Working hard, but still so new at this and could use some he

jynckz

Hi there,

I started out at 286lbs and I am down to 249, a lot of that loss in the last few weeks. I stopped eating anything with gluten, dairy or 'white (rice potatoes sugar etc). I still have my tea with milk and sugar in the morning and won't give that up, but mostly eat whole foods and drink as much water as I can. I am not eating enough calories, I see that, but it isn't easy without wheat and dairy! I would love some advice on how to up my calories without people telling me that I am starving myself and that I will only gain weight back. I am here for constructive advice, not criticism!

I do an hour of cardio daily and try to swim twice a week. Also do the Biggest Loser and Your Shape work outs (from Xbox 360) 4 times a week. I have a fitbit to measure my steps, stairs and sleep quality.

My food diary is currently private, but the password is 1234. I am eating 3 meals a day, 1-2 snacks and rarely get above 6-700 calories, add in the exercise and it is even worse. I am looking at getting more red meat into my meals.. maybe bison or game meats. Would rather eat grass fed than grain fed.

From reading other forum posts.. I could add nuts as a snack.. what are your thoughts on beans/legumes?

What sites do you use for recipes?

I want to lose weight in a healthy way, to be an example for my family and my children, and to be as healthy as possibly while doing it. And well... keeping it off would be nice. I have so much more energy already and my head feels clear. I rarely sleep in, not even on weekends (when I used to sleep in til at least 11) and I am drawn to exercise.. never ever thought I would enjoy it but I love the exhaustion after, and the rush of energy that follows

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any advice

kerriberry74

Hi. I was just getting ready to crash when I came across your post. Since i'm still trying to find my way when it comes to my diet- mine isn't horrible, but it's probably the greatest either- i'm not really the best person to give advice, but I can say that beans and the like would be a great addition. Chick peas are my personal favorite, although kidney beans rank really high (I recently threw together a chili so good that even my veggie hating mom liked it). I've also made some good soups with things like lentils & barley.

As for recipes, my go- to site has been food.com. It's fairly easy to use- you can put in a specific ingredient/category of food and in many cases get a good number of recipes. The only problem is some searches can bring up so many different recipes, wading through them can be a daunting task.

You're definitely on the right track, so keep up the good work and I hope this helps you out at least a little bit!

T_i_c_k

Hello,

You need to do some different exercises, as well as bump up your caloric intake. Work in some weight training as opposed to just cardio. If you do a fast paced circuit training work out, keeping your heart rate up, you will shed fat.

The reason that I say you should boost your calories is because eating too few calories can stall your metabolism, sending your body into a hoarding mode. You need to get it up to 1200 or so. As far as what you should eat - high protein, low fat is ideal. If you exercise a lot, carbs are a must, but too much and your body stores it for later.

T.C.

jynckz

I have a home gym and use it as often as possible.. I do an hour on the elliptical each day, cardio and circuit training, but haven't started weights.. I do have resistance bands though and will work those in asap.

I have to get over the eating part.. I eat til I am stuffed, but my meals are very low calorie.. high protein.. carbs as low as possible..

I wish I could afford a personal trainer.. someone who could also help me plan meals..

I am going to try to up my calories, not easy psycologically.. Maybe I need to increase the frequency/meals. I am not hungry, don't find myself craving foods or finding it hard to make it through the day energy-wise..

It all seemed so easy until I started reading the forums! lol

leogirl724

black beans
natural peanut butter
simply~fruit roll ups
organic almond butter granola bar
dark chocolate
raw almonds
celery/carrots w/ veggie dip
eggs

jadedone

Try to add legumes: beans and lentils. These will add some calories and additional fiber (and are gluten free). In terms of grains: add brown rice, wild rice or quinoa. You can also add sweet potatoes and winter squash as well.

Good luck!

Lozze

Well you could add back the yolk. You could add more fruit. Add an extra couple of cups of veggies to dinner. Have another piece of chicken with dinner. Add a couple of extra pieces of chocolate. Add cheese, tuna, higher calorie veggies.

Why did you give up wheat? Wholemeal is a wonderful addition to the diet. I have PCOS and follow low GI and have lost weight steadily.

You'll need to accept your hunger meter is broken. Don't force yourself to eat till you're sick but just eat a tiny bit more. I'm not much smaller than you and eat double what you eat. My diary is open if you want a look. (I do use JC as a tool but it makes sure I eat enough and is teaching me portion control)

auntiekj

I use the Eating Well Magazine and website for ideas. They have some really good non-dairy smoothies from last month. Also here is a link to a blog that has some ideas of Healthy snack foods.

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/fresh-food-friday-100-healthy-snack.html

T_i_c_k

Get a meal replacement supplement. A protein shake from walmart. I just ate 3 eggs, 16 ounces of milk, and 1 slice of wheat bread for breakfast = 490 Calories......calories are easy to come by if you really want them. :-)

jynckz

I could eat a burger too and get calories hehe.. But I don't eat wheat or dairy... I know I CAN find higher calorie foods, but I want to eat unprocessed as much as possible.. Maybe adding the yolks back in would be a good idea.. hmmm

jynckz

I started adding nuts and seeds and adding a bit more to my meals.. I'll increase my calories over time, but really want to stick to whole, natural foods.

Thank you everyone!