Just Starting Out - Overwhelmed

I felt the same but even the first pound or two is enough to get you motivated. I've set myself mini goals and put them in my diary so it's something to aim towards and this helps me to visualise my end goal as a series of steps rather than one big leap :-)

Something that really helped me was focusing on my nutrition first. Getting into the habit of using MFP and eating better was a really big hurdle. For the first few weeks, that was all I did, and the weight began to come off. Once I saw that the scale was moving it was a big motivation, and then I joined my local Jazzercise center, morning classes work great for me being at home all day with a toddler. But most centers offer night classes too. They also have DVDs available! They can be expensive to buy, but I had checked before and came to find that my local library had quite a selection available to rent!

Good Luck!

I watched the weight, but made my immediate goal the daily deficit.

If your goal is "eat 250/500/750/1000 calories less than I burn today," every day, the weight will take care of itself.

RE: the workout part - there are some great and FREE fitness classes online (Fitnessblender.com is one) and some great free apps as well (I like Hot5). That way you can work out when you have a few minutes. Sometimes I can only squeeze in 5 mins here and 10 mins there, but at the end of the day, I feel good, because I tried to move as much as I could all day long. I agree with Mary - start with nutrition; get a good feel for what you eat, keep track of everything, try to eat as clean and whole as possible and over time, you won't want the bad foods and you'll be more motivated to exercise too. Good luck! You can do it!

here:

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. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. 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/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

this could help.

I flip my goals to keep myself interested e.g. my first goal was to get my BMI under 30, then it was to lose half a stone (7lbs) then it was to get my weight under 80kg etc etc.

By constantly changing the goal from BMI, body fat, stones, lbs, kgs there is always a goal just within reach and I remain motivated.

Other things I keep track of are inches lost (essential for when the scale doesn't seem to change), clothing size (nothing like dropping a dress size to make you feel good) and how far can I run at the gym.

You've already done the hardest part in deciding to start, the rest will work itself out. Good luck

I am feeling overwhelmed with the 50-70lbs I would like to lose. What are some reasonable goals to help me stay on track/stay motivated?

Ex: Lose 10lbs per month as a goal instead of my generic "I have 50lbs to lose"

Thoughts? Tips? Encouragement!

(I have two kiddos under 5 and work full time - could really use some handy tips on squeezing in workouts at home. Any DVD's you would recommend?)

Also have a family member's wedding coming up at end of April - would it be reasonable to set a goal to be down 20lbs by then, even 20 seems overwhelming.

20 lbs in 2 months is quite aggressive. Many people are motivated by setting weight loss goals, but I think that some people get discouraged ( and often quit ) when they don't reach them. I believe it's equally important to keep your focus on the task, and the goal will come soon enough.

The best place to start, is here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=sexypants

You could also check the adopt-a-noob thread for a mentor.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161976-adopt-a-noob-official-mfp-thread?hl=adopt

Please follow the instructions in the first post. Don't create your own post, looking for a mentor, that's not how it works.
There are quite a few experienced MFP's who have offered their services later on in the thread. Starting from the last page or so, might speed up your search.

don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck

And everything trogalicious says / said.....

here:

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. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. 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/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

this could help.

This is about the best advice I've seen yet!

TBPH, when I started, my goal wasn't about weight, it was about trying to track my intake and exercise to see if I could control my T2 diabetes without medication. While the scale helped keep me honest about how much I ate, I was more invested in tracking my blood glucose, and that quarterly A1C test. Then once there, proving to the doc that I could maintain it The weight just sloughed off as a side benefit. Then the goal was to increase my exercise, slowly.
My total journey so far (since diagnosis) has been 3 1/2 years. Weight loss, probably about 80-90 lbs (including the 25 or so that I lost as a symptom of the undiagnosed diabetes).

I still don't think much about the weight I've lost. I think more about the choices I make for my long term health. I've embraced kale. I do planking. And I still get kind of flustered and embarrassed when someone mentions my weight loss.

I am much more proud of my changes in attitude. That I like having my feet, eyes and kidneys. And that I have chucked about half the scripts I was taking (and one more will probably be discontinued next time!)

This is the first time I've maintained a significant loss for this length of time. It's also the first time that my goal wasn't how much I had to lose. It was about how much I had to gain.
Wishing you the same kind of discovery!

I weigh myself everyday, because 1. I'm impatient and I want to see results NOW! and 2. quick results keep me motivated.

HOWEVER, if you do decide to weigh yourself everyday, be aware that some days, the scale might show that you've gained a couple of pounds. This could be due to a multitude of reasons: you've gained muscle, you're bloated because you're on your period, or you're bloated because you ate too much sodium and didn't drink enough water, etc. Unless you ate 7,000 calories in one day, there's no way you could have gained 2 lbs of fat overnight.

I stay aware of this, which is why I'm comfortable weighing myself everyday. Currently I'm 2 lbs heavier than I was a few days ago, due to water weight from eating too much sodium over the weekend. But I don't let this bother me.

If you think that weighing yourself everyday isn't going to bother you or drive you crazy for any reason, I would do it. It helps me see those results every day. Losing even half a pound is enough motivation to keep me going.

Also, look in the mirror and see if your stomach is getting flatter, etc. See how your jeans fit. Meet up with some people you haven't seen in a while, and perhaps they'll comment on your appearance. Those NSV's are also enough motivation to keep me going.

Good luck in your endeavors, I know you can do it!

Don't try to add an exercise routine and fix your diet at the same time. Focus on one at first, and when you get comfortable with that, add the other. It is really easy to get frustrated and burnt out doing too much at once!

Pick an exercise routine that you enjoy. If you don't like it, you'll never stick with it. For example, I hate running and I hate cardio! So most of my exercise comes from yoga and weight lifting. I have a friend who hates lifting, so she mostly runs. People will say that X plan is more effective than Y plan, but when it comes down to it, the most effective plan is one that you will stick with!!

Find a new favorite workout. Make a committment to get ACTIVE every single day.

Don't give yourself time restraints. Ever. Just give yourself little benchmarks and a designated reward. For example, find a new jogging/tennis/golf/bowling outfit that you love, and commit to buying it in a smaller size than your current one after you've lost 10-15 lbs. Then commit to never outgrowing it.

I'm finally able to fit into a size 8 (I was a size 12 when I started) but just barely, and with a muffin top. But I'm committed to wearing a size 8 from now on and never reverting back to a size 10. When I finaly get to a size 6 in a few months, I'll make the same committment.

I don't know- specific number goals has never worked for me because it's easy to get disillusioned if it doesn't happen. I mean, set your goals but just remember, if you cut your calories, you will be losing weight eventually! It's better for your health and mental health if you change your habits one step at a time.

Set modest long-term goals and then even smaller incremental goals for yourself. I wanted to lose .75 lbs per week and eventually weigh in at 180lbs. Yes, sure, I REALLY wanted to weigh in at 150lbs, but 180 seemed far enough away for the time being when I was 241 lbs. I made it .75 instead of 1lb per week because the calorie count was drastically different between the two (like, the difference between being able to have the occasional treat and being sad all the time, for me, and I knew if I was sad all the time I'd cheat or give up). At 241lbs, I was allowed to eat a calorie amount you might even think is crazy, like 1980 calories per day or something. As I lost weight, it has gone down by increments, but I've had time to get used to smaller portion sizes and a smarter way of doing things.

In that vein, my goals were and are:
1. Be honest about logging calories, EVEN IF I WENT OVER. Surprise, surprise- turns out it actually doesn't matter if you go over your calorie count once in a while as long as you keep to your overall goals. It's more important not to lie to yourself! I give myself one cheat day per week these days where I get to eat pizza, but be careful with those. If you're binge-eating everything you can't eat on your cheat day, stop doing it because that's how ED are born.
2. Now I'm trying hard to stay within my recommended sugar/sodium/carb/fat intakes. Doing ok, but I love you, carbs!
3. Be nice to myself! I didn't lost any weight for like a month, even though I was being good about everything. So what? Don't hate yourself. Your body is complicated. Sometimes I skip the gym because I'm sick or worked too much or my body hurts. It's ok! Forgive yourself. Listen to your body.

I also set equally modest exercise goals for myself. I went from basically sedentary to 1 workout per week of 45 minutes to 1 workout per week plus a long walk to 1 workout plus 2 long walks plus I run up every flight of stairs I see instead of taking the elevator. As your body adjusts to being more active, you will have more energy to do more with it.

Just don't overdo it, have fun and be safe.

And yes, for numbers: I lost 28 lbs since July. That seems impossibly slow, I know, but I've been in grad school the whole time AND working and I'm not worried I'm going to gain it back because I'm finally changing my lifestyle in a real way. And I'm still losing weight

Thank you for this! I hadn't bothered with the forums before today but was beginning to feel like a loser since I've been doing this since July 2013 and have only lost *almost* 30 lbs. Then again, I've been steady and haven't given up, and I'm feeling awesome. So I'm ok with myself after all.