It works!

Aliciaaah · February 2012

When I started this site, I wasn't sure it was going to work, because nothing ever has. The reason this site works for me is because I'm a numbers person. I'm an accounting major, so I totally get off on trying to work the math, how much can I get out of my calories each day? If I want to eat this dinner how much do I need to work out? That sort of thing.

I started here already a little discouraged though, because I have 90 pounds to lose. At a rate of 1 pound a week, that's almost two whole years. That just seems sooo long for me. I've set my goal at 1 pound a week as my minimum, but I don't normally eat all my exercise calories back, and I make an effort to overestimate my food a bit, and underestimate my workouts just to be safe.

I've been on here just longer than a month. A month and 3 days to be exact. I've logged in every day, worked out 4 times a week. Today at my weigh in I lost 2.6 pounds from last week. This is a total of 8 pounds. In one month and 3 days.

I could not be happier!

fatgirlslove · February 2012

It does work! Congrats!:flowerforyou:

kammy92 · February 2012

Congrats!!!!:bigsmile:

dru_howard · February 2012

I felt the same way when I started - I'm an accountant and also LOVE the math. Weight loss finally just made sense and it worked when I played the numbers game with myself. I lost my 50th total pound this week and it took me a little over a year. However, I, along with "getting" the math, also got that this was a forever change so it no longer feels like a diet anymore - it's just my life. I'm finally health, strong, and active in life. It's so awesome.

CONGRATS on your first 8 lbs - that is a fabulous accomplishment and you should be SO SO SO proud of yourself. Keep it up and though a year or even two may seem like a long time, it's amazing the energy and self confidence you will gain along the way - oh yea, along with a new body too!!

si_puedo · February 2012

i too was like you......i set my goal at 1.5lbs per week and with 72lbs as my weight loss goal, i was thinking this was going to take forever.....i decided to give it a try anyway.....here i am today at 14lbs down and it's been a month and a half.....i know how good you are feeling right now....we can totally do this.....woop woop woop:laugh: :happy:

Aliciaaah · February 2012

I can't wait to get where you are! Eating healthy has never been hard for me. I LOVE the food!

It was more about portions for me. These are my basic tools these days when it comes to dinner:

Bigger portions of the healthy food, stuff vegetables in any meal you can (they always work), less of the mashed potatoes, and hold the cheese. lol It's that easy for me to eat healthier. It works because I didn't have to do a total 180 to change my habits.

LorinaLynn · February 2012

Great job!

I'm not an accountant, but I love shopping. I think of logging my food as budgeting my money. I want the most bang for my buck, and the best, most delicious foods for my calories.

70davis · February 2012

bump

eacatterton · February 2012

Congrats to you! My change has been very similar. Before i had this idea if I worked out, that would mean I could have...a piece of cake or a donut.Now I have for the most part cut that out and I look at it as a total numbers game. If I eat this I have to work out this long or I can substitute this instead of that and get more out of my day. I am typically already a healthy eater, but yes it comes down to portions for me and cutting out the extras that are not necessary.

Caiis101 · February 2012

Congrats on your weight loss. I just joined MFP this week so I am glad to see you are happy with your results!

gregavila · February 2012

Congratulations on the progress so far. Based on your diary, you have room to cut some additional calories (100-200 a day) and you still wouldn't be at the minimum of 1200. So if you are looking to make things go faster you could try that. If not, keep it up and don't get discouraged...you are doing just fine.

shovav91 · February 2012

That's absolutely fantastic! Keep up the great work

gregavila · February 2012

Also a couple of suggestions in looking ate your food diary...

1) are you drinking water and just not logging it? If you aren't drinking you should be trying to get a minimum of 64 ounces a day.

2) You could work to lower your sodium intake, which would also help with water retention.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Hippie_Soul · February 2012

Great job!

I'm not an accountant, but I love shopping. I think of logging my food as budgeting my money. I want the most bang for my buck, and the best, most delicious foods for my calories.

I'm with you on that one! I am a couponer (not extreme!) and love a bargain! I always thought eating healthy was just too expensive, but its not!
Good luck to all of us on our life changes!!!

ALW65 · February 2012

I'm celebrating for you!!! Keep up the fantastic work! :drinker:

(I love the numbers thing, too....takes something that seems vague and makes it scientific and easier to conceptualize!)

dport7 · February 2012

Also a couple of suggestions in looking ate your food diary...

1) are you drinking water and just not logging it? If you aren't drinking you should be trying to get a minimum of 64 ounces a day.

2) You could work to lower your sodium intake, which would also help with water retention.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Sodium is the tough one for me, seeing i have high blood pressure.

You are right about water and sodium.

I do like that people open their diary's, it give a better prospective on what they're eating and suggestions on food choices for everyone who reads them.

CONGRATULATIONS on your progress so far.

jillsusanne · February 2012

Congratulations! Keep up the good work!! :flowerforyou:

chell53 · February 2012

Congrats to you.............I looked at your Diary and noticed your sodium is a little high, I do the same thing eat high in sodium food, nothing wrong in that only for me when I do that I tend to keep a little extra weight on....... keep up the good work and stay strong....

Wisemomoffour · February 2012

Yay for you!!! I am so excited for you and your loss--you are dong GREAT!!!! I hope you are making friends on here. People are SO supportive and will be your cheerleaders on your journey. Feel free to add me if you like. Good luck and keep on, keepin' on!! :happy:

Laner07 · February 2012

Ha see I'm the opposite. I don't really like math so I like that MFP figures everything out for me. This way I know it's more accurate than if I were to add everything up myself.

hkulbacki · February 2012

Same for me. The math has really helped me control my portion sizes. I'm still eating the same healthy foods that I've been eating for awhile but now the portions sizes have gotten better because I can see the math of each portion. I didn't have alot to lose but today I hit my exact goal weight and I'm so excited. Now to figure out the portions that will allow me to maintain without losing more or putting back any... My goal now will be to stay within 2.5 pounds in either direction of today's number so I have a 5 pound range to float in.

189andFalling · February 2012

If you're an accountant think of it as compound interest

. Eat clean for a year, throw in some exercise, and I reckon you'll get there quicker than you think!

Aliciaaah · February 2012

Also a couple of suggestions in looking ate your food diary...

1) are you drinking water and just not logging it? If you aren't drinking you should be trying to get a minimum of 64 ounces a day.

2) You could work to lower your sodium intake, which would also help with water retention.

Just a couple of thoughts.

I do (usually) drink tons of water! Well over the recommended 64 oz. And I also eat a lot of fruits and veggies that contain a lot of water. My sodium is definitely crazy some days. Part of this is from those days that I do add something processed to my meal. (For example, I made a stew-like casserole and put some puff pastry on top - killer!) That ALWAYS pushes me over the edge.

Another part is that the last two nights I ate out. (which, while bad for me, I view it as a challenge because I failed my first few night eating out and totally ate regular. Now I'm much more careful, and stay under my calorie goal). Most of the restaurants I eat out at aren't in the database, and there's no information on them, so I try to pull up comparable meals and restaurants. So the things I ate weren't necessarily what was on my diary. In these cases I ALWAYS try to overestimate because you never really know.

Also, in regards to having a couple hundred calories I could cut out, that's what I meant when I said that I overestimate food and underestimate exercise. Also, I don't always eat my exercise calories back. I do all of this because I know I have room to lose more than one pound a week. However, I don't want to feel like a failure if I go over my goal, so I keep it moderate. On a weekly basis though, I'm always quite a few hundred calories under my goal.

Thanks for all the support guys! It really helps hearing that you're doing well, and also what you could do better. Sodium is a killer! I'm just glad it hasn't affected anything - yet. I'll continue cutting it and drinking tons of water!

It works!

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