Just joined

welcome i would suggest ensuring your calorie deficit isnt set too low (below 20% tdee) because this was the mistake i made and am trying to fix. best wishes.

Just starting out...

Eat at caloric deficit. Since you're just starting out, let MFP set the amount of calories for you to eat and tweak them as need be. Give it time before doing any tweaking. Eat real food and eat what you enjoy and can sustain. If you can have a replacement shake forever, then have one now, if you're doing it to just drop weight, then change it now.

Exercise. Get some exercise to help with body composition and with your calorie deficit. Also, add some weight lifting into your program. By weight lifting, I mean lift heavy. That way when you lose weight and get skinny, it'll be the kind of skinny that will make you look good. Eat back most, if not all of your exercise calories. MFP already has a deficit calculated in your daily calories, when you add exercise, it just makes the deficit that much bigger. MFP is designed so that you can eat back your exercise calories.

Wait. Probably the hardest part of the whole weight loss thing. Waiting for result. IF you stay within your calorie deficit about 90% of the time and exercising, you WILL succeed. You will succeed in a way that will allow you to keep it off because you will learn about food and learn about how to eat the foods you like at a maintenance level.

Remember, this is a public forum from people all over the world, comprised of all kinds of personalities, ideas on weight loss, social and economic statuses...nobody is going to always agree.

*Just because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't mean that they are being mean to you.
*People are going to be sarcastic, it's just the way people are, and this is the internet, so expect it, ignore it, laugh at it, but don't cry about it...and most importantly...move on.
*Friends can help.
*Enjoy yourself. Go over your calories upon occasion...on purpose! Every now and then just don't log anything. This is a tool, use it as one...don't let it become an obsession. Enjoy your friends and family, enjoy eating, enjoy life...you're not going to lose all your weight tomorrow, or next week or next month, so take your time and enjoy it. Take a break and call a cheat day if you wish, but don't stress over every single little thing. It'll be alright.
* TAKE PICTURES...use those to track, use measurements to track...but don't use the scale. The scale will drive you nuts. Use it as a trending tool, but judge your success by measurements, how clothes fit, and pictures.

What a great post - very motivating for new comers. Congrats on your journey!

Hi I enjoyed reading your post and it was very encouraging and hope that I can be that possitive when struggeling!

You can...just don't make this a chore. You can have fun with it, if you want.