Things You Want To Tell MFP Newbies
Replies
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Dos:
Have patience, be consistent, and be persistent. Throw away everything you think you know about dieting and weight loss, because there is way too much misinformation out there. You can do it, you are not helpless, even though you may feel that way in the moment. Run the long game. You need to consider maintaining the loss once you get there, so focusing strictly on the weight loss without thinking about how you will maintain it, is just going to cause problems in the end. Let lose once in a while, and go out with friends to restaurants. If you plan on doing these things when you have finished losing weight, learn how to work it in now while you are losing.
Don'ts:
Not every one who disagrees with you is a jealous hater (I feel dirty just using the word "hater"), and not everyone who offers you a cookie is trying to sabotage you. And for Pete's sake not everyone in your life needs to be hearing/reading about every aspect of your newest diet. Share your successes and failures here, because it's a network of people with similar interests, but when you are constantly going on about your diet to your coworkers, they are going to get sick of hearing it. Don't give up the things you love, because you think being thinner will somehow make you happy enough that it will compensate for the things you are missing (if it is something highly calorific, work it in, but less frequently).5 -
Newbie here. I am on anti-depressants which it is a proven fact they can pack the weight on. I got fat one other time (not quite as big as I am now), but went off the meds and the weight just kind of fell off. I had to make a choice-fat and happy or skinny and depressed. As bad as I hate being fat, I hate the depression worse. After trying dieting a few times and failing telling myself I didn't care, I recently found my motivation. My sister whom I just recently started speaking to again, had lost 30 lbs. since I last saw her which I think was around Christmas. I said to myself, if she can do it, so can I. Fast forward 5 weeks and I've lost 14.2 lbs. I am a VERY picky eater and it's hard to diet when I don't eat the normal diet foods other people eat (nothing green). I eat 1200 or less calories a day and I try to do 10 miles a day on the recumbent bike and I have some 5 lb weights I lift overhead about 50 per arm a day and sometimes a few sit ups (HATE sit ups lol). I started at 203 and would like to get to 140-150, so still a long way to go. I have a co-worker that is also fat (but she's short too-I'm 5'7") that is purposely trying to sabotage my diet. She brought in sweets THREE times in a week and repeatedly asked me if I wanted some. Then she tells me she's lost more weight than I have, but she's eating sweets and doesn't work out. Really???? Any advice would be helpful.0
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katydougherty wrote: »Newbie here. I am on anti-depressants which it is a proven fact they can pack the weight on. I got fat one other time (not quite as big as I am now), but went off the meds and the weight just kind of fell off. I had to make a choice-fat and happy or skinny and depressed. As bad as I hate being fat, I hate the depression worse. After trying dieting a few times and failing telling myself I didn't care, I recently found my motivation. My sister whom I just recently started speaking to again, had lost 30 lbs. since I last saw her which I think was around Christmas. I said to myself, if she can do it, so can I. Fast forward 5 weeks and I've lost 14.2 lbs. I am a VERY picky eater and it's hard to diet when I don't eat the normal diet foods other people eat (nothing green). I eat 1200 or less calories a day and I try to do 10 miles a day on the recumbent bike and I have some 5 lb weights I lift overhead about 50 per arm a day and sometimes a few sit ups (HATE sit ups lol). I started at 203 and would like to get to 140-150, so still a long way to go. I have a co-worker that is also fat (but she's short too-I'm 5'7") that is purposely trying to sabotage my diet. She brought in sweets THREE times in a week and repeatedly asked me if I wanted some. Then she tells me she's lost more weight than I have, but she's eating sweets and doesn't work out. Really???? Any advice would be helpful.
Congratulations on the weight loss, but I think you missed the idea of the thread. The whole thing has been providing the advice & links that, as experienced members, we see that people need. However, if you desire more personal advice and input, you should copy this post on a thread of your own so it will be visible to more people. Wish you the best
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Yes, I realized after the fact that I wasn't really posting to the appropriate category, but I am a newbie so I went with it. LOL I also posted mine after nutmegoreo wrote something, but I hadn't read it yet and it makes me feel bad for saying my co-worker was trying to sabotage me, but I KNOW she is. Multiple things she's done and said, but I just needed to vent a bit.1
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katydougherty wrote: »Yes, I realized after the fact that I wasn't really posting to the appropriate category, but I am a newbie so I went with it. LOL I also posted mine after nutmegoreo wrote something, but I hadn't read it yet and it makes me feel bad for saying my co-worker was trying to sabotage me, but I KNOW she is. Multiple things she's done and said, but I just needed to vent a bit.
Don't feel bad. Each case is individual. I see a few different things going on in your post.
ETA: I see you started your own thread. I'll respond over there.1 -
Don't listen to people who have 1,000s or 10,000s (!) of posts and have not lost weight and / or maintained a loss.
People who are succeeding or have succeeded have figured out what works for them, and when they share that, it can be quite valuable. From the "right" people, you can get very helpful ideas about how to make this process and change work for you. In some ways, weight loss is easy, child-level arithmetic. But living it day in and day out, over time, is a whole other conversation, and I'd say it's worth taking a second to double-check who is speaking to you.
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tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »SuperCarLori wrote: »You want to L-O-S-E weight. Not loose it.
Dear MFP newbie, I don't care if you use lose or loose as I know exactly what you meant. I appreciate the fact that it took a lot of courage to write your first or second post (or even your 50th), shared your backstory and am amazed by your determination and efforts to improve your weight and/or health.
Oh for heaven's SAKE and crying out loud!!!! We ALL understand what they mean. If a person can't be bothered to be educated on a misspelling, then they may just be doomed when it comes to say...being educated regarding myths, activity levels, plateaus or accurate logging.7 -
So a person with dyslexia can't learn to sift the real from the woo? How about a person for whom English is their second (or third or fourth) language? And typos are a thing.3
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Be PATIENT ...If you haven't lost weight or gained muscle in 1 week or 2 calm down. It's not the end of the world.
Be CONSISTENT ...in logging every meal you eat!
Be ACCURATE ...about the number of calories you've eaten. Invest in a food scale! You can get them for $10 online. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy.
Be COMMITTED ...no amount of outside motivation will help if you can't be committed to your weight loss/gain/or maintenance plan.
Be CONSIDERATE ...to other MFP members. We are all on our own journey here whether it be to lose, gain or maintain.
Be RESPECTFUL ...we come from different religions, cultures, countries. English may not be everyone's 1st language. But I'm sure we can still get along and communicate
Be OPEN-MINDED ...we are not all on the same diet. And we all have our own opinions on food, exercise, etc. We all come from different cultural backgrounds. And we all live different lifestyles.
And most importantly... DON'T VILIFY FOOD... coz I love my Rice, Soy, and Nutella
lol
And don't be shy to ask for help and post in the forum. Even if English isn't your 1st language. I'm sure the language you speak is cool anyway and we all wish we could speak a language other than English so we can become culturally rich and educated in the world... This is a Health&Fitness place anyway, not an ESL online school
...And remember we are all here because we all need help. So let's help each other instead of bringing each other down PEACE!
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Yep. Okay. Instead of ignoring the point I was attempting to make, let's just go along with miseducation then, in order to fully disservice anyone attempting to learn.
Over and out.1 -
Avoid books written by bro-scientist about food/diets and miracle cures. They are bogus and are not the bees knees. They were not written by people concerned with your health, they were written by people that want to earn a lot of money.
The food industry is not the enemy (not you best friend either) They are business and make food as safe as they can, most of them are run by decent people.
Anybody can call themselves nutritionists. Dieticians need to have had a proper education in nutritional science.
Give it time. Lots of it You did not gain weight overnight, you will not loose it overnight3 -
Understand CICO and then figure out what works for YOU to reach your goal! Don't try to force yourself into some magical box, there are so many ways to get there.3
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Medication does not cause weight gain. It MAY stimulate your appetite but you have control over what goes in your body.3
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SuperCarLori wrote: »Yep. Okay. Instead of ignoring the point I was attempting to make, let's just go along with miseducation then, in order to fully disservice anyone attempting to learn.
Over and out.
I don't mean to be snarky, but I'm pretty sure everyone knows it's lose weight not loose weight. I have never heard someone say, "I want to loose weight."
I've seen people write on here, "I need to loose or I want to loose", but I would assume that's a typo or maybe English isn't their first language etc. and so forth.
And tbh, correct spelling/grammar has nothing to do with losing weight.3 -
SuperCarLori wrote: »Yep. Okay. Instead of ignoring the point I was attempting to make, let's just go along with miseducation then, in order to fully disservice anyone attempting to learn.
Over and out.
I don't mean to be snarky, but I'm pretty sure everyone knows it's lose weight not loose weight. I have never heard someone say, "I want to loose weight."
I've seen people write on here, "I need to loose or I want to loose", but I would assume that's a typo or maybe English isn't their first language etc. and so forth.
And tbh, correct spelling/grammar has nothing to do with losing weight.
No but education and truth are education and truth. I wasn't making fun or being judgemental. And being healthy is more than just losing weight, many times it's becoming educated regarding various things, so one thing leads to another. The ability to accept and retain knowledge.3 -
Okay, but neither a disability that impacts spelling, a difficulty in picking up a new language, nor a thumb that slips preclude an ability to accept and retain knowledge.1
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estherdragonbat wrote: »Okay, but neither a disability that impacts spelling, a difficulty in picking up a new language, nor a thumb that slips preclude an ability to accept and retain knowledge.
I'd say, of course on the disability, and picking up a new language indicates a certain degree of intelligence, henceforth a desire to learn correctly, appreciating someone giving proper correction and a 'slip' also falls into the of course that isn't my point category.
Many people don't appreciate glossing over of mistakes. Many people appreciate correct, true knowledge.
Edit to add that as a vociferous reader, having never heard the word pronounced (or just plain not connecting the pronunciation to the word), I went for two decades believing the word 'misled' (miss-lead) to be pronounced MY-CELLED. I was a bit embarrassed to learn the truth, but was very appreciative, as well. I also wondered why nobody told me sooner!
I get it. It's much easier to communicate a need or desire to a large group of people using properly spelled and structured language.0 -
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SuperCarLori wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »SuperCarLori wrote: »You want to L-O-S-E weight. Not loose it.
Dear MFP newbie, I don't care if you use lose or loose as I know exactly what you meant. I appreciate the fact that it took a lot of courage to write your first or second post (or even your 50th), shared your backstory and am amazed by your determination and efforts to improve your weight and/or health.
Oh for heaven's SAKE and crying out loud!!!! We ALL understand what they mean. If a person can't be bothered to be educated on a misspelling, then they may just be doomed when it comes to say...being educated regarding myths, activity levels, plateaus or accurate logging.
Really, can't be bothered to educate themselves? How about people whose first language isn't English or people who through no fault of their own didn't achieve the same education as you? And just because a person uses lose or loose in the wrong context that makes them doomed about everything else weight loss or health related? Come on really?
Incorrect spelling or use of a word doesn't make a person stupid, there a lot of intelligent people as well incredibly successful people (in life and their profession) who can't spell, doesn't hinder then and nor should it.2 -
*sadly shakes head*
The purposeful, deliberate misunderstanding of my pov doesn't equal victory. My successful husband can't spell worth a damn, but he welcomes correction, out of desire for furthering himself. Isn't that what we're all here for?0 -
Most people are here to lose weight, get fit, etc. It can be nerve-wracking enough posting a question to a forum and hoping that nobody mocks you for, perhaps, not knowing something basic. Your first reply? "The proper spelling of X is Y." Maybe it's polite, maybe it's gentle. But it may be the only thing in the post. But wait... there are three more responses. All of which were being typed at the same time, before the first one went up. And all of which are some variation on, "For crying out loud, it's spelled Y!"
Result: Nervous first-time poster feels bullied. They don't check the time stamps to see that all four posts went up in the space of a minute. They see that they were dog-piled over a mistake. Now, let's say that the nervous first-time poster is also ESL, dyslexic, or just made a simple typo. It's all well and good to say that you don't mean to include them in your earlier statement. But trust me, they will feel included. Nervous first-time poster becomes an upset, possibly angry, likely discouraged last-time poster.
(Full disclosure: I have some free-floating anxiety issues and tend to bottle up stress to unhealthy levels at times. I have a sister with dyslexia.) Now, it's one thing to want correction when you're submitting a formal report, an essay, a story, etc. But on a message board? I'm just happy I'm not trying to decipher chat-speak.2 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »Most people are here to lose weight, get fit, etc. It can be nerve-wracking enough posting a question to a forum and hoping that nobody mocks you for, perhaps, not knowing something basic. Your first reply? "The proper spelling of X is Y." Maybe it's polite, maybe it's gentle. But it may be the only thing in the post. But wait... there are three more responses. All of which were being typed at the same time, before the first one went up. And all of which are some variation on, "For crying out loud, it's spelled Y!"
Result: Nervous first-time poster feels bullied. They don't check the time stamps to see that all four posts went up in the space of a minute. They see that they were dog-piled over a mistake. Now, let's say that the nervous first-time poster is also ESL, dyslexic, or just made a simple typo. It's all well and good to say that you don't mean to include them in your earlier statement. But trust me, they will feel included. Nervous first-time poster becomes an upset, possibly angry, likely discouraged last-time poster.
(Full disclosure: I have some free-floating anxiety issues and tend to bottle up stress to unhealthy levels at times. I have a sister with dyslexia.) Now, it's one thing to want correction when you're submitting a formal report, an essay, a story, etc. But on a message board? I'm just happy I'm not trying to decipher chat-speak.
I don't come to the forums correcting spelling. I rarely comment at all. It's like high school all over again. The only reason it even went this far was an attempt to defend my POV, which, in retrospect, I should have kept to myself, as usual. I know many people who won't participate in the general forum because of this exact situation. Which tends to be a disservice in itself. To all of us.
Newbies, however you spell it, losing fat is a good thing. Whatever you do, keep right on trying. High five.
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MFP... why can't we delete posts?? My advice noobs and I'm a noob myself. Be careful what you post, I haven't found the delete button.2
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Be PATIENT ...If you haven't lost weight or gained muscle in 1 week or 2 calm down. It's not the end of the world.
Be CONSISTENT ...in logging every meal you eat!
Be ACCURATE ...about the number of calories you've eaten. Invest in a food scale! You can get them for $10 online. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy.
Be COMMITTED ...no amount of outside motivation will help if you can't be committed to your weight loss/gain/or maintenance plan.
Be CONSIDERATE ...to other MFP members. We are all on our own journey here whether it be to lose, gain or maintain.
Be RESPECTFUL ...we come from different religions, cultures, countries. English may not be everyone's 1st language. But I'm sure we can still get along and communicate
Be OPEN-MINDED ...we are not all on the same diet. And we all have our own opinions on food, exercise, etc. We all come from different cultural backgrounds. And we all live different lifestyles.
And most importantly... DON'T VILIFY FOOD... coz I love my Rice, Soy, and Nutella lol
And don't be shy to ask for help and post in the forum. Even if English isn't your 1st language. I'm sure the language you speak is cool anyway and we all wish we could speak a language other than English so we can become culturally rich and educated in the world... This is a Health&Fitness place anyway, not an ESL online school ...And remember we are all here because we all need help. So let's help each other instead of bringing each other down PEACE!
This
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MFP... why can't we delete posts?? My advice noobs and I'm a noob myself. Be careful what you post, I haven't found the delete button.
@TorStar80 On the post you want deleted (using the app) press the 3 circles at the top right of your post. Select report, and "this is my post and I want to delete it."0 -
MFP... why can't we delete posts?? My advice noobs and I'm a noob myself. Be careful what you post, I haven't found the delete button.
To be fair, even those who have been around a while have to be careful about what they post too. I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated.
The post above me explains how to delete from the app. If you are on the website, hit the flag button under the post you want deleted, then the report, and from the options that pop up, "this is my post and I want to delete it."1 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »MFP... why can't we delete posts?? My advice noobs and I'm a noob myself. Be careful what you post, I haven't found the delete button.
To be fair, even those who have been around a while have to be careful about what they post too. I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated.
The post above me explains how to delete from the app. If you are on the website, hit the flag button under the post you want deleted, then the report, and from the options that pop up, "this is my post and I want to delete it."
Thanks I appreciate the tip. It does seem a little complicated but at least it's an option any idea how long it takes for a post to be removed?
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nutmegoreo wrote: »MFP... why can't we delete posts?? My advice noobs and I'm a noob myself. Be careful what you post, I haven't found the delete button.
To be fair, even those who have been around a while have to be careful about what they post too. I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated.
The post above me explains how to delete from the app. If you are on the website, hit the flag button under the post you want deleted, then the report, and from the options that pop up, "this is my post and I want to delete it."
Thanks I appreciate the tip. It does seem a little complicated but at least it's an option any idea how long it takes for a post to be removed?
Depends on how many reports are in and if there are mods around. I've seen it happen quickly, and other times, it takes a while. Not much help, sorry.1 -
its not that hard seriously its not, you'd be surprised how easy it is to get lean and feel healthy. Find someone who's already done it and follow their advice....oh and long term consistency is the key. This takes time!!2
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