Need a little advice on losing weight

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I had a lot of success with kick boxing when I first starting trying to lose weight but then tore both my ACL and my rotator cuff as well as a head injury. It was a miserable recovery where I found my worse eating habits reborn and gained back the 50lbs (over a two year span) I had lost and lost most of my muscle . With Physcial therapy (no surgery - thank god), I was able to get back to moving but was no longer capable to do the types of activities from before due to the thickening of torn ligaments ETC. So I've been doing a lot of cardio (and keeping it low-ish impact - I like to move). Dance. Walking. Zumba. Step Aerobics. But I've seemed to have become more stalky than lean - I haven't lost any weight and have only noticed a small decrease in my size.
Any suggestions would be great. I eat fairly well. No dairy and minimal wheat products. I maybe over do it on the hummus and granola bars but I try to control it.
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Replies

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Eat at a caloric deficit, which is waht this website is designed to help you do. which should be obvious upon signing up. Not sure where the issues are unless you blindly created your account and disregarded the entire sign-up process.
  • charlieandcarol
    charlieandcarol Posts: 302 Member
    edited November 2014
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    How much you eat is probably most important for you rather than how much you exercise, exercise seems to be most useful for strength, retaining muscle mass and general health rather than a weight loss tool by itself. Use the food diary here to track how many calories you are eating and try to meet the calorie targets set for you by mfp. I would suggest not worrying too much to start off with about what you are eating. As you get used to how many calories you are eating you might want to make more healthful choices, this I find tends to happen to me as a natural progression.

    Maybe going to see a dietitian or nutritionist for help might be useful especially since you have had a rough time medically in the last few years.

    Have a read of the "sticky" posts under the various forum categories here. They have lots of useful information to questions you might have or even ones you haven't thought of yet.

    You will find a million opinions on here, many will disagree with what I have just written. Its a matter of looking at all the advice and figuring out what works best for you.
  • 4bettermenow
    4bettermenow Posts: 166 Member
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    As far as exercise goes...maybe try some pilates to help with the toning and getting some flexibility back? I had a friend who tore her ACL, had surgery and pilates really helped her.
  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
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    ana3067 wrote: »
    Eat at a caloric deficit, which is waht this website is designed to help you do. which should be obvious upon signing up. Not sure where the issues are unless you blindly created your account and disregarded the entire sign-up process.

    I in fact do this. I'm at about a 500 calorie deficit on average a day. Usually more on days when I'm in less pain. I only intake about 1100 calories a day.
    As far as exercise goes...maybe try some pilates to help with the toning and getting some flexibility back? I had a friend who tore her ACL, had surgery and pilates really helped her.

    And thank you. I've always wondered in Pilates instead of yoga would be a better idea.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    edited November 2014
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    MegsNicho wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Eat at a caloric deficit, which is waht this website is designed to help you do. which should be obvious upon signing up. Not sure where the issues are unless you blindly created your account and disregarded the entire sign-up process.

    I in fact do this. I'm at about a 500 calorie deficit on average a day. Usually more on days when I'm in less pain. I only intake about 1100 calories a day.
    As far as exercise goes...maybe try some pilates to help with the toning and getting some flexibility back? I had a friend who tore her ACL, had surgery and pilates really helped her.

    And thank you. I've always wondered in Pilates instead of yoga would be a better idea.

    Then you're likely eating more than you think and/or burning less than you think. open up your diary and people can help you figure out if logging errors are at fault.

    And if you're the one who flagged my post btw, that's now what the flagging system is meant for - it is not a like/dislike feature.
  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
    edited November 2014
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    ana3067 wrote: »

    Then you're likely eating more than you think and/or burning less than you think. open up your diary and people can help you figure out if logging errors are at fault.

    And if you're the one who flagged my post btw, that's now what the flagging system is meant for - it is not a like/dislike feature.

    I didn't flag your post. I'm well aware how the flagging works.
    I was simply looking for a different activity that would be in my bounds of reasonable calorie burning while being low impact. And my diary is unlocked now.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Can you run?

    I'm always suggesting swimming, but it is not the best idea when one wants to avoid rotator cuff issues, lol. You could ask your doctor, of course. I just cannot say, "Go swim!" to someone who wants to avoid a repetitive-motion exercise involving repeatedly raising your hands over your head and pulling down against resistance! :)

    Running is second best for calorie burning for me, so that's what I'll throw out. I'm doing a C25K thing and it's really fun seeing yourself get better.

  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    Can you run?

    I'm always suggesting swimming, but it is not the best idea when one wants to avoid rotator cuff issues, lol. You could ask your doctor, of course. I just cannot say, "Go swim!" to someone who wants to avoid a repetitive-motion exercise involving repeatedly raising your hands over your head and pulling down against resistance! :)

    Running is second best for calorie burning for me, so that's what I'll throw out. I'm doing a C25K thing and it's really fun seeing yourself get better.

    I love running in the summer! Outside and it's warm and sunny. It was great for a while but my knee started to hate it. I even went on a few 5K fun runs like Mud Hero and what not. I don't mind it and yes I was told swimming too or aqua aerobics (since they are more knee friendly). I would like to try it and I will definitely discuss it with my doctor when I see her next week and find myself a pool! Thank you.
    I'm also glad to hear that you're enjoying your C25K experience! I used it and it was just not for me. I'm a run to the music kind of girl.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    According to your diary, you're eating very low calorie. You said no dairy but your diary shows Starbucks, whole milk. How are you calculating your intake? Weighing and measuring?
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    If you like running but are having knee problems, try pool running with a flotation belt (Google "pool running belt" or "water running belt"). It gives you a good, intense workout while also strengthening the muscles around your knees.

    If you're logging a 500 calorie daily deficit and not losing weight over the long run, then there are errors somewhere in your logging. If it's just a couple of weeks, then it's probably just fluid or solid retention, especially if you've also made changes in your diet. I went for 4 weeks in September and early October where my weight remained the same despite eating at a moderate deficit (about 150 calories), then I dropped 2 pounds in 10 days, though my deficit was exactly the same. It all balanced out in the end.
  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    According to your diary, you're eating very low calorie. You said no dairy but your diary shows Starbucks, whole milk. How are you calculating your intake? Weighing and measuring?

    I used the whole milk so it was at max because I'm never really sure with how they measure their inputs - it was actually skim milk (and the Starbucks was a HUGE weakness today). Although I guess I lied. I have consumed dairy in the past month. Quite a bit now that I look back. I got so used to not having it around because of the household I lived in I guess I just assumed. That would be my bad. Thank you for actually bringing that to my attention!.
    -I use measurements. I weigh out everything on my scale or measure it out in a cup (liquids etc) or by product.
  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
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    bwogilvie wrote: »
    If you like running but are having knee problems, try pool running with a flotation belt (Google "pool running belt" or "water running belt"). It gives you a good, intense workout while also strengthening the muscles around your knees.

    If you're logging a 500 calorie daily deficit and not losing weight over the long run, then there are errors somewhere in your logging. If it's just a couple of weeks, then it's probably just fluid or solid retention, especially if you've also made changes in your diet. I went for 4 weeks in September and early October where my weight remained the same despite eating at a moderate deficit (about 150 calories), then I dropped 2 pounds in 10 days, though my deficit was exactly the same. It all balanced out in the end.

    My RMT suggested it was water weight or the fact that I'm not eating enough but thanks for saying I might not be the only one, it's only been the past three weeks I haven't noticed any changes.
    Water running! Oh I like that! I will definitely look that up! I never even thought of that! Thanks so much!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    edited November 2014
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    MegsNicho wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »

    Then you're likely eating more than you think and/or burning less than you think. open up your diary and people can help you figure out if logging errors are at fault.

    And if you're the one who flagged my post btw, that's now what the flagging system is meant for - it is not a like/dislike feature.

    I didn't flag your post. I'm well aware how the flagging works.
    I was simply looking for a different activity that would be in my bounds of reasonable calorie burning while being low impact. And my diary is unlocked now.

    You wanted advice to lose weight, the advice is to create a caloric deficit. If you're injured enough to impact how you exercise now, then your caloric intake likely needs to change (although asuming you do MFP net method then just the exercise calorie intake might change).

    I'm guessing that your intake is not as accurate as you think. Generic entries like "scrambled eggs 2," unless your large eggs are not 53g as they are here then that information is off (2 large eggs would be around 140 calories). Generic cookie, generic goat cheese, what is a plate of lettuce and how does it have 0 calories? Your daily goal is also extremely low, unless you're like 100lbs. Homemade entries likely not your own recipes, logging whole fruits by size (hwo do you know it's medium and not small? or large?)... weighing food gives the best accuracy.

    Exercise for health and to increase caloric needs, not to create a deficit i.e. not used itself for weight loss.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited November 2014
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    What type of diet are you on? Do you have any restrictions, such as lactose intolerance or hypo/hyperglycemia?

    I look at the last 4 days of your meals, and calculated that the last 4 days of meals only included 14% or less of protein. Without knowing your statistics, and seeing the exercise you are doing, I can at least say you are undereating on protein, and undereating overall. This can be counterproductive to success. I would up your calorie intake by 25% (eat when you are hungry!), and up your protein intake by about 10%. Your muscles need protein to grow. you can work out all you want, but muscles cant feed on carbs. Do not be afraid of calories! They are what fuel your body. You just have to find what foods make your body operate the most efficiently. Protein is an important part of muscle growth and repair, and can ultimately lead to better fitness.

    I am a guy, so my physiology is different, but my diary is open if you want to get an idea of how much protein I eat. Most days, i am about 20%, +/- 5%.

    In fact, I will ask, as it is closely related to how much you should eat each day and any other advice you get:
    How much do you weigh?
  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
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    What type of diet are you on? Do you have any restrictions, such as lactose intolerance or hypo/hyperglycemia?

    I look at the last 4 days of your meals, and calculated that the last 4 days of meals only included 14% or less of protein. Without knowing your statistics, and seeing the exercise you are doing, I can at least say you are undereating on protein, and undereating overall. This can be counterproductive to success. I would up your calorie intake by 25% (eat when you are hungry!), and up your protein intake by about 10%. Your muscles need protein to grow. you can work out all you want, but muscles cant feed on carbs.

    I am a guy, so my physiology is different, but my diary is open if you want to get an idea of how much protein I eat. Most days, i am about 20%, +/- 5%.

    In fact, I will ask, as it is closely related to how much you should eat each day and any other advice you get:
    How much do you weigh?

    I'm at 194. And the protein thing has also been an issue - I was living my vegetarian, lactose intolerant sister for a long time there. I also noticed (just going back over my own diary) that I have been ingesting dairy - so I lied there, just got used to having a dairy free household and didn't think for a second when I posting. I will have to pay more attention to that in the future.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    So which is it guys, is she logging appropriately and under eating or not logging well and over eating? If she was under eating, she'd still be losing weight.
  • MegsNicho
    MegsNicho Posts: 9 Member
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    MegsNicho wrote: »
    I had a lot of success with kick boxing when I first starting trying to lose weight but then tore both my ACL and my rotator cuff as well as a head injury. It was a miserable recovery where I found my worse eating habits reborn and gained back the 50lbs (over a two year span) I had lost and lost most of my muscle . With Physcial therapy (no surgery - thank god), I was able to get back to moving but was no longer capable to do the types of activities from before due to the thickening of torn ligaments ETC. So I've been doing a lot of cardio (and keeping it low-ish impact - I like to move). Dance. Walking. Zumba. Step Aerobics. But I've seemed to have become more stalky than lean - I haven't lost any weight and have only noticed a small decrease in my size.
    Any suggestions would be great. I eat fairly well. No dairy and minimal wheat products. I maybe over do it on the hummus and granola bars but I try to control it.

    Need to state a revision here. Looking back over the past few weeks I have ingested dairy - mainly skim milk and looks like eggnog. I forgot about these moments (I have memory issues). Could the increase in dairy be my issue??
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    MegsNicho wrote: »
    What type of diet are you on? Do you have any restrictions, such as lactose intolerance or hypo/hyperglycemia?

    I look at the last 4 days of your meals, and calculated that the last 4 days of meals only included 14% or less of protein. Without knowing your statistics, and seeing the exercise you are doing, I can at least say you are undereating on protein, and undereating overall. This can be counterproductive to success. I would up your calorie intake by 25% (eat when you are hungry!), and up your protein intake by about 10%. Your muscles need protein to grow. you can work out all you want, but muscles cant feed on carbs.

    I am a guy, so my physiology is different, but my diary is open if you want to get an idea of how much protein I eat. Most days, i am about 20%, +/- 5%.

    In fact, I will ask, as it is closely related to how much you should eat each day and any other advice you get:
    How much do you weigh?

    I'm at 194. And the protein thing has also been an issue - I was living my vegetarian, lactose intolerant sister for a long time there. I also noticed (just going back over my own diary) that I have been ingesting dairy - so I lied there, just got used to having a dairy free household and didn't think for a second when I posting. I will have to pay more attention to that in the future.

    Please edit.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited November 2014
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    MegsNicho wrote: »
    MegsNicho wrote: »
    I had a lot of success with kick boxing when I first starting trying to lose weight but then tore both my ACL and my rotator cuff as well as a head injury. It was a miserable recovery where I found my worse eating habits reborn and gained back the 50lbs (over a two year span) I had lost and lost most of my muscle . With Physcial therapy (no surgery - thank god), I was able to get back to moving but was no longer capable to do the types of activities from before due to the thickening of torn ligaments ETC. So I've been doing a lot of cardio (and keeping it low-ish impact - I like to move). Dance. Walking. Zumba. Step Aerobics. But I've seemed to have become more stalky than lean - I haven't lost any weight and have only noticed a small decrease in my size.
    Any suggestions would be great. I eat fairly well. No dairy and minimal wheat products. I maybe over do it on the hummus and granola bars but I try to control it.

    Need to state a revision here. Looking back over the past few weeks I have ingested dairy - mainly skim milk and looks like eggnog. I forgot about these moments (I have memory issues). Could the increase in dairy be my issue??

    No.

    If your diary is correct and you are really truly weighing everything, you'd be under eating and still losing weight. You're not losing weight, so something is wrong. It's not dairy...It's eating too much. Think hard about what you eat during the week...Are you not logging and treats you eat on the weekend, cheat meals, etc?

    I'm only saying this because I'm not losing weight right now. I don't blame it on anything but over eating.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    Ok, I am 202ish at the moment. I know that is on a different table of recommendations for me (ie I am overweight, you are obese). I don't know exactly what your diet consists of, but i can tell that mine is vastly different than yours, and I wouldn't really know how to relate or give advice. Maybe a vegetarian can pitch in there?

    As far as exercise....road cycling is a very fun sport that is no impact. initially it can be expensive (getting the bike, gear, etc), but then it is essentially a free sport, aside from repairs. Given this winter, I would guess you don't live somewhere where riding is available. So then I would suggest a spin class. Those are intense cardio workouts, but low impact.