What worked for me

**Pics on my profile**

Believe in yourself and stay the course. Body transformation and a return to health is a slow process. It is not something you can obtain in a few weeks.

In total I've lost over 50 pounds from where I started at 240 pounds. It is just now after one year on MFP and heavier since November have normal blood pressure! I surpassed my MFP weight goal last year in November but still had elevated blood pressure. As of today 115/60 no meds!

I currently weigh in at 209 after winter weight training (and not watching my food). - It's round two. Here's the receipe that got me to my MFP goals:

Rule #1: The Scale is your enemy - Use this as a benchmark only, but if your weight goes up one week, don't let it demotivate you. Focus on the end game not the day by day. There were many weeks after a strict week of dieting and exercise that my weight went up.

Rule #2: Take your measurements - The scale is a liar. Body transformation is about how you look and feel. Measurements such as how your pants fit tell the truth.

Rule #3: Don't drink your calories - Did you know if you drink one can of pop at 160 calories x 365 days = 58,400 calories? That's over 16 pounds! Drink water and lots of it. Fruit juices etc are all laden with unecessary calories. Drink water and lots of it.

Rule #4: Eat Fats - Fats are good, they help with hormone production and important for a host of other healthy bodily functions. Fats are high in calories so limit their intake and no don't get your fats from french fries (unless your cheat day)

Rule #5: Have a cheat day - Have one day a week where you indulge (Don't go crazy). This resets your metabolism and staves cravings.

Rule #6: LOG YOUR CALORIES...ALL OF THEM - I have friends who are ashamed to log their cheats. I don't like showing them either and are a real pain in the *kitten* to log. This keeps you accountable. We also have short memories and it is easy to get frustrated when you don't see results. The binge you forgot about a week ago may be the reason you didn't see reults this week after strict diet and exercise.

Rule #7: Don't believe the user submitted food calorie numbers are accurate: Unless the food you choose has a nutrition and calorie label it's often hard to gauge how many calories there are in that nice home cooked meal. You will get to know roughly how many calories to estimate but for me I search for user submitted and log the one with the HIGHEST calories...it's too easy to give yourself a free pass here.

Rule #8: Invest in a food scale. Need I say more? Weighing your food means you are not giving yourself license to eat more than you log. I don't weight everything but try to as best as possible so I have accurate calories logged. I got to the point where I could eyeball out and weigh within grams my favorite foods.

Rule # 9: Take before and after pics. Because transformation is a long process we forget where we started. Nothing is more satisfying then to see real results.

Rult #10: Believe in yourself and stay the course. The reason people here on MFP succeed where others fail is winners know how to fail and keep going. We ALL slip up, we are not saints. Know that you will have days or weeks. If you fall, get back up.