Question for those who...

Magenta15

have had 40 + pounds to lose or already lost and have been successful by using mfp...

did you have your success by putting your settings to 1, 1 1/2 or 2 pound loss [ 2 pounds obviously being at the lowest cal setting]

the reason I ask is that to be healthy, and not too greedy :laugh: I set my self to 1 1/2 lb loss per week,
now i have only been here a lil over 2 weeks so I don't expect some big loss anytime soon - slow and steady i am good with that...but i was already eating fairly healthy to begin with, and now just using this site to keep myself accountable and see the numbers and if i go over it motivates me to get my butt out and excercise too! :happy: and especially these last 2 weeks i have started to kick it up a notch in that department too... [zumba, walking, starting to try to do c25k...]

I have been stuck between 220-225 for more than 6 months now, with 252 being my all time high.
and the scale has not budged even a smidgen over the last 2 weeks [other than regular 2/3 pound daily flux] where as I have seen ppl on here losing after a week...

at 1 & 1/2 loss per week i am set to about 1400 cal, and i usually eat most if not all my excercise cals [not always just for a walk but if i do something like zumba that burns alot then i do], also I am sure it will come up, i am eating fairly clean, whole grains when i do have bread or pasta [not often] brown rice, lots of fruit and veg...


so should i kick it up to 2 lb loss a week at 1200 cal + eat excercise cals???

please share what seemed to work for you, thank you in advance

PG:flowerforyou:

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

What made the most difference for me was to be very careful about what I ate, not just the number of calories. Have you eliminated caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners? Are you measuring your portions carefully?

Other than that, it sounds like you are doing everything right.
:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

Magenta15

What made the most difference for me was to be very careful about what I ate, not just the number of calories. Have you eliminated caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners? Are you measuring your portions carefully?

hi thanks for replying. I don't drink, coffee or much with caffeine, the odd diet cola or green tea in the winter, i don't drink, artificial sweetners - only when i have the odd diet cola as mentioned above, been staying away from sweets so no sugar there... but lots of fruit, either an apple, OR pear or OR berries a day, or some other fruit, sometimes twice - so natural sugars there, and yup i measure and or weigh everything, i record even if i just take a bite of something i didn't plan for....

the only thing i really have a hard time is getting all my water in, but i am still getting more in then i used to. i just don't want to get so frustrated that i give up and/or self sabotage...:frown:

PG:flowerforyou:

margaretthedevil

What kind of exercise do you do? Mostly cardio or do you do strength training also? Upping the intensity or frequently or both and doing more strength training might help you get out of this plateau as it seems like you're already eating well.

margaretthedevil

If you put a bottle of water in front of you, you will probably finish it quickly. That's what I always do. And if you're exercising you need even more water! So make sure to stay hydrated esp. during the hot summer.

Magenta15

as of a lil over a week now i have started Zumba twice a week, daily walks with the dog, couple times a week i do about 20 min on the elliptical before i leave work, and now i would like to start incoperating c25k plan,

i was previously swimming twice a week [jan to june] and doing a dance class once a week but both are stopped for summer [pool is closed til sept] and had no change when i was doing those -
i was getting a lot of how much have you lost [me say none :frown: ] and then they say ohh well you must have lost inches! but nope i went home and measure and no diff there after 6 months of swimming either...

so now will look a bit like this since last week, just starting c25k

M - 20 elliptical & dog walk/c25k
T - Zumba 1 hour + dog walk [min 30 min]
W - M - 20 elliptical & dog walk/c25k
Th - Zumba 1 hour + dog walk [min 30 min]
F - dog walk/c25k
S - long dog walk
S- long dog walk

am hoping this will boost my plateau and lose a bit more and then i will incorporate the strength training

PG:flowerforyou:

Magenta15

If you put a bottle of water in front of you, you will probably finish it quickly. That's what I always do. And if you're exercising you need even more water! So make sure to stay hydrated esp. during the hot summer.

:grumble: i have one on my desk all day at work -- my prob is i only like ICE COLD water and wont touch it when it's warm... no prob drinking it when im excercizing....and i think summer has skipped us this year lol

ivykivy

I've has my most success ticking to 1-1.25 pounds per week. Even when I set it at 1.5 I never lost it. Right now I am at 1 pound per week and will stay here until December at least. When I was 250 I couldn't go below 1600 or I felt evil. Even at 1600 I felt grrr:mad:.

I think what made the difference for me was weights. I eat a lot of sugar (table and fruit). Sometimes it's how you eat eat. I usually will eat the bad stuff right before or after I exercise. Make sure to log everything.

margaretthedevil

as of a lil over a week now i have started Zumba twice a week, daily walks with the dog, couple times a week i do about 20 min on the elliptical before i leave work, and now i would like to start incoperating c25k plan,

i was previously swimming twice a week [jan to june] and doing a dance class once a week but both are stopped for summer [pool is closed til sept] and had no change when i was doing those -
i was getting a lot of how much have you lost [me say none :frown: ] and then they say ohh well you must have lost inches! but nope i went home and measure and no diff there after 6 months of swimming either...

so now will look a bit like this since last week, just starting c25k

M - 20 elliptical & dog walk/c25k
T - Zumba 1 hour + dog walk [min 30 min]
W - M - 20 elliptical & dog walk/c25k
Th - Zumba 1 hour + dog walk [min 30 min]
F - dog walk/c25k
S - long dog walk
S- long dog walk

am hoping this will boost my plateau and lose a bit more and then i will incorporate the strength training

PG:flowerforyou:

Yup, I'm going to up my strength training pretty soon by using 5 lb weights instead of 3 lb ones. It's getting too easy so I must increase the intensity! The good thing about strength training is that you burn calories and train your muscles. And who doesn't want to tone their flab!? :laugh: Previously, I was only doing cardio (for like a month). I didn't lose a single pound! >_<!!! I think that it was too easy for me. The gym just doesn't do it for me at all. (did lose an inch here and there though). Then started logging my food with MFP and doing Jillian Michaels and the weight just came off!

But now I'm at a plateau again :grumble: so it's time to increase the intensity! Definitely going to get a HRM too. But I'm encouraged since I've already lost 5 pounds mostly in my tummy and hip area!!!

margaretthedevil

If you put a bottle of water in front of you, you will probably finish it quickly. That's what I always do. And if you're exercising you need even more water! So make sure to stay hydrated esp. during the hot summer.

:grumble: i have one on my desk all day at work -- my prob is i only like ICE COLD water and wont touch it when it's warm... no prob drinking it when im excercizing....and i think summer has skipped us this year lol

This there a fridge? Keep bottles in the fridge and after you're finished with one. Take out another one. Or freeze several bottles (semi freeze so it's not a block of ice) and bring them to work with you. They shouldn't get too warm at work.

twilight1542

Since you said you eat all your exercise calories I'm wondering how you measure calories burned....I thought the machines were accurate, but found out how wrong they are when I purchased a heart rate monitor. I've found te machines to be off by 25% or more either direction. Also, I never burn the same # of calories doing the same length of exercise b/c sometimes I get my heart really working & sometimes I don't. So I'd recommend a HRT monitor if u aren't already using one....And water & sodium intake can have a major impact, so drink your 8 glasses a day minimum & don't eat hig sodium foods.

Good Luck! You can do this

twilight1542

Since you said you eat all your exercise calories I'm wondering how you measure calories burned....I thought the machines were accurate, but found out how wrong they are when I purchased a heart rate monitor. I've found te machines to be off by 25% or more either direction. Also, I never burn the same # of calories doing the same length of exercise b/c sometimes I get my heart really working & sometimes I don't. So I'd recommend a HRT monitor if u aren't already using one....And water & sodium intake can have a major impact, so drink your 8 glasses a day minimum & don't eat hig sodium foods.

Good Luck! You can do this

weaklink109

I joined MFP in mid April as a confirmed couch potato, whose high weight was within 10 lbs of yours. I set myself at losing 2 lbs. per week. I don't always hit it, but I have lost 30 lbs in 18 weeks, :drinker: :drinker: and the only plateau I encountered resulted from my not being able to do my usual amount of walking due to a personal situation that developed in July.

I WALK WALK WALK, at least 5 days per week, and from 4 to 7 miles at a time. I cover 24 to 30 miles per week, depending on how far I am able to go on the days I work. I haven't yet started strength training or toning exercises, but I am very pleased with my results thus far.

What I found seems to keep things moving is that about once every 3 weeks, I have a day where I will eat OVER what MFP says I should have by 600 to 800 calories (including exercise calories). Google "zig zag calories" and you will learn more about how this works. It is supposed to keep your body from going into starvation mode and slowing the metabolic processes. I am a believer, as I used to LOOK at food and gain weight.:grumble: :noway:

On the other days, I usually eat some of my exercise calories, but not all, in part because my appetite has been greatly reduced by exercise and I don't have cravings because I don't consider anything off limits, but I don't want unhealthy things anymore. I do treat myself here and there. Those miniture York peppermint patties, or Reese's Peanut Butter cups, or Almond Joys are a great treat and all under 100 calories each. Because I know I can have more "if I want to" I have no difficulty limiting myself to ONE only.

I eat lots of veggies, and fruits and try to keep my protein up and my fat relatively low. I like good fats, like avacado, nuts. flax seed. I use soy protein, limit my use of artificial sweetener, using Splenda when I need to; avoid diet soda, but do drink green tea, occasional decaf coffee.

I don't claim to have all the answers. It sounds like you were much more exercise oriented than I was before I made dietary changes and started moving. I hope all the comments you receive will help you get moving in the direction you desire.

Good luck!!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

maurierose

If you put a bottle of water in front of you, you will probably finish it quickly. That's what I always do. And if you're exercising you need even more water! So make sure to stay hydrated esp. during the hot summer.

:grumble: i have one on my desk all day at work -- my prob is i only like ICE COLD water and wont touch it when it's warm... no prob drinking it when im excercizing....and i think summer has skipped us this year lol

I LOVE cold water. Here's what you do:

Go to Walmart. In the back of the sporting goods center, somewhere between the fishing pole area and exercise equipment, they have an area that has insulated water bottles (the water bottles are hard plastic, and come with a sippy top, and a little insert that you're supposed to freeze, yadda yadda yadda). Buy two. They're about $5.00 each, and SOOO worth this.

Buy a whole bunch of 1 liter Dasani water bottles. Maybe 4.

Get home - pitch the stupid water bottles that come with the Water Cozies (they're the zippered kind, and have a shoulder strap).... the water bottles suck... they leak, and they taste funny. LOL

Drink 2 of your Dasani water bottles down about 1/3 of the way. Pop them in the freezer with the lid off/open.

The next day for work, fill the rest of one frozen water bottle with water (leave 1/2 an inch as it will expand and explode all over you the first time you drink it if you don't leave a little room. LOL :huh: :laugh: I know this from experience. :bigsmile: ) Stick it in your cozy. Take it EVERYWHERE you go. It has a shoulder strap. You'll get used to it. Take one of the full Dasani bottles with you for refills. Fill it up at the water cooler as needed... as your other one melts, keep filling it with water from the non-frozen bottle..... you will have ice cold water ALL DAY LONG.

No water excuses.

Learning2LoveMe

as of a lil over a week now i have started Zumba twice a week, daily walks with the dog, couple times a week i do about 20 min on the elliptical before i leave work, and now i would like to start incoperating c25k plan,

i was previously swimming twice a week [jan to june] and doing a dance class once a week but both are stopped for summer [pool is closed til sept] and had no change when i was doing those -
i was getting a lot of how much have you lost [me say none :frown: ] and then they say ohh well you must have lost inches! but nope i went home and measure and no diff there after 6 months of swimming either...

so now will look a bit like this since last week, just starting c25k

M - 20 elliptical & dog walk/c25k
T - Zumba 1 hour + dog walk [min 30 min]
W - M - 20 elliptical & dog walk/c25k
Th - Zumba 1 hour + dog walk [min 30 min]
F - dog walk/c25k
S - long dog walk
S- long dog walk

am hoping this will boost my plateau and lose a bit more and then i will incorporate the strength training

PG:flowerforyou:

Where is your off days? Your body needs to recover and repair.

SHBoss1673

how tall are you, and what's your activity level set at?

Magenta15

Where is your off days? Your body needs to recover and repair.

the weekends are my "off" days but I have to walk every day for my dog -- great dane, lil pony needs his walk lol

Magenta15

how tall are you, and what's your activity level set at?

5'6

it's set at sedentry - i have a desk job and am a couch potato lol

i walk everday for the dog but not always hard rigourous walks so only count those when they are 30 min plus and mod or higher pace

SHBoss1673

Yeah, you can probably afford to bump it up to 2 lbs a week. I don't see any reason why not.

Magenta15

Thanks for all the replies...have bumped to 2
will see how that goes