i'm new and i need help

shella5

Hi Everyone, i'm new to this site and just started this week. i am 45 years old and more then 100 lbs overweight. I have been on this site for 5 days now and did my weekly weight in and i only lost .6 pounds. as i have told myself many times over the years, i need to get rid of these extra pounds. i go in cycles where i will work out 2 times a day to get rid of the fat but then i get burned out. i have tried every "quick fix" that is out there only to gain the weight i lost back plus some. so this time i want to do it right!
i know this will take alot of work as the weight did not just happen overnight. but i can tell you i'm already losing faith with less then a pound lost for my first 5 days. i hear alot about the more weight you have to loose the faster it comes off. but i don't see that happening at all. i am looking for friends to help get me through this and keep me motivated. any tips? my calorie plan calls from 1320 cals a day and that is without exercise. i have been getting back to working out slowly about 3 times a week and i want to increase that to 5 days. but i did notice the cal for the exercise on this site seem really high. for example when i'm on the bike the bike says i burned 100 calories but this site says it was 277 calories. i am afraid to add in my exercise calories to my daily total because they seem way off. after years of dieting i am to the point where if i don't change now i know i never will. I need all the help i can get. please help me.

clairerose11

Hi hun, this is my first week and I lost 4lb. Are you sure you have your daily activity level set correctly? Can I ask how much you currently weigh? I started at 207lb and have a calorie allowance of 1320 (working to ratio of 2lb a week)... So question number one, are you eating enough?

Number 2, with the calories given for exercise, if you feel they are too high (some sites are) and you feel that your daily activity level is right, perhaps just eat half of your cals earned through exercise?

Calorie counting is really dieting basics, if you have things set correctly then you cannot fail to lose weight if you stick to it.

x x

joliemmiller

Hi! Losing weight can be frustrating. I have often tethered between doing low carb (not no carb, but low carbs) to get the weight off. If you are exercising then the weight falls off faster with low-carb. its a hard lifestyle change, but it helps. Once I get about 10 pounds off, I go back to counting calories. Counting calories is a lower process, but it's healthier than omitting carbs. I would track your exercise on my fitness pal. use this as motivation tool. I would stop looking at it as deleting calories you have consumed and start looking at it *kitten* you exercised, thats all that matters. Heck, you are doing better than me, my exercise is being a waitress for a few hours and then sitting on my butt the rest of the night. If you need some support, I will be happy to do this with you, I too, need all the help I can get! I learned through weight watchers that i tend to stay on track if I someone to answer to. Reporting to a website helps, but having a real person, keeps you motivated. Let me know or friend request me, and I will be more than happy to help you through this journey as long as you help me My Best. . .

shella5

i am 262.6 pounds as of this morning starting weight at 263. and i am 5'6", i also put in to lose 2 pounds a week so it gave me 320 calories a day. i know i am not eating enough calories according to the site ( 1 day i went over - yikes). and every day when i tell it i am finished with my food the site says i'm not eating enough. but i have it in my head that the less calories i eat the more i will lose - which i am quessing is my main problem. everything you read or hear is less calories and move more. i am so afraid that if i eat more calories i will gain more weight. and i need to get out of that mode. at one point i was eating less then 1000 calories a day and lost 60 pounds but then the weight loss stopped so i seen a dietition and they said you need to eat 1800 cals a day ( at that point i was working out 2 hours a day) and so i added more calories and i gained 63 pounds!
so should i just stick with my 1320 cals and not add in my exersice? or only add what the machine at the gym tells me i burned instead of what the site says i burned?

korsicash

Stick to your 1300 calories. Eating less will not make you loose faster. Also try tracking your sodium you can customize it so you can see that too. I watch mine and try to stay 1000mg under because the salt shaker and I have a love affair. Also make sure you are getting in your 8 to 10 glasses of water, help your body flush out the bad. I do mean water too or home brewed tea not soda and juices. I cut out my beverage calories to give me actual food calories if I am going to take in 120 calories I want to feel it so I want a apple a banana or a rice cake not a glass of juice. It is a slow and steady, there is no quick fix. I also experimented with what foods seemed to be my problem foods. I learned I can not eat pasta but can eat a sandwich. It is all about what works for you, You can do it!!!!!!!

MoooveOverFluffy

1300 seems WAY too low. Check your settings. And this is going to take some hard work and dedication or it's not gonna happen!!!!! . Walking may be better exercise than riding the bike....?

cookie1148

I try not to add in the calories I burn thru exercise. I just stick with eating the basic calories. For me that's not much because of my age, 63. I try to eat heart healthy and exercise 5-6 days/wk. Try to drink more water and stay away from the salt shaker. I joined this sight a long time ago but only recently got serious about using it and I love it. Good luck.

mrsangelC

I started 5 days ago also.
I use a heart rate monitor to help me get into the proper zone for my age as well as to tell me how many cals I burn. (It seems quite accurate so far).
You may need to check with your doctor also. If you continue to have difficulty losing.

kilime50

I am 50. I have been on here for almost two weeks now and I am starting to realize that I may be staying below my calorie count most days but the type of calories I am taking in are not helping me... too much refined sugars and not enough protein or vegetables. I love the fact that I can log my intake on here. It gives me a much clearer picture of what I can change.. maybe this is something you can look at.
Feel free to add me.

tigerbabe2

Reading all the comments u all are fabulous I have been on a diet since Jan. and lost 3 lbs but gained it back. I suffer from iBS and bloating. W/O bloating my waist is a 38, now is 44 :noway: I swear my metabolism is broken after menopause. I think it's awesome u lost weight, any lbs lost is a plus. Slow n steady like the Tortoise When I do my food chart 4 the day, it says I'm eating too few calories. I'm not a big eater, but love my cakes n cookies. Have been cutting down though. Would appreciate any advice n support also, feel free 2 add me. Good luck, do not give up, be strong and lean on others.

clairerose11

1320 is way too low hun, I am on that and weigh 60lb less than you....

paulywoo

Hi Shella, I've been using MFP since Jan 9th and can honestly say it's the best thing I've ever used to lose weight. I also have a long way to go and I'm allowed 1200 cals a day which I always use plus exercise cals which I use for healthy extras such as fruit and yogurt. Be careful to use weighing scales for your portions and measuring spoons. If you still can't lose weight I would suggest printing off your diary and taking it along to your doctor. I have an underactive thyroid and know how much this can effect my weight so it's always worth looking at. Anyway if you would like any help please add me, I can always do with extra motivation. Good luck with your weighloss journey. Stick with it and you'll get where you want x

PinkiePie07

I started at 1,200 calories, just a few below your starting daily goal. I could tell I wasn't eating enough (headaches and slight moody-ness) and the first week I lost little to nothing. I bumped up my activity level from the lowest to moderate (even though if I'm not exercising I'm sitting at a desk all day), ate more calories because of it, and lost a ton more weight. After the second week I bought a food scale with a measuring cup so I can be accurate with what I put onto MFP. Sometimes I'll eat my exercise calories (because it IS better for you), but sometimes I don't. If I'm not hungry I won't eat.

Chigger56

Hi!! I would be glad to add you as a friend!! Don't give up!! This site is awesome and there is a lot of supprt here.

maureenkeister

You need to stick with it!! You can do this! I am 43 years old and have always had to watch my weight because I am short. Exercise is the key as well. it helps with you mood and is so liberating! hang in there and do not give up. You deserve this for you. here are a few exercise programs that really work. Couch to 5 K and Firm in 30.

melhayes1115

I know it can be frustrating when you see a small loss, however, it is a loss. Trust me, there will even be weeks where you see a slight gain. Try not to let it get to you. The most important thing is to stick with it. We all go through those times when we feel like giving up. When that happens, make sure you surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. They will be there to help you through the tough times and they will be the first to praise you for your accomplishments!

Good luck with your journey.

600racer

For sure don't give up. Log what you eat, don't cheat and try not to add exercise calories especially if they are light workouts. Give it 2 or 3 weeks. By then you should have enough data on how much you are eating vs. wieght lost and then adjust if you need to.

Cortkirk

This is my second go around on this site. My first time i was only one for 11 weeks and i dropped 22 pounds. I stopped because it was so close to Thanksgiving and Christmas. The reason I started again I started again is because I am in a weigh loss challenge at work. I have just finished my first week and I lost 5 pounds. This site really works. I would like to support each other on our weight loss journey. I believe support is the key. Please add me as a friend.

shellrocker12

Don't give up! I am fairly new here as well. I am attempting to find the correct calorie intake as well, I'm guessing it is a trail and error at the moment. And remember, ( as I know you already know) the excess weight we are carrying didn't happen over night or even in just a month's period of time. To do this weight loss succesfully, we've got to eat & exercise correctly. Don't beat yourself up for having a weak moment or not losing as much as you'd like to see in a weeks period of time. ( I'm reminding myself of this A Lot!! )
Stay strong, and you are more then welcome to add me as a friend.

jenlee_74

You can add me if you like! I don't have many pals here yet.
Change one little thing at a time and let time pass.....I'm narrowing down on having lost 50 lbs and it took a year! I cut sweets first and didn't notice much difference. The Huge change came for me when I cut the fat from my diet- and I mean nearly everything- absolutely no fried foods, no full fat dairy products, no nuts, avocados, oils, dressings, and only lean meats.
There is no quick fix. Change one little thing at a time and results will come, I promise.

halejr23

Hey, the key is patience. Quick fixes never stick. You have to stay dedicated and mentally strong because you will hit plateaus along your journey. Do it the healthy way - lots of hard work and adjust the diet to eat healthier - and you will reap the rewards in time.
It took my 18 months to get where I wanted but once you get there your body has been trained to burn fuel and fat more efficiently. Now I monitor calories to make sure I am going OVER my daily goal so I can build more muscle and strength. You can do this. There are a LOT of helpful people on this site. If you have questions or get frustrated ping one of us for advice. Believe me, more of us than you think have gone through the frustration you are feeling.
Avoid quick fixes, train hard 3-4 days a week, eat healthy and train yourself to be mentally tough.

HIITTheChallenge

Hi I saw your post. Are you sure you should only be eating 1310 calories? Do you have a gym membership? I also have 100lbs to go and have already lost 100lbs. I can tell you that it would be a really good idea to go to a gym and have them do a body composition of you! I had mine done and I found out my body burns 1900 calories a day if I do absolutely nothing and in order for me to even lose weight I have to eat those calories or my body will go into starvation mode and I will not lose anything. I am not sure how much you weigh, but I can tell you tons of stories of people who start at 300-400lbs and have to eat 2-3000 calories a day to lose weight and then it falls off! If you go to body building.com and find an exercise plan it will help you I am currently doing the Jamie Easton fit plan and it starts pretty easy just helping you build muscle before you add in cardio. One mistake a lot of people make is they start doing a ton of cardio. Cardio will NOT help you lose FAT if that is all you do. You need a platform to start from and you need to build muscle. For each pound of muscle you have you will burn 65 extra calories a day and it will boost your metabolism. It is best to do weight lifting and supplement with cardio. I also take protein meal replacements that are scientifically proven to build lean muscle and work even for people who don't do any exercise. 70% of the way our body looks comes from what we eat not our workouts. I have started a blog about my weight loss and I also have a fan page on fb where I help others struggling. I just started it the end of January. Feel free to add me and check out my blog and fb page feel free to message me I would love to help you however I can. There is also a video of me on my blog and on my youtube channel and I show my pictures of what I looked like 16 months ago.
www.facebook.com/hiitthechallenge
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1913190670381524644#editor/target=post;postID=8756697550142670811

poesch77

Hello and welcome! I have been on this site since March 2011 and successfully have lost 40lbs with MFP's help ( 18lbs previously after having baby #2 Dec 2010 so 58lbs total.......not a whole lot but slow and steady....I log on faithfully everyday and exercise 5-6x per week at home. Losing weight is frustrating especially if you have a lot to lose and it is not coming off fast! Everybody is different! I have learned you have to do what works for YOU! Keep changing things up....workouts and food! I have adjusted my calorie intake a million times and if you have 100lbs to lose 1300 calories is definately NOT enough! I have 35lbs left to go to be at goal and I eat 1650 calories per day...I watch my sodium and have lowered my carbs. Drink your 8-10 cups water a day too! I am no expert but have been doing this a while! Don't give up....you will go thru many plateaus in your journey!

ckish

Hi Hun - My heart goes out to you! I am taking things really slow (I've lost 10 pounds since the first of the year) and sometimes have been frustrated by my friends who do more aggressive diets and drop 10 pounds in a week. But I have also watched them gain it all back and more. Make sure you make good food choices and get maximum nutrition for each calorie you consume. If you've been eating a lot of unhealthy items previously or not exercising at all don't set yourself up for failure by thinking you are going to eat well and exercise everyday. Instead committ to changing your life one day at a time and concentrate on how much better you are feeling. For example create a simple healthy breakfast that is your go to breakfast everyday during the week if you can. If you haven't exercised regularly and then try doing it 2x a day of course you will get burned out an stop. Instead set mini goals that you cannot fail at. My original exercise goal was 10 sit ups a day. I could always do more if I wanted to but I could NEVER do less. No matter how tired, busy, or sick I was I could always take a minute to do it even if I was not motivated that day. Often on my bad days I would do it and then continue working out knowing I could stop at anytime because I had already exceeded my goal. I also found myself using the sit ups as a way to start my day if I could feel myself giving up before I got out of bed. Funny how such a small thing made me decide to have a glass of water and eat a good breakfast. Another goal was to have a 16oz glass of water when I woke up, before, a went to bed, and at lunch. By focusing on small goals like 10 sit ups and 3 glasses of water it took the pressure off and I wound up being more successful. I kept it off for many decades successfully. Then a series of things happened and I gained weight. A few months ago I decided I was finally ready to committ to losing weight. Recently I discovered zero calorie food lists on the internet. So I am going to try to eat more of them whenever possible. Feel free to send me a friend request if you like. I wish you well in your journey. I hope you remember you are a lovely woman worthy of the gift of health. You deserve the best life has to offer so enjoy treating your body like the temple it is. Many blessings on your journey.......

graciemom828

I think the 1300 calories is too low as well - I started out less than you and it gave me 1270 b/4 exercise. I have gained and lost at least 1 or 2 people throughout my life plus having multiple belly surgeries, including a C-section. There is no quick fix - sadly. I did Phen-Fen back in the day and dropped 50 pounds quickly and gained it all back. I read somewhere a person should have 150 minutes of exercise per week - it is good for your heart. So that is sort of my informal goal. I would be happy to support/friend you as I have lived my entire 59 years with a weight problem. Hang in there - but do exercise! Especially cardio.

MaryMacTree

Hello! You are doing Fine with the Lose of .6 in 5 days.. Think about it, if you lose .6 in 5 days, thats 3.6 month which equals 21.6 in 6mths. WOW!! it has taken me 33 weeks to lose 25 pounds...And a Total of 38 inches.. Seven inches from my Chest. Please don't give up on yourself.. Also it takes time for the Skin to shrink back up..

susanswan

I am turning 55 next month and FINALLY have gotten to my goal weight of 135! I went from 205 pounds and a size 16 to a size 4 - 6! And I am 1- "old", 2- did it passing through menopause, 3- work at home behind a desk, and 4- have had hypothyroid disease since age 19 and on medication for it. 5 - not an exercise maniac; I mostly walk just twice a day. I lost 70 pounds!

What has been most beneficial to me? In a nutshell: eating better calories such as those from whole foods - real veggies and fruits, whole grains, and eating very few things from boxes, jars, and cans. I eliminated junk food (obviously they call it junk food for a reason!), saturated fats, sugar, and white flours, white rice, white pasta, all refined grains. When i got rid of the white flour and sugar my cravings went way down low. Instead of food driving me to it it uncontrollably, I was able to pass it by with just the desire to eat it but I could live without eating it. My eating habits didn't change overnight, but I did get an epiphany from People Magazine - How they Lost Half of Their Size issue. The upshot of the articles secret? They never gave up. I had always given up. This time I knew I wouldn't.

My best tips for you are:
1 -Make manageable changes in your diet and life. Change things slowly one by one. The object is to succeed, not to set yourself up for failure. (think of it as learning anything new. You don't learn math by starting in calculus. You don't learn to exercise by running a marathon. You don't set your calories for 1000 and eat just celery and water, either. DO FOLLOW the MFP calorie guidelines including eating your calories. Whatever amount you are eating NOW is way more than the amount MFP will tell you to eat so you will lose. Also be prepared to have nothing or little happen for a month or so while your body is in revolt! It doesn't know what is happening so it wont lose. But have faith. IT WILL!

2- Make a list for yourself of what you are WILLING TO DO versus what you are NOT WILLING TO DO to succeed. My examples are: Diet: I will not join Weight Watchers or anything like that. I will not do and Atkins diet, that doesn't mentally work for me. I would rather cut out all junk food, white flour and sugars. I would rather do the Dr. Oz book YOU; ON a Diet. I will eat real food. For Exercise: I will not run - EVER. I will not join a gym - EVER. I will take walks around the neighborhood and I got a dog just for that purpose. He needs to walk and will give me company to make me walk. I will find some exercise videos to do at home in my own time. I will also ride my bike and take opportunities for occasional hikes or other active things like that.

3 - Your past performance (like the stock market!) does not necessarily predict your future performance. I have failed at every attempt I ever made to lose weight for the long run. Might have had weeks or months of success, but never years. I waited until I was 49 looking at 50 to finally get serious. I got serious. I still had to learn how to keep it off. I lost 53 pounds steadily over 8 months, but then thought I didnt' need to COUNT CALORIES anymore and gained back almost 20 pounds in a couple of years. It is possible to succeed at this if you approach it as a lifestyle change. Any "temporary" changes in your eating habits will have temporary results. You have to mean it when you want to lose weight to keep it off. I started my diet and exercise lifestyle changes 5 years ago. FIVE YEARS AGO! I just hit my goal last week. FIVE YEARS you may say? SO what? Five years passes anyway. Might as well put the time to good use. And guess what else? After you lose the weight now you have to keep it off. It doesn't magically stay off. You'll need to work at that, too. By the way, I only lost 1.1 pound per week ON AVERAGE when I first started. The last 30 came off but took OVER 1 solid year of hard effort. 1 solid year. Don't be in a hurry. Any loss is good!

4- YOU CAN DO IT. but the real key is to NEVER GIVE UP. EVER. If you backslide, fine. Everyone does and they are lying if they said it was easy. If it were easy, everyone would be thin. For whatever reasons your plan isn't working, REFINE YOUR PLAN. DON'T GIVE UP! That is the best way to fail - by giving up. You already know how that works! You are not stupid. You have the internet at your fingertips. Read success stories right here if nothing else! These people have already done it! They are experts. They all went about it a different way. Pick and choose things that will work for you that make sense for you.

Best of luck to you. Success is yours if you don't give up!

BreakfastSunFitness

Hi pretty new on here myself been on here about 20 days.In only 20 days .So far for me what has helped me is to plan my foods ahead of time .Also get my water and exercise in first thing. I am the kind of person that likes to get it out of the way so i dont have to think about it later.It helps to add pals also so you can encourage each other!

betterchoices4me

Hi hun, this is my first week and I lost 4lb. Are you sure you have your daily activity level set correctly? Can I ask how much you currently weigh? I started at 207lb and have a calorie allowance of 1320 (working to ratio of 2lb a week)... So question number one, are you eating enough?

Number 2, with the calories given for exercise, if you feel they are too high (some sites are) and you feel that your daily activity level is right, perhaps just eat half of your cals earned through exercise?

Calorie counting is really dieting basics, if you have things set correctly then you cannot fail to lose weight if you stick to it.

x x

Great job! This is my first week I hope I do as well.

shella5

well to start my day i made my first post and had no friends on this site. i go out for a while and log in to find 29 messages and 15 friend requests! it made me cry to realize i'm not alone in this battle and all the great words of support and encourgement you have all given me. for the first time i don't feel like i'm alone in my struggles. i can't thank you all enough. i am at a turning point in my life because i just don't want to be fat anymore! i am sure i will be calling on all of you for help and your wisdom along the way, this has been a lifelong battle for me and i really want and need to win this war! . please keep the tips coming i need them.