I'm new to this whole weight loss thing, and I need help.

Hi,
i always just eat what ever i feel like n if i eat to much i just work out a bit more, u need 2 make sure you dont go into the red if possible but i usually have about 20-40 calories extra left that i dont use, it will tell you at the bottom when u complete each day if you aren't eating enough. Low energy could be caused by not having enough sugar, i allow myself 10 jelly beans most days because if you stop yourself eating the treats you will just crave them more. I also have 1 day per week that i dont go mad but i usually have a few drinks (sometimes a few more than a few!) so i dont count my cals that day but i just dont go overboard. when u store your exersize it will give you more calories that you can eat. I hope i have been some help, gud luk.x

To change your diary so that you can see protein, sugar and sodium, go to settings, diary and you can change it there. Also, it will be easier for others to motivate and give feedback if you make your diary public.

Actually, women need less protein than you might think. I suggest cutting sugar, sodium and increasing fresh produce as much as possible. I think putting veggies in really helps. You can also get protein in less-sodium filled ways like through nuts. I love walnuts and almonds and peanuts. They're higher in fat, so you have to really moderate how many (small handful versus popping them in like popcorn).

A couple of meals I really love that fill me up:

Breakfast waffle--whole wheat eggo, topped with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and sliced pears, drizzled with 1/2 tsp of honey. It sounds weird but is really fricking good! Sometimes I sprinkle walnuts or almonds on top

Breakfast toast--slice of oatmeal bread (filled with fiber!), spread with 2 tbsp of part skim ricotta cheese, a couple halves of sliced apricots on top (from can, drained and sliced) and then broil in the oven for 2 minutes. This is INCREDIBLY yummy

Sweet potato fries--this is great because it's a super nutritious veggie. Preheat oven to 350. Peel and slice into fry sizes one sweet potato. Lay slices across a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of sea salt, and sprinkle your favorite seasonings on top. I love using rosemary, basil, pepper and onion powder.

I'm still working on dinners. I usually make high protein/sodium meals so I understand I need to change dinner, but still struggle, so I feel your pain.

I also try to exercise for at least 30 minutes 6 days a week. It could be something small like yard work or cleaning, but cardio intense work outs I think should be more frequent than not.

Best of luck!! You can do it.

I love drinking water, but our water sometimes doesn't taste the best (it's been tested fine, just has taste to it). I have found that using Sugar Free Kool-Aid packets or Crystal Light drink mix (both are powders you add to water) helps by making the water taste good. Tastes like juice or "soda" but with only 5 Calories per 8 oz glass! They come in packets to make by the quart or pouches to add to bottled water (or 16 oz. glass of water). I found I drink a LOT more water this way! Hope this helps!

Yes on the vegetables. I had zucchini with my dinner the other night. It was the lowest-cal thing on my plate, and it was easily the best thing on it. Steam, sprinkle with a little fresh grated parmesan or havarti or even a hard gouda - yum. (And "sprinkle" doesn't mean "pour melted cheese," as much as I wish it did!)

Stay away from sodium. It's in most processed food in high amounts. And check your soda - even diet soda is loaded with sodium. You don't need that much. If you start feeling like you need salt or electrolytes, stay with something healthy and real. Even a banana might be better for you. (And I speak as someone who loathes bananas, by the way, but I'd rather have a fruit than a pack of chemicals.) If you're concerned about electrolyte balance, see your doctor or nutritionist. I'm neither, but I've never had a situation where I wasn't getting enough sodium, potassium, or other electrolytes.

Drink lots of water. Put in lemon or orange slices, or cucumber and mint, or other combinations for a subtle flavor if plain water isn't your thing.

Here's my order of things to eat if I'm hungry and I have choices:

Non-root vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, squash, celery, etc.
Fruits, preferably apples, pears, bananas, and then citrus. (I find apples and pears especially make me feel "full")
Carrots (root vegetable), beans, corn.
Dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, feta, and the like)
unprocessed fish (that is, not canned)
unprocessed chicken, beef, lamb, pork (that is, not deli meats and such)

For *me*, I need to stay away from breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, and the like because they seem to be too rich. They are a small side dish rather than a main dish. If I can get away with it, I avoid bread entirely. Pasta, rice, and potatoes are OK in small portions, but as I am used to eating large amounts of these, I just have to be strict to myself, make the portion sizes small, and think of them as "treat" foods that come after my salads, vegetables, and fruits. I don't worry too much about a low-carb diet, because I find that just including the fruits and vegetables I do seems to keep me OK.

I try to avoid any extra fats such as mayo or butter, as I seem to get enough just from any fish or meats I eat. I'm not trying to go an all-protein diet by any means, but I find that if I keep the vegetables/fruits high my proteins and fats are balanced.

And I do *not* punish myself. I'm not *bad* for being overweight, so I don't need to eat nasty food. (I weigh too much because I ate too much. I'm not a criminal; just lacked self-control and -awareness.) If I like something, I eat it, but just in smaller, controlled "doses." I was at a deli/market last week shopping for lunch (caesar salad with oil/vinegar caesar dressing instead of dairy-based dressing), and they had an oil-and-vinegar sampling booth. I tried some of the various olive oils, and enjoyed them. I didn't have more than a teaspoon total, and I chalked it up to "flavoring." And then I had an individual salted-chocolate-caramel, about 1/2 ounce total. It was my "treat" for the day, and I enjoyed eating it, chewing it, and savoring it.

If I get a craving for highly flavored foods, I find that citrus is good for that - oranges, tangerines, tangelos, and grapefruits are good for a strong "burst." (One of the things the deli had was a cherry vinegar made from cherry juice and not from apple juice flavored with cherries. It was incredible, and it makes a great, strong vinaigrette.)

Food is something we're made to eat. It's usually enjoyable, and sometimes we get cheap enjoyment and entertainment from eating. It's just the way we are; sometimes we need help to get re-balanced when we go too far in seeking enjoyment and entertainment from a single substance.

So take it easy, keep on trucking, and remember it's a journey and not a race.