Ack! Overwhelmed and need beginner advice.

bbontheb

I have so many questions but am a tad overwhelmed in sorting through all this. I've never counted calories (obviously...) and it's so new, and I have ADHD so I have a hard time with executive functions (planning, organizing, compartmentalizing info, prep, initiation, etc etc). I'm trying not to be all scattered but I feel a bit all over the place.

I don't know how to determine my goal weight. I am 5'2ish, and up to 180 lbs. I am very large for my size. I was always fairly thin up until medications/depression/birth of my first son. I was about 105-120 before my son was born in '06. Do I record all my sizes to keep track of? I want to, I think...to look back and feel like I've accomplished something. I'm very visual so is there anything else I should do when recording my first things?

I want to get a kitchen scale asap. I think I might need a heart rate monitor and/or pedometer. I do not exercise yet altough today I did some low impact stuff from a video for 30 minutes for the first time in....ever. I feel good about that but gave up once the leg stuff was starting. Maybe I will tackle that later

Now, my calorie thing set by MFP with no exercise as my life is right now is 1360. I eat pretty well up until dinner then I'm starving like mad. I wonder if it would help to eat more in the morning? Do people plan out their food and snacks ahead of time?

Curious to hear what I should do to start, what tools I should have to help me, and how to relax and focus when you feel overwhelmed. Any tips or ideas would be great

itsCheek

Planning your meals ahead of time is the best thing you can do!

Sunday should be your prep day...Tupperware will be your new BFF...something you can fridge or freeze down for the week (it's also much less expensive than making new meals everyday) and pop in the microwave and you're all set. I do it for myself (I'm a vegetarian) and for my BF - since you're probably not a vegetarian, an easy lunch for the week would be a serving of brown rice, shredded chicken, and some veggies, and whatever you wanna do to sauce it up. I put Monday & Tuesdays in the fridge and the rest in the freezer, and pull it out the night before to defrost in the fridge. PREP PREP PREP!

I pretty much stick to the same breakfast and lunch all week, and then switch up my dinner each day to help keep me on track.

Anyway, just my little piece of advice! MFP has been so helpful for me! I love the barcode scanner. Feel free to add me as a friend!

Jaimie6171

Agreed!! Prep will become your new best friend!!! I don't usually prep complete meals, but make things I can change so I don't get complete bored! LIke I will cook a bunch a chicken breasts so I can make tacos, or a sandwich or throw some in a salad!

Weighing everything is the best way to measure your food! It takes a bit longer, but once you get the hang of it cooking will become super quick!

It is not an easy change but it is SO worth it!!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you want someone for suggestions along the way! Having supportive friends makes a world of difference!!

alaynavee

I wil say too that planning makes a world of difference. I know for myself that I get bored easily with the same food, so I switch things up a lot - I couldn't image eating the same chicken, rice and vegetables for lunch day after day. That's what 's cool about this program, you can do what you like and still make it work, it's so flexible. I would recommend that you eat three small meals and three small snacks (70-80 calories) through the day to stave off blood sugar dips that make some people , like me, ravenous by dinner. That would be my biggest tip! And read the forums to get lots of advice and help along the way. Feel free to add me too, I love to give and get support!

alaynavee

Oh! And as far as goal weight, just put the first number that pops in your head for where you like to be....you can always change that later

RinnyLush

I agree - the more prepared you are the better! And I also find that eating a good breakfast sets me up for a fulfilling day. My boyfriend and I spend a couple of hours every Sunday getting groceries, planning meals and snacks, and making a stack of breakfast wraps to keep in the fridge. Every morning we just throw 2 of them on the GF grill and we've got an easy, quick, nutritious breakfast! Whatever we make for dinner during the week we double as well so that we have healthy leftovers for lunch the next day. We've both discovered that we love to cook, so we make all of our own meals. The freezer (and tupperware) will certainly help with your planning!

I've been at it now for just over 2 months and am down about 23 lbs. Best of luck to you!

Morgaath

Goal weight: You said you are 180ish, used to be 120ish, so make the big goal 120, for a total of 60lbs lost. That is huge, so set yourself smaller goals, like lose 6lbs, as that is 10% of you big goal. So...180-174-168-162-156-150 (Halfway there!) - 144-138-132-126-120 (BINGO!)... 6lbs? You can lose 6lbs, easy, right?

I plan my meals...kind of. Basically I have about 4 different things I eat for breakfast-lunch, over and over, that are all low cal, basically 350 cals per. Things like 2 packages of instant oatmeal for breakfast. Means I don't have to think. Also means I can eat more for dinner.

Workout, and be sure and eat back your calories. MFP is built to have you eat at a deficit. I am guessing yours is -1000 cal per day. So, go out for a walk around the block, or a mall, or something, maybe do some workouts you can find on Youtube. Track it, and eat it back.

Veggies: Veggies are your friend. they fill the tummy, and don't have lots of cals. But watch the sauces and dressings. 2 teaspoons of Ranch has more cals in it than the 2 cups of salad you put it on.

brraanndi

What's your weekly goal? Did you set it to lose 2 lbs a week? If so change that to something lower so you can adjust to less calories slowly. There is nothing wrong with losing 1.5, 1 or even .5 lbs a week, it's all progress.

guroprincess

It sounds like you're trying to take on a million things at once. This is a recipe for failure. My advice is to try new one thing every couple of weeks and make them all a habit. For example, just focus on logging your calories for a week or two, regardless of whether you hit your goal or not. Then the next few weeks, try hitting your goal. Then add in a little cardio, then ramp up the cardio and maybe add strength later.

KingRat79

I find planning your meals through the day and splitting your calories equally between breakfast, lunch, dinner and snakes, makes life easier. It means you don’t get to the end of the day and realise that you have eaten too many or too few calories. It also means that you have no part of the day when you’re starving.

As you get more used how much food equals how many calories it because easier to do. If you are cooking for yourself regularly you quickly get used to what portion size equates to how many calories. I find the easiest way to think about things, is to weigh your food out in multiples of 25gs it make life easier when you are remembering what you have eaten and it also helps to understand portion size and how many calories are in particular foods.

itsCheek

...splitting your calories equally between breakfast, lunch, dinner and snakes, makes life easier...

SNAKES?!?!?!?!? AGHHHH!!!!! :laugh:

soehlerking

I can't believe nobody had told you about the snakes before.