I'm right back to where I was 5 years ago

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rdhdscorp
rdhdscorp Posts: 12 Member
in Motivation and Support
About 5 years ago I went on Nutrisystem and after about 7 months lost 30 pounds. I managed to keep it off for about 2 1/2 years but then slowly started to gain it back. Now I'm back to my old weight (5'4 180lbs) and devastated. I can't help but be so mad at myself but also frustrated that I still track my food while others around me live carefree. Gaining all of my weight back was my nightmare and it has come true. I can't afford to go back on Nutrisystem again so I'm stuck trying to eat healthy on my own. I have been walking/jogging at least 3 times a week, usually 4-5 times, for that last month and a half. Is that enough exercise? I know MFP says I should eat 1200 calories but that just sounds too high to me. I mean if i gained my weight back from eating maybe 1400-1600 calories every few days then eating 1200 every day seems like too much. And is it more important to track sugar or protein? I could really use some helpful tips and to hear from others who have struggled too. I recently turned 35 and I'm noticing subtle changes in my body, like wrinkles, and to realize that I've now gained my weight back is starting to make me feel like giving up all together. I need to know I'm not alone.

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  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
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    Hey 83% of us do the same thing. I have done it over and over. Learned I was a slave to carbs after years of abusing them. Had to cold turkey them in my case to get back in control after yo yo'ing for 40 years.

    Everyone is different but you will find what works for you. I come up short on Fats and protein but overdid the carbs (now <50 grams daily but that is not for most). Now I do not get sugar crashes and the cravings are gone.

    Best of luck. What you do now at your young age can be make or break a eating lifestyle. Keep looking and reading and you will I expect find a solution for life long health.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    1200 calories isn't too high for anyone. Unless you are under 4'9 or in a wheelchair. I'm 36, 5'11, 165 and eating anywhere between 1450 & 1600 calories a day and I'm losing around 1/2 - 1lb a week (I have 10 pounds to go). I don't exercise. I log my food, eat filling, high protein healthy food 80% of the time and I weigh once a week.

    Seems like you are over thinking things. You don't need Nutrisystem. Just commit to a lifestyle change. It's not a diet. It's just what to you.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    rdhdscorp wrote: »
    About 5 years ago I went on Nutrisystem and after about 7 months lost 30 pounds. I managed to keep it off for about 2 1/2 years but then slowly started to gain it back. Now I'm back to my old weight (5'4 180lbs) and devastated. I can't help but be so mad at myself but also frustrated that I still track my food while others around me live carefree. Gaining all of my weight back was my nightmare and it has come true. I can't afford to go back on Nutrisystem again so I'm stuck trying to eat healthy on my own. I have been walking/jogging at least 3 times a week, usually 4-5 times, for that last month and a half. Is that enough exercise? I know MFP says I should eat 1200 calories but that just sounds too high to me. I mean if i gained my weight back from eating maybe 1400-1600 calories every few days then eating 1200 every day seems like too much. And is it more important to track sugar or protein? I could really use some helpful tips and to hear from others who have struggled too. I recently turned 35 and I'm noticing subtle changes in my body, like wrinkles, and to realize that I've now gained my weight back is starting to make me feel like giving up all together. I need to know I'm not alone.

    I highly doubt you gained the weight back eating just 1400-1600 cals here and there, your maintenance cals are prob in the range ~2200 or so, assuming you don't just sit around all day. So with that said, 1200 cals is likely much too low to start at, 17-800 cals is prob a better starting goal and adjust down as needed
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Acg67 wrote: »
    rdhdscorp wrote: »
    About 5 years ago I went on Nutrisystem and after about 7 months lost 30 pounds. I managed to keep it off for about 2 1/2 years but then slowly started to gain it back. Now I'm back to my old weight (5'4 180lbs) and devastated. I can't help but be so mad at myself but also frustrated that I still track my food while others around me live carefree. Gaining all of my weight back was my nightmare and it has come true. I can't afford to go back on Nutrisystem again so I'm stuck trying to eat healthy on my own. I have been walking/jogging at least 3 times a week, usually 4-5 times, for that last month and a half. Is that enough exercise? I know MFP says I should eat 1200 calories but that just sounds too high to me. I mean if i gained my weight back from eating maybe 1400-1600 calories every few days then eating 1200 every day seems like too much. And is it more important to track sugar or protein? I could really use some helpful tips and to hear from others who have struggled too. I recently turned 35 and I'm noticing subtle changes in my body, like wrinkles, and to realize that I've now gained my weight back is starting to make me feel like giving up all together. I need to know I'm not alone.

    I highly doubt you gained the weight back eating just 1400-1600 cals here and there, your maintenance cals are prob in the range ~2200 or so, assuming you don't just sit around all day. So with that said, 1200 cals is likely much too low to start at, 17-800 cals is prob a better starting goal and adjust down as needed

    This is what my response was going to be. I'd say you're probably better off at 1600 and you won't gain weight if you are being accurate. You did not gain weight 1400-1600. You weren't being accurate by either not logging every day, not logging everything you ate or not weighing your food. Be accurate.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Your diary shows a lot of entries right off the label. Did you measure to make sure your pasta was 2oz and deli chicken was 3oz or just eyeball it? 3/4 of a burger ... using the restaurant's nutrition data is a tough one to accurately log.


  • rdhdscorp
    rdhdscorp Posts: 12 Member
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    I admit I do a lot of eye balling, not actual measuring. I'm going to start actually measuring out everything because maybe I'm off on what I think I'm eating. I've been doing a lot of walking/jogging but has anyone tried that? Does it work for exercise? I don't like the gym but love being out for my walks and would really like to continue doing that rather than being inside a gym. I have a job that requires me to be sitting at my desk almost the entire day. I can't leave my computer for long. So I don't get much exercise except when I walk. On days I walk I reach around 11,000-12,000 steps. Without it I reach maybe 5,000.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Protein .. eat it. Resistance training ... do it (no need to join a gym, but, lean body mass is a good thing). If you're just going to walk, that's fine but understand your net caloric burn from it. Walking is exercise but far from the most intense form. Net caloric burn is in the neighborhood of .3 calories per mile per pound ... so 60 calories per mile for a 200lb person.

  • Magemisty
    Magemisty Posts: 87 Member
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    Acg67 wrote: »
    rdhdscorp wrote: »
    About 5 years ago I went on Nutrisystem and after about 7 months lost 30 pounds. I managed to keep it off for about 2 1/2 years but then slowly started to gain it back. Now I'm back to my old weight (5'4 180lbs) and devastated. I can't help but be so mad at myself but also frustrated that I still track my food while others around me live carefree. Gaining all of my weight back was my nightmare and it has come true. I can't afford to go back on Nutrisystem again so I'm stuck trying to eat healthy on my own. I have been walking/jogging at least 3 times a week, usually 4-5 times, for that last month and a half. Is that enough exercise? I know MFP says I should eat 1200 calories but that just sounds too high to me. I mean if i gained my weight back from eating maybe 1400-1600 calories every few days then eating 1200 every day seems like too much. And is it more important to track sugar or protein? I could really use some helpful tips and to hear from others who have struggled too. I recently turned 35 and I'm noticing subtle changes in my body, like wrinkles, and to realize that I've now gained my weight back is starting to make me feel like giving up all together. I need to know I'm not alone.

    I highly doubt you gained the weight back eating just 1400-1600 cals here and there, your maintenance cals are prob in the range ~2200 or so, assuming you don't just sit around all day. So with that said, 1200 cals is likely much too low to start at, 17-800 cals is prob a better starting goal and adjust down as needed

    Exactly are in in denail about how many cals you are eating and/or are they highfat and sugar foods.
  • veronakings
    veronakings Posts: 116
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    eeek I cannot imagine eating <2000 calories/day. i am starving if im at 1800 even.
  • veronakings
    veronakings Posts: 116
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    can you bike to work? i started doing that and burn an extra 600 calories (estimated) a day. it takes only about 5 minutes longer than driving, too.
  • Archerychickge
    Archerychickge Posts: 606 Member
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    Walking is great exercise. I think. based on what you just said, that you aren't logging accurately. Get yourself a good digital food scale and some really good measuring cups/spoons. Weigh and measure Everything. Once you know what you're putting in, you can get a better idea of how much you need to be burning off.
  • veronakings
    veronakings Posts: 116
    edited December 2014
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    also, make sure you set realistic goals and make changes that you can handle. in the past i have set goals too aggressively and ended up abandoning my regimen after a few weeks. just make positive changes every day and you will see improvement over time!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    rdhdscorp wrote: »
    About 5 years ago I went on Nutrisystem and after about 7 months lost 30 pounds. I managed to keep it off for about 2 1/2 years but then slowly started to gain it back. Now I'm back to my old weight (5'4 180lbs) and devastated. I can't help but be so mad at myself but also frustrated that I still track my food while others around me live carefree. Gaining all of my weight back was my nightmare and it has come true. I can't afford to go back on Nutrisystem again so I'm stuck trying to eat healthy on my own. I have been walking/jogging at least 3 times a week, usually 4-5 times, for that last month and a half. Is that enough exercise? I know MFP says I should eat 1200 calories but that just sounds too high to me. I mean if i gained my weight back from eating maybe 1400-1600 calories every few days then eating 1200 every day seems like too much. And is it more important to track sugar or protein? I could really use some helpful tips and to hear from others who have struggled too. I recently turned 35 and I'm noticing subtle changes in my body, like wrinkles, and to realize that I've now gained my weight back is starting to make me feel like giving up all together. I need to know I'm not alone.

    I'm 40 years old. When I started here I weighed 179 and am also 5'4" tall. I'm a pretty sedentary person as well. I set my goal to lose 1 pound a week and MFP gave me 1330 calories. I exercised around 30 minutes most days and ate at least half of the extra calories from exercise back so I generally ate more than 1330 calories most days. I lost weight steadily eating that much. I ate normal food and was not hungry or feeling deprived. After I lost 10 lbs my daily calorie goal went down to 1270. It is still going well.
    I would not be afraid to eat all the calories MFP gives you. 1200 seems pretty low to start with so maybe you want to reset your goal. If you are gaining weight on that amount then you should weigh and measure stuff to make sure you are really eating that amount. I think if you really eat 1400- 1600 per day and get just 30-40 minutes of exercise most days then you'd be fine. I would try to get 1200 net calories per day. It is definitely not too much.
  • rdhdscorp
    rdhdscorp Posts: 12 Member
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    Archerychickge wrote: »
    Walking is great exercise. I think. based on what you just said, that you aren't logging accurately. Get yourself a good digital food scale and some really good measuring cups/spoons. Weigh and measure Everything. Once you know what you're putting in, you can get a better idea of how much you need to be burning off.

    I am definitely going to look into a digital scale and I have started measuring everything instead of eyeballing it. I think I just misjudged what I thought my portions were. Also I never knew about net calories versus gross calories. Now that I know I realize I was thinking I burned more calories than I actually was so that also helped me. I'm going to continue power walking and jogging since I love it so much but if I don't see any improvement within the next few weeks I'll add in some other stuff to see if that helps.

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