What are the main pitfalls for a beginner?
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Most of the obvious answers already given. I would say my own personal pitfall was expecting to see results quicker and then struggling with slower than expected progress0
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Expecting fast results.
Trying to cut specific things out of your diet. Weight loss can work without cutting out specific foods.0 -
no patience0
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Biggest mistakes I've seen:
People being overly restrictive with calorie intake and food groups. Don't make it more difficult.
All or nothing attitude - if you have a bad day log it and move on, one day won't ruin progress
Lacking patience - It takes time, you didn't gain it all over night, stop trying to lose it over night
Looking for quick fixes - No pills, wraps or whatever other stupid thing. Log your food accurately & honestly
Demonizing food groups - Yes this is up there but sugar isn't making you fat, it's too many calories
Not being consistent
Logging accurately - Digital food scale really helps and checking the entries you are using when you log. For example: Don't select homemade in the database = you have no clue what that member used in their recipe, so it won't be accurate for what you used.
Listening to Dr. Oz or Beachbody coaches - NO learn about nutrition and fitness.
Don't set unrealistic goals
ETA: Don't focus entirely on the number on the scale, it's a number, it will fluctuate.0 -
Biggest mistakes I've seen:
People being overly restrictive with calorie intake and food groups. Don't make it more difficult.
All or nothing attitude - if you have a bad day log it and move on, one day won't ruin progress
Lacking patience - It takes time, you didn't gain it all over night, stop trying to lose it over night
Looking for quick fixes - No pills, wraps or whatever other stupid thing. Log your food accurately & honestly
Demonizing food groups - Yes this is up there but sugar isn't making you fat, it's too many calories
Not being consistent
Logging accurately - Digital food scale really helps and checking the entries you are using when you log. For example: Don't select homemade in the database = you have no clue what that member used in their recipe, so it won't be accurate for what you used.
Listening to Dr. Oz or Beachbody coaches - NO learn about nutrition and fitness.
Don't set unrealistic goals
/thread0 -
this thread is a day old but ill still throw in my $0.02
1. impatience
2. underestimating calorie intake/overestimating calorie burn
3. not aiming for the correct intake (setting limit too low or too high)
4. overexerting themselves i.e. too much exercise
5. having one bad day and saying "whelp, i f*cked up once, might as well give up now"
6. not realizing that this needs to last beyond your goal weight (continue to eat proper and exercise after hitting desired weight)0 -
Thinking that everything has to be perfect (you have to eat perfect, exercise perfect, etc...) to accomplish anything. Guess what, we're not perfect. Shoot for the best you can do and don't freak if you have the occasional "hiccup".
This would be my advice also. Life has hiccups and this is real life. I am a firm believer in the "baby steps" approach. Losing weight and getting healthy is a series of little changes so making those changes one at a time until they are comfortable, then adding another. Do you eat fast food or order in pizza a lot? Start shopping at the store and fixing your own meals, then tweak them to make them lower calorie and more nutritious. Start doing some exercise, any exercise, then build on it until you have a fitness program that works for you.
Weighing, measuring, and logging are the most important things. Even if you are embarrassed over what you ate, log it and if you know why you overdid it (got drunk and lost control, had a bad day, etc) made a note of it so you can see your triggers. Also, if you are one of those who gets obsessed easily, stay off the scale and only weigh yourself once a week or even two.0 -
This may not be a popular opinion here but I think a lot of people choose lightly active when they are more sedentary. Some people say "sedentary = bedridden...I have a 2 yr old to chase, so I'm active" I think that it is better to choose a less active setting and then add in exercise, but that is my personal opinion. I will add that I have 2 friends who joined this site, chose active setting, and did not lose weight...then switched it to sedentary, still entered their exercise, and have lost at almost the textbook rate they are hoping to (i.e., 1.5 or 1 lb per week) since then.
^^ YESSS! Thank you, at last! :flowerforyou: I agree with you totally on this and wish more people would take this approach (although I wouldn't log 10 minutes worth of cleaning etc as exercise, as some people do - we need to be sensible about what we count as true exercise and what counts as normal daily activity).
OP - as well as the sexypants thread, there's also a great thread written by SexzyStef about accurate logging - weigh in grammes if possible rather than cups etc.0 -
One of the biggest mistakes newbies make is overestimating exercise and underestimating calories eaten.
I agree, but I also think people make kind of the opposite mistake: They go all out and exhaust themselves and feel like crap, so it doesn't seem worth the effort and they quit. Slow and steady is the only way to go.
Yeah, you're talking sense.
The biggest mistake is not being consistent. No matter how crappy the estimates for calories are, if you're consistently doing it you can change something and measure the result.
EG. "It's been 3 weeks, I've logged consistently and I've lost no weight" - Congratulations this is your TDEE, you're eating at maintenance. Cut 10% off your calorie intake, and report back in another 3 weeks.This may not be a popular opinion here but I think a lot of people choose lightly active when they are more sedentary.
I think that it is better to choose a less active setting and then add in exercise,0 -
Biggest mistakes beginners make is over-complicating things. Keep it simple, then simplify it again... and again.... and again... until it's 'you're eating less calories than you burn'. Happy days, cannot go wrong! Log, log, log & log (EVERYTHING!)
Next step... monitor weight weekly, if you don't lose for two consecutive weeks, eat a bit less per day the next week....
Repeat.
Do that for the foreseeable, thinking about any more is pointless, for one, you're a beginner! You know jack **** about anything! (No disrespect meant) But by mentioning your 'metabolism fighting you' that proves it. Trust me.
KEEP IT SIMPLE!0 -
So many great answers here. I would add:
Not eating enough protein.
Demonizing certain foods or food groups and then thinking if people just stop eating those foods they will lose weight.
Not planning for treats.
Blaming others for what they eat and/or expecting coworkers, family & friends to make big changes because they are on a diet.0 -
Really Pitfall isn't too difficult. Watch out for the fast-rolling logs. And I would beware of the scorpions in the tunnel. They'll change direction on you while you're jumping over them.
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Consistency, and telling people you are trying to change anything...lol0
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Really Pitfall isn't too difficult. Watch out for the fast-rolling logs. And I would beware of the scorpions in the tunnel. They'll change direction on you while you're jumping over them.
OmG thanks for the memory!!0 -
Starting a diet you can't stick with.
Healthy eating is important, but unless you are willing to live of steamed veggies and chicken breast the rest of your life find a balance between what you want to eat and what is good for you to eat. Of course if you want to do the veggie thing forever have at it.
I know major generalization but you get the point.
I would start a "diet" by cutting out anything "bad" (sweets, breads, fatty stuff) and only eat the veggies and lean meats. The weight would fly off,.. and then when I would get tired of it and quit. Or reach my goal and quit. Than gain it back.
Eat like you know you want to eat, just be more sensible about portions and ingredients. Don't deny yourself,..you'll just go nuts later.0 -
I think your goal is reasonable. I agree with others keep it simple and do not discouraged. If you are disciplined the weight will come off. Here are a few tips that keep me on track.
1. I plan out all meals on Sunday for entire week. It takes the guessing out and gives no excuse to cheat since all my food is already planned out and convenient. I don't go diving for junk food.
2. Always eat breakfast
3. Drink tons of water
4. Exercise I start out slow. I do a 30 minute workout and add a couple of 15 minutes walks in the morning and the evening.
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Having a bad meal, day or weekend is not the end of the world, don't beat yourself up, and don't quit! Make food tasty, too bland and it won't stick. At first you'll be hungry and tired, don't push things at the gym. Minimal coffee. Aim for no alcohol. When in a social setting, enjoy it (moderation), don't deprive yourself and get all depro. These are things i wish i knew as a new-bee!0
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I'm passing by so I'm not sure what has been mentioned but here are a few of mine:
1. Don't try to do too much too soon, especially with exercise. You may injure yourself even if you feel you are doing fine.
2. Don't restrict yourself too much with food if you know you will burn out. If you don't feel comfortable at a certain calorie level after a week or two of getting used to it, losing the weight a little slower is not the end of the world. Increase your budget until it's challenging enough but not too hard.
3. Don't eat back all the calories of exercise, the calories mentioned are your gross (exercise calories + calories your body burns just by living), you need to either find your net calories (exercise calories alone) or just log 50%-75% of the time you spent exercising. (don't double eat back, MFP is set to automatically add your exercise calories so all you need is to log some of your exercise time and the calories you are allowed will increase on their own)
4. Invest in a measuring scale and measure every single bite. It's very easy to eat 200-500 extra calories a day just by overmeasuring with cups.
5. Don't beat yourself up if you happen to have a less than perfect day, it will only lead to throwing the towel. Just pick yourself up and continue where you left off without feeling guilty. One bad day does not undo 10 good ones.
6. Keep mental notes about the food you eat. What makes you full? What keeps you full? What provides a nice bang for your calorie buck? What foods is the majority of your calories coming from? If it happens to be a food that does not satisfy you and has a lot of calories, what can you do to manage smaller portions (like bulking it up with vegetables or only eating it after a meal..etc)?
7. You do not need to restrict sugar/bread/carbs/gluten/dairy/processed food or anything else for that matter unless you have a medical issue or you feel you absolutely lose control around it. You can have anything and everything if it fits into your daily (or weekly) budget. Be reasonable, though. Eating 90% of your calories in cookies will not give you all the macro/ micronutrients your body needs. Try to add a healthy balance of nutrient rich foods.
8. The scale is not always your friend. Sometimes it may seem like it's stuck on the same number when in reality there other other processes in the body that affect your weight like food that is still there, retaining water, constipation, extra sodium, a feast the day before.. etc. Don't let it discourage you if you don't see the numbers you want on some weeks. You may even see gain, but it will level out within 3-5 days.
9. Don't let other people around you get to you when they say things like "should you be eating that?" or "have you tried the xx fad diet?" or "why aren't you eating that?"... be mentally prepared to stick to what is working for you.
10. Do not be the grinch at parties and outings. Enjoy your time, have a bit of this and a bit of that, chat around, have a small drink.. Allow yourself to eat at maintenance on these days. This way even if you don't lose weight for a day, at least you don't gain it. Having a normal life on a diet makes you more likely to keep being mindful even after you lose all the weight.0 -
Really Pitfall isn't too difficult. Watch out for the fast-rolling logs. And I would beware of the scorpions in the tunnel. They'll change direction on you while you're jumping over them.
Man, awesome blast from the past. Thank you for that!0
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