could really use some assistance.......

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kiiierstynn
kiiierstynn Posts: 1
in Getting Started
I'm new here. I'm a 21 year old mother and I have just decided that I am ready to get rid of the fat that my birth control has put on me! My only problem is, I have absolutely no idea where to start. I'm absolutely clueless when it comes to the food. I know I have to cut my calorie intake so I already know how many calories I can have. I just don't know where to look for recipes or how many times daily to eat or how much to work out or anything. If someone could help me with this problem, I would be forever grateful. My goal is 60-70 lbs by June of next year... Please help me.

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  • skittlesnhoney
    skittlesnhoney Posts: 651 Member
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    You need a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a lb. a week. I wouldn't try and lose more than that. Anywhere from .5 lb to a lb is a good steady rate to lose. It really doesn't matter when you eat or how many meals. Do what works best for you. Follow an 80/20 approach, where 80% of your food comes from nutrient dense foods like fruits, veggies, lean cuts of meat, whole grains and dairy. Give yourself 20% of something that might be considered "bad". I'm learning that there aren't any bad foods, if eaten in moderation, and that if you allow yourself some of those things, you are more likely to stick with your eating habits for the long haul.

    Good luck!
  • live68
    live68 Posts: 9
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    That's great advice! I'm gonna use it! Lol
  • walmartbike
    walmartbike Posts: 1
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    What has been working for me is keeping a food log like on this website and eating no more than 20g of fat a day. I still have to watch my carbs and sugar intake, but doing that has made me think twice about eating mcdonalds or Wendy's which I did a lot of without realizing how much fat a normal sized meal contained. Also read food labels on everything, it will shock you how much fat innocent looking food contains. Also eating lots of Vegis, fruits and legumes, and drinking lots of water at least 2L a day. Also be very forgiving to yourself and just keep getting up when you fall. All the best.
  • svandever101585
    svandever101585 Posts: 188 Member
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    I sent you a message with some info in it that should help you out some. Congrats on making the decision to live a healthier life style and loss weight.
  • VCopple
    VCopple Posts: 56 Member
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    Well, you are already off to a good start. You joined MFP. My advice is to log EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth. Butter you add to your toast, juice if you drink it, etc. It may seem like those are insignificant calories, but they add up. Also, buy a food scale. We don't always know what an ounce of something looks like, and so it helps to know how much of something you are eating. Next tip: find somebody local to do this with you. I was told about MFP from a coworker, and now there are six of us who use it. We keep each other motivated because we can see if someone hasn't been logging their food or exercise. Accountability helps a great deal.
  • srmchan
    srmchan Posts: 206 Member
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    My advice is to log EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth. Butter you add to your toast, juice if you drink it, etc. It may seem like those are insignificant calories, but they add up. Also, buy a food scale. ... Accountability helps a great deal.

    This... HONEST logging of food and accountability goes a long way. And I'll add planning. Every Saturday or Sunday, I plan my meals for the week, put together a grocery list and I order groceries online for pickup in order to avoid impulse food purchases. I tend to maximize leftovers. For example, I'll get 3 meals out of the standing rib roast I cooked for Easter - 2 nights of prime rib steaks and one night of roast beef sandwiches - with a different veggie each night.

    Sometimes life happens and I'm too tired to cook or don't feel like eating what I planned. I keep a few easy meals in the freezer like frozen veggies that can be steamed or a chicken pot pie, and I'm flexible on my meal plan by switching up some nights depending on how my day is going.

    Best wishes. Sent you a FR in case you'd like to see what I'm cooking. :-)

    Sam
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    I sent you a message with some info in it that should help you out some. Congrats on making the decision to live a healthier life style and loss weight.

    OP You can do this without buying anything from beachbody, and somebody who would really want to help you could do so without send you a private message.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Honestly, it all starts with logging everything accurately, so I would start with buying a digital food scale. After that you can add in some light cardio and some weight training, and if you don't like weight training that's fine too. Just remember to eat back at least half of the exercise calories you are burning, because MFP doesn't add those into what you can eat every day.
  • br0906
    br0906 Posts: 8 Member
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    My favorite sites for lower calorie/lower fat recipes are skinnytaste.com and emilybites.com Both are geared towards weight watchers, but I have found some really yummy recipes on both that have helped me stay within my daily goals without giving up some of my favorites. All of the recipes have the nutrition and portion sizes, but unless I am using the exact ingredients that they have listed (sometimes they use FF sour cream, I use light), I go ahead and enter everything into the recipe creator. Good luck!

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