What plan/program/advise, the key to your long term success?

I had great success by just tracking my foods and trying to hit my macros everyday.

I did something close to 40/40/20 for carbs, protein, fats. Some people don't handle carbs as well as I do, in which case you might want to lower them and replace with protein/fat.

Hi,
For me, the last 15 years I have struggled with my weight. I also loss my self-esteem. I can relate to what you said.
I lost a total of 10 lbs before MFP and 70 lbs while here.
What worked for me:
1) Walking
2) I put pictures in my wallet, on my fridge, in the bathroom of what I wanted to accomplished and never lost sight of that.
3) Finally, I repeated this over and over until I believed it..."I want it, I deserve it, I can do it."

I know you can do it. I have faith in YOU!! :flowerforyou:

This is going to be your best bet: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

As for preparing veggies, I don't know if this appeals to you or not, but I buy those bags of frozen vegetables (like broccoli, or cauliflower, or some kind of vegetable blend, but not just corn or peas and carrots) at Kroger because they are $1 a piece and sautee them in some coconut oil or butter with some minced garlic. Sometimes I'll eat the entire content of a bag for lunch, and sometimes my family splits it for dinner. Even my little boys like veggies prepared in this way. I've pretty much come to grips with the fact that I am not a salad person, but this helps me get a ton of veggies in.

As far as exercising goes, I don't know what your limitations are with your foot, but I would recommend a basic barbell plan like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. Again, I don't know what your limitations are with your foot, but these types of exercises aren't going to be high impact like jumping or running, so they may be appropriate for you (but check with your doctor, etc).

Good luck!

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/side-dish/vegetables/

Vegetable recipes - you should find something here that will appeal to you.

My plan:

1) Eat within a calorie range that aligns with my weight goals.
2) Eat the appropriate number of macronutrients for my body composition goals and my training goals.
3) Lift heavy stuff
4) Rest
5) Repeat.

I also try to eat "mostly" whole foods with good nutrient density. Then I also eat "a little bit" of junk food for sanity.

Beyond the above recipe, I really don't bother with anything else.

Veggies are easy, I used to have the same problem. Here's some easy tips to incorporate more of them!

- Almost any sauce you make with meat can take some onions. Cut them up into small pieces, and let them cook with the meat.
- Tomato sauce is excellent on pasta, and you can make it from scratch by cutting up tomatoes into tiny pieces, heating up some olive oil with onion and garlic, then adding the tomatoes and cooking on low until tomatoes turn to mush. I add extra garlic, peppers, basil, oregano, and sometimes thyme too, but experiment to find what you like.
- Grilled zucchini is good on its own as a mini-side dish. Just clean the zucchini, cut it into slices (keep the skin), and grill it with a very minimal amount of oil and salt and pepper. I am told eggplant (without the skin) also works, but you need to drain the liquid out by letting it sit with some salt for half an hour and the flavor isn't as good.
- Carrots! are amazing raw and on their own as snacks!
- Get frozen green peas and add some to any rice you make five to ten minutes before it's done cooking.
- Side dishes! Sautée white mushrooms in olive oil with a little salt, put in a pot with frozen peas and let cook for fifteen minutes on medium, stirring now and then.
- Any omelette or scrambled eggs I make get some onion and a shredded carrot topping (carrots added raw and after it is cooked, onions added to the pan and cooked before the eggs, until translucent).
- Add some frozen broccoli to a roast when it's 10-15 minutes from being served. I like the crunch the broccoli gives and it's healthier than adding extra potatoes. It doesn't need much time to cook through.

put those people's comments out of your head... They are HATERS that do not want to see you accomplish your goals... Everyone has to deal with that at one point or another... You do what you want to do to feel good about yourself... Just log your foods, stay away from unhealthy fats, avoid sugar, eat your carbs earlier in the day so you have time to burn them off, eat more fiber rich foods, stick to whole grains, lean proteins... it will take some time but you can do anything that you put your mind to...

Veggies are easy, I used to have the same problem. Here's some easy tips to incorporate more of them!

- Almost any sauce you make with meat can take some onions. Cut them up into small pieces, and let them cook with the meat.
- Tomato sauce is excellent on pasta, and you can make it from scratch by cutting up tomatoes into tiny pieces, heating up some olive oil with onion and garlic, then adding the tomatoes and cooking on low until tomatoes turn to mush. I add extra garlic, peppers, basil, oregano, and sometimes thyme too, but experiment to find what you like.
- Grilled zucchini is good on its own as a mini-side dish. Just clean the zucchini, cut it into slices (keep the skin), and grill it with a very minimal amount of oil and salt and pepper. I am told eggplant (without the skin) also works, but you need to drain the liquid out by letting it sit with some salt for half an hour and the flavor isn't as good.
- Carrots! are amazing raw and on their own as snacks!
- Get frozen green peas and add some to any rice you make five to ten minutes before it's done cooking.
- Side dishes! Sautée white mushrooms in olive oil with a little salt, put in a pot with frozen peas and let cook for fifteen minutes on medium, stirring now and then.
- Any omelette or scrambled eggs I make get some onion and a shredded carrot topping (carrots added raw and after it is cooked, onions added to the pan and cooked before the eggs, until translucent).
- Add some frozen broccoli to a roast when it's 10-15 minutes from being served. I like the crunch the broccoli gives and it's healthier than adding extra potatoes. It doesn't need much time to cook through.

Awesome veggie advice! I am taking notes myself. More often than not, I just boil them until they are tender, then sprinkle with salt.

Logging every bite I put in my mouth and sticking with a high protein, low carb diet helped me. Not NO carb but low. Having a variety of foods to eat as well as allowing myself to eat out once in awhile without going crazy gets you over the humps. It is definitely a lifestyle change and not a diet.

If you cannot do intensive cardio because of your foot, concentrate on just moving more. Walking, yoga, stretching, etc. Working with weights on your upper body, things like that.

Have U considered living as though U'd had gbs? I mean it's a bit rough the first several days, but will get easier and will give U time to "break" some of ur current bad habits (IE food choices & how U think about food). Do the entire process, liquids then soft foods, then progression. It'll do wonders in resetting your current food habits/mind set & in shrinking your stomach. Read successful WLS patients' testimonies, meditate on what they did to succeed in their loss but most importantly keep it off, listen to a few of their vblog journeys...So much to learn from them (regardless of how so many fail to give 'em their props). Through WLS patients, I have learned how to overcome outside influences (IE family & friend sabatogors).

I was dx'd w/Type 2 DM about 3 yrs ago and it began to really take its toll on my kidneys, feet, vision & liver a bit over a year ago, so I had to get serious & arrive there quick. I began by cutting out added sugars and most "known" & refined/bleached carbs (breads, pastas, etc). I also limited my juice intake (beginning with NEVER eating everything on my plate but rounding up when I journal it) and began watching portion sizes. Eventually, I began utilizing a notebook as a food journal before coming to MFP. It's taken me quite a while, but I am doing it, successfully might I add w/o feeling restricted & on a diet.

Exercise is not a new concept to me. I ran track from middle thru high school & began my adult yrs teaching aerobics, serving in the military, & bodybuilding with the goal of fitness modeling in view until a few medical issues intercepted. I'm approaching the mid-30s now, so I doubt if I will ever be able to "model," but my goal is to look as if I had, lol :laugh:

Slow & steady is the best way to get to where U wanna be. Take your time, it's not a race and if U insist on looking at it as one, remember that a real failure is when U completely give up. One step at a time make adjustments, set mini goals and rewards that will lead U to where U long to be and keep at it. Make a mistake (fall), don't wallow in self pity, dust yourself off & get back into the game.

Pick up a tip or two from web searches, magazines, and others who post on this site. Apply it for no less than a month then incorporate one or two more until you're rolling on auto-pilot and can say proudly, "I GOT THIS". **My favorite song by J. Hudson, lol**

QUOTE: Veggies are easy, I used to have the same problem.
Lunnay is absolutely right! Spinach is an excellent veg to add to the list. Raw--makes for an excellent salad base. Boiled--w/ a lil seasoning...Excellent. Sauted with other vegs (onions, carrots, mushrooms) makes for a nutritious side dish. Toss in an omelet or in pasta dishes...delicious & quite filling.