Not losing weight
Replies
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janejellyroll wrote: »Is food scale the only other option for me then? I also use the food labelled on MFP. I guess I don't understand how it's been a year and I'm sick of dieting and I can't get below 154 lbs. I remember a few weeks ago I ate 500 calories in a day and I didn't feel any better.
Don't forget that many of the database entries in MFP are incorrect, as well. I understand that you're sick of dieting and not seeing any progress, but you really do have to accept that the reason why is that you're not measuring accurately.
To address the food scale issue: If the only reason why is that you don't want your family to see you using one, come up with an explanation that will make them less concerned. Try looking up recipes on the internet that measure in grams, not ounces/piece. Then, you're just trying to get the recipe right! Or, go with a less subversive explanation which is: you want to be at a healthy, comfortable weight and you want to be able to eat as much food as possible getting there. Using a food scale ensures that you get to eat as much food as possible and still maintain a healthy deficit (which for you may only be 250 calories a day). It doesn't have to be obsessive if you don't obsess over it. It only has to be a tool that you use to make sure that you're getting the nutrition and the calories that your body needs. As others have mentioned - talk to your ED treatment team. They may even advise you to use a scale!
Or it's possible the reason they don't want her using a food scale is that they don't share her conclusion that her ED is no longer an issue.
Great point, I didn't consider that! I fear that the OP will take the advise she's given here about measuring accurately and decide to just arbitrarily cut her eye-ball measuring by some degree, which could lead to under eating. I definitely don't want to encourage obsessive calorie restriction, so if food scales contribute to that (as opposed to helping her eat as much as possible within a healthy goal), I can absolutely see her family's concern
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This is why you've been stuck. You've asked for help and received perfect answers for your question.Look I can't used a food scale, but I can read packaging and I can use the fist and palm method to track calories. And I'm not going to accept my weight the way it is because my clothes have become tighter for me. I've been on MFP for over a year but I haven't religiously tracked my calories everyday. Some days I don't log in. Also, how can I go below 1200 calories? Isn't that undereating?
If you're not willing to be accurate, for yourself to lose weight again and take the wonderful advice here, then what can you do? What you're doing is clearly not working anymore.
A food scale costs less than $20. If family are concerned, explain that it's a tool to help you eat the correct amount to be healthy.
You are not eating 1200, and it certainly isn't your maintenance unless you're 4' tall and/or over 65 years old.
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cerise_noir wrote: »
This is why you've been stuck. You've asked for help and received perfect answers for your question.Look I can't used a food scale, but I can read packaging and I can use the fist and palm method to track calories. And I'm not going to accept my weight the way it is because my clothes have become tighter for me. I've been on MFP for over a year but I haven't religiously tracked my calories everyday. Some days I don't log in. Also, how can I go below 1200 calories? Isn't that undereating?
If family are concerned, explain that it's a tool to help you eat the correct amount to be healthy.
Ha this is exactly what i said to my husband when he showed concern about me weighing all of my food. I told him i use it to make sure i'm eating enough, because i undereat without it! He doesn't want me to lose any more weight, so telling him this got him off my back.
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Christine_72 wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »
This is why you've been stuck. You've asked for help and received perfect answers for your question.Look I can't used a food scale, but I can read packaging and I can use the fist and palm method to track calories. And I'm not going to accept my weight the way it is because my clothes have become tighter for me. I've been on MFP for over a year but I haven't religiously tracked my calories everyday. Some days I don't log in. Also, how can I go below 1200 calories? Isn't that undereating?
If family are concerned, explain that it's a tool to help you eat the correct amount to be healthy.
Ha this is exactly what i said to my husband when he showed concern about me weighing all of my food. I told him i use it to make sure i'm eating enough, because i undereat without it! He doesn't want me to lose any more weight, so telling him this got him off my back.
This actually is the case for me. In my case the food scale helps me reduce potentially triggering my ED - reducing food to numbers is immensely helpful.
What I wouldn't recommend is advising someone with a history of disordered eating to be untruthful with their family (who are likely their primary support system) about their motivation for particular weight loss related behaviours eg using a food scale. If you have an ED and weighing out your food could potentially trigger a cycle of over restriction then that really should be taken up with your doctor.5 -
InkAndApples wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »
This is why you've been stuck. You've asked for help and received perfect answers for your question.Look I can't used a food scale, but I can read packaging and I can use the fist and palm method to track calories. And I'm not going to accept my weight the way it is because my clothes have become tighter for me. I've been on MFP for over a year but I haven't religiously tracked my calories everyday. Some days I don't log in. Also, how can I go below 1200 calories? Isn't that undereating?
If family are concerned, explain that it's a tool to help you eat the correct amount to be healthy.
Ha this is exactly what i said to my husband when he showed concern about me weighing all of my food. I told him i use it to make sure i'm eating enough, because i undereat without it! He doesn't want me to lose any more weight, so telling him this got him off my back.
This actually is the case for me. In my case the food scale helps me reduce potentially triggering my ED - reducing food to numbers is immensely helpful.
What I wouldn't recommend is advising someone with a history of disordered eating to be untruthful with their family (who are likely their primary support system) about their motivation for particular weight loss related behaviours eg using a food scale. If you have an ED and weighing out your food could potentially trigger a cycle of over restriction then that really should be taken up with your doctor.
Very true. I have no experience with Eating Disorders, so fibbing to the family is not a great idea in this instance.0 -
You say you eat high fat. How are you measuring high fat items? Like butter and oils for example?
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I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?0
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gebeziseva wrote: »You say you eat high fat. How are you measuring high fat items? Like butter and oils for example?
I measure by teaspoon0 -
I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
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Great point, I didn't consider that! I fear that the OP will take the advise she's given here about measuring accurately and decide to just arbitrarily cut her eye-ball measuring by some degree, which could lead to under eating. I definitely don't want to encourage obsessive calorie restriction, so if food scales contribute to that (as opposed to helping her eat as much as possible within a healthy goal), I can absolutely see her family's concern. [/quote]
This is why I won't use the scale...it can lead to even obsessive behaviour in normal people and I'm sure there are other ways to burn fat aside from counting calories? I'm positive I'm eating no more than 1500 atleast. The most I can do is make my portions smaller then. Any other tips for burning fat without weighing scales? I just want the fat gone that's my main concern. I even do abit of strength training so I can have some lean muscle too.
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I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
Thank you ❤️
I'm going to be more diligent about this and post my results in two weeks!0 -
I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
I did I'm 5 ft 40 -
I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
I did I'm 5 ft 4
Me too (but I'm a lot older ). I got up to 148, and it was S-L-O-W to lose 15+ pounds. Took me around a year. I literally lost 1 lb per month, so from week to week I hardly ever saw it on the scale. I would say I'm lightly active and my maintenance calories are around 1700-1800, so I ate 1500 cals and like I said lost only 1 lb per month.
So if you can't be more accurate, try logging a little better like you mentioned and you are going to have to be super patient. Look for progress over months, not weeks and hang in there.1 -
I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
I did I'm 5 ft 4
Me too (but I'm a lot older ). I got up to 148, and it was S-L-O-W to lose 15+ pounds. Took me around a year. I literally lost 1 lb per month, so from week to week I hardly ever saw it on the scale. I would say I'm lightly active and my maintenance calories are around 1700-1800, so I ate 1500 cals and like I said lost only 1 lb per month.
So if you can't be more accurate, try logging a little better like you mentioned and you are going to have to be super patient. Look for progress over months, not weeks and hang in there.
Well done for sticking with it!
That is some seriously impressive will power.1 -
princeofmind wrote: »I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
I did I'm 5 ft 4
Me too (but I'm a lot older ). I got up to 148, and it was S-L-O-W to lose 15+ pounds. Took me around a year. I literally lost 1 lb per month, so from week to week I hardly ever saw it on the scale. I would say I'm lightly active and my maintenance calories are around 1700-1800, so I ate 1500 cals and like I said lost only 1 lb per month.
So if you can't be more accurate, try logging a little better like you mentioned and you are going to have to be super patient. Look for progress over months, not weeks and hang in there.
Well done for sticking with it!
That is some seriously impressive will power.
Thanks! My love of food/laziness outweighed any lack of patience LOL, I just didn't want to eat less than that or mve more than that
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princeofmind wrote: »I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
I did I'm 5 ft 4
Me too (but I'm a lot older ). I got up to 148, and it was S-L-O-W to lose 15+ pounds. Took me around a year. I literally lost 1 lb per month, so from week to week I hardly ever saw it on the scale. I would say I'm lightly active and my maintenance calories are around 1700-1800, so I ate 1500 cals and like I said lost only 1 lb per month.
So if you can't be more accurate, try logging a little better like you mentioned and you are going to have to be super patient. Look for progress over months, not weeks and hang in there.
Well done for sticking with it!
That is some seriously impressive will power.
Thanks! My love of food/laziness outweighed any lack of patience LOL, I just didn't want to eat less than that or mve more than that
Oh wow that's so impressive! I'm definitely going to stick with this! You're so patient and you've really inspired me!2 -
princeofmind wrote: »I'm not in my eating disorder in the sense that I no longer starve myself or make myself vomit which is what I used to do. Yes, the demons do come back but I'm aware of them and I can stop myself from falling into the same trap. I'm much more aware about my thoughts and behaviour patterns. If MFP database entries are not correct then what is the most useful database? I'm confused now, so the food labels are inaccurate, MFP is too...so then what is accurate? Let's say I weigh a fish fillet or something...how am I supposed to get the data of the nutritional value of the food item?
You just need to choose your entries carefully. For things that don't have labels, search for the usda entry. For things that do have labels, make sure the entry matches what the package says.
Where you run into trouble mostly with the package info is the serving size. It will say something like one serving is 1/2 cup or 90 grams. But if you serve yourself 1/2 cup and then put it on the scale, it actually weighs 110 grams. The nutrition info on the package is measured for the gram (weighed) serving, then they guesstimate the cup/tablespoon serving size and often not very well.
If you really can't weigh your portions, focus on choosing correct entries, logging everything as accurately as possible (level off cups and spoons, don't shove things down into measuring containers, remember to log condiments and beverages). It won't be as accurate, but it could help. If you were really eating 1200 cals, you would be losing weight.
Also, you didn't mention your height, but at 154lbs you aren't much overweight. You should probably be expecting around half-a-pound loss per week, so it could take a month or so for any loss to show up on the scale. I don't know much about ED recovery, so I'm not going to go there. Please take care of yourself
I did I'm 5 ft 4
Me too (but I'm a lot older ). I got up to 148, and it was S-L-O-W to lose 15+ pounds. Took me around a year. I literally lost 1 lb per month, so from week to week I hardly ever saw it on the scale. I would say I'm lightly active and my maintenance calories are around 1700-1800, so I ate 1500 cals and like I said lost only 1 lb per month.
So if you can't be more accurate, try logging a little better like you mentioned and you are going to have to be super patient. Look for progress over months, not weeks and hang in there.
Well done for sticking with it!
That is some seriously impressive will power.
Thanks! My love of food/laziness outweighed any lack of patience LOL, I just didn't want to eat less than that or mve more than that
You are so not alone! It took me 2 years to lose 33lbs.3 -
Have you ever seen those before and after pictures where the after looks more lean but they weigh more? That seems like what's going on here! If you're gaining muscle, you gotta remember that it weighs more than fat! If you were just doing cardio / dieting then weight loss would be a good indication of progress , but if you're gaining muscle then you can't really track progress using the scale anymore!
try just taking pictures of yourself every week or 2 instead! I'm sure you'll see a lot of progress, and you will probably see yourself getting leaner, too!! 2 -
Have you ever seen those before and after pictures where the after looks more lean but they weigh more? That seems like what's going on here! If you're gaining muscle, you gotta remember that it weighs more than fat! If you were just doing cardio / dieting then weight loss would be a good indication of progress , but if you're gaining muscle then you can't really track progress using the scale anymore! try just taking pictures of yourself every week or 2 instead! I'm sure you'll see a lot of progress, and you will probably see yourself getting leaner, too!!
I remember taking some measurements a few months ago. I'm going to take them again today1 -
I'm not eating more than I think...I measure and eat mostly low calorie veggies...even if I was it would only be 100 calories more and I don't feel very energetic. i can't use a food scale as my family would think I'm going into my eating disorder past...I'm tryng to do this in the least mentally draining way possible.
Love, just to give you two examples.
The bread I normally eat is supposed to be 44 grams per slice at 103 calories. I usually eat 5 slices on a day. that's a total of 515kcal.
However, if I put this bread on a scale I find that it's not 44 grams per slice but: 46, 55, 52, 49, 56 grams. That's 38 grams extra, nearly one slice of bread or nearly 103 calories. What I put on it also is more heavy.
I had a pizza last night that was supposed to be 350 grams for around 800 calories. It was in fact close to 400 grams, possibly another 114 calories I did not account for.
And what do you do with oils and fats? Every drop here counts as 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. How do you know that the spoon someone put into MFP (it's all user entries) has the same size as your spoon? How full was his spoon compared to yours? Just a drop of oil more will add quite a few calories.
Information on packaging is incorrect, and it's usually higher as companies might get sued for providing too little of a product. And it's impossible to estimate amounts. You say you cannot lose weight. Your answer is right here!2 -
This is why I won't use the scale...it can lead to even obsessive behaviour in normal people and I'm sure there are other ways to burn fat aside from counting calories? I'm positive I'm eating no more than 1500 atleast. The most I can do is make my portions smaller then. Any other tips for burning fat without weighing scales? I just want the fat gone that's my main concern. I even do abit of strength training so I can have some lean muscle too.
Fat burning without undue calorie restriction? Strength training, not too much cardio, plenty of lean protein, good carbs and veg.
I would massively recommend working with a *highly qualified* trainer with a strength and conditioning qualification. Find one you trust, and be open with them about your past so they can help you avoid triggers. You don't have to work with them every session - I see mine once every 4 to 6 weeks, to tweak my programme when I get bored or my nutrition when things don't seem to be working the way I want.
I was borderline bulimic in the past, was obsessive about eating low fat, and counted calories to a terrifying degree. I just ended up skinny, sick and miserable.
Once I figured out that what I was doing wasn't getting me the results I wanted (and this took a good 7 years!) I finally discovered strength training and honestly haven't looked back. I now lift 3 times a week, do basically no cardio (apart from about 12,000 steps a day) and am SUPER happy. I started focusing on how much I could lift, not on how much I weighed, and found it totally liberating.
I do now count macros, as I lack the will power to eat clean and quit sugar and still want to look good, but can have almost 2,000 calories a day now that I have a decent amount of muscle to burn it all. I am SO much happier, healthier and look a ton better too. It's fun realizing I can have a Twizzler or two after dinner because I have carbs left for the day, and that I can totally fit a donut into my day if I want to.
I get that having a goal or a numerical focus is a bit of a must for some people (me!), including many of those who have had disordered eating in the past. I would massively encourage changing the focus to what weights you can lift, and then making the conscious choice to fuel your body to do that.
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This is why I won't use the scale...it can lead to even obsessive behaviour in normal people and I'm sure there are other ways to burn fat aside from counting calories? I'm positive I'm eating no more than 1500 atleast. The most I can do is make my portions smaller then. Any other tips for burning fat without weighing scales? I just want the fat gone that's my main concern. I even do abit of strength training so I can have some lean muscle too.
Fat burning without undue calorie restriction? Strength training, not too much cardio, plenty of lean protein, good carbs and veg.
I would massively recommend working with a *highly qualified* trainer with a strength and conditioning qualification. Find one you trust, and be open with them about your past so they can help you avoid triggers. You don't have to work with them every session - I see mine once every 4 to 6 weeks, to tweak my programme when I get bored or my nutrition when things don't seem to be working the way I want.
I was borderline bulimic in the past, was obsessive about eating low fat, and counted calories to a terrifying degree. I just ended up skinny, sick and miserable.
Once I figured out that what I was doing wasn't getting me the results I wanted (and this took a good 7 years!) I finally discovered strength training and honestly haven't looked back. I now lift 3 times a week, do basically no cardio (apart from about 12,000 steps a day) and am SUPER happy. I started focusing on how much I could lift, not on how much I weighed, and found it totally liberating.
I do now count macros, as I lack the will power to eat clean and quit sugar and still want to look good, but can have almost 2,000 calories a day now that I have a decent amount of muscle to burn it all. I am SO much happier, healthier and look a ton better too. It's fun realizing I can have a Twizzler or two after dinner because I have carbs left for the day, and that I can totally fit a donut into my day if I want to.
I get that having a goal or a numerical focus is a bit of a must for some people (me!), including many of those who have had disordered eating in the past. I would massively encourage changing the focus to what weights you can lift, and then making the conscious choice to fuel your body to do that.
I don't understand why no one gets that I am restricting calories otherwise I wouldn't feel so tired and fat. I am amazed at how you transformed your body but I can't afford to get a personal trainer. I do have willpower to quit sugar and I haven't had white flour items in a few weeks. See you're eating 2000 calories a day and you feel great whereas I'm eating much less and I feel miserable and I'm not getting results. Something doesn't feel right. Maybe I do need to lift weights then.3 -
I'm not eating more than I think...I measure and eat mostly low calorie veggies...even if I was it would only be 100 calories more and I don't feel very energetic. i can't use a food scale as my family would think I'm going into my eating disorder past...I'm tryng to do this in the least mentally draining way possible.
Love, just to give you two examples.
The bread I normally eat is supposed to be 44 grams per slice at 103 calories. I usually eat 5 slices on a day. that's a total of 515kcal.
However, if I put this bread on a scale I find that it's not 44 grams per slice but: 46, 55, 52, 49, 56 grams. That's 38 grams extra, nearly one slice of bread or nearly 103 calories. What I put on it also is more heavy.
I had a pizza last night that was supposed to be 350 grams for around 800 calories. It was in fact close to 400 grams, possibly another 114 calories I did not account for.
And what do you do with oils and fats? Every drop here counts as 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. How do you know that the spoon someone put into MFP (it's all user entries) has the same size as your spoon? How full was his spoon compared to yours? Just a drop of oil more will add quite a few calories.
Information on packaging is incorrect, and it's usually higher as companies might get sued for providing too little of a product. And it's impossible to estimate amounts. You say you cannot lose weight. Your answer is right here!
So you're telling me to see food as maths when I just said I don't want to measure. Oh the people on MFP are a joke! I had an ED years ago when I was a teen and I'm not going into measuring each drop! Are you okay? Imagine scraping all the food of the pan so I get each drop or gram or whatever. Please read the posts above where I already said I don't want to measure on a scale. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY.2 -
I'm not eating more than I think...I measure and eat mostly low calorie veggies...even if I was it would only be 100 calories more and I don't feel very energetic. i can't use a food scale as my family would think I'm going into my eating disorder past...I'm tryng to do this in the least mentally draining way possible.
Love, just to give you two examples.
The bread I normally eat is supposed to be 44 grams per slice at 103 calories. I usually eat 5 slices on a day. that's a total of 515kcal.
However, if I put this bread on a scale I find that it's not 44 grams per slice but: 46, 55, 52, 49, 56 grams. That's 38 grams extra, nearly one slice of bread or nearly 103 calories. What I put on it also is more heavy.
I had a pizza last night that was supposed to be 350 grams for around 800 calories. It was in fact close to 400 grams, possibly another 114 calories I did not account for.
And what do you do with oils and fats? Every drop here counts as 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. How do you know that the spoon someone put into MFP (it's all user entries) has the same size as your spoon? How full was his spoon compared to yours? Just a drop of oil more will add quite a few calories.
Information on packaging is incorrect, and it's usually higher as companies might get sued for providing too little of a product. And it's impossible to estimate amounts. You say you cannot lose weight. Your answer is right here!
So you're telling me to see food as maths when I just said I don't want to measure. Oh the people on MFP are a joke! I had an ED years ago when I was a teen and I'm not going into measuring each drop! Are you okay? Imagine scraping all the food of the pan so I get each drop or gram or whatever. Please read the posts above where I already said I don't want to measure on a scale. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY.
I think people are giving you the best advice on here that they can, given your past. Also most of the people on MFP have or are currently losing weight by measuring, because its the most accurate way. It's sort of like a math problem.
If you keep eating the same amount you are eating right now, which you said cannot be more than 1500, then move more and track your progress over the next 6 weeks. Then, if that doesnt work, then you could possible consider getting a scale, which I know you said a few times you dont want, but if all other methods have failed then its something to at least consider.3 -
This is why I won't use the scale...it can lead to even obsessive behaviour in normal people and I'm sure there are other ways to burn fat aside from counting calories? I'm positive I'm eating no more than 1500 atleast. The most I can do is make my portions smaller then. Any other tips for burning fat without weighing scales? I just want the fat gone that's my main concern. I even do abit of strength training so I can have some lean muscle too.
Fat burning without undue calorie restriction? Strength training, not too much cardio, plenty of lean protein, good carbs and veg.
I would massively recommend working with a *highly qualified* trainer with a strength and conditioning qualification. Find one you trust, and be open with them about your past so they can help you avoid triggers. You don't have to work with them every session - I see mine once every 4 to 6 weeks, to tweak my programme when I get bored or my nutrition when things don't seem to be working the way I want.
I was borderline bulimic in the past, was obsessive about eating low fat, and counted calories to a terrifying degree. I just ended up skinny, sick and miserable.
Once I figured out that what I was doing wasn't getting me the results I wanted (and this took a good 7 years!) I finally discovered strength training and honestly haven't looked back. I now lift 3 times a week, do basically no cardio (apart from about 12,000 steps a day) and am SUPER happy. I started focusing on how much I could lift, not on how much I weighed, and found it totally liberating.
I do now count macros, as I lack the will power to eat clean and quit sugar and still want to look good, but can have almost 2,000 calories a day now that I have a decent amount of muscle to burn it all. I am SO much happier, healthier and look a ton better too. It's fun realizing I can have a Twizzler or two after dinner because I have carbs left for the day, and that I can totally fit a donut into my day if I want to.
I get that having a goal or a numerical focus is a bit of a must for some people (me!), including many of those who have had disordered eating in the past. I would massively encourage changing the focus to what weights you can lift, and then making the conscious choice to fuel your body to do that.
I don't understand why no one gets that I am restricting calories otherwise I wouldn't feel so tired and fat. I am amazed at how you transformed your body but I can't afford to get a personal trainer. I do have willpower to quit sugar and I haven't had white flour items in a few weeks. See you're eating 2000 calories a day and you feel great whereas I'm eating much less and I feel miserable and I'm not getting results. Something doesn't feel right. Maybe I do need to lift weights then.
If you are not losing weight then you are not eating less than you burn.
Why would restricting calories make you feel fat? I don't get that bit.
And there are plenty of reasons you would feel tired other than calories.
blood sugar, lack of nutrients, poor sleep etc.
If you're not willing to accept that you are consuming too many calories I'm not quite sure what you are wanting from this thread.4 -
How long have you been in recovery?
Did you heavily restrict during your ED?
How long did you maintain a healthy weight before you gained to where you are now?
Is it possible that you are still dealing with metabolic damage from the ED?0 -
-
To be honest OP I don't think MFP is for you being as it's a program centred around accurately logging your calories, which you don't want to do.
Without measurements/accurate calorie counts there's no way of anyone being able to provide you with accurate answers.
The best you can hope for is generic advice or guesses. You'd be better off seeing your doctor or a nutrition specialist.3 -
I'm not eating more than I think...I measure and eat mostly low calorie veggies...even if I was it would only be 100 calories more and I don't feel very energetic. i can't use a food scale as my family would think I'm going into my eating disorder past...I'm tryng to do this in the least mentally draining way possible.
Love, just to give you two examples.
The bread I normally eat is supposed to be 44 grams per slice at 103 calories. I usually eat 5 slices on a day. that's a total of 515kcal.
However, if I put this bread on a scale I find that it's not 44 grams per slice but: 46, 55, 52, 49, 56 grams. That's 38 grams extra, nearly one slice of bread or nearly 103 calories. What I put on it also is more heavy.
I had a pizza last night that was supposed to be 350 grams for around 800 calories. It was in fact close to 400 grams, possibly another 114 calories I did not account for.
And what do you do with oils and fats? Every drop here counts as 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. How do you know that the spoon someone put into MFP (it's all user entries) has the same size as your spoon? How full was his spoon compared to yours? Just a drop of oil more will add quite a few calories.
Information on packaging is incorrect, and it's usually higher as companies might get sued for providing too little of a product. And it's impossible to estimate amounts. You say you cannot lose weight. Your answer is right here!
So you're telling me to see food as maths when I just said I don't want to measure. Oh the people on MFP are a joke! I had an ED years ago when I was a teen and I'm not going into measuring each drop! Are you okay? Imagine scraping all the food of the pan so I get each drop or gram or whatever. Please read the posts above where I already said I don't want to measure on a scale. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY.
My sister is losing weight without counting calories or using a food scale.
What she is doing:
-She eats those frozen meal things for dinner every night during the week. On the weekends she cooks meals out of her lean eating/lower calorie recipe books.
-She has started exercising, no gym, just lots of walking.
-She doesn't sit on the couch eating chips and chocolate every night anymore.
-Loads her meals up with salad and veggies.
- She no longer mindlessly snacks. She has her set meals and is sticking to them!
She doesn't have a lot to lose, and she's losing at a nice steady pace.2 -
I'm not eating more than I think...I measure and eat mostly low calorie veggies...even if I was it would only be 100 calories more and I don't feel very energetic. i can't use a food scale as my family would think I'm going into my eating disorder past...I'm tryng to do this in the least mentally draining way possible.
Love, just to give you two examples.
The bread I normally eat is supposed to be 44 grams per slice at 103 calories. I usually eat 5 slices on a day. that's a total of 515kcal.
However, if I put this bread on a scale I find that it's not 44 grams per slice but: 46, 55, 52, 49, 56 grams. That's 38 grams extra, nearly one slice of bread or nearly 103 calories. What I put on it also is more heavy.
I had a pizza last night that was supposed to be 350 grams for around 800 calories. It was in fact close to 400 grams, possibly another 114 calories I did not account for.
And what do you do with oils and fats? Every drop here counts as 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. How do you know that the spoon someone put into MFP (it's all user entries) has the same size as your spoon? How full was his spoon compared to yours? Just a drop of oil more will add quite a few calories.
Information on packaging is incorrect, and it's usually higher as companies might get sued for providing too little of a product. And it's impossible to estimate amounts. You say you cannot lose weight. Your answer is right here!
So you're telling me to see food as maths when I just said I don't want to measure. Oh the people on MFP are a joke! I had an ED years ago when I was a teen and I'm not going into measuring each drop! Are you okay? Imagine scraping all the food of the pan so I get each drop or gram or whatever. Please read the posts above where I already said I don't want to measure on a scale. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY.
You asked for help. Some who answered you are former ED sufferers.
You choose to not take the great advice even though what you're doing is clearly not working out. You've shot down every. Single. Suggestion.
Oh well.5
This discussion has been closed.
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