Newbie Advice.

Firstly, WELCOME! Nice to have you here.:flowerforyou:

I've been on (and off, whoops) this site since August and i thought I would share some hints and tips that have really helped me to stay on track physically and mentally.

LOG EVERYTHING. ALWAYS.I stopped logging from the end of November (due to ilness) untill the start of 2013. And I soon forgot just how any calories were in everything. more than that, it helps you to have that fitness/weightloss mindset. To wake up and actually plan your day with healthy food and exercise. I was never very good at winging it! (As I proved in December....)

Drink water like there's an oncoming drought. at first, you will find you and the bathroom become best friends, but it helps in so many ways. To flush your body out, to help ease hunger cravings, plus your body is made of nearly 70% water, you need to keep it topped up! I was really surprised to find just how dehydrated I was previously, that sluggish, lethargic, mental block I was having has all gone.

It doesn't matter how slow you go, so long as you do not stop. It's basically a fancy way of saying DON'T GIVE UP. Everyone has bad days, rest days...and sometimes we completely *kitten* it up. The important thing is to pick yourself up and get back on it. You didn't lose weight sitting on your backside before, it's not going to happen now. You made the decision to change, stick with it, big steps or small steps are better than no steps at all.

Having said htis, if you go in all guns blazing, eating 1200 cals and working out daily, you will crash and burn. (Sure you get the exception) but this happened to me. I work in a Nursery so all through the summer I did 1-2 hours A DAY, ate 1200-1500 cals. Then school started, i tried so hard to keep it up and then...didn't. Then December came and I just gave up. when if i started slowly, it would have been alot more maintainable.

Take each day as it comes. It I tell myself right you need to eat X calories and work out X much EVERY DAY until you lose X pounds and look like X it's alot more overwhelming than little chunks of "today, try and eat right and do a bit of exercise." much less scary.

Why are YOU doing this? It's your body, you are in control if it and therefore the reasons to adapt it need to be your own. If you are doing this to impress a guy/girl/friends/whoever than you need to stop and re-evaluate. You are the one that has to live with this body. Having said that, if you are doing this solely to become very skinny with little regard to how you get there,you are highly likely to end up regretting this goal - it will affect your thought process. Your mental health and physical health go hand in hand. Just take that into consideration.

And in that respect, don't listen to uninformed, unhelpful people. The one's that tell you you look "too skinny" if you dropped 10 pounds and have 90 to go. Again, maybe have a look at if your goal is a realistic one or a healthy one but it is your body. I live with my grandparents and EVERY TIME I finish a workout they offer me food. Or they make a desert for dinner as I've 'earnt it'. No, it's my body and I say when. Plus, Grandad gets to eat my portion of cake so he's happy!

Listen to the forums. I know it can be scary posting on here and I always think "No one cares, Jen." but there is so much useful and helpful advice out there. BE WARNED. if you ask a stupid question, you will get a stupid answer. For example - "Are raspberry ketones/acai berry/some other bullsh*t going to help me lose?" ... "Yes...money." Don't be afraid of these sarcastic comments they are for your benefit from people that have lost the weight and know what it takes to get there 90% of the time. There advice for a mix of cardio and strength training is bang on, too - There is so much posted by much ore informed mfp-ers than me but do search and research this. Both have their pros.

And yes, you can eat/drink what you want. So yes, have a beer and a burger. But he knowledgeable and mindful of it. It it less likely to help you reach your gial and a salad and a glass of water for example, but, if it fits in your macros, I personally have no problem with the OCCASIONAL treat. It's people who have burger/beer/obviously well known unhealthy food on a daily basis and then wonder why they don't lose weight....just think it through.

Finally - It can be intimidating looking on these forums at people who have lost 100-200 pounds, or are physically/athletically fit. And I often think "I have no chance of being that guy girl/". But...they were once 100 pounds heavier. THEY WERE YOU. And you CAN be them.

Let's do this!:glasses: