I need help being held accountable... I really need to do this.

I also am the only calorie counter among my friends. This app is great in the fact that you don't feel alone, because your not :-) I eat between 1400-1600 calories, focus on lifting and HIIT workouts, and I try to get higher amounts of protein in my macros (to help build my muscle). So far my body is shaping out nicely when I stick to this. Congrats on NOT joining in the shakeology world, no need for sure. Been there done that, the only thing lighter was my bank account. WASTE of money. Good Luck!

This app works well with the RunKeeper app, which is also free.
Count in all your food and try to work out a few times a week. Jillian Michaels has lots of videos on YouTube which are totally free, I love the 30-day shred ones. Keep it up!

I've been very fit and not so fit in my life, so I'll give you advice on what has worked for me.

1)Planning: Very important! Start off by planning what you will eat each week and what type of workout/activity you will accomplish. It's ok to deviate a litte (e.g., it rains outside so can't run, forgot meal at home, etc.) but try to make up for it of find a good solution.

2)Get a good night's sleep. It's WAY easier to get your butt moving when you are well rested. On the contrary, if you wake up tired, than it's really hard to get moving and really easy to find excuses. Also, try to workout in the morning if possible.

3)Mental strength & positivity: This is where 99% of the battle is won. The most successful people on this earth are those that remain positive and stay strong mentally. If you backslide, DO NOT GIVE UP! This is the stumbling block for most people. Remember that this is not a life or death situation - you get as many chances as it takes to reach your goal.

One additional advise: DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WEIGHING YOURSELF! At least not in the initial phase. In the first couple month or so, your body will undergo positive changes that you cannot materialize on a weight scale. You will likely maintain or gain weight in the first couple of weeks because 1) weight will be offset by the building of muscle (to sustain your new lifestyle) and losing of fat and 2) your body will inherently retain more water. So do not fall into this trap. You will mainly feel the initial results on how your feel, including the good kind of aching that comes from training.

I hope this helps. Fight the good fight!

Whole foods! Honest to goodness real, clean, whole foods... Preferably plant based. Ditch any and all processed foods! Shakeology...no bueno. Not real. If you have Netflix there are some great documentaries that explain nutrition (which is 70% of achieving a healthy weight. 30% is exercise). Forks over Knives, Fed Up, Food Nation, etc. Everyone should watch these. Also, what has worked for me is beginning with a detox cleanse (The Conscious Cleanse is a great book). I like it because it resets your body and ELIMINATES unhealthy cravings. It also encourages journaling which helps with the emotional side of overeating. Good luck!!

Hi, I also have PCOS. It caused infertility for me till I lost some weight. I have a hard time holding myself accountable, if I wanted candy I would buy it and then how it from my hubby. Had to tell myself I was only hurting myself no one else.
I also can't afford shakeology so I went on pinterest and found meal plans. I am currently on day 2 of the 3 day military diet. It is super hard, but I am holding myself accountable. Hardest part is making meals for my family and not eating them.
Something my mom did that helped her was posting a picture of herself at a weight she hatednon her fridge. So when she went to snack she would be reminded of her goal. She ended up losing a ton of weight.

Hi Erika! Logging in MFP is the #1 thing that helps me lose weight. I've also purchased one of those step counting watches that helps me gauge my activity level (or usually the lack thereof). I don't go to a gym, but love the FREE youtube videos put out by the FitnessBlender couple. I love pinterest for motivation, but I'm usually eating or drinking while I'm pinning all these motivating things so I'm not sure that's great. Good luck and be consistent!

I don't have much to add that others haven't said. Here's my prescription:

1) Eat at a calorie deficit. Don't "add in" calories that you gain from exercising (unless you're a marathon runner or somesuch....)
2) Log ALL your food. All of it. Cream in your coffee. Ketchup. Dressing. All of it.
3) Weigh and measure your food, don't just estimate.
4) Log in EVERY single day.
5) If you start to get stuck on what to eat, look at other people's diary.
6) Walking is free. Walk to the store, walk to work, walk to school, walk to return a video. Park at the back of the lot.
7) The elevator is now dead to you.
8) Remind yourself that you're trying to find a way of eating/exercising that you'll be comfortable with doing for the rest of your life.
9) Yoga

Feel free to add me!

I'll help! Add me!! My goal is to lose 86lbs. I just started Metformin and im down 8lbs!

airuhka2006 wrote: »

I also should have asked.... What are some of the things that help you guys lose weight? I don't have the money to join the shakeology thing every month and that seems to be what everyone in my area is doing now, though they are already thin and it's hard to see results from that.... What I have seen personally, anyway

You definitely don't need shakeology to loss weight! I don't have PCOS but fertility generally is one of the things motivating me to lose weight. Having a healthy BMI improves fertility, I want a low starting weight for pregnancy and I want to reduce the risk of weight-related complications.

Things which are helping me lose weight:
1) Planning! I plan a week of meals ahead of time, I food prep, I freeze leftovers, I take all my food to work (no excuses to purchase anything extra), I pre-log my food before I eat it so there are no surprises. I also plan out my exercise routine for the week.

2) Consistent logging. Just keep at it, even if you go over your deficit, keep logging.

3) Exercise. It's not necessary to lose weight. But I genuinely enjoy it, it makes me feel more positive about my body and I enjoy the extra calories it buys me. Also muscle definition is awesome.

4) Using measures other than the scale. I also take measurements, progress photos and try on clothes that previously didn't fit. It can really keep me going. A few weeks ago the scale didn't budge for a fortnight and I was feeling discouraged but when I measured myself I'd lost centimetres which gave me a boost.

5) Sleep. I can't do this when I'm sleep deprived. I lose will power, I reach for sugar etc.

6) Identifying and reflecting on patterns, triggers and behaviours which are unhelpful and working to change them bit by bit. For example, Friday night used to be strongly associated with a bottle of wine and a cheese platter. Now I go to a yoga class and take a bubble bath instead. I still really want the wine and cheese, but I'm trying to ingrain new relaxation behaviours and I know yoga makes me feel better than wine does.