Best Advice...

Kara52217
Kara52217 Posts: 353 Member
edited December 18 in Getting Started
Best advice you got for those who are just getting started on MFP...GO

1. Weigh your weight weekly... And do it the same day each week ... I usually Do Tues am before I jump in the shower.
2. TAKE Measurements!! ...Just because the scale isn't moving doesn't mean your not losing inches..
3. Don't let a bad day turn into a bad Week or make you stop all together...
4. ASK FOR HELP... That is what the message boards are for.
5. EAT... Yes if you eat 800 calories a day you will lose faster but in the long term slower is better.. You learn more that way.

What Else?
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Replies

  • deannc1
    deannc1 Posts: 91 Member
    If you don't already, love yourself every step of the way and know you are so worth it! :wink:
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    If you don't already, love yourself every step of the way and know you are so worth it! :wink:

    ^^This!! I never could make a real, safe, and sustainable weight loss plan UNTIL I choose to love myself, regardless of what the scale said. Not to say I had to "accept" the weight gain, just that I understood that my happiness was not hinging on a number or a size.

    Oh, and I would add "Get and Use a Food Scale." It will change your life and open your eyes. It's not any harder. In fact, I find it easier than a bunch of different measuring cups and spoons.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    If you don't already know how to cook, learn.
  • SheBeButLittleSheisFierce
    SheBeButLittleSheisFierce Posts: 690 Member
    If you don't already, love yourself every step of the way and know you are so worth it! :wink:

    ^^This!! I never could make a real, safe, and sustainable weight loss plan UNTIL I choose to love myself, regardless of what the scale said. Not to say I had to "accept" the weight gain, just that I understood that my happiness was not hinging on a number or a size.

    Oh, and I would add "Get and Use a Food Scale." It will change your life and open your eyes. It's not any harder. In fact, I find it easier than a bunch of different measuring cups and spoons.
    Both so very true!!!
    Also, dont get discouraged if you dont see loss right away. It took 4 months of strict diet and personal trainer kicking my butt then suddenly it started shedding off of me. I still have a long way to go, but am finally seeing real progress.
  • kcmcd
    kcmcd Posts: 239 Member
    Take a lot of pictures. Even if you don't like them right now, you'll want to see the change.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Drink lots of water
    Find an exercise you love
    Experiment with what works for YOU.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Just listen to me.:wink:

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Cheekies_
    Cheekies_ Posts: 319 Member
    It's ok to cook for your family and then eat something different yourself.

    Or, eat a little of it (moderation) and fill the rest of your plate with veggies. I did this with spaghetti this week. A very small portion of spaghetti and I filled the other 3/4's of my plate with a nice healthy salad. I was happy!
  • 40andFindingFitness
    40andFindingFitness Posts: 497 Member
    If you have a bad day, don't beat yourself up about it because it doesn't burn calories. Just dust off and get it together the next day.
  • BillRicks1
    BillRicks1 Posts: 473 Member
    Get your percentages right!
    20% Exercise
    80% Nutrition

    and most importantly
    110% ATITUDE

    party1.gif
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    There is a wealth of information in the pinned topics.

    The best advice I have seen on here is the importance of strength training. I had initially planned on holding off until I lost more weight until I read that by doing it now it will help minimize muscle loss as I lose weight.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Just listen to me.:wink:

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    You :wink: but I'm gonna QFT

    As you read the boards you will learn who gives out great advice and information. Pay attention to them. On the flip side you will also learn who gives out bad advice and learn to just ignore it.
  • glassgallm
    glassgallm Posts: 276 Member
    Use a heart rate monitor to get a more accurate count of calorie burn. Don't trust what the gym treadmill or the exercise data base on MFP tell you. What you burn is based on your sex, age, weight, and heart rate.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    1. You didnt gain it overnight, in a week, or a month, so it wont come off overnight.
    2. One bad meal doesnt ruin a day. I know at times I would falter at breakfast or lunch and think "well, today is ruined" and then just go buck wild the rest of the day. Have something that doesnt quite fit? Dont fret and worry, move on.
    3. You dont need fancy workout clothes, or devices, or some special diet, nor do you have to give up the foods you love.
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
    Be honest with your logging - you are only cheating yourself.

    Plus all the other stuff that folks already said - all great advice.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    You're doing it right if you get an eye roll from everybody at the table when you scan a barcode or log your meal calories. I always get that, then later they will ask "How did you do it". I also like to freak out the fad dieters and tell them "no its not a diet, its just plain math"
  • imju5tme
    imju5tme Posts: 85 Member
    1. Log EVERYTHING... and be honest.
    2. Get and USE a food scale. Cups and spoons are better than eye-balling it, but the food scale is DEFINITELY the best option.
  • mammahawk25
    mammahawk25 Posts: 39 Member
    These have already been mentioned but I think worth repeating:
    1.) LOVE YOURSELF!!! It's really hard to take care of something that you don't love.
    2.) EAT! Can you really sustain a diet of 900 cals/day? I've tried and failed...I couldn't enjoy life when I was so hungry all.the.time....find a calorie range that is comfortable for you and one that you can live long term with. If you need more calories to be satisfied and still lose weight...start exercising!
    3.) This is a journey, not a race. Sit back and enjoy the ride:flowerforyou:
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    If you use a treadmill, this website will save you lots of heartache figuring out your walk/run calories
    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html

    and don't dismiss walking. If you have knee problems brisk walking an incline can be just as challenging and burn as many calories as an average 0 incline run.
  • Kikilarue59
    Kikilarue59 Posts: 81 Member
    I say. Don't agonize over how long it is going to take to lose the weight.
    Think only of getting through the day.
    and then wake up and think about that day.

    If you should "slip" up.
    Pick your program up right at the very next meal.
    Do not under any circumstances throw in the towel.

    Oh, and work some exercise in each day.

    Have a splendid day.

    JoAnna
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    To just focus on the calorie part at first without making any big exercise changes. Letting the increased activity come later when your body has adjusted to eating fewer calories than in the past.
  • 88meli88
    88meli88 Posts: 238 Member
    1. set an inspiring goal but then break it down to smaller more attainable ones and then set weekly operational goals.
    2.Figure out your BMR and TDEE and find your sweet spot of losing comfortably
    3. under-eating (under your calorie goal) always leads to overeating.
    4. have a plan for unusual circumstances
  • samthepanda
    samthepanda Posts: 569 Member
    It's ok to cook for your family and then eat something different yourself.

    Or, eat a little of it (moderation) and fill the rest of your plate with veggies. I did this with spaghetti this week. A very small portion of spaghetti and I filled the other 3/4's of my plate with a nice healthy salad. I was happy!

    This. Your freezer and slow cooker are great tools - use them! I batch cook once a month - pasta sauce, roasting veggies etc so I know there is always easy, healthy stuff in the freezer for me.

    Do exercise you enjoy, and you can work into your life - otherwise you will quickly resent it.

    Don't compare your losses to others - we are all different.
  • kirstyfoy
    kirstyfoy Posts: 139 Member
    1. Log everything even on bad days (it may look better after a week).
    2. Read Susie Orbach on Eating (first self help book I have ever read and now I think every time I put food in my mouth)
    3. Don't cut out the foods you love... you are more likely to crave and binge on them.

    Feel free to add me :smile:
  • Christineclendaniel
    Christineclendaniel Posts: 367 Member
    I am only a couple of months in but my biggest saviour is find substitutes for craving. If I crave something like chips I will fill a bowl with raw sugar snap peas and add a tbsp of fat free italian dressing...I get the crunch and salt. If I want something sweet I do a yoplait blended vanilla greek yogurt. Find those kind of things that you like to eat and stock up on variety so that you always have a go to.

    For excercise, as most have said, find something you like to do. I play just dance on sweat mode because I love to dance and have a great time doing it. I look forward to cardio now and try to compete to do it a little longer each time.

    Find someone for support...nothing motivates me more than a fellow mfp friend I know from work, she has lost so much the right way and is looking awesome.

    Most importantly, every day is a triumph.....you CAN do this! It might be really hard at first but shortly it will be second nature and easier than you ever thought :)

    Oh, and feel free to add me!
  • Kara52217
    Kara52217 Posts: 353 Member
    Loving these ... Keep it going!!
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Keep healthy but convenient foods around so that it's easy to stay on target even if you get the munchies.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    You didn't fall off the wagon, you hit a bump in the trail.
  • Dgil1975
    Dgil1975 Posts: 110 Member
    My list is similar to everyone else. I have been using MFP for a few years, but only recently started looking at the community. I think my first piece of advice would be to use this community as a resource and support, as there are a lot of great people on here with common goals, and no judgements, and wisdom to share. Below are a couple other items


    1) find an eating lifestyle you can work with for the rest of your life
    2) find something that qualifies as exercise that you actually like to do, and not force yourself
    3) severe calorie restriction is a bad idea
    4) this will take time, 1/2lb a week loss, is 26lbs a year, in two years that’s 52lbs
  • hypocacculus
    hypocacculus Posts: 68 Member
    Eat real food, especially vegetables. Not weird powdered meal substitutes, overpriced diet biscuits (even if they are called 'protein bars') or low cal versions of highly processed food you shouldn't be eating in the first place. Unless you want to be eating that shi... er, stuff for the rest of your life. You'll save yourself a fortune.
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