What was the 1st thing you changed?

SeptemberLondon

Beer. :sad:

zebandersson

Was my attitude. .. I feel people fail to realize how important it is to stay positive ..dont be afraid to be proud of yourself and to giveyourself a pat on the back!

I second that!

zebandersson

Beer. :sad:

Haha, it's hard isn't it? Just the beer itself contained so many extra calories but with the beer came fatty foods and snacks too! The moment I quit drinking I also started eating healthier and exercising! Win win!

gymratkel1

good morning. the 1st thing i changed was being very cognizant of what i ate, when and what all went into it. for me, personally, it helped..to really be strict and keep track of it all... and portion control. sounds crazy but i will measure my food..I KNOW..but it works for me. best of luck to you. have a great day.

McMandy17

I have slowly been eliminating over processed foods and feel 100 times better for it!

leggup

I bought a food scale.

Wookinpanub

Cut out sweets. I was having sweets 2-3 times a day. I still have a cheat on the weekend every now and again.

my_chrystal82

First thing I changed-sugar intake. Cut out pop and changed the way I took my coffee.

After that, I stopped buying premade foods.

alighterday

Removed myself from denial. When I got out, I was shocked. Then I went to work

DisneyAddictRW

The first thing I changed when I started this process was believing I could do what I put my mind to. I changed my negative comments with positive ones. If I don't believe I won't achieve my goals.

MyChocolateDiet

my underwear

louisefranks

There wasn't just one thing. I was told I was probably diabetic...panicked....kicked the carbs and started swimming 5 days a week LOL

jeanlake

Learned my stats -- bmr, etc. Do not exceed basil metabolism rate numbers. Found a program that helped me get started - 5:2 plan worked well for me. Faithful to exercise program. Accountable to one person to whom I share my progress or challenges with. Double-check my numbers with myfitnesspal. Set generous, reasonable goals. Avoid quick-loss gimmicks, as friends try to persuade me to get on expensive programs requiring no exercise. Weigh in every 2 weeks -- because that works for me. Drink plenty of water. Don't eat late at night.

mizroxy13

I evaluated my relationship to food and then learned how to eat mindfully and with discipline...something I never learned as a child. I've always eaten pretty healthy, but was eating the wrong portion sizes and not taking time and proper bites when eating. So, I measure everything and take my time. It's helped me really hone in on how much I'm eating, and that alone has started the process. Now it's macros and workouts!

pander101

Exercise. I'm still struggling with food, but I exercise a lot more. That's the easy part for me.

Bellodesiderare

Substituted fried foods for grilled or baked and started using less condiments.

hbgirl85

I started thinking about food as fuel for my body and being mindful of what I was putting into my body.

srd_23

I started excercising before I started dieting. I like to eat! So it was easier to start with an excercise routine, and then ease into a healthier diet.

amrluvarr

I weighed/measured and counted everything I ate even if I was going over the calories. Now, I'm really trying to evaluate my triggers for eating. I seem to work better with little goals and steps.

SeptemberLondon

Beer. :sad:

Haha, it's hard isn't it? Just the beer itself contained so many extra calories but with the beer came fatty foods and snacks too! The moment I quit drinking I also started eating healthier and exercising! Win win!

Yes, a very good point! The "pub food" is a killer! I intend to bring it back, in moderation but I'm not ready yet. I want to echo what someone else mentioned: working out. This was the first, consistent change I made (other than cutting out beer) because I knew I'd quickly FEEL better, even if the scale wasn't moving. Everything else fell into place, particularly after realizing the impact of what I ate on the next day's workout.

meankeen

water instead of any other drink

darlilama

I was sitting in a restaurant, with my husband, looking over the menu. I'd just had my annual checkup and was facing the fact that all the numbers had been heading in the wrong direction for the last two years. I wasn't obese ("yet" my doctor said), nor did I need medication for cholesterol, diabetes, etc. But, it was a reality check. I'd always had stellar blood work results.

I put down the menu, picked up my phone, and started searching for calorie counting apps. Over the next couple of weeks, I tried two different apps and kept MFP!

spitstickler

Stopped nicotine. Exercise helped me battle that. Now following up with food amount/type intake.

zebandersson

Quitting nicotine for me is insanely hard! I quit smoking and now I'm only relying on good old Swedish snus. So I can't say that I quit nicotine but I'm feeling alot better!

spitstickler

Quitting nicotine is one of the more difficult things I've ever done. Although the physical part of nicotine is out of your system in 3 or 4 days, the mental aspect of it continues. It's a day-to-day fight, and although it's getting easier 78 days in, the urge still rears it's ugly head. Zeb, when you get a point in your life when you want to be rid of it, join a group and get some accountability in place. The killthecan online group has made a world of difference for me. It's hard core, no nicotine of any type for any reason, but I've always been the kind of person who'd rather rip the band aid off than pull slowly.

The first week I was off of nicotine, I literally ate everything in sight. I was going quickly down the road to XXXL land. So I started the couch to 5K program. That helped me tame the urges, not only for nicotine, but for food as well.. (It's hard to crave something when you're breathing out of your ears) I started eating less and better quality food. After I finished c25k a couple of weeks ago, I continued my exercise routine, but also added back in my calorie watching. I tried MFP a couple of years ago by itself and after a few weeks, I stopped tracking things. However, I think when combining MFP with exercise I know it's going to be a different ball game. Mentally I know I'm a lot tougher than I was then.

asia1967

What was the first thing you changed in making steps to a better lifestyle? And go...

mind/attitude.

^This +1

0Amra

I started bringing my lunch to work every day instead of eating out. Super simple, but that's what really started it all....

suziepoo1984

Eating in moderation. Period. Thats one part i really suck at, and changing that consciously has made a very big difference!

strawberrycoconut87

Smaller portions. Thinking about what I am eating instead of just putting food in my mouth without thinking, lol.

babbsisthebest

Water with all meals and throughout the day. No other drinks. Veggies with every lunch and supper.