So how do I get started?

Tknight540

Hey everyone! I'm new to the whole diet/exercising thing. My name is Tyffanie and I'm 21 5'5 and 247 pounds. I started my weight loss journey in January of this year and all together so far lost 28 pounds. I only did small changes like all I did was drink water, stop eating out so much, and eat way more veggies. Now my weight loss has completely stop I'm maintaining my weight. I've been researching the different diets and I've seen all of them had a lot of disadvantages with them. I've been doing low cal diet with 1600 calories a day. What diets have worked for everyone else? I really refuse to do the low carb diet. I love my carbs and I know I wont be able to stick with the diet.

My other problem I just finally got a gym membership. I always thought cardio=weight loss, but I've been reading through the post and seeing that weight training is what helps burn the fat. Right now my plan is doing 3 days a week of cardio and 2 days a week doing weight training. Is this the best way I should go about losing the fat I have or should I change my plan?

I'm really trying to get down to 150 pounds, or whenever I feel like I'm at the healthiest weight.. I am a big boned girl

Thank you everyone is advance for helping me!!

ElvenToad

I am new here and I would like to know as well

Dragonslayer183

Low-carb diets are just for people that can't digest carbs as well. It sounds like your doing fine, but you should up your intensity of your workouts and weigh your foods to make sure your not overestimating. Good luck!

4legsRbetterthan2

yes make sure you are weighing food and logging accurately, it seems like you should still be losing on 1600 so if you are not mostly likely that is the problem. No need to go low carb if you do not want to.

SillaWinchester

I'm going to start by saying what I know everyone else will say - don't think of it as a diet, think of it as a lifestyle change.

Good job drinking more water, eating out less and eating more veggies - definitely keep doing that!

I'd say your next step is to find a good workout (or a few good workouts if you get bored quickly like I do) and see where that gets you!

If you like dancing, Zumba is lovely! If you like workout videos, I'd suggest Jullian Michael's 30 Day Shred is a great one to get started with; if you want something advanced, Insanity is said to kick some butt. If you like low impact, blogilates on YouTube is wonderful! If you want to do things at your own pace, never forget that going on walks/jogs are very beneficial. Take advantage of your gym membership too! Maybe look into a personal trainer who can focus on your specific needs to help you get the most of your journey?

Start trying to be more precise when you measure your food to make sure you're eating all that you're able to eat in a day!

Also maybe spice up your menu? Think about what you eat and decide if you'd like to try something new!

There's also a ton of little tips you could adapt to that really help.. my personal favorite is ordering the dressing on the side when I go out to eat - saves a TON of calories that way! Drink a glass of water BEFORE every meal to help you feel full faster.

Don't overwhelm yourself, though! You've made lovely progress and don't you forget it!

Friend me if you'd like! I tend to be very motivational for other people, I just suck at following my own advice!

jennifries227

Definitely get a food scale. They're cheap. $15 on Amazon and about $20 at Target. Digital is best, and one that does multiple forms of measurements is ideal. Start weighing everything you eat because I'm willing to bet you're eating way more than you think you are. I don't mean that as an insult, most people are until they start weighing things out!

As for diets go, stick with the one MFP gives you: Low calorie. It works. You may have hit a plateau, in which case amp up your exercise to help get past it.

I'm no expert in exercise, so I'm going to leave that one for people who are. Or at least a little more knowledgeable than me. I just started doing cardio a month ago and I love it for the energy it gives me. I am planning on adding strength training in soon, though.

serindipte

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

And here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Tknight540

Thank you for all the advice! I've been keeping track with the app on my phone what I eat. (I splurged a lil the last 2 days) I'm a horrible emotional eater. On the exercise I joined Planet Fitness and so far I was going to do cardio on Saturday,Tuesday, Thursday, and weight training on Sunday and Wednesday. But then I read that weight training is more helpful to lose fat. So I was wondering if I should change it and do weight training more than cardio.

jennifries227

I'm going to warn you right now that the MFP database isn't always accurate. Check it against the nutrition label on the package or use http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list to look up things like meat and veggies. Sometimes the database is right, but not always.

HappinessFreedomForever

I just started as well. Going to stick to a 1200 calorie diet of healthy stuff (no more eating out) and a light 30 minute workout every day until my body gets used to it, then will increase the workout intensity.

David_AUS

Adding in small changes along the way is a great strategy. Look at your story so far it is great! You have lost some weight, you are not currently gaining it back and you have introduced some new habits, you are asking questions and adjusting what you do from what you learn which will help you continue to move towards your goal. Really this is great ..."insert happy dance here"...


Exercise:
Do you need to go to a gym and do weights for weight loss - no you don't but it is a strategy that can support this if you want to. Generally this program looks something like this:

Cardio 20-30mins - everyday you can manage - this could be jogging, swimming, cycling, brisk walking (I am not a fan of the elliptical things) - could you do this in a gym yes - could you do this somewhere else also yes (if you don't like jogging I am sure you can find a steep hill in a park or similar) (This gives you some weight loss / calorie deficient - it has other benefits to your system for cardiovascular etc.. as well and is important for weight loss and well being). You want to get your heart rate as high as "healthily possible" for your current fitness level and any medical considerations

Resistance training - there are many options / combinations. The traditional gym would start you on cable weights probably 3 to 5 bits of equipment or bodyweight type exercises(this really depends on your fitness level and what you want to do) for 3 sets of 12 reps - 40 - 50 minutes/ish (every other day). There are so many options it is finding something that works for you.

These exercises are aiming to help maintain / build muscle - muscle does not build in the gym - it builds in repair time (after the gym work) - if you are not exerting some kind of stress on your muscles then they have no reason to maintain / grow so it is important in a calorie deficit "diet" - here I use diet as a noun not a verb. Muscles help with base metabolism rate and energy for doing the things you love in life. I will send a friend request accept if you want to chat more...

FoxyLifter

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

And here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

^this

47Jacqueline

Don't try to lose fast. Learn about portion control. Weigh and measure your food so that you learn how much you are eating. Don't eat less than 1200 calories a day. My nutritionist made me raise my intake to 1500 calories. She said there was no sense in starving myself. It took me nine months to lose almost 30 pounds. I'm post menopausal. I do a combination of cardio and strength training. Cardio burns calories and strength training builds muscles. They work together to help you lose weight. I work out about five times a week, some days I take a lot of classes and some days I do just one. I found out that I like working in a group, not alone so weight training isn't for me. I do a combination of strength training classes and aerobics. I love Zumba and do kickboxing. I just started body pump, which is a strength training class using a bar with weights at each end - it's really rigorous.

I still weigh and measure on and off to keep myself honest. When I buy meat and fish, I have them cut what I'm buying into 4 oz portions. I buy chopped meat in one pound amounts and then divide it into four hamburgers to freeze.

Make friends on MFP. People are really helpful. Don't weigh yourself every day. I weigh myself every other week because I don't like to watch myself go up and down even if it's normal.

kmtbeaulieu

Sounds like you're on the right track. Carbs are fun! and as much as I love my veggies carbs fill me up longer. What's your sugar intake like? if you're at a plateau phase maybe you need another body shocker( your first body was probably when you changed your portion size) like lower sugar-refined foods

sbrownallison

MFP should guide you to the appropriate number of calories per day, based on your metrics. I echo any other posters here that it is SO important to have a food scale and WEIGH portions rather than use volume. I was underestimating peanut butter (obviously a very calorie-dense food) by half when I was measuring it by "tablespoons"; I now weigh it. I'd also caution you that most of us UNDERESTIMATE our portion sizes in general, so be aware. Weighing and measuring will help temper this tendency.

As to exercise, your idea to mix cardio and strength sounds fine. Cardio will burn fat, but strength training is vital too. Apart from any role exercise plays in weight-loss, it has so many other benefits for your health. I'd caution you that most of us OVERESTIMATE the caloric burn from exercise. We want to believe that we can eat a candy-bar and then "walk it off" in 15 minutes. NOT TRUE.

I'd suggest you try simple whole foods, rather than highly-processed ones (like the above-mentioned candy bar!). Simple whole foods are better for your body and will satisfy you more than the other type. Many people on MFP use "high-protein" bars as meal replacement or snacks and really love them and maybe are successful in taking the weight off. For me, I'd buy a box of these "healthy" bars, eat one, and find I was not satisfied; it's as if I didn't eat anything (then, sadly, I'd eat the remaining bars but that's just me). For me, an apple is much more satisfying.

Good for you in getting started on this. Let us know how you're doing.

Mello_Rello

Hello, my highest weight was 286. I started my weight loss journey alone. I would jog about 3-4 times each week, belly dance, and eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. I lost quite a few inches. I wouldn't recommend jogging until you drop more weight because you will kill yur knees.

I now work with a trainer. He has me on a program of 1750 cals per day, with 1500 mg of sodium, 39 gms f fat, 175 gms of carbs and 175 gms protein. Its a lot, and I eat a lot more often, but I'v dropped weight. ALso, he has me doing more full body exercises, planks, squats with overhead press, knee tucks, stair master, etc. Its hhhaaarrdddd, but it works

little_firebug

I'm new on here too but I got some really good advice from my friend once who is personal trainer and it works for me--he told me to do my weight training before I did my cardio because that way by the time I got to the cardio all my glycogen stores would be used up and my body would be ready to burn fat. Like I said, it works well for me (plus I'm too tired after cardio to want to hit the weights) but everyone is different Good luck--sounds like you're doing awesome so far!