Conflicting Information and being overwhelmed

jeby8

Does anyone else get that overwhelming sense of dread when you make the decision to lose weight and get healthier? I love MFP, but sometimes when I'm on here, I get so overwhelmed with the amount of information on here. Eat this.. don't eat this... restrict this...don't restrict that.

Part of my problem is that I'm easily discouraged so when I try something that worked for someone else and it doesn't work for me...I immediately think it's something I did or that I didn't follow the right advice.

How do I drown out these fears and insecurities to find what works for me? How do I develop a healthy eating and exercise plan that ensures that I will see results and start feeling healthier?

I want to be proud of the healthy eating I'm doing...If I can just figure out what that exactly entails. Same with exercise plan. Help!

NewChristina

First, you already know that everyone is different. What will work for you?? Hmmm.... You have to try it for a few weeks to find out. You have to commit yourself to something. Best wishes.

ZugTheMegasaurus

It's largely trial and error, just figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. Everybody has different theories and ideas and you'll go crazy trying to reconcile them or boil them down to a single answer.

Don't think about doing everything right. Instead focus on changing the things you know are wrong. If you drink six cans of soda every day, then drink one fewer tomorrow, and keep going down. If you don't pay attention to portions, try measuring at least some of your food. If you don't eat any vegetables, just start eating some with meals. It's not a matter of being perfect or getting it "right" on every last detail, but about doing better than you were before. It adds up over time.

You might also like to read this post I wrote a while ago for questions like these: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/578928-give-yourself-a-chance

MizSaz

I take everything that I read here with a grain of salt. Some people would gain weight on a diet that someone else swears by, but nobody seems to believe that around here. So I do what works for me, and I preface most of the advice I give with "this is what I've been successful with".

Just figure out what works for you. Whether you actually count calories or not, logging your food can be really helpful in figuring out what you're eating, how much of it you're eating, etc.

Bobby_Clerici

Then just stick with what is simple, and do what is recommended on this site and by MFP.
Eat to goal daily: lean meats, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, low fat dairy and nuts.
Just eat the calories represented by that green number, and when you exercise, that number goes up. Eat back your exercise calories.
And IGNORE those who try to make it seem so complicated.
Enjoy, and keep it simple.
Good Luck:flowerforyou:

Nielasan

You gotta change the way you THINK about these tips and programs and restrictions.

Take a good look at your less healthy habits and think, how can i afford to be more friendly to my own body in little ways that i can live with for life?

How do you want to feel emotionally? Its only when you really decide you want to change from you mind outward to your physical form that you will be able to make that change slowly but surely.

I guarantee you will be successful. If you need some positive mentality pointers let me know. I used to get really down on myself all the time, until i realized the only person who could help me stop feeling that way was myself. You have a brain and a body, the two are totally connected, do good things for one and it'll be good for the other. BELIEVE you will be healthy. i mean really get there in your heart and then there's no going back. you know what to do. you can do it. good luck and peace!

OSC_ESD

~ My best advice to you is to stick to the basics ... all the information, knowledge and bull**** on here is good for reading purposes and then deciding what works for you.

By sticking to the basics I simply mean ... Try to eat clean, one ingredient foods whenever possible. Balance your diet with carbs, proteins and healthy fats. Try to limit processed foods and remember that the " portion size " does matter !

Exercise 3 to 5 times a week ... preferably something you love to do and remain positive ! A healthy lifestyle isn't just about food and fitness ... it's also about being happy !

Just a few facts to consider ...

People do lose weight with just walking as their choice of exercise.
People do lose weight working out 7 days a week and eating " off the hook "
People do lose weight eating clean and never exercising.
People do lose weight with a healthy diet and exercise regimen.

You see the truth is ... everybody is different, what works for one person may not work for another. And that's ok. It's more important to find what works for you !

If your not losing weight ... change is needed ... either decrease your calories or up your exercise. Just tweak the numbers until you are comfortably losing at a healthy rate.

Ignore the people who say you " can't " lose weight doing this or that ... ignore the people who think their way is the only way.

Your way is the right way ... the right way for you !

Best of luck on your journey ... keep smiling, it's all good ! :flowerforyou:

small_ninja

I try to think of it this way: I know that no matter what, I'm probably eating better (and less) than what I was eating before, and that in itself is a win

It all depends on you as an individual and what you want to get out of this lifestyle change. If your goal is to simply "be healthier", then noting the number of healthy foods in your diary that may not have been consumed when you weren't logging your food should be considered a win for you. When it comes to exercise, you can just set mini goals for yourself; knowing that you've just completed an exercise that you may not have been able to do before should make you feel loads better about yourself and will help you think of yourself as "healthier".

www.fitocracy.com is a really good site for tracking fitness goals btw

Mceastes

First off, don't try to do this perfectly. Be prepared for a some trial and error. This is totally normal. As a personal trainer, one of the first questions I ask my clients when we discuss weight loss is "What do you know you're doing right now that's keeping you from losing weight?" It's not always a matter of throwing more information at them, lots of people can easily recognize some of their biggest obstacles. For example, some of my clients have a big soda habit that just has to be cut out. Some depend on fast food and don't make low calorie choices at their favorite restaurants. Some binge on ice cream or chips at night. So my advice would be to start with what you know for sure isn't allowing you to lose weight. Change those few things, then start looking at the rest of your meals and snacks and making substitutions. Swap chips for veggies and hummus, make your own lunches, eat treats in smaller portions, look up easy recipes for healthy dinners, have a good breakfast, etc. Joining MFP and counting calories is an excellent start!

For exercise, just get moving! If you're not doing any exercise right now, then just walking 30 min. everyday or other day will get you started and is a safe place to start if you've been sedentary. Do that for a few weeks and then branch out into whatever interests you. Do you like to swim, bike, always wanted to run, dance, lift weights, try yoga? If you belong to a gym, join a class that interests you - don't worry, you won't be the only newbie. Everyone is different and you have to find what interests you or you won't stick with it. If you can't do the gym, buy some DVD's and dumbbells and workout at home. There are lots of ways to shed fat and build muscle so you have many options. Don't be afraid to change it up if you get bored. I do!

Do your research and experiment - just don't give up! If one way doesn't work, find another. There are many paths to health and fitness. It's good to seek advice, but at the end of the day, it's your journey and you have to just pay attention to what works for you and do your own research. Good luck!!

IronPlayground

The simple answer regarding losing weight is to stay at a caloric deficit. When you eat, how many times a day you eat, what to eat, what not to eat, all this can be considered irrelevant if it doesn't fit a plan that you will stick with.

When people say that everyone is different, it usually means that the type of eating plan or exercise plan doesn't fit their style or level of enjoyment. Physiologically speaking, we are pretty much the same unless hindered by some sort of medical issue.

Stay at a caloric deficit, maintain your macronutrients (proteins, carbs and fats) within acceptable ranges and get some exercise. How you fill these goals is entirely up to you.

TexasMamaTwo

Just be proud of your accomplishments and the changes you make in your own life. For me it was just controlling my caloric intake and making smarter choices and I am proud of the changes that I have made so far. I enjoy food and we like to eat out so eating out less was a big change for us. I havent stopped eating anything, i just eat less of it. When I dont deprive myself its easier to stick to healthy eating. I also dont consider it dieting. So many negative conotations. I just try to think of it in ter,s of being healthier and being a good role model for my kids. And the healthier I am, the more energy I have then the more I can do with my munchkins and the happier I am more for them and the more patience I have to give them.

Be prlud of you and take it one day at a time. You may ned to have smaller more frequent meals or ypu may be ok with 3 meals a day. Chose whatever works best for you and your lifestyle and work schedule and dont get down on yourself. Celebrate those nsv's!!!

reedkaus

hahaha oh man. i'm not laughing at you, but at my own situation. because i literally just posted a blog about this early in the afternoon. there is way too much out there, and i challenge you to find what works for you, and realize, though you may want fast results, this is a lifetime commitment to being healthy, so take your time to try out different things and experiment with your body until your find your magical formula

SpecialKitty7

I have no idea what actually works for me. I heard or read somewhere "you know what healthy looks like" and i've tried to eat that way. I make it about 80% of the time. Another way i've implemented that is to look at my meal and wonder if i'd be embarrassed if i fed that to my friend's kid. If it would be shameful, i try not to eat it.

peacemongernc

It's largely trial and error, just figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. Everybody has different theories and ideas and you'll go crazy trying to reconcile them or boil them down to a single answer.

Don't think about doing everything right. Instead focus on changing the things you know are wrong. If you drink six cans of soda every day, then drink one fewer tomorrow, and keep going down. If you don't pay attention to portions, try measuring at least some of your food. If you don't eat any vegetables, just start eating some with meals. It's not a matter of being perfect or getting it "right" on every last detail, but about doing better than you were before. It adds up over time.

You might also like to read this post I wrote a while ago for questions like these: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/578928-give-yourself-a-chance

I SO agree! My personal trainer keeps nagging me to see the nutrition specialist through the gym, and I keep putting him off. I'm not opposed to nutrition professionals, but I've been on diets, off and on, since I was 8. At this point I'm about making small, permanent changes in my lifestyle, not in following a diet for a few months until I lose weight. I'd rather go slowly, make mistakes, and find ways to make it work with my budget, lifestyle and limitations.

I didn't know if this was a smart way to move forward when I started, because I was afraid I might fail as a result. But it has turned out to be the right thing for me. It is completely do-able, and when something doesn't work, I have to stop and figure it out.

This is why I love MFP so much!! It gives me a resource full of things to try, but I'm only accountable to myself.

I started out by just logging my food without putting much effort into trying to modify my diet, just to get an idea of where I was. Then I started making changes. My first thing was to focus on getting my fiber intake up and not going to crazy on calories, and then fiddled with caloric intake until i found what worked. Then I worked on figuring out what to eat that didn't leave me feeling sick or hungry.

I'm not saying that this is how you should do it, but just to show that there really is NOT one way to do it. Give it a try and see what happens. If this is really a lifestyle change for you, and not a temporary change, you have decades to sort it all out!

Morgaine_on_the_move

This is really great advice, from all of you...I feel inspired! Like the OP, I've been feeling overwhelmed with all of the options, especially concerning food ( I've got the exercise part down), but I'm just going to have to dive in and see what works.
Thank you!!

jeby8

I am floored by all of your responses and the support. THANK YOU so much! It all helps and even beyond the advice here at MFP, the support system is the best thing someone starting out on a weight loss journey can have.

You guys are awesome