Wish I would've... (at the start of my MFP journey)

korygilliam
korygilliam Posts: 594 Member
in Success Stories
To give tips to new MFPers...what do you wish you would've done differently?

Me:
Wish I would've taken a good 'before' pic
Wish I would've taken measurements
Wish I would've included weight training
«13

Replies

  • Kayleria
    Kayleria Posts: 8 Member
    I really wish I had a before picture too. I'd started and stopped with MFP in the past a few times before and this is the only time I've ever really stuck with it. So its possible I never thought I'd make it anywhere. But now that I'm well on my way to my goal, I wish I had a picture from 6 months ago so I could look at it and reiterate to myself "this is why you make these good decisions everyday, this is why you count now!".

    Measurements would've been really fun to watch the numbers drop too. Instead I just have a neverending musical chairs of clothing where the once "too small" have become "too big".
  • Tldavis3s
    Tldavis3s Posts: 83 Member
    I wish I would've taken measurements.
    I wish I would've taken better pictures.
    I DEFINITELY wish I would've started strength training sooner!
  • korygilliam
    korygilliam Posts: 594 Member
    LOL-Guess being too embarrassed or ashamed is a common item for those 'pre' pictures...:blushing:

    :glasses: :glasses: :glasses: NEW PEEPS--TAKE THOSE PICTURES AND MEASUREMENTS! :glasses: :glasses: :glasses:
    You will want them later to look back on and say 'I am not going there again!'javascript:add_smiley('blushing','post_body')
  • Lpruett7
    Lpruett7 Posts: 19 Member
    im with ya. Eventhough my heaviest was when i was about to give birth to my daughter I might have one picture. After i had her i didnt loose alot of weight right away like i did with my son. I refused to have any pics taken below my boobs haha!
  • NadirToZenith
    NadirToZenith Posts: 62 Member
    Thank you for the advice. I'm at the beginning of my journey and while it was hard (very hard!) I just took some before pictures. Not only will I be happy later when I can look back at where I started, but it also showed me that I really do need to make drastic changes. Avoiding pictures and mirrors has given me a distorted sense of self. But in my defense... things don't look all that bad from my vantage point LOL
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
    I agree with the pics and measurements.

    I also wish I had started by using the TDEE-20% method instead of starving at 1200 calories. Eat more to weigh less. Love it!!!
  • msjames1999
    msjames1999 Posts: 528 Member
    I wish I would have taken pictures and measurements at the start of my MFP journey.
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
    Definitely wish I would have taken good before photos. I have nothing to compare my progress to. The first progress pics I took were in December then again in March (6-10 months after I had started this and was down 40-50 lbs already). I was able to compare those to each other but not to the very beginning!! Oh well.
  • fpuckett2383
    fpuckett2383 Posts: 49 Member
    I totally agree with the pictures and the weight training,
    I also wish I would've actually measured what I ate. I "Guesstimated" a lot and I was soooo off (which I know, because I measure it now, lol).
    I wish I would have found clean eating sooner.
  • fpuckett2383
    fpuckett2383 Posts: 49 Member
    Oh! And I wish I hadn't wasted all that time eating just 1200 calories, yuck! That was awful (and harmful)
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    To give tips to new MFPers...what do you wish you would've done differently?

    Me:
    Wish I would've taken a good 'before' pic
    Wish I would've taken measurements
    Wish I would've included weight training

    All of the above
  • elvensnow
    elvensnow Posts: 154 Member
    I too wish I had a good before picture. I have a few "in the middle" pics though.

    But mostly, I wish I knew what TDEE was.
  • yoscarlino
    yoscarlino Posts: 100 Member

    I also wish I had started by using the TDEE-20% method instead of starving at 1200 calories. Eat more to weigh less. Love it!!!

    this!!!
  • CoffeeLush
    CoffeeLush Posts: 46 Member
    Thanks for these tips. I started July 8th--- and yesterday, I made myself take a photo along with measurements. I also, thanks to everyone on the boards, realized eating 1200 calories wasn't enough. My goal this weekend is to look into my TDEE, etc.
  • FrancescaWebb
    FrancescaWebb Posts: 211 Member
    I just googled it :)

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
    I wish I would have taken a better before pic too.
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I wish i had a before photo... I pound one of my at my heaviest, but it's hard to tell just how big I really was.

    I always took measurements, thankfully.
  • Ladina1990
    Ladina1990 Posts: 137 Member
    I REALLY wish I would've taken my measurements because I lost so many inches
  • ARoseC2012
    ARoseC2012 Posts: 21 Member
    1. made friends faster on here
    2. not depended on my husband as a support buddy
    3. kept a closer eye on my calories (actually weighing my food ect)
  • ajominy
    ajominy Posts: 87 Member
    I like many others on here definitely wish I had measured. I kick myself quite often for not having the exact measurements and have just gone by clothing size charts to get a guesstimate. Would have definitely liked to have a few more before pictures and progress pictures along the way.
  • Serenitytoo
    Serenitytoo Posts: 449 Member
    * Don't wait too long to try on those "too small" clothes you have been saving... If you wait too long you wont get to wear them. There were a few in my closet that went from being too small to being way too big. Every few pounds or inches lost try them on. You never know!
  • imhungry2012
    imhungry2012 Posts: 240 Member
    I wish I never got chubby and out of shape to begin with :sad: but I know that's not the point of the thread...seriously I wish I had:

    Taken a good before photo
    Taken several progress photos along the way
    Started strength training sooner
    Understood the importance of protein sooner
    Stuck to my calorie goal more regularly (I can count on 2 hands the number of times I stayed within my goal for the day)
  • MeowSkull
    MeowSkull Posts: 101 Member
    Thank you for all the advice! I've only been at this 11 days and I'm pretty lost.

    Great thread!
  • Scott3600
    Scott3600 Posts: 14
    I have just gone and taken a photo of me at the start of my weight loss project. Thanks guys!

Categories

Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!