How did you guys start your diet/lifestyle change?

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  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
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    First thing I did was look at my really bad items that I was eating. I exchanged my bad choices at mcdonalds for less calories until I lost the craving all together. I also quit buying little debbies and hostess at the gas station. If I wanted chocolate. I will eat a candy bar or have a homemade treat.
  • SRB8710
    SRB8710 Posts: 90
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    I actually started about three years ago after I had my daughter. I thought I wanted to lose the baby weight and then as I learned more I wanted to be a healthy role model. I lost about 60 pounds and was in pretty decent shape. I got a job at a restaurant and gained about 20-25 pounds back because the food was right there. Then I started working two jobs and really lost track. Now, I am back at it and familiar with what will get me off track and trying to do my best to avoid it. :)
  • Basia_and4345
    Basia_and4345 Posts: 61 Member
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    I have a friend who wants to lose about 15-20 lbs, but can't seem to be able to start her diet. I've told her how I began mine, but of course, different strokes blah blah.

    I would like to know how you guys started yours, and show her. Did you guys just wake up one morning and started portion controlling? Did you look up certain diets and made food plan/lists? Maybe something will stick, if I give her options.

    Little by little ... started making healthy breakfast choices. Then took a good look at what I was making my meals out of and made changes to that such as no white or enriched bread, whole wheat only. Brown rice, quinoa replaced potatoes and white rice. Added more veggies to my diet and things like that.

    I avoid soda, and anything that is marketed as a "Diet" product. I read labels like crazy, my poor husband is so patient with me in the grocery store- he waits while I do all my ingredient and price comparisons. I do not follow or add in any plan that tells you to eliminate certain types of food (even if those foods are supposed to be introduced back later). I have added components of juicing, blending and the Raw food diet to my dietary options.

    Very importantly I DO allow myself binge days, usually as a treat when it's a girls night with my two youngest daughters.

    I remember that this is a life style change and will not change over night, so I'm not going to make it a horrible life experience,
  • baiye1
    baiye1 Posts: 27 Member
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    I first read a book called Eat To Live that really spoke to me, I made a lifestyle change that stuck with me for about 4 years. Then I just went back to eating crappy. This time, what started it again, it was because of two things: 1) something that happened with my child and I realized that if I didn't make some changes, I wouldn't be around to fix it or I wouldn't be able to stop it and 2) I realized that not moving during the winter had made me feel just gray. So, I had downloaded MFP a few months before but got serious about it. I move more and eat better. Not really less, just better.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    The short answer is that I realized last December that what worked in my 20s to lose 60 lbs.--exercising lots and paying more attention to food, but without counting calories--didn't work in my 40s. I decided after Christmas that I needed to actually compare intake and output. Fortunately, I saw a review of MFP in Consumer Reports in January while visiting my sister, and decided to give it a try.

    The longer answer, though, is that over the course of many years, I've tried to stay physically active and to eat well. Physical activity went from swimming to running to cycling, depending on whether I had easy access to a pool (no longer the case) and the state of my knees (which is why I quit running and started cycling). There were a few years when I didn't get much exercise due to a number of factors. Eating well involved learning to cook well, so that my wife and I don't eat out much and don't have too many meals from boxes or the freezer.

    I put on weight despite all that because I was simply eating more than I needed. My change in January was really not a change in diet or lifestyle, but rather, a realization that my sense of how much to eat was out of whack, and that if I just continued the exercise I was getting, while cutting back on the amount I ate without really changing my diet, I could lose the weight I had slowly put on over the years.

    The only moderate change I've made to my diet recently is to cook more vegan food, because a good friend became vegan and we like to have her over for dinner a few times a month. That inevitably results in vegan leftovers for dinner a few days later. But I compensate by eating extra cheese, so I can't claim it's eating more healthily.
  • Marina809
    Marina809 Posts: 38
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    I'd been disgusted with the weight I'd put on in the last 5 years. It was only 30 pounds but I'm only 5" 1.5" tall with a small frame. Besides that it was all (every bit of it) in my midsection. Since I'd read that this is the most unhealthy place to have a fat surplus it worried me a lot but not enough to motivate me to make a serious commitment to change. One day I was at my daughter's house at her husbands birthday party and A friend of hers who I hadn't seen in about a year stopped by. He (and his wife) had lost so much weight I hardly recognized them. I was shocked and amazed at the change they made so I asked what kind of diet they were on. The answer- MyFitnessPal. What? "It's an app I use on my phone." So, I d/l the app on my tablet and checked out the website. Reading the forums, especially the success stories, inspired me to no end. I signed up and began eating at a deficit and logging every bite I put in my mouth. Seeing these two lose their weight, all the success stories in the forums and the accountability of logging everything is what motivated and keeps me motivated to get rid of this weight. I wouldn't even go near the scales before I started here but now I can't wait to get up every morning and see what I weigh. It really is that easy... just quit eating so much.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    I started working out. Eating better followed later because I wasn't getting anywhere with my workouts.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,731 Member
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    You already have it right. It's a lifestyle change.

    A "diet" has the feeling that something will end. When it does, and the old habits return, mission failure.

    A lifestyle change is permanent.
  • Laroka
    Laroka Posts: 60 Member
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    why did you get rid of nutella? The calories? I need to know because I eat it a lot, but I stay within my calories.
  • AuntieMC
    AuntieMC Posts: 346 Member
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    bump
  • MJ_Watson
    MJ_Watson Posts: 180 Member
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    I started having panic attacks. Sounds strange to be thankful for that, but I am. For years, I had refused to seek help for my anxiety but with actual physical symptoms, I felt forced to talk about it with my doctor, who recommended therapy and regular exercise before medication. The exercise took care of the fitness part, and once I started dealing with things in therapy, everything else started to fall into place. My issue was not laziness, it was fear. When I realized I had the tools to take control of the rest of my life, taking control of my eating habits was easy.

    I think that even though these answers are all different, that's going to the common thread: People taking control for themselves. As much as you may want to, you can't do that for someone else. They have to get there on their own.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
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    I decided, "Hey, I'm fat. Need to change that."

    Chose a random day (I think it was a Friday). Started eating at a deficit and exercising. Done.
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
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    For me, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I drew a line in the sand and said no more. I set my goals small.....1st one was just to not jain any weight over the holidays. Then it was to lose 5 pounds in January. Then 5 more for Feb. Somewhere along the way I found MFB and DietBet. These work for me because I am a cheapskate and motivated by $$. My goal was to lose 40 pounds, but I have recently adjusted my goals to lose 10 more!!! I'm on the dreaded last 10. I'll make it.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
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    Mine will certainly be different than most. It boils down to one word: Rehab. I had a total knee replacement done last September 24. I'd put on some weight before surgery as the knee limited what I could do and I really added quite a bit as I was home bound during initial recovery. And I certainly overindulged then. My trainer couldn't wait for me to get back because he has always believed in me and wanted to kick my *kitten* to get me back to where I had been before and where he knew I could be. (He also wanted me in great shape for his wedding coming up in October). On January 2, I saw my surgeon and got clearance to return to the gym and really start rehab in earnest. And I knew a big part of that was getting weight off to reduce wear and tear on the new knee. So I set a goal of losing 28-30 pounds. And as usual, my trainer and I had an agreement. I told him what I wanted to do. And then we did what he wanted. And what he wanted was to focus on functional movement and strengthening the knee and increase flexibility as much as possible in the hips (which were replaced many years ago). And he introduced me to MFP. He was the one who started me here. He's tried to get his other clients here too. To varying degrees of success. But I have an OCD streak a mile wide. And once I commit to something I'm all in. And so I started logging everything. And doing everything I could in the gym. After a while, my trainer knew I was back emotionally because with every exercise he set up, I did more reps, asked for more weight, did it for longer times. And he knew he would have to now start making sure I didn't overdo it. But in 11 weeks, I lost 27 pounds. Then a funny thing happened. I sort of coasted a while, increasing my calories a bit, backing off a bit in the gym (I had a vacation in there) and the weight loss slowed considerably. But incredibly, the body transformation accelerated. So now about 6-1/2 months later, I'm down about 42 pounds, I've lost about 12% bodyfat, lost 8 inches on my hips and 7 inches on my waist. But more remarkably, I can do more physically than maybe any time in my life. I'm moving better than ever. I am completely pain free. And for the first time in my life, I am proud of how I look. I love how my partner looks at me now. He's always been concerned more about making sure I'm healthy. Now he knows I am that but he is really proud of me, and likes to show me off a bit to friends. My trainer is happier than imaginable because he knows how much he had a part in this. But it is frustrating for him too. If a guy like me, 57 years old, rehabbing off a knee replacement, and with 2 artificial hips already can do this, why can't his younger clients with no physical issues at all. Why don't they? Commitment.

    I haven't seen my ortho doc since I got released back on January 2. My next visit is in 10 days and I can't wait. He has no idea any of this has happened. He's probably hoping for a bit of improvement in range of motion and flexibility. He is going to be blown away. I saw my physical therapist a couple of weeks ago, who I last saw on the same day. I walked into his office, he looked at me, and the first words out of his mouth were "where's the rest of you?" Those are the NSVs that you can't buy, and you can only pay for in hard work and commitment, both to diet and exercise.

    And now that I have seen what is possible, what I really can do when I put my heart and soul into something, and with the support of some of the incredible friends I have made here on MFP, the body transformation is really only beginning. I guess in the end, the only way to really start, the only way to continue is to want it. For yourself. You may want to do it for others too. But if you can't make that commitment to yourself, if you don't think you are worth it, it won't happen. Are you worth it? I can't answer that. But am I worth it? You damned well better believe it. And once you can answer that question like that, the changes are easy.
  • toothpastechica
    toothpastechica Posts: 250 Member
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    I realized I was out of shape after being out of breath on a small(ish) hike when I used to do 4-8 hour hikes regularly.....decided I needed to start running again, got runtastic on my phone and got motivated to track all active things I do and I decided to would try and be active every day...then I found out runtastic syncs with MFP and started on mfp, now I log everything and starting to make some better eating choices most of the time.
  • Chuki5
    Chuki5 Posts: 73 Member
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    a co-worker told me about the app, I was amazed by logging how much my intake was....I started walking on the treadmill so I could eat a couple extra items.......that was 285+ days ago
  • golfergirl92
    golfergirl92 Posts: 79 Member
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    I turned 21 in February and as expected, it was party, party, party. Being a college student and going to a school notorious for drinking, my life revolved around weeknights, junk food, and booze. I started dating my boyfriend mid-April after a month of ridiculous partying so I know I was at my highest weight (probably 205-210). Around the same time, I accepted a job offer that required me to move to a different town about an hour from school, but I was graduating in 3 weeks so it wasn't much of a big deal. We went out one evening and got really dressed up and looked super cute, but all I could think is "why does he want me when there are so many skinny, beautiful girls?" I'd also been ignoring issues for a while like my work clothes not fitting as well and feeling crappy/tired all the time. I decided that this was finally the time to live the healthiest, fittest ME there could be. I gave up soda and fast food the day I graduated. No more caffeine headaches, and I'm anemic so the caffeine was my upper when I wasn't eating enough iron (which was never). When I moved to the new town, I filled my fridge and freezer with only healthy stuff. I don't hardly ever go into the middle aisles at the store because it's all processed junk. Now that I had a full-time job and no school, I had plenty of time to start making lunches to take with me and make sure I ate a good breakfast. My apartment complex has a fitness center, so I'd go down after work about 5 days a week and be on the elliptical and read from my iPad. One of my new coworkers took me to her gym which is fabulous and I signed up that day. I've been there pretty much every day since. Gym rat! haha. I log EVERYTHING I eat and drink--and I have no excuse as I'm on my computer at home, my phone, and my iPad constantly. I drink water like it's going out of style and use a lot of Mio. Try cherry limeade and grape together...tastes like a rainbow Mr. Misty from DQ. I made up goals and rewards for myself as the weight comes off. I also made a list of all the reasons why I want to be fit and taped it near my fridge so I constantly see it and remind myself of why I'm making such a drastic lifestyle change. I've tried in the past, but I always gave up too easily because I didn't see results. I hit the 12 lb mark today and went and tried on some shorts....I wore these shorts to Six Flags last year and they were way too tight around the waist/hips/thighs....put them on today and they were baggy in the same areas!!! Super excited about that! Put on my favorite pair of skinny jeans and I no longer have a muffin top when I wear them! :) I bought jeans when I was out with my bf shopping a month and a half ago, and I was happy to tell him tonight that they're a size too large now!

    You're not going to be able to change your friend's mind until they decide that they have to do this for themselves. It takes motivation from within regardless of how large a support system you have. You have to want this. You have to do it for yourself. And I don't think of myself as being on a diet, it's a new way of life.
  • thistimewillbedifferent
    thistimewillbedifferent Posts: 217 Member
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    Back in December during that slow time between Christmas and New Year's, I did a lot of reflection on my life. I realized that my actions didn't always match my stated values and goals, and that there were lots of elements I wanted to add to my life but couldn't because too much space was being taken up by things that were NOT adding value to my life (and in some cases were detracting value). I made a chart with three columns: things that add value to my life which are already there and which I want to keep (my awesome friends, my charity/volunteer work, etc.), things that are NOT adding value to my life (random TV surfing for hours on end, online games, drinking 6-8 diet cokes a day, loads of take-out, etc.), and things that would add value and which I wanted to incorporate into my life but that I didn't currently have time for (exercise, healthy food preparation, etc.).

    I then made a genuine mental commitment that 2013 was going to be the year that I really and truly made my health a priority. I began eliminating the things in the second column and adding in things from the third column. Every morning when I get up, I remind myself that I want for my actions to reflect this new focus. I haven't been "perfect" by any means, but that was never the goal -- the goal for me was to make room in my life for things like going to the gym, going to the grocery store to stock up on healthy staples, etc. I've lost 45 lbs since I made that commitment and changed my habits, so this approach has definitely been working well for me.
  • raneylfrick
    raneylfrick Posts: 380 Member
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    I was finishing up work and said to myself, "Today I am going to log EVERYTHING in MFP." I haven't stopped since.
  • missinesita
    missinesita Posts: 16 Member
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    I did one of Amanda Russell's work out and thought I could be fitter with a bit of effort. Then I logged in here (I'd had this account for about a year but with no activity) and discovered the Jillian Michaels workouts.

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