Could use advice!

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singer88645
singer88645 Posts: 1 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hey guys! I have decided to start my weight loss journey and could use some help! I have about 50 pounds to lose so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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  • gabrielangulo
    gabrielangulo Posts: 3 Member
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    Keep going, the beggining is Always Hard but it worth!!!
  • Jack_NYC
    Jack_NYC Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm new so I'll defer to experienced members, but here's what had me off to a good start.

    1. I used my age, sex, and current weight to set a healthy goal weight. https://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/ideal-healthy-weight
    2. I put that goal weight and a few more stats into MyFitnessPal to calculate my daily calorie and exercise goals. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided
    3. I went shopping for fruits, veggies, and lean meats/fish to make sure I would always have a healthy meal planned.
    4. I started logging all my food and exercise daily. Actually I've been able to plan ahead, so I pre-log all my food at the start of the day, including snacks--if it's not in the plan I don't eat it.

    I wish you much success and welcome you to the MFP community!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    I did a lot of reading at the start. I learned from people who have been here a long time and been successful. There are some great threads stickied at the top of the getting started and general weight loss boards. Then I played around with my own numbers to figure out what would work for me. I'm nearly half way through a 92lb loss. But it's taken time to get it right.

    Don't label foods as good and bad. Don't beat yourself up for having a high cal day. I had a day that was around 4700 cals a few weeks back. Back to normal the next day. It happens. As of today, that day had little/no impact. Of course, that's not a common occurrence, but there's no point in being mad about it.

    I know that if I want volume for low cals, I need to eat veggies. If I want something that will keep me feeling full, it's proteins and fats. Many people preplan their day, and there is nothing wrong with that. I rarely do, but I know approximately where my cals are for each of the foods, and I leave some for snacking in the evening, so it's easy to just eat what's remaining. For exercise, find something that you enjoy doing. Swim, kickbox, jog, lift weights, yoga, etc. There are so many options, and you will be more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it. Exercise is not necessary for weight loss, but it will give you a few extra calories to eat. I also like how I feel when I workout regularly.

    Have patience. This is a process and it takes time. Don't be scared to go out to a restaurant and enjoy your life along the way. For me, I want to build habits that I can keep once I have finished losing. I want to go to a movie and have popcorn. I want to go to a restaurant and have a steak. I want to have the occasional beer after a stressful day. I want to learn how to incorporate that in now, so that when I finish losing, I already know how it fits into my life.

    Much of what I'm saying here is personal preferences. You need to figure out what works for you!
  • marolaissa198
    marolaissa198 Posts: 16 Member
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    I recommend drinking lots of water before each meal, that helps fill you up and you will still be satisfied with the smaller portions. The first 3 days are the hardest but it gets easy as your body gets used to it! If you reach the maximum calories for the day, snack on sugar free Jell-O (10 calories per one serving). Also, get the high fiber low carb wraps (LaTortilla factory brand = 100 calories per wrap). Best of luck!
  • HippyGal2
    HippyGal2 Posts: 3 Member
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    I agree.
  • Jack_NYC
    Jack_NYC Posts: 64 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Exercise is not necessary for weight loss, but it will give you a few extra calories to eat. I also like how I feel when I workout regularly.

    Yes! I find both the extra calories and that good post-workout feeling to be very motivating.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Jack_NYC wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Exercise is not necessary for weight loss, but it will give you a few extra calories to eat. I also like how I feel when I workout regularly.

    Yes! I find both the extra calories and that good post-workout feeling to be very motivating.

    I feel stronger, more energetic, and actually sleep much better. I also feel more balanced. Like I don't want to kick and punch things as much, but I suspect that's the kickboxing. :laugh:

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