I'm going to try one more time!

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Debbie1899
Debbie1899 Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I've never used MFP but I'm willing to give it a go. My niece is using it and loving it. I really would like to feel the motivation again and I'd really like to read how other people are doing and maybe get some encouragement through your story or situation. Thanks.

Replies

  • hopespringseternal
    hopespringseternal Posts: 35
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    Welcome to MFP. First let me say you have to really want this because it's going to be a very tough journey. That said, the people on here are amazing. The support is incredible. Good luck to you :flowerforyou:
  • SheriffJen
    SheriffJen Posts: 13 Member
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    Good luck! The trick for me was to check in every day. Good or bad days, just log your food. After a few days/weeks it becomes a habit and you are used to it. I also check many things now before I eat them.
  • NuttyBrewnette
    NuttyBrewnette Posts: 417 Member
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    You can do it!
  • SimplyDeLish
    SimplyDeLish Posts: 539
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    MFP is amazing and you'll find tons of support! This is a lifestyle - NOT a diet. You can do this!
  • Cam_
    Cam_ Posts: 515 Member
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    Welcome. Yes you can do it. This site is great for tracking your calories (over 80,000 foods in the database). You just keep track of how many calories go in (food) and how many get burned up (excercise) and make sure you stick to your limit and before you know it. You will be lighter. It's that easy. There are tons of people here for advice also. Good luck on your journey.:glasses:
  • LTGPSA
    LTGPSA Posts: 633 Member
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    Hi Debbie -

    I'm relatively new here as well. Signed up about a month or so ago, but only seriously began using the site and all of it's really helpful tools in the past couple of weeks. I failed in the past partly due to refusal to journal my food and exercise. This site makes all of that so easy that I look forward to checking in and do so several times throughout my day. Glad you're here & you can do this - you are worth it! :flowerforyou:

    Lori
  • SailingMike
    SailingMike Posts: 237 Member
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    Welcome to MFP. First let me say you have to really want this because it's going to be a very tough journey. That said, the people on here are amazing. The support is incredible. Good luck to you :flowerforyou:

    Sorry to be disagreeable, but I do disagree that it is a "very tough journey." I do agree that the people on here are (for the most part) pretty great though.

    Here is my take to make your journey a pleasure:
    1. In the first weeks of starting exercise program most folks gain weight because muscle weighs more than fat.
    2. NEVER eat less than about 125O calories... OR try to loose too much too fast. Your body goes into starvation mode and retains fat.
    3. It took YEARS to put on the weight... eat HEALTHY (food pyramid) exercise regularly... and slowly it will come off.
    4. SLOW weight loss is most likely to stay off long term.
    5. DON"T "diet"... just learn to eat properly and exercise regularly.
  • brandimacleod
    brandimacleod Posts: 368 Member
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    I find that making lots of friends on MFP helps. Tracking their progress and having them track yours with support is great. As you read blogs or posts of people you relate to, just send them a friend request and a little note introducing yourself. You will love the new friendships you form.
  • kellykat2
    kellykat2 Posts: 87 Member
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    Welcome Debbie! I can tell you that it does work to log your food and exercise. When I first started this a while ago, I lost 4lbs the first week, and would use it a couple weeks then fall back into my old habits and then gain the weight back. Then I would start again. I must have lost and gained the same 5lbs back 3 times since November! But just recently I have stuck with this consistently and am losing apx 1lb a week. I have surpassed the 5lb mark! Yay. I have never been excited about seeing the scale drop a pound as I have every single Sunday! That right there is a great motivation!

    I finally got tired of gaining it back! It is a lifestyle, not a diet. I don't always have healthy foods, I eat ice cream, cookies, but I make sure I have met my nutritional goals as wells as have calories left (sort of like a bank)

    I don't eat my exercise calories back because if I do I gain weight. I know there are those on here who are adamant about eating them but for me it doesn't work! I have to keep between 1200-1400 calories even it it says I can have 2200!

    I am 50 and post menopausal. It really is much, much harder to lose the weight now. Harder, but not impossible!

    A good tip for you....purchase a heart rate monitor so you can get an accurate calorie burn. You can log those in there. You will see that you can do the same exercise and burn different calories. Some days you go at it harder than others. So with the HRM it will correct. Once you see how many calories you burn, you will want to keep burning more and more! When I first started, I couldn't understand how these people were burning 900-1000 and more calories a day. Heck my little 30 min walk doesn't even push it to 200! So I go the HRM and from that day have been increasing my calorie burn!

    I found that if I don't work out in the morning before work, I probably will not have the time to do it later because of my kids. So I force myself. Sometimes I don't feel like it, but once you get going you love it.

    Also, don't get discouraged if you feel the weight isn't coming off quickly enough. It will in time.

    You can do this...you will feel so much better and have much more energy than you can even imagine!

    Welcome!
  • kellykat2
    kellykat2 Posts: 87 Member
    Options
    Welcome Debbie! I can tell you that it does work to log your food and exercise. When I first started this a while ago, I lost 4lbs the first week, and would use it a couple weeks then fall back into my old habits and then gain the weight back. Then I would start again. I must have lost and gained the same 5lbs back 3 times since November! But just recently I have stuck with this consistently and am losing apx 1lb a week. I have surpassed the 5lb mark! Yay. I have never been excited about seeing the scale drop a pound as I have every single Sunday! That right there is a great motivation!

    I finally got tired of gaining it back! It is a lifestyle, not a diet. I don't always have healthy foods, I eat ice cream, cookies, but I make sure I have met my nutritional goals as wells as have calories left (sort of like a bank)

    I don't eat my exercise calories back because if I do I gain weight. I know there are those on here who are adamant about eating them but for me it doesn't work! I have to keep between 1200-1400 calories even it it says I can have 2200!

    I am 50 and post menopausal. It really is much, much harder to lose the weight now. Harder, but not impossible!

    A good tip for you....purchase a heart rate monitor so you can get an accurate calorie burn. You can log those in there. You will see that you can do the same exercise and burn different calories. Some days you go at it harder than others. So with the HRM it will correct. Once you see how many calories you burn, you will want to keep burning more and more! When I first started, I couldn't understand how these people were burning 900-1000 and more calories a day. Heck my little 30 min walk doesn't even push it to 200! So I go the HRM and from that day have been increasing my calorie burn!

    I found that if I don't work out in the morning before work, I probably will not have the time to do it later because of my kids. So I force myself. Sometimes I don't feel like it, but once you get going you love it.

    Also, don't get discouraged if you feel the weight isn't coming off quickly enough. It will in time.

    You can do this...you will feel so much better and have much more energy than you can even imagine!

    Welcome!
  • kellykat2
    kellykat2 Posts: 87 Member
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    sorry having computer problems! don't know why this posted twice.
  • kaimi2011
    kaimi2011 Posts: 141 Member
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    welcome, i'm new here as well but feel free to add me as a friend. best of luck, :)
  • Maclaren
    Maclaren Posts: 9
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    Your topic subject caught my attention! MFP is so good if you use it properly. Make sure you log your food and exercise everyday. Sometimes if your going to be really busy you can plan what your going to eat and list it prior to the day. Infact that can also help people stick to it and avoid temptation or snacking bad foods. I love to encourage people the support is so good on here :) best of luck!

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