For those who've lost weight using MFP ...

Julesjhj

It's not just about calories. It's about what you are feeding your body. Try to eat quality whole "slow" foods. Research "clean eating". After you get the hang of logging everything, pay attention to your carb intake, sodium, and sugar.

Good luck and keep moving!

amarie35

Don't over weigh yourself. You weight will fluctuate daily. If you notice a rise on the scale, DON'T GIVE UP! It takes time & lots of patience. You should also get in a habit of taking your measurements; I'd say to measure every 2 weeks or so because you may not see a big difference on the scales every time you weigh.....but if you are losing inches, then you KNOW that you are doing something right.

Good luck in your weight loss journey. I wish for you nothing but the best!

YOU CAN DO IT.....YOU WILL DO.....DON'T GIVE UP.......JUST DO IT! =D

brittanym30

Wow, Thank you all for your AMAZING tips!! I got so much more than I thought I would, I really appreciate it — Thanks for all the support :happy:

rmhand

log everything. use message boards for support and questions. people are are great. get friends, it makes you feel a little more accountable. success will keep you coming back. I've used other sites for tracking food and this one is the BEST.

eliz_in_pink

First of all, I would say you must log, log.. I am so addicted! Haha... My fiance says I get on this site more than Facebook, lol. Anyway, my other recommendations would be:

*Have a GREAT support system. ((You could add me if you like!)) I love my group of friends on MFP... We all motivate each other, love each other, support each other. If one of us is having a bad day-- we pick each other up! I look forward to reading my encouraging messages and uplifting motivational messages by my friends.

*Have a GREAT support system off of MFP! Believe it or not, there is a world outside of MFP--- gasp--- deep breaths, count to 10! It will be okay! When I am not on MFP by support system of my family and friends KNOW that I am a calorie counter, I come with a warning label or something now (lol) and they support me by not shoving food in my face and being cautious around me. (I am not saying this works with everyone, but it does with me.)

*Work out when you can, love it.. embrace it.. Not enough to hate it though I change my routine throughout the week using my stationary bike, treadmill, and kickboxing class! We also incorporate some salsa dancing some nights into kickboxing (my instuctor is amazing, lol).

*Don't get discouraged if you don't see a big loss! A pound is a pound.. And PRAISE yourself for that pound! You've done well! Anything more is a MAJOR plus! (And not a bad plus! Haha)


Best of luck, and like I said.. If you want to... Add me! I love new friends!!

xxx_Pink_Princess_xxx

Also, use the forums for motivation and good info! Good luck to you!

totoal side note - but wow I love the pic on ur tracker x

FemininGuns

I would suggest letting MFP decide your calorie intake for the first 3 weeks. You don't want to go too drastic with your calorie restriction as you may set yourself up for failure... And Patience and fun

rybo

Eating less is not always better.

Sometimes having too big a calorie deficit doesn't work.

cmsdives

I would say...Log everything, even if you have a bad day I used to skip that part if I was bad, and then look back and be like "why am I not losing?" Yeah....that's why:) Being honest with yourself is the best thing for you

I totally and completely agree.

Also, don't beat yourself up when you do slip, 'cuz your gonna. The harder you beat yourself up, the harder getting back up is going to be.

You can do this and have definitely come to the right place. The support, strength, love and friendships you'll find here are SO wonderful and (in my humble opinion) create an atmosphere in which you CAN be successful. We'll be here to cheer on your victories, no matter how small, and support you in those times when you fall. :flowerforyou:

Best of Luck!!!

Liatush

Moderation is key - true for food, working out, etc. I agree that logging everything is crucial. I also keep a close eye on my sodium intake (try for less than 1500 a day) and my fiber (35g a day), drinking a lot of ice water - keep a tall bottle by your side at all times and keep sipping it. Don't get disappointed when the results don't come as quick as you think - it will happen if you stick with it.

Good luck and feel free to add me for support if you would like

toots99

Have patience. Don't make any changes that you can't stick to for life, you're setting yourself up for failure. Get out of your comfort zone. Exercise, it is your friend. Try something-if it doesn't work for you, try something else. Be honest with yourself-in what you eat, how you feel, etc. Have fun with it! Learn lots and lots, read read read!

xoopsyxdaizyx

i didnt read everyones comments, so sorry if some of these are repeats.

1. you must must muuuust log everything! even if you go way over, log it anyway.
2. drink water. all day. keep a bottle on you at all times and keep re-filling.
3. make friends on here. i have made some awesome friends that encourage & support me. great motivation.
4. check the community posts daily. i always get so much useful information!
5. check what other people eat for meal ideas.
6. log your food ahead of time if you know what you are gonna eat. it helps you stay on track.

good luck & happy losing

spennato

Welcome, biggest thing I think is to make Water your new favorite drink. Exercise and weight Loss go hand in hand. Log everything you eat It gets easier every day. Take measurements they are a bigger indicator of success than the scale. Weight lifting is very very important so make it part of your daily routine. Good Luck!!

AdoraK

Moderation is key, even when you eat something on the high calorie side because of cravings. I found that it was better to eat something I was craving, rather than deny myself. You will have more control to eat a little of it in moderation then wait until the craving is so much it controls you and you over eat that item.

Evarell

Also, use the forums for motivation and good info! Good luck to you!

BTW, here's a tip for getting along with others around here: If you have a question, do a search in the forums before you post the question.

Some people get a bit, um, testy about seeing the same questions posted repeatedly by newbies. :ohwell:

Greyhawkk

patience

Agreed...took years to get there.....it doesnt come off over night.

grneyety

I try to plan ahead, especially on the days I work and pack lunch. I log it all at the beginning of the day so I have an idea if I really can have that Starbucks. It also gives me an idea if I need to work out longer to get what I want ( I eat my exercise calories).

therobinator

1. Eat all your calories.
2. Don't exercise TOO hard.
3. And most importantly, listen to your body. If it's hungry, feed it. If it's tired or sore, rest it.

♥Violette♥4Ever♥

I've been on here since December 6th and lost 32lbs so far. My tips are:

1. Don't weigh yourself on a weekly basis. I only weigh myself once every 4 to 6 weeks....you'll see a bigger loss than 1 to 2 lbs. My last weigh in was on March 7th and I saw a 12lb loss since the previous weigh-in on January 21st.

2. I leave a 500 calorie deficit (per my personal trainer's instructions) every day except on my rest day and I eat very close to my 1200 calories.

3. Do both cardio (30 mins) and weight training (30 to 45 mins and I alternate upper and lower body) at every workout.

Good luck!

secostley

My best advice: If you look at this as a "diet" and not a "lifestyle change", you will NOT be successful. What you do from now on is for a better you with lifetime impacts.

God Bless!


Shawn

mrmarius

best tip... stick with it period

Still_Sossy

What is the best tip you can give? I'm a newbie (just started yesterday) I work out 5 days a week, and my calorie goal intake is 1200 a day.. I'm just looking for some tips from people who've had success using the program.. Thanks!

Stick with it and be a bit rigid in the beginning until you get the hang of everything. Log everything, get your exercise in, drink the water and PLEASE eat those 1200 cals a day do not go below, 1200 is the min, mot the max.

TheNewLK

What is the best tip you can give? I'm a newbie (just started yesterday) I work out 5 days a week, and my calorie goal intake is 1200 a day.. I'm just looking for some tips from people who've had success using the program.. Thanks!

Stick with it and be a bit rigid in the beginning until you get the hang of everything. Log everything, get your exercise in, drink the water and PLEASE eat those 1200 cals a day do not go below, 1200 is the min, mot the max.

what she said^^^^ Don't starve yourself of extra calories....you do need to eat more when you work out....it builds your metabolism thus causing more weight loss.....Good Luck to you !!

MassiveDelta

One tip...

Everyone is different what works for others may not be your thing. Find what you like and do it then expand.

The most important thing. Never ever give up! Failure only happens you stop trying!

MaryBachert

There has been lots of good info on here for you, and I want to say the biggest challenge for me was logging everything I ate. When I saw what the calories count was on some of the things, I decided to eat more healthy. For snack I eat yogurt, fruit or Fibre One Caramel delight. I package it in snack bags with 1/2 c in them which is 90 calories. Also you can see by the end of the day if you have gone over, then you need to burn them off. :laugh:

♥Violette♥4Ever♥

One tip...

Everyone is different what works for others may not be your thing. Find what you like and do it then expand.

The most important thing. Never ever give up! Failure only happens you stop trying!

I completely agree with this reply.

rblauvelt7

So, this might sound silly, but it works for me. If I ever feel like not working out or having a big bowl of ice cream after I've already reached my calorie goal, I go to the Success Stories message board and look at the progress other people have made and it encourages me to do what I need to, so that someday I can have results like that. They aren't going to happen overnight, but it makes me want to work for it. Also, add lots of friends. You'll find an amazing support group on here.

callipygianchronicle

1. Read. A lot. There’s a lot that we think we understand about nutrition and exercise because we are marketed products for these areas constantly. But much of what we think we know is wrong. These posts are critical and will save you from so many questions and mistakes: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

See also: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/181080-mfp-s-most-common-user-pitfall-to-avoid

And: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/superwmn/view/what-i-ve-learned-since-2007-part-1-48846

2. Understand that the WHY and HOW you eat is actually more important than WHAT you eat.

3. Work at letting go of perfection. Nothing about this journey is all or nothing. Nothing about this journey should make you feel guilty. Treating your body well doesn’t feel bad. If it does, you need to check in with yourself and figure out what’s really making you miserable.

4. Buy food. Cook it yourself. Eat a single portion.

5. Trust that your body is more powerful and capable than you have ever allowed it to be. Move it—in a way that feels good to you--every day.

Liatush

I would also add - buy a good low fat/low cal cookbook. I use Hungry Girl and Weight Watchers. Just because we watch what we eat doesn't mean it can't taste heavely

bugnbeansmom

Honestly, I have done much better when I am eating back at least half of my expecise calories. I was eating just 1200 cals a day regardless of burn and saw a quick drop but then nothing for two weeks. Started eating back some cals and boom! Off to the races! Also, I find that having friended a few supportive people has really helped as well as a few people I know personally. This way, I have the support of others in my shoes but also, if my real life friends see that I am not logging or miss a few days, they get a hold of me and ask what is going on! I also wish I had taken starting measurements. Now I have no base line to compare my current measurements against. Would have helped when I was not losing pounds but could see and feel myself getting smaller/toner. Don't expect miracles quickly! Stick with it and just take it a day at a time! Best of luck to you!