My new rules

Sharon909

So I've come up with some rules to try and follow for the next few weeks to get a jump start.

Rule #1: No alcohol or sweetened drinks. I'm going to try and stick to water and Gatorade and lite or sugar free drinks. I will miss my alcohol but I end up having too many and then I want bar food.

Rule #2: Drink 3-4 bottles of water every day. The bottles I buy are 16 oz and I put marks on them to push me along. The first bottle has to be finished before my mid-morning snack. My second bottle has to be finished before my mid-afternoon snack. My third bottle has to be finished before I get home from work and my last bottle finished sometime before bed.

Rule #3: Plan every meal. This is super hard for me. Probably the hardest part.

Rule #4: Do something active for 1 hour every day: Since at some point there will be days when I simply cannot exercise, aiming for every day will ensure that I get in the habit of doing something each day, so that if I miss a day it wont ruin all my good work.

Rule #5: Be accountable. Every day I will log my MyfitnessPal, email my friends, post on my FB or SOMETHING to track my progress and try to stay on track.

I am hoping these 5 rules will stick for at least 2 weeks and then I can see what other positive changes I can make.

trogalicious

if you're open to suggestions:

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.

AmyRhubarb

Good info from Trog!

Sounds like you are determined - that's good! I agree with your #5 for sure - one of my first steps was to resolve to log into MFP every single day, whether I exercised or not, whether I ate well or not - I logged in, read through friends' posts, logged what I ate. I logged my 1095th day this morning - 3 years without missing a day of logging into MFP. Woohoo!

The only thing from #4 that I would point out is that missing a day of exercise, or even being totally idle for a day will not ever ruin your good work! I understand where you're coming from, wanting to be active daily to stay on top of things, but don't beat yourself up if you miss a day, or even couch it for a day and watch movies. Time off and full rest is good for body and soul in my world.

Best of luck to you! MFP is awesome!

RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle

I have one rule: Eat at or under TDEE. You can even average it out over the week and you'll lose weight. Of course, rule number 5 will help with this.

radmack

Sounds like a great start. Just don't get too discouraged if you slip a bit. The main difference between those who lose weight and those who don't is that those who do don't give up just because they have a bad day.

psylvester1

bump

StrawberryJam40

Love Trog's post. I've only been here actively logging a few weeks, and I've lost 11 pounds in 9 weeks.

The first 2 I didn't worry about diet and started working out...lost nothing.

Then was averaging 2 pounds a week and took a detour and gained 2 back in two weeks.

That's when it clicked. Use the tools given you. Log your food, weigh your food, and log your exercise. I'm not militant, but boy it keeps you on track.

The only other thing outside Trog's post is...planning meals. If it is hard for you to do that then plan a menu of meals. I have 2 or 3 options available so I know if I feel like cooking or don't feel like cooking I'll still be eating something healthy and within my calories for the day.

So...tonight I can choose from a turkey wrap with tomato, lettuce, maybe some moz cheese, and mustard. Or, I can have chicken parm and steam some veggies. Or, I can have egg salad sandwich (made with Greek yogurt) with tomato and lettuce. If I limit and say I must have chicken parm this evening and don't feel like cooking I'll not eat, binge, or choose unwisely. Where I can easily swap and throw a wrap together and cook the chicken tomorrow or after dinner to prep it for tomorrow.

Good luck.

Camo_xxx

Good stuff Trog.

Kalikel

Don't bite off more than you can chew. If it seems like too much, slow down.

Drink the water. Healthy adults don't need Gatorade because they work out, so you can save your money, if you want. Water is best. (But drink the Gatorade, if you want, of course! Just a heads up there.)

An hour of exercise is a lot if you aren't used to it! If it's too much, do less and build up. Slow and steady wins the race.

Always do what works for YOU. And if what works starts not working, switch it up. If you don't like planning meals, don't plan. If you get tired of walking, try swimming, that sort of thing.

A lot of people swear by the math and acronyms, like TDEE. I don't know (or care) what a TDEE is. Different strokes.

Remember the most important thing: It's your weight loss journey and you have to walk your own path.

Good luck!!

Lyana999

my advice - no/limited alcohol is a great idea
- log everything, even the bad stuff - do it every day
- 1 hr per day is a lot for anyone - could you pick 4 - 5 days a week - get up early, get it done?
- planning is key - a good easy salad for me is can of tuna, romaine, a little cheese, lite dressing - cheap and easy
- i LOVE veggie straws. great snack, lo cal and i love chips so this is a great substitute
- try more dynamic exercises...i think our bodies get used to stuff like the elliptical, treadmill - mix it up. go balls to the wall for 30 secs, then rest a minute. do that for 20 min then switch to a bike, etc. - do the same.
- best line my trainer ever gave me - don't let a slip become a slope. i've done this a million times. you have a bad day, weekend, etc. and you're like f*&k it might as well eat whatever i want. it's happened to me a few times since march but then i get my *kitten* up and get back to work. just don't stop. it took a long time for me to get to where i am today, so i expect it will take me a long time to get to where i want to me - back at a healthy weight. but it will be worth it.

Capt_Apollo

i'd avoid Gatorade. it has a whole lot of sugar and sodium. stuff you probably don't need unless you are a professional athlete or in the midst of a race. heck, even fellow triathletes i know do a 50/50 mix of gatorade-water.

novalh42

Sounds good to me! Be careful with the Gatorade. Some of them have a lot of sugar.

MinimalistShoeAddict

I am glad you have a plan. I like rule # 4 and 5 the best. Rule # 3 might be hard to stick with long term, but if works for you, go for it!

Buying 3-4 bottles of water everyday sounds wasteful. Why not refill a water bottle of your own and use the money you save to buy a HRM, GPS watch or something else to help you achieve your goals?

sparklenglitter

if you're open to suggestions:

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.

sparklenglitter

Really great info here !

gothchiq

If your insurance will cover nutritionist visits, that is a good way to take the guesswork and experimentation out of it. They will measure your metabolism via breath analysis to know precisely what you burn just by living, before factoring in your exercise. They can also measure your body fat percentage. Finally, they can tell you how to get the most nutrition and satisfaction for your food calories, without resorting to eating things that taste of cardboard and disappointment.

Also, this site way overestimates the calories you burn exercising. It's safe to assume you burn half to 2/3 of what it says.

If you don't want to lose muscle mass, then weights are your friend.

dsm1991

goodluck

Sharon909

I am soooooo not a morning person. I hate the whole world in the morning. I tried doing workouts in the morning and all I wanted to do was go back to bed. lol.

My workout is on my lunch hour so its not a full hour that I am REALLY working out. I have to account for the 10 min in the locker room!

But I'm still struggling with losing. I went down almost 5 lbs and then even though I made good decisions I gained them right back. I had some high sodium meals (Chinese) but watched portions and still.....a few days and a ton of water later I still have only gone down a pound.

I haven't quit yet. I'm going to keep trying so I can slim down for this cruise but seriously, why does it have to be so hard?

Sharon909

A case of generic water is only 3.99 and will last me the week. I drink more when its convenient. I have one bottle by the bed, one or two at my desk, one in my gym bag, etc. I hate tap water. Does that make me a water snob? I don't know. But it helps to have it convenient.

goldk

Good luck!

JJMorrocco

Stick it with it. Log your food and exercise, and be honest about it - the numbers won't lie about the results.

jade_222

Bump

fitwithin

Great advice here. I did a similar list two months ago when I first started and posted it on my desk. It was very similar to yours:

-Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day (I'm up to 80 oz. a day now)
-Cut down on diet drinks (cut them totally out along with artificial sweeteners)
-Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
-Cut out sweets (have them occassionally)
-Limit carbs
-No fried foods
-Watch cheese and creamy dressings
-Walk at least 1 hour per day (I do 30 min in the morning and 30 at night)
-Limit wine (hard one) - I limit it to the weekends.

My point is that you made your list and do your best to stick with it. Do what works for you. It's a beginning. You are on the road to success. Best of luck!

annaskiski

Sooooooo.....

Tell me more about the Twinkie and Vodka diet.........