A complete newbie to MFP, really need advice and support!

Hello Nimo,

Welcome. I am fairly new here too and really like this place. Hope you will too.

All the best with changing weight...

Hi, Nimaal! I am also very new to MFP, but so far I like it a lot, and I'm super excited!

I am only 28 and I've tried everything under the sun but this just makes sense: To do it the right way without gimmicks or pills or crash diets or 30-day trials or any of that nonsense. Just eat right and exercise. It's so simple to me now that it's kind of embarrassing that it took me this long to realize that the food pyramid I learned about in second grade really is the way to go. Haha!

As far as the problem you have with your knee, I am kind of the same way and for that reason, I LOVE the Elliptical machines at my gym. It takes all that impact out of running and puts less strain on your joints while still being able to get some really effective cardio in. I'm not an expert, by any means, but I know that that the more I sweat, the better I'm doing! At first it's kind of a weird feeling, especially if you're used to the treadmill. It's like you're cycling while bobbing up and down in water or something, but after a while, you get the hang of it and it can be a really good strain-free workout.

I don't know what to tell you about the rice and curry, but I do know that there are healthy alternatives to just about anything. The one thing that I've learned is that as long as it is real food (and good for you), you can't go wrong. Don't ever cut any food group out of your diet because our bodies need them all. Want carbs? Eat whole grain rice (without the high fructose corn syrup), sweet potatoes, millet, or quinoa instead of pastas and "healthy" cereals, or crackers, or granola. Want fat? Eat bacon and toast with real butter instead of cheeseburgers or toast with margarine. The former are fats that help burn fats, and the latter are fats that help store fats, which is what we're fighting against, right? Use coconut or olive oil instead of vegetable oil (or any hydrogenated oils). The key is finding the right things to eat and if you do, you really can eat as much as you want, within reason, if you're active. You can never get too many fruits and vegetables, no matter what any diet tells you. Want to get a sweet fix in? Try adding pure honey to some of your grilled chicken instead of barbeque sauce. Any way to get in those cravings in a GOOD, natural way is better than running out and having fast food or a candy bar (my worst enemies).

Also, you need to eat more! I know it sounds crazy, but eating twice a day is no way to lose weight. You should eat six small meals a day instead of two large ones. Eating healthy snacks throughout the day will increase your metabolism AND if you are hungry, your body will naturally go into starvation mode and start storing all the calories you eat as a means to protect itself. My snacks include maybe a boiled egg, some cashews or pistachios, a handful of grapes, or even a cup of tuna. Even if you're not hungry, remind yourself to eat. All these things are delicious and will keep your energy up. And of course, hydrate. The more you work out, the more calories you will need, and the more fat you will burn!

Hang in there and keep at it - I welcome any tips or suggestions you may have as well, as I am a newcomer myself. I am nowhere near my goal weight, but I know that by the beginning of NEXT summer, we can both look like our new, healthier, happier selves!!!

Best of luck to you, you can DO IT!!!

Jessica

Hi there,

Congratulations on taking the first step in being healthy by joining this site and reaching out for help. I have been doing this for a while now (11months) and have lost 59 lbs, and the following things have really helped me, and you can try them out as well:

1. Stop giving up. Patience is key. Your weight loss may stall, or you may even gain a few lbs. But if you give up, then you are done. If instead, you are patient, and continue doing the right things, the weight WILL come off. For me, this meant that I had to stop weighing myself for a bit, because every time I weighed myself, if I didn't see a loss, I wanted to give up. So maybe you can just try eating well and exercising for 2 months without checking your weight. That way, there's no way a stalled weight loss will make you want to give up.
2. I count every calorie that goes into my mouth. To make sure the calorie count is accurate, I weigh everything with a digital scale. And I stay under my calorie goal (which is 1600 at this time). This is probably the most important thing you can do to lose weight.
3. I keep my protein high (140g a day). I came up with this number with my dietician, so the numbers will be different for you. But I have heard that 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass is a good starting point. You can do some research to figure out what the best protein intake is for a man your height and age.
4. I limit my carb intake to approximately 100g a day. Again, I worked with my dietician to come up with this number. For me, higher carb usually means less weight loss. I am also South East asian, and most of my meals used to be white rice with curry. I had to make significant dietary changes to achieve this goal. For example, in the last year, I have probably only had rice and curry a handful of times. All my meals now consist of a lean protein (like chicken breast) with grilled/sauteed vegetables.
5. I do cardio 6 times a week (mix of zumba, swimming elliptical).
6. I strength train 2-3 times a week. I started with gym machines. Now I do body weight routines.
7. I wear a fitbit and walk 7-10 thousand steps every single day, in addition to the cardio I do. This is non-negotiable normally, but now that I have an injured knee, I have been only doing 5K a day for the last couple of months.
8. I drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
9. I go to bed early and try to get 8 hours of sleep on average. The effect of good quality sleep on weight loss is really significant. I have noticed a huge correlation between getting adequate sleep and my weight loss.
10. I take a multi vitamin, fish oil, and calcium every day. I want to make sure I do not get a deficiency while trying to be healthy.
11. Sometimes I screw up. I binge, or I injure myself and can't work out. I then promptly forgive myself, and start making the correct choices. Giving up in not an option. Going back to how I used to be is not an option.

I hope this helps. Obviously, if you have any medical conditions, you should talk to your doctor. If you have access to a dietician, they can help you figure out how many calories, proteins, carbs etc. you should be eating. If not, go with the MFP default.

Lastly, if you want, feel free to add me as a friend. I am passionate about being healthy, and would be happy to help you out with any questions you have.

~Rose

Hey there! You made the first step and that is a great accomplisment:) Although I have not been on MFP long, I have been working on losing weight for two years. The best way for ME was to take it slow and cut certain things out of my diet. For instants, I cut out pop, candy and surgary drinks like juice when I first started my weightloss. Then I added more fresh foods to my diet, like veggies and fruits. Next I cut out most frozen foods that are way high in cal.sal and fat. I hope this helped some:)