I need help...I'm not losing anything :(

Bird37

A few questions:

What do you drink?
Are you drinking 8 glasses of water?
Are you alcohol free?
Are you exercising?

You are right. You are not eating enough calories. If you do not eat enough calories you body will burn stored glucose, which becomes fat. This is not what you are going for, but you already seem to know this.

Uhhhhhh.... Where are your veggies and fruits?

You are eating a lot of processed foods, which are much harder for your body to utilize. Not eating enough of the right foods, such as lean meats (fish, chicken), veggies, whole grains, fruits, and low fat dairy, will make it difficult for your body to do what it needs to do for optimal health.

The best thing for portion control is the plate method. It's easy... half of your plate is veggies/fruits (preferably green leafy veggies), 1/4 of your plate is lean protein, and the other 1/4 of your plate is whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, barley). The lean protein should be about the size of a deck of cards, the whole grains should fill half a baseball (or 1/2 cup), the veggies can really have no limit.

You can make it work. It's hard... you know that, but it's doable!

sintral

This post is right on. Might also add that the body will metabolize muscle before it will fat if your caloric deficit is too low and you're burning 1000 calories/day on Zumba and treadmills. Carbs are good before a workout (whether it be cardio or aerobic) and protein is good afterward (if doing strength training). Unless your heart is elevated above a certain level for an extended period of time, you don't to worry about replenishing after non-strength training exercises. I had the same problem when I first started because I was eating thousands of calories less per day, doing cardio, working out w/ strength training and still somehow gaining weight. I decided to keep at the diet and put the strength training on hold until I burned some fat. The weight fell off. Now that I'm in better metabolic shape, I'm going to add cardio back into the mix. Your body is likely in a state of caloric panic. Consider revising your calorie intake, exercise regimen, and aim for cleaner foods, higher protein foods.

outersoul

I think everyone has said it.
-More protein
-Eat more
-Less carbs
-More fruit
-More vegetables
-More water (unless you just aren't logging it)

tahoemads

First off, congratulations for sticking with it! It is a journey full of ups and downs, and it takes courage to ask for help. So good on ya for that! Looking at your diary, I have to agree with the majority of friends: you are consuming processed/packaged foods, and little whole fruits and veggies. Insert some raw nuts if you want to feel fuller longer. Stay away from lunch meat - it's high in nitrates and sodium, and definitely contributes to high blood pressure. If you want to eat something packaged, go for salt-free brown rice cakes. Add a little nut butter, like almond or unsalted peanut butter, and you should feel just as satiated. Also, increase your water intake. Even caffeine-free tea counts! All berries are low in sugar, so munch on blueberries, strawberries. Apples are high in fiber (4 grams each) so that helps curb hunger too.
Good luck!

jag325

I will try to answer all the questions and concerns here:

I do need to up my veggies intake. I actually like veggies but I've been bad about it lately. Not sure why but that's definitely bad on my part.

A lot of time I just feel like I am eating to make up calories. I tend to get full very quickly...my friends have told me "You eat like a damn bird".

I do at least 30 mintes of cardio (elliptical, treadmill) every day and some weight training. I am at the gym 5-6 days a week for about 60-75 minutes. I love zumba and do that if not once but twice a week. I also really enjoy Insanity, so I try to fit that in at least 4-5 times a week (thought I just started that up again this weekend). I push myself beyond my limits because I just crave the calorie burn.

My water intake is poor, I just can't get myself to drink it. I don't find myself to be very thirsty either unless I am working out or it is later on in the evening.

I am constantly on the go so I do find packaged foods to be more convenient. I am not using working 2 jobs as an excuse but I think most people would agree, sometimes you just have to go with what's convenient. I need to be better at making my own food in advance to my day.

I appreciate everything so far. I'm glad people can be so honest on here.

backinthenines

I looked at a few entries...

Many averaged about 20g of protein A DAY... I do twice that in one meal.
Lot's of processed package meals, bags of crisps etc.
I can't recall seing a single fresh vegetable or piece of fruit.

My suggestion would be

More lean protein.
Stop eating junk.
Get cooking proper meals with proper fresh ingredients.

jadedjade24

first of all, stop being so scale obsessed, THATS NOT HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!! Your body from day to day will fluctuate its weight, thats just the way it is. Also, please please please eat more calories. You may not know or feel it, but you are starving youself so your body is holding onto all it gets. Also, since you like the pre packaged or things that already made for you, instead of getting that meal that is microwaved how about taking a walk in the produce section and picking up a fruit bowl. It's already done for you and you will be getting your daily servings of fruit as well.

And on the water note. Now, I'm not going to say go ahead and do this, but I love tea and hate the taste of most bottled, purified, and tap water. My solution is simple. I buy lipton flovored tea bags. They are low in calories and one bag makes a whole pot of tea. I boil my water in a small pot then put the hot liquid into the kettle, drop in a tea bag, let it brew, add one tsp. of sugar and pour me a cup. Thats about 3 cups of water I drank from the tea alone.

And it doesnt have to be tea, there are pleanty of flavored waters out there as well, just got to find something that works for you. Its like when we were younger and our parents wanted to give us some medicine that they knew we would hate. If they could mask it with something else, they did and we never knew the difference.

amoffatt

Sounds like you know what you are doing wrong, not enough calories, "clean" foods, and water. Even though some of those processeed foods are low in calories, they are still not healthy and can help you retain water, weight or not loose it. Heavier individuals loose weight faster and the closer you get to your goal, more or less the weight starts to stop coming off and diet and excersise need to be managed. Less calories will not allow a person to loose weight, been there done that. When you start eating the body wants to hold onto all of that extra for it feels starved. You will loose muscle and your brain needs "good" carbs to function.

I am one I want to be thin yes, but toned. I have a friend who is thin, but flabby because she just lets her natural ability to stay thin work for her, not her work for her body. My sister is completely opposite of me body wise, tall and thin, but I am healthier and even if I am heavier, I can more and likely out run her and not be winded. The best bet if you want to loose the weight and keep it off, eat the proper amount of nutrition, excersise in a healthy manner drink plenty of water (I am guilty as well, try crystal light zero everything flavor packets), and try to eat "clean" as possible. Good luck!