Tips from those who have lost weight??
momtobobby
Posts: 22
I've not been doing this very long and I was just wondering if those of you who have been at it longer or those of you have met or exceeded your weight loss goals would like to list some of your best tips here for us newbies? Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone!
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Replies
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I've not been doing this very long and I was just wondering if those of you who have been at it longer or those of you have met or exceeded your weight loss goals would like to list some of your best tips here for us newbies? Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone!0
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I haven't been at it very long either. But coming here and logging in my food as been a tremendous help !! BE HONEST !! You're only cheating yourself. And every little bit, tidbit and whole heeping bite counts !! i also wear a body bugg. . . just learning to use it too. . . But HONESTY is the best policy and you will see where you are really at in your fitness regimen .
Good LUCK !!0 -
It has been enlightening and a lot of fun
I love to give tips and they are:
1) Log it BEFORE you eat it, this can help you make wise choices
2) Weigh and/or measure everything, my eye was much larger than actual amounts :noway:
Wishing you much success and you CAN do it :drinker:0 -
Hi and good luck :flowerforyou: Here are a few things I do that have helped me:
-drink water and only water (and occaisionally milk)
-Learn to use spices instead of sauces/oils/salt
-Variety! Don't cut out foods just because you think there are lighter options. The biggest example of this is meats- you can still have steak and ham and even bacon, just not in excessive quantities! Chicken breasts get really boring really fast.
-Try new things. There are a zillion different fruits and veggies out there, try them, you might be surprised.
-switch to whole grains. They fill you up and have about a zillion more nutrients in them than white. :drinker:0 -
I have to learned to say I AM doing this not that I can. I drink lots of water. When I have uncontrollable cravings I drink hot tea and it satisfies me. When I crave sweet things I chew gum. Do a workout that you enjoy! Stay positive and come on myfitnesspal often. You'll get motivation as soon as you put in your first few pounds lost. There's nothing like seeing the "lbs. to go" go down!!!
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter0 -
I haven't been at this too long either, about 3 weeks. But I have found logging my exercise first thing in the morning helps me. It gives me my total number of calories so you aren't trying to make up exercise calories later in the day and it helps keep me honest with activity. If I have already logged the exercise and eaten some of the calories, I feel like I HAVE to do it!0
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* Eat it if you want it, but hold yourself accountable.
* Be honest with yourself. Grocery shopping is not exercise (to me).
* Measure your amounts of food.
* Just like getting help to overcome any other problem, tell everyone important of your intentions - so they can help you!
* You gotta get up to get down!!!!
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I have been doing this for about 3 weeks now. I love the calorie counter part of the program and I always drink tons of water. I lost 4 pounds the first week but now it seems that I am not losing anymore. I have been continuing to eat within my calorie range and I workout 4xs- 5xs a week. I run on treadmill for 40 minutes those times and do strength training as well. I am very discouraged because I don't know why it isn't coming off.. My sister said that muscle weighs more than fat and that I am definitely gaining more muscle. She told me to continue working hard and eating right and that it takes time. ALso, I don't eat bread often and haven't had any in 3 weeks, yet I still feel quite bloated. Could I be carrying water weight? Please I am very discouraged and need some encouragement!! 
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sounds like you're doing lots of things right!
You're sister is right, too. It takes TIME. 3 weeks is totally not long enough to get discouraged.0 -
- starting my day with 500ml of water and a mug of green tea (sweetened w/ stevia) before I eat breakfast
- breakfast is my highest-calorie meal of the day and includes oatmeal, egg whites, fruit, flax meal, wheat germ and bee pollen
- I eat every 2-3 hours and include complex carbs and lean protein at EVERY meal
- I drink lots of water and tea
- when I feel hungry I first drink a glass of water then in about 5 to 10 minutes I have my snack
- if my body is sending genuine hunger signals (an actual gurgling stomach and feeling of hunger even if I've had water) I have a small carb & protein snack even if it's outside of my daily calories (apple and skim milk cheese, for example and always including a cup of green tea)
- I DO get all servings of my vegetables and fruits in the day and I vary my protein sources (salmon, bison, tofu, legumes, nuts...)
- I DO NOT put the following into my body
*artificial colours or flavours
*trans fats
*artificial sweeteners
*"diet" products
*refined salt or excess sodium
*refined sugars or flours
- the only sweeteners I use are agave nectar, sucanat (natural raw sugar), honey, maple syrup and fruit
- I get 4-6 days of intense cardio a week and 2-4 days of weight training
- I am becoming very proficient at moving on from lapses in my plan0 -
Work as hard as you play.
Realize what intensity is appropriate for your level of training.
Don't expect immediate results.
Buy a floppy tape measure for when your weight isn't moving.
Drink and eat enough.
Realize that hunger doesn't relate directly to the number of calories you need.0 -
Raechie13: Try also to take your measurements and before photos. I'm having the same problems with (no) results. Change your exercise routine. Add more variations.... I've increased my calorie burn per day. Also just read to try to have a 500 to 800 calorie deficit per day - don't eat all your exercise calories, just some of them.......
Hope this helps, that's what I'm going to try...0 -
Don't give up... no matter how bad today may have been (or yesterday)- tomorrow is a new day. Remember that saying "a year from now, you'll wish you had started today" - it's SOOOOoooooo true. Even if you get frustrated and aren't losing weight as fast as you like, even if you plateau and don't lose any for awhile, even if you gain a few back - time is your friend. half a pound a week, 1 pound a month - it all adds up, it all counts. It didn't get there overnight, it won't fall off overnight either.
OK OK OK - enough - you've heard it all before, I'm sure! But it IS true!!0 -
I always eat breakfast - fruit and oatmeal, and I always walk at least 30 minutes in the morning to get my energy going ASAP.
I often input tomorrow's food today - at least the main dishes/proteins so I can plan around that. Veggies and fruits fit around those higher calorie things, and are generally similar in caloric value to each other so I don't usually decide on my veggies and fruit until I eat them - whatever's in the house. Speaking of which - STOCK UP with plenty of fruits and veggies. There's nothing more boring than eating the same ol veggies everyday... asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, salad fixings, green beans, snow peas... go all out!
I only ever budget 1200 calories (my limit because I'm short) in advance. If I want to eat more than that, I make sure to do the exercise first. So, when I plan out my meals, I only let it get up to 1200. Then, after I exercise, I see how many calories I have left, and that's when I start adding the cheese and chocolate, butter and other nice treats I love...
I'm new to this to, but have been eating a balanced, all natural diet - I was just eating too much food!
Best wishes,
Wendy0 -
i'd recommend:
- starting a food journal
- telling someone close to you about your goals so they can help support you and get you through rough times
- eat what you like, in moderation
- eliminate fast food. yucky poo.0 -
Well, I have only been here for almost 4 weeks but this is what I do:
1.I drink water everyday all day long
2. I measure all of my food
3. I enter all my food before I eat it
4. I exercise everyday0 -
Thanks! I never get close to my extra exercise calories they give me everyday,.... I barely eat the amount of calories that they allow me on a given day....0
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How much fiber/ bread products do those of you that have lost weight eat? I haven't had any bread products, only eat wheat in about 3 weeks0
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Well, 55 lbs and 15 months later, I can say it took me analyzing myself and changing emotionally before I could make permanent physical changes.
Be honest with yourself, sit down and think about WHY you over eat, what are you feeling when the need for food come up. Carry a small notebook and write down how you feel (REALLY feel, no holding back, whatever comes into your head) when you are thinking about food and/or eating.
Many people overeat because of emotional damage. You need to fix the emotional issues if you ever want to fix the physical ones, or at least come to terms with them. Fighting an enemy you can see is far easier then fighting a hidden one.
That being said, take 1 day a week (sundays for me and the wife) and a whole lot of plastic baggies, and make all your snacks and as many lunches you can ahead of time. I have bags and bags of cheese cubes (I cut them, saves me about 3 bucks and takes like 5 minutes), almonds, carrots and sugar snap peas, and whole wheat pretzel sticks in single serving baggies. When I go to work, I grab what I need (and a container of my wifes low cal, turkey chilli...mmmmm) to work and I get exactly what I need to make it through the day and not eat like crap. This whole process takes about 2 hours on a sunday. No sweat, easy, tasty, and very very good for you.
Also, Be honest with yourself, Just becuase something is a "100 calorie pack" doesn't mean its GOOD for you. I can eat 100 calories of powdered sugar, and boy would I like to, but it's not a GOOD 100 calories, nor are 100 calorie chips ahoy cookies, don't kid yourself, eating healthy means keeping the "middle Isle" food to a minimum.0 -
*Always start your day with a good, filling, healthy breakfast. During the week, I have a chocolate protein shake with some instant coffee, sugar-free french vanilla creamer and almond extract mixed in (sometimes half a frozen banana, too) and a light multigrain Thomas' english muffin - keeps me full till 10:30 or 11 from 7 a.m. On the weekend, I'll have two eggs with some sage, chopped green peppers, chopped portabella mushrooms and an english muffin with water. Yum!
*Always drink at least 8 glasses of water per day - more if you exercise (1 glass extra for every 15 min's of exercise) and more if you have over your daily alotted sodium.
*Eat 5-6 small meals per day.
*Fill up on fiber and protein.
*Cut out sodium-filled foods - they make you retain water.
*Weigh yourself once a week at the same time per day, preferably butt-nekkid. :laugh:
*Remember that your weight does fluctuate throughout the day! Don't get down if you found you've gained a pound or two and have been doing everything right - it's probably water weight. Drink more water!
*I know this is going to sound cliche... but, love yourself. I didn't get the true meaning of this until only a few days ago. I always thought... well, duh, of course I love me. But, before I started my weightloss, I would eat lots of bad-for-me foods. I wasn't taking care of my body and that translated into not really having a true love for myself. Now, when I eat, I think... hey! This food is really fueling my body, it's making my skin and my hair look better, it's making me feel better and it's making all my insides work the way they're supposed to! Now that is loving and taking care of yourself.
*Do other self-care things: take a little extra time to slather on some moisturizer after a shower, use a moisturizer with SPF for your face, get a pedicure/manicure/both!, schedule a spa day as a treat after a certain amount of weightloss, get a new haircut/dye!
*Don't reward yourself with food.
*Eat the things you love in moderation! I've found that a teeny BITE or DRINK of something I used to have will satisfy my craving and I won't want any more for a while. But, if I truly want pizza... I limit myself to one slice instead of the 4 or 5 I used to have.
*This one may be kinda weird, but I drink a lot of water with my meals. I try to take a sip after almost every bite. I've found (and maybe this is just me) that it kinda cleanses my palate and each bite tastes new and I can really taste the food I'm eating!
*FINALLY... stick with a support group. Mainly MFP.
:flowerforyou: Everyone here is wonderful.
Hahaha, okay, that's enough! So I haven't lost as much as most people here... but I am continually educating myself and learning new things about my body... maybe one day I'll write a book!!0 -
That being said, take 1 day a week (sundays for me and the wife) and a whole lot of plastic baggies, and make all your snacks and as many lunches you can ahead of time. I have bags and bags of cheese cubes (I cut them, saves me about 3 bucks and takes like 5 minutes), almonds, carrots and sugar snap peas, and whole wheat pretzel sticks in single serving baggies. When I go to work, I grab what I need (and a container of my wifes low cal, turkey chilli...mmmmm) to work and I get exactly what I need to make it through the day and not eat like crap. This whole process takes about 2 hours on a sunday. No sweat, easy, tasty, and very very good for you.
I do this same thing! I have a big bowl in the cupboard with all these little snack baggies of pretzels, cereals, and crackers! My husband laughs at me, but you do save money that way - and lots of time and calories during the week!
PS - is this who I think it is??? with a different name???0 -
bumpin this to re-read and respond abit later:drinker: :bigsmile:0
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Awesome tips! Thank you everybody, it helps us beginners to see stuff like this
As for my tips,
-I stay hydrated with water, green tea, and sometimes skim milk. To do this, I just continually carry a water bottle around with me to remind myself. It's 20 fl oz, and I know I have to refill it 3 more times everyday.
-I buy light versions of what I love. For instance, I love chocolate. So instead of downing a snickers, I have a Hershey's Stick in extra dark 70% Cacao for only 60 calories. Bonus, it's big enough for the craving
-Everybody is right, log your excercise and food beforehand, you'll feel more compelled to do it.
-If you can't find time to excercise everyday, at least take a walk.
-Whatever you do, don't starve yourself or make yourself miserable
Good luck!0 -
saving it - great info, everyone 0
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Eggs for Breakfast and String cheese at snack helps keep hunger away.
I always eat ALL of my exercise calories.
Occationally treat youself (this is where I've fallen short since Thanksgiving, I've been treating myself, but not occationally:bigsmile: )0 -
All I eat is fruits and veggies.. i don't eat fast food or sweets and i only drink about 8-10 glasses of water.... i do exercise and burn 400 calories + about 5xs a week.... i just was asking about the fiber intake because i don't seem to have a BM as often as I used to.. what can i do to help with that??:sad:0
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Don't EVER try to rush yourself. Be reasonable. It took me my whole life to get to my weight... 20 years when I started. So, I'll take my time losing too. If you don't rush yourself it lets you make the change gradually to yourself... sudden changes tend to lead to relapse. However gradual changes are easy to maintain.
Also, reward yourself liberally. Come up with a road map of gifts to get yourself when you hit each of your goals. And I'm not talking just weight loss goals - heck, a goal could be making sure to eat 3 meals a day for a week, month, year straight. Everything you do to improve your health should be rewarded.
Finally, take it easy on yourself. Don't beat yourself up if you just *have* to have a piece of chocolate cake. The fact is, you're trying to change your life into what you want it to be. Do you want it to be slavery and deprivation, or a fun trip to remember? Let yourself be human and enjoy the ride. It really isn't that hard to do, it all comes down to math - math which MFP makes easy for you 0 -
Bananas, fiber 1 cereal. Should have about 28g per day, otherwise eat more complex carbs and protein.0
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:happy:
Wow...thanks everyone who has responded with your tips! These really help! Good luck to everyone and keep up the good work!0 -
i have just really cut back on my portion sizes i NEVER drink water since joining the site ihave lost 7 pounds 11 since starting the diet and i have only had 2 count them 2 bottles of water in that time i cant stand the taste of the stuff not even the flavored one it all taste like radishes to me and i hate radishes but i live on diet dr pepper0
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