what is the best way to get started

youve already started by using this!

Juststay under your calorie allowance set by MFP

Try and eat little and often , small portions but more often throughout the day

Exercise as much and as hard as think you can manage and take it from there , any little bit you feel you can push yourself to do will help, try find something you enjoy! ( If not a runner try googling couch to 5k , great programme!)


Simple changes like switching to diet drinks ( or not fizzy at all and stick with water) can make a big difference too.
Avoid fast food if you can hah

Start small and then keep at it!

You have logged onto this site. So you have already made the first step.

Now, log everything you eat. Before long you will have a better understanding of how much you eat. With that you can start modifying.

As for exercise, again start small and keep it up. If you are sedentary, start by going for a walk. If you want/need to be pushed, join a gym or a class (Dancing, yoga, martial arts, etc.) As you feel stronger raise the bar!

As you are at the beginning this may not sound like the truth. But, once you start and keep at it. The changes are quick. 1 - 2 lbs per week add up very fast! I bet that by Christmas this year you will not recognize the person looking back at you from the mirror!

Best of luck!

Family can be a challenge. If it is kids and hubby, you can manage that with an "we're all going to be healthier" family challenge. My son loves sweets, etc, but also is proud of following the food pyramid. If it is parents, brothers and sisters, I know that can be harder, but if you let them know how they can help you with your goals, hopefully they will jump in and be supportive.

i can handle the excersise i am trying to figure out how to manage the meals i have a family and they want their family favorites and thats it and those are high in calories

portion control & look online for ways to subsitute healther things when cooking the family favs. It should be a family commitment as much as a personal one

The best thing to do is healthy food swaps and portion control to get started. Try to get in at least 8 cups of water. Log everything that goes into your mouth including condiments, sauces, drinks so you can really see what you are consuming and how to make adjustments.

Also choose what you are tracking: Calories of course along with Carbs/Protein/Fiber/Sugar/Sodium keep a great watch on all of those and work to stay within the limits.

Make mini-goals and possibly join some challenges. A great one is the burn 3500 cals/week challenge or lose 5lbs in a month challenge.

Take before pics, along with weight and measurements to compare . . . . I usually compare every 4 weeks on the same day of the month.

The best thing to do is be honest with entering your meals. Just start entering what you eat, it's simple. I learned quickly which foods correlated with weight loss & which one's made the scale go the other way. I was surprised at some of the foods & amounts that I could eat & still see results. The best thing about putting in your meals here is there is nobody to judge you, if you go over the calories there's always tomorrow. I still cook for my family & eat the same meals they do, maybe I leave out some of the things they have, like cheese or bacon, sometimes I don't & just watch the portion size. I have teenagers, so eating fast food is just part of life for us, this site has most restaurants & you can quickly scan the database to see what has the least amount of calories & I order that. I started in November & have lost 16 lbs (the holidays were tough but I was able to maintain), I'm halfway to my goal weight & plan on being there by June 1. My family, co-workers & friends are very supportive & have jumped on the healthy train with me,especially once they started seeing my results. At work we talk about our exercise & share recipes, we even started doing short bursts of aerobic activity during our day. You can do it & you'll feel so much better! Good luck!!