother had battles with me (as a toddler) and I was stubborn enough to just not eat if I didn't like it. So, I totally appreciate the picky eater life!
Baby steps -- that's the best way to describe this process. You don't climb a mountain in one, giant leap. You climb it by one step at a time. And sometimes you have to backtrack and that's okay. Just keep going forward! That's the pathway to change.5 -
I agree with the themes of non-restrictive eating (I.e. nothing is forbidden) and getting serious about tracking energy input a.k.a calories. I never really paid attention to how much I was eating, but once I started keeping track it became easy to stay within my calorie goals while still eating things I like. knowing how much energy you'll get out of different food types is super helpful!
also, definitely don't beat yourself up over small things. life's way too short.
also, also! if you decide to add movement/exercise, definitely do things you like! I go for long walks, sometimes during lunch breaks, and I recently rediscovered my love of biking. and since these are things I look forward to, that are easy to work into my daily routine (gotta get to work somehow!), they don't feel like a burden.3 -
dhiammarath wrote: »..."I like to gamify my experience. So for me, I mark milestones in "bosses" or "dragons" to defeat. I've conquered my dragonpants (the smallest pants I'd worn before I'd regained the 20lbs). I've conquered mental dragons and dress dragons and other "bosses", gaining more experience along the way. This makes it "fun" for me."
I must say...that is one of the COOLEST ideas I have ever heard of in ways to acknowledge your milestones! I may just have to borrow that idea and see what I can come up with!
I just hit my 60 lbs lost milestone this weekend, and I'm so thrilled that I could shout it from the rooftops! I've "dieted" for years and only ever lost at most 20-30 pounds before I gave up for whatever reason got to me at the time. So the idea of having something fun like that to look forward to brings another fun factor into it! Thank you!3 -
@jafinnearty Do it! Use it! Whatever makes it fun, and engaging, is what will make it stick! Because if you find ways to enjoy something, you find ways and excuses to DO that thing you enjoy.
Go be bold! Be excited! We only get this one life, might as well feel epic living it!
Good luck and you're welcome! Get out there and tame more of them dragons!5 -
I was suggested this group earlier today. I posted a question in regards to suggested nutrition. I see the Registered Dietician in December. I have 133 pounds to lose and have been known to crash diet and over exercise. I am trying to be smarter. I have learned that there is no quick cheat. I have lost the same 50 pounds at least 6 or 7 times (each time it returns, it brings friends). I am done with ruining my metabolism! Since July 13th, 2019 I have been eating healthier and lighter food choices.
I love this topic, thank you for the discussion2 -
Angelpebbles wrote: »I was suggested this group earlier today. I posted a question in regards to suggested nutrition. I see the Registered Dietician in December. I have 133 pounds to lose and have been known to crash diet and over exercise. I am trying to be smarter. I have learned that there is no quick cheat. I have lost the same 50 pounds at least 6 or 7 times (each time it returns, it brings friends). I am done with ruining my metabolism! Since July 13th, 2019 I have been eating healthier and lighter food choices.
I love this topic, thank you for the discussion
Hi @Angelpebbles,
I am glad you decided to join. Jump into any discussion. We are a newish group but we have covered a lot of material so far.2 -
@Angelpebbles welcome to LL! Out of curiosity, may I ask what was your question you posted regarding suggested nutrition? I find my RD a very good resource.1
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Yes, of course you can ask. That might have been helpful, if I had supplied it in the beginning
Good Morning, I have been a My Fitness Pal member for a while and have appreciated the knowledge that this community has in helping questions find answers. That being said, does anyone know of a good resource for Nutrition? I have an appointment scheduled with a registered dietician on December 20th, 2019 (earliest appointment available). So far away.
I am hoping to better understand what the (my) body needs to get healthier, lose weight, fat and gain lean muscle. I am Female 47 yrs. old, 5'11" tall, large boned weighing in 299 lbs. & I have 133 lbs. to lose. My job as is somewhat active. I don't want to lose it by staving myself with bare minimum calories and 6+ hours a day physical training (Cardio and weight training). I unfortunately, have done that before. I got the quick results, however, that realistically was not sustainable (been there, done that lost 65 lbs.. got sick, my hair began to thin out, began to get clumsy, I couldn’t got injured and felt like a weak noodle.) All 65 lbs. came back with friends and my metabolism seemed to be slower after the abuse I put it through. I knew better, but I just wanted the quick fix to see quicker results. Of course, I didn't see my Physician when all this happened. I knew he would have told me that “You are not losing weight correctly, you’re not even taking a multivitamin.” I learned my lesson. I would like to say that I am smarter and will not make the same mistakes. I learned from my mistake and poor judgements. I want to succeed in my journey to get healthier and I want to do it right the right way.
I know real food is better than chemically created processed food. I've been trying to wean myself off of the "Meal Replacement Shakes". I don't see any danger in them, except my relying on them too much. Thanks, so much for your time. I know this was quite wordy………. That is why I seeking nutrition advice…. I tend to overthink and be unrealistic
Thank you:)
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@Angelpebbles Thank you for sharing about yourself and your goals. Many of things you mentioned sound like just what this group is trying to address, reasonable, sustainable weight loss.
I got ya by a decade, I'm 57, and now have 100 pounds to lose (was 126 pounds, but the scale is going down!). My RD has helped me understand that it is always about CICO (calories in calories out) for weight loss. I've got to burn more calories than what I eat. Deceptively simple.
Anyhow, welcome to the group, as @NovusDies says, ask questions and join in conversations I like to say do what seems reasonable and keep showing up!3 -
Thanks for setting up this group and those that posted! I definitely found myself relating a lot to your comments.
I have been obese almost 20 years, about 13 years ago I lost 100 pounds and then gained it back plus about another 50. The first time, I lost 100 lbs quickly due to exercising multiple times a day, biking everywhere and eating a vegan diet with very little fat and only a small amount of protein (not intentionally eating low protein) ... that’s not feasible for me any more and I’m trying to do it in a healthier and realistic way. My kcal now have a healthy balance 45-50% carbs, 20-25% fat, and 25-30% protein. I need to around 50% carbs most days for metabolic reasons-so keto isn’t an option for me.
I’m trying to lose the 150 lbs and am down about 35, but feel like I’m plateauing. I’ve been the same weight for about 3 weeks even though about a month ago I increased my cardio to about 60-90 minutes versus 30-45 on average, and do weight lifting 1-2x per week with a trainer, and am still logging all kcal.
I did anticipate some slowness in weight loss due to weights, since it had been 20 years since I lifted, but am surprised it’s still so slow after about 6 months.
I definitely understand the concept someone else mentioned, kcal in/kcal out. But when I calculate my BMR, kcal, and exercise kcal it does not come close to the weight I’m losing (or not losing).
Has anyone had a similar experience or any suggestions you’d be willing to share?
Thanks much!1 -
tiffany80802017 wrote: »Thanks for setting up this group and those that posted! I definitely found myself relating a lot to your comments.
I have been obese almost 20 years, about 13 years ago I lost 100 pounds and then gained it back plus about another 50. The first time, I lost 100 lbs quickly due to exercising multiple times a day, biking everywhere and eating a vegan diet with very little fat and only a small amount of protein (not intentionally eating low protein) ... that’s not feasible for me any more and I’m trying to do it in a healthier and realistic way. My kcal now have a healthy balance 45-50% carbs, 20-25% fat, and 25-30% protein. I need to around 50% carbs most days for metabolic reasons-so keto isn’t an option for me.
I’m trying to lose the 150 lbs and am down about 35, but feel like I’m plateauing. I’ve been the same weight for about 3 weeks even though about a month ago I increased my cardio to about 60-90 minutes versus 30-45 on average, and do weight lifting 1-2x per week with a trainer, and am still logging all kcal.
I did anticipate some slowness in weight loss due to weights, since it had been 20 years since I lifted, but am surprised it’s still so slow after about 6 months.
I definitely understand the concept someone else mentioned, kcal in/kcal out. But when I calculate my BMR, kcal, and exercise kcal it does not come close to the weight I’m losing (or not losing).
Has anyone had a similar experience or any suggestions you’d be willing to share?
Thanks much!
I'm tracking CICO as well. My numbers don't always seem to add up either. I think I should be losing more than the scale says, so I'm chalking it up to adding muscle. As long as the scale continues to drop, my clothes get bigger, and my measurements decrease, I don't worry about the numbers being spot on.1