new to mfp

Hi everyone,
I am new to mfp, just joined at the beginning of the week. Went from a pretty active job to a more sedentary job, and began to pack on the pounds. I have a goal to lose 20 pounds, but am planning on this slowly so that it sticks. It will most likely take me a about a year to lose the weight, as I am short and am planning on losing 0.5lb a week. I will only being weighing myself once a month. Weighing weekly gets me too focused on the scale.
For the first month, I am planning on just modifying my diet, and staying with my calorie limit.
After one month, I plan to start focusing on exercise and go from there.
My job schedule is kind of crazy, so I figure if I can get my nutrition under control, and then slowly add exercise etc, I will be able to stick with it.
In the past when I have lost weight I normally do everything in one go-start running again, strength training,nutrition, and then burn out after 4 months.
I am hoping someone else may have similar goals and we can keep each other accountable. Even though my work schedule is crazy, I plan to log everyday and my diary is open.

Replies

  • Roughgalaxy
    Roughgalaxy Posts: 219 Member
    You definitely have a solid starting strategy. I really like your approach since you know you have some serious time constraints. you are starting in the best place though. Fitness is a battle won in the kitchen far more than in the gym. If you like you are more than welcome to add me as a friend. if you have any questions or need any advice, feel free to ask.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    You are far more patient than I am. I would go for a pound a week, add running and rethink the weigh in schedule. For me I don't get all out of whack if I gain sometimes but I do get excited when I lose. I got my fit bit and Aria scale at about the same time around the first of the year, not New Years but Xmas and birthday. I weigh every morning after I wake. I like the feedback and really look for patterns as I change my diet and workout. It is also fun if you log everything to look at the graphs and pie charts on a weekly basis. I compare this with the weight tracking for the same week. Other than logging food it doesn't really take any time when the wifi scale logs it for you and over time you can go back to see what you weighed say last year at this time. I started losing before I came here and this place put me on turbo. I am at my target and have shifted into maintenance now. I also ran my first race last weekend, a half marathon. I am in a great place, feel great and the best part is I don't diet. It is totally a lifestyle change. You came to the right place!
  • AHealthyMe1lbAtATime
    AHealthyMe1lbAtATime Posts: 188 Member
    I agree... slow and steady wins the race... or that's what I keep trying to tell myself! Feel free to add me if you like!
  • LanaeCarol
    LanaeCarol Posts: 158 Member
    Your goal is more modest than mine but you are approaching it pretty much the same way I did. Kudos for catching it before the weight gets really bad. I am sending you a FR.
  • ninav1980
    ninav1980 Posts: 514 Member
    Hi everyone,
    I am new to mfp, just joined at the beginning of the week. Went from a pretty active job to a more sedentary job, and began to pack on the pounds. I have a goal to lose 20 pounds, but am planning on this slowly so that it sticks. It will most likely take me a about a year to lose the weight, as I am short and am planning on losing 0.5lb a week. I will only being weighing myself once a month. Weighing weekly gets me too focused on the scale.
    For the first month, I am planning on just modifying my diet, and staying with my calorie limit.
    After one month, I plan to start focusing on exercise and go from there.
    My job schedule is kind of crazy, so I figure if I can get my nutrition under control, and then slowly add exercise etc, I will be able to stick with it.
    In the past when I have lost weight I normally do everything in one go-start running again, strength training,nutrition, and then burn out after 4 months.
    I am hoping someone else may have similar goals and we can keep each other accountable. Even though my work schedule is crazy, I plan to log everyday and my diary is open.

    This is pretty similiar to my plan. I am in no rush to lose the weight. I only want to lose about 20 lbs total. Started in Jan and have lost 10 lbs up until now. My next small goal is another 5 lbs by June 30 (vacation time) Then continue on when I get back losing another 5 or more by the end of the year. I dont want to go so overboard that I quit. Slow and steady wins the race. I am 5'1, so I also set my goals at .5 a week. While it would be awesome to lose faster, I dont want to get frustrated when it doesnt happen. My diary is open, I eat 1200 cals when I dont work out and a little over 1400 when I do.... it seems to be working for me :) 10 lbs and a size down in my pants. Ill take it!

    Adding you now!