Ready for a healthy change!

potatoebug

Hi everyone,

I have used MFP a few times in the past, mostly in high school and early college but I was never able to stick with it longer than a week or two but I am choosing to make this time different. I am about 20 lbs overweight and my goal is to get my %body fat down from 29 to at least 24 and start living an overall healthier lifestyle. I struggle with emotional eating, cravings, and a serious sweet tooth, and these are challenges that I believe I am finally ready to tackle! I have started with short 30 minute sessions on the eliptical and plan to either steadily increase that time to 60 minutes or do 30 minutes of HIIT on the eliptical. I also want to incorporate strength training into my routine, but I am very intimidated by it. It will definitely be a step outside of my comfort zone. Any support you can offer is incredibly appreciated!

middlehaitch

tackling your challenges with exercise is futile if you are not in a calorie deficit.

A calorie deficit is all that is needed for weight loss. If you have 20 lbs to lose put your stats into MFP to lose 0.5-1lbs a week, get a digital food scale, and learn how to log your intake as accurately as possible.

By all means exercise, it will help with health, fitness, and resculpting your body, but be sure to eat back exercise cals (that is how MFP works).

If you have had an exercise lay-off for a while, make sure you reintroduce it gradually to avoid injury.

Cheers, h.