Discouraged and in need of some serious help...

angelashay42

Weightloss if 70% diet.... Building muscle will really help you too.

If you cut out all processed foods premade & fast foods, sugar, starchy foods, and only eat good carbs ...fruits & veggies. You will lose weight!!

I agree. Diet is almost everything. I lost my first 20 lbs with very little exercise at all! I just cleaned up my diet and cut out fast food, junk food, soda, and processed sugars. Started buying all my food at the grocery store and making it at home. I felt so much better, I stopped having headaches (which I used to get at least once a week) and had so much more energy. You can do it, it just takes a little extra time.

Start thinking of healthy food as fuel and processed food as garbage.

Mindmovesbody

Hi! I suggest checking out the group Eat More to Weigh Less! It saved me through a plateau. There is an excellent read there on plateau as soon as you open up the link to the group. The name of the group can be deceiving. They are not promoting over eating and still losing weight, just eating above your BMR and below your TDEE! Check it out, you won't be sorry. Good luck!

MCsAngel2

Only one person has mentioned this so far, but I think your carbs are too high. Like, really. Low carb doesn't work for some people, but it does seem to work amongst all the women I know who've done it. I aim for 50g net carbs per day (total carbs minus total fiber), but I *really* try to make sure I don't go over 75g net carbs. The days I come in under 50g net, are really, really effective for me. In fact, I only need 2 days a week that low to see loss.

Even if I'm under my calories....it doesn't seem to really matter. The carbs matter. Cut out the fast food and sugary stuff. Up your protein and healthy fats (like nuts). The good news is proteins and fats make you feel full longer than carbs do.

belinus

Remember to give your body time to reset itself its new state too.

Nicolette_Karls

Laying off the fast foods is not an option. It's I eat the fast food or I don't eat at all. And that has nothing to do with me deciding that I can't live without McDonald's. I'm not at home most days, I'm on the road traveling every week. Does anyone have any tips for eating healthier at fast food restaurants?

And, for all the other asthmatics commenting, I understand that asthma does not prevent me from doing cardio. I don't recall ever saying that? I do a lot of cardio actually. I love the elliptical and dancing. I mentioned it because it does limit what I can do. My heart rate is naturally higher than most, even at rest. When I do cardio, it skyrockets. Add in decreased oxygen because of my asthma difficulties, and it rises even further. Then my vasoconstrictor disease kicks in, and my blood pressure drops. I'm not using it as an excuse for anything, I just wanted people who leave suggestions to not be like "oh, you should be running a 6 minute mile." Because, well, I can't. And before anyone calls bull****, my cardiologist would disagree with you.

Thanks for all the support though. It means a lot to hear from everyone!

RuthSweetTooth

Hi Nicolette,

I'm currently taking a class on health and nutrition at my community college. This would be a really good idea and you can take one online. I too am having problems losing weight. . . and I know that I consume too many calories, and I usually go over by 200 every day which really irritates me if I am not on top of it before it gets in me. So I decided to really give this myfitness pal thing tracking and it helps to join communities to do that.

So your post caught my eye. I took a look at your food diary. To maintain your weight of 140 without exercising, your basic metabolic rate is 1395 calories per day. You can eat more if you exercise. To reach 120 pounds, you will need to eat only 1304 calories per day without exercising. Fortunately it seems that you like to exercise, because if you don't, you will have a hard time getting enough nutrition.

There is a big problem with your eating pattern. You are living almost completely off fast food or pre-processed foods. These contain not only high amounts of salt, but they also contain high amounts of fat, which is very hard to avoid getting too much of. You could eat so much more food if you were not eating things like french fries. Just think, how much popcorn could you eat instead of french fries for the same calories? You also don't eat much salad, fruits, or vegetables.

Also, you need to eat breakfast. . . you have probably heard this time and time again, but like many dieters you're not hungry in the morning so you want to skip it. The reason you must do that is that if you do not spread your calories out through the day, the body will not be able to maintain homeostasis and it will constantly be worried about trying to maintain reserves instead of shedding excess weight. You should also get an afternoon snack, ideally a yogurt and a fruit. You also need to be sure to main calcium intake because your body is still building your skeleton. Did you know that you can view that in myfitnesspal? I just discovered that today in the reports. I take vitamins too to help, and today I entered all of mine and discovered that I can getting way more vitamin C than I need.

Space out your food, eat better, eat less fat, and since you are short girl, you will always have to be vigilant. You're very wise to be thinking about losing weight now, because you cannot keep eating processed and fast foods. You need to pay attention to the quality of your calories as well. There is a reason it is called junk food.

I hope this is helpful !
Ruth

belinus

If you're traveling a lot, do some research on your destination. Look at the places to eat and plan ahead. Also, look at places like Applebees and such and use their drive-up service.

deadstarsunburn

Have you tried actually going over your calories on one day, then staying within your calories for a few days, then going over again? I forget what that's called, but it has helped a lot of people through a plateau.

Calorie cycling is what I call it or others call it calorie zig zag. There are websites that will help you calculate how many to eat each day of the week, so you're not necessarily ever "going over." The goals just change day to day =]

It actually works really well. I haven't got that much more to go so I really hit a wall a couple weeks ago between calorie cycling and trying IF for a few weeks I was able to break the plateau.

=]

** saw your post above, I have to travel often since I work in an IT department and when I know it will be an all day thing I pack food and snacks. If you're home even once every two days maybe you can make wraps that could last while you're gone?
I guess I mainly don't like stopping at fast food because I just can't justify spending that much money on food when I can get more from the grocery store lol.

Nicolette_Karls

Hi Nicolette,

I'm currently taking a class on health and nutrition at my community college. This would be a really good idea and you can take one online. I too am having problems losing weight. . . and I know that I consume too many calories, and I usually go over by 200 every day which really irritates me if I am not on top of it before it gets in me. So I decided to really give this myfitness pal thing tracking and it helps to join communities to do that.

So your post caught my eye. I took a look at your food diary. To maintain your weight of 140 without exercising, your basic metabolic rate is 1395 calories per day. You can eat more if you exercise. To reach 120 pounds, you will need to eat only 1304 calories per day without exercising. Fortunately it seems that you like to exercise, because if you don't, you will have a hard time getting enough nutrition.

There is a big problem with your eating pattern. You are living almost completely off fast food or pre-processed foods. These contain not only high amounts of salt, but they also contain high amounts of fat, which is very hard to avoid getting too much of. You could eat so much more food if you were not eating things like french fries. Just think, how much popcorn could you eat instead of french fries for the same calories? You also don't eat much salad, fruits, or vegetables.

Also, you need to eat breakfast. . . you have probably heard this time and time again, but like many dieters you're not hungry in the morning so you want to skip it. The reason you must do that is that if you do not spread your calories out through the day, the body will not be able to maintain homeostasis and it will constantly be worried about trying to maintain reserves instead of shedding excess weight. You should also get an afternoon snack, ideally a yogurt and a fruit. You also need to be sure to main calcium intake because your body is still building your skeleton. Did you know that you can view that in myfitnesspal? I just discovered that today in the reports. I take vitamins too to help, and today I entered all of mine and discovered that I can getting way more vitamin C than I need.

Space out your food, eat better, eat less fat, and since you are short girl, you will always have to be vigilant. You're very wise to be thinking about losing weight now, because you cannot keep eating processed and fast foods. You need to pay attention to the quality of your calories as well. There is a reason it is called junk food.

I hope this is helpful !
Ruth

Thanks Ruth! I've struggled with finding the right balance of daily calories, because when I don't eat enough I feel it but I'm terribly afraid of eating too much. I know that fast food isn't healthy; I don't want to eat it. Unfortunately, as I keep saying, on the road it's all there is (after all, I travel with my family and I don't get to choose where we eat). When I'm home, I make the extra effort to eat healthy, but I'm not home often. =(

Thank you so much for the advice though! I agree with you about breakfast (it's one of my worst habits; I sleep until noon, then eat my calories in two meals). I'll definitely work on getting my lazy booty up!

Nicolette_Karls

If you're traveling a lot, do some research on your destination. Look at the places to eat and plan ahead. Also, look at places like Applebees and such and use their drive-up service.

Oh God, I wish! My dad and sister refuse plans like that. My family makes this so much harder =( Being healthy was a lot easier at college

CWSpiegel

This is a heads up.

You need to cut out that fast food. I'm telling you this from experience, not because I'm a health nut. If I was logging when i was 19 my diary would have looked just like yours, but more pizza. Until I was 22 I never gained a pound. I was a stick. I could literally eat a whole Domino's pizza and drink a 12 pack of Bud and lose weight. As I got older, my metabolism slowed but my eating habits didn't change. I gained 45 pounds in one year. For the first time since then, today, I am not technically overweight. I'm 28. It has taken me 6 years. Do NOT make the same mistake I did. Yes, exercise is a big part of my loss, but the MOST important thing I have done is change my diet. I cook my meals, and if I have to eat out, I make a good decision. Even gas stations usually have mixed nuts and dried fruit. And don't say you don't have the time to cook. I have a full time job, I'm going to school at night (3 nights a week, 60 mile round trip), and I volunteer 6 hours a week coaching a middle school lacrosse team. If I can do it, so can you.

Nicolette_Karls

This is a heads up.

You need to cut out that fast food. I'm telling you this from experience, not because I'm a health nut. If I was logging when i was 19 my diary would have looked just like yours, but more pizza. Until I was 22 I never gained a pound. I was a stick. I could literally eat a whole Domino's pizza and drink a 12 pack of Bud and lose weight. As I got older, my metabolism slowed but my eating habits didn't change. I gained 45 pounds in one year. For the first time since then, today, I am not technically overweight. I'm 28. It has taken me 6 years. Do NOT make the same mistake I did. Yes, exercise is a big part of my loss, but the MOST important thing I have done is change my diet. I cook my meals, and if I have to eat out, I make a good decision. Even gas stations usually have mixed nuts and dried fruit. And don't say you don't have the time to cook. I have a full time job, I'm going to school at night, and I volunteer 6 hours a week coaching a middle school lacrosse team. If I can do it, so can you.

Believe me, I know what you're saying. First semester at college I ate dorm food everyday; then I looked at what was in that crap and began making my own meals every week. I *want* to make my own meals, I *want* to cut out the fast food. But like I said in an earlier post, it's hard when we're traveling to a tournament or looking for food between games and my family goes "Taco Bell it is" or "Let's grab lunch at McDonald's." I hate to say it because I KNOW someone is going to tell me I'm using it as an excuse, but I don't have a choice in the matter. It's eat it, or don't eat =(

RuthSweetTooth

There are some things I like at McDonalds, like the snack wraps. But beware, they are not a snack. They are the carb and protein part of a meal, but you need to add a salad with them, because they don't have any vegetables at McDonalds. Do you ever eat the dinner salads at McDonalds?

By the way, lineolic acid is an essential fatty acid and it is good for you. I think that whole corn is good for you and that is the kind that they use in corn tacos. White tacos are not great, but at least the FRESCO line from taco bell has fresh tomato salsa.

Go to the websites of the fast food places you like and identify good choices ahead of time.

Some people find planning their food ahead of time (the day before they eat it) works really well. I do think you probably need more nutrition training before you can do this. At least, buy a book. The one I am using in my class has the ISBM 9780323051996, Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy. About $15 used on Amazon. I love it.

In my Anatomy class (I am studying to be a nurse) they talked about hyper extensions due to loose ligaments, and a colleague in the class suffered an injury because of it. I would ask a doctor how to make your ligaments stronger. The baseball is a sport that may lead to injury because you could easily hyperextend. To make ligaments tighter, weight training would probably help and probably not give you asthma. I had asthma too!. Eating right could help your body oxygenate itself better too. Do you try deep breathing, and holding your breath, using a breathing device? Weight training will also help build strong bones.

Ruth

Laying off the fast foods is not an option. It's I eat the fast food or I don't eat at all. And that has nothing to do with me deciding that I can't live without McDonald's. I'm not at home most days, I'm on the road traveling every week. Does anyone have any tips for eating healthier at fast food restaurants?

And, for all the other asthmatics commenting, I understand that asthma does not prevent me from doing cardio. I don't recall ever saying that? I do a lot of cardio actually. I love the elliptical and dancing. I mentioned it because it does limit what I can do. My heart rate is naturally higher than most, even at rest. When I do cardio, it skyrockets. Add in decreased oxygen because of my asthma difficulties, and it rises even further. Then my vasoconstrictor disease kicks in, and my blood pressure drops. I'm not using it as an excuse for anything, I just wanted people who leave suggestions to not be like "oh, you should be running a 6 minute mile." Because, well, I can't. And before anyone calls bull****, my cardiologist would disagree with you.

Thanks for all the support though. It means a lot to hear from everyone!

notnormallyacaloriecounter

i'm probably going to catch crap for this but i suggest eating breakfast, i only looked at a couple days of your diary but i immediately realized you weren't eating until lunch. for me personally it works, also, it's not always about calorie counts. it's most of the time what you're actually eating, so maybe try adjusting the food you're eating. when i started i had a hard time kicking my Big Macs (I'm a manager) so i'd get a mac wrap and pair it with apples, or i'd bring cucumbers in. And maybe you're retaining water? I'm not an expert but I hope it helps and you get those 20 pounds!

notnormallyacaloriecounter

i just saw your post about fast food, i work for Mcdonald's as a manager and i actually find it pretty easy to eat well there. my favorite things are the chiptole grilled chicken wrap (250 cals) , a side salad (20 cals) with grilled chicken (120 cals) with southwest dressing (half a packet 50 cals, a little spicy, mmm!) apple slices (15 cals per pack) the banana nut oatmeal (250 cals) and surprising enough a hazelnut iced coffee is only 190 calories! fast food doesn't always have to be bad food!

belinus

i'm probably going to catch crap for this but i suggest eating breakfast, i only looked at a couple days of your diary but i immediately realized you weren't eating until lunch.

You're correct. My mother's taking a nutrition class and the instructor said you need to eat within 1 hour of waking up. And you need to eat regularly. Remember the genes we had as hunter-gatherers are still there and if our body thinks there is famine, it will start holding on to things.

Nicolette_Karls

There are some things I like at McDonalds, like the snack wraps. But beware, they are not a snack. They are the carb and protein part of a meal, but you need to add a salad with them, because they don't have any vegetables at McDonalds. Do you ever eat the dinner salads at McDonalds?

By the way, lineolic acid is an essential fatty acid and it is good for you. I think that whole corn is good for you and that is the kind that they use in corn tacos. White tacos are not great, but at least the FRESCO line from taco bell has fresh tomato salsa.

Go to the websites of the fast food places you like and identify good choices ahead of time.

Some people find planning their food ahead of time (the day before they eat it) works really well. I do think you probably need more nutrition training before you can do this. At least, buy a book. The one I am using in my class has the ISBM 9780323051996, Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy. About $15 used on Amazon. I love it.

In my Anatomy class (I am studying to be a nurse) they talked about hyper extensions due to loose ligaments, and a colleague in the class suffered an injury because of it. I would ask a doctor how to make your ligaments stronger. The baseball is a sport that may lead to injury because you could easily hyperextend. To make ligaments tighter, weight training would probably help and probably not give you asthma. I had asthma too!. Eating right could help your body oxygenate itself better too. Do you try deep breathing, and holding your breath, using a breathing device? Weight training will also help build strong bones.

Ruth

Laying off the fast foods is not an option. It's I eat the fast food or I don't eat at all. And that has nothing to do with me deciding that I can't live without McDonald's. I'm not at home most days, I'm on the road traveling every week. Does anyone have any tips for eating healthier at fast food restaurants?

And, for all the other asthmatics commenting, I understand that asthma does not prevent me from doing cardio. I don't recall ever saying that? I do a lot of cardio actually. I love the elliptical and dancing. I mentioned it because it does limit what I can do. My heart rate is naturally higher than most, even at rest. When I do cardio, it skyrockets. Add in decreased oxygen because of my asthma difficulties, and it rises even further. Then my vasoconstrictor disease kicks in, and my blood pressure drops. I'm not using it as an excuse for anything, I just wanted people who leave suggestions to not be like "oh, you should be running a 6 minute mile." Because, well, I can't. And before anyone calls bull****, my cardiologist would disagree with you.

Thanks for all the support though. It means a lot to hear from everyone!

Yea, I've talked to my doctor about the hyperextensions. I've been able to do it since I was really little, and my back actually used to be overly flexible too. He always said I'd grow out of it as my body grew; guess he was wrong about that one! ^_^

For my asthma, I'm on a steroid regulator (I can't remember the name of it for the life of me) and singulair. I love doing strength training, for the reason that it doesn't affect my asthma at all. I've been trying to strengthen the ligaments, but it hasn't been working very well. Despite having fairly toned upper and lower leg muscles, my legs can still do it. I'm just hesitant with my arms because I have locked them into place before doing a simple weight machine with (thankfully) very little weight. *sigh* I think what I'm realizing is that I need a trip to my doctor or a fitness trainer.

Nicolette_Karls

i'm probably going to catch crap for this but i suggest eating breakfast, i only looked at a couple days of your diary but i immediately realized you weren't eating until lunch.

You're correct. My mother's taking a nutrition class and the instructor said you need to eat within 1 hour of waking up. And you need to eat regularly. Remember the genes we had as hunter-gatherers are still there and if our body thinks there is famine, it will start holding on to things.

This is going to sound extremely lazy of me, but lunch IS within the first hour of me waking up....I've been sleeping until 10/11 almost every day >.<

belinus

This is going to sound extremely lazy of me, but lunch IS within the first hour of me waking up....I've been sleeping until 10/11 almost every day >.<

Then that's your breakfast. Nothing wrong with getting up that late. I used to work 4p-12a so I would get up about that time too after a 3+ hour workout.

RuthSweetTooth

Yes, the chipotle chicken snack wrap is a winner! And I like the southwest chicken salad too. McDonalds is actually the best at offering controlled calorie choices. Even a small cheeseburger is a good option, but most people don't get them, just kids.

By the way Notusuallyacalorie counter, I see exactly where you are having trouble, and it's such an easy change. It's the soda . . . . too much sugar. Way too many sodas a day too. Just think of all the real food you could have instead of all those sodas. Easily another cheeseburger or chipotle snack wrap. Also your morning coffee should not have 100 calories, not sure how? Just switch to diet soda or water, and the weight will easily come off. Also, too many servings of grain at breakfast, and not enough protein. Instead of toast or a granola bar, eat a hardboiled egg or piece of choice or even a turkey frank with your cereal, and you'll feel fuller and meet your protein target better. I remember they used to show a slice of toast next to the cereal on the cereal box when we were growing up, but that's not what they recommend anymore. If you continue to consume so many carbohydrates in the form of sugar, it could lead to diabetes and probably not to a successful pregnancy.

Have a great day!
Ruth

i just saw your post about fast food, i work for Mcdonald's as a manager and i actually find it pretty easy to eat well there. my favorite things are the chiptole grilled chicken wrap (250 cals) , a side salad (20 cals) with grilled chicken (120 cals) with southwest dressing (half a packet 50 cals, a little spicy, mmm!) apple slices (15 cals per pack) the banana nut oatmeal (250 cals) and surprising enough a hazelnut iced coffee is only 190 calories! fast food doesn't always have to be bad food!