Question to our Success Story folks....

tito7388

My motivations were simple:

1- Live longer to enjoy my family
2- Never ever have to shop at Casual Male XL (was at 5xl when I started)
3 - Why Not? Sheez I've done everything else haven't I?

So what helped me:
1- Nutrition is probably the most important of all, if you get this wrong it can alter your results
a - 3 things to know Body Fat% - BMR & TDEE once you have these three you can structure your nutritional plan
2- A good balanced fitness program. Many tend to just do the usual cardio but I would say mix it up both strength training and cardio and also rest.
3 - Attitude you need to have it. It's kind of when I used to smoke earlier in my life, 2 packs a day and I would always say I would quit but never did. Then one day cold turkey quit and never since. Hey we've done harder things in life. Some of us have even made the decision to leave our parents home and live in other states far away from family. I say if you have the maturity to leave your family and go catch your dream... Hell I think we can leave and lose the pounds also. Really not that hard. It's simple we are just obscured by all the mass marketing lies...

jenmfpal

I have been on my journey since October 2011. I've lost 80 pounds. I know you asked for 3 tips, but I had a blog post that addressed your topic, and also have a lot I'd like to share. If it's too much, I guess you could just skim over it.

You don't have to be SUPER all at once, but commit to being better every day! First I signed up to be in a "Biggest Looser" competition at work and was seeing small success with small dieting. I began finding better diet ideas, and then added gym workouts. When I began to see numbers consistently on the scale, I committed to going to the gym every day. I was slowly enjoying the healthy lifestyle so much that I researched and kept learning more and improving my fitness routine.

The best advice I've gotten... make sure you are eating enough (see eating back your exercise calories). Advice I got a few months ago and thought people were CRAZY, but it really works; because if your body gets into starvation mode when you aren't eating enough, especially if you are working out super hard; plus who wants to work out just to burn muscle?

I LOVE going to the gym. I really do like it. I find it motivating because I feel stronger, I have friends there, and because I'm looking better and seeing results on the scale. Going hard at the gym, has a bigger payoff for me because I see the results faster and it keeps me more motivated. My friends at the gym comment about how I'm always happy at the gym, even at 4:30am. Even when I'm working hard- pushing through a hard set. Funny if you'd told me that 6 months ago when I hadn't used my membership in about 6 years!

Reinforcement is KEY. My initial incentive was the prospect that I could win $630 if I won my Biggest Looser competition with the largest percent of loss after 12 weeks. I reinforced myself for all my efforts. I made going to the gym rewarding. I Reinforced myself after reaching weight loss goals (10 pounds get haircut) but recently realizing I should have reinforced myself for going to the gym, eating better, or inches lost, because weight isn't the best measure of the fact that I am being successful! (Take your measurements because, you'll be happy you did months from now!)

I'm going to school to be a Behavior Analyst and as a Special Education teacher, I think my experience with behavior modification helped keep me focused. MFP and what you are doing here is based on behavior modification, keep up the great job!!! Here is a great article about behavior modification, diet and the digital age: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/06/the-perfected-self/8970/2/. This is an awesome introduction to Behavior Contracts: Carrots and Sticks a way you can make yourself accountable and has some ideas about reinforcement: (at min 30 he talks about dieting).

Support has been important for me. I made a Journey album on my facebook page and have had some nice support from friends/family. Also have found some nice people to follow on fb. I post inspirational quotes on my wall. And of course MFP support is key. So in closing, get a good community of friends on here. Share your diary and accept feedback. Don't take it personally when someone tells you they think you should eat more or suggest something else because they are saying it because they care- research it and see if the suggestion might help. I heard once that a key to success is to find a mentor and be a mentor, so find someone who is ahead of you in the journey and someone to help along behind you (the you learn from teaching theory). And re-read your own profile once in a while, very insightful!

Feel free to add me if you want to have a mentor, we can learn together since I'm still on my journey. So glad you had this post!

Lozze

1. Starting
2. Logging everything
3. Drinking 8-12 glasses of ater a day