How do you get the ball rolling?

tsh0ck

Like most, I've tried losing weight before, plateaued, got frustrated and gave up. I'm 33 now, though, and I know I need to make this happen. I'm not happy being achy all the time, and I know the extra weight is making me feel older than I am.

I'm not great at working out on my own, but have done well in the past with a gym membership. So I've gotten back into a gym on a long-term contract and found the myfitnesspal app for my droid. I've been tracking for about a week, and see that I'm generally not that bad with what I'm eating -- which is why, probably, I tend to stay about the same weight (246).

I guess that's the long intro into my real question. How do I get the weight to start coming off and keep coming off? I'm going to the gym, on average, 6 days a week for about an hour and change each time. I've been working a lot on the bike, because I've got bad knees that make a lot of the other equipment tough to do without pain. I can generally hit about 500 calories burned after an hour right now. Is that too low? Any tips or hints that you guys remember from when you were first starting? Maybe some good, filling foods that won't kill my calorie intake limit?

(Because, what's so frustrating, the food that's best for you seems to be worst on the checkbook. So I'm always trying to walk that line of healthy and affordable.)

Saruman_w

How many calories are you taking in a day? I can't see your diary so I don't know how well you're eating. Burning 500 calories should be more than enough. You should be able to lose if you eat well, and exercise. Just don't under-eat or stock up on junk.

tsh0ck

Well, MFP has me at 2090 a day, and I've been coming in right around there during the week I've been using it -- so, I expect, the few weeks before when I started at the gym I was eating about there, too. But in the last two weeks, I've not lost anything, which is frustrating.

(I think I changed the diary setting ... still figuring out this program. I've not been keeping up with tracking my workouts or water intake very well on here. that's something I suppose I need to do better, too.)

appleseeds

How many pounds a week is your weight loss set to? Perhaps you accidental set it to maintainance?
Otherwise wait at least one more week before you worry about changing things.

Saruman_w

At 2090 a day you'd probably be losing very slowly depending on how big you are. Try dropping it down to around 1500-1700 a day for a week to see if you lose any.

appleseeds

Also you asked for food suggestions - If you love green vegetables you should cook up

garden peas
snap peas
snow peas
and cover them with mint.

Itś so quick and easy and also totally delicious and you can eat soooo much of it.
Also if you have the spare calories throw some feta in there as well.
Amazing.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Le_Joy

Not to be all judgey cuz I don't always eat the best either, but since you asked and your diet is public.... You eat a lot of processed foods and drink soda on what seems to be a daily basis. I know it can be hard to figure out how to buy healthy food on a budget but beans & rice (dried) are inexpensive. Frozen veggies go on sale all the time. Wheat bread instead of white (not a huge difference, but better-ish).

I know there are many people who argue it is calories in & calories out and it doesn't matter what you eat, but I know for me personally 1500 cals a day of junk = less weight loss than 1500 cals a day of healthier foods.

tsh0ck

How many pounds a week is your weight loss set to? Perhaps you accidental set it to maintainance?
Otherwise wait at least one more week before you worry about changing things.

I've got it set at 1 lb per week. Should it be higher, then, you guys think?

tsh0ck

Not to be all judgey cuz I don't always eat the best either, but since you asked and your diet is public.... You eat a lot of processed foods and drink soda on what seems to be a daily basis. I know it can be hard to figure out how to buy healthy food on a budget but beans & rice (dried) are inexpensive. Frozen veggies go on sale all the time. Wheat bread instead of white (not a huge difference, but better-ish).

I know there are many people who argue it is calories in & calories out and it doesn't matter what you eat, but I know for me personally 1500 cals a day of junk = less weight loss than 1500 cals a day of healthier foods.

I welcome judgey! I'm just starting this thing, and I definitely need help.

The soda is something that's a (bad) habit that I'm working to break. I've been actually cutting way down and shifting to diet as much as possible. While I know that cuts the calories out, there is obviously still sugar and whatnot in there. But thought, at least for short-term, it was a better option, no? (I've been getting awful headaches as I work to cut back the caffeine, which isn't fun.)

I generally do eat cracked wheat, which I've found I actually like. So that's good, just because I've before really only liked white bread.

But you're right, I think, in that what the calories are found in matters. That's my biggest struggle. It's hard to buy a completely separate menu than my wife and little kiddo, and we're usually pretty tight monthly. That's so frustrating, because I know the pre-packaged, processed foods aren't as good for you, but they are much cheaper and easier.

Sorry if all of this is silly questions and that ... but I've tried doing this on my own several times before, and it just didn't work. Not long-term, anyway. (Tried the Atkins thing years back ... worked pretty well as far as weight loss, but I felt miserable all the time, actually, which eventually led me to abandon that.) So hoping to find some folks here that can help.

Lozze

The soda is something that's a (bad) habit that I'm working to break. I've been actually cutting way down and shifting to diet as much as possible. While I know that cuts the calories out, there is obviously still sugar and whatnot in there. But thought, at least for short-term, it was a better option, no? (I've been getting awful headaches as I work to cut back the caffeine, which isn't fun.)

I feel your pain! I cut mine right down and besides the first two weeks of hell I was getting horrific migraines for about four months. Thank God they seem to have finished.

Looking at your diary I'm not seeing a lot of fruit and veg there. That will let you eat more and keep you filled. I have around 400 cals less than you but am eating a lot more. (last week isn't too good as I'm at my parents and don't have much control as I'd like)

My big advice water, water, water. You might need to force it down at first, I did. It's made me feel SO MUCH BETTER. It's awesome.

tsh0ck

Are fruits high in calories? I know they are in sugar ... though, obviously, better than processed sugar. But, sadly, I'm not a huge veggie fan. Never have been. I have the few basic staples I can go to, but my taste doesn't branch too far.

I know I need to up water -- which is better than is shown on here. I keep forgetting to update that. I probably get about half of what I need regularly. Hoping to shift soda intake into water intake. I love iced tea ... would that work to drink that? It is basically just water, yeah?

I'm a second-shift guy, so have to bring my dinner and a snack to work. Snack-wise, I've been trying to use sunflower seeds. They are seeming to work well, and I don't think they're awful for me.

Lozze

Are fruits high in calories? I know they are in sugar ... though, obviously, better than processed sugar. But, sadly, I'm not a huge veggie fan. Never have been. I have the few basic staples I can go to, but my taste doesn't branch too far.

No. I think a punnet of strawberries (250g) is under 100 calories. Apples, oranges, pears and so on are all similar. They're ALL less than one chocolate bar.

Even if they were they are GOOD calories. It's OK to eat good calories even if they're higher in cals than some things.

Fruit is awesome

One thing my mother did to learn to like veggies (I honestly love them. I was eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts at 10. Veggies are awesome!) was smother them in sauce while she ate them. It at least gets you used to the taste. Unless you're gagging on them you can eat them. I 'hated' pumpkin for years. HATED it. Until my ex (who loves it) decided he was going to convert me. He started with pumpkin soup. I like that. So I started getting mashed pumpkin. Now I can eat it. It's still not my favorite food but I can enjoy it with other veggies. (and I will never eat tomatoes. The smell makes me nauseous)

tsh0ck

I've generally started having oatmeal for breakfast. seems to fill me up pretty well, and is one of the healthier options out there, I figure. so I think I have that meal set. it's the rest of the day I'm struggling with. ha!

I like yogurt ... maybe start bringing some of that to work for snacking, along with some fruit/veggies? what's the difference between plain ol' American yogurt and that greek yogurt everyone seems to be talking about?

georgia98_98

I read a few of the other replys but not all... I have been on my weight loss train altogether 2 1/2 months... MFP 2 months... I to am a soda drinker.... I have my MFP set to 2 lbs. a week... I weigh 246 lbs 5'7" my cal. intake is 1390... I start off the day w/ a large brown egg or two depends... along with a pc. of toast (white) w/ I can't belive it's not better spray... 8 oz of sunny d... great in caluicm... Lunch is yogret or even a grilled cheese w/ my water, then supper is whatever I cook, but limtied since, I am cooking for the hubby and 2 kids.. BUT I HAVE MY COKE that is 140 cal.. heehehehehe.... I don't eat healthy either... To b honest w/ u when I did try my wallet took a hit, PLUS after 3 months of eating some of that healthy stuff I got tired and bored... I have lost 13 altogther & can say honestly that I am not bring myself down by being unhappy in the things I eat... I try not to eat REALLY bad things, BUT there again I don't deni myself things either... THAT WOULD BE the same old same old... the I would go back to the boring and not happy, why diet I am done thing/me!!! I excuse 3 days a week & working up to 4 days... I to have BAD KNEES... So when u come up with a answer on that one let me know... The treadmill will kill your knee, mine does anyways... Someone told me the Elliptical Trainer is easy on the knees.. I don't really know though... Great luck...

Lozze

Honestly have no idea. I like my strawberry flavoured no fat yogurt. (Australian brand) Greek yogurt is more expensive and tastes icky. So I stick with my 'non-clean' stuff.

If you like oatmeal, fantastic! Stick with that. Apples, oranges, kiwi fruit (do you get that in America?) are my main go-to's. if the strawberries are cheap enough I'll get them too. I would like to eat more bananas but they're still really exxy here after the floods in Queensland (I think it was up to $20/kg at one point) but they're coming down again so I'll get them again soon.

tsh0ck

... I to have BAD KNEES... So when u come up with a answer on that one let me know... The treadmill will kill your knee, mine does anyways... Someone told me the Elliptical Trainer is easy on the knees.. I don't really know though... Great luck...

what I've been using with pretty good results and no pain, actually, is the recumbent bike. I can go for an hour on that and have no knee pain. I can go on the arc trainer for like 15 and can't keep it up.

DKBelle

Drink at least 64 oz to 100 oz of water a day. Moderate the foods you eat, here is some help, idea: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooking-ideasHomemade-Healthy-Foods/179121125503371

Workout 6 times a week for 30 min at least:
here is some free site:
www.bodyrock.tv
www.myomytv.com
www.diet.com

It takes 80% of healthy eating and only 20% of workout to lose weight.
Feel free to add me or ask me anything

Good luck!

melbaby925

I checked out your diary and agree with some of the other posters, I would add in more veg and fresh fruit (google low glycemic foods, and check out the fruit offerings there).

I read something recently that has me changing what I eat as well: It's not that you are what you eat, it is that you are with what you DO with what you eat.

You're consuming a boat-load of carbs. That means a bunch of sugar unless your fiber intake is sky high, so you might want to cut that down to less than 100g/carbs per day and make those carbs of the beans, soluble fiber/whole grain variety. Which means cutting out on the lasagna and eliminating the oatmeal.

Also, I have read that if you have lots of protein in the a.m., you will tend to not crave carbs as much throughout the day. That has worked for me pretty well - those days that I start the day with toast and/or oatmeal, I tend to want more sweet things. The days where I have a low carb/low sugar protein shake or eggs and turkey sausage, I tend to eat healthier and not crave the sweets as much.

Good luck finding the right path for you - don't stress yourself out and take your time to find what fits your body best.

georgia98_98

I will have to try that one.. I guess I 2 need to get a gym membership... if I am paying for it, I would most likely use it, :-)

jb_2011

You might like to try non-fat or low-fat plain yogurt with cut-up apple chunks and a small handful of walnuts. 10 walnut halves are 120 cals or so, so don't overdo it, but the yogurt/fruit/nuts thing is one of the most wonderful foods. Give it a shot! You'll get used to no sugar in the yogurt once you start tasting how sweet the apple is. Good luck! Keep posting, all of the great folks here will help.

georgia98_98

Also, I have read that if you have lots of protein in the a.m., you will tend to not crave carbs as much throughout the day. That has worked for me pretty well - those days that I start the day with toast and/or oatmeal, I tend to want more sweet things. The days where I have a low carb/low sugar protein shake or eggs and turkey sausage, I tend to eat healthier and not crave the sweets as much.

I agree.. when I have my egg(s).. I don't seem to have the sweet tooth affect.... ;-)

tsh0ck

I checked out your diary and agree with some of the other posters, I would add in more veg and fresh fruit (google low glycemic foods, and check out the fruit offerings there).

I read something recently that has me changing what I eat as well: It's not that you are what you eat, it is that you are with what you DO with what you eat.

You're consuming a boat-load of carbs. That means a bunch of sugar unless your fiber intake is sky high, so you might want to cut that down to less than 100g/carbs per day and make those carbs of the beans, soluble fiber/whole grain variety. Which means cutting out on the lasagna and eliminating the oatmeal.

Also, I have read that if you have lots of protein in the a.m., you will tend to not crave carbs as much throughout the day. That has worked for me pretty well - those days that I start the day with toast and/or oatmeal, I tend to want more sweet things. The days where I have a low carb/low sugar protein shake or eggs and turkey sausage, I tend to eat healthier and not crave the sweets as much.

Good luck finding the right path for you - don't stress yourself out and take your time to find what fits your body best.

Well, I'll try on the not stressing out part. I'm really wanting to make this work, ya know?

And I think maybe I can keep the oatmeal going, as the lasagna isn't a normal thing. One of my wife's co-workers made it for us and so I've been having leftovers for a few days.

Are the shakes filling at all? I've never tried any of that kind of thing ... never really looked into it, honestly, just because I hated spending extra money if it wasn't going to work out.

tsh0ck

I will have to try that one.. I guess I 2 need to get a gym membership... if I am paying for it, I would most likely use it, :-)

you know, I think that's what helps me. trying to get out and jog -- which hurts my knees -- is hard. I always find excuses or something else I have to do, etc. but at the 24-hour gym, hard to come up with excuses. and I know it's coming out of my bank account if I use it or don't.

silkysly

Not wanting to sound mean, but lasagna isn’t a very healthy choice for lunch. Pasta is never a good choice unless you do high cardio like running. (I run & I don't even eat pasta.) It’s not about just keeping your calorie intake low, it’s about making smart choices in the foods you eat.

As for working out, try adding a few extra steps in your day. Park in the farthest spot in the parking lot. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. When you get your oil changed, don’t just sit there.., walk until your car is ready. Take an after dinner walk every day. Drink diet drinks & lots of water.

In the end it’s about how bad YOU want to be healthy. Nobody can shake a magic wand over you with a bunch of pixie dust to make it easy. If you want it bad enough, the weight will come off. Best of luck…

lauristewart

Protein at every meal! Put protein powder in your oatmeal. Mix cottage cheese in with your yogurt. Exercise. Watch your carbs, protein, fiber and fat intake by watching your grams here on Mfp. Eat plenty of fruits, veggies along with high fiber carbs. Popcorn for snack. And change to diet soda!! Drink water!! Take it day by day and be patient with your body! You may lose fater in some weeks compared to others. Get into a routine with carrying good snacks with u. Get good supportive friends on here!! Goof luck!

celesteshefferly

Stop drinking pop immediately....cold turkey. You are literally killing yourself by drinking it. Also, if you are any bit from a European descent you should try cutting out all gluten. Many studies found the Europeans (and our ancestors) can't handle that in our digestive system. Try it. Go without eating gluten for two weeks and try to re-introduce it again. I bet you more than anything your body with have a terrible reaction to it. I tried it and it's saved my life.

celesteshefferly

oh yeah and not even changing to diet pop is good...just stop that all together. The only thing we need is water. Period.

tsh0ck

I'm trying to stop the soda ... tapering down fairly quickly.

but does anyone know if subbing in iced tea is a good idea? I figure it is, essentially, water, right?

angiemb87

I feel you on the knee pain. Mine kill me sometimes, after a zumba class or a particularly random bout of bellydancing, lol.

Something that seems to work for me...I am SOOO not a doctor...but I try to limit my sodium intake and drink quite a bit of water, at least 100 oz. a day. I find that on days that I keep my water up and my sodium regular or low-ish, my knee pain isn't as severe. Also, I added in a pilates routine that really works the muscles in my legs. My doc said that strengthing the muscles surrounding my knee will help lessen the pain as well as losing weight, and so far it's been pretty good!

I used to be an avid soda drinker as well (up to 5 cans per day) but I quit cold turkey. (HEADACHES....omg) Now, all I drink is water and tea. My sister, though, stepped down gradually, moving to diet soda...then to diet and caffeine free coke...then to those sugar free caffeine free sparkling waters....then to club soda with a spritz of lime...and she finally worked her way down to just plain iced water with a twist of lemon. It took her 5 months to simply get down to water, but she did it and has lost 12 pounds just by cutting back on soda. We're all so proud of her.

I actually love veggies (just steam me some spinach with a splash of apple cider vinegar and I'm in heaven) but my friend started by adding shredded veggies to random things to get used to the taste. She'd chop up mushrooms and onion, garlic cloves, bell peppers, carrots, and add it to spaghetti sauce. She'd make salsa with corn, celery, onion, tomatoes, peppers...she pretty much just figured she could get away with adding veggies to things that she already liked and incorporate the taste, without having to just eat a random serving of veggies, which she hated. No one says you have to eat 3 cups of steamed flavorless brussels sprouts every day.

Also, I found that I really started losing when I added in more strength training. Maybe up the strength portion more of your routine? Just to add something new and keep your body from getting used to what you have been doing.

Don't get discouraged, we ALL plateau and need a jumpstart.

tsh0ck

maybe I should add bellydancing to my routine!



good advice. thanks. I think the tapering down will help. and if I can mix iced tea in with my water, I'll probably be ok.

my knees should get better as I lose weight. but have always had problems, even when I was actually in shape in high school. I don't have enough cartilage in there, so my knees get inflamed pretty easy.

Articeluvsmemphis

Strength Training is very important, and I love it. So resistance bands, free weights, weight machine, core work, body weight exercises are all excellent.

So, fruits/veggies are relatively cheap even if it's your plain apples/oranges/pears. Try to find a different kind of apple. Like say the Pink Apples tastes better than Red Delicious

Eggs are an egg-cellent (yes, I'm corny) source of protein and good cholesterol

Plenty Water (is free)

A vitamin is good for anyone if you're not getting your nutrients in your food.

I love spinach/strawberries/nuts/seeds together, this is a good way to get ALOT of food for hardly any calories (those spray dressings are fab for little cals)

and 500calories burned is deff. not too little. Key is to have effective workouts not just long, although I do like to exercise for about an hour as well. I want to make them count just as with a 30minute workout. Do this by changing up resistance and speed, etc