NEW NEW NEW!

Welcome!!

Welcome aboard!!

take it one day at a time, keep your head up, focus on the positives, have a positive outlook and stick with it.

I've adapted MFP to work like WeightWatchers, here's how:

-Allow yourself 2,000 extra calories to go over comfortably. This is the "allowance" points system.
-keep track of your overages in the notes section, 2,000 over a week is completely acceptable
-to compensate, only count half of your exercise calories for eating
-keep a spreadsheet file to track overages, weightloss, etc. I can email you a blank version of the one I use if you like.
-try to weigh in only once a week. I weigh-in on Monday, but I have a "last chance weigh-in" on Tuesday if I feel I can reverse a gain in a day

If you're over calories early in the day, don't starve yourself to "catch up". Just eat as you normally would and try to do better the next day.

Exercise is important, but do something you enjoy doing. I disagree with the "no pain no gain" approach of _Biggest Loser_ and other programs. Eating healthy foods can be rewarding once you adapt to them. There are plenty of good flavors offered from plants and vegetables. Things like frozen strawberries with nutrasweetener are tasty and extremely low calorie. 2 baked potatoes with ketchup and mustard instead of butter or sour cream can be very filling.

A purchase like a popcorn popper can save you lots of money, even better if you adjust to non-flavored popcorn. It's also a great source of protein.

Learn to make substitutions instead of eating things that are generally unhealthy. Low-fat yogurt, fat-free dressing, low-fat cheese or cheese sticks, healthy bread, etc. It's more expensive though.

Good luck. Don't be let down by a bad week. Don't think of a diet as giving up something. Look at it as a life-style change. You can still enjoy good foods if you change your palette to natural foods. Nothing can be done overnight. Make gradual changes and count things accurately.

If you hit a plateau for an extended period, you're probably not counting your calories correctly, or you're not getting enough exercise. We can fool ourselves that that cup of trail mix *really* isn't about 400 calories. Keep tracking your calories even when you're having an off day. It will help you learn your habits and what triggers a binge.

Read _the no sweat guide to weightloss_. It can pick you up on downer days.

no soda.!!!!! & lots of waterrr=]