Introduce Yourself & Frequently Asked Questions
tinkerbellang83
Posts: 9,140 Member
This thread is for Introducing Yourself & Asking Questions if you're not sure how this works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q How does it work?
A Each week in "discussions" there is a new weekly thread, post your details in each week and then we will track the results and post up a progress post at the end of each month
Q What do the abbreviations people are using in the weight loss threads mean?
A SW: Start Weight; GW: Goal Weight; LW: Last Week; TW: This Week; OL: Overall Loss
Q Do I have to weigh in every week?
A No you don't - I keep the information in a spreadsheet, so if you're away or you fall off the wagon for a little while your details will still be there, they just won't be used in the stats if you've not weighed in with us during the current month.
Q Do I have to post all the information that everyone else does?
A No you can just post your current weight if that's what you are comfortable with, the other figures are just more helpful for the progress stats.
Q When is the best time to weigh?
A It is more consistent if you weight first thing in the morning, before you've eaten and after you've used the bathroom. Day of the week is your own preference. If like myself, you like to indulge a little on the weekend, it's probably better to weigh in Weds-Fri sometime so that you get a better sense of what you weigh once any water retention has passed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q How does it work?
A Each week in "discussions" there is a new weekly thread, post your details in each week and then we will track the results and post up a progress post at the end of each month
Q What do the abbreviations people are using in the weight loss threads mean?
A SW: Start Weight; GW: Goal Weight; LW: Last Week; TW: This Week; OL: Overall Loss
Q Do I have to weigh in every week?
A No you don't - I keep the information in a spreadsheet, so if you're away or you fall off the wagon for a little while your details will still be there, they just won't be used in the stats if you've not weighed in with us during the current month.
Q Do I have to post all the information that everyone else does?
A No you can just post your current weight if that's what you are comfortable with, the other figures are just more helpful for the progress stats.
Q When is the best time to weigh?
A It is more consistent if you weight first thing in the morning, before you've eaten and after you've used the bathroom. Day of the week is your own preference. If like myself, you like to indulge a little on the weekend, it's probably better to weigh in Weds-Fri sometime so that you get a better sense of what you weigh once any water retention has passed.
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Replies
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So my name is Angela, I am trying to lose around 20kg initially and tone up and then review after. I started using a meal planner to try and better control what and when I am eating, now on Week 6 of this and it's working a treat (Christmas threw me out a little as I was travelling and eating out a lot, but seem to have undone most of the damage now).
I do 5 strength training/cardio workouts a week from HASFIT's youtube channel (free) and walk around 6km a day, hoping to shift around 1-2kg a week, but I will be happier with the toning than the actual weight loss.6 -
Welcome to all our new members this week, good luck with your first weigh-in's1
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clairehardy77 wrote: »Jackie9003 wrote: »Hi everyone, I'm Jackie from York in the UK. I've gained steadily for years but lost 6 stone about 10 years ago and felt great. Then there was a pregnancy, 2 redundancies and a divorce which resulted in it all going back on and more.
I've lost 28lb in the last 15 months and would like to lose another 65 so her to make my dreams come true....
My aim is for another 28lb this year, I want to lose it slowly a result of a life-style change so that it really does stay off this time - I've no plans for a baby (too old), or a divorce (recently married) and if I get made redundant then so what lol.
Hi Jackie, i'm new on here (introduced myself elsewhere on here), just having I nosy though the stories and noticed you are from York, I live in Darlington! (originally from near Edinburgh). Just wanted to say hello xx
@clairehardy77 I'm originally from Durham ☺0 -
wobblemcwobbleface wrote: »Hi everyone - a bit new to social media (Newbe I believe) , hence the name and the photo of my lovely dog
I am at last seriously seeking to change my life health wise. I am a 54 yr. old office worker and lead a rather stressful and sedentary life (no risk there then...) so thought this is it, time to take this in hand once and for all. I have a few challenges this year - a 6k swim , a 10k swim , a 60 mile walk ( over 2 days ) and a bike ride from London to Paris, so no pressure there then....
My journey starts at 15.11 (I was over 16.2 over Christmas - yikes!) and am aiming - long term for 13.7 which I think is a realistic weight for me. Hopefully I can achieve this - certainly the app says I will, but as I have actually been a member since 2013 (apparently) so far I had to increase the weight setting...
Well week one and 4 lbs down, I know that is week one and the first weeks are the easiest so I am under no illusions here. Doing this has really made me realise that really it is more about good food choices and bad food choices - we all know that , it is not hard to understand but when it seems the whole of our consumer society is geared up to help you fail in that task boy is it hard- chocolate being a bit of a downfall for me - the popular peanut chocolate coated egg shaped chocolates in yellow packets do like me - a lot.
Anyway - I weigh in Monday morning but if there is a common weigh day I will change days
I will try and let you know ( if anyone really reads these and cares ) how I get on. I need some accountability to make sure I don't cheat ( too much)
Thank you for reading this far
best
Wobble
Welcome @wobblemcwobbleface I too started using MFP a long, long time ago (2011 to be precise) but never successfully lost weight because I had exactly the mindset I am reading in the bolded above - thinking specific foods were good and bad and feeling guilty if I enjoyed chocolate, etc.
Roll on 2016 and I finally started to read through the forums and added some friends from there (having previously added real world friends who'd stick at it for 2 weeks then disappear). I realised a couple of things:- I don't need to starve to lose weight (previously I almost always ended up setting myself to 1200 calories because I chose to quick of a weight loss rate and the wrong activity level)
- I can eat all the things I like and still lose weight (I just need to eat smaller portions of them)
- Weight loss isn't linear (never really understood water weight fluctuations before so I would rage quit if I saw a gain after starving all week)
- Having a day/a couple of days/a week or even a month when I eat more than my calorie goal, isn't a failure, it's a lesson and it usually doesn't have as big of an impact in the long run as I think it's going to. I just have to work out why I felt the need to eat more and work on preventing doing the same thing again in the future.
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wobblemcwobbleface wrote: »Tinkerbellang83
thanks for your reply - I am going to try and not beat myself up too much but I am also trying to wean myself off junk food - that is the sort of food that just cries out to me.... I am hoping my rather sweet tooth may subside but I am a bit of a sugar fiend - guess that answers a lot of why my middle is in the way it is. I did discover Aldi's low/no sugar cola sherbets - 2 cal. per sweet ( yum yum and full of essential vitamins ...) - managed to down the box, meh - only 140 odd cals. but also a few unwanted side effects - so for fast weight loss - sorbitol is the key.....
I will try and post something of use . Must swim tonight as training for my Swims ( 6k and 10k ) ( need to beat my sister but she is very competitive and I am a bit lazy really hey ho ). I managed 3k swim on Saturday (120 lengths ) so was pleased with that but did get cramp so will buy some electrolytes ( the Dioralite is a cheap easy option - that has loads of salts etc. ) to help with the cramp. for the boredom of the swim I have bought some underwater headphones (finis ones that sit on your cheek bones not your ears - they are surprising good and manage to get through the extra insulation...) - the last waterproof MP3 player lot died on me as did ABBA who were stuck in a loop at the time.... I don't dislike ABBA but not over and over
W
When I lost my first 20lbs I was eating Domino's personal pizza with the doughballs side once per week, eating at the pub almost every saturday and I have continued to eat chocolate on pretty much a daily basis. The difference is that I either eat in the form of a protein bar (PHD or Fulfil) which I find more filling and I have a pretty balanced diet the rest of the week with plenty of fruit and veg.
MyProtein do an Electrolyte complex for about £10 for 3 month's supply has Magnesium, Sodium Chloride, Potassium & Calcium in it, just bought some myself, I normally order in Magnesium from iHerb in the states along with my Melatonin to help me sleep but sleep is much improved now and I could do with a bit more potassium in my diet so switched to the MyProtein one.
I can't think of anything worse than having Abba stuck on loop play
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Hello, I'm Chris in San Diego, California. I'm feeling a surge of optimism over the last couple of weeks and have some solid short term plans, so I thought I'd pile on the goodness and join this group. In the time I've spent on MFP I've had two big weight drops. One came back and then some. The second drop was a little less dramatic and the weight regain wasn't quite so high either.
What buzzes in the back of my head is: sure doing the weightloss feels great, I know I can do it, but what oh what in the world does it look like to get to goal weight and then MAINTAIN it? As I just start this third assault on hitting a more health goal weight, that question is my northstar.2 -
For me, and math geeks out there, weight loss has been an inflection point. Where the curve drops down and then swings back up, without there actually being any bottom. It's ephemeral. I can look at the day on a graph and point to it, but IRL it is like that day never existed. I had a wild fun run of losing weight. Fingers snapped, months of mindlessly (or depressively) gaining weight.0
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This thread is great. I'm back after a big long pause. I look forward to this year being better than the last three. I hope you join along, I appreciate the inspiration and motivation of having others write about their experiences.
--Chris0 -
There are a couple new folks, please, jump in and introduce yourselves.0
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I don't think I've introduced myself yet! I'm Shawn and my goal is to lose 100 pounds. The first 15 pounds were easy and now I'm slowing down. Time to go for more walks! I wasn't exercising much during the first 15 pounds but now I'm motivated and just unfroze my gym membership! Feel free to add me as a friend! I need as much support as I can get! I'm hoping to be a success story so I can inspire others to meet their goals!1
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Hi @shawnstevennelson1988! Congratulations on unfreezing your gym membership
It sounds like you're doing a great job 0 -
Tinker Bell!!!! I have returned!!!
I am hoping to join up with the pack and march on down to the new year and beyond.
LOTS has happened good and bad since I left MFP after over 20 years on Sept 2021 (10th anniversary of 9/11 when I lost my 3,300 plus day consistent logging streak on MFP got pissed off and left)
Moved NY/Long Island to Osprey FL (South of Sarasota and North of Venice FL on the Gulf) went from 185 July 2021 to 205 a few weeks ago / Thanksgiving (aptly NOT named) . Stress of caring for MIL down here and her home and work etc etc. all kinds of excuses. Some reasonable explanations I suspect???!!!
MIL is now deceased (July) and we just spent months clearing, cleaning, repairing, selling, giving away, shipping 40 years of 'stuff' and are selling the house.
Lost my best friend in PA in May to cancer my BF (his wife was my wife's roommate in college and we introduced them) , my 'baby' 2 year old daughter graduated college on May 19th the day after his funeral.
My wife's sister died the week before my best friend so we flew back up to PA for that funeral as well and my wife had put that all together.
Fortunately my weight is my biggest concern. Been cycling 50 to 100 miles a week, swimming 1,000 yards to a mile or more a week. Walk at LEAST 5,000 steps a day (yesterday 16,000)
My diet/nutrition/food is pretty good BUT the quantity and frequency is the challenge. Many of my steps are to and past the refrigerator and kitchen just FEET away from my home office!!!!!
SOOOO been bantering about with Chris here and while I have seen him over the years on Garmin Connect and Strava........
I need you guys, and want BACK IN THE GAME!!!!! I am trudging down a bit to 197 lbs today but just like in cycling (I ride with 4 to 10 riders sometimes, and pull the pace line for a mile) I need to draft and take their air and be with the pack to PULL me but also PUSH me to keep up!!!
Sign me up Coach Tinger Bell Angie 83 > 867 5309 90210 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[edited by MFP staff]
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Ya think? Wow. Comparatively being upright and breathing is a miracle.thomasjohnlynch wrote: »all kinds of excuses. Some reasonable explanations I suspect
I'm happy you are here Lynch. This MFP group is tough, because MFP "Groups" are kind of out of the way. But I believe it only take 5 or 6 supportive motivated people to have big group successes. Momentum and peer support are rare, fun, and effective. Let's do it!2 -
The MFP moderator folks censored and edited my post, FYI?? Sounds like the woke crowd have arrived at MFP during my absence?? Sad. :-(
I think to maintain control and keep us on their proprietary messaging system they may have deleted my email and phone number or maybe my personal website. Can't tell and not obvious.
So if any of you want that just send me private mail here on MFP and I will get that to you!!!
~ Thomas ~
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Sounds like you have had a tough time of it, sorry for your losses.
MFP always had a rule about not sharing personal contact info on the forums so if you want to share it, best to do in a private message.
Its a pretty standard rule on most forums to protect people from unwanted contact, after all this is all publicly available.0 -
that's why I only put my email in there. I can block or delete anything I don't want. I have been running bulletin boards and my website since the 1980s... I have worked in the computer industry (Computer Associates, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi Data Systems, IBM, and currently Oracle Corporation) in hardware, software and security for 40 years?
Heck I have trouble accessing MY OWN messages most of the time on MFP on the multiple platforms and sites they bounce us to???
I don't need some newly minted C student knucklehead deciding that what I post needs not to be seen or they don't like it? If I say it and post it, they should "print it". No profanity, no politics, no religion, no etc etc..... anything outside of that is CENSORSHIP, wokism and discriminates MY rights <smile> as I am being excluded not included???
I am in a password protected private (i.e. NOT public, they have credentials for you , me, and everybody else.) and they aren't breaking any of my systems???
Anyway, have a great Holiday and a Merry Christmas!!!!! Good luck on your journey as well in the current and coming weeks, this is a tough time of year for sure!!!!!
~ Thomas ~0 -
Now now, we're playing nice in the sandbox.thomasjohnlynch wrote: »newly minted C student knucklehead
I'm a pretty savvy guy, but this eludes me. What's a "newly minted C student"?- C-Level job (e.g. CTO, CFO, CEO)
- A "Computer science" grad
- Someone with a 2.0 GPA
What's the scoop?0 -
Some kid who failed programming school or got a C at college and now works at MFP moderating content and censoring posts like mine. :-)0
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Hey @bootilicious joined, awesome. I'll send this weeks thread, but look around a little, and maybe write a bit about your plan when you get a chance.1
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Hello everyone,
I'm Rita and I've been on MFP since 2009. Ive lossed and gained but have never been successful at maintenance. When I lose it all again, a goal is to focus on a maintenance program, instead of celebrating every day.
What's been working is to stay low carb as much as possible. That means I use keto bread and eat alot of greens and low fat cuts of meat.
I also only eat at 8, 12, and 4pm. Nothing after that. Also, no restaurant food because of the increased amount of sodium. If I don't cook it, I don't eat it. That's a tough regimen but it works. I know how to lose, I just don't know how to stay in maintenance. Please feel free to ask me anything and I will do the same. All the best everyone 💝2 -
thomasjohnlynch wrote: »that's why I only put my email in there. I can block or delete anything I don't want. I have been running bulletin boards and my website since the 1980s... I have worked in the computer industry (Computer Associates, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi Data Systems, IBM, and currently Oracle Corporation) in hardware, software and security for 40 years?
Heck I have trouble accessing MY OWN messages most of the time on MFP on the multiple platforms and sites they bounce us to???
I don't need some newly minted C student knucklehead deciding that what I post needs not to be seen or they don't like it? If I say it and post it, they should "print it". No profanity, no politics, no religion, no etc etc..... anything outside of that is CENSORSHIP, wokism and discriminates MY rights <smile> as I am being excluded not included???
I am in a password protected private (i.e. NOT public, they have credentials for you , me, and everybody else.) and they aren't breaking any of my systems???
Anyway, have a great Holiday and a Merry Christmas!!!!! Good luck on your journey as well in the current and coming weeks, this is a tough time of year for sure!!!!!
~ Thomas ~
The forum isn't password protected it's publicly available as read only. You just can't respond to posts.0 -
Obviously password protected or not its all on a desk of somebody in China or Russia. Google, FB, MFP, Twitter, etc they all have your history and passage on/through their medium ..... and share it amongst themselves. Your phone dutifully reporting movements and surfing. The only way to prevent this is to NOT POST ANYTHING!!!0
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thomasjohnlynch wrote: »NOT POST ANYTHING!!!
Post here Lynch and force them to do something! I got your six.2 -
Great, another person from Ireland. Hey @Mari33a when you get a minute please consider posting an intro.1
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chris_in_cal wrote: »Great, another person from Ireland. Hey @Mari33a when you get a minute please consider posting an intro.
Ok, I was a little confused and not sure where exactly to post. Thanks @chris_in_cal0 -
Hello,
I'm new to this group. I'm married with young adult children in my late 40's. I have been on MFP since 2014 and was maintaining until 2017 when I gained almost 3 stone and at my heaviest weight 190 lbs. I've always exercised but wasn't taking the calorie counting serious until January last year (2023) and something seemed to click in my head. I started last January at 184lbs and have very slowly got to 148.8lbs last Wednesday. Wednesday is my Weigh In Day but I weigh myself and track calories every day good or bad. I would like to reach 140lbs. But realistically will be happy to maintain between 140 and 148 depending what is going on in life. I have always found in the past maintaining is just as hard as losing because the bad snacking habits and portion sizes tend to creep back without noticing and next thing I have 6lbs back on.
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not sure where exactly to post.
Thanks for your introduction, and you seem to be on quite a tear...keep at it!
The core of the group is each week has its own thread, which is for posting our weigh-ins. See you there on Wednesdays.
The geographic diversity here is nice, several people in Europe, and from all over the U.S.
P.S. in MFP you click 'my groups' or something like that to find this place again.1 -
Rita, You are making such consistent progress. Have you set a goal weight for yourself? Or, some activity, or other type of goal?bootilicious wrote: »Please feel free to ask me anything and I will do the same. All the best everyone 💝
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Hi @chris_in_cal. My next goal is to lose 15.8 lbs to get to 150 lbs. Then ease into maintenance. Thx for asking.2
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Hi!
I’m Meg (42) and I’m a SAHM to a 13 yr old with SN and a typical 5 yr old.
I’m from the US , Alabama.
Over the last few years I’ve gained weight and a few months ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and now,that that’s under control it’s time to get serious about losing weight and getting healthy!
Currently around 151 with goal being around 125!
Need accountability to get serious and stay focused.
First weigh in will be tomorrow!1
