Right Choices, Wrong Results?

spara0038

Eating often throughout the day is NOT necessary for health or weight loss.

Too much potassium can be as dangerous as too little. Eating too little is not likely to slow weight loss. It's also nearly impossible to accurately track potassium on MFP as a good number of the entries do not have potassium content included.

I agree- but for someone with blood sugar issues, eating throughout the day will help prevent cravings and blood sugar spikes. What I meant is that if I get home and I'm not hungry at 6pm, I'm much better off having some yogurt than waiting til I'm hungry at 9pm and having some chocolate because I'm having a sweet craving. Also, I wasn't suggesting eating more, but spreading it out over the day. For example, I'm trying for 1200-1400 kcal/day, so I usually try for 300 breakfast, 100 morning snack, 300 lunch, 100 afternoon snack, and 400-600 for dinner.

And I agree that MFP is not great at having potassium. But, I had issues with this before. Bananas are a great source of potassium and I HATE them- won't even eat anything that has touched them. Messed with my workouts, according to my dr.

echofm1

Im not sure what all could be the problem however, if you dont eat back you workout calories then it can slow your metabolism. You body needs it. Also 2026 seems alittle high. I didnt think a woman should ever be over 2000 calories a day and that is still alot. Maybe check with your doctor.

2026 isn't high when she started out at over 400 pounds. I'm 5'9" and started at 343, and I lost eating 2200 calories a day with my activity level on sedentary.

Since you seem to be logging all your food on a fairly regular basis (and weighing), I'm going to reiterate the comment about too many exercise calories. MFP is great for things like walking or running, but outside of that it's downright awful. I would only log half of the calories MFP gives you for swimming. You can do this by entering the time, and then changing the calories that they give you to something else. I'm not sure if you have joint problems, but maybe try adding in walking so you can get some more accurate MFP calorie counts.

Also, if you haven't already, talk to a nutritionist. They might tell you a lot of things you already know, but this is their job. They'll be able to help you get started. Just make sure to log your food and exercise as consistently as possible for a couple weeks before your appointment so they can see what your days look like. It really helped me to talk to a nutritionist when I started. Even if it's just one or two visits, it'll help you on your way.

One pound a week, overall, is great, but I understand your frustration. When you're 300+ pounds, you kind of expect things to go a little faster and then slow down later on. It's frustrating to see things slow down when you still have a long way to go.

cmfruin2012

While many of the comments have been helpful/useful, many of them also confirm what I have always suspected. There are a LOT of theories out there about what is right and what is wrong. What works for one person, doesn't always work for another. There are certainly some basics that are true for everyone -- but the variations, the ways to count calories -- and then the individual variables such as height, age, metabolism, genetics, personality, stress level -- also need to factor in. The struggle for me I guess is finding the right formula, the right combination, that works for me. I thought I had found it -- but it seems to have stopped working. Some of the comments have been almost berating, and no one appreciates that. Some of the comments appear to have completely ignored information or follow-up I've shared. And That isn't helpful either. But to those that have given sound advice and encouragement and taken the time to read through -- I thank you.

cmfruin2012

Im not sure what all could be the problem however, if you dont eat back you workout calories then it can slow your metabolism. You body needs it. Also 2026 seems alittle high. I didnt think a woman should ever be over 2000 calories a day and that is still alot. Maybe check with your doctor.

2026 isn't high when she started out at over 400 pounds. I'm 5'9" and started at 343, and I lost eating 2200 calories a day with my activity level on sedentary.

Since you seem to be logging all your food on a fairly regular basis (and weighing), I'm going to reiterate the comment about too many exercise calories. MFP is great for things like walking or running, but outside of that it's downright awful. I would only log half of the calories MFP gives you for swimming. You can do this by entering the time, and then changing the calories that they give you to something else. I'm not sure if you have joint problems, but maybe try adding in walking so you can get some more accurate MFP calorie counts.

Also, if you haven't already, talk to a nutritionist. They might tell you a lot of things you already know, but this is their job. They'll be able to help you get started. Just make sure to log your food and exercise as consistently as possible for a couple weeks before your appointment so they can see what your days look like. It really helped me to talk to a nutritionist when I started. Even if it's just one or two visits, it'll help you on your way.

One pound a week, overall, is great, but I understand your frustration. When you're 300+ pounds, you kind of expect things to go a little faster and then slow down later on. It's frustrating to see things slow down when you still have a long way to go.

Thank you! I do think that I'm going to ask my doctor when I see her this week to refer me to a nutritionist.

ruffnstuff

Im not sure what all could be the problem however, if you dont eat back you workout calories then it can slow your metabolism. You body needs it. Also 2026 seems alittle high. I didnt think a woman should ever be over 2000 calories a day and that is still alot. Maybe check with your doctor.

Hey...she weighs 380...that means she naturally burns a lot more than someone who weighs 180. Sheesh!
Cheese and rice! The only thing here worth reading is the "maybe check with a doctor "...but, as you have already described, you do that every 3 months (awesome!).

I hear ya about the frustration level. I've seen my weight loss slow down the last two months and the other day lowered my calories. Then today, after calculating my BMR and TDEE on three differenst sites, I raised it again becasue I just don't want to lower my cals and according to the avg from my BMR #s I should actually be eating more because I work out regularly. Anyhow, what so many are saying IS true: you've done a great job already and have made many changes towards a healthier you. Congrats. Oh, and the link that someone above posted to the blog post with the "graph" is funny, so I hope you check it out.

wilsoje74

Which were berating? I didn't see any?

cmfruin2012

Im not sure what all could be the problem however, if you dont eat back you workout calories then it can slow your metabolism. You body needs it. Also 2026 seems alittle high. I didnt think a woman should ever be over 2000 calories a day and that is still alot. Maybe check with your doctor.

Hey...she weighs 380...that means she naturally burns a lot more than someone who weighs 180. Sheesh!
Cheese and rice! The only thing here worth reading is the "maybe check with a doctor "...but, as you have already described, you do that every 3 months (awesome!).

I hear ya about the frustration level. I've seen my weight loss slow down the last two months and the other day lowered my calories. Then today, after calculating my BMR and TDEE on three differenst sites, I raised it again becasue I just don't want to lower my cals and according to the avg from my BMR #s I should actually be eating more because I work out regularly. Anyhow, what so many are saying IS true: you've done a great job already and have made many changes towards a healthier you. Congrats. Oh, and the link that someone above posted to the blog post with the "graph" is funny, so I hope you check it out.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

allisonwalt

Sometimes the simplest fix is to forget about it for a while. Your body can get exhausted from such a strict diet for so long. Try to not make your entire life revolve around losing weight. Just continue to be healthy by eating right and exercising! You are doing great! You will get there it's just a matter of time! I understand where you are coming from, because I am trying to lose those last 20 pounds and it is really hard!!! I know I'm young but I'm always here if you need to talk! You got this girl!!!!

spara0038

I just recently lost 9 lbs and then gained 4 of them back in 2 days (wtf?!), but it told me I had to mix things up. Last night I quit the treadmill for a bit and got on the rowing machine. Fingers crossed for more progress!

You didn't gain 4 pounds back in 2 days, unless you at 7,000 extra calories in those 2 days. It's water weight fluctuation and it happens to everyone. Hormones, dietary changes like sodium and carbohydrates, and exercise that causes slight muscle damage that needs to be repaired all cause water retention. It's not about mixing things up, it's about patience.

Clearly. I was just empathizing with her, and patience can be difficult. But- your determination to make a change needs to be greater than your impatience with your progress. And it IS about mixing things up, even if it's cranking up that treadmill from 3.5 to 3.6 or 5.0 to 5.2. Your body needs to continue to be challenged so that it can continue burning calories.

mamma_nee

Whatever you do --- DO NOT GIVE UP

luckydays27

Weight loss is a simple formula (assuming nothing to severe is wrong with you medically)
Calories Burned - Calories Eaten= Calorie Deficit
You have to eat less food than you burn each and every day.
Thats it. Nothing more and nothing less.

Do you use a digital food scale for your meals?

nomeejerome

While many of the comments have been helpful/useful, many of them also confirm what I have always suspected. There are a LOT of theories out there about what is right and what is wrong. What works for one person, doesn't always work for another. There are certainly some basics that are true for everyone -- but the variations, the ways to count calories -- and then the individual variables such as height, age, metabolism, genetics, personality, stress level -- also need to factor in. The struggle for me I guess is finding the right formula, the right combination, that works for me. I thought I had found it -- but it seems to have stopped working. Some of the comments have been almost berating, and no one appreciates that. Some of the comments appear to have completely ignored information or follow-up I've shared. And That isn't helpful either. But to those that have given sound advice and encouragement and taken the time to read through -- I thank you.

There is only one theory that is tried and true for weight loss and that is a calorie deficit. You can use the MFP method (eat back at least a portion of exercise calories) or the TDEE method (exercise is included in the number and you eat the same amount everyday). However, it still comes back to a calorie deficit. If you are not losing, you do not have a deficit. Be proud of your 68 pound loss and keep pushing forward.

cmfruin2012

- your determination to make a change needs to be greater than your impatience with your progress.

I like this!

jillyrobb

I agree that your "calories burned" is probably off, at least for the swimming. I can swim for an hour, cover between a mile and a mile and a half in that time, and only burn about 500-600 calories (granted, I'm about 125 pounds, so the burn is considerably less). It's tough to pick the right MPF exercise if you don't know what your pace is, or what they consider "fast". I had no idea when I first started.

Try using this site to get a more accurate count: http://www.swimmingcalculator.com/swim_calories_calculator.php. It's nice because it uses time and distance covered to find your pace, then uses your weight to calculate calories burned at that pace--so there's no need for an HRM. Obviously it's not going to be 100% accurate, but it seems to work fairly well for me--I was losing weight, even though it was telling me I was burning *more* calories than MFP said I was. I just pick the closest MPF exercise, log the amount of time I swam, then manually adjust the calories.

For walking, if you have a smartphone, you can use an app like Map My Walk (which now syncs beautifully with MFP) to calculate your calorie burn more accurately, based on your exact pace and elevation for that walk. I find that I often guess wrong about my walking speed!

Since I've had my FitBit, I've had success by syncing it to MFP and setting my activity level to "sedentary". Then I let my FitBit add back any "lifestyle" calories I burn each day, and I log any focused exercise sessions separately. This has been a good way to account for the days I don't manage to do anything but drive to work and sit in front of a computer, but I do get "extra credit" on the days I walk my daughter to school or run errands on foot. So I get an extra handful of nuts in the afternoons when I'm running around all day, or a bigger snack when I go for a long walk, or a larger breakfast if I swim early in the morning. This way I'm eating in response to what I'm asking my body to do--it makes it so much easier when you can think of calories as fuel for your life, rather than just an abstract number.

And congrats on your success so far--I'm sure you didn't gain the weight in a single year, so there's no reason to expect to lose it in one. In fact, I'd bet you're losing it much faster than you gained it! And you're doing it in a healthy and sustainable way, which is even better. You're in it for health, and for the long haul, and that's awesome.

cmfruin2012

Thank you for that swimming calculator site -- that is really interesting!

diannethegeek

Im not sure what all could be the problem however, if you dont eat back you workout calories then it can slow your metabolism. You body needs it. Also 2026 seems alittle high. I didnt think a woman should ever be over 2000 calories a day and that is still alot. Maybe check with your doctor.

2026 isn't high when she started out at over 400 pounds. I'm 5'9" and started at 343, and I lost eating 2200 calories a day with my activity level on sedentary.

Since you seem to be logging all your food on a fairly regular basis (and weighing), I'm going to reiterate the comment about too many exercise calories. MFP is great for things like walking or running, but outside of that it's downright awful. I would only log half of the calories MFP gives you for swimming. You can do this by entering the time, and then changing the calories that they give you to something else. I'm not sure if you have joint problems, but maybe try adding in walking so you can get some more accurate MFP calorie counts.

Also, if you haven't already, talk to a nutritionist. They might tell you a lot of things you already know, but this is their job. They'll be able to help you get started. Just make sure to log your food and exercise as consistently as possible for a couple weeks before your appointment so they can see what your days look like. It really helped me to talk to a nutritionist when I started. Even if it's just one or two visits, it'll help you on your way.

One pound a week, overall, is great, but I understand your frustration. When you're 300+ pounds, you kind of expect things to go a little faster and then slow down later on. It's frustrating to see things slow down when you still have a long way to go.

Thank you! I do think that I'm going to ask my doctor when I see her this week to refer me to a nutritionist.

Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian instead. The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference.

kammyrios

Good carbs count. Vegetables, some fruits, and whole grains. These don't spike your blood sugar like "bad" carbs, such as white bread, white rice, white sugar. You could try just for a trial to eliminate the "white carbs", replace with veggies and whole wheat, and brown rice in moderation. Increase your protein, and add in good fats like avocado, walnuts, and almonds. Just remember serving size. 1/3 of an avocado, 5-6 nuts, 1/2 cup of rice. Do this in the calorie range you have set for yourself and see if it helps. Just my suggestion. You have done a great job so far! Don't give up! But I do agree that you might be eating a little too much. You could also add in another exercise, like walking 10 minutes a couple times a day. Small things go a long ways.

cmfruin2012

Thank you for clarifying about bad carbs vs. good carbs. I have tried to buy whole grain pasta and bread and stay away from white flour whenever possible. I think I need to keep doing what I'm doing but increase my attention to detail and make some small changes here and there. Maybe my doctor will have some suggestions when I see her Thursday.

scubasuenc

Yes, thyroid and blood sugar have been checked are all normal.

Carbs/protein -- I guess I could think about this, but this is one of those radical food exclusion changes that I am wary of. Also, there is a risk of higher protein amounting to higher fats/cholesterol, which I need to watch.

I don't mean radically low carbs. I still get 100 to 125 carbs per day. I just focus on getting protein. I do use protein supplements to get extra protein without adding a lot of fat or cholesterol. For example 1 cup non-fat plain greek yoghurt + 1 scoop vanilla protein powder is 44 grams of protein with no fat.

I still eat carbs, it isnt about eliminating a group, just shifting the mix a little.

themedalist

Ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian instead. The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference.

^^^This! Seek a consult from a Registered Dietician (RD). An RD has had years of education in nutrition science and has passed a rigorous licensing exam in their state. Anyone can call themself a "nutritionist" and many poorly trained people do exactly that.