Hi! New and a bit intimidated

Congratulations on starting... It's always hard to start anything and you have made a choice to be healthy and to look out for yourself we will be here to support you in anything you need. I also need to loose 60 lbs more and all together we will achieve our goals. Take it one day at a time and always write down what you eat so you can't forget. The way I stared was eating anything I wanted to but only to my calorie goal. I've lost 30 lbs so far and it's a struggle but last time I weight myself I was really proud of how much I have lost.

Welcome aboard the MFP train! Always remember that you CAN do this.

I would suggest you start with regulating serving sizes - some people measure everything they eat. I do not do this, but I do measure a lot of my food. Also,keep your potein high (around 100) and water, water, water.

Best of luck to you!!!

I have the similar problems. I feel compelled to finish my plate, no matter what is on it or how much. Especially if I filled my plate myself. Occasionally, I'll have to ask my boyfriend to tell me that I don't have to finish my plate. I have to hear it out loud or I'll eat till I am sick. My boyfriend is really supportive. He understands.

You aren't alone. That is the beauty of these forums.

You can add me if you want to. The more the merrier, I say!

In my opinion..... you have made a super first step in coming to MFP! This site has helped me greatly!
Your family sounds like me and my family. Lots of good food and not much thought about nutrition. Food was love at our house. And we loved a lot!
All I can say is get some friends (feel free to add me if you like.) and track your food. Use the food diary. I didn't at first. I just used the quick tool and added calories but the data base has everything!!! I like it much better now that I can see my carbs, fats, and other goodies. I did keep my diary private until I got comfortable with my friends. Your friends will be your safety net. They will support you (or should) and keep you honest!
MFP will figure out a lot of the numbers for you. Just start!
You will be so happy you did.
Good luck to you on your journey! I wish you the best!

Feel free to add me as a friend! I have 100+ to go. I grew up with meat and potatoes, clean your plate mentality and don't forget dessert! I've followed map for a month and have done great. Include exercise, it really does make a difference! Get some friends and they will help motivate you. Good luck and know you can do it!

#1 get yourself some healthy goals: it's not about getting "skinny," but making some lifestyle changes that you will be able to maintain for the long term. Fill out your MFP profile with some goals and inspirations. Tell us a little about yourself. The friends you make now will stay with you through your journey. Some examples of "healthy-life-style" goals? Walk 10,000 steps per day, change eating habits to 5-6 feeding times instead of ____., Get 5-6 servings per day of whole, fresh, fruits and vegetables; cut back on alcohol to ___oz per day, or better: none.

#2 Set a plan, by doing some research on where you are, and where you want to be along the way. "By May 1st, I'd like to accomplish the following healthy lifestyle goals: ____." Then set some more goals for the next few months. Go to the library and get some help: there are great books out there on eating healthy. For one, I've found that following the simple idea of eating foods that are good on the glycemic index, can provide hunger strategies that work for a busy lady, and allow for added activity to better the lifestyle. Read ALOT. Combine the books with websites that help with motivation and up-to-date info.

#3 Log everything -- be honest and log it. "if you bite it, write it." This is the only way to really hold yourself accountable. It's a diary of what is going on in your life- use it. Weigh youself ONCE a week, on the same day and RECORD it - good, bad or the same. This resource is only as true a record as you use it for -- put in your measurements, and get a "before" picture loaded into your profile.

#4 Choose a handful of FRIENDS, not a hundred. Try to stick with people who are in the same boat as you: Age, challenges, etc. You'll want to be able to support those who support you, with encouragement, updates, etc. A few active friends who "know" your challenges and successes will be more valuable to you than 388 "friends," on MFP. This is not Facebook.

I am definitely among the masses who measure out what they are eating almost all the time. It helps keep myself accountable, because I know exactly what is going into my body. I also portion out leftovers in my fridge to take to work, which saves time and helps me budget my numbers through the day.

I grew up in a similar environment. I've been working on changing myself and my attitude towards food for years now and I can tell you what worked for me. Start off not changing anything. Log what you would normally eat in a day, start to see what calories are in what you're already eating, then start cutting back slowly. A couple hundred calories at a time. That made it a LOT less overwhelming for me. For awhile I still ate the same foods, just smaller portions, only recently have I started trying to focus on the types of foods. Having kids really motivated me to look at WHAT I was eating in addition to how much. No matter what you do make sure it's workable for you and commit to it! Someone posted on a friend's profile recently that consistency is more important than perfection. As long as you're logging in and striving to change you'll get there!

Don't feel intimidated! I was raised on Spam, Taylor pork roll and hamburgers!

As for finishing your plate, fill a smaller plate. That's what I do! I'm sending a friend request now. The more you surround yourself with fitness-minded people, the more you will earn about quinoa and salmon and blah blah blah. Plus, you can health up old diner favorites!!