How do I begin?

MaggieMcnamara19
MaggieMcnamara19 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 18 in Getting Started
Hello everyone!
Like many, I've struggled with weight my whole life. I feel like no wis the time to change it, but I don't know how.

Where do I even begin?

Replies

  • KylaBlaze
    KylaBlaze Posts: 136 Member
    MFP thankfully will do a lot of the work for you, set a goal, and be diligent! Good luck!
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    Put your details into the settings and be honest about your daily activity level you are at (Non-Exercise Activity). Don't necessarily choose the fastest rate of weight loss, it's not for everyone.

    A good place to start once you have your calorie goal is to log your normal intake for a couple of days (use a food scale for accuracy) and review to see where you are taking in unnecessary calories, make small changes to get to your calorie goal.

    Some examples/suggestions:
    • Liquid calories - drinking a lot of soda or high sugar drinks? - switch them to diet / lower sugar/water or reduce your intake.
    • Oils used in cooking - do you use a lot of cooking oil? - change cooking methods or use a spray oil such as PAM or Frylight.
    • Condiments - like mayonnaise on everything? - switch to a reduced fat version or make your own low calorie sauces
    • Snacking - are you a snacker? - try pre-portioning snacks out so you don't eat a whole pack of something.

    Try not to make too many drastic changes to start with, you don't want to end up quitting because you're overwhelmed. Once you're comfortable with your calorie goal, you can start focusing on nutrition (not required for weight loss but will improve overall health and hunger).
  • sabinaholtby
    sabinaholtby Posts: 73 Member
    You're doing it! Let mfp set your calorie goal and sick to it. You'll see big changes!
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    Put your details into the settings and be honest about your daily activity level you are at (Non-Exercise Activity). Don't necessarily choose the fastest rate of weight loss, it's not for everyone.

    A good place to start once you have your calorie goal is to log your normal intake for a couple of days (use a food scale for accuracy) and review to see where you are taking in unnecessary calories, make small changes to get to your calorie goal.

    Some examples/suggestions:
    • Liquid calories - drinking a lot of soda or high sugar drinks? - switch them to diet / lower sugar/water or reduce your intake.
    • Oils used in cooking - do you use a lot of cooking oil? - change cooking methods or use a spray oil such as PAM or Frylight.
    • Condiments - like mayonnaise on everything? - switch to a reduced fat version or make your own low calorie sauces
    • Snacking - are you a snacker? - try pre-portioning snacks out so you don't eat a whole pack of something.

    Try not to make too many drastic changes to start with, you don't want to end up quitting because you're overwhelmed. Once you're comfortable with your calorie goal, you can start focusing on nutrition (not required for weight loss but will improve overall health and hunger).

    Small steps for sure. All good stuff above.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
    It might be useful to know where you're starting from when you begin. Log a typical menu in your diary for a few days. That'll tell you what you're eating now. Then you can begin adapting that diet to lower calories by cutting portions, adding more vegetables, switching higher calorie foods for lower calorie ones, etc.

    If you haven't been exercising, perhaps begin by taking a walk around the neighborhood.
  • aliyune
    aliyune Posts: 23 Member
    Tracking your usual eating for a couple days is a good place to start. It really shows you where you're going wrong.

    Take BEFORE pictures!
    Take measurements!
    Make friends with positive people here on MFP, watching their progress is motivating.
    Always log everything you eat. Be consistent.
    A food scale is really helpful.
    Make weekly/monthly goals rather than looking at your end goal.
    Keep track of your Non Scale Victories. There's a huge thread in Success Stories that has amazing examples of these, and some of them appear almost right away. Great motivation.

    Above all, you just gotta do it. Good luck!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Eat a little less, move a little more.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest
  • Akmauser
    Akmauser Posts: 51 Member
    Lots of good advice here! Let me add that the first couple weeks are the most difficult because you're starting something new and your body will fight you every step of the way. Especially if you don't ease into a diet. Also your taste buds are probably used to sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

    I would NEVER drink diet before this diet, it tasted flat, and unsweetened, but after a couple weeks on my diet I realized diet is more sweet than I like in my drink and now mostly drink water or water with crystal light when home.

  • beanz744
    beanz744 Posts: 221 Member
    edited May 2017
    welcome to the journey of the next u n heres my 2 cents;

    1. buy a food scale (the most important u will need)
    2. set up a profile with an easy goal at first (start with .5 or 1lbs a week for the first 2 weeks to ease ur body into it). MFP will give u a daily allowance so u dont need to figure it out yourself.
    3. LOG everything u eat EVERYDAY
    4. only eat back half of the calories u burned at most if u pick up exercising
    5. join an online challenge (optional)
    6. ditch any non supportive friends
    7. donate all junk foods (ASAP)
    8. dont tell people that u r trying to lose weight coz most will tell u to EAT MORE (smile n ignore them if they do but do not give in coz u have a goal n they dont)
    9. google search for recipes if needed

    5 things that u need to keep in mind

    1. the daily allowance that MFP gives u is for u to eat up to that number. its like money that u can spend on food. once is empty or close to empty, u have no more money to "buy" food.
    2. u can still have a good eating week n stay under ur weekly average if u happen to eat more than ur daily allowance once or twice
    3. weight will not come off EVERY WEEK but it will keep going in the right direction if u stay with the MFP program
    4. weight n log everything including all drinks (except water n black tea or coffee), all sauces, all condiments, n all oils used.
    5. veggies r ur FRIEND so eat much as u need to keep hunger away.

    GOOD LUCK!!
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