I'm new, any good tips?

Shannon30906

:flowerforyou:

Crystal_Pistol

Don't believe your scale, he lies.
Don't be afraid of food, it isn't the devil out to get you.
Don't make a million changes that you can't maintain. A few small ones you can stick to are great.
READ and LEARN for yourself. There are a lot of people who need MFP, yet know EVERYTHING.
Commit to this long term and don't look for instant rewards and gratification.
Take pics now and along the way.

emrys1976

Everyone's body and mind is different. Listen to what people say with that fact in mind. Start where you can. If it doesn't work or stops working, try something else. Be patient and kind with yourself.

garbanzalo

You will see some immediate weight loss and then for no reason. plateau for a long time. That is the time to not give up. Just keep working at your plan and try to figure out the reason for the plateau.

cathylord

The best tip I can give is eat at least 1200 calories a day. I tend to starve myself and when I do that I actually gain weight. I just started, too and have lost 3 pounds so far this month.

thatsnumberwang

Add friends who will encourage you... and more protein!

Debbe2

Exercise & walk, walk, walk. Log everything you eat. Drink lots of water and get adequate sleep. Figure out why it's important to you to be fit and healthy and remember why when you struggle to stay the course. Best of luck :flowerforyou:

treatdream

I agree. Start small and build upon it. Any change is positive - no matter how small. Getting into a habit you can stick with is the most important right now. If you start with too big of a goal you are more likely to give up. If you do fall off the wagon, do not feel sorry for or get mad at yourself and act like a victim. You can not change your past mistakes but you can learn from them. Take a deep breath, own your actions, and move on. Start back at it at the level you maintained the longest and keep truckin'. Always remember that you CAN do this and life is what YOU make it.

Nutrition wise, I personally prefer and recommend cooking your own meals and staying away from processed foods as much as possible. Fitness wise, walking is great, the C25K program (just Google) can help get you running if you're into that and Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (even if you only do it 1-2 times a week) is a good way to start getting familiar with free weights. Building muscle will help you loose weight, is good for you and will not bulk you up (regardless of rumors - a little research will clear this up).

Hope that helps.