I am so lost. I seriously need some help here!

Options
13567

Replies

  • limismith
    limismith Posts: 156 Member
    Options
    You don't HAVE to burn your exercise calories. Do what's right for you, esp if you are working out a lot.

    Also, healthy fats like avacado or a glass or milk can help if you are seriously under calorie but don't want to junk up.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    No way should you eat that many calories. No wonder you are having a hard time. I could not loose weight with the program the way it is set up so I eat 800 calories most days if I don't exercise and 1200 to 1500 on the days I exercise. NO MORE THAN THAT. I feel great, I am loosing about 1 to 2 pounds a week and many days I don't have time to exercise so I don't worry about it. I promise you, if you do this, you will loose weight. It doesn't matter what you eat or what time you eat or any of that garbage. Just eat no more than 1500 calories a day and you will loose pounds, guaranteed!!!

    Please stop talking. She's 260 right now. 1500 calories is painfully low for her. Potentially dangerously so. Make your own bad decisions if you want, but don't encourage other people just getting started to make the same mistakes.
  • BT1988
    BT1988 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    I feel the most I can eat is about 1800-2000. Anything over that is just too much for me. I want to lower my carbs and actually eat gluten free. i want more vegetables but liking veggies is hard for me. Does any recommend a diet plan or a website or book? I am searching now but can't find anything with simple recipes. South Beach is too fancy for me. Abs diet too is a little to fancy. Their snacks are reasonable, which was originally what I was following but their dinners were too much for me. I like simple dinners. My protein, my veggies and something a little sweet like apple sauce but I guess I should cut that.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    There's no reason to cut all the fructose sugars out of your diet. And honestly, I highly advise against trying to follow some fad "diet plan." Obviously you're trying a big dietary paradigm shift; going from eating in a very unhealthy fashion to a very healthy fashion.

    Try some bagged mixtures of frozen veggies. You can throw a whole bag in a tupperware container frozen and microwave steam it in just a few minutes.

    Keep a lot of boneless skinless chicken breasts on hand. Chop them up and put them over a salad with cheese and tomato and cucumber and spinach.

    Mix tuna or chicken with plain greek yogurt to make tuna/chicken salad.

    Mix vanilla or chocolate protein powders into plain greek yogurt to a pudding-like consistency, and even mix in some nuts and/or berries for extra texture/flavor. It's delicious.

    My diary is open and I think for the most part pretty healthy. Feel free to ransack it for ideas.
  • BT1988
    BT1988 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    i once did the slow carb diet but I felt like I was eating TOO much protein for me. I kind of want to flirt with the idea of less carb (except I really like oatmeal in the morning) but lunch is kind of a problem for me because I have a sandwich. I want to stick with good carbs such as some fruit and vegetables. I think bread is not good for me, even if it is whole wheat.
  • jeni_Giedd
    jeni_Giedd Posts: 61
    Options
    Check with your psychiatrist about your depression meds. I am now on Pristique and my weight is coming off. I found that Lexapro wasn't the drug for me. PLus, my thyroid is of question, too. You can have a good thyroid day and then three days later, it goes goofy! That's one of the wacky things about thyroids. It sounds like your metabolism is off, too. Try not to eat too little, or your metabolism will slow way down.
  • lmburmester
    lmburmester Posts: 4
    Options
    I took a nutrition for children class over the summer for my major and we learned how to hide veggies into other food since most kids don't like them. One thing we did and you can try is to add pureed sweet potatoes or other veggies to a whole wheat pancake mix or into smoothies. Also, try to drink V-8, even though when it comes to counting calories, fruity drinks and juices can add access calories to your diet.
  • jeni_Giedd
    jeni_Giedd Posts: 61
    Options
    I agree with the milk. It fills you up and helps to build strong bones,
  • alwayssavingme
    alwayssavingme Posts: 29
    Options
    They gave me 1200 a day and I exercise (run on the treadmill) 30 mins about 4-5 times a week. If I burn 200 calories I will eat possibly 1300 total for the day. I honestly think that you may be working out a little too much and then eating too much so it's balancing out. Maybe try and ease it up on the workouts do 30-45 minutes maximum a day and try to maintain 1200-1300 calories a day and see if that helps!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Options
    You should lower your carbs - you're regularly more than 100grams over your recommended intake. Lower carbs, especially the starchy kind, and up your fat.
    Also I don't think you need to eat 2300 cals as you mentioned was recommended. It sounds too high.
  • monkeymouse74
    monkeymouse74 Posts: 288
    Options
    No way should you eat that many calories. No wonder you are having a hard time. I could not loose weight with the program the way it is set up so I eat 800 calories most days if I don't exercise and 1200 to 1500 on the days I exercise. NO MORE THAN THAT. I feel great, I am loosing about 1 to 2 pounds a week and many days I don't have time to exercise so I don't worry about it. I promise you, if you do this, you will loose weight. It doesn't matter what you eat or what time you eat or any of that garbage. Just eat no more than 1500 calories a day and you will loose pounds, guaranteed!!!

    Please stop talking. She's 260 right now. 1500 calories is painfully low for her. Potentially dangerously so. Make your own bad decisions if you want, but don't encourage other people just getting started to make the same mistakes.

    My start weight is 233.2 and I'm on 1200 a day and I exercise loads. And this is the first time in years that my weight is starting to shift.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Options
    Not sure what country you're in but you can get a product called Mountain Bread in Australia. It's awesome. Its essentially a wrap but it's sooo yummy.

    I would go to your doctor and get a full check up. Unless you are way over estimating cals burned and under estimating cals eaten, from what you've given us you should be losing.

    Regarding cal sizes I started at 1800. Far too much for me (and Jenny Craig told me to eat 2000!) so I went to 1600 and lost a lot. Went to 1400 when the site told me to but was struggling, so I've gone back to 1600. That's the best for me and I'm only slightly smaller than you (around 250lbs)

    Regarding your exercise I think you're doing too much. If you're doing six days a week of weights circuit training you are doing it far too much. Every second day is the recommendation. You're not giving your body a chance to recover and repair itself.

    I might have missed it but what are you drinking?
  • BT1988
    BT1988 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    I drink only water.

    I started to work out less. Guess I should make it one day cardio, next day cardio and strength, day off, cardio, then cardio and strength such as full body workouts. I kind of do both everyday (4 days include strength) and just keep it to five days. Trtying to adjust my diet and see how I can eat less carbs....
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    Options
    I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. I mean, I was taught that I should burn more than I take cause I have so many excess calories of fat that I need to burn. I don't know what to do. =( I simply can't eat more even for my size. It's too hard to eat so much. i am so obsessed with food that sometimes I just don't even want to eat. =( i was told that with all of my exercise I should eat about 2300 calories a day. I still don't understand this calorie crap and its driving my crazy. I put in a lot of effort at the gym. this is just too much. can it be that I am just meant to be this size? What else can I do? Should I just change my goals to maintain my level and just exercise and log that in? Someone help me, this is really breaking me.

    Without reading through the other comments, my observation is that you are choosing very healthy meals so I commend you for that! You are already doing your body good!!! The only thing I can see by your food diary is that you go over your carbs quite a bit. A suggestion would be to add Sodium and Sugar to your food diary by going to your Diary Settings and adding those to your Nutrients Tracked. This will give you a better view on how well you are staying within the most critical macros.

    From my own personal journey, my weight hardly dropped when I was eating high-carb, low-fat meals. When I switched that around, my weight started moving downward again without changing my caloric intake. I try to keep my sodium under 1,800mg daily because any higher and I feel bloated. My sugar is almost always over but it's mostly from fruit so I don't worry about it too much... but still try to keep it in check.

    The two things I've learned from my journey is that if the weight isn't budging, it is due to two things:

    1) I need to change my exercise routine because my body isn't burning calories as efficiently as it was in the beginning.
    2) Look for answers in the food I'm eating to see if better choices can be made.

    Everyone has their own theory on exercise calories and everyone sees different results. Bottom line is that the body needs change to continue to be challenged. Good luck to you and never give up!
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    Options
    I drink only water.

    I started to work out less. Guess I should make it one day cardio, next day cardio and strength, day off, cardio, then cardio and strength such as full body workouts. I kind of do both everyday (4 days include strength) and just keep it to five days. Trtying to adjust my diet and see how I can eat less carbs....

    It's weird, but I lost the most weight when I stopped exercising all the time and started eating more. True story! :) Read the link below called "My Journey" for what I needed to do to get my body to drop the weight.

    beforeafter_03.jpg

    My Journey: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/down-30-pounds-response-to-questions-114202
    My Breakfast: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/my-large-breakfast-explained-160013
    Sex & Weight Loss: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/sex-weight-loss-117390
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Options
    I also noticed you don't log on the weekends - for example this week you haven't logged since Thursday - how are you eating on these days?
    Oh and starbucks has no business calling that smoothie a protein smoothie.. false advertising when it comes with 48g of carbs.
    Good luck, I think you've gotten a lot of good suggestions. :)
  • victoria1957
    victoria1957 Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    2300 calories is a lot I think. I stay under 1200. You have seen you Dr.? How about a registered dietician? It looks like you are working really hard maybe you can cut your calories. Calories are just units of measurement. Good luck don't give up and check out the Joe Cross documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It is a great documentary that really helped me.
  • BT1988
    BT1988 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    I also noticed you don't log on the weekends - for example this week you haven't logged since Thursday - how are you eating on these days?
    Oh and starbucks has no business calling that smoothie a protein smoothie.. false advertising when it comes with 48g of carbs.
    Good luck, I think you've gotten a lot of good suggestions. :)

    i actually eat very little on weekends cause i work two jobs. I always forget to log in weekends =/ gonna have to keep an eye on that.

    as far as the smoothie, i actually make my own. I use 4 scoops of green tea matcha powder, 1 scoop of protein, 1 banana and skim milk. i work there =) i dont like the other smoothies. too sweet for me.

    I was told also to get rid of bananas but i like bananas =(

    I know I eat the same but it just makes groceries easier and helps me plan. I guess every week should be different.
  • karenhs2
    karenhs2 Posts: 197
    Options
    Do check about the PCOS. Although it is quite common, it often goes undiagnosed for years. Depression is one symptom - others are excess hair growth, messed up periods (absent or continuous) and weight gain (or inability to lose weight). Someone would need to check your hormones. It might not be your issue but i would definitely get it ruled out if possible.

    If the lexapro was a problem, it may take more than a few weeks for your body to adjust. My initial 50 lb weight gain was due to a year on Zoloft and it took about a year off before I felt like my body was back to normal as far as appetite regulation.

    Whatever you do, don't give up!!! It sounds like you have been working very hard and you are worth that effort.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Options
    I would def recommend cutting out weights every day. You can do cardio every day but not weights. (I think they recommend one full day off a week) Def get the full body check up. Ask about PCOS (and your endo can help with that) but if your periods are regular I doubt it. Full blood work won't hurt.

    Try the low carb, or even low GI. It won't hurt you to try it. There are plenty of resources.

    Please don't give up. You will lose weight. I promise. It's better to be 260 until you figure out what will work for you then to give up and put on more weight.

Categories