Never dieted before

lindakeigher
lindakeigher Posts: 8
in Introduce Yourself
Hi! My name is Linda and I have never really had to diet like I do now. I have dealt with a disorder that made me lose weight, but seeing how I am in remission I have put on weight and need to lose it. I don't want to lose to quickly as from what I have read if I do then it just might decide to find space come back again. So I am hoping that I manage to lose all of what I want to lose before then end of next summer. :)

Replies

  • sarverga
    sarverga Posts: 6 Member
    Using this app is a great tool to help toward your goals. it helps you manage and keep track of what you consume as well as provide you with a community of other people for support. partner this with some exercise and it should help you feel great! if you have a smart phone there is also and app so you can track on the go. :)
    Good luck in your journey!
    Friend Request if you like!
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Welcome Linda. You've certainly come to the right place. And you've certainly got such a reasonable and attainable goal -- 20 kg (44 pounds) by the end of next summer. To do that, you basically need to be at about a 500 calorie a day deficit (eat 500 fewer calories than you take in). I know for me I hate the word diet. For a lot of us, it isn't a diet. It's a change in lifestyle, a change in our relationship with food. How we eat, why we eat, learning to pay attention to the what we eat.

    But use MFP to track all your food intake and the process is so much easier. Knowing what you eat is 90% of the battle. And use the smartphone app if you can. Being mobile helps too.

    This is a great community of people with a lot of great advice (and the occasional *****iness, but it is what it is). Any questions or need for help or advice, ask away. Someone here will be sure to be able to help. And I would be very surprised if there weren't quite a few people here with Chron's who could chat with you about any issues you face with that.

    Good luck on your journey. You are well on your way.
  • LadyMustard
    LadyMustard Posts: 104 Member
    If you're planning on starting calorie counting, it helps to remember that its not a diet: its a lifestyle change... and one for the better!

    Start off with little steps, "healthy substitutions" as my husband likes to call them.
    ~Water instead of pop/sugary juices
    ~Just drinking water in general. BEST SUBSTITUTION YOU COULD EVER MAKE!!!!!
    ~Skip second helpings
    ~Eating fruit instead of drinking juice (loads of sugar and extra calories in most juice now)
    ~Lean beef over fatty beef
    ~Cut carb servings (rice/pasta) in half of what you usually eat (Rice has a LOT of calories in it)
    ~Find ways to add a couple extra minutes of exercise in every day
    ~Chicken Breast instead of Beef
    ~Turkey/Chicken sausage instead of pork sausage
    ~side of green vegetables instead of a side of carbs/starchy veggies when you can
    ~quick protein shake in the morning if you normally skip breakfast

    Try and switch one thing a week, JUST ONE A WEEK. That's what I did before I started MyFitnessPal, did it for nearly a month before I started counting my calories. And don't let ANYONE tell you that switching "one little thing" won't do anything. They tried telling me that, and that was 40lbs ago. It is better to start slow and be able to maintain it over a long period of time than to try and change everything at once. Just don't use "little steps" as an excuse, once you make a change, stick to it.

    If you need anything, feel free to add me. Sorry for the book post, but ^^^ this ^^^^ is what really helped me not only lose weight but change the way that I eat.
  • kglacz
    kglacz Posts: 1
    I'm in the same boat you are, I've never really dieted. I have lupus. My weight has never really been a problem between my extremely physical activity level and my crazy health. But now it's a different story, My lupus is actually causing me to gain weight. My pain and energy level has cut my activity down to nothing. I'm 20lbs overweight and my Doctors are not happy. I know I need to diet but I can't seem to do it on my own.
  • lindakeigher
    lindakeigher Posts: 8
    I have already found that maybe I have been in taking to many sugar calories in a day. So I think this site ad app will be excellent for me. Thanks.
  • lindakeigher
    lindakeigher Posts: 8
    I totally understand Lupus seeing how it is an immuno disorder and totally get that never having to diet! I wish you the very best.

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