not sure how to get started...

Hi Loosint!
Don't worry too much - baby steps. I was a real carb addict for years - pasta, bread, potatoes etc. I did a low carb diet for a few months (not carb free, just low carb) and I now hardly miss it at all. I never ever thought that would happen. Now when I eat it, I feel bloated. However, if you don't feel you can go the whole hog, try substituting white pasta for brown pasta and reduce the amount - have it as a side rather than the main part of your meal - same for rice. I also use grated cauli for rice sometimes - that is good.

I would suggest you firstly find out how many calories you need to eat to lose the weight you want to lose on a daily basis. Then track daily - that's why Im on here now, I track at work, at home, even in bed!!

If you eat more calories than your body needs then you will not lose weight. I weigh portions, although I do approximate vegetables as they are what fills me up. If you cannot be bothered to weigh foods then go for ready portions - such as fish portions, chicken breast etc

You have to become a little obsessive for a while until you feel comfortable although I have found that once I stop weighing or portioning foods I gain or stay the same so have to go back to weighing again.

As for exercise, do something you enjoy, then log it (and be honest) . I use 50% of the calories for food (extra) and keep the rest as a bonus. 5 weeks ago I started swimming again. I managed 10 lengths of a 25m pool in an hour. I am now doing 32 lengths (half a mile) and it takes me 40-45 minutes. RESULT!

Just keep going - your picture shows a very pretty girl so you have a lot going for you already. Mail me if you want to chat but I am sure lots of people will give you lots of good advice!!

Go girl!

You don't need to give up carbs to lose weight. All you need to do is control your portions and stick within your daily calorie goals. Eat your bread and pasta if that's what you like, but make sure you also have plenty of fresh fruit and veg. Also don't forget your protein. Denying yourself usually ends in failure.

I think a low carb diet is a bad idea if you know it's not going to be something you can do long term. Keep up with the portion control and if you haven't already, try switching to healthier carb sources like whole grain or brown rice pasta, quinoa, brown rice instead of white, etc and bulk up your recipes with lots of yummy veggies instead of pasta or rice.

Going back to portion control - are you weighing and measuring everything or just guesstimating? If it's the latter, that may be your problem. It's really easy to underestimate a portion if you're not really sure what 2oz of pasta looks like, especially since every pasta is shaped and made differently. Also make sure you're being consistent with your logging and not leaving anything out, whether you think it should count or not.

Also, losing inches is just as good as losing pounds!! Give yourself a pat on the back for that success! Best of luck!

P.S. I just looked back a few days on your diary and noticed that at least recently you've been eating a lot of high sodium foods and not drinking much water so it could be water retention that's messing up your scale weight. Up that water intake and watch those salty foods and I'm sure you'll drop a pound or two in no time.

I think a low carb diet is a bad idea if you know it's not going to be something you can do long term. Keep up with the portion control and if you haven't already, try switching to healthier carb sources like whole grain or brown rice pasta, quinoa, brown rice instead of white, etc and bulk up your recipes with lots of yummy veggies instead of pasta or rice.

^^^^this. I've lost over 60 pounds in 5 months keeping carbs lower but not Atkins low, to 100 grams or less per day. Most important thing is not to starve yourself otherwise you'll binge and cave. Keep it realistic, look at the big picture and know that little changes over time add up to big loss. You have to remind yourself that this is a lifetime (yes, a LIFETIME) dedication and you need to be able to be on a plan that you can keep doing, no fad diets or crazy eliminations.

Do some calculations online about what calorie goal you should be in for your age, height and weight and go from there, and just start small with exercise. You'll find it addictive and just want to keep going after a bit. It gets to be a healthy obsession, seeing the numbers on the scale lower and your body get smaller, and you feeling healthier. I'll take that obsession any day over where I came from. I wish you all the luck and add me as a friend if you want someone that will ride you.. I'm on every day without fail.

I have to watch the amount of carbs I eat not because of the calories but if I eat much of them I get on a hunger cycle, found this by trial and error. When I started making the change I switched to whole wheat which was a big help because it filled me up and held me better. I do eat some bread and pasta but I make sure that I really want it, am very careful about portion size, eat it slowly, and make sure that I enjoy it.

The main thing I have found that serves me the best is not to eat any carbs at breakfast, I eat a small breakfast. By doing this I find I am not as hungry during the day.

I am not so much on a diet to lose weight, while losing weight is good, I am making changes that I can live the rest of my life with. For me this means no forbidden foods and no starvation but instead following careful portion control, moderation, a variety of foods, and making sure it is a balanced diet.

Try to add more veggies to your meals! Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, greens, salads with light dressing...these fill you up longer.

Thank you!!!!
I have never been the "fad diet Girl" I just feel like im not getting anywhere! but i also know i need this to be a life style change not a few months of eating well and then back to my old habits, i eat alot of veggies and fruit, my dinners usually are my high calorie meal of the day!

I was having issues losing weight at first. Like half a pound to a pound a week. Then someone told me this "Eat breakfast like a king, Lunch like Prince and dinner like a pauper" I thought about it and it made since. So I switched everything up. I still eat a small breakfast just because I just cant eat that much first thing in the morning. I have made my lunch my high calorie meal of the day and for dinner I usually just have a meal replacement shake. It paid off the first week with a 3 lb loss. For me, this way is better. It fits my life better also. With 4 boys in sports 4 outta 7 nights a week we don't get home til 8pm. Now I just make my shake on our way out the door and I don't have to worry about eating so late.

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here are a few ideas for you...
1. how accurate are your entries? Are you measuring things out? Was that really 1 cup of pasta or was it 2? Making sure you are accurate in your entries will help give you a better idea of what you are actually intaking on a given day. If you are truly just starting out, why not track all the food you eat for a week (without modifying your diet from what is normal for you) and see where you end up each day. Then the next week, try to reduce your daily intake by a small amount...this brings me to the next point...

2. How realistic are your goals and what is your timeline? Losing 50lbs in a month isn't going to happen, so set yourself some short-term and longterm goals to keep yourself motivated. Setting unrealistic goals will just set you up for failure and disappointment, so maybe if you are currently eating 2000 calories a day, cut it down to 1750/day for a week, see how you do, then move on from there. Set up rewards for yourself when you achieve goals (a massage, new boots, etc), gives you a little extra to work for.

3. What is your activity level like? Where can you fit in a little more movement? If you don't currently workout, can you? Add a 20 minute walk each day or get a gym membership, find a friend to workout with, whatever it is, make sure it is something you enjoy, and fits into your life right, otherwise, many people make up excuses to cut it out.

4. Last, be nice to yourself. You didn't workout today and went over your calories, its ok, start fresh tomorrow. You ate something unhealthy at lunch, make sure that dinner is a better choice. It takes time to break bad habits and create new healthy ones so make sure you don't get down on yourself.

Stay positive and good luck!

I am a huge pasta and chocolate fan. When I started losing weight, I thought I was stuck with veggies, salad, and fruit. I hate salad and forced myself to eat it, but I couldn't do it anymore. Diving into a completely different diet is not going to work, at least it didn't for me.

Instead, you can still eat the food you love. The only thing you have to do differently is eat LESS. So instead of taking 2 servings+ of spaghetti, get 1 serving. Eat the right portions and get the right amount of calories.

After you feel comfortable with this, you can get it healthier. Start substituting, such as a healthier version of the pasta sauce or maybe switch to whole wheat pasta. Maybe add in some spinach or veggies into the sauce.

From there, branch out from pasta and try this concept on other foods you love. Also start trying foods you haven't had before that are healthy or even trying healthy foods that you didn't like before. Maybe you will like some of the things as you become healthier. I started obsessing over spinach after it was in so many pasta dishes. I just love it now!

Thank you for all the great posts. i have tried fitness pal before but did not stick with it, I am trying again and looking for groups to help with motivation??

You really do need to weigh and measure all your food, preferably with a digital food scale rather than relying on cup or spoon measurements which can be inaccurate, or just guessing. You might be surprised how inaccurate that guesswork can be.

You really do need to weigh and measure all your food, preferably with a digital food scale rather than relying on cup or spoon measurements which can be inaccurate, or just guessing. You might be surprised how inaccurate that guesswork can be.

^^very much so.

loosinit42806, I absolutely LOVE pasta, potatoes and all the CARBS that everyone says are bad for you. There is no reason to give up the things you love. The way to lose the weight is to start with a plan. No matter the day or the meal you'll want to know what you are eating so you don't get distracted with temptations and a bucket of mashed potatoes.

Use the calorie counter as it gives you the perfect combination of calories, fats, protein, carbs, sodium and sugars. As long as you stay within those you can eat those carbs. Try some whole wheat pasta.
If you really want to make a change try some quinoa or some couscous. Still get that full feeling and satisfied tummy without over abundance of carbs.

Once you scale back on the carbs and balance your meals you'll find the weigh melting off. Believe in yourself above all and when you feel like eating some white bread, pasta premavera or potatoes do so, without guilt, b/c you are working toward the goal of fitness and health.

Just be sure to do some kind of physical activity every day. Good luck!