New Girl

Hi, I'm 23 and I've just started using this site. I've been on a diet for 2 weeks now, and have lost a total of 12 pounds! I'm very happy about this but scared of failing. I have NEVER suceeded on a diet before, and I desperately would love to be down to about 160 pounds. My mother is doing this diet with me and so far it's going good, but I'm constantly afraid of disappointing myself.

Hi, and welcome to THE best site on the web! :flowerforyou:
I'll tell you something that someone told me when I first came to MFP. It's NOT a diet, it's a "lifestyle change". I didn't believe it at first, but, it REALLY IS! Try to keep that in mind, ok? It completely changed my way of thinking, because before, as soon as I'd hear the word diet, I would think the word "deprived" and I'd just give up fairly quickly. :grumble:
Between the easy to use food counter (which by the way is SUCH an eye opener!) and all the wonderfully supportive members, you WILL be able to lose the weight that you want to, AND, it'll "almost" be easy doing it!
I recommend logging ALL your foods BEFORE you have them, rather than later, as it tends to lead to better food choices. (not to mention you'll know if you've got enough numbers left to have a night time snack, like I ALWAYS try to do!) Some people also like to weigh and measure some things, such as meats, rather than just estimating and possibly being WAY off! :noway:
Don't go making the mistake that if you have LOTS of numbers left at the end of the day that you'll lose even faster, because that DOESN'T happen. Feel free to read any info about the site in the "help" section at the top of the home page. And also, under "all topics", then "general", and check out the first few threads. They'll really help you understand how MFP works.
Before coming here, I had tried just about EVERYTHING out there, including hypnosis, TWICE, and nothing really worked until MFP!
Also, drink LOTS of water, it REALLY DOES help! :drinker:
As for exercise, it doesn't always have to be awful. For my exercise, I walk almost every day, (weather permitting!) I also dance to a fast oldies CD that my husband made up of all my favorite old songs. (Like "Love Shack", Wild, Wild West", "Mony, Mony", "Footloose", and "Gloria")
It's free, (unlike a gym!) fun, and I can even watch tv at the same time, so I never get bored! :happy:
I also recently aquired the Wii Fit, and jog to that, which is a lot of fun, and easy too!
So, to make a LONG story short, make good food choices, eat in moderation, get some exercise, and you WILL lose the weight that you want to!

Hello and Welcome :flowerforyou: This is really about changing your life and way you eat forever. :flowerforyou: You've heard "dieting doesn't work...Well basically that's because when you go off the "diet" you go back to eating the same old mindless, bad habit way you have always done! :frown: The only way to not yoyo your weight is to change forever. You can learn to control the "fun stuff" by alotting calories in your total.
MFP is the greatest diet aid tool I have ever found. :bigsmile: If I had to write all this stuff down....well..you know- I haven't got the time, much less remember. :grumble: Keep yourself accountable. Look up calories in foods your not sure about. Processed sugars and HFCS high fructose syrup are bad! :explode: Stay away from fast foods unless you know how many calories and what kind are in them. :noway: :drinker: Grabbing food for comfort or boredom is no longer an option! :noway: You must be aware of what, when and where you are eating. :happy: So get started! Get psyched! Get pumped! Grab your water bottles for plenty of filling/flushing H2O! :drinker: :drinker: :bigsmile: :smooched: