Does anyone actually want help?

In order to lose the weight you have to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. This means having thick skin. If you run screaming from the room the first time some is brutally honest chances are you will fail.

I think there's a ton of people here that aren't mentally ready to lose weight. This spawns the never ending "people are mean" threads.

Yeah, well. The My Fitness Pal site is build around the IIFYM premise. That's why it attracts a lot of people that this works for (and that's a lot of people). Different sports have different requirements - I'm a runner, so I love my carbs.

Great question. If your referring to my mentioning of "macros" in my first post I don't want to mislead. I follow a certain split for my sport. I do not agree with or follow the "iifym" theory that everyone believes is the new hotness.
My quick response to those looking to lose body fat is keeping stable blood sugar while eating frequent small meals is a great place to start. Avoiding even fruit sugars will help decrease random insulin spikes throughout the day.
You would be surprised to know how much you can eat calorically when you are eating the right things

Well here's a question that plagues me. I hear about macros and I am curious what is most important; trying to reach goal weight; keeping calories under or reaching your maximum macros? I did just start lifting weights again and I am trying to eat as much protein as possible. I also try to keep my carbs lower than what I am allowed. I have been losing steadily but want to make sure this trend continues. Am I worrying too much about keeping calories low? I'll open my diary of you want to look at my last few days. Thanks

I started using MFP in December but only really started using recently. I do see where all of the veterans of MFP get aggravated because there are a lot of people looking for sympathy. I have been sincerely asking questions that may seem stupid but I'm so new so I'm sorry but I really do take the responses and put them to use. It's only been maybe a week but I already feel better with the way I've changed my eating habits and working out every day. A lot of people on here have been motivating and supportive and have really helped me feel better about starting my new lifestyle. Just as well as there are new people on here fishing for sympathy and not really looking for advice, there are also veterans to the site who are snarky not even regarding the "truth of the matter" but simply being rude. You will find all of that everywhere but Im personally grateful for the site because it's helping me a lot.

Thanks!

Great reply

We want OUR LEVEL of truth meaning if a beginner like me is reading the boards we are discerning whether or not the advice is practical for us. I know my strengths and weaknesses and if I see advice that fits me then yeah I will adhere. But if I see someone saying lift weights 3 days a week ... P90X 2 days...log calories and weigh your food!!!....Then of course you just lost me. Now everything they said is TRUTH and will work but hey that plan personally does not work for me. Just me 2 cents.

I hear what you are saying. However, if you want this to work, you need to be able to take the nuggets of what they are saying and MAKE it work for you.

-You've got to get active - 30 minutes a day 5X a week, and some of that should be resistance exercises (body weight or weight lifting) to protect your muscle mass while losing fat.
- You've got to log all your calories.
- You've got to figure out some way of portion control. I never had to weigh my food, but I knew that if I wasn't able to lose weight, that was the first place I'd need to make a change.
- You've got to get the nutrition (including calories) to support yourself physically. Small changes trump big losses.

If you're not meeting these minimum requirements, nobody's advice is going to do anything for you.

I started using MFP in December but only really started using recently. I do see where all of the veterans of MFP get aggravated because there are a lot of people looking for sympathy. I have been sincerely asking questions that may seem stupid but I'm so new so I'm sorry but I really do take the responses and put them to use. It's only been maybe a week but I already feel better with the way I've changed my eating habits and working out every day. A lot of people on here have been motivating and supportive and have really helped me feel better about starting my new lifestyle. Just as well as there are new people on here fishing for sympathy and not really looking for advice, there are also veterans to the site who are snarky not even regarding the "truth of the matter" but simply being rude. You will find all of that everywhere but Im personally grateful for the site because it's helping me a lot.

This is a really good attitude. Send a friend request to the people who are helpful and stay off the main forums, unless you really want diverse opinions on a topic. This site can be gold.

In order to lose the weight you have to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. This means having thick skin. If you run screaming from the room the first time some is brutally honest chances are you will fail.

I think there's a ton of people here that aren't mentally ready to lose weight. This spawns the never ending "people are mean" threads.

^This

Cutting weight is tough because you've got to apply yourself consistently over an extended period of time if you want to succeed. This takes sand, grit, determination, chutzpah, moxie, etc.

If the first piece of correct advice that doesn't chime with your incorrect preconceptions breaks you mentally, you're going to struggle staying the distance.

lol I knew there would be at least one of you. No i don't need to vent. My goal is to attract others who feel the same and decide if the few moments of spare time I have are worth trying to help. It's what I love to do: figured this would be a cool place to do it. But with this account and my former one, it never seemed anyone wanted "help". And of course I "want" to know. Why else would I post?

It's a learning curve. People have preconceived ideas about health, fitness and diet. I did too when I started. Sometimes we all just think we know better. Eventually people give up or realize that some of the things they probably did not want to hear were and are the things that will work

^^^^ This. ^^^

So, this is going to be really ugly, but OP, what are YOU hoping will happen with this post?

Do you actually WANT to know why we come here?

Are you just venting?

Do you think that somehow complaining about newbies is going to change these forums?

Everyone starts somewhere. Either choose to be patient or don't visit the forums. You're not going to change them.

"At least one of you"?

I ask you a question and you're assuming things about me? That's not exactly helpful, is it?

Actually, I have read many conflicting opinions in these forums about what works and what doesn't and I've gleaned what has worked for me.
I've learned to consider the source (poster) and how their goals are similar or dissimilar to mine. Also, I consider their lifestyle to determine whether or not their advice applies to me.

I have faith that many people who are sincere about their goals will eventually do as I have done.

I hope you took time to read my answer.

Was exercising like a maniac, got injured, then depressed. Need help developing fitness regime incorporating strength. F, 54 yrs. I jog, and swim but really know nothing about strengthening exercises. Have access to multiple types of fitness equipment.