What works for you...share secrets...

Hmmmm.... I apologize if this is seems incoherent, I was trying to entertain my kids, cook supper and type my "tips" lol.

First let me say, there are no "secrets". The only thing that works is hard work and dedication to yourself. So, remembering that everyone is different, and what works for one may not work for the other, here is what works for me:

- keeping macros at or around 40/30/30 - 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein.
- don't be afraid of carbs! Carbs fuel the body. Just stick with "good" carbs.
- fat is not the enemy. Natural fats (think nuts, lean meats, etc) are good for you.
- Protein helps to maintain lean muscle mass while losing weight. I aim for around 120g of protein a day and have been successful in losing fat and maintaining (even slightly increasing) my lean muscle mass.
- Sodium sucks!! haha. It's in everything and anything that is processed or bought at a fast food place; including Subway and Quizno's . I have my goal set at 1500mg per day, but I really try hard to stay around 500mg daily. I cut out most processed foods, ie: deli meats and boxed/bagged foods. I still eat some, like cereal and such, but have given up the majority of it.
- Don't give up! One bad choice will not make you or break you. It will not ruin all of your hardwork. We all struggle. Just suck it up and get right back at it!
- EAT! Just eat more natural foods. Lots of fruits, veggies and meat (shop the perimeter of the grocery store) I now eat more (quantity but better quality) than my husband lol.
- MOVE YOUR BODY! Whether you walk, do DVD's, strength train.... get some form of activity in and try to do so every day

Also, take the time to educate yourself. You'll have lots of people on the boards tell you all kinds of stuff. Some true, some full of BS. Research for yourself and then through trial and error you'll find what works for you. I have had great success in learning about BMR, TDEE and what my body needs.

After saying all of that, I will say that it's overwhelming at first, but then you get into the swing of it and the eatting healthy and the exercising becomes second nature. Simply put.... Move more and eat natural foods.

Hi, welcome and good luck!

There really is no secret. As far as I know, there are no secrets. There are no magic food, no magic pill, no magic plan. It's just hard work and dedication mixed together with patience. It's just calories in < calories out. Watch what you eat and how much you are eating. Exercise when you can (or make time for it if you can't). Get enough sleep. Don't deprive yourself but also don't over indulge. It's little choices and modifications that helps a little at a time. Over time it will result in great changes.

If you are asking for secrets to over come the little, annoying challenges that comes your way. Then, well, you need to be a little more specific.

However, I'm rambling. Welcome and Good luck! Make smart choices.

Work harder today than I did yesterday. No. Matter. What.


Seriously, no secret. If you exercise, push yourself. When you have a great day, hold on to them. When you have a not so great day, let it go. Just work harder the next day.

Getting up at 3:15 to go to the gym.
I know it sounds horrible...and some mornings it feels it...but it's the only time of the day where my only possible excuse is "I just don't want to go."
Nobody needs me that early. Not work, not the wife, not the kids. Nothing ever "comes up" that early to keep me from going.

3.15?!! OMG. Is that not a little extreme?! What time do you go to bed - 7pm?!

As we know, everyone is different and if this works for you then good on you. Its a little too hardcore for me though as I always wake up tired no matter what time I get up!

What works for me? Location & climate. Hot & sunny and living by the coast I am working out, cycling, kayaking, walking, gardening etc all the time. However, at the moment I am living in a village 3 hours from a coast & it seems to rain constantly. So for me, a move back to the coast should provide motivation. If only someone would buy my house - stupid recession!

The tips I learned were:

*NO MAYO-one tablespoon has 90 calories, most restaurants glop on 2-3 tablespoons, that's almost an extra 300 calories for a veggie sandwich! mustard (@ 12 calories per tablespoon) is much more calorie friendly.

*reduce sugar-I pretty much cut out most of the processed sugars from my diet. I still indulge in the occasional cookie/candy bar

*VEGGIES-and LOTS of them, they fill you up, and help clean out your system.

*no more dressing-I only put pepper and lemon on my salad.

*water-lots of it, drinkdrinkdrink

*Protein-is your friend. Keeps you full

*Don't Deny-yourself the occasional small indulgence, I still go out to eat 'junk' once a week. Now I realize I can't eat as much of it now, but I still get my 'fix'.

I made all these changes slowly, it takes time. Again, different things work for different people.

Hi there... I am new here...15 days posting, and I am loving it!!

I know we all have different situations, and no two people are the same, but I am curious about what things you have learned since joining MFP, what tips you can share that may help us all on our journeys... whether it be with eating or exercise.

I learned to really watch my sodium intake... I never realized how sodium can affect our bodies and hinder weight loss...

I'd love to hear what works...or does not work for you!!!

Sodium causes water retention if you have too much of it, but it does not affect fat loss in any way.

That said, wen I first started out, pre-planning my meals every day was essential until I established a habit.

Dont be afraid to experiment. Different things work for different people.

Drink water. Lots of it.

Never give up a food you love completely. Eat less of it. Strict restrictions lead to binges.

Move more.

Find good friends on here. Dont be afraid to delete absent ones.

Prelog or preplan especially when eating out.

Running works for me.....it's worked WONDERS for me. When I first started losing weight, I had to be so careful about what I ate, even spending 2 hours, 6 days a week in the gym, I had to be careful.

I'm still careful now, and I'm particular about what I eat, but since I started running daily I have a LOT more wiggle room for when I feel the need for a cookie or some alfredo.

No secrets.

Elbow grease (move your butt, lift heavy things, rinse and repeat)
Eat right. (Balanced, healthy, whole, enough, non-deprivation)
Drink enough water. (Drink until you're not thirsty anymore and your pee is clear)
Get enough sleep. (Probably the most important thing)
Laugh as often as you can (mind over matter).

Weigh everything on a food scale. I was shocked to see that what I thought was a portion/serving was actually 3x the proper amount! It's not something to do forever, but it was so helpful for me to retrain my brain to see things differently.

Make changes that you can keep up forever. I know I can't eat 1200 calories a day for my entire life. But I *can* eat 1600 calories and burn 300-400 though exercise.

Carb cycling and fasted HIIT cardio are my secret weapons when wanting to lean out

do you do Chris Powells Carb Cycling? I am thinking of trying it

I second all the great comments people have already made.

For me it is all about working activity into each day, and getting into a routine that I can stick to.

I also find that tracking Every Single Thing I consume is important. I used to ignore "liquids", because how many calories could a drink have? How wrong I was! It has been much easier to lose weight since I have begun tracking drinks as well as food, since I am able to make informed choices.

I also pre-plan dinners out, so that I can structure my day's eating appropriately. There are veterans of MFP who can automatically do this in their head, but I still use the app.

Good luck!