What are your Top 3 Tips?

1. Be gentle: increase exercise *in*moderation*. Reduce calories *in*moderation*.
2. Have your basic numbers down -- know not only how many calories are in your food (and write these down), but also approximately how many calories you expend, at your current weight, through normal daily activity and through exercise, how many you will be eating once you've arrived at your goal, how big a calorie deficit you're running...
3. Eat real food, the kind you can see yourself eating for the rest of your life -- just a little less of it.

BONUS TIP: If you are in a situation where you can't easily stick to your plan (restaurant, party, family celebration...) ask yourself how a fit/thin/athletic [insert your goal here] person would handle the situation and model your approach on that.

I think they are don't go under 1200 cal/day. Eat within one hour of getting up in am and getting 7 hours of sleep. Also be sure and drink water and exercise.

Hello!
My tips are:

Drink plenty of water!! drink at least half of your body weight in oz!
Cut sodium intake, when using salt don't use table salt b/c it is refine and as been strip of all it's nutrients and minerals, buy sea salt and not the white sea salt either cause it has been through the same process by natural sea salt it is a light brown in color and has all the nutrients and minerals that you body needs to help balance itself.
And last but not least this is one I just started a few weeks ago and I already see a difference! Cut back on your process foods and your fast food, the only thing I really eat that is process is breads and ice cream for they are my weakness :blushing: they all have hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in them and high fructose corn syrup, process foods contains no fiber at all, so these simple carbs convert right into sugar in your bloodstream they have no fiber to help in the aid of slowing down digestion and releasing the sugar slowly!
And again drink plenty of water!:drinker: hope this helps!

Don't go on a 'diet'...its a lifestyle change! This is the way I eat and the way I exercise everyday. Not just till I reach a certain weight.

Don't use just the number on the scale to gauge your progress. The way your clothes fit, how much stronger you feel are all great indicators as well!!

Eating healthy is NOT HARD. Im sick of hearing that lol. It just takes time to adjust. Try small changes to your diet at first because changing everything at once is a recipe for disaster!! For example the first week cut down on your pop consumption. Or make your sandwiches with mustard instead of mayo...baby steps so you dont get frustrated and give up!

So true, I it!!!

Just like everyone else said-

WATER
Don't give up, or let one bad meal/day get you down!
Utilize all of the resources here at MFP! I honestly check this more now than facebook, because I actually CARE what people here are doing or saying!!

What are your Top 3 Tips for losing weight?

1. Make sure you burn more than you eat (or eat less than you burn). That sounds very simple, but with hundreds or thousands of different diet plans out there it really all boils down to that. Eat less than you burn and you'll lose weight. Don't and you won't. Period.

2. Realize that you're going to have bad days. The key is not to let a bad day turn into a bad weekend, or a bad weekend into a bad week, or a bad week into a bad month. Have your bad day when you have it and then get back on track the next day.

3. Losing weight is like running uphill. It's hard. Sometimes very hard. Just put your head down and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually, if you don't give up, you'll get to the top of your hill.

Workout first thing in the morning, you lose weight more quickly, set yourself up for a good day of eating and you won't make excuses at night that you are too tired to work out.

Drink Water

Get enough sleep. Your body will refuse to shed weigh if you have not had enough sleep.

I know this is number 4 but write or in this case type, EVERYTHING you eat! Even that Krispy Kreme donut(like I did 2 yesterday my birthday and i logged it . And don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day. You just need to learn what works and what does not!.

You CAN do it!

I could probably list a lot more then 3, but here are my top 3

1) Watch the sodium! The lower I keep my sodium the more steadily I lose!
2) Exercise, even on the days you don't feel like it
3) Don't be obsessed with the number on the scale, just worry about being healthier and more active. Stick to it and the scale will move

Oh, and I totally think the MOST important advice was posted above: don't see this as a diet, but a lifestyle change.

When my goal has been online to diet and lose weight, I've failed. This time, for some crazy reason, it's stuck and it doesn't feel like much of a challenge. I think it's b/c my goal is more mindful, more internal, and more than just weight loss. My goal is to be in touch with my body, treat it well, and help it perform.

1. Understand portions, and log everything honestly in myfitnesspal
2. Mix in strength training to keep that metabolism ramped up
3. Do fun cardio to keep yourself motivated

Side note: Remember to log your weight in myfitnesspal, so it updates your calorie requirements accordingly. Otherwise you'll be eating an amount off food appropriate for your old weight instead of your current weight, and you'll plateau.