RESTARTING - HELP ME :(

Hey there!
Well you've already done a great step by coming onto the forums because we are all like minded so thats a +1. In terms of motivation, the friends you generate here will be great and will help you along the way with encouragement and such as am I willing I usually have 'power' songs which get me ramped up for an intense session and gets me through - I also look at inspirational quotes and have a whole wall filled with them.
Another thing I did was take a photo from before weightloss and promise myself I will never get back to that level...it's worked!
Just remember, only YOU have the power to change these things - no one else.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!

My husband met me when I was slim and very physically active but now 7 years later and due to osteoarthritis in my hip from an injury when I was younger I have gained a lot of weight and my husband loves me either way but although it is good to know your cellar loves you as you are now you are doing this for you, to be healthier and to feel better.
I didn't eat that much and haven't been eating breakfast but it is the most important as it kick starts your metabolism and if you leave it till later in the day your body just holds onto the calories.
Talk to your family and friends and say how important it is for them to be supportive as this means a lot to you and if you can get a gym buddy someone to help push you on days that you may be lacking motivation. Motivational songs are a good idea as I always say where words fail music speaks. I have a picture of me when I was slimmer to look at to say to myself that is what I want to get back to but if you haven't got one you could always try to think what u want to look like. Write down some things you want to get out of losing weight and getting fitter, like feel healthier look better fit into size ?? Jeans be able to do 30 mins cardio without feeling shattered or to be able to go jogging.
Good luck you have already taken the first major step

You are going to get tons of advice on here, finding what works for you and sticking to it, is the most important thing. I am including a link for what I believe is the most sensible, long term for life path.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/841305-corn-used-my-man-parts-as-a-speedbag

Hi there! That motivation you now have - thats the secret. Its you taking control over food, not letting food walk all over you as if you were someone who just lets food walk all over them

I know that in the past when I started off good, then i started to kinda be wishy washy about it, and allow myself too many things that were not good for me, then it got me in a frame of mind where I didn't feel I was controling my food choices, i just sorta floundered around.

So when you start to feel you are wanting to give in to a temptation, and you cant lay it aside, then rather than say "what the heck, i may as well have this treat, i'll just start dieting tomorrow" then that is when you have to stop, regroup and get ahold of yourself, and not fall into that trap.

so keep motivated in your mind, dont get wishy washy, but just be watchful and mindful of what you choose and if yo have to just stay away from places that tempt you.

These things have helped me.

I put my camera on self timer, stood in an unflattering pose and looked as miserable as possible. I HATE seeing it and every time I do I get a boost of motivation, knowing that I can't be happy with myself like this.

^ This. Now to go find my camera...

The other thing to try if you avoid cameras (like me) or don't have a "skinny pic" available as someone else suggested is to check out www.modelmydiet.com to see if it seems accurate for you. It only goes on height and weight, then lets you put in a "fudge factor" for those who carry their weight better or worse than average (I guess small vs. large framed). You can also put in a goal weight and it'll give you side-by-side comparison models. Not perfect, but better than nothing. I've only found one site that goes off of measurements, and it only accepted cm so I got lazy and stopped messing with it before I decided how well it worked. Maybe that's a project for today... which means I don't have to go find my camera, right?

https://ws.optitex.com/optitexwebapplication/demo/snapmodel.aspx
That's the other site I found, the one based on measurements. I just tried it using the measurements I took this morning and ended up with a pinheaded model I feel is mildly to moderately inaccurate. It requires a lot of measurements I feel like only a tailor would usually take. Since I didn't have those, it used defaults that probably caused the weirdness. But it might be worth a shot if you're willing to take the time to do all the measurements it asks for.

give this in a lot of noobie threads for people that show up here and want to lose weight.:

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines.
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Since you're restarting.. you've been here before. "I fell off of the cart" etc... right? Make the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable.

GOOD LUCK! Hold onto that motivation. Set some short-term goals - not necessarily around weight loss, other things like "running 5km" or "3 workouts a week" - to help you stay focused and on-task, but don't forget that it's about the long term! ENJOY YOUR FOOD, keep within calories but eat healthy foods that you will actually enjoy eating. TELL YOURSELF NICE THINGS & Put inspiration up all around you, whether in the form of pictures or words.

You don't have to do what I'm saying (obviously!!!) but these are ways I try to keep up my motivation - after years and years of starting and giving up, I'm determined to get back to my best self (in weight, health, and happiness).

hey hiiiiii,

i am also new to this..

Shall we guys plan for weight loss then

i want to loose 5kgs...


whts ur goal??

Hope the past few days have been ok for you and that you have kept motivated :flowerforyou: