what the hell am i doing wrong.

twiztc

today i found im back up to 148lbs

i stick almost to my 1200 cals

i walk, aerobics, swim and do some light weight stuff.

i eat back my fitness cals when i have very hungry moments but i dont eat them all.

i have medical conditions which is the cause of me being less active over the last couple years but i have been really pushing myself coz i know the food side of trying to loose pounds is only the half of it. you need to burn off to get any real results. but i dont see any results, i see me backsliding and i dont know why

Hood25

Check your sodium. Are you drinking enough water? I haven't looked at your food choices but all calories are not created equal. Usually when I have a gain because I ate out or was on vacation I just drink a lot of water and green tea and eat half my exercise calories back and am back to normal in 2 days.

Saiklor

Maybe it's because I'm a crazy measuring person, but peeked at your diary and I wonder if your measuring is off?

I took a look at your food diary and a few discrepancies stood out to me. They aren't big things (and quite possibly you are measuring exactly precisely and this isn't the issue at all) but here's what I spotted...
- 1 tsp of margerine on an ear of corn? I know I'd use at LEAST a tablespoon.
- Fried onions with no fat? Seems odd to me.
- sometimes you record ketchup etc. on your hotdogs and sometimes you don't, is it possible that you're forgetting things?

Also, to be a bit blunt (and I'm sorry this is going to come off judgemental) but your diet seems to be lacking in vegetables. On most days of the last week it seems like you're getting 1 serving a day of veggies, sometimes less than that. Maybe if you changed up your diet to rely more on greens and less on protein and sugar you'd see a change?

wahmx3

I looked at your diary.... and very easy to see several things that are issues... 20-25 % of your daily calories is beverages of various types.... absolutely no nutrition and a ton of sugar, you skipped breakfast too many days (never a good thing), rarely ate enough (so your body is hanging onto every calorie it can, thinking it is going to starve) and I also suggest you track your sodium (some days you would be high). I didn't look at your water, do you drink 8-10 glasses of plain( or flavored ) water a day.... pop, tea etc really doesn't count in this. Oh, and, many days you had a 200-300 calorie treat (nothing wrong with treats) but when you consider 300-400 calories are beverages and 200-300 are treats... it is a bad combination.
Cut back to 1 treat a day, if you must have a coke, that should be your only treat, increase your water, increase your fruits and vegies, increase your calories, increase your whole grains and protein.... this should help.

gsurface28

Increase your fruits & vege's while you decrease the calorie filled drinks. I didn't see water listed.. I would recommend 8 -10 glasses a day too! I also agree - don't skip breakfast - have a greek yogurt with fresh raspberries or blueberries - easy to eat on the go! And keep trying - You have taken the first step

Robin_Bin

Everyone's different, but I'd be terribly hungry if I ate like you! My suggestions... more beverages, unless you're drinking water that you aren't counting? Try to drink at least 8 cups or 64 ounces of liquid per day. And drink fewer calories. If you need ideas for low and no calorie drinks, see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/water-265761. I'd also add fiber. For me, I'm learning that the fiber is critical, and I do better when I go over the MFP recommended amount. More fresh fruit and vegetables would increase the nutritional value of your food as well as adding fiber and probably making you feel less hungry. Your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

orishp

I am sorry, I peeked at your diary and to be quite honest, its awful!!!!!

You could eat 1200 cals on cheese burgers, but that doesn't meant you should.

If you really are serious about this, you need to switch to a much more healthier way of eating, lots more fruit and veggies, lean meats (not hot dogs), and a lot less sugar

I hate to sound harsh, but I really cannot understand how you can be so bold to ask what the hell you are doing wrong???? seriously????

pkfrankel

I looked at your diary.... and very easy to see several things that are issues... 20-25 % of your daily calories is beverages of various types.... absolutely no nutrition and a ton of sugar, you skipped breakfast too many days (never a good thing), rarely ate enough (so your body is hanging onto every calorie it can, thinking it is going to starve) and I also suggest you track your sodium (some days you would be high). I didn't look at your water, do you drink 8-10 glasses of plain( or flavored ) water a day.... pop, tea etc really doesn't count in this. Oh, and, many days you had a 200-300 calorie treat (nothing wrong with treats) but when you consider 300-400 calories are beverages and 200-300 are treats... it is a bad combination.
Cut back to 1 treat a day, if you must have a coke, that should be your only treat, increase your water, increase your fruits and vegies, increase your calories, increase your whole grains and protein.... this should help.

I agree. At least half of your calories are from snacks and drinks. Not to mention the sausages. You need to eat 1200 calories of nutritious foods. Make a solid effort to eat breakfast lunch and dinner. You can squeeze two snacks but make them healthy.

Try food like yogurt, oatmeal, eggs, fruit, toast w/ peanut butter, cottage cheese for breakfast. Try beef, chicken or fish with vegetables or salad for lunch and dinner. Healthy snacks can be fruit, cheese, cut fresh vegetables.

Feel free to look at my diary for suggestions.

Crochetluvr

If i was to make an observation about your diary....too many carbs.

I used to drink Coke, too....not any more.

supplemama

You are eating a lot of processed, salty things that are probably causing you to retain a lot of water weight. Add raw fruit and veggies to your diet. Stop drinking the cola, try just drinking water for a while. You should drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

While some folks say it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat at your calorie goal, for me this has not proven to be true. I eat 1400-1700 calories of mostly junk, my weight increases or stays the same. I eat 1400-1700 calories of mostly wholesome, natural foods including lots of raw fruit and veggies, my weight decreases. Some bodies just can't handle the salt and grease and yuckiness very well.

kaylarachellee

Eat breakfast..... and don't go over 150 carbs...

jenilla1

- 1 tsp of margerine on an ear of corn? I know I'd use at LEAST a tablespoon.

This is so funny to me. A tablespoon of margarine seems like total overkill on a cob of corn. A teaspoon is about what I would use. Doesn't seem strange to me at all. I do agree that the logging seems haphazard, though.

OP, definately get a scale and weigh and measure everything. Most people who estimate portions get it way wrong!

kaylarachellee

- 1 tsp of margerine on an ear of corn? I know I'd use at LEAST a tablespoon.

This is so funny to me. A tablespoon of margarine seems like total overkill on a cob of corn. A teaspoon is about what I would use. Doesn't seem strange to me at all. I do agree that the logging seems haphazard, though.

OP, definately get a scale and weigh and measure everything. Most people who estimate portions get it way wrong!

I hate butter on corn... yuck.

C00lCountry

To many carbs, not enough protein and health fats.
If you tracked your sugar you are way over the amount you should have.
Your food choices need help.
I am not a great eater but I have made changes for the better.

mfp_junkie

I am going to be blunt. If you don't want blunt, read the next message.

The food you are eating is crap. Stop all of it. Tim Horton's cookies, Coca Cola, captain crunch and hot dogs for breakfast are not part of any balanced and healthy diet.

You need to eat three balanced, nutritions meals and day with a couple of high quality snacks.

Stop drinking your calories. Many days you are consuming 1/3 of your calories as sugar in soft drinks.

Items that should be in your diary?

Fruit - apples, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, to mention just a few. One apple has less than 100 calories, a ton of fiber, vitamins and other good stuff. Raspberries are remarkably high in fiber, and so delicious!

Whole grain breads to replace the cookies. A 1/2 bagel with some peanut butter would be so much better for you than 220 calories of Tim Horton's junk. Dempster's new bagels are 95 calories for 1/2, lower in sodium, and with 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter and a banana, you are at about the same calories, but miles ahead nutritionally. You will feel full longer, and your body will just be happy to have "real" food in it.

Vegetables - find some you like. Many are awesome, low in calories and should be a big part of your lunch and dinner, as well as snacks. Steam some broccoli. Chop up some carrots. Munch on zucchini, cauliflower and fresh tomatoes.

Proteins - lean, tasty thinks like tuna, grilled chicken, and even a small serving of steak or pork.

Snacks - a small serving of nuts - almonds, for example, fill you up and are packed with minerals and other good things.

Change your diet. You will not succeed long term eating what you are eating. You will continue to fail.

Ok, lecture over. There are literally hundreds of people on here that can help you, and hundreds of topics about nutrition and good eating. If you really want to change, do the reading. And then go to your grocery store, and pitch the Coke on the way out.

Good luck.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

- 1 tsp of margerine on an ear of corn? I know I'd use at LEAST a tablespoon.

This is so funny to me. A tablespoon of margarine seems like total overkill on a cob of corn. A teaspoon is about what I would use. Doesn't seem strange to me at all. I do agree that the logging seems haphazard, though.

OP, definately get a scale and weigh and measure everything. Most people who estimate portions get it way wrong!

but it's better to over estimate than to under estimate.

shae68143

I agree with everyone else on here; most of your calories consumed are drinks, not nutricious food.

You should definitely check out this group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

I know that none of us are exactly perfect, but you have a lot of sugar, which if not burned off sticks around, in your diet and it's from the sodas, teas etc. Try replacing that with flavored water to save the calories that you can expend on healthy things like yougurt, eggs, cheese, meat (whatever your food choice may be).

imthelobster

I am going to be blunt. If you don't want blunt, read the next message.

The food you are eating is crap. Stop all of it. Tim Horton's cookies, Coca Cola, captain crunch and hot dogs for breakfast are not part of any balanced and healthy diet.

You need to eat three balanced, nutritions meals and day with a couple of high quality snacks.

Stop drinking your calories. Many days you are consuming 1/3 of your calories as sugar in soft drinks.

Items that should be in your diary?

Fruit - apples, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, to mention just a few. One apple has less than 100 calories, a ton of fiber, vitamins and other good stuff. Raspberries are remarkably high in fiber, and so delicious!

Whole grain breads to replace the cookies. A 1/2 bagel with some peanut butter would be so much better for you than 220 calories of Tim Horton's junk. Dempster's new bagels are 95 calories for 1/2, lower in sodium, and with 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter and a banana, you are at about the same calories, but miles ahead nutritionally. You will feel full longer, and your body will just be happy to have "real" food in it.

Vegetables - find some you like. Many are awesome, low in calories and should be a big part of your lunch and dinner, as well as snacks. Steam some broccoli. Chop up some carrots. Munch on zucchini, cauliflower and fresh tomatoes.

Proteins - lean, tasty thinks like tuna, grilled chicken, and even a small serving of steak or pork.

Snacks - a small serving of nuts - almonds, for example, fill you up and are packed with minerals and other good things.

Change your diet. You will not succeed long term eating what you are eating. You will continue to fail.

Ok, lecture over. There are literally hundreds of people on here that can help you, and hundreds of topics about nutrition and good eating. If you really want to change, do the reading. And then go to your grocery store, and pitch the Coke on the way out.

Good luck.

I agree with a lot of this, but you don't have to eat three meals a day in order to be healthy/lose weight. Frequency of eating does nothing, if you wanted to eat one huge healthy meal that equaled the amount of calories you're allotted for the day, you could (and people do)!

localfooddude

I'm all about helping everyone get into tip top shape! Check out my profile and send me a message.

SoozeE512

Sugared beverages are a waste of calories. Try cutting down on one sugared beverage every day and drink more water and non-sweetened coffee or tea.

You need good nutrition to get healthy from the inside out. The pastries, the meats loaded in saturated fats, the desserts...none of them are doing you any good. Each week, choose an area of healthy eating to focus on. Maybe this week, add in more fresh vegetables. Next week, focus on eating lean meats. The week after, work on replacing the pastries and desserts with lower calorie, lower fat, lower sugar options. Just take one thing at a time. Your diet doesn't need to change overnight, but if you really want to get healthy and lose weight and stay healthy, you should really work on making changes at a pace that helps you transition from your current diet to a diet that will help you stay healthy for life.

jenilla1

- 1 tsp of margerine on an ear of corn? I know I'd use at LEAST a tablespoon.

This is so funny to me. A tablespoon of margarine seems like total overkill on a cob of corn. A teaspoon is about what I would use. Doesn't seem strange to me at all. I do agree that the logging seems haphazard, though.

OP, definately get a scale and weigh and measure everything. Most people who estimate portions get it way wrong!

but it's better to over estimate than to under estimate.

I agree with that. But most people underestimate. That's why it's important to measure rather than guess.

mfp_junkie

I am going to be blunt. If you don't want blunt, read the next message.

The food you are eating is crap. Stop all of it. Tim Horton's cookies, Coca Cola, captain crunch and hot dogs for breakfast are not part of any balanced and healthy diet.

You need to eat three balanced, nutritions meals and day with a couple of high quality snacks.

Stop drinking your calories. Many days you are consuming 1/3 of your calories as sugar in soft drinks.

Items that should be in your diary?

Fruit - apples, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, to mention just a few. One apple has less than 100 calories, a ton of fiber, vitamins and other good stuff. Raspberries are remarkably high in fiber, and so delicious!

Whole grain breads to replace the cookies. A 1/2 bagel with some peanut butter would be so much better for you than 220 calories of Tim Horton's junk. Dempster's new bagels are 95 calories for 1/2, lower in sodium, and with 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter and a banana, you are at about the same calories, but miles ahead nutritionally. You will feel full longer, and your body will just be happy to have "real" food in it.

Vegetables - find some you like. Many are awesome, low in calories and should be a big part of your lunch and dinner, as well as snacks. Steam some broccoli. Chop up some carrots. Munch on zucchini, cauliflower and fresh tomatoes.

Proteins - lean, tasty thinks like tuna, grilled chicken, and even a small serving of steak or pork.

Snacks - a small serving of nuts - almonds, for example, fill you up and are packed with minerals and other good things.

Change your diet. You will not succeed long term eating what you are eating. You will continue to fail.

Ok, lecture over. There are literally hundreds of people on here that can help you, and hundreds of topics about nutrition and good eating. If you really want to change, do the reading. And then go to your grocery store, and pitch the Coke on the way out.

Good luck.

I agree with a lot of this, but you don't have to eat three meals a day in order to be healthy/lose weight. Frequency of eating does nothing, if you wanted to eat one huge healthy meal that equaled the amount of calories you're allotted for the day, you could (and people do)!

Yes, and no. From the pattern that the OP is showing, they eat all day, in fits and starts. My suggestion of 3 meals a day is to establish a pattern, from which they can learn to make healthy choices. It's a starting place!

gypsybree

Personally if I drink beverages other than water, especially cokes then I will retain water like a camel.
Its worse if I get hot.
This week alone I gained 5 pounds in water... I just had to drink water and have no cokes for like a day and then I lost it, quickly.

orishp

I also noticed that the OP is a 43 year old female. Looking at the diary you would think she was a teenager!!!!!

I am actually concerned about the health of this person, more so than weight or looks. Eating like this, I see things like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity in her near future

Saiklor

Hey guys? Let's knock off the ridiculously judgemental comments. I'm feeling kinda bad about this whole thread! Suggesting more fruits and veggies is one thing, suggesting that the person is immature, a bad person, or deserving whatever they're getting is another. We want people to feel the LOVE of MFP, right? Not run away screaming?

Please note that several people have now suggested more veggies and less processed food, less caloric drinks and more water, more MEALS and fewer snacks.

orishp

suggesting that the person is immature, a bad person, or deserving whatever they're getting is another.

Who said this????

Saiklor

suggesting that the person is immature, a bad person, or deserving whatever they're getting is another.

Who said this????

Let's not point fingers or get off track. Not worth it. That's why I generalized.

Back ON track: what about trying to change one meal each week for the better. This week: breakfast! How could you have a better breakfast?

I suggest yoghurt and berries (a delicious combination and quick!), I believe somebody already mentioned Greek yoghurt because it's got protein and will keep you feeling fuller, longer (just watch the serving sizes!).

Other ideas on how this person can improve what is lacking?

MCsAngel2

You will not get any judgements from me about eating the occasional crap. I still eat fast food once a week or so, I like my junk snacks sometimes, I'm not big on cooking, but I still found ways to do what I needed for my diet to get my calories and my macros where they should be. Here is what I think after looking at your diary:

Track everything: I saw once or twice where you had bread in your diary, but not as part of anything else. If you had toast that you put butter on, put the butter in your diary. I saw at least 2 places where you had Capn' Crunch cereal. If you had it with milk, you forgot to log it. Milk (even skim) has calories.

Measure accurately: Again with the cereal....both times I saw it on your log, it said one serving. Did you measure it before you logged? Most cereals, a serving is a 3/4 cup. That's not very much. I eat cereal too on occasion, and I eat either 1.5 or 2 cups to have a full bowl. That's 2 - 2.66 servings.

Beverages take up a looooot of calories. When I started, no more real Coke for me. Only water or diet Dr. Pepper. I get 1200 calories a day, so I just can't afford to give any of them up to beverages.

My main observation is about your carbs. Too high. Some people think that all that matters is your daily # of calories, but I find (and have seen this for other women) that that's not true. I eat low carb, it's worked for me and for everyone else I know who's done it. It seems to be especially true of women.

Start tracking your fiber and your sodium too. If you want to try low carb, I personally *aim* for net 50g carbs per day (total carbs minus total fiber - you'll have to do the math there yourself), but I REALLY try to make sure I don't go over net 75g carbs per day.

Also, you can go high on protein, it's good for you. I try for 83g per day. Don't be afraid of healthy fats like avocado or nuts. But if you get serious about your carb intake, I can almost guarantee your weight will start coming off.

palmerig88

You are not eating enough. If your calories goal is 1200 you need to net 1200. If you exercise and burn 300 you need to eat 1500. Think of 1200 as your goal to eat on rest days. How tall are you and what is your activity level?

twiztc

ok let me clear one thing up. Captain crunch special is what i had for one lunch and one dinner..

ITS NOT CERIAL!!\

Its a silly name for a shrimp dish i made , my recipe is there and if you read about the recipe it explains it.
ok I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to read and advise me. I also should explain i have some medical problems and have to play around with some foods as some upset me. I have to be careful with a lot of milk stuff hence you will see things that ppl normaly have milk with and I dont. and I do enjoy bread bare and uncovered

I showed I had an ear of corn today, in fact i had a piece cut from my husbands but i chose to log the whole thing just in case i underestimated something. i do this often.

when you see the tim hortons crap its usually coz Im out and I just need a small something to take my medication. its easy.

Im still tring to get into the whole breakfast thing as its not something im used to . I can do a special k bar at work but thats about it.

a lot of stuff on my diary is a best guess like the dempset bread which is chocked full of sugar and crap- i actually get my bread from a local baker and they have no nutrition info- so i figure dempster is an over estimate again. yes i have a lean towards crap and i am tring to break the habbit. i actually hate cooking but i do try to more because i know its better for me- my biggest failing is drinks. i love my tea and coke and before i started doing this i used to drink at least a liter of coke a day and lots and lots of tea with 2 heaped sugars. i've cut my tea down and with only 1 small sugar and i dont drink coke every day anymore. cant eat yoghurt- i keep trying but it makes me sick and even though i like icecream i have to make sure i only eat it when i havent got work the next day. onions ...hmm i thought i added oil but it might have been a day i used water insted. i do that. like these sidekick thing i used to eat a lot (dont very often now) i always used water instead of milk.

When i cook something i create myself i weigh everything and add it all up. usually over estimating if i cant find the exact measure in the database.

I realise after listening to you all and having a peek at some others diaries i need to be far stricter with myself.

again thank you.

its funny i have spent my whole life till about 6 years ago being borderline anorexic - I never in a million years thought i would ever have the opposite problem.

JoeyTajzai

Your consuming way to much suger.. Coke is a no no!