I need help

LeeMclafferty

22 Years Old
Male
5' 11"
238 lbs

So a little about me first. I was up to 335 lbs, got kicked off a roller coaster and that really motivated me to change. Fast forward a year and some change and I lost 113 lbs. Down to 222, I felt good. I got 2 promotions at work and a second job. Around this time I was working 40 hours at one job, 20 at another, and going to school for 24 hours a week. I was tired all the time and stopped working out completely. During this weight loss I was eating around 1600 calories a day. Everyone said It was low, and based on everything I have read, they're right. All this working and school started in January of 2019.

Fast forward December of 2019 I'm back up to 243 lbs and I absolutely hate myself and everything about me. I decided to go back on my diet, but it wasn't maintainable do to me eating the same 3 meals everyday for damn near 2 years. Breakfast 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup almond milk, 2 large eggs. Lunch 8oz ground Turkey, rotating green vegi that I stopped measuring at some point. 6oz chicken breast, and once again a vegi. At this point Chicken breast make me sick to eat, I just about gag trying to. So my plan was to make meals but sub ingredients to manage the calories better. So thats what I have been doing since the end of December. Things like Taco bowl, sub beef for turkey, no cheese; things like that. I am attempting to net around 1800 calories a day, due to every BMR calculator telling me my resting metabolic rate is 2300-2500 calories with a sedentary life style.

After a couple weeks I was down to 237 and loving every meal I make. I am not doing a Keto diet, but a lot of the recipes I am using are from Keto websites. This ensures lower carbs since everyone freaks out about them, but my primary focus has been caloric intake not macros. In addition to this I am still working 40 hours+ at my job (did 110 over the last 2 weeks) and going to school 4 days a week 6 hours a day. School is for collision repair so it is not sitting at a desk, I am working, moving, lifting but at work I am a tech support supervisor and spend a lot of time at a desk. On top of all this I have been finding time to make it to the gym 5 days a week Thursday - Sunday. I did not weigh myself for 2 weeks and was averaging around 2000 calories a day ( do not subtract anything for my exercise) and I gained and went up to 239. I am not sure what move to make, I can't waste anymore time. I spend all of my time on the internet reasearching just trying to find a way to lose weight so I can stop hating my self. I do not look 239lbs and I didnt look 335, I carry my weight well, but I know I have to much body fat and just want to meet my goals. 90% of the time whats pushing me from 1800 to 2000 calories is eating a spoon of natural peanut butter at night.

I just want to know if there is anything I am doing wrong or can do, I am sitting at work about to leave because I feel so uncomfortable in my cloths. I dont want to be seen and am embarrassed to talk to anyone anymore. I don't go out, and there is no changing that until I lose more weight, I just want help doing it. I will make my diary public, and I will try to make the recipes public if it is an option

kimny72

Weight loss isn't always linear. Since you hadn't weighed yourself for two weeks, you might have been down a little more, but then ate some unusually salty food for a day or two and retaining some water.

I know it's tough, but you need to be patient

This post has helped a lot of us, maybe it will help you too:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

Hang in there!

Strudders67

Congratulations on all that you're achieving. To be studying and working is hard but you can do this - you've done it before. Right now, you probably have some water retention going on, due to the new exercise regime.

Plug in your details to the set up page of MFP; if there's an option between Active and Sedentary, select that on the basis that you're only at school 4 days a week. Set your required weight loss to 2lbs a week and see how many calories MFP gives you. Aim for that. Log your gym exercise and eat at least half the calories that are allocated from that. Weigh yourself regularly, perhaps weekly, but keep at it for 6 weeks - then see how you're doing. As Kimny says, you need to be patient. It'll take your body time to adjust to your altered diet and your exercise. If, after 6 weeks, you're losing too fast, eat more of your exercise calories.

NovusDies

Strudders67 wrote: »

Congratulations on all that you're achieving. To be studying and working is hard but you can do this - you've done it before. Right now, you probably have some water retention going on, due to the new exercise regime.

Plug in your details to the set up page of MFP; if there's an option between Active and Sedentary, select that on the basis that you're only at school 4 days a week. Set your required weight loss to 2lbs a week and see how many calories MFP gives you. Aim for that. Log your gym exercise and eat at least half the calories that are allocated from that. Weigh yourself regularly, perhaps weekly, but keep at it for 6 weeks - then see how you're doing. As Kimny says, you need to be patient. It'll take your body time to adjust to your altered diet and your exercise. If, after 6 weeks, you're losing too fast, eat more of your exercise calories.

Actually 1 to 1.5 pounds per week is going to be better. The OP doesn't have that much to lose to get inside a goal range and considering the work and class schedule losing slower is probably more sustainable anyway.

gothchiq

Get a healthy eating cookbook. Eating the same thing over and over will drive you insane. I use Sugar Busters, but that's primarily for diabetics. That said, it could still be useful.

kshama2001

Sounds like you have the type of personality who tends to overdo things.

• You lost 113 pounds in "a year and some change" - that's really fast!
• Previously, you had a full time job, a part time job, and school.
• Now in the last two weeks you've worked an average of 55 hours per week, and have 24 hours a week of school, plus gym.

I wonder if one of the reasons you feel so discouraged is because you are exhausted? You have a very stressful life. Stress can increase cortisol, which can lead to retaining water, which can mask your actual fat loss.

You're only up 21 pounds from your "feel good weight" - pace yourself

Now, I did have a similar schedule when I was in my 20s, made some poor decisions, and faced some serious legal jeopardy, which fortunately ended up as a non-event.

These days I strive for better work-life balance

LeeMclafferty

Okay, So I gave it a full 6 weeks. and I am STILL at 237 I go down a pound or 2 then back up. I worked out 15 days in February (3 days some weeks, 4 others) and so far 3 days a week in March. I took Pictures at my first day before this post then every week after. Attached are the photos labeled week 1, 2, 4 and 6. I cant tell a difference and the scale isn't showing one. last week I cut my calories down to 1500 and it didn't seem to help. and this is the workout plan I have been following: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/12-week-fat-destroyer. With this plan I have been adding an extra set to everything and going until failure (normally around 4 or 5 reps due to increasing the weight as well). If I could afford nutritionist or personal trainer I would go that route, but my god they're expensive. Thanks for the advice.

csplatt

How are you calculating that you are eating 1500 calories? Digital food scale?

Carmen_TX

It sounds like you have really high expectations for your progress and your comments that you don’t want to be seen, you’re embarrassed to go out make me feel for you. It sounds like you’re dealing with some body shame issues that are really affecting your psyche and how you feel about yourself. My advice would be to read up on body positivity and keep getting support from this community. You are doing a lot of hard work right now—-between school, work, your diet, and your exercise routines. Cut yourself some slack. See if you can see your body in a different light and learn to appreciate it for how it is now. Sending a big hug! You got this.