Let's hear from 1 year (or more) members

islandnutshel · August 2010

Just curious, how many have used this site for a year or more? What have you learned? What have you succeeded at? I would love to have an idea of what a year of keeping track of calories and exercise accomplishes. Yes I like to read the back pages of a book first.

Thanks for sharing.

lisawest · August 2010

Just curious, how many have used this site for a year or more? What have you learned? What have you succeeded at? I would love to have an idea of what a year of keeping track of calories and exercise accomplishes. Yes I like to read the back pages of a book first.

Thanks for sharing.

It has been exactly a year since I joined. I have learned many things. Some of the top ones are 1) a portion is NOT what you think! A food scale is a real eye opener. 2) Sodium and I do NOT get along. 3) Potassium helps your body get rid of excess sodium. 4) Eating is GOOD! If you don't eat enough, you will lose weight VERY slowly. 5) Life happens. You can't eat at home all the time. Learning to eat when you are out or not in control of the food is JUST as important as learning how to eat at home. If this is a lifestyle change, you have to figure it out.

I have succeeded at losing 40lbs in 52 weeks. I averaged 1lb a week until this summer. (Part of that is also that as I got closer to my goal, I changed my settings to only lose 1/2lb a week.)

I hope that helps!

islandnutshel · August 2010

thanks thats exactly what I was looking for. Anyone else?

Tamishumate · August 2010

I have been here over 20 months, I have learned that logging my foods daily plus exercise, keeps me honest I have learned about carbs, protein, sodium, sugar, fat, and how my body reacts to them all.
I had never been successful prior to mfp, so I can honestly say I couldn't have done it without this site!

iplayoutside19 · August 2010

Just curious, how many have used this site for a year or more? What have you learned? What have you succeeded at? I would love to have an idea of what a year of keeping track of calories and exercise accomplishes. Yes I like to read the back pages of a book first.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm Lisa's DH.

In addition to what she said. There will be a lot "rules" that get discussed way too much on this site. With the excpetion of calories in/calories out concept, you need to figure out a plan that works for you and ignore everything else. Read and do research. Understand that media will almost always mis-report what was said in a weight loss study. If something doesn't make sense or is too good to be true there is a reason.

Be patient, and don't put too much stock in the scale. There will be a morning you weigh yourself and will have gained 3 pounds. Weight fluctiates, you're looking for a downward trend line over SEVERAL WEEKS. Come up with goals that are not tied to your weight. I'm going to do this amount of excersise...I'm going to have this number as a deficit this week. Something you can control and measure. The scale will only discourage and frustrate you.

80% of being healthy is nutrition. A trainer once told me you can't out excersise a bad diet. Even after I heard that I didn't listen. I had always been pretty active. It wasn't until i started counting calories and paying attention to nutrition that I made any progress in losing weight. If you have limited time and recourses like most of us, and you want to devote some of those resources to this lifestyle change put a priority on nutrition.

I'm training for a Half Marathon in October, but I started out by walking to then end of the street. You can do this, you just have to want it.

islandnutshel · August 2010

I have been here over 20 months, I have learned that logging my foods daily plus exercise, keeps me honest I have learned about carbs, protein, sodium, sugar, fat, and how my body reacts to them all.
I had never been successful prior to mfp, so I can honestly say I couldn't have done it without this site!

Fantastic job, You've got a great looking ticker. How inspirational you are.:flowerforyou:

islandnutshel · August 2010

80% of being healthy is nutrition. A trainer once told me you can't out excersise a bad diet. Even after I heard that I didn't listen. I had always been pretty active. It wasn't until i started counting calories and paying attention to nutrition that I made any progress in losing weight. If you have limited time and recourses like most of us, and you want to devote some of those resources to this lifestyle change put a priority on nutrition.

Nutrition is why I chose this site. It is of equal importance to me as losing weight will help delay back surgery and nutrition keeps me from getting sick. I love the balance aspects of mfp.
Thank you so much for sharing. I have a short attention span so I have to keep the long term benefit in mind.

PJilly · August 2010

Just curious, how many have used this site for a year or more? What have you learned? What have you succeeded at? I would love to have an idea of what a year of keeping track of calories and exercise accomplishes. Yes I like to read the back pages of a book first.

Thanks for sharing.

I've been using this site for 1 year + 2 days as of today.

What have I succeeded at? I've lost 31.4 pounds, and I feel like my health is so much better than it was just a year ago.

What have I learned? I've learned that consistency is key and that if I want lasting results, I need to adopt long-term changes, not cut my calories to 1,200 or work out 2–3 times a day 7 days a week. Whenever I see someone has calorie goal of 1,200 calories, that's a huge red flag for me. It tells me they probably set a goal of losing 2 pounds a week and MFP wouldn't let them go lower than 1,200. Take your time, people. I know you're all eager and motivated in the beginning and want to cut your calories and exercise like a demon, but I've seen so many people do that and then burn out and quit completely. Speaking of motivation, some days you'll be full of it, and some days it will be nonexistent. You need to be consistent whether you're in the mood or not, but I can guarantee a moderate calorie goal and fitness plan is a lot easier to pull off when you're not really in the mood than a near-starvation diet and a ridiculous amount of exercise.

So set reasonable calorie and exercise goals, track them meticulously, and be consistent. If you're too hungry, don't be afraid to increase your calories a LITTLE bit. Sometimes that can make all the difference in the world. Don't get hung up on your end goal at first. Just get started and keep going. Don't be afraid to listen to your body and tweak what you're doing if it doesn't feel quite right, but don't take that too far and make excuses for slipping into old habits. What you were doing before wasn't getting you the results you wanted, and it won't start working now.

If you do what's good for you, you will get good results, and it will get easier to do the longer you do it. Honest!

islandnutshel · August 2010

Consistancy seems to be a theme,
Thanks

Danielle84Duncan · August 2010

Just curious, how many have used this site for a year or more? What have you learned? What have you succeeded at? I would love to have an idea of what a year of keeping track of calories and exercise accomplishes. Yes I like to read the back pages of a book first.

Thanks for sharing.

It has been exactly a year since I joined. I have learned many things. Some of the top ones are 1) a portion is NOT what you think! A food scale is a real eye opener. 2) Sodium and I do NOT get along. 3) Potassium helps your body get rid of excess sodium. 4) Eating is GOOD! If you don't eat enough, you will lose weight VERY slowly. 5) Life happens. You can't eat at home all the time. Learning to eat when you are out or not in control of the food is JUST as important as learning how to eat at home. If this is a lifestyle change, you have to figure it out.

I have succeeded at losing 40lbs in 52 weeks. I averaged 1lb a week until this summer. (Part of that is also that as I got closer to my goal, I changed my settings to only lose 1/2lb a week.)

I hope that helps!

cparter · August 2010

Tagged.

islandnutshel · August 2010

any more out there?

kimber607 · August 2010

Hi

I've been here for 2+yrs...lost 27 pounds.....
Gained about 10+ back...recently lost about 5....
My advice is to not get to cocky and comfortable....don't let one cheat day or bad eating day turn into a week, a mnth...the weight piles back on faster than u think
weigh in weekly!
I know some think of the scale as the devil but I thinking weighing in once a weeek can keep people accountable

Kim

islandnutshel · August 2010

Good advice. I have been everything from size 6 to 16 a couple of times. I think I will have to be more consistant because your body remembers and is willing to go back.

bennettv · August 2010

I've been on MFP since January -- so not yet a year, but will add my two cents. In addition to consistency think moderation. Set goals, they don't have to be lofty. My first goal was a 5K, then a triathlon, then a 10K. I never would have made it to the 10K from the start. I surely would have given up in failure. Let youself relish in the successes you have, no matter how small. Did you turn down a piece of cake to stay within calories, did you exercise 5 minutes longer cause it just felt good -- these are successes, celebrate. I got to a comfortable weight (30 lbs down) and stopped tracking my calories for a while so I could focus on the triathlon training. I would have thought that was failure in the past. But today, I look at it as a choice. I haven't gained anything back. Now, I'm starting to notice that I'm not really comforable at this weight anymore and I would be a faster athlete if I lost 20 more pounds. So, I'm making a plan to get back to tracking calories. If this is going to be a lifestyle change then you need to give yourself time and make changes moderately -- not in a sprint. I'm not at my goal weight, but I'm 30 lbs lighter than I was in January and I'm a trithalete! What little goals will get you to big ones?

islandnutshel · August 2010

Interesting. Not only moderation but adaptability as your goals change as you get closer to your goal. Thanks for sharing.

LJCannon · August 2010

I'm not absolutely Positive but I THINK I started MFP in May of 2009.

Making Small Changes and setting 'Small Goals' can lead to HUGE Changes. You CAN learn to be consistant with exercise, and you are never too old to learn new Habits. Tracking your Food and Exercise are LifeLong habits now. I cannot imagine ever NOT tracking what I eat or how many minutes I've been active that day.

islandnutshel · August 2010

L.J. Fantastic ticker you have there. Your inspiring and I hope you feel as great as you look.

weaklink109 · August 2010

I started in April of 2009. Using MFP was life-changing. Logging food was an eye-opening experience.

In my time here, I have completely changed how and what I eat, eliminating most all foods with artificial ingredients, and discovering that artificial sweeteners, including Splenda, produce carb cravings for me that I can avoid by simply avoiding foods with artificial sweetener. I use Stevia as a sweetener now, and don't miss the other at all. Also, I discovered that drinking alcohol, even if it was factored in to allowable calories, would stall my weight loss, so for now, I am foregoing even a glass of wine.

Exercise can be a pleasant experience if you do something you like to do. When all else fails, walk. If the weather is not cooperative, go to an enclosed mall and walk there.

If someone had told me 65 lbs. ago that the day would come when I would weigh less than I did in 1990, have a blood pressure of 100/74, WITHOUT BP meds, and be more than halfway to my ultimate goal, I would have said they were dreaming.

Besides the logging of food and exercise, I think the one thing about this site that is most beneficial is the community itself. Most posters are positive and supportive. I have participated on one thread almost from the time I started using the website. I have seen people come and go, and I have also seen people come, disappear, (life or some circumstance intervened) and then come back, stating they missed the support of the people on the thread and were ready to get back on track.

The one thing that makes this journey for me very different is that I never gave up. This is the only life I have and it is up to me to live the rest of it as healthy as I can. There is nothing that is off limits to me, if I choose to eat it. The secret is to P-L-A-N for it. either with extra exercise, or going easy on calories somewhere else.

islandnutshel · August 2010

If someone had told me 65 lbs. ago that the day would come when I would weigh less than I did in 1990, have a blood pressure of 100/74, WITHOUT BP meds, and be more than halfway to my ultimate goal, I would have said they were dreaming.

The one thing that makes this journey for me very different is that I never gave up. This is the only life I have and it is up to me to live the rest of it as healthy as I can. There is nothing that is off limits to me, if I choose to eat it. The secret is to P-L-A-N for it. either with extra exercise, or going easy on calories somewhere else.

Fantastic, I want to look into my future by a year and read this as if it applied to me. I am making only small goals because it is hard to believe the big ones. Thank you sooooo much for sharing.

Ryhenblue · August 2010

I started this site a year ago. I've learned that this site is a successful tool if you are ready to be healthy. Unfortunately I wasn't ready and only stuck with it for a month. A few months later in April I was ready for a change. I started researching what will work for me to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Most importantly I've learned I can lose weight without some crazy diet.

islandnutshel · August 2010

I've noticed by adding newbies as friends that they start out flying, exercising too much, eating too little and burning out quick. I am ready for slow and steady. That's why I want to see a year ahead. Thanks for sharing your experience and welcome back, I am sure your are ready, balanced and productive.

arewethereyet · August 2010

80% of being healthy is nutrition. A trainer once told me you can't out excersise a bad diet.

stealing this.

arewethereyet · August 2010

Hi

I've been here for 2+yrs...lost 27 pounds.....
Gained about 10+ back...recently lost about 5....
My advice is to not get to cocky and comfortable....don't let one cheat day or bad eating day turn into a week, a mnth...the weight piles back on faster than u think
weigh in weekly!
I know some think of the scale as the devil but I thinking weighing in once a weeek can keep people accountable

Kim

KIMBER>>>>>>>>>>>>smooches!!
I was comfortable......but no more! thanks

arewethereyet · August 2010

I have been here 2 years in January08 , but did not begin my journey until June 08.

What have I learned?

Not everyone will agree with you, but they have something to say that may be worth listening to, so do so. Take what you need and leave the rest.

If you log your calories, exercise each day, eat better foods, get proper nutrition, you WILL lose weight. Not only that, but you will feel better............more energetic............YOUNGER! woot woot!

Your doctor will love you for the changes.

Your pharmacist not so much :wink;

Your friends will either annoy you or encourage you either way it is YOUR journey and do not take it too seriously.
When I friend of mine made a quip about the cupcake I was about to eat, I thanked her and cut it in half, placing the other half on her plate, and walked away! She never made another comment

If you lose it little by little, it will more likely stay off because you are making real changes in your thought process on food intake.

Did I over eat yesterday?? Yes!! The difference was I KNEW it and today my oatmeal and banana taste so very good because I know it is healthier for my body.

Make some friends...........they will keep you in good spirits and celebrate your accomplishments........and if you have 1 really good one they will know you upside the head when your being very very bad:laugh:

Good luck!!:flowerforyou:

islandnutshel · August 2010

Thanks AreWeThere-Yet.
I enjoyed the cupcake story. People can be awkward when they seeing you lose weight. It is hard to understand their intention, some are just reaching. Today I got: "You've lost so much weight, I can see it in your face, I'm not saying you were realy fat before.........digging deeper and deeper. I love her skinny *kitten* though, she has maybe lost and gained the same 5 pounds in her life and has not concept of what it's like to have fat Genes/JEANS.
Thanks for sharing

Joyjmb · August 2010

I just got really zen calm reading this thread. Thank you, posters, for your insight and willingness to share. I'm only a week into my 73rd attempt to lose weight, and I weigh in tomorrow. I even FEEL thinner, but I'm only expecting a pound or two because I'm trying to do it slow and steady. I've had my party with food. I'm cool with that. Muchas.

arewethereyet · August 2010

I just got really zen calm reading this thread. Thank you, posters, for your insight and willingness to share. I'm only a week into my *LAST* attempt to lose weight, and I weigh in tomorrow. I even FEEL thinner, but I'm only expecting a pound or two because I'm trying to do it slow and steady. I've had my party with food. I'm cool with that. Muchas.

see edit....giggle

Sarandipity · August 2010

I joined the site in Feb of 08, but continued making excuses etc until Jan of 09. In just over a year I lost 104lbs. For the last 6 months or so I have shifted into maintaining as things were just getting a little too crazy in my life to focus on this too. I learned in that break that I did not fall back into the bad habits that got me to 300lbs. I didn't always make the right choices and to be completely honest I gained back 5 lbs, but I am ok with that, I am still in the same size clothes and now that I am back on track it is falling off pretty quickly again.

I learned that you have to honest with what you are eating and how much.
I have learned that I probably can't use the big boned excuse as I am starting to see some pretty little bones under what remains of this fat :laugh:
I have learned that clothes can be expensive, but having clothes that fit properly is such a motivator plus giving the old ones away makes me feel so good.
I have learned that a non-functioning thyroid and autoimmune disorder are not reasons to give up, but reasons to try harder.

Most of all I have learned that I am worth it. :flowerforyou: Good Luck, if I can do it, anyone can :flowerforyou:

islandnutshel · August 2010

I love your story Sarandipity. Thanks. 5pounds back is nothing, and you went back to mfp when you needed it. Your lifestyle changes stuck with you, and I want that for myself. Thanks for sharing, I need these stories.

Let's hear from 1 year (or more) members

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