What do you wish you knew when you started?

ColleenDeBeasi
ColleenDeBeasi Posts: 27 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I saw a comment on an earlier thread along the lines of "I wish I knew what I know now when I started"... what is it that you've learned that might help someone (like me) who is just starting.

I've lost and gained a thousand times, but it looks like MFP is legit- people seem to be having great success. I've done a variety of other diets, but never counted calories. So far, it seems pretty fool-proof.
«13

Replies

  • StarryEyed500
    StarryEyed500 Posts: 225 Member
    This is my list, that's ever growing...

    It's not a quick thing.

    Losing weight doesn't have to mean starving.

    If you want to keep muscles, don't eat below your BMR - and lift weights. You won't get 'bulky' unless you're a man or have an unnatural amount of testosterone.

    Macros are set wrong if you want to be healthy - Try 50/25/25 or 40/30/30 (carb/fat/protein)
  • msbellzee
    msbellzee Posts: 69
    I wish I had known how hard it would be, I have found that working out is lots of work with tiny gradual results.......it is worth it, but it's slow.
  • JesiDM
    JesiDM Posts: 268 Member
    Bump
  • jfcarlson713
    jfcarlson713 Posts: 108 Member
    I wish I would have known it doesn't have to be "all or nothing". This is real life. You get to start over every day. Dieting doesn't work. Lifestyle changes do.
  • hjfischer
    hjfischer Posts: 250
    I wish I had known all of this when I was 13.
  • kaetmarie
    kaetmarie Posts: 668 Member
    I wish I would have known it doesn't have to be "all or nothing". This is real life. You get to start over every day. Dieting doesn't work. Lifestyle changes do.

    This has been my biggest challenge, but it's so true!
  • adietron
    adietron Posts: 155
    I wish I would have known it doesn't have to be "all or nothing". This is real life. You get to start over every day. Dieting doesn't work. Lifestyle changes do.

    I couldn't agree more.
  • tyroneadams
    tyroneadams Posts: 55
    bump
  • CharlieBarleyMom
    CharlieBarleyMom Posts: 727 Member
    I wish I had known that it was going to work... I would've taken some "before" photos and taken my measurements all over.

    I wish I had thrown out my scale because I'm addicted to weighing every day... and although I don't let it affect me, it still affects me.

    I wish I had known all of the information that I have now found through my own research, and realized that this is a progressive lifestyle change - well, I wish I had known that 20 years ago rather than having to go through this again.

    But, most of all, I really wish I had known that I was worth this.
  • LeslieMDoyle
    LeslieMDoyle Posts: 162 Member
    I have started and stopped this journey many times. I wish I would have known then that a community of support makes all the difference in the world!
  • melelana
    melelana Posts: 122 Member
    I wish I knew that healthy & fit is more beautiful than skinny, and that a scale is not worth crying over. Stressing out just equals more unhealthy eating.
  • Strawberry_Kitten
    Strawberry_Kitten Posts: 15
    I wish i'd known that my parents were never gonna change and that cutting them out of my life was for the best. Everything got better/easier and the lb dropped off cause i wasnt stress eating.
  • JimandLin
    JimandLin Posts: 76 Member
    I wish I would of known the older you get, the harder it is to lose weight. :cry:
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I wish I took more "before" pictures! I didn't take any of my bum until I'd already lost 20 pounds and it had already shrunk considerably.

    I wish I never bothered with 1200 calories. I did better eating a minimum of 1350 plus all my exercise calories, and better still around 1500+... But if I had't tried 1200, I couldn't argue with all those who think it's best. :wink:
  • kelseyruiz
    kelseyruiz Posts: 5
    I wish I'd known how important the water part is. I started out not really entering that portion and lost for a while and then completely stalled for about 3 weeks. It wasn't until I started drinking more water that the scale started to move again.

    Secondly, I wish I'd known just how unhealthy I was. I got complacent and totally forgot what it feels like to feel good both healthy and confident. I've been feeling good again for some time now and I can't believe I let food become more important than that.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    IIFYM.
  • jennifer52484
    jennifer52484 Posts: 888 Member
    I wish i knew (maybe i wouldn't have failed a million times prior)
    1. the number on scale is much less important than loosing inches all over your body.
    2. it takes a few weeks before some people start to lose weight.
    3. having a strong will power doesn't matter unless you keep at it.
    4. "grazing" on foods(eating a few bites of a bunch of things) definitely counts toward daily totals.
    5. getting fit would make me feel amazing (If i knew this one, maybe I would have tried a bit harder all those other times)
  • Dare2Believe
    Dare2Believe Posts: 140 Member
    I wish I would have known that it is okay to love myself right now just as I am today.

    I wish I would have known that dieting is no fun, but making lifestyle changes is exciting.

    I wish I would have known that talking positively to myself works so much better than talking negatively.

    I wish I would have known that no one person has all the answers.

    There is strength in numbers.

    Welcome, and much success to you.
  • StarryEyed500
    StarryEyed500 Posts: 225 Member
    ...4. "grazing" on foods(eating a few bites of a bunch of things) definitely counts toward daily totals...
    Haha - yes. I'm still trying to convince my hubby of that!
  • OfficialPR
    OfficialPR Posts: 1,578 Member
    I wish I knew when I started..

    a) How much people hate on you when you get results
    b) That HIIT/Circuit is the best way to get lean/burn fat (Would've been further along...it's all good though)
  • jwhit31
    jwhit31 Posts: 450 Member
    I wish I would have understood the concept of lifestyle change.. You don't have to be perfect but you do have to realize that there are consequences for all the choices you make. Those choices may cause you to take longer to reach your goals but you'll get there so long as you keep pressing forward and DON'T GIVE UP!
  • mjn18
    mjn18 Posts: 74 Member
    bump
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    I wish I had known I was allergic to yeast. All the yo-yoing could have been prevented, and possibly could have kept my gall bladder...
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    I wish I had known that you really don't have to starve yourself to lose weight! You don't have to give up all of the yummy things that you love!
  • brendacs21
    brendacs21 Posts: 180 Member
    yep! i wish i wouldve known all this info and actually put it in place in my 20s when i could lose weight easier.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    That strength training would work better then hours of cardio
  • Fockertots
    Fockertots Posts: 221
    But, most of all, I really wish I had known that I was worth this.

    ^this more than anything else. I wish that I had known that I deserved to be better for myself and that it ALL that matters.
  • kinzytg
    kinzytg Posts: 42
    I wish I would have taken measurements at the start. I wish I would have looked in my closet for my old (smaller) clothes earlier, better fitting clothes show progress faster!!
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Feed the muscle to burn the fat
    Weights > Cardio
    Macros are important.
  • Colbyandsage
    Colbyandsage Posts: 751 Member
    The evilness of sodium. I am 33 and just realized that it makes me bloated, grouchy and my scale go nuts!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories