For Women who are suceeding and consistently losing (Advice

nelsonab

If you are female and you are consistently losing, I would love to know what you're eating, how much you're exercising, what exercises you're doing. Anything you're willing to share. I had great success in the first 6 months losing 40 pounds. I am now stuck. I've lost my drive in some ways, but not totally. It's just I keep losing and gaining the same 5 pounds. I've upped my calories, upped my protein, and backed off my carbs. I am stuck at 210-215 fluctutating. I started at 267. I need to break through this. Right now my only plan is to start upping my workouts, but I'm not sure what to add nor am I sure of whether to eat back exercise calories or not.

CharlieBarleyMom

I'm consistently losing. You are more than welcome to check out my diary -- it is open to frends... just be supportive and I will do the same. I have at LEAST 100 pounds to lose and that could be the difference... the more you have to lose, your age, your relative dieting history (I mean that when I went to WW 10 years ago I lost 15 pounds in the first two weeks because I wasn't watching my food prior to that), and many other factors that I don't know play a huge part in how we each lose weight...

I am 47 years old and I had been thinking (before I found MFP) that I was too old to lose any of this weight... I had tried going back to WW (without going to the meetings) and I just couldn't lose much...

My motivation is this: I don't want to be fat anymore. I just don't. Friend if you want support.

jreese5226

Lifting weights is a good boost for your metabolism. If you aren't incorporating any sort of weight training, I would highly recommend doing so. Even if you're just doing pushups, squats and lunges, the benefits would be great.

dlaplume2

I did try to look at your diary, but it is not open to everyone.

bcattoes

My diary is open so feel free to look. I eat the tradionally recommended healthy diet. Whole grains, lean proteins, vegetable fats, veggies, some fruit. I avoid saturated fats, refined grains and sugar. I exercise most days. I usually do Zumba DVDs for 50 - 60 min a day, 6 days a week. And I do light strength training (desk pushups, squats, lunges, resistance bands) 4 -5 days a week for 30 min.

I have "cheat days" but don't plan them. They are holidays, parties or family gatherings usually. I drink wine, but that's not a requirement for losing weight, I just like it.

ShazMc73

i am still losing and have been at it for a while. I try to cook as many meals from scratch, get my protein but balance carbs and fat, manage my sodium and have a little treat each day so that I never get overwhelmed with cravings (although once in a while they do attack!). Combining this will 45-65 minutes of cardio and/or strengh training, and yoga 5-6 days a week has had good results so far.

Feel free to look at my diary; I am usually pretty close to my recommended calories and macros every day.

Well done so far and good luck to you in moving forward!

LittleFootHafner

I would suggest to up/change your workouts, and NOT to eat your exercise calories back for a little while. Others will disagree with me I'm sure, but this is only my opinion.

Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my diary. It's not perfect by any means, but it may help you out with a few suggestions as least?!?

mutzzy

Try some completely new exercises that you have not done before. It is a great way to shock the body. If you have been doing the same routine your body gets used to it. I also agree to add some weights- alternate with cardio to make it a form of interval training. Good luck!

ShrinkinMel

I have been dropping weigh consistently the last 2 weeks just by watching sodium the most out of anything. Keeping that low has kept my eating pretty clean and of course low sodium stuff is pretty much all healthy stuff. I'm also off caffeine which knocks out one low sodium bad food(soda, technically drink I guess). I've been doing very little exercise because I've been very fearful of what was wrong with me(a whole list of anxiety, panic attacks, shortness of breath and on and on) so I've been worried about working out too hard. I'm starting to now increase my exercise now that I'm starting to believe my Dr's that my heart is good. All I can say is never take Claritin daily seems to me the major major side effects(including anxiety, extreme panic, irrational fears that you can't logically overcome) aren't worth a few sniffles and watery eyes. LOL

JeSuisPrest

I've not been on this plan 6 months yet, but I am pleased with my progress. Feel free to look at my diary. I don't always add in strength training exercise though, I am not very consistent w/ that.

kellyscomeback

My diary is open, feel free to look it over.

I workout 2-3 times a day, Turbo Fire and rotating classes at the gym including strength training and Zumba. Once I fix the flat on my stroller I'm going to resume jogging every other day.

howmyworldruns

I would suggest to up/change your workouts, and NOT to eat your exercise calories back for a little while. Others will disagree with me I'm sure, but this is only my opinion.

Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my diary. It's not perfect by any means, but it may help you out with a few suggestions as least?!?

I agree with your post, I read somewhere that you shouldn't eat your exercise calories until you are closer to your goal weight.

girlofgod

I totally feel your pain! I was stuck in the same 5 lbs here recently, and as strange as it sounds - I took nearly a week off from my work-outs and lost 5 lbs! I have lost 89.4 lbs so far and done so by strength training (with a personal trainer) 2-3 times a week, doing various cardio work-outs another 2-3 times a week, and eating VERY healthy Mon-Fri (approx. 1700-1800 calories daily). Weekends I don't track my food - but I don't go hog wild either! Not sure what kind of excersize you are doing, but like one of the other responders - I can't say enough about strength training!!! If you have the opportunity to get a Bod Pod in your area, I strongly suggest you get one (and then continue to get them every 3-6 months)! Sometimes, women get so hung-up on the scales, that they don't look at the true overall picture. Although I have lost nearly 90 lbs and still weigh a little more than when I got married in 1998, I am WAY smaller! I put my wedding dress on a few weeks back and I could fit a whole other small person in there with me! It's incredible! I still have about 35 lbs to go, and I know they will be tougher to lose, but I am feeling better than I have in 20 years! Good luck in your journey - we're all here for you!

howmyworldruns

This is what works for me.

Are you drinking enough water?
Try replacing a meal a day with a protein shake with fruits. I never ate enough fruit and veggies, but now I make sure I get plenty.
I've cut my portions way down.
Walking at least 5-6 days a week for 1 hour, 4 miles is what I do.
I am watching my fat grams, carbs and sugars as well as calories. Most days I don't hit my fat grams. And most days I go over on my protein, because of the protein shake.

Fochizzy

I would suggest to up/change your workouts, and NOT to eat your exercise calories back for a little while. Others will disagree with me I'm sure, but this is only my opinion.

Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my diary. It's not perfect by any means, but it may help you out with a few suggestions as least?!?

Littlefoot I am sure you know I disagree :-p I recommend eating at least 1/2 your exercise calories back, always being over 1200. I work out 5 days a week, 45minutes to 1 hour of cardio, then a variety of strength exercises. (300 crunches, 36 knee-ups, 36 push-ups, 36 pull-ups with assistance, 36 walking lunges with weights, 36 sqauts with weights, 36 leg curls, 36 leg extension, and 36 leg press). These days it is altered because I am in Physical therapy for a sprained ankle so the last 2 weeks are a bad example, but before that this is what I did, and I lost every week.

dsak

First of all... congrats on the 40lbs lost.... you can keep going and stay motivated. You'll get over this plateau!!!

I've been losing consistently since March... feel free to FRIEND me to check out my diary.

I try to make healthy eating choices every day, but I do slip here and there. I also try to stay at 1200 calories daily. About 2x a week I will go over. Sometimes I eat my exercise calories back, sometimes I don't. For me to consistently lose weight, I have to stay around 1200. I'm 46 and it's harder to lose weight now since I'm getting older... which is why I have to stick with this.

My primary exercise over the past 6 months has been walking and/or running on the treadmill. I bike once in a while, and I was doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred until our DVD player broke (I need to get back into some strength training).

The biggest thing for me is really watching what I put in my mouth. Often times I have the same breakfast daily, and I try to eat a "big" salad at lunch with lots of veggies. I've also cut out a lot of unnecessary carbs. I also try to limit sweets as much as possible since I get most of my sugar from fruit or yogurt.

Hope you get some good advice from others as well.

dogwhisperette

I took a look at your food diary. I am not sure if you are just not noting your water intake or just not drinking water? If your not, I highly suggest that you try to get in at least the 8 glasses. I also noticed that your sodium is rather high on many days. Sodiium. Once I began watching my sodium intake things moved for me. I strongly believe in doing a variety of work outs. For 2 reasons, it helps with work out boredom which often leads to stopping all together and it challenges your body daily. Hope this helps and keep up the wonderful job! DO NOT FORGET YOUR SUCCESS THUS TO NOW! Thats something to be very proud of.

Txnurse97

I've lost over 40 pounds in the 4 months since I've been on mfp. I make sure I walk at least 15,000 steps a day. Every day. And I drink at least 100 oz of water a day. 4 days a week I work out for at least 60 minutes, but nothing too major. Walk/treadmill and/or a DVD that incorporates some weights. And I try to eat most of my meals from scratch, as much as possible.

But I also have a lot left to lose, at least 60 pounds. And I'm sure it will get tougher as it goes along.

nelsonab

Just curious but what is a Bod Pod? I hear you on the water. I get approx. 50 ounces per day of just water, then unsweet tea with my meals and in between. I do struggle with it though because I have just never been one to drink much. I use to sip off the same diet coke can all day long.

I am using the weight machines at the gym. I would like to move more into the free weight type activities. My normal workout consists of 30-45 minutes on the elliptical. I swap and do heart rate workout one day, then interval one day, then weight loss to change up the intensity/speed/incline. I then do arm weights one day, legs, one day, and day off on third day. I've been doing 3 days per week, but not consistently. My plan right now is to try a Zumba class, do my gym routine three days, and possibly 30 day shred on the days that I'm not doing one of those. I keep telling myself that when I get to 200 pounds I am going to meet with a trainer at the gym, but I'm wondering if I just need to go ahead and do it. It was suppose to be a treat/incentive type thing.

dsak

Have you taken your measurements? Just curious.... it's possible you've lost inches, but not weight.

webdiva1

I've been losing fairly consistently since I joined MFP in Feb. ... think I've had a couple of brief plateaus in there, one for three weeks, another for two, maybe. I have a lot to lose still, and that definitely makes a difference. Here's what I do.

Drink a lot of water. A LOT ... as in 15-18 8 oz. glasses a day. Yeah ... that's 120 oz.+ a day.

Sodas are off my menu forever, which was a big deal: I use to LIVE on fast food and real Coke. I moved to diet green tea, but decided I didn't need those fake sugars and the money would be better spent elsewhere. I read somewhere that artificial sweeteners can make you hungry. I think that's true but have no idea of what the science is behind it (and I don't care much, since I don't drink 'em now.) About the only fast food I indulge in anymore is KFC grilled chicken, salads, McDonald's oatmeal/fruit & yogurt parfaits and an occasional Subway sandwich on whole grain. I down a lot of KFC grilled but am working on cutting back on that, too.

Walk 2-3 times a week and alternate between distance and speed. That is, on one walk I'll try to do 6-7 miles, on another the distance will be half that but I'll try to keep my pace (and therefore my heart rate) up. I'm not doing the gym thing yet but want to start soon.

I've played around with calorie goals on my own several times. Just yesterday or the day before, I upped my cals from 1400-1500, just to see what happens. I lost a pound today, but I don't weigh every day so I don't know if changing calories up has really had a chance to make difference yet (or really, IF it will make a difference). Speaking just for myself, I see nothing wrong at all with testing a bit. And I firmly believe mixing things up sometimes is a good idea.

Edited to add this: Like some others, I try to make most stuff myself. No boxed dinners, canned anything or other stuff if I can help it. I'm trying to focus hard on fresh and fresh frozen.

Hang in there ... everything you're doing right is going to pay off. Forward we go!

laneybird

I have lost consistently since I started. I get a minumum of 30 mins of cardio a day, sometimes with one day of rest... when I go to the gym (2-4 days/wk) I always do cardio and strength training. I think one of the biggest keys to losing weight is lots and lots of water! I follow the guidelines set my MFP, watch my calories and sodium more than anything. Also, I only eat some of my calories back when I am hungry... but rarely to I go over on what is set for me before my exercise calories. Best of luck to you!!