my secret

I don't really have a secret to weight loss but here is what I have been doing to lose weight.
A blogger blogged about myfitnesspal. It's an ap that you can put on a smartphone and you can use it also online. That smart phone isn't a must but it's been easier having both options.

They gave me a calorie goal and at first it was 2050 calories a day. I told it how much I wanted to lose a week. I don't do well being hungry so I went with one pound a week. MFP gave me a calorie defcit of 500 calories a day to lose the one pound.

From goofing around on the website I have learned a few things. It takes 3500 calories over your TDEE (that is what your body burns a day) to gain weight. So, it takes minus the 3500 calories to lose the weight.

It's pretty simple when you think about it. It's all about the numbers of what is going in and how much you burn. MFP is set up to lose weight even if you don't work out. I haven't really tested that because in April I got into doing zumba and I do it an average of 2 to 4 times a week. I have slowed down on the zumba a bit and started walking to give myself more down time.

Myfitnesspal has you logging your food and workouts (calorie burn) It gives the workout calorie burns back to you to eat. Everyone is different on to eat that or not.

I have tried to go at this as a lifestyle change and not a diet. I did give up most fast food but not all. My biggest problem area on fast food was McDonald's and I rarely eat there now. I do still weekly get Taco Bell after a 12 hour day. Once in a great while I get Subway. We get take out pizza here and there. I try to eat less of it but it's sort of hard. Pizza is so yummy.

I don't not allow myself to eat food from any group. I eat what I want and when I want it. I do measure food on a food scale. I believe everything in moderation.

In the beginning, I looked at my triggers and fixed them by finding another way to satisfy the craving. I had a bad habit at getting little debbie brownies or zingers and those are about 600 to 700 calories. I changed it up where if I get the chocolate craving I will have a candy bar or a couple york mint patties.

I eat a lot of fruit. It's the only way I can keep under my goal on average. I don't eat as many veggies as I should but I do try.

My calorie goal goes down as I lose more weight. I am currently at 1790 a day. It's a bit of a challenge but when I do zumba I burn about 800 calories so it gives me a little wiggle room.

I tend to look at the whole week and not just the day. I might have one or two days where I go over the calorie goal but had other days with say 600 to 800 calories left that I don't sweat it. I figure it all balances out. The point is to have more good days than bad days though.

So in therory you can cut calories and lose weight and not workout. Since I don't feel that will work for me I work out to burn the calories to held aid my loss. I also think it helps shape your body better compared to just using diet alone.

I try to eat healthy along with my treats that I like. I haven't given them up because I don't think I could stick with it if I didn't allow room for my cakes, cookies, brownies and candy bars. Oh and don't forget ice cream. I just don't eat them all in one day. Mostly when I am eating cakes, brownies and stuff it's things we make at home compared to picking up little debbies and zingers on my way to work. I had a bad habit of getting into a routine of always starting my work day with this treat or that treat. I am amazed at how filled my food diary can get if I am not eating loads of high calorie foods.

I have lost weight before and gained it back. I hope it's different this time. I think I have an better understanding of this whole process and the bad part is that when I lost 50 lbs before it was with a weight loss place and I paid them.

It has helped me that I don't sweat it if I don't lose one week. I don't have a home scale so I can only really get a true weight if I workout at the Y in the morning before 3 meals and snacks and water. I do step on the scale but if I am 3 pounds over I don't take it for real because I know I didn't eat 10 grand of calories over my goal.

I have never officially gained any of this weight back. I find that hopeful that I will be able to maintain the loss.

This is going to be a trying week. I overdid it today on calories cause we ate at the church for Thanksgiving. I was just invited to a birthday party tomorrow for my best friend and that is going to interupt my zumba time.

Also, I will be seeing my daughter tomorrow for lunch but it should't set me too far back because I suggested taco bell or Subway. Wedesday my son is turning 18 years of age. Then of course Thanksgiving dinner. I hope it doesn't set me back. I would hate to ruin my record of never gaining them back.

Last points. I haven't done any quick fix diets. It's all been calorie counting and working out. Also, I am not in a big hurry. I didn't gain the weight over night and I don't expect the loss of it overnight.

Hope this helps and maybe get ya started to losing that 40 lbs or anyone else who has been thinking about getting started with weight loss.