How did you kick start your weight loss? How did you begin?

larkiedeek

I went cold turkey on alcohol, chocolate and soda on the 2nd of January. I also watched what I was eating.

I found other food to fill me up like fruit, corn-flakes and salad. I also re-discovered the value of water. Water makes me drop weight.

I just thought I would do it for a couple of days to try and clear out all the excess from new-year but stayed on it. I lasted about 97 days off alcohol but I am still off Chocolate and soda.

I think I can either maintain my weight OR drink alcohol and eat chocolate. I think more cardio will help restore balance as well.

sondra216379

I think im going to do this too

Eat at maintenance that is...for a few weeks. I've basically been stalled for a month

ssp1977

I was caught in the classic web...I would go to the gym and "work out" and then because I had "worked out" I figured that I earned ______________ (fill in the blank with any number of high calorie food or beverages with little nutritional value). To kickstart my weight loss I started keeping track of my calories, which I was grossly underestimating, and stopped phoning it in at the gym. Now I really work up a good sweat and make good nutritional choices to fuel my body.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

I was caught in the classic web...I would go to the gym and "work out" and then because I had "worked out" I figured that I earned ______________ (fill in the blank with any number of high calorie food or beverages with little nutritional value). To kickstart my weight loss I started keeping track of my calories, which I was grossly underestimating, and stopped phoning it in at the gym. Now I really work up a good sweat and make good nutritional choices to fuel my body.

Isn't that deep you'd call it "caught in a web" I found/find myself doing that too. Thanks so much for your post.

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THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR POSTS--ALL OF YOU GUYS STORIES ARE SO ENCOURAGING/ENLIGHTENING AND JUST PLAIN COOL!!!!

bigtone34

My biggest thing was portion size and then started jogging and now running a lot.

paulslim4369

always kick start diet with a 24 hour fast / do strict diet and refeeds with all your favourites also keeps you on track good luck feel free too add diary open

redpaisleyrose

Checked out all the success pictures here, with weight loss SO obvious! Then I started...because I know what to do, I just start.

ChristiH4000

I have real trouble with food so I started with exercise and at the very beginning started with yoga to help get my body prepared for everything else. It worked. Harder workouts and strength training followed, and so did fixing my diet. I'm on here now to fine tune all of that and finish up.
Yoga started it and is still part of my workout routine that I couldn't do without. I heart yoga.

CoryIda

I decided one day that I was going to get healthy.

I came home, dumped all of the junk from my house, replaced it with nutritious stuff, and took a walk.

Seriously. That's it. No looking back.

Emancipated_Tai

Just now coming out of a +2 month plateau. I switched to the south beach diet, upped my caloric intake from 1200 to 1400 & started JM 30DS & Ripped in 30. I've lost 2lbs per week the last two weeks.

sewerchick93

I did a 10 week wellness program. Learned how to set healthy goals and learned about eating healthy. I kept a food journal that was evaluated each week by a nutritionist, who would then make suggestions to make my choices better (healthier), I learned about portion size, calories in-calories out and how to calculate my needed calories and how to exercise properly within a target heart rate. for exercise, I just started with walking a minimum of 30 minutes a day and increased as I could. During the wellness program, an exercise journal was kept and evaluated each week by a trainer who again offered advice to get a more effective workout to reach our goals. We were taught how to properly read labels and how to make the most of our trip to the grocery store. Best of all it was free, given through my work!!!

lisaisso

i got dressed for the gym even when i didn't wanna go.. told myself i'd at least do 20 min on the elliptical. once there, it turned into more time..
i drank water starting from first thing in the morning, if i didn't start it then, i wouldn't drink any thru out the rest of the day (i'm still like this btw)
i meditated and envisioned myself at my goal size, dreamed about it...
i googled each and everything on lifting and being healthy, completely immersed myself in information.

lambeas

I looked at myself in the mirror and stopped making excuses... found an exercise program that i liked ( insanity and p90x) the tried to eat as healthy as possible by eating clean ( limit ANY processed foods)

Started to sleep better, feel better, less bloated and I liked it. Then joined mfp to try to create a sense of accountability.

kspoon5

First of all I joined MFP with a couple of family members- we weighed in, took measurements and set goals together. My first major step besides calorie counting was replacing my sweet tea with water. That was a HUGE thing for me I think I as addicted to it now I have in moderation with a meal and count it in my calories. I am in a plateau right now though :sad:

Mendham07945

I went to a Nutritionist. I thought that I was fine with my breakfast choice: special K, fruit and skim milk. I've switch to oatmeal or Kashi Go Lean with fruit. Needed more protein in the AM so that I wasn't starving by lunch time. Learned when that happened, one craves fats and carbs. I now have a mid-morning snack of cottage cheese or yogurt so that I don't go to lunch hungry. Have an afternoon snack of Laughing Cow cheese and Mary's Gone Crackers. That way, I don't get home and reach for food immediately.

Also log every morsel of food to stay within 1700 calories...I'm not deprived of anything.

hiker282

I cut back my calorie intake and started hiking. I'd spend some time outdoors at least 4 times a week and dropped weight like mad. Okay, it was two pounds a week, but it was a consistent loss for a good two or three months.

janeite1990

I spent 2 weeks working out 1x a day and holding on to 1 Coke a day. With no progress whatsoever, I committed. I dumped all Cokes and started twoadays. I can't always do 2 workouts a day, but when I can, I do. Also, I exercise every single day.

MarincicS

I started working with a personal trainer and keeping a food journal. After one month, i lost one pound. I cried. Then a friend told me about MFP. I never decided to 'diet' or cut anything out, but when i saw how many calories some foods were, and how much sugar or cholesterol was in some things, i just found myself making healthier choices. It has been pretty easy to stick to my calorie goals once i understood them.

Knowledge is power.

The more i log and pay attention and the more i read other people's successes here, the more and more good choices i make.

And for the few things i don't want to let go of, i make sure i control frequency and portions, or if necessary, find low calorie replacements.

shalewaeki

In December, I cut out soda and all other drinks completely, I now only drink water. I used to have at least 2 cans of coke in a day. I started jugging 20 mins -3days a week. By February, 8 weeks after I had lost about 21pounds.
I now attend classes in the gym 3-4 times a week, still struggling with portion sizes and eating out. Trying to eat more veg and protein.
Looking to lose more weight still.

cestoby

Congratulations on your accomplishment!!!!!!
you started power walking, how long, and what distance? what were you doing after that, if not power walking?
thanks for sharing!