Why do we have to pay for everything!?!

Your right everything does come with a price tag, and personally im sick of it, what it all boils down to is we just have to do the work, and we dont need those costly diet plans.

I started with WW at first (the core plan back then) because I needed someone to tell me what I could have or couldn't. If you want food lists, if you google you can find them for free

The library has DVDs and so does Netflix streaming. For $9 a month, you can watch all the workout vids you want (plus awesome TV and movies) on Netflix.

There are workouts on YouTube, too.

Form a workout club in your neighborhood and get some other people to help inspire/motivate you.

I agree, you don't need to spend money on a program. Your workouts at home should be fine and meals are all about common sense, reading labels and control. You can do this and MFP is such an easy way to do it. If you put your mind to it you can do this on your own and with support from friends. :flowerforyou:

Go to Food Network.com and search for Alton Brown's Diet. He has a great plan for eating well and losing weight. It's not a "diet", but more of a lifestyle. You lose weight because you're eating well, not because it's a fad or restrictive. It's not for the faint of heart because you can't have soda or fast food or processed meals (frozen meals, etc), but you really shouldn't eat that stuff anyway.

If it doesn't occur in nature, you shouldn't put it in your body. It doesn't cost anything to look up recipes on Epicurious.com or Foodnetwork.com and cook meals for yourself. Incorporate healthy and fresh ingredients into your daily diet and you'll never go wrong.

Good luck. It's a lot of work, and I know it's easier when someone tells you what to eat and how much to eat, but it's really as simple as eating grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins and not eating any processed fast foods.

Good luck to you! It took me at least a year to "get it" and now I'm so excited to try new things and cook with new ingredients I've never cooked with before. It's a rush and I hope that you find that for yourself.

I thought I needed a plan when I first started. I wasn't sure what I should/could eat or how to exercise. I have a Wii Fit but got a little bored and can't really work out at home with my little kids around. My husband signed me up at Planet Fitness and it's a really great gym! The trainer is free and provides a personalized work out plan. Being here has helped me immensely with my healthy diet.

Honestly, if you just stick with MFP it will work! There's no reason you have to pay money for expensive trainers and meal plans.

Thanks everyone! I know I don't NEED a plan/program, and I've been doing pretty good. It just get's difficult with a 1 year old and a husband! My son NEEDS to gain weight, I NEED to lose weight, and my husband is pretty good where he's at. Three completely different needs in one house...OY! It would be nice to have my own seperate meals that are easy to prepare so I don't end up making two totally different meals up to three times a day!

Ok stop doing all that cooking. Feed everyone the same stuff. You just eat the proper amount to work it in. Give the kid o snacks with high protein, like peanut butter on apples or crackers. Everyone should be able to eat what you cook just the amounts will differ. Everyone will be happy. And you won't have so many dishes.

I am very grateful for MFP cause I love that they have taken alot of the work out of logging. I will say that I dont mind paying for something that someone else created with their time and effort if I can't do it myself. I will tell you that I went online and googled free trial for jillian micheals and got two weeks free..it's not so great. Those food plans are not so easy to follow and some of the meals are not that economical either or family friendly for that matter. My sister has lost 100 pounds on my fitness pal..just by changing her food choices a little at a time. yes it took about a year...but she still continues to loose weight cause she does it on her own terms and with the food she has on hand and does not have to go hunting for. We all know what is healthy and what is not. I am inspired to work at it cause if she can do it...I know I can. I wish you all the luck in the world but, just know you have the knowledge already. you just have to take baby steps. whats good for someone on WW or nutri system or Jillian Michaels may not be good for you, so you may pay for something that won't work for you.

take care and God Bless

Well. As for the meals, it could be really easy when you think of it in terms of proportions. You could lose weight on a big plate of vegetables and a little meat and some stach. It would be simple to add fat like cheese or salad dressing or put a larger portion of meat or starch on their plates and less on yours. That way you could all eat the same foods, but you would have to learn about the calories in each item and give yourself more of the low cal options and less of the high cal choices.

I echo that one of the best FREE resources is the public library. They have hundreds of diet and exercise plans and science books on nutrition.

Walking is free -- couch to 5k is free and all you have to do is follow it today I did a 5k in 39:45 by taking their suggestion to walk for 60 seconds and then run for 90. Jumping jacks are free, planks are free. Eating less saves money too.

Thrift store workout videos run about 2 bucks and someone is always throwing out a treadmill on craigslist.
If you are like me and you want free and easy. You will find it. Get creative.