New and looking for pointers on how to be successful

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  • Drdisney
    Drdisney Posts: 90 Member
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    When I started my journey I decided to turn my whole process on it's head and start for the completely opposite direction. Instead of starting a diet and some day exercising. I decided to give exercise a good honest try. I didn't worry about what I ate at all. Baby steps. I needed to learn how to exercise. No mamby pamby walking around the block. Real exercise. I research and got help. After 2 months of gradually increasing exercise I started to want to eat more healthy naturally. Dieting never made me want to exercise. I agree. Keep it simple. Just exercise.

    ^^^ this is exactly what I did!! I committed to an exercise routine (that was hard enough!) and when that became a habit (and it is - I got up at 5 so I could run this morning before the kids got up!) I started modifying my diet, a little at a time. I cut out sugar first since that was my downfall. Then breads, my other weak spot!

    This is so me. I Joined a gym and started exercising in July, 2 months later I was in the gym for about 2 hours a day 5 days a week. I felt so much better, more energetic, etc. Having started to see the benefits of healthy living, I eventually joined MFP, and started looking at my diet. Enlightening experience, wow was I amazed at how badly I was eating. Way to many carbs and calories. I have slowly been working on this. This really is empowering, I can decide what I want to eat, how much to exercise, and I can see the consequences of my decisions.

    Other things I have learned:

    Be realistic, It took me 52 years to get to where I am, I cant expect this to change in a few weeks or months. I am not perfectly happy with a 1 lb per week loss, as this seems to be a healthy and sustainable weight loss rate for me. This also is not too high of a goal, I know I can do this. Granted I am 6-1 and male so my target is 2060 calories per day. I really don't know how anyone can eat less than 1200 calories a day for an extended period. I applaud anyone who can, I just know I can't.

    Be consistent, I have heard that if you do the same thing for 90 days it becomes a habit. On some days I would have to make myself go to the gym, not it is just what I do 5-6 days a week. And on most days I look forward to it.

    Its progress, not perfection. I am looking at this as a lifelong approach. I realize I wont always do what I should, but I try to make more good choices than bad. And the longer I do this the more good choices I seem to make.

    The support on here is great, so make some MFP friends, they will definitely help keep you accountable. Open invite for any of you to friend me.

    I wish all of you the best of luck with reaching your goals.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=Sexypants


    Follow PROVEN success and let the information guide you. READ this and learn through trial and error, find what works for you.

    Good luck!

    READ THIS

    :bigsmile:
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=Sexypants

    Another vote for reading this.

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