starting out. baby steps. is this enough?

heidi23lynn

Hello
When yoyu first started out what was the first things you did?
Did you jump right in and go balls to the walls?
Take baby steps?
Just increase water?
get more steps in?

Im very overwhelemed on where to start. I am trying to cut out soda and drink more water, but then I feel like this isn't a big enough change. As then if I over eat my calories I feel defeated.
Any tips are appreciated. I know I wont lose the weight over night. But I need help staying encoughed.

The_Elephant_Man

I switched from sweet tea to unsweetened tea as I was drinking a gallon at each meal, started making small changes and then over time keep making changes little by little. I try to stay under my calories each day and weighing my food has been a big eye opener.

janejellyroll

I began with taking a fifteen minute walk every day, logging everything that I ate (even if I wasn't quite sure how to log it), and eating five servings of vegetables every day. Some days I did more than this, but that was my baseline because I was starting from a place of feeling very overwhelmed.

I think I spent about a month just getting very comfortable with those habits. Then I began moving more and having the goal of hitting my calorie goal the majority of the time. Since I was already comfortable with how to log, it felt easier to shoot for a specific target at that point. And because I was already eating lots of vegetables, it felt easier to meet my calorie goal (because for me, vegetables are very filling -- you may have a different experience).

IMO, there's no such thing as a change that is "too little." Even if a change isn't big enough to result in weight loss, if it makes you feel better or teaches you something or gets you motivated to try bigger goals in the future, that is worthwhile.

If I try to do only BIG THINGS, I wind up never doing anything that all. When I do a bunch of "little things," not only do the little things make a difference collectively, they also give me the courage to try some of the big things I was previously too scared to ever contemplate.

I started out walking fifteen minutes a day, now I run marathons. I promise you, if I had told myself I had to run a marathon in 2015, I wouldn't even have had the guts to walk fifteen minutes.

Some people are motivated by really big goals and those people should make them and I wish them the best. But I do best tackling big problems by starting with little changes.

Cutting out soda and drinking more water sounds like it could be a good goal. Many people find that they drink enough in caloric beverages to make a difference in their weight (I know this was true for me - I drank SO MUCH juice!). And the absolute worst thing that can happen is that you try it and decide that you'd rather go after another goal. So you'll have learned something and that is still worthwhile.

steveko89

I started by logging what I was currently eating to see where my intake stood. It was pretty easily apparent where I could easily make some sustainable swaps and/or changes to portions that would get me started in the right direction. Generally, try to keep to one variable at a time and focus on accumulating sustainable process changes rather than jumping right into the deep end. That's the approach I used to lose about 25 lbs when I first started using the site in 2012. Since that initial loss (in less than a year on the platform). I've also been successful in maintaining that loss and improving my body composition once I incorporated consistent resistance training and currently sit about 15 lbs heavier than my absolute lowest weight but significantly leaner and stronger.

Lietchi

My approach was:
Step 1: log everything I eat
Step 2: stay within my calorie goal (choosing a modest weight loss rate!)
Step 3: increasing my activity level, first and foremost by walking more (allowing me to eat more)
Step 4: being more attentive to what I eat - more satiating foods, easy lower calorie substitutions and increasing my protein intake to at least 100gr per day
Step 5: upping the exercise - more challenging exercise than walking

I've never really consumed a lot of soda, but cutting it out seems like a significant step if you're drinking a lot of it. You're reducing your sugar consumption and also cutting out 'empty' calories. A very good basis to improve your health.

1poundatax

I started with baby steps in early spring. I watched what I ate, but didn't log. I started to exercise using videos and pushing myself. I began to meal plan. In June I recorded my weight. In early August I started logging EVERYTHING I ate. Since I started months ago I have lost 20 pounds with the bulk of the loss coming after I started logging and trying to eat 1200-1450 calories per day. I could have done everything at once but I know from past experience that is not sustainable for me. I still make tweaks and changes, for example I am having a cup of herbal tea rather than a food snack in the afternoon now. It is about finding what works for you, making tweaks, and not giving up no matter what.

gewel321

Every journey begins with a first step and all that stuff.
Really I just decided to start tracking my food. That's all I did. Looked at how much i was consuming and modify it to be under my calories. I didn't change what I was eating (that's a great way to fail for me) I just ate less of it. I did cut out all soda cause that was like 2000 calories a day that I was wasting but there are times when I want a soda and I will make it fit in my calories. I do exercise now but it was almost 10 months of calorie counting before I started that.

Dogmom1978

I decided to start tracking what I was eating first

And then was like “OMG I EAT HOW MANY CALORIES?!?!” And then started decreasing those calories slowly. After about a month or so, I started going to the gym again for my health and eating at a deficit where I would lose 1 lb a week. Down over 30 lbs so far with about 35ish left to goal.

Maggiesanvicto

I started small. I wanted to be successful this time so I wanted to see what habits were keeping the weight on. I stared by tracking everything I ate for 2 weeks. Then I looked for places where I could make adjustments. Healthy food swaps,getting my steps in extra.

Then I bought a food scale and saw how inaccurate my eyeballing and “cup” measures were. This was a game changer for me.

After a month I started to work out. Just once a week at first and now I’m up to 4-5 per week.


Every other time I tried to lose weight I put a time limit on myself and wanted it to happen really fast. I would go really hard for a month or two and then start to feel depressed and burnt out. Then I would start eating poorly again and tell myself I’ll try again next month and end up putting on more weight.

So for me it’s slow and steady wins the race. It’s the only time I’ve seen real success.

AliNouveau

One step at a time. It's plain and simple. Setting small attainable goals will encourage you to keep going too.

When I started here I was training for something so I worked out a lot and logged everything that went into my mouth. It works!

AndreaTamira

This time I started by just trying to be a bit more fit. So, going for a walk most days, going to the gym... those sorts of things. That was a thing I did for about 6 months without anything else.

Then I started eating just a bit healthier. Less (but not no... not at all) processed stuff, oatmeal for breakfast, cutting out a lot (but not all) sugar. - That was another 3 months.

Then I went to a health coach for some tips. She had the idea of starting a food diary, not with calories attached, but just to get a better idea of what I am eating and to be more mindful of it. She also wanted me to slow down when eating. - About 1 month. 4 meetings, I think.

After this I decided calorie counting would be better for me than just "getting a feel for what I am eating" and re-registerdd at MFP. - I kept up with the slower eating, but discarded advice of cutting down on drinking my calories (soy latte), as I realised I can fit them into my calorie goals quite easily. - That has been the last 3 months and a bit.

That's where I am so far. There are definitely more improvements I can bake, but I'll make them when I am ready.

---

Last time my first step was simply switching to no sugar soft drinks. Nothing more. I lost about 10 kg with that change alone (I was pretty heavy), and that kinda kick started my motivation to get going. While I later fell of the wagon I I never gained back those first 10 kg of the second 10 I lost through other small changes I stuck to, so that was improvement.

So, hey, in my opinion cutting out sugary soft drinks is a great first step.

yirara

Like others I really started to log meticulously. Because I'd done estimates before and knew I was only eating 1400 calories per day. And still gaining weight. And at another time I was working out like crazy and eating an extra slice of black grainy bread because it's so healthy, and still didn't lose weight. So I wanted to know how many calories my body really needs.

sijomial

When you first started out what was the first things you did?
I sat down and had a really serious think:
What were my goals?
How could I make the process as easy as possible?
What tools would be useful?
How can I maximise my good attributes to make success more likely?
How can I minimise the impact of my bad attributes?
What lessons could I learn from previous attempts?

And then I made a plan - just like planning a project.

Did you jump right in and go balls to the walls?
Once I had my plan I immediately executed my plan.

Take baby steps?
No. (Being goal oriented is one of my good attributes. Remember this is me and my plan, not you and your plan, know yourself.....)

Just increase water?
No because that would be pointless for me. (No issues with my hydration and drinking more water than required doesn't cause weight loss.)

Get more steps in?
Sort of. I was working an office job at the time and was already trying to keep my general movement up. I already had two gym memberships (work and home). Did make a conscious decision that "human-powered" transport would always be considered as my first option.

charmmeth

I started (not on mfp) with a website that offered recipe suggestions for people aiming to lose weight. I didn't get on very well with that as I like my cooking to be a bit more creative, but it was an eye opener on portion sizes, and how ours were just way too big. So my first step was thinking about portion sizes. I lost about 8kg (to ca. 80kg which for me is the top of normal range bmi) just doing that in the winter of 2011-12, but gradually put it back on again. By autumn 2014, I was 85kg and the GP practice nurse said she thought I should do someting about this. I started swimming regularly and joined mfp, and started tracking food and really watching calories. I had lost to 75kg, by February 2015, and maintained at about that weight for around two years. Since then I have put it back on again, and this time I went straight to tracking using mfp and making sure I developed a good exercise routine. Nearly back to my goal of 75kg now.

1pandabear

Heidi it's a big enough change! It's excellent. True change takes time, by definition. Let yourself settle in to the new habits and definitely give yourself deserved credit for them. Even if you have a slip from your goal behavior now-and-then, acknowledge your progress, note the situations that accompanied the slip, be proud of yourself for noticing the slip and boldly resume habits toward your goal behavior. It's worth enjoying the journey, the joy is part of it.

LGS_RFS

I started by logging calories which turned into Macro. After about a week I started hitting the gym hard again just before lunch. Its been about 2 months now and has become a habit during the week. Weekends tend to be active rest days since I spend most of it chasing after a 2 year old around the house or park

rheddmobile

Before even reading your post, I thought, “It probably isn’t enough, but it is enough for right now.”

If you were holding steady while drinking several hundred calories of soda a day, then swapping to water, assuming you don’t instinctively replace those calories with different calories, can easily put you in a deficit. Keep tracking so you don’t allow yourself to eat those replacement calories, but don’t freak out if you mess up. You are learning, and whatever you do today is going to lead to a better result in the long term.

I went balls to the wall myself. I had a health crisis and balls to the wall is what works for me. Do what works for you.

rheddmobile

Maggiesanvicto wrote: »

I started small. I wanted to be successful this time so I wanted to see what habits were keeping the weight on. I stared by tracking everything I ate for 2 weeks. Then I looked for places where I could make adjustments. Healthy food swaps,getting my steps in extra.

Then I bought a food scale and saw how inaccurate my eyeballing and “cup” measures were. This was a game changer for me.

After a month I started to work out. Just once a week at first and now I’m up to 4-5 per week.


Every other time I tried to lose weight I put a time limit on myself and wanted it to happen really fast. I would go really hard for a month or two and then start to feel depressed and burnt out. Then I would start eating poorly again and tell myself I’ll try again next month and end up putting on more weight.

So for me it’s slow and steady wins the race. It’s the only time I’ve seen real success.

What you did this time - tracking for two weeks before making any changes - is something I often suggest to new people who feel lost about where to start. It sounds like you are doing great, best of luck to you!

Luvmetheweighiam

Did anyone lose weight just by tracking alone before exercise was incorporated

charmmeth

vshunter wrote: »

Did anyone lose weight just by tracking alone before exercise was incorporated

If you read through the forums you will find lots of people for whom the answer to this is yes. It is for me to some extent, in that I lost my first ca. 7kg several years ago by adjusting my diet. Having said that, I was a bit active anyway because I was walking 20 minutes on my way to work and another 20 minutes on my way back.

bebeisfit

I'm 59 and have done it several ways. In my 20's and early 30's I could drop 2 or 3 sizes in a few months by cutting way back on food and working out super hard. Guess what? I gained it back every single time.

I gave up and gained more weight, then right before my 40th bday, I decided to take small steps.

I worked on the 5th floor so initially I took the elevator up to 3 or 4 then walked up to 5. I added more and more steps. Joined a gym and went for a short workout 5 times a week. I cut back but didn't eliminate any foods. I packed my luch in a cooler.

I found that consistency was the key. For me working out at a reasonable level 5 times a week was more beneficial than than 2 or 3 days of intense workouts.

After a couple of years I started running. Slowly but I did enjoy it and even did a couple of half marathons.

I maintained an 80lb liss for several years.

I've struggled a bit more in the last few years and am about 15 pounds heavier than my ideal weight but am working on eliminating excuses and going back to those small steps. I can't run but I bike and strength train.

One key point I learned is that there is no end..it may become easier to maintain..however you can't go back to the old ways.

And ine last thing..you may have days of great motivation and others that you want to toss in the towel. Just start again the next meal or next day.

Consistent small changes will yield big reaults.

Good luck! We are rooting for you!