Losing Hope

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schmittou731
schmittou731 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work out 2-3 a week more if I can, try to eat somewhat healthy and watch my calories, but I seem to be gaining weight. Feeling very defeated at this time.
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  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    Weigh your food and log everything you eat. "Trying" to watch calories won't give you the same results as actually tracking them accurately. Do you have a digital scale to weigh food with?
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
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    What she said ^ Are you actually tracking your food intake or just estimating? And what do your workouts look like? How many calories do you burn at each workout?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Start logging accurately. This means logging everything that goes into your mouth, using a food scale to weigh and determine your serving size. If you eat your exercise calories back, try to do no more than half of them.
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
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    Yes, a digital scale can make all the difference in the world! And luckily they're very cheap - 15 -20 dollars at my local grocery store, I know.

    Don't lose hope just make adjustments until something works and do your research - are the methods you "think" are "healthy" actually backed by scientific proof? And also, be super honest with yourself - it's easy to be say 'oh that little bite doesn't matter', but when you're trying to create a deficit, it does matter... especially if it's something calorie dense.

    Defeatism never got anyone anywhere...
  • Coolhandkid
    Coolhandkid Posts: 84 Member
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    Once you can actually document what you are eating and track its impact on your hunger and vitality it becomes clear how to succeed. This community has found success documenting everything you eat/drink. Coming here saying you haven't done what has brought so many people success means you have taken a half measure. You want to lose weight but are not committing to it.

    Commit. Buy a kitchen scale. Track everything you eat. Track your workouts. You WILL have success.
  • teamnevergoingback
    teamnevergoingback Posts: 368 Member
    edited August 2015
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    It sounds like you're just getting started trying with the food issue, so don't beat yourself up.. just TRY! You need to log EVERYTHING from that tsp of mustard to that handful of doritos. You can do this, it takes work my friend :)
  • escalada22
    escalada22 Posts: 191 Member
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    One of the most important things you can do is LOG EVERYTHING. It can be very surprising just how many calories are in something.

    Also, keep in mind that just because the scale is not moving does NOT mean you are not losing inches!!!
  • 50andfabu
    50andfabu Posts: 112 Member
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    What everyone says is true. You can't guess or estimate calories. And you can't think "oh, I didn't eat that much" because a few hundred calories can add up quickly and it makes a difference.

    It doesn't mean you can't eat or eat some of your favourite foods, but you have to weigh your food and track the calories. It is really the only way to do it and until I accepted that I didn't get anywhere. (I still have a ways to go, but I have started!)
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Besides the weight, have you started to notice any benefits from the exercise? Are you stronger? Can you do things today that you couldn't do when you started?
  • Shadow_quinn
    Shadow_quinn Posts: 5 Member
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    Okay So Im JUST starting out, literally only 2 days in, but i was going to go the count calories track...but im seeing a lot of input about weighing food. Which is better? Or should they both be used? Maybe a good example of your normal food prep?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    KristaQuinn1 wrote: »
    Okay So Im JUST starting out, literally only 2 days in, but i was going to go the count calories track...but im seeing a lot of input about weighing food. Which is better? Or should they both be used? Maybe a good example of your normal food prep?

    I think calorie counting is the same as weighing your food. Instead of selecting an eyeball measurement (1 cup, 1/2 cup), use the scale and pick the measure. For instance if the food shows calories in grams, enter the number of grams you ate.
  • GillianLF
    GillianLF Posts: 410 Member
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    Last year I worked out a LOT. I ended up only losing 2 kilos but lost a lot of inches. Its not always just about the scales.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    KristaQuinn1 wrote: »
    Okay So Im JUST starting out, literally only 2 days in, but i was going to go the count calories track...but im seeing a lot of input about weighing food. Which is better? Or should they both be used? Maybe a good example of your normal food prep?

    Weighing food is just a way to ensure your calorie counts are accurate. For example, instead of putting 1/2 of beans, you would weigh the beans and enter that as your serving size. If you eat a banana, instead of entering "1 banana," you would enter the weight in grams. For accuracy, all solid foods should be weighed.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Do you want to quit?
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    Buy a food scale, weigh and log everything.

    Do cardio if you want, and if you do, only eat back 50% of your calories (if you are losing faster than expected after logging for a few weeks, then up the % you eat back). Lift weights and hit your protein goal to help maintain muscle mass while losing.

    Cheat meals that take you over maintenance will sabotage your efforts. Log the cheat meals too (falls under the 'log everything' rule).

    Eat anything you want in moderation, keeping in mind that your diet will be easier to stick with if you chose foods that make it easier to stay under your calories without feeling hungry.

    Also it would be a good idea to read some of the best forum posts such as:
    Calorie Counting 101
    Logging Accuracy, Consistency, & You're Probably Eating More Than You Think
    A Guide To Get You Started on Your Path To Sexy Pants
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    KristaQuinn1 wrote: »
    Okay So Im JUST starting out, literally only 2 days in, but i was going to go the count calories track...but im seeing a lot of input about weighing food. Which is better? Or should they both be used? Maybe a good example of your normal food prep?

    Weighing your food helps you calories accurately
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    schmittou731 wrote: »
    I work out 2-3 a week more if I can, try to eat somewhat healthy and watch my calories, but I seem to be gaining weight. Feeling very defeated at this time.

    "Do or do not, there is no try" - Yoda.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    you weigh your food so you can count the calories.
    I make all my food for the day, weigh each ingredient individually. input as I eat because sometimes I deviate from the plan.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    KristaQuinn1 wrote: »
    Okay So Im JUST starting out, literally only 2 days in, but i was going to go the count calories track...but im seeing a lot of input about weighing food. Which is better? Or should they both be used? Maybe a good example of your normal food prep?

    Weighing food is just a way to ensure your calorie counts are accurate. For example, instead of putting 1/2 of beans, you would weigh the beans and enter that as your serving size. If you eat a banana, instead of entering "1 banana," you would enter the weight in grams. For accuracy, all solid foods should be weighed.

    This. Weighing and measuring your food accurately is the best way to count your calories.

    Food scales are inexpensive and easy to find. Once you have one, counting calories is easy, especially with My Fitness Pal. Weigh all your solid food, measure all your liquids (including beverages, cooking oils, and condiments), log and track it in the calorie counter, and stay under your daily goal, and it makes losing weight into arithmetic. It's really that simple if you log as accurately as possible and don't overestimate your exercise.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    They all said it, you need to be accurately at deficit.

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