Help I am a beginner

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galindoamn
galindoamn Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I am excited and scared to start my journey in losing weight and getting healthy. I found that I turned to food in need for comfort, which I definitely need to find a different outlight to channel my emotions. My goal is to lose 25-30 lbs. I am seeking any suggestions on how it is the best way to get started.

Thank you

Replies

  • skinnyminnie17
    skinnyminnie17 Posts: 1 Member
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    Looks like the challenges get lots of ppl together to motivate each other. Might want to find a challenge that will help.
  • Leoturi
    Leoturi Posts: 49 Member
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    The best suggestion I can ever give would be to get a food scale. Can get one pretty well priced. Start weighing things and keeping track. You will find you can have your comfort foods and still be able to stay on track for losing weight. I've been doing it for about a month or so now, and I've already lost 15 pounds. I still eat what I enjoy, just in better moderation. I hope this helps.
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
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    Plug your numbers into MFP. Eat the amount of calories it tells you to. Since you don't have that much to lose, select at most 1lbs loss per week.

    If you exercise, add that in as well, but be mindful that the numbers are not accurate for everyone. It is recommended that you only eat back between 50%-75% of what you earn exercising. Then if you lose faster than expected, eat more. If you lose slower than expected, eat less. Just be aware that weight-loss will not necessarily be linear. You might have weeks where you lose nothing and weeks where you lose double what you expect.

    Also, be as accurate as possible with logging your food. Make sure you pick accurate entries in the database (most are user submitted and some are hair-raisingly inaccurate). Weighing calorie dense foods on a food scale will always be more accurate than using measuring spoons and cups (peanut butter and nutella are rather disappointing when you weigh out the serving size...)

    Eat the things you like. Use MFP as a tool to learn what serving sizes are appropriate for you. If you feel hungry (hungrier than you can deal with), play around with the composition of your meals. Personally I do very well with higher carbs and lower fats. But I also have loads of trouble digesting fats due to my lack of a gallbladder. You can also play around with when you eat. For example, I eat very light in the morning and keep some calories budgeted for an after dinner snack. Others prefer to eat loads in the morning but then only light in the evening. It all comes down to what works for you.

    Also, read through the stickies, there's loads of useful information there.

    And lastly: life happens. Don't beat yourself up if you're less than perfect. Keep going and be consistent.

    Best of luck.
  • gophermatt
    gophermatt Posts: 129 Member
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    I would only add that you may want to find a different intentional reaction to stress and emotional situations. Healthy eight loss takes time, and surely those situations will come up during your path to your goal.

    If food is a help to you in those times, you're not alone. The real trouble with unhealthy stress reactions (food, alcohol, cigarettes, other) is that when the stressors subside you're left with an unhealthy but reinforced behavior.

    A licensed therapist might help if it's hard to change that behavior, or help you navigate particularly challenging stresses or situations. For some it is self-talk that is different, for others there is a situation that needs to be confronted or changed. Still others are able to find a healthy stress outlet that leaves the rest of your health in tact. I have no idea where you are on that path, but you and your choices are important.

    None of that changes the math involved (CICO), but be sure to address items along the way that could contribute to a yo-yo effect after you reach your goal, and If you follow the plan you will reach it. Be patient with yourself and with your scale. You've got this!

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