New to this

katastrophictendencies

Hey!!My name is Jen, I am new to fitness pal, my best friend has seen amazing results and I figured I would try this too. My sister joined today as well, so now we have a mini army going on. I am currently not all too concerned with my weight although i would love to be more toned. I recently started running 5k's with my bestie, mainly because i have a physical to pass for the career choice I have made, although I maintain that I have been allergic to almost all forms of exercize. I have in the past lost a considerable amount of weight ,which i have managed to keep off despite my poor eating habits.The way I have took off weight in the past is mostly low carb and i am attracted to this site because it offers a little more balance on what I can have. I am totally interested in any advice or recipes you would like to share with me would be appreciated

starlite_79

yay!! welcome to MFP! i also really like the balance here, in that there really isn't anything that's off limits, you can just find a way to work it into your calorie budget for the day. i also love how extensive the food database is--i sometimes find myself just looking up some of my favorite foods, just to see where they clock in.

i guess if i had to share any tips, this is what they'd be....
1) try to think of this a lifestyle change rather than a diet.
2) persistence pays off--it's taken me three months to see my results, and it'll take longer to get where i'm going. but i WILL get there!
3) be honest about what you're logging--not just what you eat, but quantities. as in don't log one serving of wine if you drank half the bottle i've made very good friends with my measuring cups/spoons so i can be precise in my serving sizes.
4) set mini-goals along the way. i'm not to my ultimate goal weight yet, but i've surpassed my first mini-goal--and that feels pretty awesome.
5) have fun with it! i think part of why i've stuck with this is that i almost see it as a game, getting my calories to balance for the day. some people might think it's tedious, but i think it's fun.
6) some people find it easier to pre-log their food, it helps them plan out what they're going to eat for the rest of the day.
7) don't totally focus on the # on the scale & take measurements. you will likely experience many NSV's (non-scale victories) along the way--clothes fitting better, feeling more confident and healthy, etc. take pride in those, even if the scale isn't moving.

starlite_79

shoot, and i forgot 8) don't let the bad days get you down. we all have days where we totally blow our calorie goal, or don't manage to fit in our workout. don't dwell on the bad days, just get back on the horse and resolve to do better tomorrow.