Just starting on my weight loss quest

fat2skinny50
fat2skinny50 Posts: 104 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all, I just started on Thursday, 2 January 2014, on my quest to seriously lose 30 pounds. Kinda a New Years promise to myself. I am also getting ready to turn 50 years old, which is extremly difficult for me to admit. I am now keeping a food log and am trying my best to stick to a 1200 calorie diet, but I must admit, on the weekends I cheat and I don’t keep the food log, as it is on my work computer. For about 3 months, along with two of my co-workers we do a stair routine 5 days a week, were we walk up 51 flights of stairs, it takes up approximately 20 minutes. We do change things up by sometimes skipping a step, we call doubles, or jogging up a few flights. And let me tell you it hurts badly, but we do it anyway. Before the weather turned cold we were also walking 30 minutes on our lunch break. I was hoping that you can give me some advice on how to reach my 30 pound weight loss goal.

Replies

  • bexlx
    bexlx Posts: 1
    For me, I didn't have the willpower to eat well and log on week days only. I had to be strict every day and not cheat. If your food log is on your work computer, just write down at home what you eat and your activity performed on weekends. It's not worth it for you to work so hard doing your stair routine with friends during the week to blow it all on a cheating weekend. For me, the first 30 pounds I lost came from consistent workouts. I moved in some way (treadmill usually) for 30 minutes each day. Good Luck and be creative with your recipes. I really like the cookbook "Eat more of what you love."
  • fat2skinny50
    fat2skinny50 Posts: 104 Member
    Thank you - i will start keeping track on the weekends as well. I have a treadmil and use it during the week, as you see the weekends are my downfal. I will have to push myself to get on it this weekend if only for 30 minutes a day like you stated. Thanks again and congratulations on your 43 pound loss (that is if i am reading it correctly)
  • gonna_do_it_56
    gonna_do_it_56 Posts: 206 Member
    Weekends are not good for me but I still log. I found it really helps and being honest about what you eat is a good first step. Some days I really do not want to log especially chocolate lol! But seeing it there and then amount of calories used does give you pause for thought. Stick at it.I wish I had found mfp when I was approaching 50! Never mind that I wish I was approaching 50 again lol!
    And losing weight will give you more energy and make you feel healthier and younger!
  • fat2skinny50
    fat2skinny50 Posts: 104 Member
    I feel your pain with chocolate; however sugar is the one thing that I seem to crave more than anything. I do need more energy, I find that I am tired 90% of the day, I was contributing it to getting old, but the more I read it is because of my weight gain. This is the heavest I've ever been. I did put a note book in my bag and I am ready to keep the food log over the weekend. Funny becasue i have no problem remembering what i eat when i get home from work and log it in when i get to work the next morning.
  • rondaj05
    rondaj05 Posts: 497 Member
    If you have a smart phone there's an app, I have MFP on my work computer and my home computer but I also LOVE the app bc it has a scanner. You can scan the bar codes on things you eat or drink to enter them into your diary.
  • gonna_do_it_56
    gonna_do_it_56 Posts: 206 Member
    It's not your age. There are many people on here who have made me realise that I was using my age as an excuse.When you see what they do in fitness and healthy eating you realise that it's not the years you have but what you have done in those years and it helps me to keep going.Look through the posts and see just what you will be capable of. ...and aim high...you are worth it!
  • aliceconnors
    aliceconnors Posts: 12 Member
    hi all i just started this and think i may be doing my calorie in take wrong do u mesure food in grams when cooked or raw confused
  • gonna_do_it_56
    gonna_do_it_56 Posts: 206 Member
    hi all i just started this and think i may be doing my calorie in take wrong do u mesure food in grams when cooked or raw confused

    It does n't matter as long as you put it into mfp correctly. So if you have 250 gm of uncooked rice make sure that is what you put into your diary.Don't weigh 250 gm uncooked and then add 250 gm of cooked.
  • fat2skinny50
    fat2skinny50 Posts: 104 Member
    I have another question. How often do you weigh yourself? I was every other day, is that wrong
  • janetdavis927
    janetdavis927 Posts: 7 Member
    I think it's best to weigh yourself once a week at approximately the same time. I weigh after I get up in the morning and go to the bathroom. Weight flucuates through the day, so it''s important to weigh at the same time.
  • gonna_do_it_56
    gonna_do_it_56 Posts: 206 Member
    I have another question. How often do you weigh yourself? I was every other day, is that wrong

    There's lots of posts about this in the forums.I used to be a jump on the scales every 5 minutes person.But most people here say it's not good to do this as water retention and other factors can cause weight to increase temporarily which is depressing. So I only record a weekly weight( I am in a group called a goal amonth you can find it under groups). There is a SPREADSHEET to enter your weekly weight. That's not to say I don't creep onto the scales in between times but I only log the weekly one....still trying to kick the habit!
  • fat2skinny50
    fat2skinny50 Posts: 104 Member
    Sorry i am asking repeat questions, i am still learning this web-site. Where can i find the spreadsheet to enter my weight? Thanks for putting up with my questions.
  • gonna_do_it_56
    gonna_do_it_56 Posts: 206 Member
    Sorry i am asking repeat questions, i am still learning this web-site. Where can i find the spreadsheet to enter my weight? Thanks for putting up with my questions.

    I hope this works it's the link to the group
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/5406-a-goal-a-month

    The SPREADSHEET ( sorry for some reason my kindle capitalises the word) is a Googl doc which you will find in the posts

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