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katnap2013
katnap2013 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I just joined MFP. Feel free to post your tips to help me get started with losing weight! My current weight is 158.8 and I would like to lose 25 pounds and I need some pointers. Thanks so much!

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  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,944 Member
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    Log all your food.

    Study your Food Diary and make adjustments.

    Read all the Sticky post at the top of the General Weight Loss tab in Community.

    Just start.
  • katnap2013
    katnap2013 Posts: 2
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    Ok thanks. I see my coffee creamer packs way more calories than I thought.
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
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    Log all your food.

    Study your Food Diary and make adjustments.

    Read all the Sticky post at the top of the General Weight Loss tab in Community.

    Just start.
    ^^This. And I'll add a couple more:

    * Eat back your exercise calories (if you are following MFP's calorie recommendations). Don't think you'll "lose faster" if you only eat the 1,200 calories (or whatever) that MFP gives you.

    * Buy a food scale (I got mine for about $20 at Walmart). I'm horrible at eyeballing amounts. Weigh and measure everything.

    * Don't focus on the number on the scale. Take measurements with a measuring tape and remeasure once a month or so. Sometimes there will be very little movement on the scale but inches lost.

    * Take pictures along the way. Even though you may not want to see those pictures today, you'll be glad you did the closer you get to your goal weight.

    * Enjoy the process.
  • londonboyben
    londonboyben Posts: 314 Member
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    welcome to MFP

    pretty limited experience but here you go :)

    definitely start logging and keeping track of your daily intake of food,
    make adjustments and aim to hit your target on calories, if it requires a drastic change in diet to bring your calorie intake down then maybe set your 1st goal as cutting certain things out each week starting with the most calorie laden stuff, trying too much too soon may be a struggle,
    incorporate a bit of exercise into your lifestyle, even if its walking a certain distance a week or following a exercise video (30 day shred seems pretty popular on here)

    it may take some time so don't rush it and set yourself a reasonable timescale to achieve it so as not to be disappointed in 4 weeks when your not there yet,
    set yourself smaller goals on your way to achieving your main goal of 25lbs, but still take encouragement from the differences you will notice,

    and use the support you will find on here for encouragement, helps a lot :)

    good luck,
  • 9JANE
    9JANE Posts: 21 Member
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    How tall are you? Do you have any illnesses that would keep you from exercising? You do need to try to exercise every day for at least thirty minutes and get more protein, and even if it sounds funny you need to eat at least 6 times a day SMALL meals cheese and fruit, chicken salad that you can make yourself. The following is a great low calorie chicken salad canned chicken, grapes and walnuts and a little bit of mayo. If you don't like chicken try this recipe with tuna instead. Just try and log all of your food every day.:smile:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,944 Member
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    How tall are you? Do you have any illnesses that would keep you from exercising? You do need to try to exercise every day for at least thirty minutes and get more protein, and even if it sounds funny you need to eat at least 6 times a day SMALL meals cheese and fruit, chicken salad that you can make yourself. The following is a great low calorie chicken salad canned chicken, grapes and walnuts and a little bit of mayo. If you don't like chicken try this recipe with tuna instead. Just try and log all of your food every day.:smile:

    You do not need to exercise every day. 3-5 times a week of moderate exercise is fine.

    It's about the food. . . but only about how much you eat. Period.

    You can eat it in six meals, or two. You can eat it all before noon or all after 10PM.

    Definitely yes on getting enough protein. That is super important. Hit those protein recommendations first.


    You can still enjoy your coffee creamer. Just log it and learn.

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