Diet/fitness tips for beginners

Wow, that is a pretty wide open question on here!

Personally I would say to start in small steps and changes and then you will get "hooked" more into your fitness level once you start to see the results.

For MFP - one bit of advice I would suggest is that when you find food combinations you like, save them as a "meal" - I find it easier to complete the daily diary that way.

Also - be starkly honest about everything that goes in your mouth when completing your diary - or it won't help much - you really need to know what is going in (food) and what is coming out (exercise) and you need to be as honest as possible.

Recipes - way too many to put in one posting - check out the nutrition board - people post a lot of good stuff there - what helped me early was finding a nice healthy cookbook and trying some stuff - my fave is "The Mediterrasian Way" - great book.

Diet tips - again way too much - two biggies for me: a) get rid of every piece of processed/crap food from your house (if you are serious) - no cookies, no cake, no junk food - it's garbage and you don't need it. b) slowly, but steadily start substituting healthy stuff for not so healthy stuff - like Almond Milk for real milk, Chicken for red meat, then tofu for chicken etc. Don't do it all at once as you will not have the taste for it right way and it will frustrate you.

Exercise - find something you enjoy, that you are willing to do 4-6 times per week that keeps your heart rate at 70-80% of maximum. I know that is vague but there are tons of stuff that do that. For me it is P90X and playing league hockey, but it is different for everyone - some people swear by running, others Hot Yoga, others hitting the gym. Whatever it is it should be something you enjoy (or at least do not hate), and something that keeps your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes, 4 to 6 times per week.

My 2 cents

Basically, Health & Strength over being "skinny" and consistency and good habits will pay off in the end. Never give up regardless of whether you have a good day or a bad day....

Welcome to MFP; this is a great place to get results on the road to health and fitness.
Losing fat is actually very simple but just hard work.
This is how MFP works
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/3-how-does-myfitnesspal-work

And Tips for Newbies
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/470367-tips-for-newbies

Just get started by going into settings to Update diet/fitness profile.
Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
NO MORE!
And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
Log in those exercises to your MFP exercise diary.
AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES!
Remember, this is not a race, and you can reach your goals if you stick to a good plan as recommended on this site.

You have many people here ready to lend support, answer qustions and discuss any challenges.
You can do this.

All Is Possible!

Thanks guys - ctucci99 should I be doing different exercise? I currently run 2-3 times a week but not sure if I should be changing what I do?

I think that is a personal preference that many people might answer differently. When I was younger (I am 44 now) I used to only go to the gym and lift weights and maybe do a small bit of cardio on the treadmill.

My view on overall fitness has changed dramatically now - I believe true fitness means a mix of cardio, strength training and athletic activity. For cardio and Strength I do P90x and I do kung fu and boxing workouts on a heavy bag. For athletics I play inline hockey and I try to do other mixes of activities to stay active - for example, hiking, playing golf, landscaping my yard etc. - they are not necessarily "workouts" but more of trying to lead and active lifestyle as opposed to a sedentary one (which I am doing right now sitting in front of this PC - ha).

Personally I think I would get bored and frustrated just running 3 x per week - plus I think it also makes you prone to repetitive stress injury on your knees and feet - but that is just my personal opinion - a runner on here who looks like carved marble might have a different point of view!

Good luck!