I did everything backwards!

Kkassiana
Kkassiana Posts: 8
in Introduce Yourself
Thank you for reading my post.

I'm in an unusual position on here, I would guess. I got tired of being fat three years ago and exercised myself into hip bursitis. After recovering from that and learning that my mother-in-law had cancer, I determined to make a plan and do my best to lose weight.

And I did. I'm down from a high of (roughly) 265 pounds to an average of 140-45 today. I say roughly because I didn't own a scale, didn't weigh in, and didn't set a goal weight for myself.

But I have a couple of problems with my maintenance so far. Not with exercising; I actually do a job where I can (and do) stand up all day at work and get walking and weightlifting done. I'm trying to get my diet right, and I keep tweaking it, but it isn't sustaining me properly.

I have added in more protein, as I work out hard and need it. I also have food allergies, so making sure I get enough protein in general can be challenging. But my weight's been creeping up a bit, even though my calorie count hasn't. Any suggestions on how I could figure out what works for me?

I have been reading a lot of diet books, from the quacks like "Dr." Atkins (please, food allergies are not a symptom of "addictive" foods) to the Best Life and other diets. Thank you for any suggestions.

Replies

  • AshleyLeelette
    AshleyLeelette Posts: 46 Member
    Are you specifically on a low carb diet? Could you do something like have a normal breakfast and dinner, and incorporate your carb portion maybe during lunchtime? See if the food and circulation wake you and energize you enough, then mid day get some carbs to sustain you until dinner?
  • Kkassiana
    Kkassiana Posts: 8
    No, I'm not. When I was actively dieting, I restricted calories and portions. I was overeating carbs, of course, but then I was overeating everything. :)

    I usually eat two meals a day, breakfast and dinner.
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    What has, I did everything backwards got to do with anything? I'm confused.
  • Kkassiana
    Kkassiana Posts: 8
    What has, I did everything backwards got to do with anything? I'm confused.
    I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be unclear. I didn't do what most people appear to do when they diet, weigh-in weekly, set a goal weight, etc. I didn't even learn that was the way most diets work until I lost the weight and started reading diet books.
  • kimberlyblindsey
    kimberlyblindsey Posts: 266 Member
    Well, whatever, you did worked, so I suppose that's what matters.
  • AshleyLeelette
    AshleyLeelette Posts: 46 Member
    When you say it's not sustaining you properly, what do you exactly mean? I guess, I assumed you were feeling less energy, so the suggestions I have in my head sort of lean more towards giving you that boost.
  • Kkassiana
    Kkassiana Posts: 8
    When you say it's not sustaining you properly, what do you exactly mean? I guess, I assumed you were feeling less energy, so the suggestions I have in my head sort of lean more towards giving you that boost.
    Okay. My weight is going up, and I don't want it to. I'm already working out harder than I ever thought I could (and will continue pushing myself as I can). I'm not sure how to get the proper balance between the amount of exercise I do and my diet so my weight stays roughly the same, while giving me enough energy and support to keep going.

    I hope that's clear. Apparently I'm being attacked by the confuse-a-tron today. Yeah. That's it. ;)
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    How is your potassium intake?

    This is interesting.

    http://www.3fatchicks.com/how-potassium-functions-in-weight-loss/

    Many adults do not get enough potassium in their diets...but if you eat a lot of fruits and veggies maybe you get enough.

    I log my food to not only track my calories, but to track iron, protein, potassium, and calcium.
  • Kkassiana
    Kkassiana Posts: 8
    Um? I'll be honest; I'm not sure about my potassium intake. I know I have a devil of a time getting enough calcium because I'm severely allergic to milk and milk products, so I have to take a supplement twice a day and sometimes forget it. Could that be sabotaging me?
  • ajax041813
    ajax041813 Posts: 136 Member
    I would look into Paleo & Ketogenic diets. My fiancée and I did Paleo for 3 months then went off the wagon for about a month. Now we are doing Ketogenic to lose the weight. I did tons of research and still do and find these ways of eating fascinating. They go against popular mainstream thoughts on food & eating yet the science makes sense.

    I recommend looking at ThePaleoMom.com for everything you need to know about paleo eating. She is amazing, a medical researcher turned stay at home mom. She applies her scientific background to the paleo diet and is able to explain it in a way that makes sense to the layperson. Mark's Daily Apple is another fantastic site with loads of information. That may be more Primal (add in raw dairy) yet amazing amounts of information that may help.

    The ketodietapp.com is a great source for figuring out what keto is all about. Basically, it's high fat, moderate protein and very low carb. It's a way of switching your body to using fat instead of carbs for it's functions. It's not for everyone, yet it can be a way to lose weight.

    If these options don't interest you, I would suggest adding in healthy fat to your diet. Protein is good, yet healthy fat is better. Avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, coconut milk, grass-fed butter, and ghee are all great examples of healthy fat to make you have on a daily basis. They will help keep your appetite satiated, and help your body overall work better. Ease into using them as too much too fast can be a shock to the system.

    Hope this helps and good luck! You've done so much already, I know you can figure this out as well!
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    As I'm not a dietitian, I can't say....but not getting enough nutrients may have some kind of impact, if not on your weight but at least the way you feel. I tend to be low in iron, protein, and potassium....based on my food choices. I want to try and get as many of my essentials from food as I can rather than supplements (personal preference). :)

    As to calcium from milk, I never drink it; I hate hate hate cows milk. I do enjoy ice cream, cheese, and yogurt.... but I drink coconut or almond milk - has waaaay more calcium than milk. Not a fan of the unsweetened varieties, so I only get the vanilla or chocolate variety. :)
  • ThaRealNicki
    ThaRealNicki Posts: 322 Member
    could be Lean Gains, could be not eating enough
  • Kkassiana
    Kkassiana Posts: 8
    Thanks for the suggestions.
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    If in doubt see your general practitioner, for a check up.

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