I drank 3 bottles of water already today, that's a step in the right direction for me.

Just to clarify: for the tracking, must I track foods individually? Let's say for example I'm eating at home and I estimate my meal to contain 500 calories. Would it count as tracking if I went ahead and entered in 500 calories for the lunch (using the quick add calories option) or would that be against the rules? Would I have to go in and individually list every single ingredient into MFP or would the caloric value of the entire meal be enough?

Ugh I'm congested and I hate it so much.

Anyone else live along this dreary NYS Thruway between Buffalo and Albany? I need a new perspective during the winter months!

w8goal4life wrote: »

Homemade carrot ginger soup with homemade bread and green salad is for dinner tonight...perhaps it will help with the winter blues from living in a city with the most depressing winters.

The meal sounds heavenly, @w8goal4life ! I really crave brightly coloured soups like this as well when it starts to get cold and dark out. We have been having a very similar sort of thing for dinner the past few days, carrot, ginger, and sweet potato with some red lentils and a sprinkle of garam masala chucked in. Your bread sounds delicious as well - how do you leaven it, sourdough, wild or regular yeast, or soda?

@w8goal4life how nice Thanks!

FitAndLean_5738 wrote: »

Wow today has been really tough. Everything started out normally enough, but I am just STRUGGLING through these afternoon hours. I had a snack and I feel a little better but all I want to do is gobble up everything in sight! I think I may just have an early dinner and call it a night as early as possible. Try to stay busy. Maybe because it's my fourth day in a row, and I do suppose the first week is always the hardest.

Hang in there...only you can prove that you are in control. Not aware of your goal...but perhaps attempting to lose too quickly? Deprivation is not good. Moderation is always the better option. We're all on your side and wishing you success!

@FitAndLean_5738. I think an important part of the first few weeks is learning what works for you. I had numerous days like yours when I first started out. (Sometimes i toughed it out and a couple of timed i yielded to temptation).

Tracking was very helpful as I was able to go back and see what my patterns were (especially looking at nutrirnts) and try to make adjustments going forward. For example, I found that if I under ate for several days, I would really struggle with hunger (although the first couple of days I felt great). Also, paying attention to adequate protein was really important. Lastly, getting good, consistent sleep. (I always have problems differentiating being tired with being hungry).

Don't give up! See if there is anything you can tweak. Make small adjustments going forward. The early days are for learning and adjusting. You will find out what works for you!

So nany variables that I csn't directly anewer your question. I know that I can't go too low for too many days or I can't control hunger/cravings and I can't stay on plan ... hence then I can't lose weight. I also have learned that it's not just calories, but also nutrients. Finally, I do need to eat back exercise calories ir, again, I have u sues with hunger, fatigue and cravings. To account for errors in calories (under estimating in intake or over estimating exercise exoenditure) I only eat back 60 to 75% of exercise cslories.

When I started this journey nearly a year ago, I lost 20 pounds pretty easily and then spent several months gaining back and losing the same 10 pounds several times. In the process learned more about my body and what lifelong habits I needed to be developing (including exercise). Over the past 4+ months everything has clicked and I have pretty easily been able to stay on plan and have steadily lost 40 pounds.

I guess my message is that thus is a learning process. Everyone needs to track, learn, adjust and figure out what works fir them.

It's exam season, and you know what that means! Stress, stress and more stress. I'm so stressed right now I have no appetite. I struggle to actually eat at all right now. Aside from exercise, what are you guys' favourite ways to de-stress?