So you're new here...

verptwerp

thank you, thank you, thank you !

(btw, not liking Twinkies much, can I substitute with DingDongs )

Happymelz

Yes! Thank you!

gypsy_spirit

Applause for trog.

sloth3toes

Needs your gif in the thread

AmandaLY17

New here so please do not jump at my throat.
Are you saying that 1200 is too low?

Not what he said. Read the rest and follow instructions. Great solid advice in there. Woulda saved me a lot of heart (well belly) ache in the past.

Beet_Girl

The part about them being dizzy, tired, and not losing weight-how could they not be losing weight on 1200 a day??

shortnsweetbb

Loving this and saving for later!!

RecklezzBeauty

I've spammed this in hundreds of threads... I figured it was about time to give this info a permanent home.

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

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

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

thank you for your never ending support and this guide to help us new people!

IRISHCHRIS58

Thank you

shanaber

This is great - wish I'd had it a long time ago :happy:

Mistyvs

EXTREMELY!! Helpful! Thank you!!! And thank you to AlwaysinMotion who sent me here!

argonzalez4

thankz

thejoergers

This actually make me a little more confident that im doing this right now lol

lozeliz

:flowerforyou:

40DayFit

Finally. First Contact.

KimberDG9966

In for Twinkie-flavored vodka

UtahWI

Saving for reminders ;-)

Karababy51

Thank you for all the great advice. I'm not really a newbie, been here since last September, but I'm still open to learning new things every day and wanted to send my appreciation. I especially love and admire the way you presented the information as a forum veteran in a no nonsense, but still respectful manner without resorting to being snarky and sanctimonious. You Sir, are a class act. Bravo! :flowerforyou:

graceire

Wouldn't it be nice if this settled it all FOREVER? Thank you! :glasses:

What?! No, that would be terrible! All my selfish entertainment from those threads gone forever?

Eh, would never happen anyway...:ohwell:

raggiemom

bump