New To MFP - Introduction

Cornpuff32

Hi Guys, I'm new to the site, only on day five, but I'm not new to trying to get fit. I've been active my whole life. Played soccer from the time I was five, up through high school and just picked it up again. I played ice hockey in college ( and still play recreationaly!), and have been hiking and kayaking the last four years. I run a few days a week and in July ran the Boilermaker (an awesome 15K road race). I don't seem to see any changes in the scale, or the way my clothes fit.

I'm tired of being the "big one" amongst my active friends. I think food and exercise tracking is the way to go for me. I've tried going to a nutritionist, but I was told to follow the same diet as someone who diabetic and count carbs, it worked for awhile, but I got tired of calculating my carbs into "carb units"...blah. I was always hungry after workouts, there wasn't an adjustment for calories/carbs burned. So I'd do good for a few days, then I'd "fall off the wagon" and mow down a whole bag of chips,or dretch some fries in ketchup...man I love ketchup. I also tried weight watchers for about a month and a half, going to the meetings and everything, but calculating the points for the meals I cooked on the fly was way too time consuming and going to meetings and seeing other women put up big weight loss numbers...was very discouraging. It works great for some people, but just not for me.

I love to cook and come up with recipes. For the most part I use local or organic ingredients whenever I can. I live at the farmers market on Saturdays. My snacking in the evening is my down fall as well as some portion control issues. I really like the MFP food tracker. It's very easy to use, even for recipes I make up, which is a huge bonus. I'm motivated by the whole "If every day was like today you'd weigh X XX by X".

My first goal is to lose 45 lbs... that will put be back at the weight, when I was a freshmen in college, around 175. I'm anticipating the first 15-20, will come off easier, if I can stick with the tracking. However 195 is my plateau spot...and seems to be the weight I get to and get a little too comfortable, cut back the exercise, and up my food again...grrr. Any help and suggestions on how to get over that hump, will be helpful, if not now, then when I get there.

I'm very impressed with all the success stories, very motivational. After dinner the last few nights I read a few and look at before and after pictures, this seems to help my night time munchies.

Thanks for reading my post!

dls06

Welcome and good luck.