Help/Suggestions PLEASE!!

Switty_Kitty

Anyone with productive advice, please pick apart my diary. Beat me up. Kick me. Swear at me....Please....suggest what I need to change! 2 1/2 months of really watching what I eat and I feel like Im getting nowhere.

Thanks xo

Sidesteal

Fuzz's Taco.


But on a serious note:

Do you weigh and measure food portions and is your journal accurate? What has your weight done in the last two months?

Switty_Kitty

hahahaha! Im adding you.

No, I don't weigh my food....Nor do I measure what coming out the other end. lol
I estimate, and usually over estimate I think. Since christmas, Ive lost about 12lbs, but about 5 of that was due to 2 bad weeks due to health issues.

megaron01

How much water do you drink a day? I see that you haven't tracked that much either. And you should definitely get a food scale............it has helped me out immensely............

Sidesteal

hahahaha! Im adding you.

No, I don't weigh my food....Nor do I measure what coming out the other end. lol
I estimate, and usually over estimate I think. Since christmas, Ive lost about 12lbs, but about 5 of that was due to 2 bad weeks due to health issues.

The first and only change I would make for starters is to try and increase your accuracy with portions. If this means measuring just for a few weeks, do so. I do believe that you will get good at estimating once you've spent some time measuring portions and I realize it's a bit of an obsessive behavior to constantly measure. Think of it as a two week training period to teach yourself how to estimate properly.

Do this first without changing anything else so that you can first establish whether or not you're eating a reasonable amount.

Phrak

hahahaha! Im adding you.

No, I don't weigh my food....Nor do I measure what coming out the other end. lol
I estimate, and usually over estimate I think. Since christmas, Ive lost about 12lbs, but about 5 of that was due to 2 bad weeks due to health issues.

If you dont accurately measure the food that goes into your mouth, you could be over your cals by a long shot. I always get worried when i see home made stuff. That piece of lasagna might have actually been 6oz and close to 500cal etc, etc.

christelleigh7877

I agree with the food scale comments. You really don't realize how much you're eating until you weight it. What people think is 4-6 ounces is really more like 8 or more. And that can make a huge difference. Also, not all calories are created equal. So 260 calories in a slice of pizza is not the same as a portion of salmon for example! Also, I noticed that you're consuming alot of starchy carbs later in the day. I try to eat my starches before 3 p.m. And I NEVER eat white pastas, breads or rice. Not only is whole grain or wheat healthier, it doesn't spike your blood sugar levels. I've managed to keep alot of weight off over the years just making those switches. I only struggle with 5-10 pounds every now and again when I fall off the wagon. Haha.

Switty_Kitty

I will consider a scale.
I rarely to bread or pasta anymore, despite it being on the best things on earth....Thanks guys!

toque88

I don't have a scare but I measure everything I eat using tbsp and measuring cups. I also count out items like crackers and cookies and put them in sandwich bags. I also eat unsalted nuts every day - about 170 calories worth and it helps me stay satisfied. Good luck Erin! :glasses:

dhencel

12 pounds lost is getting somewhere!!!!!!!

TrailRunner61

12 pounds in 2 1/2 months is AWESOME! Don't be so hard on yourself! I'm assuming you're like most of us and didn't gain the weight overnight? Slow but steady is the way to do it and not gain it all back. Also, I look at it as a lifestyle not a DIET. Most people associate a DIET with being deprived. I'm trying to eat to live instead of living to eat. Keep logging, keep exercising and you will do this!

danmoffett

I've lost 153 pounds by living a LCHF lifestyle. I'm almost 58 years old. I wish I'd known about this years ago. If I can do it you can do it. The following information is taken from dietdoctor.com
Check out my blog for my story. I have nothing to sell and you will find no ads on my blog. Just lots of helpful free information.

"Do you want to eat real food (as much as you like) and improve your health and weight? It may sound too good to be true, but LCHF is a method that has been used for 150 years. Now modern science proves that it works.

There is no weighing your food, no counting, no bizarre “meal replacements”, no pills. There is just real food and common sense. And by the way, all the advice here is 100 percent free.

LCHF (Low Carb, High Fat) means you eat less carbohydrates with a higher proportion of fat. The most important point is to minimize your intake of sugar and starches. That way you can eat other delicious foods until you are satisfied – and still lose weight.

A number of recent high quality scientific studies show that LCHF makes it easier to lose weight and control your blood sugar. And that may just be the beginning.

The basics

Eat: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables growing above ground and natural fats (like butter).
Avoid: sugar and starchy foods (like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes).

Eat when you’re hungry until you are satisfied. It’s that simple. You do not need to count calories or weigh your food. And just forget about industrially produced low fat products.

There are good scientific reasons why LCHF works. When you avoid sugar and starches your blood sugar stabilizes and the levels of the fat storing hormone insulin drops. This increases your fat burning and make you feel more satiated.

The problem of sugar and starch

All digestible carbohydrates are broken down to simple sugars in the intestines. The sugar is absorbed into the blood, raising the blood glucose. This increases the production of the hormone insulin. And insulin is our fat storing hormone.

Insulin is produced in the pancreas. In large amounts insulin prevents fat burning and stores surplus nutrients in the fat cells. After some time (a few hours or less) this may result in a shortage of nutrients in the blood, creating feelings of hunger and cravings for something sweet. Usually at that point people eat some more. That starts the process again, a vicious cycle leading to weight gain.

A low intake of carbohydrates gives you a lower and more stable blood glucose, and lower amounts of insulin. This increases the release of fat from your fat stores and increases the fat burning. This usually gives fat loss, especially around the tummy in abdominally obese individuals.
Weight loss without hunger

LCHF makes it easier for the body to use its fat stores, as their release is no longer blocked by high insulin levels. This may be a reason why intake of fat gives a longer feeling of satiety than carbohydrates. Caloric intake usually drops in studies when the participants eat all they want on a low carb diet.

So, no counting or weighing of the food is required. You can forget about the calories and trust your feelings of hunger and satiety. Most people don’t need to count or weigh their food any more than they need to count their breathing. If you don´t believe it, just try a couple of weeks and see for yourself.

Health as a bonus

No animals in nature need the assistance of nutritional expertise or calorie charts to eat. And still, as long as they eat the food they are designed to eat they stay at a normal weight and they avoid caries, diabetes and heart disease. Why would humans be an exception? Why would you be an exception?

In scientific studies not only is the weight improved on a low carb diet – the blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol profile (HDL, triglycerides) is also improved. A calm stomach and less cravings for sweet food is also common experiences.
Initial side effects

If you stop eating sugar and starch cold turkey (recommended) you may experience some side effects as your body gets used to it. For most people it is relatively mild and just lasts a few days. Also there are ways to minimize it.

Common during the first week:

Headache
Tiredness
Dizziness
Heart palpitations
Irritability

The side effects rapidly subside as your body adapts and your fat burning increases. They can be minimized by drinking some extra fluid and temporarily increasing your salt intake somewhat. A good way can be some broth every few hours. Alternatively drink a few extra glasses of water and put some more salt on your food.

The reason is that carbohydrate rich foods may increase the water retention in your body. When you stop eating that food you will lose excess water through your kidneys. That may give dehydration and lack of salt in the first week before the body has had time to adapt.

Some prefer to decrease the intake of carbohydrates slowly, over a few weeks, to minimize side effects. But for most it is wise to take away most sugar and starch right away. A few extra pounds of fluids lost on the scale in the first days is great for the motivation.
How low to go?

The less carbohydrate you eat the more pronounced the effect on your weight and blood sugar will be. I recommend following the dietary advice as strict as you can. When you are happy with your weight and health you may gradually try eating more liberally (if you want to)."

danmoffett

hahahaha! Im adding you.

No, I don't weigh my food....Nor do I measure what coming out the other end. lol
I estimate, and usually over estimate I think. Since christmas, Ive lost about 12lbs, but about 5 of that was due to 2 bad weeks due to health issues.

You don't have to weigh your food, you don't have to count calories. FREE YOURSELF from all this crap. Eat right.