needing direction!

Hi there! I am brand new to this website, and very excited about it.
I really dont think I grasp how exactly to eat. How many calories should I betaking in each day? how much do Iwork out?
I am 226 right now 5'6", at the biggest I have ever been, I am very discouraged. My goal is to be 140-145

I just dont know where to Start!!!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Ashley

Replies

  • I'm glad you're here! I have been on MFP for almost two weeks and I love it. I lost 3.2 pounds the first week! I have been trying to stick to the 1200 calories a day. This site is great because it doesn't tell you what you have to eat, but you will naturally start making better choices to meet your calorie goal. I have had pizza and chocolate, but I know when I do things like that I may need to exercise that day. The site just really helped me think about what I was eating and how active I am. I talked some coworkers and family members into joining as well, it helps to have friends. My goal is to lose 40 pounds so I have a long way to go, but I hope I can stay as motivated as I am right now. The site has really transformed my thinking and opened my eyes to the bad choices I have been making all this time. Good luck with your weight loss, i hope this site works for you too.
  • thank you! its nice to get positive repliesfrom others! :)
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Hello and welcome.
    You have come to the right place. Getting fit is simple but hard.
    Just get started by going into "Settings" and filling out your "Update diet/fitness profile"
    Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
    NO MORE!
    And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
    Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
    AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES~!
    That's it.
    Again, quite simple.
    The easy part is the what to do; the hard part is the doing.

    Good Luck!
  • you should start at maintenance calories & then slowly reduce 500 calories from your daily caloric allowance. You should use a calorie calculator to calculate everything. I personally use Fatcuda.com as it's really accurate.