Words of wisdom?

laurenalbee5957
laurenalbee5957 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
So being new to this and having bad experiences in the past I was wondering if anyone had any words of wisdom for me or anything you can think of that will help me reach my weight loss goal this time around??

Replies

  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    The weight loss phase is the time to learn how to do this whole thing in a realistic and sustainable way. Because what comes afterwards is the challenging part-maintenance (ie the rest of your life-20, 30, 40+ years).
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    "Set a time to think and set a time to act. Don't act while it's thinking time, and don't think while it's acting time."



  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    When starting out do not focus on the numbers; focus on the process, such as:
    1. eating within your calorie goals
    2. staying (as best you can) within macros
    3. getting more exercise/movement into your life.

    Do these and the number will sort themselves out.
  • kcastjohn
    kcastjohn Posts: 1 Member
    Post your food choices daily and plan. If you indulge at one meal, look at options to correct at another one. If it is just a bad day, start fresh the next. A good tip I recently heard was to change your password to your goal, i.e., Goal165# or MyGoal165#s Do this on one or several websites you visit daily, multiple times a day and it is subliminally reinforcing your attention to your goal. Maintaining focus on your goal is key.
  • missmagnoliablossom
    missmagnoliablossom Posts: 240 Member
    My mantra: "Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough." - Og Mandino
  • kaizaku
    kaizaku Posts: 1,039 Member
    No matter what, stay consistent. Even the odd cheat meals which may make you fluctuate your weight, jus don't stop. Keep going. Results are the ones that been done on a constant basis.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Plan, plan, plan. If you pre-log and meal prep it's a gazillion times easier to stay on track.
  • Iamnotasenior
    Iamnotasenior Posts: 235 Member
    Always know what you are going to eat ahead of time. If life happens and you find yourself in a restaurant, whip out your smart phone and look up the restaurant's nutrition page on their website and don't order until you find something that fits into your calorie plan. In other words, take your time, incorporate calorie planning into your daily life and be consistent with logging everything that goes into your mouth (including beverages). I try to make my lunch for work the night before and I also take my breakfast and an afternoon snack with me. Have a couple of options for dinner at home ready to go. If I didn't plan meals ahead or at least have a few things I could cobble together for a meal, I'd be off track very quickly.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    Dont give up - the science that is CICO really does work. You need patience and faith.

    Get a food scale and use it like your life depends on it - you never know, that really might be true.

    Be as accurate with logging as possible, but dont sweat the small stuff - I often dont count lettuce or tomato slices or stuff like that because I did not gain weight on those, but every bite of a donut or some other of my vices gets calculated as best I can.

    Plan for every situation. You KNOW Xmas is coming - plan for it. You KNOW Mothers Day is around the corner - plan for it. And birthdays, and backyard BBQs and your anniversary and those social events that you go to - plan it out.

    Dont give up anything forever - thats a recipe for failure. You will feel so bad when you indulge and thats not a good feeling and its entirely unnecessary. Work what you love into your calorie budget.

    Look for value for your calorie budget - dont waste your calorie dollars on cheap, non satisfying stuff thats empty of nutrients, flavour or love! Spend calories where they are important to you - stuff that fills you up and keeps you from overeating on other stuff. Think veggies, proteins, and the occasional treat to stay sane!

    Have a goal. Even a succession of goals. Its helpful to have something to aim for, and a good way to measure your progress.

    Take pictures as you lose weight. Its one thing I never thought to do and I wish I had. I can see now how much I have changed, but sometimes in the bleak of winter when I was frustrated and anxious, photos of my progress could have warmed me a bit and bolstered my commitment when it was pretty shaky, and when I gave in to old habits.

    Did I mention faith and patience?

    Good luck!
  • whatlunasaid
    whatlunasaid Posts: 173 Member
    When you have a bad diet day (and you will-- we all do) be careful how you respond to it. The worst thing is you can say, "I failed, I am a failure, and if I can't burn off all these extra calories I might as well give up." The best thing you can say is, "That was just a part of my journey where I wasn't making as much progress as I wanted. I can make more progress now."

    Don't chase those extra calories. Just go back to your routine.
  • whatlunasaid
    whatlunasaid Posts: 173 Member
    cross2bear wrote: »
    Take pictures as you lose weight. Its one thing I never thought to do and I wish I had.
    This is so true. I avoid being in photos so much but I really wish I had progress pics.
  • ItsyBitsy246
    ItsyBitsy246 Posts: 307 Member
    Just. Keep. Going.
  • skellymama1
    skellymama1 Posts: 83 Member
    Progress not perfection
    Is one of my favorites, be kind to yourself. Its not something g that comes easy funnily enough but once you try it you'll like it!
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad meal, day or few days, just get yourself back on track.
    Don't eliminate the foods you love, learn how to eat them in moderation. I had a personal trainer when I started and for the first three months he looked at my food diary, about a month in I had a week with pizza and French fries. I was upset with myself and he said "Is it realistic that you will never have pizza or French fries again, learn how to work them into your calorie goal occasionally. You need to learn how to eat for life, not just the next year"
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    never give up
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Consistency is key!

    If you stay consistent with your nutrition and exercise - there you go. However, we all slip up from time to time - too much junk food or skip a workout. That's when you have to pick yourself up and get right back into it.

    *Find recipes you like, there are plenty of healthy recipes out there and find activities and exercise you enjoy and you will stick with it. Good luck
  • lumenosis
    lumenosis Posts: 66 Member
    These are a few things that I figured out for myself to help and to prevent feeling discouraged

    Don't weigh yourself everyday
    Don't weigh yourself during your period
    Eat maintenance calories during your period
    Don't leave the house hungry
    Keep snacks in your purse
    Meal plan ahead
    Don't feel guilty it's about long term sustainability not a quick fix
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