Okay I really have no idea where to start My name is Kristan, Im 28 and live in Pa. I have been to this website once before but never really followed through with anything I'm not on any diet plan, I have a Hypo Thyroid, RA, and Endometriosis and a few other illnesses. I am at my highest weight ever of 226 that is more than I weighed at 9 months PG with a 9 lb baby!! I figured I'd start with walking and just watching what I eat. I would like to know where to begin with this calorie counting stuff. Is there a free online calorie tracker somewhere or some sort of online program I could use? I really want to do this, I actually have to for my health or things will just keep getting worse. So where should I start? Thanks so much!!

I highly recommend fitday.com. It has it's flaws but we'll help you ... just a minute, I'm going to cut and paste something I read this morning .....


My homepage health tip this morning said something like this ....The best way to start eating healthier is to log everything you eat for 3 days. The first step in changing for the better -- see how often you eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day

Tinybaby,
I agree with SusanB. Since I have started using Fitday. and moving my hinny, I have been doing much Better!

The women hear know what they are talking about. you can look at their successes to see it
Good luck, you can do it.

read the fitday menus other women eat. it gives you an idea where to start.

Theresa

Here's a 3rd vote for fitday!

I also recommend browsing around in all the threads on the forum to get an idea of what other people eat. The planning threads each day are good places to start. I always find some new thing that sounds so yummy that I hadn't thought of prior!

Thanks Ladies! I have Fitday.com open in another window, what do I do if Special K cereal isnt listed. I dont see anywhere I can add it in unless it is already part of a list. Am I missing something?? lol Thanks for the help This is all new to me....

Bring the box of cereal to the computer and in fitday you can add a custom food. Just enter the stuff from the nutritional panel of the cereal right into fitday and label Special K cereal. It'll be there for you the next day, too!

I found special K ... I put the whole name in the search box

See and I dont work well using fitday...I really tried using it but didn't like it!!

I keep with me a small tiny pocket 200+ page spiral notebook from the dollar store...very small but thick...about 5" 6" maybe 2 in thick...and I have the Calorie king calorie book. Usually they are on the kitchen counter next to the calculator....If I go somewhere I may throw it in my handbag...

Each day gets a new page and I write down and add up my calories, fat, (dont always add up carbs and protein) I also use it to jot down my daily weigh in, other things like if TOM started, changed my contacts, dyed my hair (just so I can remember when I did it...LOL) I also write down any workouts or problems I encountered in the day....

This is what has been working for me...been doing it for about 4/5 months now...and its been working!!

SusanB, I must of did something wrong cause I didnt see it lol
Justme33, That is pretty much the way I've been doing it, I think the notebook is probably the least confusing lol I was just looking for a way to keep me more focused, more into the whole tracking thing lol

Wow, you ladies are quick and helpful, thanks!

FitDay and I arent off to a good start, I really cant find Kellogg's Special K. Im so confused! I see a bunch of cereals I never even heard of tho lol Maybe I'm not looking in the right place...???

Hey tinybaby!
Don't worry! FitDay really does work. I just tried looking for special K also and didn't see it. But, it's easy enough to add it in. Click on the custom food option and add in all the nutrition info from the cereal box.
You and I are almost needing to lose the same amount of weight. I just started on this site yesteday (and also started fitday yesterday too!) Sounds like you know what you need to do, you just need to do it!
Small steps, one day at a time..... You'll get there!
Are you a football fan?

Hmmmm....am I a football fan? I'm not trying to loose any friends before making any lol But yes I do enjoy football I live in the city of Pittsburgh, about 10 mins from downtown. So I'm a true Steelers fan. But its only a game...right?? I'm going to go back to fitday and figure this out

I use Myfooddiary.com. To me, it is much easier and the information provided to you is very useful in your weight loss efforts. It does cost $9 per month.

I like calorie-count.com...

Under the Add a Food section, I typed "special K" in the search field, clicked GO! and Special K was the first search result listed. Maybe skip the Kellogg's in the search box? Just type Special K.

I have to use the custom food option all the time in Fitday since I don't eat a lot of food out of packages, I cook from recipes. If you can't find a food in the search, select New Custom Food and click GO! Then you have the opportunity to enter the nutritional facts for a particular item and add it to YOUR custom food options. You only have to add custom foods once (thank goodness).