Give me your best advice for weight loss!

angella_jacobs93
angella_jacobs93 Posts: 54 Member
edited November 2024 in Getting Started
I am really a beginner in regards to health and fitness and am just looking to see what other people feel helped them the most on their weight loss journey. Thank!

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    A food scale and picking the right entries from the database.
  • tayloralanj
    tayloralanj Posts: 137 Member
    1. Drink water.
    2. Calorie deficit.
  • JaiDessaT
    JaiDessaT Posts: 74 Member
    Start the way you want to finish. If you can't live without having ice cream a few times a week or a daily treat, keep that in mind when planning your calories.

    Reduce calories by 250 per day (so if you are at 2000 per day to maintain, eat 1750 per day) and exercise off the remaining 250. That's a 1 lb per week loss.

    Drink your weight in water each day (aim for it, but don't worry if you don't attain this amount), because your body needs water to flush the toxins your body releases as you lose fat and also needs water to keep your metabolism optimal.

    Start a weight lifting program from day 1. My weeks look similar to this:

    •Mon - upper body (3 - 5 sets of 8 reps)
    •Tues - 20 minutes intervals on recumbent bike
    •Wed - lower body (3 - 5 sets of 8 reps)
    •Thur - 20 mins intervals
    •Fri - upper body (3 - 5 sets of 8 reps)
    •Sat - 20 mins intervals
    •Sun - Rest

    Some people do full body twice a week and cardio daily.

    Get enough protein at each meal. Aim for 30 grams at each meal.

    Take a multivitamin.

    Get solid sleep each night; your body uses this time to heal and build new muscle.

    Here's a cool site I used to get me started
    http://www.nowloss.com/how-to-lose-weight-keep-it-off-permanently.htm

    Whatever method you use, the most important thing is to just get started.
  • MeiannaLee
    MeiannaLee Posts: 338 Member
    Above all, stay positive because your up for a roller coaster of hardwork and struggles!

    There will be days where you just want to cry because your not losing enough, your gaining weight, your stuck, your tired etc! But please just keep moving forward, it will pass <3
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Eat less, move more. Use a food scale to weigh all foods/measuring cups for all liquids. Eat back some of your exercise calories.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    - Weigh and log everything, espically when you're starting out. Doing so for a week without changing your eating right now will give you a baseline to start from and help you identify patterns you need to change.

    - Don't rely on fad diets or anything like that. There are no magic diets or magic foods that will make you lose weight. If you want to try some diet or eating plan, there's nothing wrong with that (as long as it gets your body the nutrition it needs), but if you can't see yourself continuing it for the rest of your life, it's not for you. There are also no evil foods. If you have allergies or sensitivities, that's one thing, but if not, doesn't matter as much WHAT you eat as HOW MUCH you eat. As long as your diet gives your body the nutrients it needs, you can fill it with 'junk' food if you want. You may find you'll be more hungry with that, since high-calorie, low-nutrient foods tend to not be very filling if that's all you're eating, but it's perfectly fine to add them if you have room for them in your day. And if you really REALLY want that cookie or chips, measure out a serving (or go to the gas station to buy a small bag) and fit it into your day.

    - It's ok to start slow. Maybe change one or two things at a time, and give yourself time to adjust to the changes. To lose weight and KEEP it off is a slow process. You're not 'dieting', you're learning better eating habits that will help you stay at your target weight range.

    - Exercise is NOT needed for weight loss. It can help in that it makes you burn more calories, but you can lose weight just fine without it. Now, if you can add some exercise, go ahead because it's good for many other reasons! It's ok to start that slow as well. But if right now you can't or don't want to, focus on controlling your calories in and worry about exercise when you get that under control.


    At the heart of any diet plan out there is the fact that to lose weight, you have to consume less calories than you burn. Distill ANY diet plan and that's the result. HOW you do it is up to you. Some people focus on lowering calories consumed, some focus on burning more calories than they were, a lot of people use a combination. But whatever method you hit that works FOR YOU, make sure it's one you're willing to stay with after you hit your target weight range. If it's not, once you hit that target, you go back to eating like you were and the weight will come back. Retraining your brain and body to what a normal portion of food is and how to split up your calories for the day will help you keep the weight off.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    A food scale and picking the right entries from the database.

    This. A calorie deficit is really all you need - these two items will get you there.
  • ImNancyLynn
    ImNancyLynn Posts: 36 Member
    I agree with Ready2Rock and several other posters above, stay in a deficit and you will lose pounds! Calories in vs calories out. Its quite simple and manageable!
  • BklynFitGuy
    BklynFitGuy Posts: 712 Member
    Make sure to log everything. Condiments, snacks, drinks, log it all!!!
  • Firefly0606
    Firefly0606 Posts: 366 Member
    Yes you must keep a calorie deficit. That's all there is to it. But be careful that it isn't a massive deficit. Your body needs fuel to function - if your deficit is massive, sure you'll lose weight, but won't be giving your body the nutrition it needs to function, repair, build muscle. Starving isn't the way to go.

    Figure out your TDEE (Total daily energy expenditure). That's how many calories your body needs each day to maintain weight. It includes your planned exercise, your work, chasing after kids, grocery shopping - everything. Then eat at a deficit. so if your TDEE is 2500 calories, eat 2000-2200 and you will lose about 1lb per week.

    I like this to help figure it out: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    There are plenty of people on here who are trying to stick to 1200 calories. Each to their own and if that works for them - great! Personally I think that level of intake is practically starvation for most people and is completely not necessary or healthy.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    Never miss a Monday. It sets the tone for the whole week. Even if its just 10 push ups, or a walk, do something!
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    Exercise a little bit almost every day, preferably doing something that you enjoy. It won't burn a ton of calories, and, no, you don't have to do it to lose weight, but it will make you feel good, and help you feel that you are staying focused on your health.
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
    Weigh in everyday, get used to the ups and downs, and keep a weight chart. Then average your weight for the week. I hated the ups until I did this and could see that I was on a downward trend. The ups weren't so bad and the downs made me smile. The average was truth. It helps to then go back and see if you had a heavy salt day or TOM. It's all about learning what works best for you.
  • lemmie177
    lemmie177 Posts: 479 Member
    Find your intrinsic motivation. Once you stop looking externally for motivation, approval, rewards, nothing can touch you.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Do not make something part of your life (or not part of your life) unless you can do it for life. Seriously!!!
    It is a lifestyle change not a change to achieve a short term goal. Be patient and good things will happen and it will stay that way if you do it right.
  • ajff
    ajff Posts: 986 Member
    Be honest with yourself. You can't cheat on yourself!
  • Living360
    Living360 Posts: 223 Member
    Don't give up! When you feel discouraged read the message boards or reach out for support on MFP by typing a message yourself. Do it from now on for a longer, healthier life. Do it for yourself, those you love and those who love you.
  • juliet3455
    juliet3455 Posts: 3,015 Member
    edited October 2015
    @angella_jacobs93 So many great and positive comments from everyone.
    Recognizing the need to make a change is the first step.
    1. Take some Pictures and Body measurements ( personal reference no need to post them ) and refer back to them every 2-3 months. ( I am close to my Goal Weight and my weight has not changed in 3 months but I dropped 2" from my waist :) ).
    2. This is the Great Human Science Experiment and you are the subject, expects wins and defeats. Celebrate the wins, examine/learn from the defeats, flip the page and move on - don't let them drag you down.
      Start slow and make small changes. Big radical changes have proven to be a Roadmap for Failure.
    3. I agree with @dubird about logging for at least a week before you start to adjust your Diet. I didn't do a full week, but looking back it would have been helpful to give me a baseline reference of the Good, Bad and Ugly in my Diet and helps in learning how to log accurately.
    4. You can be successful losing weight without Exercise - But the Long and Short term health benefits of exercise make the effort worth it. Find an exercise that fits you and your life at this time, Weights, Walking, Running, Swimming, Zumba, Yoga etc. Realize that you may need to change/add to your exercise routine slowly overtime and even change out or add a different exercise to the routine - experiment and find what works for you. An exercise Buddy or organized Club help keep you in the grove. I do Body Weight Exercises, Swim, Bike and Run ( Sprint Tri-Athlon ). Fear of re-injuring an old Shoulder/Elbow injury keeps me away from the Free Weights. Not to mention a few hundred calories burned allow you to include a few more servings into your diet without any guilt.
    5. Here are a few links to some of the great Posts that have helped me and many others on this Life Style Change. Most have been stickied in announcement threads at the top of each category.
    http://fit101.org/the-step-by-step-guide-to-losing-weight-with-myfitnesspal/
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-power-of-habit-part-1-why-habits-matter-688130
    It's a lot of information to digest. I have posted this before in other forums so if it looks like a copy, paste and edit - it is.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Get a food scale
    Learn how to weigh everything. Yes , everything.

    Learn how to log it accurately.

    And most important-
    Remember weight loss is about a calorie deficit.

    Eat less then you burn and you'll lose weight.

    Calories in - calories out !!

    No need for fad diets, gimmick pills, shakes, or wraps, and so on.... Just eat at a calorie deficit
  • jeny_h
    jeny_h Posts: 15 Member
    Do your measurements too. Sometimes the scale won't budge but the inches will be coming off. Celebrate all the little victories along the way. Not just what the scale says. This will help keep you motivated and stay on track.
  • NeonStrikeVi
    NeonStrikeVi Posts: 61 Member
    • Food scale, you'll be surprised at how much you overestimate with some foods. Also a measuring jug for liquids (can't live without my Pyrex jug now).
    • Substitute all fizzy drinks with water, including the diet versions. You'll feel much better. I use milk with porridge hence the measuring jug.
    • Don't eat a ridiculously low number of calories, it will slow you down long term when you end up crashing and overeating. 200-300 calories less than your TDEE is enough for most people.
    • Add more fibre to your diet, keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Switching from white bread to wholegrain bread would be an example.
    • Cut down on sugary junk foods like cake, sweets etc. You don't need to eliminate them though, enjoy them as a treat.
    • Eat more fruit and vegetables.
    • Cook your own meals, this way you can accurately log what you eat and you're in control of what goes into what you eat. If you don't have the time to cook every night, dedicate one night per week or even fortnight to cook in bulk and refrigerate/freeze your meals depending on when you intend to eat them. Obviously within a couple of days you refrigerate, and freeze if more than that. Contrary to what some people believe, cooking your own food is actually cheaper than ready made meals and eating out.
    • Accept that some days you will overeat, and learn from your mistakes.
    • Be patient, it's not going to happen overnight.

    This list is what has worked for me. Good luck to you :) .
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