Hello everyone!! This is Day One for me.

I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone online. I just signed up this morning (BEFORE New Year's, lol), and I hope to learn from all of the lovely people and resources here.

I'm 30 F, 220 lbs., and am finally sick of my inability to commit to my own health and well-being.

I hope that this is the last Day One for the rest of my life! I am very inspired by members here!

Welcome to FatSecret! You will love it here

Welcome! I have found this site to be very inspirational, movitational and helpful beyond anything else! the biggest thing was my realization of the diet calander..it really does make a difference to see your foods written down in front of you.

also, you will notice on this site that the most successful people (maintained their weight loss the longest) DO NOT STARVE THEMSELVES! Make sure you are getting the right amount of calories with good sources of protein added in.

Allow yourself to enjoy the holiday...one or two days of indulgence isn't going to make or break you for a lifetime...it is what you do the day after the indulgence and the day after that, that will matter the most Don't try to change everything in one day...this is a process and slow and steady does it.

Good luck to you!!!
Stacie

Thank you Mimi and Stacey! Right now, I am online trying to figure out what exactly is a healthy breakfast.

I don't eat breakfast often, but I am trying to make that a regular habit because it keeps me from feeling hungry later in the day.

I'm really looking forward to this journey, and so glad to spend it with all of you!

Welcome, dcgal! This site has literally saved the lives of countless people who were struggling with their weight, & you can definitely be one of them! I've been here since the end of May, & have directed several friends to this site but for some reason none of them have become active users. It is also worth noting that none of them have had the success I've had so far. Coincidence?

Seriously though, finding this site & reaching out to the community here is an excellent first step! Take advantage of the food & exercise journals here, read the journals of others, & buddy request people you can relate to so you can keep up with them. I think one of the most significant things I've received from this site was education. Sure, you can Google pretty much anything. But when I come across a weight-loss-related strategy I want to know more about, I can come here & find someone who has really tried it to get that anecdotal information you can't find anywhere else.

Ask lots of questions...I guarantee you there will be a dozen others with the same ones who are afraid to ask! Good luck!

Looking for healthier breakfast options....I have learned that the best mix for breakfast is mixing a protein and carb! skip the sugary processed carbs...go for the complex carbs from fruits, vegetables or whole grains.

Here are some of my favorites,,,
Egg whites with sauteed veggies and reduced fat cheddar cheese
Protien shake blended with frozen strawberries
Apple with peanut butter
100 calorie Engish Muffin with peanut butter and fruit

Depending on your calorie goal for the day (assume around 1500) I would say you would be good with an average of 200 - 300 calories at breakfast

Good luck!

Those are all great ideas...I will also add that the high fiber content in the complex carbs & the protein will keep your hunger under control. Eating something first thing in the morning will help keep your metabolism chugging along too, so even if it's something small, eat SOMETHING.

Welcome! Fatsecret is awesome. I'm sure you will be successful here.

I'm on the beginning strides too and Oh my god - what an inspiration you all are - I have just looked at the people who are posting on this thread and am truly amazed at how much you have all lost, I really hope my line will say 50lbs lost too sometime soon....I know I will need help and inspiration from you all too, and am ready and willing to give it.......I am starting slowly this week uping my water intake, sticking to the protein fat and veggies regime,and hoping not to stray
I'm keen as mustard in cream sauce !

Thanks so much for the suggestions and encouragement!

StacieRitz: FatSecret's little calculator told me I should be aiming for something like 1850 cals a day. Is this too much? Should I start limiting myself to 1500?

As has been said, this is the community to be in. The people are great and the tools, information and advice available to you is invaluable. I thought I had no chance, and then I found FS. A few tips that I've learned over the while... Drink plenty of water, Eat less and exercise more (Quoted all of the time), LOG EVERYTHING and never be afraid to ask anything. And there's so much more to learn and do on here, too. It's amazing! We're all here for each other!

No. Your weight, lean body mass, and activity level are different than hers.

I tend to think that this site is a little high on the calorie estimation. i also think that Calorie counting can be a tricky thing to understand...eating too little of calories is just as bad as eating too many...your body truly goes into starvation mode and you will either end up stalling in your weight loss evfforts or worse start gaining again. This is going to be something you might need to play with. I have found that for myself, I do best with a range of 1300 - 1500, but I will never go under 1200. However, there are others whoes range is better in the 1700 - 1800 range...

my final thought, is that I believe the suggested calorie is to maintain your current weight...you may want to go lower than 1850.

The best advice I can give is to google "calorie calculators" plug in your info and see what you get. There are tons out there. You need a calorie amount that you can lose weight with, but you also need one you can live with. For me if the calorie amounts are too restrictive, I'm not going to be able to stick with it.

Welcome to FS, and good luck! Just having a visual of your intake makes such a difference in changing your eating habits. I used to do it old school with a memo pad and a nutrition book, but FS takes all the work out of the calorie journal. Like other posters, I also find the metabolic rate estimates to be on the high side.

It sounds like a pain, but try the following every few months:
-Weigh yourself Sunday morning as soon as you get out of bed
-Track your calories on FS and be super super accurate, i.e. use a measuring cup and a food scale
-Weigh youself the next Sunday morning as soon as you get out of bed
-Average your calories for the week (Add Sunday morning thru Saturday night and divide by 7)
-If your weight stayed the same, this number is the number of calories you need per day, at your activity level, to maintain your weight. If you gained a pound, subtract 500 to get your magic number. If you lost a pound, add 500.
-Subtract 500-700 from that number, and this becomes your daily intake to lose about 1 lb per week. Try not to cut more than 700/day from your magic number. You may see some quick weight loss, but it will stall after a few weeks as your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows.

And to repeat what has already been posted: drink lots of water, exercise whenever you get the chance, keep your protein and fiber intake up, and always eat breakfast.

Again, welcome and good luck!

That makes a lot of sense (about the maintaining RDI vs. losing RDI)! So I guess depending on how much I exercise, I should look at 1850 cals as the absolute ceiling I should aim for for any given day.

Thanks Stacie (and everyone else for the wonderful suggestions)! I am very excited about this community.

The only way you can find your true daily intake for maintenance is by weighing yourself and doing a 1 week (or more) average. Calculators are all estimates. This site did come pretty close to mine, but I had to enter low activity when in reality I work out at least an hour a day, 5 days a week.

If you have the time/patience/dedication, find your own RDI! 1850 may work for a while, but if you're doing really well and then your weight loss stalls, work out your true RDI, or change up your macronutrient intake, or change up your exercise routine. Good luck!

Welcome dcgal8! I think you will like it here - I know I do. The people here are very supportive and always willing to share information to help you along the way.

farvman...that is a great way to figure out calorie RDI...but your right you would need to be accurate with your in take...i can't say enough that I absolutely use measuring cubs and my food scale all the time!!!