What is your BIGGEST . . .

destiny637
destiny637 Posts: 79
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone starting on their weight loss journey?

Is there something specific that really changed or "clicked" with you regarding eating right/working out/losing the weight?

Specific Tips?

I know there are wonderful MFPeeps at all different stages of the weight loss journey, so it will be awesome to hear all the feedback!

Thanks! I truly appreciate the responses and feel blessed to be apart of such a supportive community of people.

Replies

  • jessbennett1986
    jessbennett1986 Posts: 243
    DON'T GIVE UP!! Even if you don't lose weight for awhile stick with it. Log everyday for motvation. I didn't lose a single lb for a month and a half and then bam! the scale finally moved. You can do this with a lot of hard work and motivation!
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
    The main thing I learned was watch the cheese/milk and your morning coffee (if you drink it). They add a lot of calories to regular foods, it was the initial easiest way to cut my calories! The only other thing that I learned is that I stay motivated if I log on to the website and spend a few minutes reading my friends pages and the forums.
  • GreenGettingLean
    GreenGettingLean Posts: 252 Member
    Water is your best friend! Drink TONS of it!
  • aramina1
    aramina1 Posts: 6 Member
    Buy a food scale. It was eye opening to see what proper food portions were and how off things like cereal can be. For example the box might say 3/4 of a cup is a proper serving size but if you go by actual weight it is way closer to 1/2 cup.
  • destiny637
    destiny637 Posts: 79
    Mine has been to take one day at a time and do your absolute best each day. Don't worry about the past and try not to stress off the future. Each morning wake up and commit to doing your best.
  • mampm1
    mampm1 Posts: 88
    1. Find your motivation. Mine was the death of my best friend at the age of 49 to a massive heart attack.

    2. Cook! Use fresh fruit and veggies as much as possible. Vary what you eat and how you eat it. I eat mostly chicken for protein and you can make it a million ways.

    3. Stay on this site. You will find and make friends on here and they will support, encourage and cheer you on.

    Feel free to add me and best of luck on your journey.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
    Hmmm, I'd say start switching to foods that fill you up quicker and aren't such high in calories, and down LOTS of water. Alot of these hunger pains people get when they first start off and they're not used to it kinda ruins all their efforts 'cause eventually folks just cave in to the pain and stuff their faces. After awhile of doing this, like maybe a week or two your stomach'll shrink and the cravings start to get less and less. Just never give up and keep at it.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Slow & steady is the best way to lose weight & keep it off so do it one step at a time. Another thing is to know what is your body type so that in this way, you will get to know if your goal is realistic to you or no. Analyze properly the food labels & not just concentrate on the calories. Watch out for anything that has trans fat or ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, yellow or red#'s or any scientific names that we cannot even spell out because it means chemicals.
  • lclarkjr
    lclarkjr Posts: 359 Member
    Don't be in such a hurry! You obviously didn't gain all your excess weight overnight so why should you expect to lose it that fast. A 1 lb per week loss is healthy and sustainable. It may not seem like much but if you lost one pound per week, a year from now you would weigh 52 lbs less than you do now. It's less about how fast you lose it and more about how much you learn along the way in order to keep it off for the long haul.
  • Riverofbeauty
    Riverofbeauty Posts: 205 Member
    I've never had a lot of weight to lose, and only carry it around my stomach really. But I have had some pretty bad eating habits in my life, and never exercised much at all, binging used to be a regular occurence.

    It takes a long time to find what works best for you. Don't be miserable, find healthy foods that you actually like. I love fruit, and most veggies, so it was just about eating more of those in replace of biscuits, corn chips etc - but I never deprive myself of anything. If you don't treat yourself every now and then, there's a chance you'll fall of the wagon. It's all about portion sizes of "bad" foods really.

    You can do it! Good luck. :)
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
    I love/hate these questions and my answers change over time. I think the biggest thing is to take it slow and not worry about the "end". You have no way of knowing when you will get there and setting up time goals can be very discouraging if you don't make them. Live in the now and learn to love your body and the efforts you are making each and every day knowing that you will get there eventually. I started at 300lbs and learned to celebrate every goal and be happy with myself at 250 and 199 and all the weights in between because it's really hard to do positive things for yourself if you don't like yourself. I hope that makes some sense?

    OH! and never be afraid to change things, your diet, your exercise, your goals.........it's all flexible and part of the journey, learning what your mind and body needs to be happy.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Two things: Food is fuel and muscle burns fat.

    Eat enough calories because otherwise your body won't be as effecient at burning calories (eat back some of your exercise calories) and the higher your lean body mass (all the stuff that isn't fat) you have, the more calories you can eat because the more calories you burn and the thinner you will be because a pound of muscle is smaller than a pound of fat.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
    it's what you do consistently that makes you who you are.

    going to the gym once, or for one week, or one month isn't going to make you, it's doing it over the long term that makes you who you are.

    you have to find your drive somewhere inside yourself and for yourself.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    1. Write before you bite. Or, in other words, look up a food or log it into your diary before you even eat it. This was you can see exactly what it does to your day.
    2. Diet is a four letter word. Don't think of it as a diet, you're eating healthy for an overall lifestyle change. "Diets" can be forboding, lifestyle changes allow for more freedom and is something you'll be more apt to stick with.
    3. Remember that no one thing works for everyone. I lost almost all of my weight ignoring my macros and eating stuf like breakast bars, microwave meals and processed 100 cal snacks. It was crazy high carbs but I lost steadily. For some people, they need low carb to make it work, others need more fat. Just find what works for you and don't stress about the "right" way to eat, because there is no single answer.
    4. Don't be afraid of food. Like I said, it's a lifestyle change, if you eat out with friends and go over your calories, it's fine, it's not going to ruin everything. Life happens. Don't go out every night and blow out your calories, but if you're going on vacation or out for a special night with the SO, splurge on your calories. Food is meant to be enjoyed, not feared.
    5. Get moving. Go for a walk, run, buy a workout DVD, get a personal trainer, whatever way works for you, include exercise in your plan. I wish I had sooner than I did, not for the weight loss, but the overall awesomeness that working out exudes. It just feels good on a whole.
    6. Take measurements as well as weight checks. This is my number one regret, I didn't do this and I constantly wish that I had. Waist, hips, thighs, and arms. I'd love to be able to see my progress in that way rather than only in weight.
    7. Get a heart rate monitor. Don't trust the gym machines, even if you enter your stats, they'll always think you're male and burning way higher. MFP is closer, but the HRM is your best bet.
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
    Once I started doing pilates(dvds at home on the mat), the weight just started falling off. Not only did I lose pounds, but I became so much more toned in my abs, thighs, and butt. I also began eating better of course, but I attribute the bulk of my success to pilates.
  • kristen11joy
    kristen11joy Posts: 114 Member
    It's helped me to think of this as a permanent lifestyle change instead of a temporary diet. Exercise! And learn to love your veggies!
  • RangerSteve
    RangerSteve Posts: 437
    1) Find an exercise you like that you don't mind doing for the next 50 years. Skip the crap you don't enjoy because you won't stick with it.

    2) Find foods you like and fit it into your diet with moderation in mind. Do not alter your diet and force yourself to eat foods you do not like. DO NOT FORCE YOURSELF TO EAT FOODS YOU DO NOT LIKE. (I'm using caps-lock here because I usually repeat this in a louder tone in person) Eating foods you do not enjoy means you will either binge eat or give up on your diet completely.

    3) Do...not...stress...out. Stressing out over your diet will cause more damage than eating "unhealthy" foods. The cortisol response from all the extra stress does far more damage to your body than that 100 calories of ice cream you've been thinking about for the last 6 hours.

    4) Don't over-think it.

    That pretty much sums it up.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Everyone is different. Read articles, read the forums, ask your friends, read books -- but at the end of the day everything you read or hear isn't going to work for everyone. Don't be afraid to step outside of the box in order to learn what will work for YOU. Too many people want to jump on the "popular" wagon and end up frustrated because what everyone else is doing isn't working for them.

    FIND WHAT WILL WORK FOR YOU! Is it easy? no. Will it happen overnight? No.
  • RangerSteve
    RangerSteve Posts: 437
    Everyone is different. Read articles, read the forums, ask your friends, read books -- but at the end of the day everything you read or hear isn't going to work for everyone. Don't be afraid to step outside of the box in order to learn what will work for YOU. Too many people want to jump on the "popular" wagon and end up frustrated because what everyone else is doing isn't working for them.

    FIND WHAT WILL WORK FOR YOU! Is it easy? no. Will it happen overnight? No.

    Wow, nice progress.
  • kathryn2bfit
    kathryn2bfit Posts: 28 Member
    Love all the advice and tips! Thanks!!!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Everyone is different. Read articles, read the forums, ask your friends, read books -- but at the end of the day everything you read or hear isn't going to work for everyone. Don't be afraid to step outside of the box in order to learn what will work for YOU. Too many people want to jump on the "popular" wagon and end up frustrated because what everyone else is doing isn't working for them.

    FIND WHAT WILL WORK FOR YOU! Is it easy? no. Will it happen overnight? No.

    Wow, nice progress.

    Thank you very much! :)
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    i have 3 words only that will cover it!
    PLAN,
    ROUTINE
    and
    EXERSICE

    if you stick to them you WILL do this!
  • wanderingwest
    wanderingwest Posts: 42
    Support Support Support!
    Find someone either here on MFP or in your home or community who will cheer you on and help you through the low times (and there will be some low times)... oh and never give up the journey is worth it!
  • ladyphoto
    ladyphoto Posts: 192 Member
    Realizing and ACCEPTING that this will not happen fast. That will allow you to go with the flow- the ups and downs of the scale, the occassional splurging on something you think you shouldn't have, etc. Once you actually accept that this will take time, effort, patience, and committment, you will do just fine- and probably will enjoy the ride!
  • webdiva1
    webdiva1 Posts: 326 Member
    Boy, I hope lots of newbies peruse this thread ... there's some great advice here.

    Mine is this: Get your ahead in the right place.

    Unless you just have a very few pounds to lose, I encourage you to look at this as a lifelong journey, not a diet. Committing to change how and what you eat is one thing; sticking with it when you totally blow it or hit a big ol' plateau is something else. And chances are real good both those things will happen.

    Don't expect overnight success. That WON'T happen.

    Understand that exercise is part of the journey. Walking is a great place to start. First time I walked I lasted 20 minutes and was totally whipped. On my last walk, I made it 7 miles. By sticking with it, I worked up to that in just 8 months. (It still blows my mind.)

    Expect to change every single thing you think about food. More than that -- embrace it. New eating habits will come, but they take time and effort. You're so worth it. :)

    Finally, believe in yourself. Forgive mistakes and failures, remember that every day is a fresh start, then just do it.
  • K1Teacher
    K1Teacher Posts: 324 Member
    Love ALL of these answers...I'll just add this:

    NEVER wait until tomorrow - make good choices TODAY (even if you made a bad choice during the day, don't let it drag you down for the entire day). Seriously...how many "tomorrow's" have there been for ALL of us? It wasn't until I got that in my head that I truly began to make progress. Good luck!!

    *edited to add: actually the MOST important thing has been having the BEST pals EVER!!! They totally keep me motivated and their feedback is priceless!! Love, love, love my peeps!!
  • laneybird
    laneybird Posts: 532 Member
    For me, something just "clicked". I have heard of that by hearing and reading weight loss stories before and I was like, "yeah right, that doesn't really happen" lol. ( I love proving myself wrong lol.) For me, it was a picture followed by being just fed up.

    My first tip is WATER. Water will be your best friend in weight loss!
    Second tip- when the scales aren't moving, as hard as it is don't get discouraged...do measurements or look at pictures to notice changes. It was almost 40lbs before I did a "before and during" pic and it made me feel good to notice a difference.
    Third tip- Plan meals and snacks ahead of time. On days that I work I pack all 3 meals and 2 snacks and log them.
    Final tip- Support! My family, friends and MFP peeps are the BEST!!!

    Best of luck!!!!
  • TiffanyA2008
    TiffanyA2008 Posts: 197
    DON'T GIVE UP!! Even if you don't lose weight for awhile stick with it. Log everyday for motvation. I didn't lose a single lb for a month and a half and then bam! the scale finally moved. You can do this with a lot of hard work and motivation!

    Thank you for this! It's what I needed to hear! It has been an entire month and I haven't lost any weight. NOT ONE SINGLE POUND. I just started in August and lost 3 lbs right away, but after that nothing else. I have been so aggravated with myself and the way everything is going that I just wanted to give it all up. Then I realized HELLO giving up isn't going to get me where I want to be. So thank you for this :)
  • meeperoon
    meeperoon Posts: 270 Member
    The one I learnt last night... STEP AWAY FROM THE CHEESE!!!

    So many cals and fat content.... :s
  • pnwgirl1963
    pnwgirl1963 Posts: 14 Member
    Hi there -

    This is what works for me:

    Log in here every day and record every.single.thing. you eat or drink. Be completely honest.

    Drink your water. Water stave's off cravings.

    Speaking of cravings realize that a craving only lasts for 7 minutes at a time. (no kidding, it's a scientific fact, they did a study)

    Stay off the scales -- meaning, don't weigh every day. I whittled myself down to once a week. I weigh on Saturday mornings, as my week for this begins Sunday morning and goes through Saturday morning.

    Weigh after you poop:) (I know gross but it makes sense)

    Remember you didn't put this weight on overnight it's not going to come off over night, slow and steady wins the race.

    Pre-plan snacks, and if you have to go out think ahead of what you are going to eat, it helps curb temptation to go crazy with the menu.

    Get up and move, do something every.single.day.

    Get support from your family, friends, and folks like us.

    I blog, and that helps me get my feelings down on paper.

    Hope this helps.
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