What is the best advice you have heard so far on your journey? Im looking forward to reading these

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  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 667 Member
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    1)set your goal for 1/2 lb a week so that when you hit goal you are close to what your maintenance calories will be and won't have a "jump" in calories which may cause weight gain, plus makes this a sustainable lifestyle and not a "diet". This one was huge for me because I came on MFP with the last 10-12 lbs to lose and had my goal set at 1 1/2 lbs loss per week. I was starving and not losing an ounce. After 3 weeks a lovely lady on these boards told me to change my goal to 1/2 lb per week which meant eating MoRE food. I was skeptical because I was accustomed to starving for weight loss. Now 12 weeks later I'm down 7 lbs and only 4 lbs from my goal weight. Lowest weight in 15 years and it's sustainable because I'm EATING!
    2)Food scale. Weigh Everything!
    3)if you mess up a meal, a day, a week no matter just keep going and logging. I've had really bad days of going over calories huge. I logged it and kept going and still lost weight.
    4)log honestly...you are fooling no one and can use the REAL data later to evaluate your progress or lack of progress.
    5)Doesn't matter what or when you eat as long as you hit you calorie goal in a consistent basis you will lose weight
    6)you can eat fat, carbs , cookies, candy, whatever and still lose weight (that is unless something triggers a binge for you then DONT keep it in the house!!)
    7) the latest fad diet will cause you to lose weight but is it the way you intend to eat forever? Realistically? If the answer is no then you probably are going to gain the weight back. I stopped drinking alcohol because I could see a life without those calories. Give up Hershey's? Not realistic for me. Cut back yes, give up NO!
    8)You can lose weight without exercise but probably won't like the way your skin looks. Counting calories is for weight loss, exercise is for firming, toning.
    I've learned SO much on MFP. I now understand weight loss. There is nothing mystical about it even though the diet industry would like your pocketbook to think so.

  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,834 Member
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    "stop being so obsessed with weighing, measuring and logging. It really makes you not a whole lot of fun to be around." - said by my 19 year old son

    So, don't make yourself crazy :wink:
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Just don't quit. Everything else, you can sort out along the way.
  • jana_knowles
    jana_knowles Posts: 22 Member
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    You need to consume 3500 calories above maintenance to gain a pound. The scale may bounce higher because of fluid retention associated with higher glycogen levels after that big carb day you had, but it's definitely NOT a pound of fat. Calm the eff down.
    I'm sorry but that's just to funny. Haha
  • girls_read_comics
    girls_read_comics Posts: 46 Member
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    tracyannk28 wrote: »
    "stop being so obsessed with weighing, measuring and logging. It really makes you not a whole lot of fun to be around." - said by my 19 year old son

    So, don't make yourself crazy :wink:



    So this! I hated going out to dinner and spending time on my phone
  • girls_read_comics
    girls_read_comics Posts: 46 Member
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    frankiesgirlie wrote: »
    1)set your goal for 1/2 lb a week so that when you hit goal you are close to what your maintenance calories will be and won't have a "jump" in calories which may cause weight gain, plus makes this a sustainable lifestyle and not a "diet". This one was huge for me because I came on MFP with the last 10-12 lbs to lose and had my goal set at 1 1/2 lbs loss per week. I was starving and not losing an ounce. After 3 weeks a lovely lady on these boards told me to change my goal to 1/2 lb per week which meant eating MoRE food. I was skeptical because I was accustomed to starving for weight loss. Now 12 weeks later I'm down 7 lbs and only 4 lbs from my goal weight. Lowest weight in 15 years and it's sustainable because I'm EATING!
    2)Food scale. Weigh Everything!
    3)if you mess up a meal, a day, a week no matter just keep going and logging. I've had really bad days of going over calories huge. I logged it and kept going and still lost weight.
    4)log honestly...you are fooling no one and can use the REAL data later to evaluate your progress or lack of progress.
    5)Doesn't matter what or when you eat as long as you hit you calorie goal in a consistent basis you will lose weight
    6)you can eat fat, carbs , cookies, candy, whatever and still lose weight (that is unless something triggers a binge for you then DONT keep it in the house!!)
    7) the latest fad diet will cause you to lose weight but is it the way you intend to eat forever? Realistically? If the answer is no then you probably are going to gain the weight back. I stopped drinking alcohol because I could see a life without those calories. Give up Hershey's? Not realistic for me. Cut back yes, give up NO!
    8)You can lose weight without exercise but probably won't like the way your skin looks. Counting calories is for weight loss, exercise is for firming, toning.
    I've learned SO much on MFP. I now understand weight loss. There is nothing mystical about it even though the diet industry would like your pocketbook to think so.

    You have so much great advice this should be a blog post!
  • mingle287
    mingle287 Posts: 44 Member
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    My favorite one is "progress...not perfection"
  • wonko221
    wonko221 Posts: 292 Member
    edited November 2015
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    frankiesgirlie wrote: »
    1)set your goal for 1/2 lb a week so that when you hit goal you are close to what your maintenance calories will be and won't have a "jump" in calories which may cause weight gain, plus makes this a sustainable lifestyle and not a "diet". This one was huge for me because I came on MFP with the last 10-12 lbs to lose and had my goal set at 1 1/2 lbs loss per week. I was starving and not losing an ounce. After 3 weeks a lovely lady on these boards told me to change my goal to 1/2 lb per week which meant eating MoRE food. I was skeptical because I was accustomed to starving for weight loss. Now 12 weeks later I'm down 7 lbs and only 4 lbs from my goal weight. Lowest weight in 15 years and it's sustainable because I'm EATING!
    2)Food scale. Weigh Everything!
    3)if you mess up a meal, a day, a week no matter just keep going and logging. I've had really bad days of going over calories huge. I logged it and kept going and still lost weight.
    4)log honestly...you are fooling no one and can use the REAL data later to evaluate your progress or lack of progress.
    5)Doesn't matter what or when you eat as long as you hit you calorie goal in a consistent basis you will lose weight
    6)you can eat fat, carbs , cookies, candy, whatever and still lose weight (that is unless something triggers a binge for you then DONT keep it in the house!!)
    7) the latest fad diet will cause you to lose weight but is it the way you intend to eat forever? Realistically? If the answer is no then you probably are going to gain the weight back. I stopped drinking alcohol because I could see a life without those calories. Give up Hershey's? Not realistic for me. Cut back yes, give up NO!
    8)You can lose weight without exercise but probably won't like the way your skin looks. Counting calories is for weight loss, exercise is for firming, toning.
    I've learned SO much on MFP. I now understand weight loss. There is nothing mystical about it even though the diet industry would like your pocketbook to think so.

    Great advice here!

    I like your reasoning for setting the goal weight at 1/2 lb per week, but came at this slightly differently.

    Early on in finding MFP, I looked at my "goal weight" maintenance calories to get a picture of how horribly restrictive my healthy life would be. I was surprised (DELIGHTED) to learn that healthy me would actually be enjoying a very reasonable number of calories each day. Plenty to incorporate my favorite foods, if mindfully eaten.

    And that is what kicked me into success mode - coming to terms with the fact that my enemy wasn't food; it wasn't a food addiction; it wasn't some dark struggle against uncontrollable compulsions. It was bad habits. It was little things. It was dealing with depression by munching french fries, and grabbing sugary drinks when i was thirsty, instead of water. It was being mindless about how i was treating this magnificent machine that is my body.

    I have set my daily goal at the maintenance for my goal weight, and am making slow, steady progress. I am happy, and feeling good, and already satisfied with the eating patterns that i'll stick to when i'm "done."

    I can still have those high-calorie foods, from time to time. But i'll be mindful in portions, and i'll make concessions elsewhere to buy that wiggle room.

    If i am out with friends and binge a little, that's fine. Didn't get fat in a day; a long life of my new healthy habits will smooth out this one wrinkle - as long as i don't make it an excuse to develop a pattern.

    As to the original poster - great thread! Thanks for getting folks to share these. In addition to the nuggets of wisdom already listed that have helped me greatly, i'll add in one that helped me break a bad eating habit:
    • Don't let guilt lead you to "clean your plate!" The extra food on your plate is already wasted, but you don't need to let it harm your body, too.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    "It isn't a holiday season, it's only 3 days, so enjoy the 3 days but don't make them 2 months" (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas).
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    It's all just one big, long, experiment. Try something for a while, if it works, keep at it, if it doesn't, reassess.
  • scyian
    scyian Posts: 243 Member
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    Buy a digital food scale. Log honestly and don't beat yourself up over one bad day, just move on. Stop calling it a diet, it's a permanent change in your eating habits and it has to be sustainable and enjoyable.
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    satanicbunny wrote: »
    For me it was

    A day of junk food will not make you fat
    Just like a day of salads will not make you fit

    I have a difficult time being nice to myself and letting myself make mistakes.

    Think of where you could be if you had started a year ago today.

    That was probably the most motivational and helpful thing that got me started and helped me change my life.
  • ejcanavan
    ejcanavan Posts: 52 Member
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    That food that is good for you can't taste good too. I used to cringe at the thought of another chicken breast or can of tuna. Now I play more with trying new recipes and it has made me enjoy making my meals, not dread them.
  • girls_read_comics
    girls_read_comics Posts: 46 Member
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    ejcanavan wrote: »
    That food that is good for you can't taste good too. I used to cringe at the thought of another chicken breast or can of tuna. Now I play more with trying new recipes and it has made me enjoy making my meals, not dread them.

    When i eat food I do not like it makes me eat double at the next " good" meal
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    You need to consume 3500 calories above maintenance to gain a pound. The scale may bounce higher because of fluid retention associated with higher glycogen levels after that big carb day you had, but it's definitely NOT a pound of fat. Calm the eff down.

    Thank you for this. This is just what I needed to read today.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I heard this long before I needed to lose weight, but the best advice I've heard was from Nike. "Just Do It"

    It's brilliant advice.

    I can't think of anything else I've been told that has been helpful.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    be disciplined
    be consistent
    be patient
  • Tigg_er
    Tigg_er Posts: 22,001 Member
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    tracyannk28 wrote: »
    "stop being so obsessed with weighing, measuring and logging. It really makes you not a whole lot of fun to be around." - said by my 19 year old son

    So, don't make yourself crazy :wink:

    Some truth to this !
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,834 Member
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    satanicbunny wrote: »
    tracyannk28 wrote: »
    "stop being so obsessed with weighing, measuring and logging. It really makes you not a whole lot of fun to be around." - said by my 19 year old son

    So, don't make yourself crazy :wink:



    So this! I hated going out to dinner and spending time on my phone

    yeah - in hindsight I shouldn't have been so OCD (as many of us get when it comes to logging). The weight would have come off even if I didn't get the exact amount of mustard correct on the food scale.
  • girls_read_comics
    girls_read_comics Posts: 46 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    be disciplined
    be consistent
    be patient

    I am not patient

    Very veruca salt

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