Trying to get it right this time!

SparkPoints: (77,325)
Fitness Minutes: (54,144)
Posts: 48,922
3/9/13 11:58 A

May Minutes: 1,140

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1500

SparkPoints: (46,892)
Fitness Minutes: (44,985)
Posts: 1,574
3/7/13 5:12 P

Hi and Welcome,

This is a great place to be with down to earth people with realistic goals and ideas. People who want to help and People who have been there and know what you're going through. Sparks offers a good "getting started" article. You can check it out here: www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/get_started.asp

When your busy, (or when you get discouraged, every once in a while it happens) Try doing some small things to keep you on track.

Post-it notes with taped on pencils.... On the cupboard where your plates are.... put up a post-it note and a pencil...and put a mark for every serving of vegetables or fruits you have each day.
Put a post-it on the fridge and mark off waters, juices or sodas, and other one for "moving your body".

Hash marks are a quick and easy way to keep some kind of track of what you're are doing and eating. and it's not as complicated or time consuming as logging all the foods and calories. Don't get me wrong...It's not as "good" as keeping a full account, but when time is scarce, or your just having a bad spell, it's better than nothing.
 
And another thing you can do is to do what this article suggests, (this is what I'm doing- I have over 135# to lose)...Now this article, suggests to break down your weight lose into 10% at a time. (Which is what I did) And I finally lost some weight. It is SOOOOOOO nice to see that weight lost ticker move which motivates me even more. Instead of saying...I have 150 pounds to reach my goal... by setting your "1st" goal at 10%, your closer to your goal. It's reachable - it's manage-able, it's doable.

Here is the link to the article: The second page really gets to the heart of the article...
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=454

Again, Welcome,
KathyP

current weight: 283.0

309 301.5 294 286.5

279

SparkPoints: (377)
Fitness Minutes: (135)
Posts: 3
3/7/13 4:28 P

Hi! I'm also new to SparkPeople and love it. Years ago I tried NutriSystem & it worked; I went from 108 to 65, but it was too difficult (starvation diet at that time-they've changed it now). But I learned something from that which was, I have to know what I'm going to eat, and the calories thereof. Sooo, this plan works great for me. I, also, have a lot to lose but as long as I continue to lose I don't care if it's only 1 # a wk but on this my first wk., I lost 3 lbs. for which I'm grateful.

I gained a lot of wt. after I quit smoking years ago and I've recently discovered that if I chew a piece of gum it triggers me to stop eating! Yea! Vonda

SparkPoints: (2,247)
Fitness Minutes: (284)
Posts: 32
3/7/13 11:38 A

I'm sort of new to SparkPeople. I signed up last September but really didn't participate like I am this time. I decided to pick it up last week and it's working much better for me this time around. I am trying to be more involved this time which is easier since I have a little more extra time on my hands. My goal, along with losing weight, is to fit into my daughter's clothes just to annoy her! :) I can't resist! She bought a new dress yesterday and when she tried it on for me she said "You want to fit in this, don't you?" I said yes I do of course! She is very encouraging to me which i need since I have a long journey ahead of me. I would like to lose 100 lbs in the next year or however long it takes me. I'm not going to put a lot of pressure on myself but I find that I need to be accountable and that's where SparkPeople comes in! I look forward to sharing my journey with you and hope to come out with more than just weight loss!

Pounds lost: 2.0

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