Has Paying Attention Made Me Gain Weight?

ivyjbres

So that's the 1 year progress report. I gained weight. I've been up and down, but a net gain. In the past, I've counted calories, but offline, I've done food combining, I've done the Diet Dr. Pepper Diet. That all worked (separately of course, I'm not crazy enough to try all 3 at the same time).

So now I'm paying attention to what I eat, I'm making healthier choices even when I can't log. I eat low GI and GL foods. I get plenty of protein. I do eat more fast food than I'd prefer, but I work in fast food. I only eat kid portion sandwiches and salads at work, I don't eat fries.

So why isn't this working?

I'm starting to think its because I'm obsessing, because I'm paying attention to food instead of life. I'm sitting hear at a computer stressing over my weight instead of cleaning my kitchen. Sure its not working out, but doesn't standing burn more calories than sitting?

I'm thinking of quitting... Not because I'm discouraged, but I'm wondering if being online isn't just reinforcing my bad habits.

bcattoes

MFP may not work for everyone. Obsessing is not good and if after a year MFP is making you obsess then maybe it is time to try something new. Or it may be time to stop obesessing and just follow the plan. Really give up the fast food, free or not, it's not good food. Stop looking to fad diets and commit to exercising regularly and eating healthy food within your calorie goals. If you really follow the plan and don't lose weight, then it's time to see a doctor.

Whatever your decision, don't give up on getting healthy!

meggers123

Your food diary isn't very regular, but the days I saw you are eating a very little food, but almost getting to your calories. I hate to say it, but I think you need to add some whole foods (fruit, veggies, bread, meat) that isn't fast food. Also, try eating around 1500. Are you active? These are things I would check out, but good luck and I'm sorry it hasn't been working out so far.

erzsebet_1560

I know exactly what you're saying. I have been wondering myself if the knowledge I have collected over the past few years is actually hindering my weight loss. I log, exercise and eat healthy, but I still gain weight. When I have dieted in the past, I just cut down what I ate and exercised, It wasn't about net calories this and whole grain or no grain...It's almost like I've obsessed and read every new finding and I've just confused myself and it's hurting me. i sit for hours reading online reports, when I should be moving my *kitten*!

gsager

Well, eating too many calories and not exercising enough, if you think that logging your information on MFP is causing a problem then quit. It has really helped me, made me workout more to get more calories to eat. Good Luck.

Qarol

There's a Diet Dr. Pepper Diet? I must google this...

ivyjbres

There's a Diet Dr. Pepper Diet? I must google this...

My sister "invented" it. Turns out its just like HCG, except much cheaper, just take out the HCG, add Diet Dr Pepper, eat an 800 calorie meal once a day, and viola!

ilookthetype

There's a Diet Dr. Pepper Diet? I must google this...

My sister "invented" it. Turns out its just like HCG, except much cheaper, just take out the HCG, add Diet Dr Pepper, eat an 800 calorie meal once a day, and viola!

The the 800 calories that is the trick...I can't...even...words are failing me.

ivyjbres

There's a Diet Dr. Pepper Diet? I must google this...

My sister "invented" it. Turns out its just like HCG, except much cheaper, just take out the HCG, add Diet Dr Pepper, eat an 800 calorie meal once a day, and viola!

The the 800 calories that is the trick...I can't...even...words are failing me.

Yeah, I was 15 and stupid. It worked.... Why is it that being stupid always pays off, and doing things the right was doesn't?

infamousmk

*blink*blink*


... are you really recording all of your food? Because if you are, you're not eating enough half the time, and all of the time you're not eating any real food. Unless you have a serious health condition, MFP will work for you.

1. Enter what you eat
2. See you eat crap
3. Change your habits little by little until you're not eating crap
4. Make sure you're eating enough
5. Work out some
6. Lose weight
7. Repeat as necessary, since we all screw up sometimes

ilookthetype

There's a Diet Dr. Pepper Diet? I must google this...

My sister "invented" it. Turns out its just like HCG, except much cheaper, just take out the HCG, add Diet Dr Pepper, eat an 800 calorie meal once a day, and viola!

The the 800 calories that is the trick...I can't...even...words are failing me.

Yeah, I was 15 and stupid. It worked.... Why is it that being stupid always pays off, and doing things the right was doesn't?

It would have worked because you were SEVERELY under eating...in my experience, doing it the right way is working. I don't even use a scale anymore because I was getting hung up on the numbers and it's easier to just go by the fact that I've dropped 2 pant sizes since I started, so the right way, totally works.

adrian_indy

I once invented a diet where everytime wanted to eat, I had to wrestle and win against a homosexual grizzly bear with a love of sodomy. I lost 112. lbs, my right eye, and my dignity (3 times).

agthorn

I once invented a diet where everytime wanted to eat, I had to wrestle and win against a homosexual grizzly bear with a love of sodomy. I lost 112. lbs, my right eye, and my dignity (3 times).

:laugh:

fakeplastictree

Yeah, I'd say that it's not the paying attention that made you gain. It's the fad diets and the not doing things the best way for your body. With the fad diets and such you are ruining your metabolism so now it is harder for you to lose weight than it was when you first started. I'd say just stick with eating regularly and making better choices for a prolonged period of time to get your metabolism back in check and then hopefully lose weight.

mandemonious

Yeah, I'd say that it's not the paying attention that made you gain. It's the fad diets and the not doing things the best way for your body. With the fad diets and such you are ruining your metabolism so now it is harder for you to lose weight than it was when you first started. I'd say just stick with eating regularly and making better choices for a prolonged period of time to get your metabolism back in check and then hopefully lose weight.

^^^This

Umeboshi

Not to be harsh but maybe the (many) days you're not logging, you're really eating more than you think? I don't think the days you eat way under 1000 calories help your metabolism much either.

ivyjbres

Yeah, I'd say that it's not the paying attention that made you gain. It's the fad diets and the not doing things the best way for your body. With the fad diets and such you are ruining your metabolism so now it is harder for you to lose weight than it was when you first started. I'd say just stick with eating regularly and making better choices for a prolonged period of time to get your metabolism back in check and then hopefully lose weight.

Thing is, all of that was when I was a teenager. I'm 26 now. My metabolism has had more than enough time to recover. And Just cause I'm not logging, that doesn't mean I'm not paying attention. My hubby is completely disabled, and we don't own a TV, the computer is the TV, so the majority of the time, I'm not logging because I'm not online. I don't always make my calorie goals, but I also don't go extremely over my maintenance calories more than occasionally. I'm not saying that MFP doesn't work, I'm just saying maybe its allowing me to hyper-focus on the wrong things.

infamousmk

Are you eating wholesome, natural foods, at a deficit of approximatley 500 calories a day, and being active 30m a day, at least four times a week? For reals?

juleseybaby

I once invented a diet where everytime wanted to eat, I had to wrestle and win against a homosexual grizzly bear with a love of sodomy. I lost 112. lbs, my right eye, and my dignity (3 times).

SO GLAD I WASN'T MID-DRINK WHEN I READ THIS... IT WOULD BE ALL OVER MY MONITORS!!!

To the OP - my sister has had a major plateau - making good choices - working out like crazy... it happens. Try to shake it up - confuse your metabolism to keep it going. And yeah - if you are being honest with yourself and your logging and you still aren't losing after that - go visit the doc.

Umeboshi

Yeah, I'd say that it's not the paying attention that made you gain. It's the fad diets and the not doing things the best way for your body. With the fad diets and such you are ruining your metabolism so now it is harder for you to lose weight than it was when you first started. I'd say just stick with eating regularly and making better choices for a prolonged period of time to get your metabolism back in check and then hopefully lose weight.

Thing is, all of that was when I was a teenager. I'm 26 now. My metabolism has had more than enough time to recover. And Just cause I'm not logging, that doesn't mean I'm not paying attention. My hubby is completely disabled, and we don't own a TV, the computer is the TV, so the majority of the time, I'm not logging because I'm not online. I don't always make my calorie goals, but I also don't go extremely over my maintenance calories more than occasionally. I'm not saying that MFP doesn't work, I'm just saying maybe its allowing me to hyper-focus on the wrong things.

Yeah, it's not the metabolism from the crash diets. It's the fact that in August like EVERY SINGLE DAY was between 2000 and 3000 calories. And you're honestly confused as to why you're gaining?

ilookthetype

I don't always make my calorie goals, but I also don't go extremely over my maintenance calories more than occasionally.

BINGO! You shouldn't be going over your MAINTENANCE calories.