Starting Again - TODAY

I start new each day. My motto for my lifestyle change is: "One day, one step, one meal, one pound at a time. That's how I have to do it!!" WE ALL CAN DO THIS!!!!! Anyone can add me if they would like. I'm here for inspiration and motivation.

Never a better time than today!

Hello all - I'm "re-starting" today too! Yesterday was my 39th birthday, and my new mantra is "FIT BY 40"!! I want to lose 40 lbs by my 40th birthday. Trying to look at the bright side by thinking...hey, that's less than a pound a week. That is if I don't slack. Good luck to all of you out there - we can do this! Have a great day!

I'm also restarting after 3 weeks away on a cruise for my 25th anniversary. But I'm restarting excitedly because the things I learned before cruise let me still lose weight while I was off MFP and on a ship full of fantastic food.

I started this haphazardly in 2012 and got some ok results that were better than I had before. But three months ago the doctor told me that I had to get my cholesterol under control or start meds (which I didn't want). So I found a couple of medical diet and exercise programs and tweaked my personal MFP goals to track those and it worked. I've lost 20 pounds in 3 months and my test results just came back amazingly good.

My point is that we can use the flexibility of this program to tweak it to our individual needs. We all have different demands and styles of losing so we don't have to follow one particular set. I kept looking till I found a couple of plans I thought were logical. The Mayo Clinic Diet is really strict and I use it for a couple of weeks when I start craving unhealthy food. It just works for me to get stricter when I crave because that style makes my cravings go away. I use the Dean Ornish Spectrum Diet the rest of the time. I try not to listen to cravings but I do listen to honest hunger and fill up on veggies and whole grains when that happens. I might blow one day's plan but if it's honest hunger and not craving I always find that the week's average always comes back into line.

So I struggled to lose 35 pounds over 5 years before my doctor told me about MFP. I've lost 35 pounds in 13 months of MFP, with 20 of those in three months of using MFP daily. I know the easiest and most rewarding of those 70 pounds lost were where I really used MFP religiously to track my personal goals . I have real hope now that this year using MFP will help me lose another 35 to finally get rid of the weight I gained after having my son - he's 24!

It is very hard in the early days when you are focusing on everything you eat so closely, but I promise it's worth riding it out and before long it'll be second nature.

My tips would be:

Don't immediately drastically cut your calories if it will make you feel deprived. Ease down to maintenance first, then increase your deficit each week until you get to the rate you want to be losing at, giving your appetite time to shrink a bit.

Don't aim too far below your goal, there's no points for giving yourself malnutrition and you're more likely to binge after time.

Learn what foods you can have enough of to fill you sufficiently. Bulky low calorie veggies for instance will keep you fuller than the equivalent calories worth of cookies.

Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day or bad meal, most of us do, draw the line and start again straight away - not tomorrow and definitely not next week!

Use exercise calories - but be sure you're not overestimating. MFP can be overgenerous for some activities. Corroborate your burn rates with other sites like FitBit.

And lastly, good luck. YOU CAN DO THIS!

I started back on here yesterday so I understand. Good luck!

Welcome back to MFP! I'm Lew... Married, dad of two soon to be three... At this for 15 months now and down 187.6 pounds and plan to log for 50 more years. My diary is open to friends and I comment all the time. Welcome everyone!

It's been 3 hours since I started my new eating plan, and I already have a hunger headache and feeling the carb withdrawal kicking in. I know it won't be "easy" but hopefully it will become a routine that I can stick with. Just trying to make it through today...

I started in November 2011 (when it says you've joined) and I've lost 65 lbs so far! My advice is don't make it harder than it needs to be. Start with just focusing on calories. Pick an easier goal, not 1200, and ease your way into it. There's no reason to cut carbs immediately and you shouldn't have a headache after 3 hours of your new plan!

I have not given up anything that I like, not even fast food. I eat less of it, and I'm more aware of how many calories are in what I'm eating, but overall I've made changes that I'm okay with sticking to for a really long time. I think that's the key to not wanting to quit, and not wanting to quit is the key to success!

Good luck, you can do it!

Agreed - slow and steady wins here

Hello all, I have used MFP off and on. I like using it to manage my diet but have a big problem with consistency. So I am hoping to get it going again as well as hitting the gym up. Hope to make myself accountable for what I am doing a little better. So hello everyone and good luck in reaching your goals.

Hey guys!
I'm 17 and need support and help loosing 50 pounds.
Anyone think it would be possible before February 2014!? I'm going to Mexico with my family and would like to wear
A bikini for the first time.
I'm done with feeling like **** about myself!
My new life And new me starts today!

I am starting again as well. Been through alot over the past year and the biggest stressor of all is going through a divorce. So my eating and sleep patterns are totally off and packing on these additional pounds has lead me to a low point. I need encouragement and supporting friends to help me get through all of this..

Hi don't be too hard on yourself! You can eat carbs as long as it is within your allowance, and only try and lose 1 pound a week not too much, you shouldn't be hungry!! When you are hungry, you can over eat, so drink some water, have a piece of fruit, or some nuts and eat every 2-3 hours...don't deprive yourself!! Good luck!
I am back after gaining weight due to on going earthquakes and stress with kids, but now no excuses, as things have settled down here!!

I've been off MFP for a couple of months and here I am starting again! Welcome Back!

I've been in your shoes so have faith, you can do this! You can do whatever you SET your mind to do! Feel free to add me and we can support each other!