DebLaBounty Member

I'm pretty sure that if you eat in a calorie deficit you will lose weight and lower your body fat percentage. But maybe I'm a simpleton, and someone more knowledgeable will give you a better answer.

Well, maybe you're not in the deficit you think you are. But the important thing to me would be that I'm losing inches. I would surmise you're getting more toned, losing inches where you want to lose inches, and I'd bet your clothes fit better as a result. The first time I tried to lose weight, I hardly lost anything for…

Eat food. Eat the amount of calories MFP says you may have. I eat desserts and drink wine as treats when they fit into my daily calorie limit. Your friend doesn't know *kitten*. Under 1200 calories a day is dangerous, and is why MFP has set that as the absolute bare minimum daily intake.

Perhaps you've set your weight loss goal too aggressively. Any reason why you couldn't slow down your rate of loss and eat more food?

I've been self-conscious at the gym, too, but the more often you go the less that will be a problem for you. Honest! For me, I took a Zumba class and took a spot in the back of the room. I could see the instructor but most people had their back to me. Now I've got the confidence to be anywhere.

It took me around 16 pounds lost to notice a difference in how I looked. By then, I had gone down a size in jeans. But I think despite the evidence I'd lost some inches, it takes a while for your brain to catch up and allow you to really see how much you've changed. Definitely start taking pictures from the front, side and…

There are caffeine free, sugar free sodas out there. I find them soothing when I have a sore throat. And while you'll hear some disagreement here, I figure it is one serving of liquid that keeps me from getting dehydrated. So drink lots of water, have a soda, drink some hot tea with honey and lemon (soothing) and maybe a…

As recommended above, you should perhaps change your activity level from "sedentary" to "lightly active", and re-set your rate of loss from 2 pounds a week (if that's what you chose) down to no more than 1 pound per week. I am 5'6" and started at the exact same 173 as you have. I unfortunately lost enough weight to reach…

Eat all your allotted calories PLUS if you are exercising, you need to log that and eat back some of the calories you've earned. MFP has calculated the deficit for you and you will lose weight eating those exercise calories. I generally ate 50-75% percent of my exercise calories and lost weight.

Discipline. Habit. Early morning coffee.

Well, it could be water retention if you're consuming some more salt or about to start your period. Weight just goes up and down, that's the way it is. It could be that since you started working out more, you're retaining more water. Hard to say. Just keep drinking water, and logging as accurately as you can. If you have…

If you are working, can you take a walk during your lunch break? Sometimes that will help you get back into the swing of things. Maybe even rope a coworker into doing that with you. You used to do a lot of walking and 45 minutes of cardio... have you considered doing the Couch to 5K program? It'll get you outside, you…

Why is there no "love" button?

Lucky for all of us, our skin is rain-proof! I used to walk with my son before he hit his teens and had access to a car. We lived in Alaska and dressed for the conditions. Good foot gear was key. Now we live in the Pacific Northwest, and I walk in the rain. I really like the fresh air. I like looking at what's around me,…

I taught myself not to freak out. Some weeks I'd lose more than others. Just think long term. And fair warning: I lost too fast (two pounds a week) and lost muscle tone. Now my arms look wrinkly and pitted. Not the look I was going for. If I had this to do over, I would definitely aim for about a pound of loss per week…

Pizza: it's what's for dinner. Just log the calories as best you can. If you find that you are consistently not losing weight, then you'll know why! Be aware, and don't panic, when you see the scale numbers the next day. Pizza has a lot of sodium and you'll probably retain some water weight, which you'll lose later on in…

Why not?

Well, gee, what could it hurt? Give it a try. I can't vouch for it because I've never tried keto, but I haven't heard of anyone having adverse effects from it. If after a month it isn't for you, you will have learned something!

Cut down to 1 beer. Drink more water.

I'd say within 10-15 pounds of your goal weight.

I achieved my weight loss goal using MFP, so I'm pretty much a big fan of this site! I've cruised around the different categories of community postings and usually found some helpful and supportive advice. Be sure to check out the Success Stories!

I set my goal to sedentary, then lightly active when I started moving around more. I always ate 50% to 75% of the exercise calories MFP said I'd expended. I lost weight. It sounds like you've made the right decision. I bet you'll see some progress pretty soon!

When I don't feel like doing it, I do it anyway. I log my food because I'm curious about what I'm actually achieving. I weigh myself every morning because I want to see whether I'm making progress. I log my exercise because I want to eat more than than baseline calorie goal that MFP gave me. It's probably not a habit for…

You'll learn to like it (at least I did). I was happy when I hit my calorie goal, and forgave myself when I did not. It's a kind of game to me.

This is a hard habit to break! I'm a big popcorn eater at night while watching TV or movies. It's even harder to stop this kind of mindless snacking when everyone else in the room is doing it, too. My solution was to plan for it. For instance, I'd look up the calories for 4 cups of popcorn with butter. I logged that into…

MFP intends that you eat to your calorie goal every day. When you exercise, input that activity into MFP (I don't know how to do that for weightlifting) and MFP will calculate your calorie burn. For instance, say you burn 200 calories lifting weights for 30 minutes. You are entitled to eat your normal daily calories PLUS…

I ditched the whole "I need motivation" mindset and replaced it with "I'm learning how to be more disciplined". My reward was getting to eat back 50%-75% of the exercise calories I earned that day. So I'd log a piece of pie or a serving of chocolate or ice cream before my workout. A lot of people here will advise no food…

I just kept trying to hit my daily calorie goal. It did help to increase my exercising so I could "earn" more calories to consume every day. I did lose weight and reach my goal. I drank a lot of water to avoid water retention. I started the Couch to 5K walk/jog/run program. I went to a Zumba class three times a week. Maybe…

I made sure when my son was about your child's age I'd put him in a backpack carrier and take a walk every day. The fresh air was good for me and my son, it got me out of the house, and I felt calmer and more able to take on the challenges of the day. Finally, I was able to get another stay at home mom to join me on these…

For two years I was lying on the floor trying to get a bulging disc in my back to get into place without surgery. The only "exercise" I was able to tolerate was traction! Anyway, you can lose weight by counting your calories here on MFP. It worked for me and I reached my weight loss goal.