Getting really upset

mzhokie

I felt weird eating back calories when I wasn't hungry. I have been doing some reading and if you have at least one day of the week with net calories below 1200, your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down.

I know it doesn't seem right but it's about keeping your metabolism up so it will burn fat. I have experienced it first hand to know exactly what you are going through. Add in a little more at each meal or just reward yourself at the end of the day.

andreanicole686

I agree with the others up your calorie intake to around 1350 or 1400 and try adding in weights with the cardio as well. Whatever your cardio time is i.e. 30 minutes up it 10 minutes to 40. etc.

mcdonnell77

After looking at your food diary i think you are eating too many carbs and sometimes not enough calories. Try and keep your carbs to around 50g a day as most of the time you are eating 100-150+ a day. Also ditch the cheese and try eating more lean meat such as chicken or turkey. Instead of having lean cuisine for dinner try 2 grilled chicken breasts with lots of veg, its low in refined carbs and high in protien. Also make sure you are eating a minimum of 1200 calories a day otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and start storing fat instead of burning it. If you eat only 50g of carbs a day soon you body will go into ketosis and will have no choice other than to burn all your stored carbs. I am doing this and have lost nearly 50lbs in under 3 months.

PHATmommy68

You don't have to eat fish or avocado if you don't like them. Nor do you have to live on diet frozen meals - they are loaded with bad-for-you stuff that could be hindering your progress.

You likely need to eat more - and better too. It seems counter-intuitive, but bumping up your net intake to 1200-1300 might be just the boost your body needs. Why aren't you eating the same things as your husband/family? A little tweaking and portion control makes real food (foods you LIKE) within reason for your daily diet.

Make sure you're getting enough protein and water too, especially if you're active!

Because my husband is 6 foot 4 and 180 pounds. He lives on pizza rolls, fast food, and burritos and its just me, him, and my daughter who eats baby food. That's why we don't eat meals together. And I drink tons of water like 10 to 12 glasses a day I just don't log my water.

It wouldn't hurt him to get on a better diet either! Just because he sounds fit, doesn 't mean he's eating FIT! If the food is in the house, he and YOU will eat it! Time to totally overhaul what you are doing! How old is your daughter? If she's on babyfood, sounds like you recently became a mom! Don't forget about the fact that you still have baby weight and thats understandable!

CharlieBarleyMom

Up your calories to at least 1600. LOG EVERYTHING YOU EAT. EVERYTHING. Pre-log so you know where you have room... Exercise a little, walk a mile every other day to start.

EAT. LOG. EAT. LOG. EAT. LOG.

chevy88grl

Okay, I haven't read the other comments - but, I'm going to tell you that I looked at your diary and you aren't eating enough. That's the first place to start. You have days where you only net 900 or 1000 calories. That is far too low. You need to work on making sure the bottom number is as close to zero as possible (and I think you're probably going to find that 1200 calories simply isn't enough calories for you, but first focus on eating the full 1200!).

I'm not one who tells people what kind of foods they should or shouldn't eat. I don't eat perfectly, but I also don't have to worry about things like carbs or sodium. Perhaps your body is sensitive to those things, so you need to be watching those AND watching your calories.

This is a game of trial and error to figure out what works for your body and what doesn't. Don't give up.

k8blujay2

I agree with those who say you need to eat more, and eat better! Log everything, even bites of your hubby's food, or even better, don't snitch his food! Do you log your exercise? I didn't see any earned exercise calories at the bottom of your diary. If you are exercising and not logging it, and only showing 900-1000 calories a day, your net cals for the day are probably REALLY low.

You should be netting at least 1200 per day, probably more. You gotta feed your body, especially if you are asking it to work hard with exercise. More protein rich foods, especially for breakfast!

Search around the forums - there are quite a few topics with people's info on having great success with eating more calories. Sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but it works.

No I don't exercise besides walking unless you count chasing a 1 year old around all day. I don't.get time to exercise

Ok... Now I know this is going to sound like berating as well... but I'm trying not to... I too have a one year old. I also work 40 hours a week, and I still manage to find time to exercise... It's not easy, but if you really want it you will do it no matter how hard it seems. I try to exercise at the very least for 30 minutes after she goes to bed (which is at 8, because she has to be up by 6:30 in the morning)... Also, I saw you mention that you and your husband eat different meals at different times? Why? It is also the three of us in my household and I make dinner whether my husband wants to eat it or not. If you don't have time later in the day, the slow cooker is your friend... I swear!

Honestly, (and I admit I'm being a bit brutal here) if you really want to be healthier and lose weight, then there is no excuse in the world that is good enough... So you don't like fish or avacados... Ok, find leaner cuts of meat (chicken, turkey, even read meats) and eat them in a decent serving size... not the big 8+ oz. behemoth portions we are used to...

Coco_Puff

You need to eat!!!!! Your body isn't goona let go of anything if it thinks it's starving. Eat the numer MFP gave you from the start plus your exercise calories. It's the fuel that keeps your body burning the fat!

LosingLizard

Ok....I am going to give you the same speech I give every one else. I looked at your food journal. You are not eating enough and what you are eating is a lot of processed crap. Yes, you do eat some veggies but you also eat a lot of processed food and you are starving your body. That is why you are not losing weight. Plain and simple. Start adding things like avocados, nuts/seeds, salmon, dark leafy greens, fresh fruit, ect. Instead of buying dip for your veg make your own. make some guacamole to go with them.

I dont eat fish or avacado. Im not going to eat stuff that tastes gross to lose weight that doesn't make.any sense and I don't see how people can eat nuts that would take up all of my calories. Im not saying I eat perfect but at 215 pounds I shouldn't have to be eating nothing but veggies to lose weight.

This - this post right here, and the one about you are eating more calories that aren't logged - is why you're stuck.

She gave you the answer and you didn't like it, so you're going to dismiss it. But she's exactly right. The sodium is off the charts, and you're eating practically nothing but processed carbs. This will never help you lose weight, and you will be stuck as long as you continue.

And sorry dear, but weight loss "should" be a lot of things (like easy, quick, fun, etc) but it's not. It takes, work, effort, real change, and it's hard.

I don't mean to sound rude, but it drives me crazy when people are "so upset, so frustrated" and then dismiss all the advice they are given because it doesn't sound like what they want.

Everyone else is also telling you to up your calories. They are also right. Use the calories everyone else is telling you to add to eat the nuts. Or whatever food you like, as long as it doesn't have a wrapper!

jenlatham

If you're really only eating what's in your diary, you must be so hungry all day! I'd suggest finding a nutritionist to help you develop an eating plan that includes more filling foods that are less calorie-dense and more nutritious (ones that you like -- not fish or avocadoes!). You're eating so many refined carbs and processed foods that your body may be overweight, but it's probably malnourished, too.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I looked at your diary, from the few days I looked at you're not eating enough or logging exercise which means you're really not eating enough. It's not just starve yourself + exercise = lose weight. There's a balance. Go here and read:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390234-does-starvation-mode-exist-and-what-is-it

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390143-calories-in-vs-calories-out

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390147-what-are-net-calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390214-expectations-during-weight-loss

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories

and last but not least (straight from the general diet and weight loss page itself):

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

xxxAimeeHxxx

I dont know much but one thing i have learnt is your body burns sugar before it burns fat.
Adjust your diary to show sugars along with carbs and cal's etc.. if you keep your sugars down you will start to burn the fat.
But the others are right you need to be eating more cause you are starving your body!!
Add me if you want?

xx

leannems

This is some amazing advice, but in particular 7)

You say you are walking every day, but you don't track it. You're also running around after a toddler, but don't track that.

If you are not tracking your exercise, and your lifestyle is set to sedentary, you simply are not eating enough calories (and yes, some better choices will do you well - more lean proteins in particular). Your body likely thinks you are starving it and will hold on to the weight.

And sorry to those who hate long quotes, but the below stuff is great.

I agree with most of the other posters here.

1) Track your sodium. With what you are eating you are consuming a TON of sodium. Track that and than find ways to lower it. Best thing is less processed foods (frozen, canned, dried, etc).

2) Drink more water. I'm not sure if you aren't tracking it or aren't drinking it as your diary says no water.

3) Eat less processed foods. There is far too many calories, sodium, etc for the actual nutrition you get from them.

4) Make your own meals. You can make the same things you buy frozen for cheaper and MUCh healthier. Pick a day during the week when you are off work and don't have a lot to do. Spend the day in the kitchen. You can make your own frozen meals if the frozen dinner is easy for you. Make a big batch of salad and put in the fridge. Take bits each day. Make extra food when you cook and eat that the next day.

5) Track everything! Every little bite adds up and could be what is hurting you. Yes it's hard but if it's too hard for you to do you won't be successful. Either you're in it for the long run or not. Weight loss isn't easy and it will take time.

6) Measure everything! Kitchen scale, measuring spoons, measuring cups, etc. That way you will know exactly what you are eating in a day. Yes, it takes time but other wise you aren't committing to the journey 100%.

7) Eat more! 1200 is not enough for most of the population. Eating less won't make you lose more or make you lose faster. In the long run it will hurt you and your body. You need to fuel your body for it to work properly.

8) Healthy food doesn't have to taste bad. It can taste amazing! Experiment. Try different things. What you didn't like a few years ago you might like now.

9) Pay attention to portion sizes. Those small cartons of milk you can buy in the stores are actually TWO servings. Some little bags of chips are two servings for the bag. A portion size of veggies dip is usually two TBSP. Not a whole lot. That can change the actual amount you are eating.

10) Use the nutrional information on the foods you have and are eating. Ifyou have the package find the exact nutritional information match in the database or input it yourself. MFP has members from all over the world and food has different things in them and different nutriontional values.

Charismasme2

I was the same way yesterday morning, and I know from past weight loss that I'm carb sensitive, and what I did was take a look at the "carb goals" that MFP set up for me and I lowered it. It worked as I dropped 2.6#. So will continue to keep my eye on the number that I hit yesterday for carbs and keep it there. Try that. Look at the amount of carbs your taking in. Just a suggestion. Good Luck and keep going!

brenteesha

Alright I'm at work, so I don't have time to read through 5 pages of comments to see what has been said and not said. I agree with a lot of what I've read so far, so I'll reiterate that here.

First off, most importantly in my opinion, is you need to eat more. 1200 is quite a low calorie goal -- VERY low, especially for someone just beginning. I agree with the post that said 1500-1800 calories is probably good. Don't expect the pounds to fall off either -- a pound a week or so is good progress. Also, be sure to log your calories burned from exercise!!! If you are eating 1200 calories and exercising on top of that, your body is definitely starving. If that is the case, it's clear why you haven't experienced much weight loss yet. Your body thinks it's being starved.

Also, keep the kind of food you eat in mind, not just the calories. Calories are a great way to measure your progress, but if it's full of processed food and other junk, you won't make as much progress as you could. I eat frozen dinners too, and lose weight... but I only eat them 1-2 times per week, in addition to a majority of fresh food from home. I'm also at a goal of 1600 calories and I usually go slightly over, plus I always cheat on the weekends. Some of my suggestions for easy to prepare food at home include sandwiches, salads, chili (I've made it 4 times this winter already! So good for you), spaghetti sauce and chicken. You can keep frozen chicken in the freezer, and throw a breast or two in the oven when you need a quick, healthy dinner. Throw some veggies in with it and you're good to go! If you need more ideas as far as healthier food, check the recipe message boards. There are TONS of great ideas!

Lastly, I would recommend weighing in no more than every other week. If you do it too often you won't see much of a difference and that may become discouraging. I hope your journey gets easier and more productive. Don't give up! It will be a slow process, but if you stay dedicated you will start to see results. (:

poesch77

Oh my Lord...you sound like me! I have been losing only 4-5lbs per month since I started last March on here and I was 247lbs! Yes....you would think a bigger person would lose faster but we all lose at different rates! Just keep at it and it will start coming off! I read somewhere that at each 20lb loss our bodies go into a standstill for a month or 2 then start losing again.....I have changed my stuff ( calories...up and down) water intake upped, changed a million times my workouts and lowered my carbs just to keep tricking my slow-*kitten* metabolism! Be persistant and IT WILL PAY OFF! Friend me if you'd like some motivation and support! Good luck!

PHATmommy68

Ok....I am going to give you the same speech I give every one else. I looked at your food journal. You are not eating enough and what you are eating is a lot of processed crap. Yes, you do eat some veggies but you also eat a lot of processed food and you are starving your body. That is why you are not losing weight. Plain and simple. Start adding things like avocados, nuts/seeds, salmon, dark leafy greens, fresh fruit, ect. Instead of buying dip for your veg make your own. make some guacamole to go with them.

I dont eat fish or avacado. Im not going to eat stuff that tastes gross to lose weight that doesn't make.any sense and I don't see how people can eat nuts that would take up all of my calories. Im not saying I eat perfect but at 215 pounds I shouldn't have to be eating nothing but veggies to lose weight.

This - this post right here, and the one about you are eating more calories that aren't logged - is why you're stuck.

She gave you the answer and you didn't like it, so you're going to dismiss it. But she's exactly right. The sodium is off the charts, and you're eating practically nothing but processed carbs. This will never help you lose weight, and you will be stuck as long as you continue.

And sorry dear, but weight loss "should" be a lot of things (like easy, quick, fun, etc) but it's not. It takes, work, effort, real change, and it's hard.

I don't mean to sound rude, but it drives me crazy when people are "so upset, so frustrated" and then dismiss all the advice they are given because it doesn't sound like what they want.

Everyone else is also telling you to up your calories. They are also right. Use the calories everyone else is telling you to add to eat the nuts. Or whatever food you like, as long as it doesn't have a wrapper!

I am GLAD you said this! This individual doesn't want to work for the results that you want! If you are just going to dismiss everyone's suggestions, then don't post on this site!

Also, I would guarantee you that the frozen meals you are buying are adding up to more than a replacement propane tank costs sincey you said you can't afford to get a replacment tank.

Just being truthful! The only one that can change this is YOU!!!!!

Izanami66

Bump.

Yes, I agree that eating more, and trying to get more whole foods would benefit you.

I have a question regarding BMR and TDEE. My BMR is around 1200, and I am a dancer who practices 3-4 days a week for 1-2 hours. On my off days, I try to do a mix of cardio and strength traning (a DVD which incorporates aerobic/dance with squats, crunches, leg lifts, etc.) If I figure that activity in and add it to my BMR to get my TDEE, I would think that most of my exercise would already be accounted for. So my question is, is it still a good idea to eat back exercise calories, even though it's accounted for in my TDEE?? This is the one thing that I still don't quite understand. Any thoughts would be appreciated.:flowerforyou:

Tangerine302

Everyone is saying to eat more! Doesn't sound like much of a problem to have!

In the long run most people want to just be healthier. It may not be now, but with your husband eating pizza rolls, burritos, and fast food all the time, it will probably catch up to him. Since you have a baby, I assume you both aren't really that old. In time, things like cholesterol issues, etc. come up.

I like so many different foods and know that when I buy them, I eat them until they are gone. What helps is not to buy those kinds of foods in the first place. You have to make one decision in the store to buy it or not. The problem is if you decide to buy it, it is in your house. When it is in your house, you have to make the decision all day long whether you can have some or not. Makes it so hard. We all are guilty of it, but when you really want to change yourself, you need to change your way of thinking. It may not be easy, but you have to do it. What helps is not to buy frozen meals, burritos, and pizza rolls.

Go to the produce section and pick out your favorites. If you need to buy frozen veggies, get some of those. It's good to eat items that have one ingredient. Apple, banana, vegetables, meat, etc.

Good luck to you! You have already made the decision to want to lose weight, now go a step further.

If you don't like fish, chicken has plenty of protein.

mollyjackson82

unfortunately you are looking for the easy way out. there isn't one. losing weight healthy is hard work. you need to eat right and exercise and seriously change your lifestyle to take it off and keep it. you can't eat your meals and part or your husbands just because you feel deprived. try to make the foods you love healthier! i am going to be honest...it won't replace those loved foods at first but the more and more you eat healthy and you feel good, you won't want the nasty stuff anymore. i suggest emilybites.com....it is real food made healthier! try to cut out as much white flour as you can and eat whole grains. again somethign you won't like at first but once you get used to it....you will prefer it. it is all about how much YOU want this. Just by your responses, I see you fighting back on all advice. If you didn't want help and weren't willing to change...why solicit it? you can do this but you need to want to in order for it to work.

LJC44

People should start to get frustrated and post these type of threads after months if there is a problem. It takes work to get there!

vettle

you're not eating enough food. check out my profile for a website that really helped me.

psuLemon

Bump.

Yes, I agree that eating more, and trying to get more whole foods would benefit you.

I have a question regarding BMR and TDEE. My BMR is around 1200, and I am a dancer who practices 3-4 days a week for 1-2 hours. On my off days, I try to do a mix of cardio and strength traning (a DVD which incorporates aerobic/dance with squats, crunches, leg lifts, etc.) If I figure that activity in and add it to my BMR to get my TDEE, I would think that most of my exercise would already be accounted for. So my question is, is it still a good idea to eat back exercise calories, even though it's accounted for in my TDEE?? This is the one thing that I still don't quite understand. Any thoughts would be appreciated.:flowerforyou:

Side note to start - That seems really low for a BMR. Second, if you figure your exercise into your TDEE then you don't eat exercise calories. Because your form a deficit off your TDEE (this should include exercise, lifestyle and other daily activities).


I would check your BMR here : http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

And then post the results from the Harris Benedict formula.

susannamarie

And it looks like I don't eat my calories but I do. I use those for cushion if I take a bite if my husbands dinner, or have a bite of cheese or a piece of lunch meat or anything that I happen to eat that is hard to log

And this might be the problem - those little bites of cheese or meat or your husband's dinner are probably a lot higher in calories than you realise - cheese in particular is very high in fat and calories. You are probably in reality eating much more than 1200 calories a day without realising it.

My advice would be, either cut out those little bites - have some planned snacks that you log in your diary instead. And those hard to log things - search hard enough and you will find something that matches.

Above all else - log everything you eat!!!
[/quote]

This. Start being careful of your tracking. If you're taking a 'bite' frequently, it may add up to more than you think quite quickly.

Or just start serving yourself one small normal portion and stop taking 'bites'.

rcpayton

.even a little bite of cheese can be 100+ calories.

Exactly what variety of cheese packs 100+ calories in a "little bite"?

Well, some people call string cheese a 'bite'. The point is to log everything down so you dont take in more calories than you burned.

psuLemon

And it looks like I don't eat my calories but I do. I use those for cushion if I take a bite if my husbands dinner, or have a bite of cheese or a piece of lunch meat or anything that I happen to eat that is hard to log

And this might be the problem - those little bites of cheese or meat or your husband's dinner are probably a lot higher in calories than you realise - cheese in particular is very high in fat and calories. You are probably in reality eating much more than 1200 calories a day without realising it.

My advice would be, either cut out those little bites - have some planned snacks that you log in your diary instead. And those hard to log things - search hard enough and you will find something that matches.

Above all else - log everything you eat!!!

This. Start being careful of your tracking. If you're taking a 'bite' frequently, it may add up to more than you think quite quickly.

Or just start serving yourself one small normal portion and stop taking 'bites'.
[/quote]

I agree, but I would be surprised if those calories equate to 800 calories. Based on the math, she should be eating around 1600 calories and she is only eating 800. The 800 calories it the issue an needs to up her caloric intake.

susannamarie

And it looks like I don't eat my calories but I do. I use those for cushion if I take a bite if my husbands dinner, or have a bite of cheese or a piece of lunch meat or anything that I happen to eat that is hard to log

And this might be the problem - those little bites of cheese or meat or your husband's dinner are probably a lot higher in calories than you realise - cheese in particular is very high in fat and calories. You are probably in reality eating much more than 1200 calories a day without realising it.

My advice would be, either cut out those little bites - have some planned snacks that you log in your diary instead. And those hard to log things - search hard enough and you will find something that matches.

Above all else - log everything you eat!!!

This. Start being careful of your tracking. If you're taking a 'bite' frequently, it may add up to more than you think quite quickly.

Or just start serving yourself one small normal portion and stop taking 'bites'.

I agree, but I would be surprised if those calories equate to 800 calories. Based on the math, she should be eating around 1600 calories and she is only eating 800. The 800 calories it the issue an needs to up her caloric intake.

I don't know. I remember seeing a friend 'skip' a meal because she was dieting, and by the time she'd had one bite of everyone else's meal it had to have added up to 600 calories. (She took a bloody big chunk of my bacon sandwich).

Bottom line, OP -- you need to track your foods accurately to get a better recommendation from other people. Otherwise, any recommendations are purely based on guesswork.

tracyturnblad

Bump

Meaganandcheese

.even a little bite of cheese can be 100+ calories.

Exactly what variety of cheese packs 100+ calories in a "little bite"?

Well, some people call string cheese a 'bite'. The point is to log everything down so you dont take in more calories than you burned.

I would say that if you aren't tracking BLTs (bites, licks, tastes) you really have no idea what the calories are. Guessing doesn't work.

LJC44

I do not track every tiny thing haha. I hardly do my food journals. I did one yesterday and can't believe it said I should eat more! I eat 5 times a day! I believe it will help to track but I don't think one bite will do total damage!