I need some answers to some questions :)

Raregreeneyes

So...I am seeing a ton of success on this site. Can some of you help me out? I need to know if it is because of just the calories that people are watching or are you doing the calories with the exercise? How many times a week are people exercising? I just want to be on the right path to loosing over 150 lbs. Thanks so much

Lift_This_

i work out 5-6 days a week. i try to eat at least 1500 cals a day more when i work out...i still eat everything i like, i just dont eat as much of it...lol...

in 6 months or so i dropped 51 pounds...

best of luck with your transformation.

Moniqua1

It's a combination of both for me. I workout 5xs a week, when I started, I was.eating the same and when I saw.results, I wanted to kick out into high gear, so eating better felt more natural.

bathsheba_c

It's really a personal thing. I hate exercising, so I am better off doing something intense 2-3 days a week than going to the gym 6 days a week. Some people here are so out of shape that they start with a daily 10 minute walk and work their way up from there. Obviously, that doesn't burn so many calories at the beginning, so they are more reliant on watching intake.

FWIW, I have lost 8 lbs over 2 months by following MFP's recommended intake, exercising 2-3 days a week, and eating back most of the calories burned during exercise. My goal is 1 lb a week, so pretty accurate.

Also, some people on the site will tell you that you restrict calories for weight loss and exercise for fitness.

WendyCollinson2004

I try to make sure I eat at least 1200 calories a day. I have my calorie intake set at 2000 calories, but that is with the calorie burn included. So I might eat 2000 calories, but with a workout my net is 1200 to 1400 a day. I work out a couple times a day, especially when I was trying to lose a lot of weight, and for 5 to 6 days a week. Now I don't do that so much, but I try to make sure I have at least 1200 calories for my net.
If you walk, then work your way up from 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, and just keep going, unless you don't mind walking and want to walk for 1 hour off from the start.
I hope this helps. If you know what you were taking in before you started your lifestyle change that will help also, because then you know you want less caloric intake then what you had. Even if you don't exercise.

Sarahcuda

I do a little of both.
I haven't been able to exercise as much as I want to (recently screwed up my achilles tendons from wearing flip flops at work), but I am bringing the exercise in as I can.

Start small... I have one friend on here who gets an amazing burn from running in place every day. That is something any of us can do. I put on a tv show and run in place while it's on... : )

The thing I have really been focusing on is changing the way I eat. For the last 3 weeks I have been very careful about what I put in my body (cutting out a lot of foods I would normaly eat) and reprograming my thinking about food.

You will find what works for you. Just DON'T GIVE UP! : )

Bobby_Clerici

Welcome to MFP; this is a great place to meet people just like us who are striving to reach fitness goals.
Losing fat is actually very simple but just hard work.
This is how MFP works
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/3-how-does-myfitnesspal-work

And Tips for Newbies
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/470367-tips-for-newbies

Just get started by going into settings to Update diet/fitness profile.
Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
NO MORE!
And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
Log in those exercises to your MFP exercise diary.
AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES!
Remember, this is not a race, and you can reach your goals if you stick to a good plan as recommended on this site.

You have many people here ready to lend support, answer qustions and discuss any challenges.
You can do this.

All Is Possible!

pandsmomCheryl

I excercise almost every day - it's part of my "mood stabilization program" LOL - but I don't drop a pound without a proper diet. Which firstly means NEVER below 1200 calories for anyone, but basically the maximum amount you can eat and still see the scale going in the right directions. Good luck to you - I love this site...

karenjean03

I have been watching my calories and MFP helps a lot with this - I exercise about 5 or 6 times a week for about an hour a day but I also have about 200 lbs to lose. Why it works for me is because it makes accountable. I have friends watching what I am doing and so I if I don't make my calories or get my exercise in I feel I am not doing my end of the bargain. My friends are a big boost and keep me very motivated. It mostly for me has to do the having to be accountable to something or someone. Hope this helps - Good Luck!

amandainez08

I work out 6 times a week and try to keep my calories under control. I have learned that healthier foods have fewer calories, therefore you can eat more of it and still stay around your goal. However, you don't want your metabolism to slow down, so that's why exercise and variety are important. There are days where I go way over my calorie goal, and I still lose weight. In my opinion, you just have to keep your metabolism guessing. Now, on the days you exercise, be sure to eat more than what your goal states. Basically, eat back your exercise calories. Say your goal is 1400 (about where mine is) a day, if you burn 250 by exercising, eat that back so you still net 1400 calories. (Calories Eaten - Calories Burned = Net Calories)

Best of luck!

patchesgizmo

For me it is exercise with the calories. Exercising being the main factor. Get moving, watch the sodium closely, monitor the calories to be reasonable, try to get your protein up. I find working in the pool for 2 hours a night walking or playing volleyball is helping tons.

Linda_Darlene

For me it is all of the above. I watch my calorie amounts, I care where my calories come from, and I exercise daily. I track everything I eat and do.

pxpwop

Just remember slow and steady wins the race. Start off slow and pick it up as you progress. I would say stay between 1200 and 1800 calories to start. Closer to 1800 in the early weeks and slowly move it down, so your body isn't shocked in the change. Also, don't just watch calories. Make sure your sugar intake is what it needs to be along with fat intake. Low calories are great but Sugar and fat can be worse then calories. Drink at least 80oz of water daily. Maybe start by working out 2-3 times a week, 30-40 mins the first week or two. Don't over due it. Then slowly work your way to 4-5 times a week, 60-75 mins. That is how I would go about it. Good luck on your journey!

islandnutshel

I started out focused on diet, and careful logging. I would exercise just 200-300 calories more per day and eating most of my exercise calories. Then as I felt better and gainded confidence, I have added more exercise, about 500 calories burned per day, of which I eat most back.
I havent slowed down in weight loss, and am still averaging 2 pounds / week lost. Even with the change in my settings. (I changed it to -1.5/week instead of 2) Thats not to say my weight doesn't flux. I definately advise only weighing once a week.
With lots to lose you need to adopt a waiting attitude. You do the work and enjoy all the little victories along the way. You learn and add new activities, but try not to obcess, get impatient, or be overly critical of yourself. If you have a bad day. Blog about it. Then write down what you would have liked to have done better. Make a plan for what you will do next time.
If you don't learn about yourself, about food, about exercise, about your body, then you won't keep it off.
Pace yourself and learn from others here. Share, encourage, and be encouraged.
Welcome.

Martina_Who

This is my week 4 and so far I've lost 13lbs!
I eat around 1200kcal a day and exercise between off 200-800kcal per day
I'm going to increase my calorie intake soon so my body doesnt get used to the low calories!

This site is fab, there are so many great people to motivate you and compete with!!
The forums are fab, a great place to ask any question you have

Good Luck with your weight loss journey, if you stick with MFP then you will stick with your weight loss :-O)

steph1278

Welcome. I work out 5-6 days per week and eat around 2000 calories. I have the Body Media Fit so that's what determines the amount of calories that I eat on a given day. I have lost 101 so far and still have a little over 50 to go so I know where you are coming from. Try not to look at the big picture. Break it down into smaller goals. It's a lot of work, but so worth it. Good luck to you.

yoovie

so many people are successful on this site because so many people have decided to love the entire process and focus on the big picture instead of the tiny math. Just wake up everyday and say TODAY SHALL BE HEALTHY AND ACTIVE! and then do it or else you're a fat liar instead of a beautiful work in progress. ♥

supplemama

I use a combination of exercise and diet. I do cardio every single day (I walk at least 7 miles at 5mph), I hula hoop for 30 minutes every day, and I strength train 3-4 days a week. I do not eat all of my exercise calories back. I eat between 1500-1900 calories. I started at 238 in January, joined MFP in June at 214, now I am 203.2. My goal weight is 130. You can do this, it will happen for you!

BaconMD

I started with working out and after the first 40-something pounds of loss, I found MFP and began tracking my food to re-learn portion sizes.

Nowadays, I try to workout a few times a week for about an hour, but during summer especially, I sometimes don't keep up too much because I'm busy living (primarily fishing for many hours on end).

I eat 2400 calories per day right now, on days I don't work out. This figure I came to based on Fat2Fit Radio's calculator (sedentary maintenance level for my goal weight), as well as my own calculations of my BMR using 6 different formulas and averaging them out, and adding some extra for activity level. I also monitor my exercise with a Polar HRM and eat back some or all of my burned calories if I'm hungry.

Yes, it is slow-going, but I've not plateaued since starting this, and I'm never feeling hungry with no calories left in the day. I don't deprive myself of anything. That's the key to success, in my opinion. Change your entire lifestyle, do only what you feel you can maintain forever, and just do it. Start now. Let the time go by and don't get discouraged if you don't lose fast. It will come in time, and I don't see much point rushing it, feeling like hell because you're on some crazy diet that restricts perfectly fine foods or failing and binging due to a no-cake/no-cookie/no-bacon/no-fun policy.

Captain_Tightpants

Everything you'll ever need to know is right here:
http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

And exercise at least 3 times a week.

runfatmanrun

I think you have to figure out your food first. Exercise is very important but knowing how to eat will help you whether you workout or not. Do workout though, doesn't have to be a ton a day, doesn't have to be every day, and you don't even really have to like it (it helps to though),but something.

bradphil87

I think you have to figure out your food first. Exercise is very important but knowing how to eat will help you whether you workout or not. Do workout though, doesn't have to be a ton a day, doesn't have to be every day, and you don't even really have to like it (it helps to though),but something.

This is true, as the saying goes "you can't outrun the fork!" and it is completely true.

75Juniper

I started with tracking my food and set my weight loss goal to lose 1 lb per week. Once I got comfortable with tracking, I started exercising. I used to HATE to exercise, but now I work out 5-7 days a week for 30-60 minutes each time and I feel really good afterwards.

The big thing for me hasn't been one thing over another, but consistency. Once you figure out what works for you, do it every day.

jsygurl

Thanks for ansking the question raregreeneyes (not so rare I have some too!) - I have loved the answers and am very inspired!0

Raregreeneyes

Thanks so much for all the advice. I have a lot to think about.