Tips and thoughts on GETTING STARTED! (and staying on track)

GETTING STARTED

Losing weight is a lot like paying off debt. It's a lot of fun to spend money and rack up a big debt, but paying it off takes time, perseverance, sacrifice and belt-tightening. In the same way, it can be a lot of fun to "spend" calories and rack up a big weight gain, but losing that weight takes time, perseverance, sacrifice and ... woo hoo... belt-tightening! The only way to really succeed at debt reduction is a twofold approach: (1) stop over-spending; and (2) cut back so extra saved money can go toward debt reduction. And, similarly, the only way to really succeed at weight loss is a similar twofold approach: (1) stop overeating; and (2) cut back on eating so extra "saved/uneaten calories) can go toward weight loss.

START FROM A POSITION OF KNOWLEDGE

Use the the Tools at www.calorie-count.com to determine the number of calories that it currently takes to just maintain your present weight. This involves inputting you age, weight, height, gender, general body frame size, and your activity level. Keep in mind that the number given isn't exactly perfect -- all of us have different metabolisms, medical issues, etc. -- but it's a grand starting point. Then, depending on what that number is, subtract 500 calories (1 pound per week loss), 750 calories (1.5 pound per week loss) or 1000 calories (2 pounds per week loss.) Experts all agree that you should not have greater than a 1000-calorie per day deficit unless you are being monitored at least every other week by a physician. The other number to keep an eye on is your total daily calories. Adult women must stay above 1200 calories per day, and adult men must stay above 1500 per day. (Teens, add 300 to those numbers!)

Keep in mind that if you are overweight, you've been eating more than the number of calories necessary to maintain your weight, so just dropping down to your maintenance calories on a regular basis will be a shift. Then, subtracting 500 or more calories from that will be a change. You are the best person to judge if you and your lifestyle can handle a 1000-calorie-per day change, or if 750 or 500 would be better. And, like me, you might want to start at a 600 calorie per day deficit and after a few weeks, change that to a bigger deficit. After all, slow and steady DOES win the race and will still get you to your goal. (After all, it's like changing your spending habits... it's easier to cut back on "recreational shopping" rather than taking the position that you will "never shop again.")

SET UP A DAILY AND MEAL-BY-MEAL CALORIE BUDGET

Once you've determined how many calories per day you get to eat, set up a calorie "budget" that fits your lifestyle. For me (with 1500 calories per day to "spend"), I use 300 for breakfast, 400 for lunch, 500 for dinner, and I save 300 for snacking... usually 100 as an afternoon snack and 200 for evening snacks. Other people do fine without snacks. Still other people need more snacks, or prefer just to eat six small meals a day. Figure out what works for you and STICK TO IT. That can be the hard part, but it really is the key to staying on track for the whole day. STICK TO YOUR BUDGET. And, once you've eaten all your calories for a meal or snack, you need to wait for the next one to eat.... it's only a few hours and you really WILL survive. And, once you've had all your calories for the day, follow this approach.

Eaten all your calories and you want more? Fine. Start with a double-mug of decaf tea or low-sodium bouillon. (That's 16 ounces). Drink it up and wait 10 minutes. (Often what we perceive as hunger is really our body being thirsty.) Still hungry? You can have 50 calories of a vegetable (not a fruit) ... whatever you like. (By the way, that's two cucumbers or 2.5 cups of sliced radishes or just under two cups of cherry tomatoes or a nice pile of green beans or two cups of broccoli.) Then wait another 10 minutes. (You are waiting because sometimes it takes time for your tummy to tell your brain that you're full.) Still hungry? You can have 50 calories of a lean protein. (That's two slices of lean turkey, or 7 cubes of Laughing Cow Light Gourmet cheese bites, or two hard-boiled egg whites.) Then, wait another 10 minutes. Still hungry after that? Repeat this process of liquids-veggies-proteins. The key is, if you are eating "off budget" ... you do NOT get to "cheat" by eating something wonderful (or unhealthy!) ... it has to be a veggie or a lean protein ... nothing sweet, nothing junk food. This is retraining your body and you not to reach for unhealthy food when you are hungry!

WEIGH YOUR FOOD, MEASURE YOUR FOOD, LOG YOUR FOOD, ROTATE YOUR FOOD

Weigh, measure, or otherwise apportion everything you eat ... and log it all. This helps hold you accountable and it teaches you all about portion sizes, serving sizes, and helps you to recognize how calorie-dense some foods really are. And it should help you make better choices. Ever wonder why some dieters use fat free products? So they can eat more food!!!. For some people, quantity is what counts. For other people, taste and quality is what counts. Make YOUR healthy decisions based on how you value food. Personally, I'd rather have four servings of broccoli for 100 calories than one tiny little snack bar ... but that's just me. I switched from fat free skim milk (90 calories a cup) to unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze (almond milk) because it has half the calories and a fraction of the carbs. It works just as well on my cereal, and it "frees up" more calories for me to "spend" elsewhere. And what do I do with those "extra calories?" I eat more food! LOL! (And often it's veggies!) And don't hesitate to try new things and rotate what you are eating so you don't get bored! I make it a point to try new foods... new proteins, new veggies, new grains, new brands, new products. Before I started on my weight loss journey, I'd never had Almond Milk, Ostrich, Quinoa, Kamut, Hummus, vegetarian burgers, butternut squash, red peppers, Straw Mushrooms, Shirataki noodles, Tofu-shirataki noodles, natural peanut butter, Laughing Cow light cheese, Kashi Go Lean cereal, etc. There's a whole world of healthy food out there.

FIND A BUDDY, A GROUP, FRIENDS ... AND STICK WITH THEM

Join a Challenge. Post in the forums. Join a thread, a club, a group... and stick with them for support, motivation, encouragement and camaraderie. Comment in people's journals, and write in your OWN journal. Send PMs. Make friends and get to know people ... it's a great way to get new ideas, discuss problems or ideas with people, and just have a lot more fun at this eating healthy-weight loss "journey" that we're all on.

WE CAN DO THIS ... YOU CAN DO THIS!

Just take things one meal at a time, one day at a time, and one pound at a time....

=^..^= MOLLY

A friend asked about this, so I am bringing it to the top!

 

MOLLY

I'am at complete loss when someone says I should measure and weigh my food, I do not cook and have basically just taken what my mom gives me ( I live at home) but I just guestimate and say "this is too much" but only once in a while when I have a strong moment, I do not know how to measure or prepare! Please explain these steps to me like I'm a three year old!

This thread is an "oldie but a goodie" ....  bringing it to the top!

MOLLY (100 pounds lighter, thanks to Calorie Count!)

I really, REALLY like your suggestion about what to do when you are still feeling hungry (or think you do...)This is always when I run in to trouble.  I am going to try looking at it as a requirement of what I MUST DO when I still feel like eating-this could really be a lifesaver.  Thank you so much-I'll keep you posted.

I really enjoyed your ideas. I liked your approach and your down-to-earth view points on the whole system. It was inspiring to read as I'm beginning my own weight loss journey. Hope to hear more great things!

most complete advices i ever got.

Thanks a lot!!!! :)

it is appreciated!

put in perspective....

I really love the "so you've eaten all your calories and you want more?" strategy. Brilliant! I am totally trying this next time I have one of those days. What a great idea!