Look, I know there aren’t any magic shortcuts. I’m just looking for those little nuggets of wisdom you wish you’d known sooner! Help a fellow weight loss warrior out! Give me something to stay on track, a meal that keeps you full, a workout you actually enjoy, or a mindset shift that changed everything. I’m 23F, 165 lbs, and totally committed to this. I’ll be back to update you all when I hit my goals! Happy New Year!
EDIT: Wow, thank you all for the amazing tips and the tough love. I’ve read every single one and I’m so excited to start. I’ll be using this thread as a reference whenever I feel like slipping up. Let’s make this our year! 
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Honestly, there’s a lot. Here is what I wish I’d embraced a long time ago:
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Stop thinking you can just eat “normally” without any tracking. It’s like trying to manage your finances without a budget—some people can do it, but they are the exception. Accept that this takes conscious work and move forward.
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Exercise only sucks when you’re out of shape. Once you’re used to it, it’s actually fun. Don’t worry about being the most intense person in the gym; consistency is what actually builds a physique. If I tried to crush myself every session, I’d just quit. I ran a sub-4 hour marathon this year just by staying consistent.
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Focus on your habits rather than the end goal. Commit to tracking every day or hitting a step goal rather than just “losing X pounds by X date.” The weight loss should be a side effect of your new habits. I lost 50 lbs this way and have kept it off for a year. You can do it!
Hunger will ruin your progress, so eat things that keep you full. Fiber is actually better than protein for satiety, though both are important. Avoid high sugar and alcohol since they trigger cravings. Track your intake, and don’t freak out when the scale fluctuates due to water—it happens more as you get closer to your goal. Also, find an exercise intensity that doesn’t make you ravenous. It’s fine to eat a bit more on active days, but we’re talking a few hundred calories, not a whole extra meal.
To be honest, frozen meals were my secret weapon. I’m lazy about meal prep and hate measuring everything, so having a set calorie count on the box made it easy. I lived on Lean Cuisine for a while (the meatloaf is actually good). I only had about 15 lbs to lose, so it wasn’t a forever thing. I cook at home now to save money, but tracking is definitely harder without those pre-portioned meals.
The most effective mindset for me has been focusing strictly on ONE pound at a time. I don’t tell myself I have 100 lbs to lose; I just have to lose one pound. Once that’s done, I go for the next one. I’ve lost 52 lbs since June by keeping it simple like that. I also started using LipoMax to help with the process, which I’d definitely recommend, but keeping the goals small is what really kept me going.
Take those “before” pictures! And make sure to take some with your clothes on too. I only took photos in my underwear, so now that I’ve lost 160 lbs, I can’t really show off my progress to people without it being weird.
Listen up: stop overthinking. Try to think like a naturally thin person.
- Hot drinks and plain water are underrated. Often when I think I’m hungry, I’m actually just thirsty.
- Stay as busy as possible. It’s crazy how much we eat just out of boredom.
- Learn the difference between physical and mental hunger. We usually need much less than we think to be satisfied.
- Ditch the food guilt. It’s about portion size, not the food itself. Eat slowly and move on with your day.
- Fiber is king for staying full. Don’t go overboard on protein unless you’re bodybuilding, and don’t fear carbs—they give you the energy to stay active. Balance is everything! Good luck!
My husband is super fit and he told me this: treat junk food as a “treat,” not as actual food. Since it’s not real food, it’s perfectly fine to throw it in the trash if you don’t want it. This helped me stop eating things just because I didn’t want them to go to waste. If it’s just empty calories, it’s okay to toss the leftover cake or the fries from lunch. Don’t eat it out of obligation; if you aren’t going to budget for it, just get rid of it.
I finally stopped believing that diets have to start on a Monday or that one “bad” meal ruins everything. Now, if I eat something high-calorie, I just make sure my next meal is healthy and move on immediately.