new here and not sure how to start/use to be successful!!!

jgriggs8515
jgriggs8515 Posts: 2
edited November 2024 in Getting Started
Just like the title says. I am new here almost 30 mother of two who desperately needs help/ motivation on this journey! Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Ibam on day 2 of MFP and have logged everything so far down to the snack size candy bar I snuck at work. I recently signed up for my first 5k which is in August and am training for that along with an aerobics DVD and Jillian Michaels ripped in 30. The days I walk/run I do the aerobics DVD (it is a for beginners) and the rest days from running I do the ripped DVD. Thank you in advance for any adxicd/ tips/ help.

Replies

  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
    Welcome! Start by reading the stickied threads at the top of the Getting Started and General Weight loss forums. Those will give you a great idea on how to move forward. Logging consistently and honestly is your main aim to start with, and ideally start off with a food scale. It's great that you're exercising, but your weight loss will come from a calorie deficit (eating less than you burn) so tracking accurately is key.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Give this a read: So You're New Here....
  • Eldee32
    Eldee32 Posts: 40 Member
    welcome!!!! All i can say you can lower down your snack intake day by day if it is difficult for you to stop at this moment. You are exercising so just keep your eye on what you are eating. Good luck.....feel free to add me :)
  • laura3977
    laura3977 Posts: 191 Member
    Hello @jgriggs8515 - welcome to MFP!!! Like others have said, make sure you read the stickied threads you find at the beginning of the sections. Really great information!!

    Two things I can share that has really helped me stay motivated this time around:

    ONE: Don't be in a rush. Normally I will start my weight loss journey thinking "OK, so if I stick with the 2 lbs per week, I'll weigh XXX by XXX" and when that doesn't happen (whether it's because I didn't stick to my calories or because weight loss isn't linear and therefore there is no guarantee that I'll lose 2 lbs per week, every week) I get down on myself and slowly go back to the habits that brought me here in the first place.

    TWO: Don't deprive yourself. Every yummy food that you enjoy now has a serving size and calories assigned to that serving size. Try it out. There are some foods that I really enjoy that when I actually measure the serving size I think "MEH! It's not that good that I'll sped X amount of calories on it" and then there are food that I think "WOW! That's a pretty good serving for the calories". There is no need to say I will/won't eat ::fill in the blank:: as a blanket statement. Try things out, you might find out that although you enjoy something you don't really care to fit them in and there will be things that you are more than happy to have them and eat the serving size and be completely satisfied. On the other hand there may be things that you enjoy quite a bit and a serving size is not enough and you just want to keep eating it (LOL I've learned that with a couple of things!!) feel free to just take them out and enjoy them ONCE IN A WHILE when you have calories to fit that in.

    I didn't mean to make this post so long :smile: but I know what it's like to start and I want to make sure I share what I have found to be helpful.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited April 2015
    It sounds to me like you're off to a good start. A few general words of advice:
    • Be sure your calorie goal is reasonable. With 50 pounds to lose you want to have MFP set to lose no more than 1.5 pounds per week.

      Pound per week goals
      75+ lbs set to lose 2 lb range
      Between 40 - 75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lb range
      Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lb range
      Between 15-25 lbs set to lose 1 -.50 lb range
      Less than 15 lbs set to lose 0.5 lbs range
    • When entering your exercise be careful of inflated numbers which can hurt your calorie deficit. With all of that cardio planned, you may want to invest in a heart rate monitor if you don't already own one. The calorie burns MFP calculate for you can be way off because it doesn't have a way to judge your level of effort.
    • Don't "play" with the numbers, underestimate calories eaten or overestimate calories burned in exercise. You'd only be cheating yourself.
    • And speaking of "cheating", as long as you can fit it into your calorie goal anything you eat is fine, there is no cheating and no guilt.
    • Limit "free" days where you don't log and eat anything you want. It's very easy to kill several days worth of deficit with one binge so you don't want to do it often.
    • That said parties and holidays happen. You need to learn now how to handle them now. Avoiding social situations or refusing to eat so you can stay under your goal isn't a realistic long-term plan. One day of eating whatever you want isn't going to undo all of your hard work. :smile:
  • laura3977
    laura3977 Posts: 191 Member
    edited April 2015
    I agree with @SueInAz 's last bullet point! That was extremely helpful on my birthday :wink:
  • jgriggs8515
    jgriggs8515 Posts: 2
    Thank you!!! All great advise!!!!!
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