Eating Like I'm Sedentary?

stephelan

Hello everyone!

I have been around 175 pounds for about a year and a half now. My highest weight was 230 and I knocked that weight off before then. My problem is that I don't want to be 175 pounds anymore but NOTHING I do seems to get me below that plateau. I have been working out nearly every day and counting my calories here on MyFitnessPal (or an equivalent) the ENTIRE time and the lowest I've gotten is 171 only to hop right back up.

I'm a preschool teacher so I'm on my feet nearly all day with a very active job. I work out in the morning and do sports several days a week. I have been drinking protein shakes for breakfast and often have a meal replacement bar for lunch. However, I usually hover around my goal calorie intake and never starve myself.

My diet and exercise diary is open and I'm wondering if anyone can take a look at it. I'm getting very frustrated and starting to think I'm destined to be this weight forever! (Or, I should switch my settings to say that I have a sedentary lifestyle to see if that works. OR, do some sort of ridiculous starve-yourself diet for a week or two to SHOCK my system.)

Really. I'm getting desperate at this point.

(And if I stop answering this, it's because I'm going to play soccer. SIGH.)

psych101

hmm your diary isn't open?

How many calories are you eating? How many are you burning?

stephelan

Sorry about that! It was friends only but I've opened it up now!

I set it so that I "lose two pounds per week" which gives me about 1400 if I don't exercise. But usually I do burning anywhere from 250-600 calories a day and usually eating most of it back.

(This past three day weekend was abnormal for me in terms of working out!)

BigDaddyBRC

Took a look...I see that you dont track your sodium. With some of the choices you make on your diet, I can but only speculate a few things...

1. Sodium is out of sight.
2. your activity level may not be accurate
3. Do you drink water? You dont track your drinks

On your settings...is it truly accurate? What is your job? Are you on your feet MOVING all day? Leave your exercising out of that.

cmriverside

You are not eating NEARLY enough, it sounds like!!!

Here: read these:

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

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/226404-bmr-maintenance

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

Set your goal realistically. You have a moderately active life. You should set your goal to "Lose 1/2 pound per week"

Read those links and you will understand.

chickybuns

Try eating closer to your goal, you usually have 300-400 under.

stephelan

I don't track what I do during my job but I have worn a heart-rate monitor to work and found that I burn, on average, 500-750 calories just being at work. (Might not be a lot?)

And yes, I drink lots of water!

I was thinking it might be some of the more complicated things such as ingredients like sodium and sugar. But it's just been going on for so long that I wasn't sure. My settings are about as accurate as they can be! I say I have a slightly active lifestyle and I'm on my feet literally all day.

I always hope I'm eating enough. I just feel like I'm stuffing my face constantly!

Thank you for your help, everyone! I'm going to take some of your suggestions into consideration and see how that goes. I'm willing to try anything!

psych101

Ok, after a quick squiz at your diary:

You seem to drink a lot of your meals - perhaps you can look to include more actual food rather than meal replacements, shakes and bars. You're doing great on getting some fruit in, but what about more veges - they help to fill you up and give you vitamins and nutrients.
Start tracking your sodium.

On some days your NET calories are way low. My advice would be to change your goal to -0.5 to -1 lb each week, and eat back most of your exercise calories as well.

stephelan

I think that's what I'm going to try. That, and tracking my sodium. I'll admit that I don't usually keep track of secondary things outside of the calories and the fat and that might be my downfall.

I'm off to soccer now. Thanks for the suggestions! I'll check on this when I get back, I appreciate anything I can get to jump off of this plateau!