Hello

When yoyu first started out what was the first things you did?
Did you jump right in and go balls to the walls?
Take baby steps?
Just increase water?
get more steps in?
Im very overwhelemed on where to start. I am trying to cut out soda and drink more water, but then I feel like this isn't a big enough change. As then if I over eat my calories I feel defeated.
Any tips are appreciated. I know I wont lose the weight over night. But I need help staying encoughed.
Replies
I think I spent about a month just getting very comfortable with those habits. Then I began moving more and having the goal of hitting my calorie goal the majority of the time. Since I was already comfortable with how to log, it felt easier to shoot for a specific target at that point. And because I was already eating lots of vegetables, it felt easier to meet my calorie goal (because for me, vegetables are very filling -- you may have a different experience).
IMO, there's no such thing as a change that is "too little." Even if a change isn't big enough to result in weight loss, if it makes you feel better or teaches you something or gets you motivated to try bigger goals in the future, that is worthwhile.
If I try to do only BIG THINGS, I wind up never doing anything that all. When I do a bunch of "little things," not only do the little things make a difference collectively, they also give me the courage to try some of the big things I was previously too scared to ever contemplate.
I started out walking fifteen minutes a day, now I run marathons. I promise you, if I had told myself I had to run a marathon in 2015, I wouldn't even have had the guts to walk fifteen minutes.
Some people are motivated by really big goals and those people should make them and I wish them the best. But I do best tackling big problems by starting with little changes.
Cutting out soda and drinking more water sounds like it could be a good goal. Many people find that they drink enough in caloric beverages to make a difference in their weight (I know this was true for me - I drank SO MUCH juice!). And the absolute worst thing that can happen is that you try it and decide that you'd rather go after another goal. So you'll have learned something and that is still worthwhile.
Step 1: log everything I eat
Step 2: stay within my calorie goal (choosing a modest weight loss rate!)
Step 3: increasing my activity level, first and foremost by walking more (allowing me to eat more)
Step 4: being more attentive to what I eat - more satiating foods, easy lower calorie substitutions and increasing my protein intake to at least 100gr per day
Step 5: upping the exercise - more challenging exercise than walking
I've never really consumed a lot of soda, but cutting it out seems like a significant step if you're drinking a lot of it. You're reducing your sugar consumption and also cutting out 'empty' calories. A very good basis to improve your health.
Really I just decided to start tracking my food. That's all I did. Looked at how much i was consuming and modify it to be under my calories. I didn't change what I was eating (that's a great way to fail for me) I just ate less of it. I did cut out all soda cause that was like 2000 calories a day that I was wasting but there are times when I want a soda and I will make it fit in my calories. I do exercise now but it was almost 10 months of calorie counting before I started that.
And then was like “OMG I EAT HOW MANY CALORIES?!?!” And then started decreasing those calories slowly. After about a month or so, I started going to the gym again for my health and eating at a deficit where I would lose 1 lb a week. Down over 30 lbs so far with about 35ish left to goal.
Then I bought a food scale and saw how inaccurate my eyeballing and “cup” measures were. This was a game changer for me.
After a month I started to work out. Just once a week at first and now I’m up to 4-5 per week.
Every other time I tried to lose weight I put a time limit on myself and wanted it to happen really fast. I would go really hard for a month or two and then start to feel depressed and burnt out. Then I would start eating poorly again and tell myself I’ll try again next month and end up putting on more weight.
So for me it’s slow and steady wins the race. It’s the only time I’ve seen real success.
When I started here I was training for something so I worked out a lot and logged everything that went into my mouth. It works!
Then I started eating just a bit healthier. Less (but not no... not at all) processed stuff, oatmeal for breakfast, cutting out a lot (but not all) sugar. - That was another 3 months.
Then I went to a health coach for some tips. She had the idea of starting a food diary, not with calories attached, but just to get a better idea of what I am eating and to be more mindful of it. She also wanted me to slow down when eating. - About 1 month. 4 meetings, I think.
After this I decided calorie counting would be better for me than just "getting a feel for what I am eating" and re-registerdd at MFP. - I kept up with the slower eating, but discarded advice of cutting down on drinking my calories (soy latte), as I realised I can fit them into my calorie goals quite easily. - That has been the last 3 months and a bit.
That's where I am so far. There are definitely more improvements I can bake, but I'll make them when I am ready.
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Last time my first step was simply switching to no sugar soft drinks. Nothing more. I lost about 10 kg with that change alone (I was pretty heavy), and that kinda kick started my motivation to get going. While I later fell of the wagon I I never gained back those first 10 kg of the second 10 I lost through other small changes I stuck to, so that was improvement.
So, hey, in my opinion cutting out sugary soft drinks is a great first step.
I sat down and had a really serious think:
What were my goals?
How could I make the process as easy as possible?
What tools would be useful?
How can I maximise my good attributes to make success more likely?
How can I minimise the impact of my bad attributes?
What lessons could I learn from previous attempts?
And then I made a plan - just like planning a project.
Did you jump right in and go balls to the walls?
Once I had my plan I immediately executed my plan.
Take baby steps?
No. (Being goal oriented is one of my good attributes. Remember this is me and my plan, not you and your plan, know yourself.....)
Just increase water?
No because that would be pointless for me. (No issues with my hydration and drinking more water than required doesn't cause weight loss.)
Get more steps in?
Sort of. I was working an office job at the time and was already trying to keep my general movement up. I already had two gym memberships (work and home). Did make a conscious decision that "human-powered" transport would always be considered as my first option.
If you were holding steady while drinking several hundred calories of soda a day, then swapping to water, assuming you don’t instinctively replace those calories with different calories, can easily put you in a deficit. Keep tracking so you don’t allow yourself to eat those replacement calories, but don’t freak out if you mess up. You are learning, and whatever you do today is going to lead to a better result in the long term.
I went balls to the wall myself. I had a health crisis and balls to the wall is what works for me. Do what works for you.
What you did this time - tracking for two weeks before making any changes - is something I often suggest to new people who feel lost about where to start. It sounds like you are doing great, best of luck to you!
If you read through the forums you will find lots of people for whom the answer to this is yes. It is for me to some extent, in that I lost my first ca. 7kg several years ago by adjusting my diet. Having said that, I was a bit active anyway because I was walking 20 minutes on my way to work and another 20 minutes on my way back.
I gave up and gained more weight, then right before my 40th bday, I decided to take small steps.
I worked on the 5th floor so initially I took the elevator up to 3 or 4 then walked up to 5. I added more and more steps. Joined a gym and went for a short workout 5 times a week. I cut back but didn't eliminate any foods. I packed my luch in a cooler.
I found that consistency was the key. For me working out at a reasonable level 5 times a week was more beneficial than than 2 or 3 days of intense workouts.
After a couple of years I started running. Slowly but I did enjoy it and even did a couple of half marathons.
I maintained an 80lb liss for several years.
I've struggled a bit more in the last few years and am about 15 pounds heavier than my ideal weight but am working on eliminating excuses and going back to those small steps. I can't run but I bike and strength train.
One key point I learned is that there is no end..it may become easier to maintain..however you can't go back to the old ways.
And ine last thing..you may have days of great motivation and others that you want to toss in the towel. Just start again the next meal or next day.
Consistent small changes will yield big reaults.
Good luck! We are rooting for you!