What's working for everyone else?

I"m with you. .

For me, just using this site is all I've done so far. I log the good days and the bad. Over time, I seem to be having more good days then bad ones.

Well, I started at 300lbs and a UK size 24, I don't know what that is in US sizes. Now, I'm down 39lbs and I can fit comfortably in an 18 or I can get into a 16 although that's a little on the tight side. So I'm down 3-4 sizes.

As for what's working, just cutting down portion sizes and keeping track of calories has helped me. That and getting into exercising for the first time in my life.

Tell us more about your diet or open your diary so we can see where you are at!

But just in general, try to limit processed food and fast food, stay away from soda and carbonated and cafeine drinks. Exercise, get lots of lean protein, fiber and water are all very important.

I cut my calories to 1200 a day, that wasnt enough food for me, so i started exercising to give me more calories to eat. Since stating on here i have experimented in the kitchen and can easily make extremely filling meals under 1200 calories a day now. and i keep the family happy at he same time. But the thing that has changed the most is I am happier now.

3 things work:

water water water -- drink at least 8 glasses a day. Don't be afraid to drink more if it's hot out or you're being active.
plan plan plan -- fill in your food diary for the day in the morning. Know what you're going to eat before you eat it.
move move move -- even if it's just cleaning your house, get some physical activity in every day.

Good luck!

What Julie said!

Also...

eat eat eat -- eat enough to fuel your body. Not too much, obviously, but your body is a machine that NEEDS fuel. Food is fuel.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/246100-tom-experiment-preliminary-results?hl=TOM+experiment - Our bodies are WEIRD! Took me a while to figure out how weird. :happy:

Fresh fruits and veggies. And more fresh fruits and veggies. The people I see who lose and keep it off are the ones whose diets are healthy. Stocking up on "diet" foods and calorie-dense foods doesn't seem to work for the long haul.

I've lost 74 pounds - most of it in the 10 months before last October. This is the first time I've maintained - ever. It's easy to lose the weight (I've done it many times!) and harder to maintain. I'm getting rolling on losing more weight now - another 30 or so pounds. (To me, that's close to goal! :laugh: ) The difference is in the amount of fruits and veggies I'm eating.

BTW, I didn't like veggies much until I learned to cook them right. I use fresh veggies, coat them in a little olive oil (maybe 1/2 t) and roast them at 475-500 for 15 minutes. (Asparagus takes just 8-9 minutes.) I've found that I love lots of veggies. I'd only eaten them "frozen fresh" before. Yech. I love them fresh. Raw in salads is great too.

This is the perfect time of year to tackle your weight. Good luck!

I'm like you.. I started out at 180, but was 170 when I started MFP. I used to be a 6, could fit into a size 8 but even that was cutting it close, and really fit into a size 10.

Since January I have lost 20 pounds and now sit at 160. How I did was eating better and cutting out a lot of the processed crap, working out 4 to 5 days a week, and not stressing. The more that you stress about your weight the harder it will be to lose.. or at least it is for me.

As a newbie, your first step is figuring out how the site works, and setting some weight loss goals. Below are the links to answers of common questions new folks tend to have. There are sort of long so reserve for leisure reading …:bigsmile:

Once you are comfortable with how everything works, what people tend to focus on first is understanding their calorie intake and eating habits. That’s at least a month. You will lose while you’re doing it, but if you are honest with your diary you learn some very useful things about yourself. Your eating patterns, where you can make small changes, what tends to put you over etc. Once they are done with the calorie control, they move to exercise. Understanding your strong and weak physical capabilities etc.

There is TONS of advice on here. Be cautious. Weight loss is highly personal and while there are some good “general rules” to follow, as the adverts on TV always say “individual results may vary.” There is no one size fits all. So, it’s important to know what works best for YOU! And the only way to do so, is to give things a try. Set a variety of goals, not just weight loss (e.g. inches in waist, hips, thighs, daily water intake, daily carb/protein intake, running mph, workouts per week etc) they tend to help keep the motivation longer and help you find what works for you faster.

Lastly, don’t forget that it will take time. So make changes you know you can make permanent.
Feel free to add me.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

I was just under 150 when I started and wore a 10/12 so you must carry the weight really well!! Here's what has worked for me:

1 - I'm on 1300 calories a day and I eat back any calories I burn exercising
2 - I drink more than 8 glasses of water a day
3 - My calories come from 40% protein, 30-35% carbs and 25-30% fats
4 - Right now my only exercise is running about 3-4x a week but I'm about to add in some strength training which I highly recommend
5 - I maintain my sodium under 1500mg per day
6 - I avoid as much junk and/or processed foods as I can although I'm not perfect (my diary is open if you want to check it out)

Wow, how on earth do you or anyone keep sodium under 1500? I can't keep it under 2000 on most days!! And I know that is part of my slow weightloss.

What has worked with me is excersie and eating healthy. I try and consume at least 1,400-1,600 calories a day. I work out at least 4-5 times a week faithfully. I drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. I also try and consume a max. of 30 grams of Fat a day. I also talk to myself in a nice tone, I not mean to myself. Once you understand weight loss is a journey, not a quick fix you will begin to free yourself. If I choose to go out with my boyfriend and have an "unhealthy" meal once in a while, I don't kick myself for it. Once you start seeing and feeling results, your weight loss journey will get easier. Remember, its ok to fall, it's not getting back up that is the problem. When you learn to love yourself and put yourself 1st, everyone around you will benefit.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Dont be afraid to dump some food out I use to clean my kids plates instead of making my own and I really put on the pounds that way . {its crazy }

I was just under 150 when I started and wore a 10/12 so you must carry the weight really well!! Here's what has worked for me:

1 - I'm on 1300 calories a day and I eat back any calories I burn exercising
2 - I drink more than 8 glasses of water a day
3 - My calories come from 40% protein, 30-35% carbs and 25-30% fats
4 - Right now my only exercise is running about 3-4x a week but I'm about to add in some strength training which I highly recommend
5 - I maintain my sodium under 1500mg per day
6 - I avoid as much junk and/or processed foods as I can although I'm not perfect (my diary is open if you want to check it out)

Wow, how on earth do you or anyone keep sodium under 1500? I can't keep it under 2000 on most days!! And I know that is part of my slow weightloss.

It's not easy some days! Feel free to look at my diary if you like. I'm sure there are days I go over but I work hard not to most of the time.