Struggling - any suggestions?

psuLemon

Thanks.

Don't know how I can get the weight training in though. I'm not a member of a gym and don't have weights that heavy at home.

Also looking at the breakdown of what I have been eating it seems I need to up my protein by quite a lot and cut my carbs a little. Also increase my fat. I don't eat a lot of meat generally. What would you suggest. I was thinking eggs for breakfast for a start and snack on some nuts throughout the day? Any other suggestions?

If you want to do inexpensive weight training at home look into resistance bands. If you can afford $300 the i suggest selcttech dumbells. Also for more calories and protein look into protein shakes. I love EAS and body fortress.

Nikstergirl

Everyone telling you to eat more is exactly right. Try for the 40% protein and focus on that first. The carbs will come down just to hit that number. For strength training, there's a lot you can do without weights. Push ups and pull ups are AWESOME for strength training and require very little equipment. You can get a pull up bar at a store for $20 that you put over a door frame. I use one and it works great! Weights are awesome, but the resistance bands which are much cheaper will work great too, I'll bet you can search for free videos online on how to use them. I'm doing P90X and it's awesome, but not everyone can afford the program ($120 for the DVD's). You can get the basic idea through lots of YouTube vids and stuff. Overtraining is real and it's not good for you. I'm not telling you to stop running, I love to run, but if you're running that much you NEED to eat more! Try adding some whey protein shakes, the mixes aren't that expensive (I get mine at Target) and really help you add more protein without a lot of fuss.

All that said, the 4 pounds you think you want to lose may just be unnecessary. If it's a size pants you want to fit into, what I just suggested will get you there. Nobody notices 4 pounds on your body, trust me! If it's just to make you happy, then go for it, but you are healthy and that's the only thing that matters! EAT for crying out loud!!! You can't run your car without fuel, and you shouldn't try to run your body without it either!!!

spanglevie

Everyone telling you to eat more is exactly right. Try for the 40% protein and focus on that first. The carbs will come down just to hit that number. For strength training, there's a lot you can do without weights. Push ups and pull ups are AWESOME for strength training and require very little equipment. You can get a pull up bar at a store for $20 that you put over a door frame. I use one and it works great! Weights are awesome, but the resistance bands which are much cheaper will work great too, I'll bet you can search for free videos online on how to use them. I'm doing P90X and it's awesome, but not everyone can afford the program ($120 for the DVD's). You can get the basic idea through lots of YouTube vids and stuff. Overtraining is real and it's not good for you. I'm not telling you to stop running, I love to run, but if you're running that much you NEED to eat more! Try adding some whey protein shakes, the mixes aren't that expensive (I get mine at Target) and really help you add more protein without a lot of fuss.

All that said, the 4 pounds you think you want to lose may just be unnecessary. If it's a size pants you want to fit into, what I just suggested will get you there. Nobody notices 4 pounds on your body, trust me! If it's just to make you happy, then go for it, but you are healthy and that's the only thing that matters! EAT for crying out loud!!! You can't run your car without fuel, and you shouldn't try to run your body without it either!!!

Thanks for that, still trying to get my head around the whole eating more thing, but I'm trying! I have ordered some protein shake powder today as I am struggling to eat all that protein as I'm not a massive meat lover. This is difficult for me as I have been a slave to the scales for years and I'm not happy unless I'm a certain weight. Where did that weight come from - Weight Watchers gave me that target 20 years ago and in my head that's what I think I should be. I know it sounds crazy.

psuLemon

Thanks for that, still trying to get my head around the whole eating more thing, but I'm trying! I have ordered some protein shake powder today as I am struggling to eat all that protein as I'm not a massive meat lover. This is difficult for me as I have been a slave to the scales for years and I'm not happy unless I'm a certain weight. Where did that weight come from - Weight Watchers gave me that target 20 years ago and in my head that's what I think I should be. I know it sounds crazy.

Weight is completely meaningless and guess how many people know your weight.... thats right, just one. Being a certain weight doesn't mean you are healthy or fit or anything and it isn't even something that you can really be compared against nor will it give you the body you want. And when you stop caring about weight and start concentrating on fitness, life is much easier. Heck, I dont even log calories anymore. And I have lost 5 lbs by doing so. It's just one less stress factor in your life to worry about. You want to know my calories? 1. Decrease my body fat. 2. Consistently increase weights or reps counts. 3. Be stronger and healthy.

All of those are happening without counting calories and without concentrating on my weight. I have increase strength by 10% already and it's been 3 weeks. Below is another good story that shows weight is completely meaningless.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

spanglevie

Thanks, I've already read that story - all I can say is WOW!! Now if I could look like that I WOULD most certainly be happy

psuLemon

Thanks, I've already read that story - all I can say is WOW!! Now if I could look like that I WOULD most certainly be happy

You won't until you stop making weight your # 1 priority. When you stop worrying about weight and then worry about body composition, things will change. And believe it or not, weight will come with it.

ImKindOfABigDeal40

Read this post. Makes perfect sense to me.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/586298-if-you-are-scared-to-increase-calories

Emancipated_Tai

One week is not long enough for you to see progress. If it doesn't work after 4 weeks than you may need to try something different. Keep this in mind for any plan that you start, you need to give your body time to adapt to it before you see changes.

ggeise14

Add 7 yrs and this could be my story. I have joined the Eat More to Weigh Less group and need to follow up and get my TDEE and other info in line. I will be following this topic - thanks.

spanglevie

Hi everyone,

Well I'm nearly a week into this new regime and I'm getting my head round it more each day. I couldn't quite bring myself to jump into eating 1900 calories a day. So instead I've upped my daily to 1430 BUT I do eat ALL my exercise calories too. It's not far off what 1900 a day work out at over the week anyway. I just feel more comfortable (at the moment) eating what I know I've earned if you know what I mean.

One little thing I've come up against today maybe someone could help with? I'm trying to stick to 35% carbs / 40% protein / 25 fat. I've inputted tomorrows food (I like to plan ahead!) into my diary and it's telling me I have 214 calories remaining, but only 2 carbs, 1 fat and 4 protein. What can I eat?

And it is more important to eat the calories (which would mean I'd go over the ratios) or stick within the ratio and therefor not eat the remaining cals?

Bit confused about this, so if anyone could offer some sound advice that would be great.

Thanks in advance

em9371

If all your macros are spot on you should have 0 cals left. There are 4 cals per gram of carb, 4 protein And 9 fat. By having so many cals left but not many carb / fat / pro, that suggests that some of your entries are incorrect, or you have used some foods that have calories but no other nutritional value.

It doesn't matter if your macros are slightly over or under, it's hard to get th perfect every time. Cals are the most important.

spanglevie

Thanks its baffling me as I don't think I've entered anything incorrectly. They are only slightly out so I'll not worry too much about it. I need to find some food thats no carbs but high protein - is there anything that isn't meat or fish? Tried nuts, seeds and even those have carbs. I'm surprised actually since doing this how much food, especially vegetables has carbs in. More than you would think.

spanglevie

Well here's a quick update - a month on.

I just want to thanks everyone who commented on here and especially you psulemon ;-)

I have been following your suggestions and eating a much highly protein diet. Eating loads more calories instead of starving myself. At first I had massive carb cravings but I was really focused and was able to push those thoughts to one side and keep going. It was all worth it. After only a few days I didn't crave carbs. I'm feeling much fuller, eating good, healthy food. I thought I was eating healthy before, but have since realised I wasn't eating all the right things.

I have discovered protein shakes and have enjoyed experimenting with different recipes.

My hubby is following suit and has also changed his eating habits too, also feeling the benefits.

So - I didn't get weighed for a month...... what are the results....... yep lost the pesky 4lbs that were bothering me. All in time for my holiday. On Thursday we fly to Ibiza and for the first time in a long time I actually feel as if I have a body to be a little bit proud of. Not totally there but feeling MUCH better about not only my body but I'm in a much better place in my mind too. And something must be going right as people are actually commenting now.

Fully intend on following the same rules, as much as I can while I'm on holiday. Taking the protein shakes with me ;-)

So to anyone who finds themselves in the same position as I was in I would say go for it. Eat more to lose more - it's definitely the way forward.

mmapags

Well here's a quick update - a month on.

I just want to thanks everyone who commented on here and especially you psulemon ;-)

I have been following your suggestions and eating a much highly protein diet. Eating loads more calories instead of starving myself. At first I had massive carb cravings but I was really focused and was able to push those thoughts to one side and keep going. It was all worth it. After only a few days I didn't crave carbs. I'm feeling much fuller, eating good, healthy food. I thought I was eating healthy before, but have since realised I wasn't eating all the right things.

I have discovered protein shakes and have enjoyed experimenting with different recipes.

My hubby is following suit and has also changed his eating habits too, also feeling the benefits.

So - I didn't get weighed for a month...... what are the results....... yep lost the pesky 4lbs that were bothering me. All in time for my holiday. On Thursday we fly to Ibiza and for the first time in a long time I actually feel as if I have a body to be a little bit proud of. Not totally there but feeling MUCH better about not only my body but I'm in a much better place in my mind too. And something must be going right as people are actually commenting now.

Fully intend on following the same rules, as much as I can while I'm on holiday. Taking the protein shakes with me ;-)

So to anyone who finds themselves in the same position as I was in I would say go for it. Eat more to lose more - it's definitely the way forward.

This is awesome! Psulemon was giving you great advice. The scale is only one measure and not even the best one. You are doing great! Stay on course!

psuLemon

Awesome update! More proof about feeding your body to lose weight.

spanglevie

Its a TOTAL revelation to me, and one I am so glad I tried.

You are what you eat - so true.

Kim55555

Just wish the scales would say what I want them to say. I've always been a scales obsessive, thats just part of me. Actually just had a conversation with someone at work who said you look like you've lost weight, so thats cheered me up a bit :-)

How about just focussing on your clothes size and body fat %. The scale doesn't show your re-composition changes! If you have been adding LBM whilst reducing fat the scale will not change. It doesn't mean you arn't progressing!

I gave up on caring about the number on the scale. I'm 5'2 and stuck on 61 kg (australian size 8) I've been trying to get to 58 kg.

Thing is I'm actually a lot thinner now in June weighing 1 kg more (61 kg) than I was back in February when I weighed 60 kg. I've had to go down in clothes sizes a couple of times since then. People keep commenting that I'm losing so much weight when they see me every 2 months. I doubt I'll lose that much more on the scale as my body frame and amount of lbm dictates I'll be at the upper end of the healthy weight range. I've been told I look like im 55 kg btw.

Hope this helps encourage you

Kim55555

Oh just saw your latest update. Thats great!