How do I start ?!

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Janeyana
Janeyana Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
How do I start this journey to lose weight ? I have no motivation ! What's a good first step I want to lose 50 pounds !

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  • FerryfieldLad
    FerryfieldLad Posts: 185 Member
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    For me the best motivation was getting through one week of dieting and seeing how much I lost. That motivated to keep it up :D

    Welcome to MFP by the way!
  • shanteel612
    shanteel612 Posts: 434 Member
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    If it is hard you can start out with baby steps, drink more water before you eat, stop eating after a certain time, and add more fruit and veggies to your diet. This way you are motivating yourself to do more slowly.

    Or you can just dive in, as FeeryfieldLad said,, because getting through a week or two and seeing the pounds drop is motivation to keep going.
  • brandyme
    brandyme Posts: 400 Member
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    I agree with FerryfieldLad, the first step is to change your eating habits. I wouldn't start exercise right away, take baby steps. When I started, I gave my body about 2 months to get used to eating right and drinking a ton of water then I added in the exercise.

    You do not necessarily have to start by completely changing your diet. Sometimes people like to chip away at their eating habits. For instance, the first week or two may just be eliminating fast food, then the next week could be adding in more veggies, etc. Baby steps and a solid foundation will help get started. It may seem difficult at first but the hardest part is committing, once you're in the game mentally, you can do anything!

    Good luck. Add me if you would like.
  • WhatAnAss
    WhatAnAss Posts: 1,598 Member
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    Actually you already started....you joined MFP. It is an amazing site full of amazing people and a wealth of knowledge. Like the others said. Start off slow. Change some of the food you eat. Log what you eat daily and take a look at your macros and see what you need to work on. As far as motivation...start off with adding a simple walk or light exercise to your routine. By changing your diet and adding in some exercise you will start to see changes. Those changes will motivate you to do more and more.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
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    You don't look like you need to lose 50pounds . Start by adding people and informing yourself (research Calorie expenditure and calorie deficit)
  • kem05
    kem05 Posts: 97
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    Welcome! You've got motivation, you're here aren't you?! :bigsmile:
    Your first week of weight loss will get the ball rolling!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    You have to really want it for yourself.

    Be prepared to make positive changes that you can keep up for the rest of your life.

    Learn what BMR and TDEE mean and how to use them. Aim for a deficit of no more than 20% deduction from your TDEE.

    Set attainable and rewarding goals such as hitting a new fitness target, rather than telling yourself you want to lose X amount of weight by X date.

    Realise that you can eat all the foods you enjoy and do not have to deprive yourself, just eat less of it.
  • MissEStrange22
    MissEStrange22 Posts: 24
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    First step- Don't go on a diet plan. Go on a "Feeling happier in yourself plan." It shouldn't be all about losing weight, and what you eat and getting on the scales. It should be about feeling full of energy and healthy and happy! :)

    Just start. Quite simply.

    I like this quote, it always helps me when I'm about to get in my car and buy sweets :)

    Losing weight is hard.
    Maintaining weight is hard.
    Being overweight is hard.

    Choose your hard.

    I find this site brilliant. I've been on a while and only just started added people in the hopes that we can all support each other. I'd do that sooner than i did.

    MFP is good because you can keep track of EVERYTHING you eat. I'm not one of these people who decided I was going to lose weight and then felt the need to go and buy every vegetable out there. I just eat less of what I normally eat.

    My personal tips; (that have helped me-but everyone is different.) =)

    Put your scales in someone else's house and go there at the same time on the same day once a week. It stops you weighing yourself every day.:)

    Get plenty of fruit and if you are feeling cravings have a glass of cordial juice and a peice of fruit and wait an hour. If you still REALLY REALLY want it- Have it. Otherwise you may end up binging.

    Don't make it hard for yourself. -Plan your meals for the next 2-3 days and get food in, so, like me you don't go "I've got no food, i'll just get take away."

    I could go on forever, but I'm sure you know all this stuff, like we all do.

    Just start NOW, and do it for a week, and then start again this time next week, and do it for another week.
    Don't set yourself time restictions of 'I need to lose this much by this time." :)

    GOOD LUCK!! XX
  • jayebennett
    jayebennett Posts: 11
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    To start you need to find your motivation. if you start just saying, i need to lose weight, but don't have a good reason for it, at the first sign of hardship you will quit. i highly recommend taking an hour or a day (which ever you can fit it) and find your motivation. stare in the mirror, look below the surface and be real and honest with yourself. once you find your motivation, daydream about it. everyday daydream about it.

    now set your goal. - BE SPECIFIC - weight, bf%, tone, fitness challenge (5k, half-marathon), etc.
    then set your time frame - again BE SPECIFIC - i.e. i am going to lose 50 lbs in 8 months

    then look up your stats (i like tdee -20%) and start with diet. depending on fitness level work in exercise. count calories! it helps.

    be realistic. plan on 1-2 lbs a week. some will be higher, some will be lower.

    set mini goals with rewards. whatever fits in your lifestyle. every 5-10lbs is what i like to do. a favorite reward of mine is a day off of work. or an outing with my kids. music cd, clothes.

    then set your mind. you can do this. here is where i rely on MFP. i love the success stories. if they did it so can I. also it helps me to realize that it will take more time then i think. a year is ok. but remember YOU CAN DO THIS.

    i have lost weight (50lbs - 3x). not from yoyo dieting, but from pregnancies.

    if you have any questions, let me know. if it doesn't help, feel free to ignore.

    you know yourself and only you know what will work for you but the first thing to do is to find your own motivation THEN support can help you up.
  • Janeyana
    Janeyana Posts: 2
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    Thank you dolls! you all have amazing tips, I'm so happy I came across this website this morning, Im going to try and start today, iv been embarrassed to talk about it to people but this is perfect : ) xoxo
  • linray51
    linray51 Posts: 11 Member
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    Think about how much better you are going to feel both mentally and physically. Remember, the process of losing is not forever, only eating healthy. I know exactly how you feel. I took a picture of my starting date (over 2 weeks ago) and will continue to take pics to see the gradual results. Also, I have a pair of nice slacks (the size I should be) hanging on my bedroom door that reminds me of the wardrobe in my closet that is waiting for me. My mind has turned from, "Where are we going out to eat?" "What kind of chardonnay do they have?" to focusing on getting in all my water. To me that particular strategy has helped immensely because it does take concentration and focus and has reverted my attention from thinking of food or wine to "Let's see, I think I'll put a couple of lemon slices in my water". I know it may sound trivial but it has helped me. The immediate good feeling that helps motivate is knowing you are in control, suddenly after a few pounds are shed a wave of excitement occurs and motivation kicks into 2nd gear. Think of the end result and the consistent pattern of eating 'fresh' and healthy. The best of luck to you.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Small steps. This week start with making sure you drink your water. Be conscious of what you're eating so that next week you can see where some of your trouble areas are. I know with me - driving through someplace for breakfast was a hard thing to give up. I started bringing in to the office things like yogurt, light string cheese, protein bars, etc.

    For me - there are things I want to be able to do. I want to be able to buy clothes in a regular store. I want to be able to walk around without my back hurting. If there's nothing to strive for, then you're less likely to get moving.
  • linray51
    linray51 Posts: 11 Member
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    Hi gang,
    I'm 62, so glad I am here. I was eating very high protein and LOW carb, (QWLC) and felt literally horrible, thinking I had some virus that made me feel achy, very fatigue, weak, malaise all over and not able to get off the couch. I got back into adhering to 'Myfitnesspal' numbers for protein and carbs and the next day I was much better. The bottom line is, for me the low carb was not working and this site is right on for what the body requires to function properly. I felt 100% better the next day. As a matter of fact, my friend was over and said that I looked terrible, very ill. This was going on for 2 whole weeks. While she was here I added a bit more carbs, the next day I felt so much better. For some people the low carb may work, for me it does not. Myfitnesspal knows what they are doing by requiring our bodies to eat a balanced, healthy way of eating. So glad to be here and feel so much better!!

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