Newbie here---I am SICK!

HerbT51

I have to stop thinking about it as a diet and just start living it.

This is the answer! Any diet plan will, sooner or later, get old/boring/fade away. The real "trick" is to eat everything but control the portions. MFP is ideal for tracking that life style. You soon learn better ways to use your calories but still give yourself occasional treats (don't think of them as cheats). Don't look for quick results. Be happy with long term changes and the results will come. Good luck, you can do it.

nikbolok

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

^ All you'll need!! ^

Sharlaew

I know how you feel. I did the WW thing. I like MFP much better. I sent you a friend request. Welcome!

3foldchord

I was just thinking t oday... "I am tired of watching and c ounting every little thing"...."Why is it good o work out? I am just STINKING SORE for 3 days in between. (and work out about every other day.. I am always sre, when does it get better??)"

I can do 'lower carb" (not sure if counts as LOW, but lower than normal)-- for about a week or so, them I need my carbs back in my diet. I might make a swing schedule. 2 weeks low carb, 5 days carb heavy, 2 weeks low, 5 days heavy... Or just decide I don't care. Eat low carbs when I feel like and not when I feel like..LOL- and hope the Low Carb days eventually win out.

(I am on day 4 of a nasty headache and don't much care about anything today)

Sending you a request.

secretlobster

The only reason any diet with a name succeeds for any person is because that particular person found some kind of "golden nugget" that clicked for them personally and it gave them a particular set of rules that they found easiest to adhere to. There are definitely some BAD diets, but even among the better/more sustainable ones, there is no clear winner that will magically work for everyone. It's all about what clicks with you, what you find most motivating, or what fits most with the life you lead.

The thing any "successful" dieters have in common is eating an appropriate number of calories for the body they want to have. Weight Watchers does this by giving you a really simplistic version of calorie counting.

Lots of people have found success with MFP because it takes a lot of guesswork out of calculating calories, and logging food/exercise makes it easy to figure out where you need to make lifestyle changes.

rides4sanity

Been there, done that, this is way better. Good Luck!

Helen_Luvnlife

I think you have come to the right place. If diet books worked I would be a twig. It is learning a new life style. I still eat my favorite foods. But I have learned portion control and managing my calories plus using exercise to work it off. A wonderful trainer also introduced me to cheat days. You schedule a day to eat anything you want couple times a month or even once a week if you are doing good. That way if you are craving a food you put it off till cheat day. It also helps keep your metabolism up. One thing I have learned though is don't bring it in the house. If you want ice cream. Go out for an ice cream cone.

Good luck with this new life style. If you are faithful with logging everyday you will do it! I will send you a friend request.

jrmartinezb

Friend request sent!

Welcome to MFP!

I think it is a major step when you stop thinking about diets and start thinking about lifestyle changes. Seems to me like you are getting on the right track! I'm still a long way from where I want to be, but calorie counting has definitely worked for me, I guess it is because it has educated me. I now have a much better understanding of how I'm affected by what I put into my mouth. I'm sure you'll stop feeling sick sooner than you think.


Best of luck in your journey!

willhare

You have to be ready to change your entire life if you truly want success. It's not a temporary battle filled with "diets." Your "diet" becomes part working out consistently (which might require you to find a love for exercise, so find things that you truly enjoy) and re-training your mind and body to eat better. It takes commitment and accountability. You're going to slip up. You're going to hit plateaus, but if you truly make a change in your lifestyle, the results will continue. You just have to commit to it and the longer you do, you'll eventually figure out what works, and doesn't work, for you.

I might be logging my food until the day I die, as the accountability is the only thing that's kept my weight from coming back after a few years. It's just what's worked for me in the loss part, and the maintenance part. Tracking shouldn't be viewed as a burden, either. View it as a chance to learn about the foods you eat and how your body reacts to those foods. Eventually it'll become part of your routine and won't seem like such a pain.

Good luck!!!

bookwormwendy

Welcome to a healthy lifestyle instead of dieting. Congratulations, you just found something that is sustainable. It shouldn't be about dieting. Dieting suggests something that you do for a while and then you are done with. The goal here is to develop a sustainable lifestyle for lifetime health. It only took me 35 years to figure that out. LOL I am so glad to be free of the dieting cycle and I think you will be too. I started in April. My goal: eat healthy 90% of the time. No one can realistically eat healthy 100% of the time. Not if they live in the real world and aren't perpetual sour pusses. So try to eat well everyday, when you do mess up, don't beat your self up until you are ready to quit but simply start new. Do this every day, start new. I stand at 40 lbs lost with 33 to go. I can do this. And once I get to my goal, I can keep it there or right around. Why? Because this isn't something I am doing for a little bit and then going back to my old ways. This is a lifestyle change, a new healthier me. I'll let you in on another secret. I routine pick a week end day and cheat. Yep, on purpose. It keeps me sane and still inside that 90% goal and it seems to actually aid my weight loss. I got to feeling guilty and stopped and my weight loss slowed. You'll get a lot of contradictory advice. Play with it and find what works for you. You'll figure it out. What's important is finding what works for you. Feel free to friend me.

geturgoat

Thanks to all! I

rajwell763

Welcome aboard. Some really cool people and tons of support here. I think you'll like it.