Ugh. One of my best weeks ever and only 0.4 lb lost :(

lovelabs25

This is my first week on MFP, although I have done various "diets" all my life and have a pretty good idea what a good and bad food list looks like.

I only made it to the gym twice this week, but plan to improve on that, and exercise never seems to make a difference in my weight loss (in fact I gained 15 lbs training for a half marathon), but it does make me feel better which leads to better choices.

I've changed my diary to public so you all can review and give me some thoughts. I know I didn't hit 8 glasses of water a day but it's also not accurately recorded in my diary as I didn't count Crystal Light, tea, other things that weren't pure H20.

So please give me your honest feedback, suggestions, etc....I'll take them all. Should I be adjusting my carb/fat/protein limits? Obviously I'll drink more water and get to the gym 3-4 times this week.

I swear my body just hates to drop weight!!

Meggie_pooh

FYI...you CAN count crystal light as water cuz its sugar free! I hate water, therefore I use crystal light! and if u use decaf tea with sugar substitute, u can also count that! but i know what u mean about ur body doesn't want u to lose weight. so far this diet is working beautifully for me!

dorisholaway

I would think that the crystal light would count as water. I may be wrong, but I believe it would. Now the tea is a different thing, I don't think tea and coffee go towards your water intake. I drink bottle water, and I try to drink 2 in the morning before I go to work. That gets 4 cups of water out of the way. Water is my main drink, so I don't have a problem getting more than 8. I prefer plain bottled water. I have tried the crystal light and such, but plain water is better to me.

jcj87

Hey, welcome to MFP! I looked over your diary, and it seems like you're pretty high on daily sugar and fat intake, and pretty low on fiber. I'm in no way a health professional or anything, but that jumps out to me. One thing that helped me lose weight is to make a big step in upping my fiber intake- LOTS of fruits and veggies, making sure at least one meal a day was a salad, etc. The best thing about it is that fiber fills you up quick, it's (usually) really low in calories, and it's great for you!

And water is crucial too. I had a really hard time drinking it at first, but after aiming for 15 cups a day, now I love to drink it! Just drink an 8 oz glass every half hour- after doing that for a couple days, you'll find it's really easy to do.

Jerziegrl

I feel you pain, you are not alone...not that it makes you feel better.

After looking at your diary the first thing that popped out was that you went over your calories a few days. I could be part of the problem. Crystal Light, Tea, etc don't replace water either. I drink all day long...lots of crystal light tea, diet coke but always still drink my water. I bring my bottle with me where ever I go. Even if I am out for a walk with my kids or a friend, water comes with me. You'd be surprised how fast it goes.

Give it another week or two and see what the scale is saying then. I know how badly you want the scale to be significantly different, but it may take a few weeks to see the results you are longing for. Don't give up!

srp2011

Looking at your food diary, the beginning part of your week wasn't too bad, but the latter part of the week had a lot of processed foods and higher fat foods (like the pizza), and you're just not going to lose eating stuff like that - it really does matter where the calories come from, plus the sodium will make you retain water which will slow down weight loss. If you want to lose consistently, you need to cut out the processed food as much as possible and stick with lean proteins, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains in limited quantities. Increasing protein and decreasing carbs within reasonable limits is a good idea, and stay away from things that are white - white sugar, flour, etc... This has nothing to do with your body not wanting to lose weight - if you feed it correctly, you will lose, if you don't you won't.

lallaloolly

the scale shouldn't keep you from feeling good about your good choices. you had "one of your best weeks ever," celebrate it! 0.4 pounds is a loss and that is something that should tell you that you are on the right track. healthy weight loss means losing a half pound to a pound a week for most people, and some weeks it's less and some weeks it's more, but it takes patience and persistence. you can't change a lifestyle in a week, so just stick with it and try to stay positive about your successes. and remember, it's not always about the scale. some weeks you are going to build muscle (as evidenced by your marathon training) and that weighs more than fat, but the more muscle you get, the more fat you will burn. try not to take all of your success from the scale.

jb_2011

How great you've joined MFP! What I had to do to force my body into losing was to knock off eating bread & glutens every day. Now I have bread maybe twice a week, and only 1 slice. I think if you tried that you might see some changes. I have a rice cake and almond butter for breakfast, then mid-morning I'll have fruit, nuts and yogurt, a salad and soup for lunch, maybe some cheese and gluten-free crackers, then a balanced dinner with no bread. I include beans often during the week and make sure that I eat high-potassium foods and plenty of omega-3s. Hope this helps!

ladyhawk00

Congrats on making the commitment! I have a few suggestions.

First, (although not a huge one), I don't see a lot of veggies in your diary. Fruits, yes, but not veggies. I would try to include more of them.

Second, make sure you're accurate with logging both intake and exercise. Your numbers won't be exact (not physically possible), but try to make them as accurate as possible. Weigh/measure your food and use the best exercise numbers you can.

Also, make sure your goal/deficit is appropriate for you. A lot of people make the mistake of choosing the wrong goals/settings. These might help with that:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

Also, keep in mind that a lot of people who have yo-yo dieted for a long time have a decreased metabolism. So, you need to give your body time to adjust and hormones to rebalance. Finally, don't get too focused on the scale. It doesn't always tell the whole truth. Use measurements and the mirror as well. And be patient. Weight loss doesn't happen in a week, or even a month. It takes time and isn't always predictable or linear. Keep working at it, stay positive and strong - and it WILL work. :flowerforyou:

lovelabs25

Wow! Thank you for all the quick and helpful feedback! You all made some really great points and I appreciate the time you took to look over my diary!

I was so focused on protein and calories, I didn't pay as much attention to sugar this week, and I think I was over on that every day. I know low carb is the answer, I just love my carbs and gag on eating too much meat. I'm definitely going to get a couple of egg dishes in there this week, and dig out my bean recipes. And focus on eating more veggies than fruits, although I do love all the yummy fruits that are in season right now. And at least I'm not reaching for chips like I would have in the past.

Even if my diet wasn't *perfect* this week, it's a big improvement to what I've been eating the last few months which included fast food, cake, ice cream, alcohol, amongst other demons that just continued my cycle of depression-comfort eat-depression.

Thank you all so much! For the first time I feel like I'm not alone in this journey!

silversong24

For myself I have made the change to try and reduce my sugars, especially processed ones such as the Pepsi and Reese's I am super addicted too. I still go over on sugar every day, usually by breakfast in fact, but I am not beating myself up for it because it is healthier sugar, i.e. fruits and milk sugars. Also I am trying to add more variety to my protein so that I am not choosing stuff that is scary high in sodium. Eggs have never been a favorite of mine, but I have been playing with them and have learned that they are pretty good in omelet form with small amounts of meat and cheese, and lots of veggies. I have also found that I feel a lot better through out the day when I eat eggs and fruit for breakfast, rather than just cereal. The added energy and positive feelings are making it easier for me to work out after breakfast, and I usually feel great from that as well, once it is all said and done. Frankly I have been at this almost three weeks now (tomorrow) and I am amazed by how different I feel from a few small changes in my life. Anyways, start small, make adjustments as you go, and you and your body can make it work as you go! Stay positive and remember the silver lining on everything

thurberj

I just started one week ago and I've decided that this is the best time to begin this journey.....there are so many fresh vegetables and fruit around at this time of year. I have felt the fullness that I can achieve from eating fruit instead of chips. At dinner, I don't crave the starches because I fill myself up with vegetables. There is a lot of support here. Keep taking small steps. This is a marathon, not a sprint! Good luck!

ladyhawk00

Wow! Thank you for all the quick and helpful feedback! You all made some really great points and I appreciate the time you took to look over my diary!

I was so focused on protein and calories, I didn't pay as much attention to sugar this week, and I think I was over on that every day. I know low carb is the answer, I just love my carbs and gag on eating too much meat. I'm definitely going to get a couple of egg dishes in there this week, and dig out my bean recipes. And focus on eating more veggies than fruits, although I do love all the yummy fruits that are in season right now. And at least I'm not reaching for chips like I would have in the past.

Even if my diet wasn't *perfect* this week, it's a big improvement to what I've been eating the last few months which included fast food, cake, ice cream, alcohol, amongst other demons that just continued my cycle of depression-comfort eat-depression.

Thank you all so much! For the first time I feel like I'm not alone in this journey!

You're doing great - and it'll never be "perfect". And it doesn't need to be. Just like my tagline - it's about ratios. And don't feel like you have to overhaul everything at once. That is often what overwhelms people and makes them quit. Pick one or two things to work on for a week or two, experiment, find what you like and keep at it until it's a habit. Then find other things to work on. Gradual changes are much more likely to stick for most people.