New and scared stiff

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  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
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    Welcome to MFP! Looking at the whole amount you want to lose can be daunting! I didn't even put the whole amount at first because 73 pounds sounded so demoralizing. Once I lost 10 lbs though, I felt more hopeful and adjusted my settings.

    My very first goal was to get out of the 200's - 13 lbs lost. The next was to lose 10% of my starting weight (21.3 lbs lost) I have recently met this second goal - from there I plan to look at just 10 lbs at a time. I figure this will take me about a year, so my mantra has been "Next summer, next summer". Of course, there are a lot of NSVs (non-scale victories) along the way and the forums here can be very inspiring (take a look at Success stories).

    That said, there is a lot of misinformation from deluded (or just plain hungry frustrated folks) so take everything with a grain of salt. Find yourself some people whose posts make sense to you and ask them to be friends.

    You are welcome to friend me as well. Click on my picture above the blue "ChristineinMA" and you will be taken to my profile. There you will see a green button that says "Add Friend"
  • JaneAero
    JaneAero Posts: 94 Member
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    Some weeks you'll lose 1 others maybe 2. Be patient. Your in the right company though I couldn't have lost the weight without this app/forum.

    I'm down 40 lbs in 4 months (266-226) and never thought I would be. Ask questions, learn from everyone and remember

    ' Eat less......Move more'. :)

    Ill add you.

    thanks Roy, ive added you and ive opened up my diary theres nothing in there yet !
  • JaneAero
    JaneAero Posts: 94 Member
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    Welcome to MFP! Looking at the whole amount you want to lose can be daunting! I didn't even put the whole amount at first because 73 pounds sounded so demoralizing. Once I lost 10 lbs though, I felt more hopeful and adjusted my settings.

    My very first goal was to get out of the 200's - 13 lbs lost. The next was to lose 10% of my starting weight (21.3 lbs lost) I have recently met this second goal - from there I plan to look at just 10 lbs at a time. I figure this will take me about a year, so my mantra has been "Next summer, next summer". Of course, there are a lot of NSVs (non-scale victories) along the way and the forums here can be very inspiring (take a look at Success stories).

    That said, there is a lot of misinformation from deluded (or just plain hungry frustrated folks) so take everything with a grain of salt. Find yourself some people whose posts make sense to you and ask them to be friends.

    You are welcome to friend me as well. Click on my picture above the blue "ChristineinMA" and you will be taken to my profile. There you will see a green button that says "Add Friend"

    thanks Christine, congratulations on your weight loss so far, do you know as you lose weight does MFP automatically adjust the calories im allowed a day? Ive just changed my MFP settings which told me to eat 1200 calories a day and told MFP I only want to lose a 1lb a week and its now allowing me to eat 1450 calorioes a day, this seems a bit better to me.
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
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    I'm on here every day. Feel free to add me.

    Just be patient. Make sure you do your own research and don't believe everything you read on MFP.
  • benjicloverdale
    benjicloverdale Posts: 92 Member
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    You'll do fine! Just stick with it, and be patient. Yes. Get a good heart rate monitor w/ chest strap (I use Polar). Your calories burned will be much more accurate than what a machine might tell you, or what the MFP database might list. I think the HRM comes with generic inputs for ht/wt/age/sex that you can enter...but I highly suggest finding a gym that tests for your own personal metabolic rates (where you wear a mask while doing cardio). This will be more accurate.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    Maybe you will feel less scared by setting a smaller "first goal"? That's kind of what I did.

    I was at 307 lb about 5 yrs ago and even being at 226 lb (where I am now) would have seemed impossible to me back then.

    I didn't "discover" MFP until I was down to 262, but even then my first goal was 220. Now that I'm close to 220, I adjusted it down to 200. I don't know where I'll end up but I am thinking somewhere in between 175-200. For me setting the goal of 180 would have been WAY too intimidating even when I was around 250 lb.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
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    Losing 82 pounds might seem like an overwhelming task. But when faced with the enormity of a task, my mom would always say to me "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time". That's the thing. You don't have to commit to what you'll be doing the rest of your life. Just commit to a lifestyle change for today. Then do it again tomorrow. And the day after. And suddenly you'll be like me, seven days away from one year on MFP and at goal weight (I only had 45 pounds to lose so of course it went quicker).
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    don't let fear or anything else stand in your way!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    1. Do what works for you. You will have lots of folks tell you "the one" or "the best" way but there are really several and it needs to work for you. The science of nutrition and obesity are still developing and complex.

    2. Take control of your own food and exercise choices based on recent science and good advice. Don't let the tone of voice folks use in their MFP messages to dissuade you from doing what you think is right.

    3. Realize that there are no shortcuts and NONE of the over-the-counter or mail-order products have any real science showing they work and some of them are downright dangerous. Keep your wallet in your pocket until you've seen independent research.

    My choices? TDEE-20% using the "Healthy Nutrition Plate" http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/ as my model with a bit of exercise to develop stamina and strength.

    Oh, and I'm a retired librarian. If you ever want help searching for reliable info on something give me a holler.
  • redbev306
    redbev306 Posts: 62
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    Hello everyone, Ive just joined MFP today. I got weighed at the doctors today and weigh 208lbs (14st.12lbs), I knew I was overweight but thought I was a lot less. So today I joined this forum and I bought a set of weighing scales as I didnt believe the doctors scales, lo and behold i DO weigh 208!!! I woudl like to get down to 9st. (126lbs) which is 82lbs and am terrified of that figure it seems enormous to me. Doing my maths at a 1lb a week thats 82 weeks to shift it? Just over a year and a half, a year next march. March 2015! However I know that I can do this one day at a time and more importantly I need to watch my food for life to keep it off, so I guess the time scale is unimportant, what is important is I make a start, stick to it and dont look back.

    if anybody would like to add me as a friend I sure could do with the encouragement and hopefully learn from people already losing weight

    thanks everyone :)
    You're off to a good start! You figured out a reasonable length of time to get this done. By doing that you can skip the part where some people set goals that are too aggressive and therefore discouraging when they can't be accomplished. You're on your way. Welcome.

    P.S. Tips: Take some good "before" pictures. Some of us were too vain to have pictures taken when we were heavier and when it came time to do the "Before" and "After" victory lap, we didn't have many before pictures. I have just one and it's not very good.

    Two, if I may suggest: Take measurements don't just weigh yourself. (I wasn't smart enough to do this.) You may find yourself shrinking but the scale doesn't say so. Measurements do.

    ^I agree! Best of luck, & feel free to add me! :)
  • fuzzieme
    fuzzieme Posts: 454 Member
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    View it as exciting instead of scary.It's gonna be amazing to know that by 2015, you will be the you that you want to be. How fast does a year go by? VERY. Once you get started, and stick to it, you'll become addicted, and in my opinion it becomes fun. It feels really good. There will be dark days, but just knowing that you are taking steps to be healthier and happier, you'll find your weight bothers you less, because you're doing what you can to combat this.

    If you think of it in terms of 80lbs, it's too daunting, far too daunting. Mini goals is the only way. I did it in half stones, and I got a brick and chipped away at it until it weighed exactly 7lbs, I held it every time I last a half stone. It's very, very encouraging. I also put a half pound of lard into a sandwich bag which I looked at on weeks were I was annoyed that I'd only lost a half pound. I highly recommend that too
  • sunshine421969
    sunshine421969 Posts: 273 Member
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    :smile: Welcome to MFP.. It is a great site and people are always here to help.We all have our down days..but the important thing is to get back up.I have lost 32 pounds using this site since Jan..I have about 25 more to go..I would like to reach it by Jan..but if I don't I will not stop..As others have stated..Its a life change and its for the better..I wish you the best on your joureny and I am here to help in anyway I can.. Set small goals...looking at a big number can get you discouraged.Small steps makes big progress...:smile:
  • karenmetfan
    karenmetfan Posts: 62 Member
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    Wowza! you got a lot of great advice here. Most definitely agree with setting smaller goals that seem more attainable. I have lost 91 (and a half!) lbs with my eyes set at 100. Then I'll shoot for the last 30 (don't know if I'll do the full 30, but I'll give it a go). My first goal was 40 because I knew that was attainable. It will be 2 years in mid/end October. I now enjoy working out and don't mind sweating during it. NEVER thought I'd say that. I don't deprive myself--I am a chocoholic. I factor in my daily piece of chocolate with my eating. I like to bake, so I've found some really good, lo-cal recipes. I like ice cream, so I look for lower cal options instead of getting that delicious, full fat, high calorie, haagen daaz. I don't freak out with days where I'm over--you're allowed to go over every once in a while as long as you don't make a habit of it--that's what got us all here in the first place. I just try to make sure, on days when I know I'm going to be over on a certain meal, that I eat better for the other meals and eat better the other days in that week.

    Remember, slow and steady wins the race! GOOD LUCK!!! You can do it!
  • SmallMimi
    SmallMimi Posts: 541 Member
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    It does feel overwhelming but also liberating as you lose the weight. Just know that no one here is perfect we have all had our down days and like me there are those of us who have even had set backs and gained a few pounds back before refocusing our efforts and losing again. Don't look at the end game too soon, like others have said set mini goals that you feel are attainable and shoot for those.

    ETA: corrected spelling due to my fat finger errors.
  • Yes2HealthyAriel
    Yes2HealthyAriel Posts: 453 Member
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    measuring everything by measure cups, spoons and some things by food scale has really helped me. I have just recently gotten back on track as starting 3rd shift really messed me up and was hard for me to figure out when to eat and when to workout. I was tired all the time and averaging 3 hours of sleep a day. You can do this!!! Feel free to add me.
  • stillnot2late
    stillnot2late Posts: 385 Member
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    Hello everyone, Ive just joined MFP today. I got weighed at the doctors today and weigh 208lbs (14st.12lbs), I knew I was overweight but thought I was a lot less. So today I joined this forum and I bought a set of weighing scales as I didnt believe the doctors scales, lo and behold i DO weigh 208!!! I woudl like to get down to 9st. (126lbs) which is 82lbs and am terrified of that figure it seems enormous to me. Doing my maths at a 1lb a week thats 82 weeks to shift it? Just over a year and a half, a year next march. March 2015! However I know that I can do this one day at a time and more importantly I need to watch my food for life to keep it off, so I guess the time scale is unimportant, what is important is I make a start, stick to it and dont look back.

    if anybody would like to add me as a friend I sure could do with the encouragement and hopefully learn from people already losing weight

    thanks everyone :)

    Don't look at as 82 weeks. View it as every day. I started off at 208. I played too much though, and I'm still 20 pounds away from goal. but you plan on living every day, right? So every day, just do it. You will get there!
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    You've already taken the most important, first steps. Congratulations! And you've already lost some weight. As others have said, set interim, less intimidating goals, as well as your long-term goal. It may take 82 weeks to get there, but that's better than being your current weight in 82 weeks, isn't it? And you will feel better long before you get there. (There will also be bad days. But you knew that, didn't you?)
    Best wishes!
    Here are some suggestions I've collected from the people here who have been successful over the long term. (I'm still on my way.)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/how-to-use-myfitnesspal-427993 It also links to other good posts.
    ETA (edited to add): I recommend setting your ticker to you interim goal, rather than your longer-term goal -- at least to start.
  • Donald_Dozier_50
    Donald_Dozier_50 Posts: 395 Member
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    You don't sound to be "scared stiff" to me. It sounds like you are already pretty aware of the big picture of all of this.

    I lost 67 lbs. my first three months with diet and walking alone which has slowed since I cannot do any exercise because of injury but I have lost 70 in 5 months. You can do it hopefully quicker than you think but if it takes longer, no big deal. This is not a race. I still have 34 lbs. to go. I never set small goals choosing instead to keep my one goal in mind.... MY TARGET WEIGHT.
  • N8r8r
    N8r8r Posts: 75 Member
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    A few things that I've found helpful:

    NEVER put yourself as "Sedentary". Unless you literally lay in bed all day and do absolutely nothing, you should at least be at "lightly active"

    Another thing, and others may disagree with me on this: Get a Fitbit.

    It incorperates well with MFP and will give you a much more accurate readout of what you should eat calorie wise, because it more or less uses your BMR+your daily activity to calculate a relatively accuate TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expendature). If you'd like a better explaination, send me a PM on here and I'd be glad to elaborate.

    N8r8r
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
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    thanks Christine, congratulations on your weight loss so far, do you know as you lose weight does MFP automatically adjust the calories im allowed a day? Ive just changed my MFP settings which told me to eat 1200 calories a day and told MFP I only want to lose a 1lb a week and its now allowing me to eat 1450 calorioes a day, this seems a bit better to me.

    After I lost the first ten pounds, I did get a message from the system that it might be good to adjust my calories for my new weight (I think it was about 50 cals less per day). I have not seen an adjustment since.

    I also have mine set for Lose 1 lb/wk with working out 6x/wk (30 min). I had already been doing a 30 min walk most days so this was do-able for me.

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