How did you prepare/begin your new lifestlye?

I just started logging. Actually, I think logging without changing anything gives you a good baseline to compare yourself to. It also gives you a sense of where your calories are coming from so you can make better choices.

For me the biggest thing I get out of MFP is that educated me about a few things that I was doing that added up to enough extra calories that I had gained a pound a year for 30 years. Then it was easy to drop those few things and lose weight.

Sorry, it quoted the whole thing.

I just simply pick one bad habit and reduce it or eliminate it from my daily rountine. I first started out with reducing my intake of soda to once a day then once a week, and lastly none...

I have learned in a health class that starting with small steps will last a life time. So far it is proven me right.

I just went for it and started logging. At that time it was so hard to eat only 1700 calories a day, I didn't realize how much I was actually eatting. It gave me a chance to evaluate the things I normally eat and figure out what I needed to get rid of and what I could keep around in moderation. Doing a cleanse of my cabinets never worked for me. I need to have a treat from time to time.

I do agree with though, just start logging to see where you are now for a baseline. Then modify what you eat to fit into your daily nutritional allowance. Just keep at it! It does get easier.

I watched some documentaries about obesity and jumped in. I love "Killer at Large", on Netflix. I stopped eating junk and animal products immediately. It is not for everyone, but it is for me. I went "cold tofurkey", one might say. (No, I don't actually eat tofurkey)

Many would recommend a more gradual approach. You know what works for you though!:drinker:

I just started tracking, too. The first few nights, I didn't do it as I went - I just sat down before bed and thought through everything I had put in my mouth that day (which I have since found, is NOT a good way for me to log!).

The first week was horrendous lol but I didn't make any changes to my diet until I could assess just how bad it had gotten. And then I ransacked my pantry and threw all of the crap out, got a food scale, a set of measuring cups and spoons (because, believe it or not, I didn't even have one before). And I forced myself to dole out single-serving portions of my favorite foods until I got into the habit of seeing how much I ought to have been eating all along in place of my super-sized meals.

I also warned my boyfriend that I was going to start making some changes, and that he was no longer allowed to suggest Chinese for dinner until at least mid-summer, once I had established better eating habits. Poor guy. Once, I actually caved and asked if we could get Little Panda for dinner - he said "but you're not supposed to eat that stuff" and he got hell for almost two days lol #hungrygirlgoescrazy?

I did a total cleanout of my life.

Did different tasks everyday to prep for my new lifestyle. Like clean/scrub my refrigerator and get rid of all the bad foods in the cabinets.

I made a playlist specifically for working out.

I bought some new workout clothes/shoes

I made a list of reasons on why I should change my lifestyle, and a list why I shouldn't. (Obviously the list to change was much longer and more meaningful)

I began a guided workout program.

I joined a gym

I made a detailed grocery list. and went grocery shopping

It gave me a lot of momentum, and its done nothing but help me change. I am a changed man, and my preparation helped me overcome my addiction to food, and laziness.

It was just a mind over matter for me!!! I got fed up enough to change!

I hit rock bottom first, saw pictures that made me ashamed. So ashamed. Then jumped right in, no tiptoeing into the shallow end, full head first dive into the deep end...

The logest journey begins with a single step. Which is to say, one day I signed up on MFP and started logging every bite I ate. Then I started eating less to stay under my goal. Weight loss followed.