A life without soda, salt, alcohol, juice, red meats, etc.
LaurenFOB2301
Posts: 84 Member
Hi everyone! My name is Lauren. I live in Chicago.
Someone please help me. I need some advice. What else can I do to lose weight?
I'm 25. I read all these books and websites about dieting tips. Some of the first things I hear are: Cut back on all simple carbs, soda, sugar, juice, salt, alcohol, red meats, fatty and sweet foods, etc. Fill up on veggies, water, fruits, and proteins.
But here's the thing.
1. I don't drink soda or juice (with or without added sugar) From a young age, my mom taught me about hydration -- and that water was the way to achieve that. For as long as I remember, I grabbed for a fresh, cool glass of water after playing outside while my friends were grabbing for a pop from the fridge.
Here's what I don't drink: Juice, soda, diet soda, flavored water, energy drinks, alcohol, wine, beer, milk.
Here's what I drink: Water and coffee. I'm a journalist. So I need my coffee. Or, at least I think I do. On average, I drink about 2-3 half liters of water each day and 2-3 shots espresso each day during the workweek. I add a little bit of half-and-half and sugar. I've tried drinking it straight, but it's not the most enjoyable.
And, no, I don't drink frappacchinos, mochas, lattes, etc. Just espresso with about three tablespoons of half-and-half and one package of sugar.
About once a month or every two months, I'll get a juicer from Mariano's.
2. I *never* add salt to my foods, nor do I eat salty foods (other than salmon, tilapia, and tuna). I'm also aware of the sodium content in frozen foods. Neither me or my husband eat frozen food (no chicken nuggets, family dinners, pizza, vegetables, fruits, etc. if they are in frozen packages)
3. Yes, I do eat things with sugar in them, but it's so infrequent. Again, it's not like I snack on Reeses every day. It's on rare occasion that I even eat a cookie or some piece of candy. I probably have chocolate or some form of sweet treat once a week, and that's only if I'm really, really craving it in line at the grocery store. It's not on my grocery list. Neither is cereal, cookies, cakes, pies, etc.
4. I do not drink alcohol. End of story. I did back in college, but I simply don't care for it anymore. I'm healthier without it. It also puts on the pounds!
5. No energy drinks. Also something I did back in college. I swore off energy drinks about three years ago (three months before my husband andI got married) and haven't touched another since.
6. Hell, I don't even drink milk, people, because of the unnecessary calories. Half-and-half in my coffee and greek yogurt is the extent of my dairy.
7. On occasion, I eat a burger or steak. In a year, I'd say I have about 10 burgers and 2-3 steaks. I avoid red meats and mainly eat salmon, boneless/skinless chicken, and other lean fish.
8. Another thing. I hardly ever, ever, ever eat pasta. Maybe once a month, too, because I know how many friggin' calories are in pasta.
Here's a generality of what I eat these days: spring mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, veggies, granola and greek yogurt, grain bagels, soup, coffee, super salads, quinoa, walnuts, avocados, hummus, pita bread, beet sandwiches. I'm addicted to the Mediterranean sandwich from Potbelly's. Look it up. It's incredible.
So. Help me, please. I've struggled with weight for several years. So has my entire family.
From 2004-2007 (high school), I weighed 125-130.
I started college in 2008 and graduated in May 2012. Near the end of my four-year degree, I weighed about 178. That's the heaviest I've ever been. At the time, I was drinking alcohol, energy drinks, eating frozen foods, drinking mochas, lattes, etc., and ate sweets.
Basically the opposite of what I put in my body today.
In the summer of 2012 before my wedding, I basically purged myself from all junk food I ate in college and dropped from 168 to 150.
For most of 2013, I weighed somewhere around 155-160, despite the stresses of obtaining a master's degree and sleeping few hours.
In 2014, I weighed about 155. Halfway through the year, I started gaining despite bike riding, being more active than ever, and eating healthy. I now weigh 175, inching closer and closer to my heaviest weight ever. I turned 25 in August. Is this my metabolism slowing down? Or is that truly just an excuse?
One last important thing to note. I have a gym membership. I go, on average, 1-5 times a week. Yes, it varies that much. I guess I could go more, but it's hard to find the time. Some days, I'm super motivated. Other days, I can't muster the energy. When I'm there, I shoot hoops at the gym (I played on my basketball team in high school), run on the elliptical, and do some strength training.
Someone please help me. I need some advice. What else can I do to lose weight?
I'm 25. I read all these books and websites about dieting tips. Some of the first things I hear are: Cut back on all simple carbs, soda, sugar, juice, salt, alcohol, red meats, fatty and sweet foods, etc. Fill up on veggies, water, fruits, and proteins.
But here's the thing.
1. I don't drink soda or juice (with or without added sugar) From a young age, my mom taught me about hydration -- and that water was the way to achieve that. For as long as I remember, I grabbed for a fresh, cool glass of water after playing outside while my friends were grabbing for a pop from the fridge.
Here's what I don't drink: Juice, soda, diet soda, flavored water, energy drinks, alcohol, wine, beer, milk.
Here's what I drink: Water and coffee. I'm a journalist. So I need my coffee. Or, at least I think I do. On average, I drink about 2-3 half liters of water each day and 2-3 shots espresso each day during the workweek. I add a little bit of half-and-half and sugar. I've tried drinking it straight, but it's not the most enjoyable.
And, no, I don't drink frappacchinos, mochas, lattes, etc. Just espresso with about three tablespoons of half-and-half and one package of sugar.
About once a month or every two months, I'll get a juicer from Mariano's.
2. I *never* add salt to my foods, nor do I eat salty foods (other than salmon, tilapia, and tuna). I'm also aware of the sodium content in frozen foods. Neither me or my husband eat frozen food (no chicken nuggets, family dinners, pizza, vegetables, fruits, etc. if they are in frozen packages)
3. Yes, I do eat things with sugar in them, but it's so infrequent. Again, it's not like I snack on Reeses every day. It's on rare occasion that I even eat a cookie or some piece of candy. I probably have chocolate or some form of sweet treat once a week, and that's only if I'm really, really craving it in line at the grocery store. It's not on my grocery list. Neither is cereal, cookies, cakes, pies, etc.
4. I do not drink alcohol. End of story. I did back in college, but I simply don't care for it anymore. I'm healthier without it. It also puts on the pounds!
5. No energy drinks. Also something I did back in college. I swore off energy drinks about three years ago (three months before my husband andI got married) and haven't touched another since.
6. Hell, I don't even drink milk, people, because of the unnecessary calories. Half-and-half in my coffee and greek yogurt is the extent of my dairy.
7. On occasion, I eat a burger or steak. In a year, I'd say I have about 10 burgers and 2-3 steaks. I avoid red meats and mainly eat salmon, boneless/skinless chicken, and other lean fish.
8. Another thing. I hardly ever, ever, ever eat pasta. Maybe once a month, too, because I know how many friggin' calories are in pasta.
Here's a generality of what I eat these days: spring mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, veggies, granola and greek yogurt, grain bagels, soup, coffee, super salads, quinoa, walnuts, avocados, hummus, pita bread, beet sandwiches. I'm addicted to the Mediterranean sandwich from Potbelly's. Look it up. It's incredible.
So. Help me, please. I've struggled with weight for several years. So has my entire family.
From 2004-2007 (high school), I weighed 125-130.
I started college in 2008 and graduated in May 2012. Near the end of my four-year degree, I weighed about 178. That's the heaviest I've ever been. At the time, I was drinking alcohol, energy drinks, eating frozen foods, drinking mochas, lattes, etc., and ate sweets.
Basically the opposite of what I put in my body today.
In the summer of 2012 before my wedding, I basically purged myself from all junk food I ate in college and dropped from 168 to 150.
For most of 2013, I weighed somewhere around 155-160, despite the stresses of obtaining a master's degree and sleeping few hours.
In 2014, I weighed about 155. Halfway through the year, I started gaining despite bike riding, being more active than ever, and eating healthy. I now weigh 175, inching closer and closer to my heaviest weight ever. I turned 25 in August. Is this my metabolism slowing down? Or is that truly just an excuse?
One last important thing to note. I have a gym membership. I go, on average, 1-5 times a week. Yes, it varies that much. I guess I could go more, but it's hard to find the time. Some days, I'm super motivated. Other days, I can't muster the energy. When I'm there, I shoot hoops at the gym (I played on my basketball team in high school), run on the elliptical, and do some strength training.
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Replies
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You're just eating too much then. Count your intake.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I average about 1,200-1,600 calories a day. Is that too much? I'm wondering if it's because I have a desk job...It's probably not helping the cause, anyway.0
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You think frozen vegetables have added sodium? Canned, certainly, but not frozen unless it's mixed with other things like noodles or cheese. How tall are you? And why do you feel depriving yourself of the little joys helped you? You say you are struggling even after all these things. Maybe you are gaining muscle, maybe you aren't measuring and weighing your food properly. Maybe 150lbs isn't super overweight. You never said how tall you are. Is your food diary open?0
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Don't believe everything you read.
How many calories do you consume per day (average?)
Do you weigh and record everything you eat?
Do you use the correct entries (ie checked against package or USDA website)?0 -
Are you logging your food everyday?
Do you weigh your food?
If no, this would be the place to start. Log everyday, as accurately as possible.0 -
Sorry, I'm 5 feet, 2 inches.
And you're right about frozen veggies. I really didn't mean to group that in with all the rest of the frozen foods. My point was that I never shop in the frozen foods section.0 -
You are setting up way too many unnecessary rules to follow! Tell MFP you want to lose 1 lb per week, get a calorie goal, and log accurately. Weigh your food as much as possible. You can eat whatever you want, as long as it fits your calorie goal. Exercise is great, but weight loss is all about what you eat. Read the stickies at the top of the Getting Started forum, especially Sexypants. Take a deep breath, and don't make this more complicated than it needs to be - you can do this.0
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You are eating too many calories - more than your body requires. It doesn't matter if you're avoiding salt/sugar etc. weight loss is a matter of calories in vs calories out. Start counting and give it about a month and see how you go.0
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It's not about what you eat, it's about how much you eat. Do you weigh and log all your food? If not, you're eating more than you think. I have soda (diet), sugar (a treat every night), pasta (though I try to stick to whole wheat), and red meat on occasion and I'm losing from being in a calorie deficit.0
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I'd say I'm not the best about logging my food every day. I try, but forget sometimes. I've gotten better about it in the last month or so.
And no, I honestly never thought about weighing my food. I just usually do portion control (i.e. 4 oz. chicken, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp. of salad dressing, etc.)0 -
Thanks everyone. I just really wanted to spell out my situation and see what people thought...Sounds like I'm eating too much of healthy foods?
I've always been told never to go below a certain amount of calories a day, at a minimum 1,200?0 -
How big do you think 4oz of chicken is? My estimations were WAY off when I started this weightloss journey. But I have lost almost 50lbs since July last year even when I had fast food or a buffet.0
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You are setting up way too many unnecessary rules to follow! Tell MFP you want to lose 1 lb per week, get a calorie goal, and log accurately. Weigh your food as much as possible. You can eat whatever you want, as long as it fits your calorie goal. Exercise is great, but weight loss is all about what you eat. Read the stickies at the top of the Getting Started forum, especially Sexypants. Take a deep breath, and don't make this more complicated than it needs to be - you can do this.
Thank you. 0 -
I definitely know what a 4 oz. piece of chicken looks like lol 0
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LaurenFOB2301 wrote: »I average about 1,200-1,600 calories a day. Is that too much? I'm wondering if it's because I have a desk job...It's probably not helping the cause, anyway.
That is too inaccurate. How did you get those numbers? Is it an estimate? Exercise will aid in weightloss, but is not necessary.0 -
You don't have to cut any of that out. It's not what you eat...it's how much.
Edit: I see someone made this (almost) exact comment above, lol. I didn't copy I promise...tis true though.0 -
OK, so you are already eating very, very carefully. It's fine to sometimes eat meat, drink alcohol, have a few sweets and refined carbs etc., as long as you don't exceed your calorie needs for the day. It sounds like you may be a bit too worried about what you eat-- I think just tracking calories as accurately as you can will help you. Those tips you've read are basically ways to cut out calories without counting them, and don't sound sustainable over the long term at all to me.
How tall are you? How much do you generally exercise? 1200-1600 calories a day isn't that much unless you're 5'2" or below (I'm 5'1" and eat 1200 calories a day only when attempting faster weight loss; usually I try for losing 1/2 lb a week and eat around 1350 cals net). It's truly not necessary to deprive yourself if you are consuming the proper amount of calories. If you haven't done this already, set up your profile with the recommended settings that MFP gives you; they work well. When logging food, try to use only entries without an asterisk in front of them since the ones with an asterisk have been added by other users of the site and are quite frequently inaccurate.
This post is extremely helpful to read and, in my opinion (which is corroborated by multiple people I've seen recommending this as well) is THE guide to using this site successfully: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
MFP's exercise calorie burn estimates are high for some people; try eating back only 1/2 of what it says you burn for a few weeks and see what happens.
It is OK to eat some salt (necessary for health when you sweat or during summer when you are drinking a lot of water). It sounds like you know that too much will cause water retention, but some added salt is OK to eat; don't worry about that.
Good luck!0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »LaurenFOB2301 wrote: »I average about 1,200-1,600 calories a day. Is that too much? I'm wondering if it's because I have a desk job...It's probably not helping the cause, anyway.
That is too inaccurate. How did you get those numbers? Is it an estimate? Exercise will aid in weightloss, but is not necessary.
How is that too inaccurate? I'm just saying...some days, I eat 1,200. Other days, I eat 1,600. Some days, I go below 1,200. So, in essence, that's as accurate as I can get. I wouldn't say it's INaccurate.0 -
OK, it sounds like you have a good, common-sense diet.
Why not commit to tracking consistently? Have you tried different macro mixes, for example reducing your carb intake to see if that makes a difference?
Exercising 1-5 times a week is a pretty wide range. You could certainly try establishing a more regular exercise habit.
Have you checked in with a doctor about your weight gain?0 -
OK, so you are already eating very, very carefully. It's fine to sometimes eat meat, drink alcohol, have a few sweets and refined carbs etc., as long as you don't exceed your calorie needs for the day. It sounds like you may be a bit too worried about what you eat-- I think just tracking calories as accurately as you can will help you. Those tips you've read are basically ways to cut out calories without counting them, and don't sound sustainable over the long term at all to me.
How tall are you? How much do you generally exercise? 1200-1600 calories a day isn't that much unless you're 5'2" or below (I'm 5'1" and eat 1200 calories a day only when attempting faster weight loss; usually I try for losing 1/2 lb a week and eat around 1350 cals net). It's truly not necessary to deprive yourself if you are consuming the proper amount of calories. If you haven't done this already, set up your profile with the recommended settings that MFP gives you; they work well. When logging food, try to use only entries without an asterisk in front of them since the ones with an asterisk have been added by other users of the site and are quite frequently inaccurate.
This post is extremely helpful to read and, in my opinion (which is corroborated by multiple people I've seen recommending this as well) is THE guide to using this site successfully: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
MFP's exercise calorie burn estimates are high for some people; try eating back only 1/2 of what it says you burn for a few weeks and see what happens.
It is OK to eat some salt (necessary for health when you sweat or during summer when you are drinking a lot of water). It sounds like you know that too much will cause water retention, but some added salt is OK to eat; don't worry about that.
Good luck!
Thank you! I honestly appreciate the constructive criticism. I thought I was just a lost cause, but you're right, maybe it's just a matter of overeating on food -- even if it's all healthy. I do eat very carefully, and I think that's what has been so discouraging...Maybe I need to keep track more.
I also think I get discouraged WAY too easily if I don't lose more than pound each week. If I'm stagnant, I get upset. If I gain, might as well forget abut my confidence for the day.0 -
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I suggest that you count your calories and weigh your food, it is so easy to eat much more than you expect. Measuring yourself may also help, to see whether or not you are gaining muscle with all the gyming.
Additionally, I think that maybe you should get your thyroid checked and ask your doctor about other tests (for example Vit D, iron, B12, etc.) that could cause issues with weight and energy. If you are eating as well as you are, exercising regularly, and still having issues with weight gain and energy something else may be causing it and you should talk to your doctor about it.0 -
LaurenFOB2301 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »LaurenFOB2301 wrote: »I average about 1,200-1,600 calories a day. Is that too much? I'm wondering if it's because I have a desk job...It's probably not helping the cause, anyway.
That is too inaccurate. How did you get those numbers? Is it an estimate? Exercise will aid in weightloss, but is not necessary.
How is that too inaccurate? I'm just saying...some days, I eat 1,200. Other days, I eat 1,600. Some days, I go below 1,200. So, in essence, that's as accurate as I can get. I wouldn't say it's INaccurate.
Do you know what average means? From the dictionary: a number that is calculated by adding quantities together and then dividing the total by the number of quantities.
There is quite a difference between 1200 and 1600 calories. Averaging 1200 will make you lose weight, 1600 will make you gain weight. What calorie goal did MFP give you when you signed up?0 -
Aha, lot of posts showed up while I was working on mine. At your height of 5'2", 1600 calories is just below maintenance (my maintenance level is 1650 or so at 5'1").
Try looking at your calorie total by the week rather than by the day and see how you are doing on your intake goals that way. It's fine to be over sometimes and under sometimes as long as you stay near the deficit level you want for your chosen weight loss rate, which you can also calculate on a weekly rather than daily basis (I like this approach better sometimes).
1200 calories a day is the recommended minimum for people of any size on this site and some others, BUT women around our size are OK for shorter periods of time eating a little less than that, I have read. I have found this site helpful: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm as it seems like a pretty accurate calculator with a lot of helpful and accurate info.
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You focus on food-types and creating categories of good foods and bad foods, and lack focus on CICO.
For weightloss, your body really doesn't care that you choose 500 calories of nuts and granola instead of a 500 calorie cheeseburger.
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Wow...Yes, I know what average means. Please do not insult my intelligence. What I didn't want to do is say "Yes, I eat exactly 1,200 calories a day (which is my target on MFP) when some days, I naturally go over some days. What I'm saying is, I know there's a difference between the two. But that's the best estimate I can give you without making up some average. I don't log every single day, so coming up with a perfect average would be impossible.
Hence, why I'm probably not losing weight...sounds like it doesn't matter what I eat, but how much.
When I signed up, MFP gave me 1,200 target.0 -
duckykissy wrote: »I suggest that you count your calories and weigh your food, it is so easy to eat much more than you expect. Measuring yourself may also help, to see whether or not you are gaining muscle with all the gyming.
Additionally, I think that maybe you should get your thyroid checked and ask your doctor about other tests (for example Vit D, iron, B12, etc.) that could cause issues with weight and energy. If you are eating as well as you are, exercising regularly, and still having issues with weight gain and energy something else may be causing it and you should talk to your doctor about it.
Hi! Funny you say that...I actually had my doctor run blood tests back in October (and additional thyroid tests) to see if something was up. My blood work came back PERFECT. While I was happy about it, it also was a little discouraging knowing that there wasn't something else preventing me from losing weight!
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Aha, lot of posts showed up while I was working on mine. At your height of 5'2", 1600 calories is just below maintenance (my maintenance level is 1650 or so at 5'1").
Try looking at your calorie total by the week rather than by the day and see how you are doing on your intake goals that way. It's fine to be over sometimes and under sometimes as long as you stay near the deficit level you want for your chosen weight loss rate, which you can also calculate on a weekly rather than daily basis (I like this approach better sometimes).
1200 calories a day is the recommended minimum for people of any size on this site and some others, BUT women around our size are OK for shorter periods of time eating a little less than that, I have read. I have found this site helpful: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm as it seems like a pretty accurate calculator with a lot of helpful and accurate info.
So I'm wondering, then, if the days I eat closer to 1,600, I don't have enough of a deficit to actually be on the path to losing weight.
I've always heard to eat healthy, and not to worry about counting. MFP has definitely helped me learn about nutrition and counting. But it sounds like I have a lot to learn, still!
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Eat everything, only at a deficit.
Can you open your diary?0 -
Do you accurately track what you're eating (meaning weighing/measuring foods and then tracking them)? I ask because there is a huge difference between 1200 and 1600 calories, especially when you need a proper weekly deficit for weight loss over time. Eating healthy is important when it comes to nutrition, but eating at a deficit leads to weight loss.0
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