Frustrated
Replies
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And linked to the question above:
Perhaps I missed it earlier in the thread, but what activity level are you set at? Because you sound like a busy mom with an active life, even if you aren't technically exercising. If you set your activity level too low (and/ or you have a higher metabolism than average) you could be in a more aggressive calorie deficit than you think, which might explain the hunger.
Yes, as a busy mom with an active life, don't use Sedentary for your activity level
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kshama2001 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »spiriteagle99 wrote: »Have you chosen too aggressive a goal? Losing 2 lbs a week is too much for most people, but a lot of people assume they should be able to do that. That's a 1000 calorie deficit, which is huge. Better to choose a slower rate of loss and be able to continue for a while than to lose quickly but be unable to sustain it. That always leads to weight regain. Finding a level of calories that you can continue to follow over the long term works much better.
What do you weigh and what is your goal? How many calories are you aiming for? Are you eating back your exercise calories? If you are using MFP as intended, you should be eating them back.
Thanks
Last I checked, I was 176. And I'm just starting out with food changes, I haven't even tackled excercise yet. Eating was my worst issue so I'm dealing with that First. I bought dumbells, and resistance bands, haven't figured out a workout yet.
I just plugged in all my numbers and let mfp tell me what I should be eating for a day in the amount of macros.
My goal is to be 130-135 lbs.
Is your weekly weight loss goal 2 pounds per week? I suggest dropping it to 1 pound per week, and enjoy those extra calories!
It says my goal is 0.5lbs a week
I just left it at that
0.5 isn't much at all
Should it not be this?
Hmm, with this weekly weight loss goal you should be getting enough calories to not feel hungry. Maybe some of your entries are wrong. Please change your Diary Sharing settings to Public. In the app, go to Settings > Diary Setting > Diary Sharing > and check Public. Desktop: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
I did it. I think
Alas, it is still not Public.
Now?
Yes, thanks!
Would you please swap something, perhaps Sugar or Sodium, if you have no medical need to track them, for Fiber?
Meeting, or better yet exceeding, your fiber goal (with foods containing fiber; not just a supplement) can help with satiety.
Increase fiber slowly though - your digestive system will be unhappy if you don't
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Several cups of coffee help me from hunger, and apples are also good at dulling hunger3
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Why in rhe world do you think losing 2 lbs in just over a week is failing??? 2 lbs is the most you should be losing if you are significantly overwight. You need to adjust your expectations.5
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Just wanted to echo what a lot of people have shared that has also worked for me:
- Be patient and give yourself time to see results/decide if something is sustainable. I've made a promise to myself to give something new at least two weeks before I revert back.
- Look at long term averages vs daily or weekly "fluctuations". I personally weigh every day, but look at my 4 or 6 week average to see if I'm "on track". For example, I only weigh 0.2 lbs less today than I did a week ago, but a mid-week weigh in was 1 lb lower than I was today. I'm not worried about either number because my 6 week average loss is 1.2 lbs/week (using the 0.2 lb loss for the past week).
- Find things to focus on other than the number on the scale. In my progress tracker I record weight, VO2 from my Apple health app, % weight loss since starting, and current BMI once a week, measurements (neck, arm, bust, waist, hips, thigh, calf) once a month, and other "victories" (A1C levels back to normal, waist to hip ratio below 0.8, jogging a mile in under 12 minutes, etc) as they happen.
- Find meals that are "auto-pilot" for meeting your nutrition goals for 1, then 2, and maybe even 3 of your meals. I started with breakfast (high protein and high fiber - usually chicken sausages wrapped in a high fiber tortilla). Once breakfast felt "normal" to me, I started playing with lunch - usually a meal prepped or bagged salad kit with chicken (high fiber, high protein, high volume). That means dinner is the only meal I'm worried about accommodating the rest of the family's preferences. I've found some dishes that fit my nutrition goals that they'll eat in the same form I want to eat them, but most of the time I'm doing as others have suggested and reducing the portion of some of the items for my serving, or subbing vegetables or a higher fiber version of what they're eating. I typically cook up enough brown rice for my weekly meals so I'm not cooking both brown and white rice on those nights.
- Give your body time to adjust to changes. I can definitely say that tears have been shed on multiple occasions as I anticipated that my current change was not going to be sustainable and I would never lose any weight and would die an early death and not be able to fit in a coffin...... Only to find a week later that I was loving life and losing weight and couldn't imagine undoing that change. And that includes the fiber journey where I was firmly convinced the human body was not meant to consume the target 25 g of fiber. Now I am at 40 or 50g of fiber many days and don't have any of the digestive discomfort I did before.
- Try a mindset of "adding activity" vs "adding exercise". I think it might be worth investing in a pedometer to see how many steps you are getting in (probably more than you think, as a busy mom) and that might help you figure out the appropriate activity level in MFP. Then you can add activities you enjoy that improve fitness and burn calories. I added in walking my dogs, working up to 3.5 miles a day, which has improved my fitness/stamina, and earns me about 300 more calories a day to eat. Now I'm working on finding an activity that I enjoy that will help with flexibility and strength.
- Find a balance where you feel like you are investing the amount of time you feel you can "afford" in your health. For me, that's an hour a day of walking plus an extra minute or two here and there to measure and log my eating. When I started out, it took me a lot more time to measure and log (and enter recipes) and I was stressed out and felt alone. I shared those feelings with hubby and we figured out that him joining me on my walks or taking over another chore made me feel like I could take that extra time. Now we need to figure out how to get me an extra 20-30 minutes a day so I can do yoga AND walk, or I need to adjust my expectations of myself so that I stay in a place of balance.
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musicfan68 wrote: »Why in rhe world do you think losing 2 lbs in just over a week is failing??? 2 lbs is the most you should be losing if you are significantly overwight. You need to adjust your expectations.
Very low self esteem issues
And no support system, with a lot of negativity. I should be proud of any progress,you're right.
Thanks for pointing that out. We are always the hardest on ourselves.
8 -
Just wanted to echo what a lot of people have shared that has also worked for me:
- Be patient and give yourself time to see results/decide if something is sustainable. I've made a promise to myself to give something new at least two weeks before I revert back.
- Look at long term averages vs daily or weekly "fluctuations". I personally weigh every day, but look at my 4 or 6 week average to see if I'm "on track". For example, I only weigh 0.2 lbs less today than I did a week ago, but a mid-week weigh in was 1 lb lower than I was today. I'm not worried about either number because my 6 week average loss is 1.2 lbs/week (using the 0.2 lb loss for the past week).
- Find things to focus on other than the number on the scale. In my progress tracker I record weight, VO2 from my Apple health app, % weight loss since starting, and current BMI once a week, measurements (neck, arm, bust, waist, hips, thigh, calf) once a month, and other "victories" (A1C levels back to normal, waist to hip ratio below 0.8, jogging a mile in under 12 minutes, etc) as they happen.
- Find meals that are "auto-pilot" for meeting your nutrition goals for 1, then 2, and maybe even 3 of your meals. I started with breakfast (high protein and high fiber - usually chicken sausages wrapped in a high fiber tortilla). Once breakfast felt "normal" to me, I started playing with lunch - usually a meal prepped or bagged salad kit with chicken (high fiber, high protein, high volume). That means dinner is the only meal I'm worried about accommodating the rest of the family's preferences. I've found some dishes that fit my nutrition goals that they'll eat in the same form I want to eat them, but most of the time I'm doing as others have suggested and reducing the portion of some of the items for my serving, or subbing vegetables or a higher fiber version of what they're eating. I typically cook up enough brown rice for my weekly meals so I'm not cooking both brown and white rice on those nights.
- Give your body time to adjust to changes. I can definitely say that tears have been shed on multiple occasions as I anticipated that my current change was not going to be sustainable and I would never lose any weight and would die an early death and not be able to fit in a coffin...... Only to find a week later that I was loving life and losing weight and couldn't imagine undoing that change. And that includes the fiber journey where I was firmly convinced the human body was not meant to consume the target 25 g of fiber. Now I am at 40 or 50g of fiber many days and don't have any of the digestive discomfort I did before.
- Try a mindset of "adding activity" vs "adding exercise". I think it might be worth investing in a pedometer to see how many steps you are getting in (probably more than you think, as a busy mom) and that might help you figure out the appropriate activity level in MFP. Then you can add activities you enjoy that improve fitness and burn calories. I added in walking my dogs, working up to 3.5 miles a day, which has improved my fitness/stamina, and earns me about 300 more calories a day to eat. Now I'm working on finding an activity that I enjoy that will help with flexibility and strength.
- Find a balance where you feel like you are investing the amount of time you feel you can "afford" in your health. For me, that's an hour a day of walking plus an extra minute or two here and there to measure and log my eating. When I started out, it took me a lot more time to measure and log (and enter recipes) and I was stressed out and felt alone. I shared those feelings with hubby and we figured out that him joining me on my walks or taking over another chore made me feel like I could take that extra time. Now we need to figure out how to get me an extra 20-30 minutes a day so I can do yoga AND walk, or I need to adjust my expectations of myself so that I stay in a place of balance.
Thank you so very much! I'm so grateful for all of this information and amazing tips and support.
Everyone has been so helpful just when I felt alone and like I was failing, everyone replied it wa such and overwhelming feeling. I can't thank you enough. So so helpful!
I don't know how to send a ty to this entire thread because I'm a newbie but thank you everyone!!!5 -
musicfan68 wrote: »Why in rhe world do you think losing 2 lbs in just over a week is failing??? 2 lbs is the most you should be losing if you are significantly overwight. You need to adjust your expectations.
Very low self esteem issues
And no support system, with a lot of negativity. I should be proud of any progress,you're right.
Thanks for pointing that out. We are always the hardest on ourselves.
Sending hugs because we all need them sometimes. You're doing well! Weight loss just takes time and commitment, and a proper reason for doing it.
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Two pounds in less than two weeks is more than double your goal, so step back and think about that.
A quick look at your diary shows that most days you are coming in FAR BELOW your goal. That would explain the higher-than-expected weight loss, and it also can explain some of the hunger. It also looks like there's not a lot of vegetables in there. Vegetables are usually low-calorie and higher fiber and can help fill you up. Daily vegetable intake the past week looks like:- Five grape tomatoes
- Five grape tomatoes and some broccoli florets (although it was a nice sized serving of broccoli!)
- None, unless you count hashbrowns
- Some bell pepper
- Some broccoli
- Bell pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini (this looks a little better, and you were still under your calorie goal)
- Nothing (but one banana)
If you can find a way to eat more fresh vegetables, you might find they fill you up and help keep your calories down.
Your average calorie intake is 163 calories below your goal. If your goal is set correctly, and I'm not sure if it is, you should try to hit it on average over several days. If you consistently eat less than your goal, it's as if you had a lower goal. It's a tough balance, and it takes a while to dial it in. Keep tracking honestly and accurately, then you can use the results compared to what you expect to revise your goal.
You can do this. Don't be in a rush. Your weight gain didn't happen in a month, and you won't get to your goal quickly and still have a healthy diet.
The main thing is to stick to it, and if you do have a day when things go off the rails, don't let it bother you. Just move on and then keep sticking to it.2 -
Well applause to you for still being here, and coming back to the thread, too!!!
Instead of cream, try fat free half and half, at 20 cal/30gr.
Or go to Amazon and look for a Ninja hand frother.
A quarter cup of skim milk, pumped vigorously for a few seconds and then microwaved for about 25 seconds, makes 1/2 to 3/4c thick, long-lasting foam. It costs under $20.
Also check out Jordan’s Skinny Syrups. They come in 101 flavors. There’s even a Skinny “Sauce” which is great drizzled on top of the heated foam, or used as a pancake syrup.
Another trick is to brew your coffee with cinnamon. It lends a sweet flavor to your coffee. I’m a huge fan of Frontier Coop Vietnamese Cinnamon. It’s got a lot more flavor than the Ceylon cinnamons.
And finally, just as an aside, are you hydrating? Your brain can mistake dehydration signals as hunger signals. In other words, you’re not hungry, you’re thirsty. Drink a glass of water and water 10-15 minutes to see if the hunger persists. That may be all it takes.3 -
[*] Give your body time to adjust to changes. I can definitely say that tears have been shed on multiple occasions as I anticipated that my current change was not going to be sustainable and I would never lose any weight and would die an early death and not be able to fit in a coffin...... Only to find a week later that I was loving life and losing weight and couldn't imagine undoing that change.
OMG. You win MFP today!!!! 😂😂😂
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springlering62 wrote: »
Well applause to you for still being here, and coming back to the thread, too!!!
Instead of cream, try fat free half and half, at 20 cal/30gr.
Or go to Amazon and look for a Ninja hand frother.
A quarter cup of skim milk, pumped vigorously for a few seconds and then microwaved for about 25 seconds, makes 1/2 to 3/4c thick, long-lasting foam. It costs under $20.
Also check out Jordan’s Skinny Syrups. They come in 101 flavors. There’s even a Skinny “Sauce” which is great drizzled on top of the heated foam, or used as a pancake syrup.
Another trick is to brew your coffee with cinnamon. It lends a sweet flavor to your coffee. I’m a huge fan of Frontier Coop Vietnamese Cinnamon. It’s got a lot more flavor than the Ceylon cinnamons.
And finally, just as an aside, are you hydrating? Your brain can mistake dehydration signals as hunger signals. In other words, you’re not hungry, you’re thirsty. Drink a glass of water and water 10-15 minutes to see if the hunger persists. That may be all it takes.
Oh my gosh thank you! Those are awesome tips. I'll look for those items and try out the suggested coffee!
Unfortunately I am horrible at hydrating. I literally go a couple days and just forget to drink. Its a bad trait but I'm working on it
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Two pounds in less than two weeks is more than double your goal, so step back and think about that.
A quick look at your diary shows that most days you are coming in FAR BELOW your goal. That would explain the higher-than-expected weight loss, and it also can explain some of the hunger. It also looks like there's not a lot of vegetables in there. Vegetables are usually low-calorie and higher fiber and can help fill you up. Daily vegetable intake the past week looks like:- Five grape tomatoes
- Five grape tomatoes and some broccoli florets (although it was a nice sized serving of broccoli!)
- None, unless you count hashbrowns
- Some bell pepper
- Some broccoli
- Bell pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini (this looks a little better, and you were still under your calorie goal)
- Nothing (but one banana)
If you can find a way to eat more fresh vegetables, you might find they fill you up and help keep your calories down.
Your average calorie intake is 163 calories below your goal. If your goal is set correctly, and I'm not sure if it is, you should try to hit it on average over several days. If you consistently eat less than your goal, it's as if you had a lower goal. It's a tough balance, and it takes a while to dial it in. Keep tracking honestly and accurately, then you can use the results compared to what you expect to revise your goal.
You can do this. Don't be in a rush. Your weight gain didn't happen in a month, and you won't get to your goal quickly and still have a healthy diet.
The main thing is to stick to it, and if you do have a day when things go off the rails, don't let it bother you. Just move on and then keep sticking to it.
Thanks very much. This is amazingly helpful and I appreciate it.
I need to get more veggies and things to eat, I have been eating terrible for so long that I'm now having to buy things I didn't usually buy.
It's funny how ill feed my children healthy balanced meals yet feed myself garbage, haha.
I keep eating under my goal because I fear I'm logging incorrectly or my scale might be so I just eat a little under to make up for any mistakes1 -
…It's funny how ill feed my children healthy balanced meals yet feed myself garbage, haha.
This^^^^^^
At some point we stop valuing ourselves in our anxiety to be the best mom, wife, housekeeper, employee etc.
It wasn’t til I retired and had time heavy on my hands that it occurred to me to make myself my full time job.
I sincerely wish I’d had that epiphany 30+ years ago. It didn’t - and still doesn’t- matter if there were leaves on the carpet, or a dish in the sink.
Although, if I’m honest, now I look at keeping up with stuff like that as a NEAT calorie bonus. 😬2 -
springlering62 wrote: »
There can also be the "I deserve a little treat because . . . " trap, at least there was for me. There wasn't much time/energy for that extra thought process of "mostly, I deserve to eat in a way that makes me feel truly good, not just momentarily gratified". Short term thinking overrode long-term, pretty much.It wasn’t til I retired and had time heavy on my hands that it occurred to me to make myself my full time job.
I sincerely wish I’d had that epiphany 30+ years ago. It didn’t - and still doesn’t- matter if there were leaves on the carpet, or a dish in the sink.
Although, if I’m honest, now I look at keeping up with stuff like that as a NEAT calorie bonus. 😬
@Anxiety89, for what it's worth, I love that coffee milk-frother device, too: Simple luxury.
Others have given great advice.
I'll sort of summarize/add by saying that if you do focus a little more on adding veggies/fruits, feeding yourself more of those and the kinds of healthy foods your prioritize for your children, you may also find that eating that way helps you feel more full, more often.
Though I don't think any food that contributes something to nutrition is actually "garbage", it's true that quite a few people find that so-called whole foods are more filling than more highly-processed ones. As a bonus, you'll also be creating a good adult model for your kids.
Best wishes!2 -
Hey 😊 just curious if you're drinking enough water through out the day and in between meals? This really helps because usually hunger can be mistaken for dehydration. Don't get me wrong though I know it's hard work. If you haven't already buy yourself a decent water bottle and keep it handy 💚0
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