Tell me your secret weight loss tips!!!

Just keep going! Even when it sucks, even when it's hard, even when you don't want to ... keep going! Hard work, dedication!!!

My Power team is.. P90X and Shakeology!!!

Eat less, exercise more.

Bump for later

I had so many smart-*kitten* answers that I just figured it's too early to get in trouble!

I am also new to MFP. Week 2 ,I gainned 1 pound. Have a total loss of 1.5 so far. I am eating below my calorie recommendations. I am kinda bummed. I have increased my exercise big time. ( I have been exercising for past 4 months prior MFP) i feel great, but want to loose weight. I think I might have gained in muscles. anyway, I am not giving up, becasue I feel so good. My question is how do I post a new message on the message board? Please advise. Judy

The biggest "secret" is that there's really no magic cure, but you've made a really good start. These are some things that have helped me:

-Measure food as accurately as possible, log everything and try not to sneak bites and nibbles of things that you can't accurately track

-eat enough! MFP sets a lot of people at 1200 to start with, but this might not be enough. Find out your TDEE and BMR and try to eat at least your BMR. It's so tempting to make your calorie deficit as big as possible, but you need to fuel your body, maintain as much lean mass (muscle) as possible while losing fat, and avoid damaging your metabolism.

-eat back your exercise calories. Be aware that MFP can overestimate calories burned through exercise, so take that number with a pinch of salt, but at least eat some of them back. Consider investing in a heart rate monitor at some point.

-Definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Take it slow, and keep it off. Don't try to lose too much at once. For the amount you have to lose, 1 lb a week is a reasonable goal. Safe, sustainable weight loss takes time. It's easy to get bored and frustrated, but keep in mind why you wanted to lose the weight in the first place. You'll get there!

-take photos and measurements as soon as possible so you can see your progress even when it feels like it's going too slowly. Sometimes you can see your measurements changing even if the scale isn't budging.

-try not to stress too much over the numbers on the scale. Don't freak out if you don't lose for a couple of weeks, or even gain. Weight loss is not linear and there are so many variables; as long as you are meeting your goals, you will be fine. Drink water and track your sodium intake to avoid being surprised by water weight.

-Read the threads under "success stories", the before and after pics are really motivating

-look into lifting heavy weights if you don't already. You won't "bulk up", but you might be surprised how it can change your body. Lots of women on here have had great success with lowering their body fat percentage (getting smaller but not necessarily lighter) with weight lifting.

-Read lots on these boards and elsewhere to learn as much as you can about nutrition and weight loss. There is a lot of really good information on these message boards, but also a ton of well-meaning misinformation. Try to find the ones that know what they're talking about and have the results to show it! Don't be put off by the arguing and sarcasm that's all over the place, but be aware that if you ask for advice, sometimes the most positive and supportive comments aren't giving the best advice. Also, look into the groups for more message boards that are about specific topics that you might be interested in.

Don't use MFP calorie settings, they are too generic and cause you to under eat. Be sure to eat your BMR plus TDEE minus 15%

^^^This is working for me.
I haven't found it "tough going"at all. I am amazed how much fueling yourself properly can help keep cravings and binge eating to a minimum. You don't have to be deprived while losing weight. Work out what your BMR and TDEE is and work from there.

Good luck. I wish I had found this site years ago.

How do you change the setting from the default setting? I'm having trouble locating this.

I do cardio every day. Every single day. If I skip, I'll drop the plan completely. I read once that it takes 21 days to creat a habit. Make it a habit.

Do some strength training. You'll see better, faster results. Cardio alone takes way longer.

Dump the processed food. It has too much hidden junk in it.

Drink lots of water.

Cook cleaner; eat moe often.

Keep healthy snacks (fruit, veggies, nuts) handy and eat them often so you don't get hungry. Hunger is a sign your metabolism is slowing. Avoid it.

Log in every day for accountability.

Good luck to you and all of us!

Thanks @lambertj . That's fantastic. Going to work that out now!!

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

If you use this for your calories you do not eat your exercise calories back like MFP does because they are already incorporated in your TDEE

Thanks @lambertj . That's fantastic. Going to work that out now!!

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

If you use this for your calories you do not eat your exercise calories back like MFP does because they are already incorporated in your TDEE

Or, you can calculate your TDEE at sedentary and then eat back your exercise calories. I actually like this method better since I don't consistently burn the same calories every day.