To the people who have succeded....

watch your calorie intake and exercise

You are young and CAN DO THIS! I have never liked to exercise. I have been trying to lose the "last 10" for years. I tried Weight Watchers, NutriSystem, HydroxiCut, EVERYTHING! I found this website a couple of weeks ago while trying to find a free calorie counter. I have been so impressed with the people on here and all of their success, I decided to give it a real go. I lost nothing for 2 weeks, but I kept with it - my 1200 calories (plus exercise calories) and exercised a minimum of 30 minutes every day - NO EXCEPTIONS. I started doing "easy" things, like taking my kids out for a walk around the neighborhood a couple times a day, trying my eliptical for 5 minutes at a time. But I kept going, and now, I actually consider it FUN, because I have lost a couple of pounds and 2% body fat!!! WOW, for me, this is great. I don't have much more to lose, so I know I will go at a slower pace than I would like, but I feel like I have created a routine that I enjoy, and am feeling much better about myself and much more excited to keep going. I don't feel discouraged at all, like I always did before - I think I can do this for a long time - hopefully forever - a life change. GO FOR IT! YOU WILL FEEL AWESOME ABOUT YOURSELF - JUST STAY WITH IT AND YOU WILL SUCCEED!

Good luck to you! Things that helped me - changing my mindset. I always thought of food as a reward for a bad day, a good accomplishment, you name it. It's not a reward, it's just fuel to keep my body going. I was hungry a lot when I first started, but it went away as my body got used to my new calorie intake. If you make good food choices, 1400 calories (my day w/o exercise) can really go a long way. Find some low-cal snacks that fill you up. Mine are apples, 100-cal kettle corn, special K bars, yogurt (never really loved it, but it sure fills me up and staves off hunger), fudgescicles. I also found it a lot easier once I started planning out my whole day. This helps spread your calories out so you never get really hungry. It also helped me when I was hungry at 9 am to know I had a yogurt coming to me at 10 am. It also keeps me from grabbing something because I know if I have a 200 cal snack I didn't plan for, there goes half my supper. I am a night snacker, so I always leave at least 100 cals for after supper. Find what works for you and go with it. Don't try to completely change everything at once. I wanted to also give up diet Coke, but it was too much for me to give up all my bad food and that too. It's all I have left! Hopefully I can get to the Diet Coke in a few months! This site really does work! Good luck!

Changing your mindset is the biggest hurdle. Once you get over that and view food differently, everythign will change.

I remember when I started on 1200 calories and was so hungry and couldn't believe how anyone could live on that. NOW - I am tryign to maintaing (2000 cals a day) and it's hard for me to get them all in! Who wouldda thought!

My biggest piece of advice is to know that it doesn't come easy. You have to really count EVERY calorie and work out. That is key. If you want more food, work out!

Good luck!

I've lost 34 lbs since January, and I think the most important thing is to set mini-goals for yourself. I rewarded myself a bit for every 10 lbs lost. And I didn't reward myself with food, but new clothes, show tickets, etc.

Take it one day at a time, plan your meals for the next day the night before, BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF - about food and exercise. Don't put foods on a "never again" list, but cut back on the portions. If you want a donut, fine. Cut it in half, then throw away the other half. The way I look at it, you can either waste it and throw it away, or it's wasted as fat on your legs, arms, butt, etc.

Find a support team - boyfriend, family, friends, coworkers, people on myfitnesspal.com. We're all trying to reach a goal. We celebrate together, and we provide an ear during setbacks...

YOU CAN DO IT!!

I've lost about 40 pounds via this site and another similar. My rules were simple, exercise, eat balanced, and don't do anything that cannot be maintained for life (fad diets, diet products, weight lifting products etc). Did all my muscle building completely natural, only protein was from food. Not a supplment kind of guy. My weight is still off and have lost the tire on the waist

It's true! There is no trick...

Eat less
Exercise More

I also find it helpful to review my goals everyday, try and move as much as possible every day, and drink lots of water/green tea in the day to stave off hunger and the urge to snack!

THE best part to MFP is this great supportive community! THIS is what makes the difference! Look at all the great advice you already got here on this post! I always like to take bits and pieces from everyone, and how can you NOT succeed???

YOU CAN AND WILL SUCCEED!!!
:flowerforyou:

I just sign in, last Friday
the system
to every one here
i will be:happy:

Something that keeps me going is this: it's math, not magic. It helps me to know that I am in complete control of my numbers... calories in, calories out..... You just need to stick with it and be consistent. You can do it and we are here to support you!

Check out my posts...
Goal #3 20 year reunion ACCOMPLISHED!
and
Say Hello To My Little Friend

I still have a ways to go. I started in January, and the weight has come off sloooooooowly. I only lose on average (from the last 10 months) 4 pounds a month. I don't obsess. I now know what foods to put in my mouth and want not to. What will have more calories than other things, etc.
Make sure you exercise at least 3 times a week doing something. I just started out doing Dance Dance Revolution in my living room for the first 5 months and it worked. That was my cardio. I didn't have a membership to a gym at the time. Change to whole grain/whole wheat bread. Have a piece of white while you're out, but not the whole basket. (don't deprive). Change your cheese/dairy to no fat/low fat. Make sure you eat your exercise calories. Don't let your body think it's in starvation mode.
Don't get discouraged! It will work.