It's not supposed to be this way...

Welcome (again!) You sound just like me. Well, except younger.

You have made the first step!

Just don't give up WHEN you slip up, because we all do. The important thing is that you keep going. Make small changes so you're not overwhelmed and quit. And also, try to focus on how you are feeling...not just what the scale reads. Good luck!:happy:

Hey there! Welcome aboard (again)!
I'm glad you decided to go for the lifestyle change.
I was the same as you - had an account here, but was never fully commited. Now I'm back and I'm back for good!
if you like, you can gladly befriend me (:

Just don't give up WHEN you slip up, because we all do. The important thing is that you keep going. Make small changes so you're not overwhelmed and quit. And also, try to focus on how you are feeling...not just what the scale reads. Good luck!:happy:

^^^^^ This!
Its a lifestyle change, on the weeks or months that you don't see progress on the scale, or on the measuring tape, look for other reasons to stay positive, like exercising/eating healthier is making your heart healthier, and becoming a habit for life!

I signed up earlier this year and went on a couple times . I came back Monday and have logged every day. We know what we have to do and we can do it !!!

Good lass! You go for it.

here's the things I've learned (quite recently):

Metabolic rate is the mathematically calculable amount of energy it takes to move blood around your body, etc. It can't be increased or reduced. For as long as you're stuck doing things like breathing, your body is stuck doing things like using calories to do it. So don't get worried about 'lowering your metabolism.' Yes you will. as you get smaller you'll become cheaper to run, but that's ALL that's happening.

The first law of thermodynamics demands that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one state to another. Eg potential energy stored in a calorie converted to heat energy and kinetic energy as you go for a run. that's it.

so these people that bang on about strange alterations to make you lose weight and say silly things like 'you're not losing because you're not eating enough' need a bang on the head and told to go visit Africa.

To me this is just so liberating. All the mumbo jumbo just confused and worried me because I half believed it - so it made dieting too hard. it took a bbc documentary about fat that I watched 2 weeks ago to make me suddenly realise.

good luck.

Welcome back..

Here ya go.

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. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
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.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.

Well, welcome back!!! We're all in the same boat - let's stick together!!!

Welcome back..

Here ya go.

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. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
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.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.

This !!

You've received some great advice here. I just would like to welcome you back and wish you well!!

Hi everyone! I'm new-ish here. I joined over a year ago with a different profile but never fully committed myself. Well now I'm back, and I have the new mindset that community is key. This post may sound whiney or pathetic, but my goal is to be able to look back on this in a year and see how far I've come. So here it goes:

I'm 27, a new mother, work full-time, and go to school part time. I'm currently 224 pounds and wear a size 20/22 pants. Every time I look in the mirror I can't find one thing to like. I have gotten to the point where I get extremely uncomfortable with my husband seeing or touching certain parts of my body. I'm convinced that when someone compliments me that they are just being nice to the fat girl. Actually receiving a compliment makes me highly uncomfortable because I always get that paranoid inkling that they are making fun of me. I hate pictures. I hate shopping. I silently cry in dressing rooms because I just wish I could wear the "pretty girl clothes".

It's not supposed to be this way.

I've done it to myself, now I'm going to fix it.

My goals are:
1) To loose weight and become healthier
2) Gain self confidence
3) Create healthy eating habits
4) Get into an exercise routine that consists of 4-5 workouts per week
5) Log ALL foods...even when I slip up.

I'm going to make my best effort to participate heavily in the forums because I know it will help drive me. Thanks everyone for listening to my spill!

This is exactly how I feel, minus the new mother part. I have no children. You can add me if you want to. We can cheer each other on!