Support/Accountability Large Goal

shelsalazar

Hi my name is Rochelle.

I've had this app for a while but never fully utilized it before . I have a weight loss goal of 200 lb. And honestly I have no idea where to start.

I've talked to a doctor and they are helping me set up a meal plan and exercises to start with. However they recommend having a support group to help keep accountability.

Unfortunately my weight has always help me back in because of poor self-image I tend to be self isolating. 😅 So I figured to reach out to people on this app and if you would be interested in helping me keep accountable or just willing to give any helpful hints I would be more than appreciative towards it.❤

xxghost

I could have written this myself! We’re in the same boat! Let’s support each other.

LeeH31

@shelsalazar congratulations for taking that first step, and getting your doctor on board. Now, the part you need to figure out is: What do I need to help me stay the course?

In other words, you ask for help in keeping you accountable. What kind of help would work for you? Do you need someone that is:

1. your "drill sergeant" that pushes you every day to work your plan, scrutinizes every entry you make?
2. your bff that holds your hand, pats you on the back, says "there, there" when you are pitying yourself?
3. your partner that commends you when you do your plan, tells you when you messed up, and smacks you upside the head when you whine?

Number 1 & 3 you can actually succeed with if YOU are ready to dedicate to this. This is not a "diet" it is a lifelong lifestyle change. These can also TEACH you how to make lasting changes. 1 is hardcore tough love, 3 not so bossy

Number 2 will not help you at all. They are enablers that will tell you it is okay, that you can "cheat" as much as you want, that any occasion is a reason to overeat, skip the exercise, forget logging. They are the ones that have failed themselves and want that same pity and a pat from you.

Choose your support wisely, grasshopper!

(bet you can't tell which kind I am!)

callsitlikeiseeit

The key in losing weight, and take this from someone who has lost over 192 pounds, is to make small, SUSTAINABLE changes. this is a long term effort. not a sprint. you will not lose weight fast. you will not lose weight every week. you will have weeks on end with NO weight loss. its normal. trust the process.

my main tips:

learn how to weigh (on a food scale) your food properly and find ACCURATE database entries now. I don't know what your starting weight is, but at first you may have a lot of room for error. but as you have less to lose, you don't. If you learn how to do things properly from the beginning, it means you don' have to RE-LEARN how to do it later.

Find an activity you ENJOY. You don't have to be a runner (ew). You don't have to work out at all to lose weight (weight loss happens in the kitchen). BUT... physical activity does have a LOT of benefits. Both mental and physical. It can be as simple as a leisurely stroll a few times a week. And as you lose weight, you may find (I did), that you WANT to do more. Simple, little things like parking a bit further out in parking lots. Taking stairs instead of elevators. walking to your mailbox instead of pulling up to it in your car as you are pulling in your driveway. Small things. Every bit counts.

Understand that you do not have to give up your favorite foods or any food groups to lose weight. You DO need to learn how MUCH you can eat. Portion control. This goes back to my first point. For the most part, I eat the same things I always have. Just less of them. I eat burgers and pizza and chips and cookies. Just ... not all in the same day well, I might could get away with it if I planned it out REALLY well. And stuck to the plan with NO deviation. Maybe. LOL

You will have 'bad' days. Whether its a holiday or just a ... bad day. Life happens. you will go over. It is NOT the end of the world. You will not ruin your deficit with one bad day. The problems come in when that one bad day becomes two, becomes 3, becomes a week, and goes on....

You've got this. Take it one day at a time, and each day, try to do a little bit better. Don't try to do everything all at once. Don't try to make 1000 changes all at once. Most people who burn out, do so because they try to do too much, too soon. start small. build from there. You did not gain the weight quickly. You will not lose it quickly. Better to lose it slowly, and KEEP IT OFF, then lose it quick, and gain it all back and more!

I've been at this a long time. It becomes a part of your life, and like any other habit, you don't think about it much, really. Your eating habits slowly change. You weigh and log your food. Your activity levels (usually) change, at least to some degree. You become more mindful of what you are putting in your shopping cart and body. My one (or two) words of caution is to make these changes slowly. Most people who go 'All in' head first and full steam, burn out quick. Your first couple of weeks, maybe even first month, most people will lose a fair amount fairly quickly, but most of it is water weight (usually from a reduction in carbs). It does slow down, as your body adjusts. It's normal, and is SUPPOSED to happen, so don't get discouraged. Also, don't set your calories too low. The fastest rate of loss (1200 for women and 1500 for men) is not the best rate of loss. Although very tempting to set it to lose faster, it will make it harder for you to maintain and stick to your calorie goals because you will be ... well, hungry. Be kind to yourself, give yourself a few more calories, and you will still lose weight and be less likely to deviate from your plan and therefore more likely to succeed.

Useful Links
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1

and basically ... all of these

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-health-fitness-and-diet-must-reads#latest

GatorHfx

I lost 300 lbs and the person aboves advice is spot on. Ive since lapsed a bit and gained some back but im back on the MFP grind again.

Dont fool yourself into thinking you cant do it because you are "big boned" "hypothroid" "cant move" etc.

Im 6'3 and weighed 534lbs when i started, bad arthritis in both knees and had a total thyroidectomy in 2011.

Like above..... get a scale, weigh and track everything you eat and dont fudge...you are only fooling yourself.

Condiments like peanut butter, mayonaise and ketchup etc are awful for hidden calories.

I lost weight while still eating big macs and subway. I just counted the calories.

Foods i avoided because they were high in calories (not worth the temporary high) and hard to calculate properly were things like.

Pizza
Donairs/gyros etc
Chips (the devil!!)
Sweets
Ice cream

If you eat at restaurants..... that will be a huge source of hidden calories and should be avoided or choose carefully.

Biggest thing they touched on...... you will be HUNGRY!!!! I put myself on a 1600 cal a day limit and lost 180lbs in 6 months. But i literally felt like i was starving in the evenings especially.

You have to take that feeling of hunger.... and turn it into a positive. If you are hungry, your body is consuming itself.....feed on that feeling as motivation to keep going. If you are feeling satisfied or full, your body isnt losing.

Oh interesting side note maybe others noticed. When my body was in the process of losing weight, my belly fat/skin would get super soft and squishy....and when i wassnt losing or plateauing...it was firmer.

Good luck, feel free to add me as i will be working on losing my covid weight too.