If I had my MFP time over again...

BerryH

If you could go back in time and to when you started with MFP and give yourself the benefit of what you've learned since being here, what would you tell yourself?

I wished I'd tracked a week of "normal" eating and exercising, to get a better idea of exactly where I was going wrong and to see how I got fat in the first place!

I also wish I'd taken front, back and side photos and full-body measurements from day one.

BPayton27

Completely agree with the pictures! I would have also done thorough measurements for those weeks the scale seemed to be stuck. No need for me to log a week of "normal" eating and exercise (uh, none). I know how I became fat! I over indulged in EVERYTHING.

MrsSWW

Wish I'd taken photos too...

BerryH

I wish I'd started resistance training earlier. I binned much if in in favour of cardio just so I could eat more :blushing:

Oh and I wish I hadn't got into the habit of tracking cardio that was already covered by my activity level, such as walking to work and down the road to buy lunch!

Orrgarde86

I wish I had taken before photos but I was way too embarrassed to be in a photo with my shirt off.

flausa

I wish I'd taken accurate measurements with the same tape measure from Day 1. I wish I'd kept all the measurements somewhere (MFP doesn't hold enough detail for me) safe rather than on random scraps of paper that I'd binned out of frustration!

When those times of panic hit, I would tell myself to relax and trust that the system I was using was working and that I knew what I was doing.

I would remind myself in times when I wanted to undereat or overexercise (or overeat and underexercise) that balance is key and this is ultimately about being sustainably healthy.

mikeyrp

I wish I hadn't done that porn video.

BerryH

I wish I hadn't done that porn video.

So long as you abide by the terms we agreed I won't post it on Facebook

bcattoes

I'd tell myself not to get so hung up on being under or over the calorie goal. I forgot for a while that I lost most of my weight without logging anything and became a little obsessed with eating the same number of calories every day. I've since realized that I do better by not worrying about the calories so much.

melsinct

I wished I'd tracked a week of "normal" eating and exercising, to get a better idea of exactly where I was going wrong and to see how I got fat in the first place!

Me too! I am dying to know exactly how much I was eating regularly.

I also would never have started off so aggressively, looking for a 2 lb/week loss when I only had 30 to lose total. I was hungry, sluggish, and then I plateaued for a long time. I would go back and do a more reasonable 1 lb/week, eat my exercise calories, etc. If I did I probably would have lost a lot faster!

Yanicka1

i wish i strated heavy strenght training right from the start.

vanessaclarkgbr

Wrong site Mikey - oh - you forgot to add the link ;-)

I wish I'd logged some pre-diet days too, it'd scare the living daylights out of me, and wish I'd done the resistance too. Also wish I'd got some MFP mates last January when I first started rather than when I climbed back on the wagon again in the July, I'd be happily at maintenance by now ;-)

twinsmake3

I wish I hadn't done that porn video.

:laugh:

therealangd

I wish I'd kept my fat jeans and taken back pictures.

sassylilmama

That I had realized the value of strength training and not focused on pure cardio. Loving my strength workouts these days and starting P90X soon!

BerryH

I wish I'd kept my fat jeans and taken back pictures.

^^^ These! I'm so envious of those after pictures where people have their whole body in one leg of their fat jeans!

angela828

i wish i had taken measurements and photos too! maybe when you sign up for mfp there should be a tutorial guide that says "now take front, side, and back photos".... "now measure yourself" with step by step guides! lol

mikeyrp

I wish I hadn't done that porn video.

So long as you abide by the terms we agreed I won't post it on Facebook

LOL - This has got me thinking about before and after Porn Vids.... I need to scrub my brain with soap

MrsM1ggins

Pics, Pics Pics!!!

debilyn574

Wish I had taken pics and ate back my exercise calories from the start!

SueInAz

I also wish I'd taken at least one picture at my highest weight although I'd never want to actually look at it. :laugh: I wish I'd trusted my knowledge of my own body from the start and gone with the low carb diet approach I knew worked for me. Instead I wasted three months losing and regaining the same 5 pounds on a low calorie, low fat, high carb diet.

debilyn574

I just remembered... I should have made friends sooner! It really helps to know people are 'watching' what you do...

gregersons

i wish i had taken measurements and photos too! maybe when you sign up for mfp there should be a tutorial guide that says "now take front, side, and back photos".... "now measure yourself" with step by step guides! lol

Maybe this should be included in the "newbie handbook" if there was one. I would have loved to know just how big my stomach was before I started losing weight.

lilRicki

I would have upped my calories and started lifting right away instead of farting around in the gym doing pully weights. I also would have eaten more food, but with less calories.

anta1

I wish I hadn't done that porn video.

And posted it on MVP? Lol

Milletp

Yep, photos and measurements.

My1985Freckles

I would have

1. Taken Measurements
2. Take Pictures
3. Olivia Method from day 1
4. Not eaten that chocolate even though it fit into my calories because not all calories are created equal and it was a loooooooong 3 month plateau to learn that SUGAR MATTERS PEOPLE! :-)

swobbles

I wish I'd started resistance training earlier. I binned much if in in favour of cardio just so I could eat more :blushing:

Oh and I wish I hadn't got into the habit of tracking cardio that was already covered by my activity level, such as walking to work and down the road to buy lunch!

This sounds a lot like me. I haven't done any strength yet as I don't enjoy it, but maybe that's because I just want to burn calories.

Also, just this week I've started to realise that I shouldn't really be eating back the calories for the exercise I was going anyway. So I am only eating the extra exercise I do.

Two great tips I think. Thanks!

dlyeates

I would have taken more measurements and more pictures.

I would have started strength training and joined a gym earlier.

3 more weeks til I start strength training!!!

lorro

I wish I hadn't done that porn video.

Perhaps you shoud put it to the vote? Of course you'd have to post a link first ....

lorro

If I had my time again it would be something along the lines of convincing myself I had to stay. I could be done by now if only I'd stuck at it