New to Fitbit & looking for advice!

[akaye]

Hello Fitbit community! My wonderful husband just got me the Force for Christmas, and although I've only had it on for a few hours, I'm really loving it! I find that I'm most motivated when I'm accountable, so I'd like to know what keeps everyone else motivated? My goal is to lose 40-60 pounds by next November at the latest. Any and all advice, tips, and info. would be much appreciated!

[ChelsHarps]

Hey, I am new to this too! I got one for crimbo & totally understand what you mean about accountability.. You can deffo do it!! Have fun x

[Time4change]

I am joining the journey too so I hope to benefit from any advice given

[akaye]

Erica,

Thanks for the advice! I appreciate any and all of it! 🙂 I've heard a lot of controversy between the 5-6 small meals vs. 3 meals a day, but unfortunately I haven't been able to stick to either of those. When I wake up I'll drink some water and some coffee (and every now and then my chocolate shakeology!! 😄 ), but after that I don't actually feel/get hungry til about 2 in the afternoon, and I think maybe that's where my problem lies. If you've got any tips/insight on that I'd LOVE to hear about it!

Ashley

[akaye]

YES! that makes a ton of sense!

I live on base and there was a woman on one of the Spouse pages who was selling it and I figured "what the hell, why not give it a try?" I really love it but sometimes I feel like it fills me up too much, so I slowed down how many times a week I was drinking it until I stopped altogether. When I was religiously drinking it in the mornings I could feel a huge difference in my energy levels after about 3 days, and it made me want to continue the day as healthy as possible, so maybe I'll start drinking it again an hour after I get up in the mornings while I reintroudce my body to food.

[mhybd1]

Great posts....I am just trying to get back into something!!!Erhgggg. I used to be into anything exercise and loved to run, then one day....I just lost all interest and now 30lbs later, I am miserable. My husband also got me the fitbit force for Christmas so I am soooo hoping it will bring me out of my boredom. I am still contemplating  joining a gym vs. home videos. I do have P90X but lost motivation in that also....I plan to start anew Jan 1st.

[sharebear]

You will probably get a lot of tips (here and elsewhere) telling you to try this or that, but I have some personal advice I learned from a blog I love to read: 

don't make any changes you can't live with for the rest of your life.

Don't go low carb if it's not something you want to maintain forever. Don't completely cut out sweets if you still want to eat them eventually. Just make small, measured changes towards a more healthier you. Good luck!

[ericakelly]

Great advice! One thing I also stress to my clients is to never say NO to anything!

What's life if you can't treat yourself to a night of pizza, wings, and beer??

The key is doing so in moderation, and not throwing your healthy lifestyle out the window from there on after 😉

[lyd]

I am new to fitbit force too!  thanks to my wonderful husband.  I am on day two and looking forward to seeing if i can beat yesterdays goal.

[runnergirl318]

Hello all~

I'm new to fitbit too--Christmas gift from husband and kids (15 year old son's idea). I'm very active. Run, dogs, Body Beast, P90X. and look forward to being motivated by the fitbit on a day when I'm considering skipping a workout.  

[Time4change]

Great advice! I hope that I can live by the rules. One thing I know I need to increase my water intake. Any advice on lunch on the run?

[StefK]

I am fully awatr that i am opening a can of worms, but the 5/6 meals per day is highly discussed and as far it has not been confirmed that this is good for you at all.

In fact I follow the 5:2 Fast for the last 7 weeks with huge success and fasting, in other words giving your system a rest from having to digest food is not only resulting in weightloss but also in huge health benefits.

Eating 5/6 smaller meals a day means your body can never really rest and repair itself but has to constantly deal with food.

For more information just check out
http://thefastdiet.co.uk

At the end of the day there are many ways of getting fit and loosing weight and each one of us has to find one that is sustainable, not only in the short term but also long term.
Stef.

[carolbrady]

Hi,

You are so right.  I have a habit of waiting until I'm straving and then overeating.  Been going up and down with my weight for years.  My goal is to eat healthier and as you stated spread my food intake over more meals.  I find that eating protein helps me maintain better than other foods, and I don't crave as many snacks.  

Thanks for the great advise. 

Carol

[carolbrady]

Hi,

Good advise.  Making changes that are impossible to sustain doesn't work for the long haul.  That is why I love fitbit.  Counting steps is a health way to incorporate more activity into your life with whatever your day holds.

Thanks for the tip.

Carol

[ivy]

can I ask what is a shakeology?

and what is in it?

[CaitlinH26]

Awesome posts ladies, I'm new to Fitbit, just got the One for Christmas. Am working on starting a new fitness regime next week when my personal trainer gets back from holidays and shutting the staffed hours at the gym up over Christmas. Can't wait to get started but I seem to always be motivated to "start" new regimes and then fall off the wagon after a few months. Any advice on staying on track and motivated. My goal is to lost 5-10kg in the next three months before I begin looking for wedding dresses for my wedding in December 🙂 Any advice is appreciated! 

[Sprattakus]

If you do best when your held accountable, try and get used to wearing your Flex as much as possible. Then, join a community or group and challenge others and push yourself to reach new records, or set a weekly goal for steps and try and hit it or surpass it.

It looks like you have something in November to get you motivated, write it down, explaining why you want to achieve your goal of 40-60 pounds by November. Use that to motivate yourself. I am always finding my motivation to do better in my wife and kids. 1) I want my wife to find me attractive, and 2) I want to make sure I am around a long time to enjoy time with my children.  Also, set your goal once you achieve it, have a reward for it. 

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT reach too far too fast, especially without someone coaching/pushing you throughout the process. You see all the episodes on TV where people lose 150-200 pounds in a year, and people at home think if they can do it in a year, so can you. Unfortunately, the people you see on TV have people helping them with keeping workouts, dietary training, and workout equipment. If you set a goal that is almost unattainable, you will most likely fail, and then give up all together. Babysteps! Once you reach a small goal, you will build confidence in yourself, giving you, again, more motivation to keep going!

[cherubino49]

I am right there with you! I went back to school and exercise time turned into study time and sort of never went back. I'm trying to drop 20 pounds, but haaaaaaate working out in Minnesota winters. (Not that running outside in -10 degrees isn't fun and all...) My Fitbit One I got for Xmas has at LEAST gotten me walking around the house more. Heck, it's a start.

[SunsetRunner]

Another tip, if I may. This works for me. Start with a smaller goal ... maybe 10% of your current weight by Easter? That's pretty much what my doc suggested. She said I would see major changes in how I felt after 10%. I did! After you reach that goal, set the next one. The smaller goals were less frightening for me. Happy to report that since last Feb, I've worked my way down 55 lbs. 30 more to go, but I have my goals set at 15 lbs by Easter ... 15 more for July 4th. The final reward? ... a new swim suit, of course! 😉 And if I make the goals sooner, that's good, too.

[SunsetRunner]

One more idea ...
I have not been successful reaching my daily step goal. So this year, I am looking to reach my WEEKLY step goal, trying to make up for low days with extra steps when I am feeling energetic. I'm coloring in the days on a calendar when I reach my step goal. And if I miss a day, but make the weekly goal, my reward is to color in the whole week. It will be a nice, visual reward. I like things like this.