Your MOST helpful tip to new users.

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Replies

  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
    buy a food scale

    calculate tdee

    eat a 20% deficit

    lift weights 2-3x per week

    ensure you get at least 0.82 gram protein per lb

    ensure you get 0.45 grams fat per lb

    fill remaining calories with carbs/however you want

    meal timing doesn't matter eat whenever you want

    that is literally 90% of everything you need to know about weight loss, worrying about anything else and you're complicating things unnecessarily. It takes literally 10 minutes to educate people how to lose weight and if everyone knew this the world would be a much healthier place.
  • laurenlong9480
    laurenlong9480 Posts: 1
    I have so much trouble with portions. Instead of eating one burrito I'll eat 3 or 4! Instead of making one package of Top Raman I make two! Stuff like that, and sometimes I still want more food! Any suggestions on how to control my portions and still get the satisfaction of having eaten something?
  • alibee88
    alibee88 Posts: 31
    I have so much trouble with portions. Instead of eating one burrito I'll eat 3 or 4! Instead of making one package of Top Raman I make two! Stuff like that, and sometimes I still want more food! Any suggestions on how to control my portions and still get the satisfaction of having eaten something?

    Honestly when I was first starting I had a terrible problem with this. The only way I could really stop myself doing it was to only buy one portion at a time. It completely takes the temptation away because the food just isn't there. I have learned to trust myself more now, but I'm still like this with any treats.

    I basically can't buy cookies or whatever on any day other than the day I intend on eating them...
  • JessHill0526
    JessHill0526 Posts: 1
    Hi my name is Jessica
    I just started using this app to count calories and to lose some weight, but I would like to know how do you count calories with homemade foods do you scan every ingredient? I'm a little unsure and I'd like to keep on track as much as possible. I'm also doing light workout until I can build an insurance to do harder workouts. Please help!!!!!!
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
    Be honest with yourself always. If you are not losing weight, give it time and then access what you are doing. Also remember weight fluctuations happen and have nothing to do with fat (or true weight). The other key thing is it must be a lifestyle change not a quick fix.
  • nsimon24
    nsimon24 Posts: 115 Member
    Hi my name is Jessica
    I just started using this app to count calories and to lose some weight, but I would like to know how do you count calories with homemade foods do you scan every ingredient? I'm a little unsure and I'd like to keep on track as much as possible. I'm also doing light workout until I can build an insurance to do harder workouts. Please help!!!!!!

    Enter the recipe into the recipe builder under the Food tab. Make sure you divide the completed portions evenly (use the scale if you have one) and you should be pretty close to the accurate count. Just remember any changes you make to the recipe will effect the count!
  • VoodooSyxx
    VoodooSyxx Posts: 297
    If you're not 100% sure your diet is on point, stick to your FL for advice and support, and stay far away from MFP forums. There's a whole lot of stupid going around, and a lot of it is masquerading as 'science'.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    If you're not 100% sure your diet is on point, stick to your FL for advice and support, and stay far away from MFP forums. There's a whole lot of stupid going around, and a lot of it is masquerading as 'science'.

    +1
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    Time will pass anyways so stick to it... 0.2, 0.4, etc. add up to big numbers so don't get discouraged.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Have patience, be realistic and remember this you do not have to be miserable to lose weight, or whatever it is your end goal is.

    Keep it simple, no drastic changes that make you miserable your family want to shove a chocolate cake down your throat to cheer you up.

    Remember that support comes in many forms: Sometimes it's a Great job, Others it's a WTF were you thinking?

    And above all else you are responsible for reaching your goals by making choices that will get you there. You will either make sure you reach your goals, or you will be the one that stands in your way.
  • Allelito
    Allelito Posts: 179 Member
    Don't have the mindset that if you made progress or not solely depends on the SCALE.
    Never trust the scale to 100%, and never ever let the scale make you feel discouraged or give up.
  • InevitableButterfly
    InevitableButterfly Posts: 340 Member
    You can't go into this with just a tip. You can't tease it. You have to go all the way in and hit it hard or you won't be successful. Good luck. :flowerforyou:
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Research and find out what works for you. We are all different with our own goals we want to meet.
  • VoodooSyxx
    VoodooSyxx Posts: 297
    You can't go into this with just a tip. You can't tease it. You have to go all the way in and hit it hard or you won't be successful. Good luck. :flowerforyou:

    What you did there. I seez it.
  • blearyspecs
    blearyspecs Posts: 21 Member
    Plan your meals ahead of time. Logging will work a whole lot easier if you know what you're going to be eating tomorrow. And for me, it leads to eating better as well.

    Also, be very wary of any nutritional advice from these forums. There's a lot of stuff being repeated by a lot of people that is completely and utterly wrong.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Learn how the website/plan you're using works. As in understand that My Fitness Pal gives you a daily goal that already has you at a deficit, and when exercise is logged, you are supposed to eat those calories back (at least a good portion of them, depending on what method you're using to track cal burns). Net cals should be at or near goal each day because FOOD IS FUEL! Deciding to not eat them back "because what's the point of working out and burning cals if you're just going to eat them back" is silly, leaves your body under-fueled, and goes against the way MFP is designed to work. :smile:

    So basically - slow and steady, and eat the most number of cals you can to still lose the fat because food is fuel!!

    :drinker:
  • nixxthirteen
    nixxthirteen Posts: 280 Member
    Avoid "detoxes" and "cleanses". You deserve delicious meals, not juice or tea in their place.

    Be HONEST. Even if you keep your diary private. In the end, the only one who loses if you round down or lie is YOU.

    You can stick to your goals and still eat the things you love.You can go to McDonalds with your friends. There is healthy eating outside of salads. You can love and have bread every single day. I think this is my #1 advice when trying to help friends who are just starting out: Make it enjoyable so you can stick to it for the long haul.

    If you're too hungry and sad losing 1.5 lbs a week, dial it back! No shame in getting to your goal a little later if it means you feel happy and satisfied.

    Before this, I thought cooking was heating up frozen fries in the oven. However when I started logging my food, I saw just how quickly processed convenience foods ate into my calorie allowance. So I googled for low cal recipes that are also BIG FILLING PORTIONS and started cooking all kinds of awesome things that are flavourful and really satisfying.

    YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T COME CLOSE TO EATING 3500+ CALORIES OVER YOUR MAINTENANCE THAT DAY YOU ALLOWED YOURSELF SOME TREATS. You did not gain a pound in a day. I promise. Deep breath and get back on track and see how the scale moves again.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    If you ask for advice on the forums, do not interpret answers as being 'mean'. You'll get a lot more good information out of this place if you leave your ego at the door.
  • yungibear
    yungibear Posts: 138 Member
    Be ready to let go of any preconceptions surrounding what a "good diet" should be.
  • Manny0311
    Manny0311 Posts: 38 Member
    Patience is the key..

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