Just getting started, already confused

rad3585
rad3585 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
OK...here it goes. I've been lurking for a while and desperately want to lose weight, but I just don't know where to start! I see so much conflicting information on this website (and others) so I don't know what I should be doing. Is a calorie a calorie? How many calories do I need to be eating lose weight? What should my macros be at? Should I cut out refined carbs? Eat "clean"? Follow TDEE -20? Do cardio? Strength-training? Should I eat back my exercise calories? I am just so confused, and I am now getting frustrated just thinking about starting this journey. I don't want to put my effort into something just to discover that it doesn't work. I just want a fool-proof way to take off the weight- that isn't asking too much, is it ;0). I'd appreciate any advice. Here is my info:
Female
28 yrs old
5'6''
180 lbs
Sedentary
Pescatarian

Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1144679-kiss

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1122891-9-reasons-fat-loss-is-always-slower-than-you-d-like

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1105036-article-on-flexible-dieting-by-armi-legge?page=1#posts-17068746
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Squats and deadlifts.
  • Sunitagt
    Sunitagt Posts: 486 Member
    Set your goals the way MFP tells you, maybe raise the protien and fiber targets, but just eat wheat MFP tells you and update your goals every month or so. I would stick with setting it to lose a pound a week. Everything else is just another way of getting there, so long as you're eating at a deficit (which MFP sets up for you) you'll be fine.
  • Bobbie8786
    Bobbie8786 Posts: 202 Member
    There is nothing to be confused about. Input your info into MFP and it gives you the calories you should eat. You log every bite you eat, you stop eating when you reach your calorie limit for the day. Throw in some exercise/strength training. Voila, weight loss. It doesn't matter what you eat or when you eat. There is no magical formula it's simple math.

    P.S. - do measure/weigh everything in order to be accurate.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    have you tried, i dunno, inputting your information into MFP and eating the calorie amounts it gives you? i'm no expert, but that might be a good place to start
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    have you tried, i dunno, inputting your information into MFP and eating the calorie amounts it gives you? i'm no expert, but that might be a good place to start

    That's not very supportive to the OP's lifestyle change. Shame on you.
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    Like the famous saying goes, you cannot improve what you don't measure. Start by using MFP daily food diary, and record everything you eat. And I mean everything. Then adjust your macros (carbs, protein and carbs) for what make sense for you - this may require a bit if experimentation on your part. Increase one macro while decreasing another, while staying iso-caloric. Then pay attention to your health characteristics (skin, sleep, energy levels, stomach discomfort, hunger pains, etc). As you experiment with your macros, notice how your health characteristics are changing (getting better, worse, no change?)

    Oh yeah, one more thing....EAT REAL FOOD. Minimize the processed stuff - food should look like the animal or plant origin it came from.

    My two cents...
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    My collection of some of the best starting advice I've seen: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/how-to-use-myfitnesspal-427993
  • rad3585
    rad3585 Posts: 7
    Thanks for the advice so far. I have already been entering my food and adhering to the goals that MFP gives me. However, that is just one more contradiction that I keep reading about on this site. MFP has me set at 1200 calories a day, and many say that is way too low. I have a food scale on my xmas list so I can start measuring my food more accurately, so hopefully that will help as well.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    If your ticker is accurate and you only have 10 pounds to lose, then you need to set MFP to lose .5 pound a week and go with those calories. It probably only gave you 1200 to eat because your goal is too aggressive and that's the lowest it will go.
  • rad3585
    rad3585 Posts: 7
    My ticker must not be correct (I didn't even know that I had a ticker...). I have about 40 to lose, ideally.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    My ticker must not be correct (I didn't even know that I had a ticker...). I have about 40 to lose, ideally.

    Set your goal to lose 1 lb a week and eat back at least some of your exercise calories. :smile:

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