[Nell]

Hey all, this is the first time I've seriously tried to lose weight (finally got over my mental excuses lol) and I was wondering what the best diet would be to try to start out with? I'm really not good at committing to things, so I'd prefer something simple if possible ^^' All suggestions are appreciated

[jaimie1980]

Many of us are calorie counters. It all comes down to calories in vs. calories out. It has worked wonders for me so far! You can do this, and we are all here to support eachother! Welcome!

[Nell]

Ooh..how can I figure out how many calories I can consume in a day safely, then? And thanks, glad I found 3FC

[jaimie1980]

1. Google a BMR calculator to find out your daily caloric needs for your body to function (Mine is about 1750)
2. NEVER go below 1200 a day, as this hinders weight loss. Your body will conserve calories if you eat less than that.
3. Figure out how much weight you want to lose, 2 lbs a week is a healthy amount and realistic. If you set too high of a goal you may get discouraged.
4. You need to create a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1 pound.
5. If your BMR is 2000, and you eat 1500, you would have a 500 cal/day deficit, which would result in 1 pound per week lost. If you add in 500 cal/day burned through exercise, you would lose another pound each week.
6. These are rough estimates, but you can play with your numbers and figure out what works best for you! I would recommend seeing a dietician for ideas if you can arrange it.
7. Stay positive and motivated, which is where this board comes in to play! It is wonderful to have so much support! Best of luck to you~ you CAN do this!

[dragonfly21]

Just wanted to say Hey Nell! I'm also in NC! Jaimie has some great information. I always recommend Sparkpeople.com for anyone looking to count calories. I swear I don't work for them- They just make my life a lot easier! Good luck!

[Iconised Ghost]

you can also start with sites like sparkpeople.com and thedailyplate.com, they can help you get started

[Feral]

Personally I do South Beach, which is cutting out carbs for the first 14 days, then gradually adding them back in. You continue to cut out whites and sugars ("bad carbs"). This works for me, but carbs/sweets trigger me to binge eat.

You will find TONS of different plans on here. Stick with one for a while and give it time to work. If you have a hard time or you aren't losing then maybe you can explore other possibilities.

You will find TONS of support on here so stick around and check in frequently.

P.S. I'm in NC too