Stressed out and confused

lena49058

Hello everyone. Time for a little venting/rant. I am 23, 5' 5", 254lbs. I have been tested for thyroids and other weight factors, and they tell me I am fine. I have dieted, worked out (Jogging everyday for 3 hours through about 2 months) everything, and STILL no weight loss. I gave up. Now I cut out ALL soda (Cold turkey), switched to slightly sweet tea, cut out sweets (I make a Hersey's special dark bar last 2 weeks) eating more veggies and fruits (When I can afford fruits) (Still lots of meat and pasta's) and STILL no weight loss! I find I am munching all the time, and when I total the food up, it truly don't seem like much. I just fail to see why weight loss is not achievable for me. I HATE the fact that I am plus sized, and exercise don't seem to work....*sighs* I give....

SyKena

Same here & I weigh about the same ;( ....do you have any female issues? They also can prevent weight loss....Keep at it and just know there are others that share your struggle.....

sara_m83

Are you counting absolutely every single calorie that you take in? Including cooking oil, sauces, etc? That was something I learned a bit late in - I wasn't losing because I wasn't accurately tracking.

I had a quick look at your diary and for the two days you have filled in, you were over your calories. You don't necessarily need to rule out a certain TYPE of food to lose weight, you just need to make sure your net calories come under your daily calorie goal. I have had a lot of success on MFP and I still eat sweets every day. I can't resist and I can't do anything permanently or long-term that would deny me things I love.

Don't get discouraged - stick with it. Aim for your calorie goal each day and if you find you're having a hard time keeping to your limit, start incorporating a bit of exercise to give you extra calories. You can do easy things like go for a half hour walk. You'd be amazed how quickly the exercise calories add up.

lhague

You have to cut out the pasta, and include more fruit and veggies. Buy bagged fruit, it's cheaper. You may be eating that one fruit for a week, but it's just part of the price we pay to be healthy. Don't drink and sweet tea, not even lightly. You can make a cheaper meal out of veggies than you can with meat, especially red meat. Munch on celery, other veggies, or fruits (in reason due to high natural sugars)

If you hate it, then there is a price to pay, and it is giving up the things we love even it it's just once in a while. (Hershey chocolate)

And EXERCISE is always the best old fashioned, tried and true, thing for weight loss

Best of luck and stick with it

Phoenix1982

How long have you been a member of the site? It could be that you need to come in under your pre workout calorie goal. The reverse could also be true and you may need to eat EVERY calorie assigned to you on a daily basis. It is good that you have cut out soda and miscellaneous sweets but maybe the issue is your calorie intake all along. DON'T GIVE UP!

Phoenix1982

I think that you should focus on coming in EVERY DAY under your calorie goal. It won't matter what you eat (although fruits and vegetables are obviously the best thing). What does matter is that you don't go over your daily calories. Try it and I bet you find success! Ihopethishelps!

momogogo

First and foremost your health is important. It is a very good thing you don't have thyroid problems. Have you ever seen a nutritionist? It might help. Eating less is not the answer. Eating right is. Someone recently explained to me why it is important to eat several small meals throughout the day. Basically, if you let yourself get hungry your body goes into starvation mode, so you end up storing the food rather than metabolizing it. I am no nutritionist but that advice is working for me. And remember that the small changes you make go a long way. Stay strong. You are on track. And it might pay off even more to talk with a nutrtionist. Be sure they know your blood type and medical history.

Phoenix1982

I think that you should focus on coming in EVERY DAY under your calorie goal. It won't matter what you eat (although fruits and vegetables are obviously the best thing). What does matter is that you don't go over your daily calories. Try it and I bet you find success! Ihopethishelps!

NoAdditives

If I were you I would track sugar and sodium rather than cholesterol and fiber. If you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables you'll get enough fiber and cholesterol in food isn't something you need to worry about. It doesn't get fully digested and isn't absorbed by your body. It has no bearing on your cholesterol levels. Bad fats are what cause high cholesterol. Excess sodium is bad for you heart and will make you retain water. Sugar causes your body to stop burning fat, so limiting refined/added sugar is extremely important.

Also, it looks like you eat a lot of processed foods. Try eating fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. Processed foods have extremely high amounts of sodium and sugar and are full of preservatives and unnecessary chemical ingredients. Your body needs whole foods, not junk.

Fat_Chopper

To see what you're eating you have to fill out your diary.

Your diary is mostly blank over the last week, and the last two days you're eating over.

Until you can get into a habit of "write what you bite', it will seem a mystery.

Weight loss is 95% nutrition, preparation and education and 5% exercise.

Give filling our your diary a go and you will see where the leaks are.

ladyhawk00

It can be frustrating, but it is also a learning process. Looking at your diary (granted, I'm only seeing a couple days, so I have to go off of that,) you are eating a LOT of processed food. I know how it is with a budget, but you CAN eat healthy even on a budget. Try getting more LEAN meats, less processed grains (pasta - switch to whole wheat or greatly reduce portions), more whole grains, definitely more veggies, and more fruits. You're quite high on fats (not the good kind.)

I would recommend searching the boards for "protein" "good fats" and "good carbs" - that will give you some ideas on better choices in food. Also, add some friends and start looking at their diaries for more ideas on healthy foods.

It can be very hard to overhaul your whole routine all at once, so just start making small changes and keep working on it.

Also, you seem to be skipping meals and eating a larger amount in 2-3 meals. It is much better to eat 3 meals and 2 smaller snacks throughout the day. It helps to keep blood sugar from spiking, and helps prevent the binging in one meal.

And drink water! Lots of water.

Don't give up. It takes commitment and a desire to LEARN how to eat healthy. But if you want it bad enough, you will stay strong and focused. You CAN do it.

Tennessee2019

You've been tested for different things, but are you on ANY type of medications prescribed by your doctor? Some of the drugs that are responsible for weight gain are drugs for depression, anti-seizure medication, medications for diabetes, hypertension, and migraines. Birth control, hormones, and steroids are also well-known for causing weight gain in patients. A drug may cause weight gain in one person but not cause it in the next. That means there may be certain physiological elements in play. However, there are approximately 50 medications that are suggested to cause weight gain in those who take them. Some of these drugs include:

Steroids such as prednisone. Antidepressants that include Lexapro, Zoloft, Tofranil, Paxil, and Elavil. Antipsychotics that include such drugs as Zyprexa. Diabetes drugs such as Diabeta and Diabinese. Hypertension medications such as Cardura and Inderol. Beta Blockers such as Zebeta. Even heartburn treatments such as Prevacid have been suggested to promote weight gain.

Although nothing can be done about the effect that the drug has on the body to lose weight sometimes a patient has to take matters into their own hands. They can watch how they eat, exercise regularly if possible, and drink plenty of liquids. This can actually offset some of the effects of the drug on weight. It may seem like a battle that never ends, but when a drug is needed to control a particular health issue, there really isn't much that can be done about it. But what one must remember is that gaining a little extra weight might be minimal compared to the benefits that the drug provides. So if a person can deal with a 10 to 15 pound weight gain, it may be worth staying on the drug. Sometimes there are alternatives to a drug that the doctor can prescribe, but that option is not always available. However, it doesn't hurt to ask.

ladyhawk00

Weight loss is 95% nutrition, preparation and education and 5% exercise.

LOVE this!

AmeMahoney

I would bet you are concentrating solely on the number of calories (when you record them) and not the quality of the food you are eating. A calorie really is not a calorie. I would suggest cutting out the pasta and making sure you are eating real, whole foods (stay away from fast food, frozen dinners, and especially sugar). Also make sure you are drinking lots of water. It's easier when you look at healthy eating instead of focusing on "dieting" and what you are missing out on. Try eating 5-6 small meals a day, and make sure you are getting enough calories.

imagineaballoon

Just looking at your diary, I can spot at least a couple of things that are probably contributing to maintaining your current weight: a whole lot of whole milk and a lot of processed foods. If you could even switch to one cup of 1% milk instead of 2 cups of whole milk, you'd eliminate a ton of calories. If you could cook more from scratch instead of relying on processed, ready-made meals, I think you'd find you'd feel better and also cut back on calories (and cholesterol and sodium.)

Whole foods don't have to break the bank. I know junky foods are cheaper, and I love me some junky food, but simple, wholesome food you make yourself is a HUGE way to watch your calorie intake, and also just feel better overall. I feel so gross when I eat crappy food now - your body learns so quickly to crave what's good for it.

sabrehunter

write down everything and stick within your calorie limit, focus on unprocessed foods, eat breakfast
try low fat dairy, cheese and yoghurt, oil spray not oil and cut out butter
and eat smaller meals with snacks in between (as long as its under your calorie limit)
honestly I used to be the same exercise heaps and then I realised that I was eating more than the calories I burnt
there are no easy solutions and focus on small long term changes not quick fixes
good luck!

noltes2

Jogging for 3 hours every day? That sounds a little exessive....

But I had a similar situation about 2 years ago. I worked out 5x a week intensely but did not do much to my diet so had very little result. In fact I gained weight, and was so discouraged I swore off the gym for a year. This time around I started tracking calories AND working out and BAM it came off. How long have you been tracking on here and sticking to your calorie limit? Perhaps you weren't eating enough before, or it was too much.... but this time around follow your exact goal, keep working out and then see what happens. Up your protein to keep you full and prevent snacking, and lower your simple carbs.

noltes2

Oh and trainers say that diet is about 80% of your results.... If your diet isn't pretty clean and calories in the proper range, then whatever you did in the gym will not show.

mishmash73

i agree with what the one reader said about writing down EVERYTHING you eat. get the pasta out of your house... along with any bread (especially bagels). if you are eating processed foods for convenience, start making bigger meals so you can just put the left overs in separate containers & use those for lunch. I think you're probably under estimating your food. I tried to lose weight last year but had a 'cheat' day or would cheat a little during the week... i only lost 7 lbs and when i look back on it, i think i didn't try as hard b/c I was scared to try, not lose weight & be completed crushed & discouraged. This year is my year & i haven't really cheated at all this year and it makes me realize when you are truly read to lose weight, you'll give it 100%. I haven't had pizza, barely any alcohol, no candy, etc.

Also... the key is that if you are eating the RIGHT foods, you won't be hungry. I have been eating lots of the following at Costco: Fage greek strained yogurt with some of Costco's frozen berries or their granola (1/4c), chicken burgers, black bean burgers, chicken over Costco's stir fry vege's and then i sprinkle some rice noodles on them for the crunch. I have really been able to get some staples that I can depend on b/c they are yummy & healthy. I've also been created with soem of my foods to get some comfort foods in - coconut shrimp is my most recent creation with only 267 calories for 8 huge shrimp over like 2 cups of vege's.

those lean cuisine's & other foods aren't going to keep you going long enough. I can't figure out how to get into your food diary but the others say it's processed, not accurate, etc. When you are ready to give 100%, the weight will come off.

california_peach

Start tracking all your food religiously as you consume it or better before you consume it. Don't know if you have a smart phone, but MFP has apps for those that help with this. Drink plenty of water and watch you sodium intake and you will start to see something.

exp_lauren

Some tips you might consider trying:

Try challenging yourself to eat a little something every 2 hours ... if you skip a meal, your body will think "famine!!" and react by storing fat. Give it a little bit of food often ... let your digestive system do some exercise for you all day long. Plan for breakfast, an AM snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and an evening snack (a couple of hours before bed). But stay within your target calorie range - don't go over! Distribute your target calories over those 6 meal/snacks.

Try gradually increasing your fiber intake to something like 30g per day, and then maintain it there. Drink lots of water with that fiber - very important. Food labels are your friends here ... choose whole wheat pastas, breads, high-fiber cereals, brown rice, beans etc. Use a fiber supplement if you like, but try to do it with high-fibre foods.

Have water and something high in fibre or protein about 20 minutes before a main meal to help fill the time lag between eating and having your brain turn off the I'm-hungry switch. Eating a lot of processed carbs like pasta could make weight-loss more challenging.

There is soooo much more I have learned recently that helps a lot. I expect there are good books on the science of losing weight at a library near you, too.

sabrehunter

oh and dont think about good/bad foods or that you have to restrict yourself, look at fat content and sugar content
so say if I want something sweet and chocolate i will have a choc dairy dessert instead of a chocolate bar as there is way less fat but its still creamy and chocolatey
that way I have satisified the craving before it gets out of control
besides if you start looking at fat content some foods dont look quite as yummy - like corn chips I couldnt believe how much fat was in some brands

happy_vegan

Start tracking all your food religiously as you consume it or better before you consume it. Don't know if you have a smart phone, but MFP has apps for those that help with this. Drink plenty of water and watch you sodium intake and you will start to see something.

definitely agree. you have to watch EVERYTHING. i know other people said this a million times but if you don't know exactly what's in your food you will never find the answer. calories are everything, exercise helps (and helps you eat more calories if you're having trouble cutting back to 1200) but you can't continue to eat poorly thinking exercise will pull you through. i learned that the hard way, too, so i know where you're coming from.