Looking for top 5 tips from all of you successful people...

bump

Bump!

4. Take pictures every time you lose five lbs. It's great to be able to look back and see the progress you've made.

^This! If it wasn't for the photos my motivation would have dropped to zilch numerous times.

Drink lots of water
Make sure you get plenty of fiber
Measure everything. Food and your body.
Build a support system both in person and online if possible.

Bump

1. Use your willPower...it's free and it's yours

2. Exercise EVERYDAY - FIND at least 20 minutes for YOU

3. Log EVERYTHING you put into your body and make sure you never see your calories in the RED

4. Set a goal and reach it

5. Workout smarter, not harder...precision = efficient = more calorie burn in less time.

1. Plan ahead, consider what you might be eating in a day and make priorities. e.g. know that you're going for a drink/cake that day, put that in your diary first and base the rest of the day around it.

2. If you fall off the wagon get back on. It's the getting back on track that really matters the most. There will be high calorie days in the future - friends get married, you might have reason to celebrate an anniversary etc, it might be an important family meal, we can't be too strict all the time - just most of the time! ; )

3. Try not to eat rubbish, refined sugary stuff that plays hugely with your appetite and blood sugar and plus you get more food for cals if you eat more of the healthy stuff and trust me...it's filling!

4. Work out, but try and find something you enjoy and do it when you feel like doing it. I started MFP barely doing more than walking and it was after I lost the weight that I felt motivated to get out and move around and really, believe what they say...it DOES make you feel great. : P

5. Your friends are your secret weapon; your advisory group and you should pick and keep them wisely. My MFP friends are my biggest inspiration and motivation.

And good luck, you are the one in control... take charge! x

This is not possible for me, My partner and his 13 year old son eat whatever they want. Cookies, brownies, ice cream, pizza, hot dogs, cheese, peanut butter, mac and cheese, processed white bread....you get the picture. I have asked them to limit/change their eating habits to no avail. I go back and fourth from sticking to it to having food binges when no one is looking! Self will run riot all too often. Now what?

Not possible MULE FRITTERS, BULL COOKIES I say you just need to read point number one in my original post. Let them eat whatever they want feed yourself what you need to meet your goals!

1. Eliminate processed foods, refined sugars, and junk food
2. Up your protein, limit your fats
3. Drink your water
4. Mix up your exercise (strength and cardio)
5. Eat back your exercise calories

Look at my ticker...I'm at goal...that should tell you something.

This is the plan! I do the same, watch my simple carbs and sodium as well. I also gave up soda and it made a big difference! While I am not up to strength training yet but I do resistance bands plus cardio and walking.

You can do it!!! We did!!!

Feel like I'm beating a dead horse by posting on here since there are already so many posts, but these are my top five:

1. Drink water. I keep a Camelbak bottle with me at all times and fill it up approx. 4 times a day
2. Try to get .5-1 g of protein per pound of lean body mass
3. Eat regularly throughout the day to stave off binging tendencies
4. Make sure to do cardio AND strength training
5. Get at least 6 hours of sleep a night

I feel like I am stuck in a rut that I can't get out of. I have tried numerous times to eat healthy/exercise more/lose weight and have not been successful yet. I have no excuses...I know why I haven't been successful...it's because I don't do what needs to be done. I skip a few days here and there of working out...I don't stay within my calorie range because I just have to have that second slice of pizza or another chocolate chip cookie. And I know I am not the only one who has been in this position...you have all started somewhere and dug yourself out and have reached your goal or are on your way to reaching it. So what I am looking for is what tips do you have for a fellow MFP who has not been successful yet. Everyone is different so hopefully I find a few that work for me!

What are your top 5?!

don't ever CENY the second slice of Pizza or the extra cookie. Work out before hand and EARN that second slice. denying any sort of food is a path to misery. just keep your focus, work on your cardio and ENJOY your food..and water...lots of water....and once you have made inroads with cardio,add some resistance/strength/core training...mix things up, keep it interesting...lots of water..but don't ever deny yourself the food you love...earn it...and if you haven't earn't it you know how hard you must work to indulge and that should put a stop to that!

1. MEAL PLAN. Sit down one night each week and make a menu plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the week.

2. GROCERY LIST. Once you've made your menu plan, make a list of exactly what you need to buy. Don't buy anything else.

3. FREEZE. Whenever possible, make double batches of meals and freeze the leftovers so you can have quick meals ready.

4. PROTEIN. Make sure you have some protein with every meal and snack. A few nuts or some cheese will make that apple last a bit longer in your tummy.

5. FOOD RULES. Read Michael Pollan's Food Rules and stick to those rules as closely as possible.

This is not possible for me, My partner and his 13 year old son eat whatever they want. Cookies, brownies, ice cream, pizza, hot dogs, cheese, peanut butter, mac and cheese, processed white bread....you get the picture. I have asked them to limit/change their eating habits to no avail. I go back and fourth from sticking to it to having food binges when no one is looking! Self will run riot all too often. Now what?

This is going to sound easier said than done, but it did work in our household.
Who does the grocery shopping? You or him? This is a chore my husband and I share but since we are pretty like-minded on nutrition, it is not a big deal. We buy the good food and if we want anything junk-like, it involves a special trip.
HOWEVER, the 16-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter who live in the house with us, well, not so much. They are the junkfood junkies here. If they want the crap, they have to go get it themselves.

This is such an awesome topic with such awesome answers.

I need to listen to my own advice...

1. Do this for you and you only. If you don't take care of yourself no one else will. Being fat is not a good feeling. Being fat is not healthy. There is absolutely NO benefit from being overweight!

2. Workout and make it fun. Strength and cardio. I always burn way more cals doing strength and circuit training then cardio by itself. Your workout time is the only time in the day that is truly about you! Don't try to multi task at the gym by reading and running or walking on the treadmill and talking on your cellphone. Get off the phone and focus on yourself!

3. weigh your food and log/count your calories.

4.cook in bulk. its hard to plan meals for the week. Cook enough for a few days and have leftovers...not seconds.

5. Be proud of how far you have come and always remember how having the extra weight feels and looks and makes you feel. I felt ugly, depressed, ashamed, fat and embarassed. I hated buying large clothes!

6. I loved the last epidosed of the biggest loser. the last challenge they make the contestants carry their "losses" from point A to point B to help emind them of how much they have lost and how far they have come. I've lost almost 25lbs. Do you know how heavy a 25lb weight is at the gym??? its pretty heavy. I just always try to remind myself that I'm much happier lifting the 25lb weight 3x a week versus 24/7.

Bump!

Bump... Saving so I can look back at all of these tips. You guys are great!!