How it's done, tips from me to you

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  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    "Calories are not little particles of potential fat--they are units of heat production (energy). "
    Song B. Sweet

    My new quote to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!

    LOL glad you like it...but I don't think anything can beat "The garbage is already on the back porch..." LOL :laugh:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    "Calories are not little particles of potential fat--they are units of heat production (energy). "
    Song B. Sweet

    My new quote to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!

    LOL glad you like it...but I don't think anything can beat "The garbage is already on the back porch..." LOL :laugh:

    Can we save both??? They are both so true!

    I have to remember that calories are NOT little particles of potential fat!! they are ENERGY!

    And girlfriend, I need some this week!:laugh:
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    "Calories are not little particles of potential fat--they are units of heat production (energy). "
    Song B. Sweet

    My new quote to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!

    LOL glad you like it...but I don't think anything can beat "The garbage is already on the back porch..." LOL :laugh:

    I remember the first time I picked up a nutrition level and saw the word "energy" instead of "calories". Talk about revelation time.
  • beagle595
    beagle595 Posts: 226
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    Thanks SHBoss and SB for all the information... You all are awesome! Great Pic from Jamaica!
    Salute! :drinker:
  • Skabilly
    Skabilly Posts: 12
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    Wow u blew me away thank you so much
    for the motivation
    I appriciate it!!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
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    I missed this the first time it came out, but thanks to *bumps*, it's new to me! I'm going to make a bold move and consider myself an "MFP success." I've lost nearly 60 lbs - 27% of my original body weight. And here are some tips:

    1. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF. Why are you losing the weight? How do you want to feel? Why are you overeating? How many cookies did you *really* eat? Be honest with your food log, your exercise log, and with your emotions.

    2. Take your time. It has taken me over a year to lose 60 lbs. And I knew it would. If you want the weight to stay off once you've lost it, take the time to lose it right the FIRST time.

    3. Set realistic goals. I'm never going to be 115 lbs, size 2. It's just not for me. But I can be healthy, in a normal weight range, with increased energy, positive attitude, and confidence. I also didn't gain all the weight in 6 months, so why should I expect to lose it in that time?

    4. Make your goals known to others. Tell your friends, family, coworkers, whoever you trust of your goals. One of the things that helped me out tremendously was a positive support system when I started. People invited me to go hiking, not to dinner. My husband offered to go grocery shopping with me so I wouldn't stock up on crap (wish he still offered to come...), and my family would expect my weekly weigh-in results. It helps! It takes a village...

    5. It's all about portion control. If you want a cookie, for the love of god, eat a cookie! If you don't, all of those cravings will build up and you'll be elbow-deep in the Thin Mints before you know it. Be honest about how much you eat (see #1), LOG IT, and move on with your life.

    6. Get off the scale!! I didn't even own a scale when i started. I joined my work's biggest loser challenge and those weekly weigh-ins were the only time I weighed myself. And I consistently lost 2-4 lbs per week. Of course, I don't have as much to lose anymore, so it's coming off slower, but I still don't weigh every day. Pick a time each week to weigh yourself, and stick to it. Or, every two or three weeks! It's just a number, people.

    7. If you're not sweating, you're not exercising. In my opinion, too many people count light activity as their "workout." Grocery shopping is not working out. Cleaning the house is not working out (sorry if I'm offending anyone). The way I see it, I was cleaning and shopping when I weighed 215 pounds and it wasn't helping, so why would it help me now? I only count workouts where I break a sweat, and do it for the intentional purpose of exercise. Now, raking leaves or shoveling snow... I get sweaty and my heart rate is elevated - so it's exercise with the added benefit of productivity.

    8. Eat breakfast. It's the kindling that is necessary to get the metabolism fire burning each day.

    9. Don't reward yourself with food.

    10. You have to want it. You have to want it bad enough to sweat, get dirty, and use up some precious time. Of course I'd rather be sitting on the couch instead of fighting traffic to the gym. But it's not going to help me out in my fitness goals. Get your whole family involved. Take some frisbees to the park, get a dog, find a new trail to hike... you don't have to do this alone!

    11. Trust MFP. I knew very little about weight loss when I started. I put loads of blind faith into this website and it has paid off. The more I've learned, the more I've come back to the realization that this website is right. You have to be honest with the numbers (refer to #1), but if you are, it will work for you!


    Most of these are reiterations of other posts... It's no mystery why all of the "success stories" have the same tips. We know what works.

    Good luck to everyone, and if you have any questions, feel free to message me! :flowerforyou:
  • petunia
    petunia Posts: 336 Member
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    BUMPING.. This thread is great... lots of great tips from lots of great folks on this site... :drinker:

    Thanks to Banks, Tam, Kerri, Viv, SBS and briblue72 for sharing your knowledge, inspiration, advice and counsel.. we're lucky to have you all here! :flowerforyou:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Good stuff bri! I'm so happy everyone is giving such great advice. The best part is that all of this, ALL OF THIS, is real world advice from real people who have lost and become healthy, this isn't some skinny personal trainer who's been skinny for 20 years trying to explain it. All of us have recently been right where everyone else is, overweight, lethargic, depressed, unmotivated, downright unhappy people. We all are living proof that it doesn't take a miracle or some huge, life altering epiphany to change our lives. You just decide, then when you need it, you seek help of people on here. It really works guys.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    :drinker: cheers:drinker:
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    Woohooo!! I am so proud of everyone on here. You have all done such a wonderful job and I have seen it happen!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    TAM'S THOUGHTS ON THE SCALE!!! :happy:


    I will also agree that the scale is a jerk and should not be used as the be all end all of weight-loss success.

    During the 16(ish) months it took me to lost 135 pounds, I rarely weighed more than once a week. If I did, it was only for some strange thing, like I was about to travel and not weigh for 10 days or something.

    But, once a week worked well for me! And, I happened to start this program on a Thursday so that is when I stick to weighing. Once I thought about it, it made sense to me. I mean, if I am going to eat anything out of the norm (higher in sodium, etc), it would be on the weekend. And by waiting until Thursday, I gave myself a few days for my body to get back to normal based on my "normal" way of eating/living.

    And if you do hit a "maintain" week or a plateau, just keep on, keepin on! Maybe switch up something. Eat a new food, change something in exercise or just keep on going because your body WILL catch up eventually.

    When people ask me what body part I like about myself the most, I say the whole thing! Because it put up with the abuse I put it through for years! (being obese, starving myself, eating horrible foods, etc) and it STILL rewarded me when I treated it right. So, if your body needs to take a break here and there to sort of adjust to the new weight and to what you're doing to lose, maybe just give it a break!:wink: And trust that it will keep rewarding you as long as you don't give up.


    A NOTE ON WHY I DID THIS!

    A HUGE reason why I suddenly got off my butt to get this done is because I didn't want to DIE because I didn't take care of myself. I saw my mother die at 50 from Lupus in 2000. My grandmother (her mother) on the other hand, died at 49 from emphysema! When I see those numbers and think about it, I get really ticked off...and I saw myself being SO unhealthy because of my weaknesses! I decided then and there to take control, for myself........for my family....and my future family. I want to be there! And if I have it in MY power to do so, then I will!! If something else happens, so be it but at least I will know I took care of myself.
  • joann
    joann Posts: 624 Member
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    I just want to say great job everyone....Anyone who reads these post if they are not eating healthy yet, this will really make you want to start truly amazing......love it...JoAnn
  • mgullette
    mgullette Posts: 401 Member
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    Good stuff Banks! :smile:
  • watch48win
    watch48win Posts: 1,668 Member
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    Just wanted to say that it's posts like these that have helped my lose almost 60 lbs over the past year.

    If you are just starting out with your new healthy lifestyle...Don't let one bad day spoil your accomplishments. Start fresh the next day and put yesterday behind you.

    I take it one day at a time, and keep in the back of my head, that "I didn't put the pounds on overnight, and those pounds aren't going to come off overnight.

    Thanks to all of you who post such wonderful advise!

    :heart: love you all
  • allaboutme
    allaboutme Posts: 391 Member
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    knowledge = weightloss :happy:

    This is a great thread, 9 times out of 10 people can't lose weight because they just don't have the information. I think this link pretty much covers it all and in language we can all understand. This should be entilted "Knowledge and Motivation"

    A lot of people took a lot of time to create this, it is very much appreciated. Good Stuff!!!:flowerforyou:
  • lulubar
    lulubar Posts: 739 Member
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    It's successful mfpers like you that keep newbies like me motivated. Seems like I only lose every other week or so, but because of you guys, I DO NOT get discouraged and I know to just keep on keeping on because I AM getting healthier and the weight WILL come off! I love you allllllll!

    lulu:heart:
  • Esperanzas4
    Esperanzas4 Posts: 36
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    Great post. Great help to someone just starting out.:flowerforyou:
  • auntkaren
    auntkaren Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Great info and inspiration for those having to start all over again. Thanks.......
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    interesting:flowerforyou:
  • osmium
    osmium Posts: 107 Member
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    Bumping to the top!

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