No loss in two weeks...

nil8r

I have a great deal of empathy for how difficult this journey is and even more so if you don't have the right tools for success. However, you will need to figure out a way to take more control in this weight loss process.

Now for some advice...

As many others have commented - the high amount of fast food meal choices are likely one factor... high sodium leads to water retention, and the heavy amounts of sugar and carbs in processed foods can contribute to an insulin resistance scenario, in addition to all sorts of problems that can happen by not getting proper nutrients.

I'd start by cutting out the fast food to no more than 1-2 meals a week. If that isn't yet an option for you, then take some time researching the menus online. Look for better choices, and always have a plan for those places you frequent. Instead of a large cheeseburger w/ fries, maybe try a small order of chicken nuggets and a salad. Your success would be a lot easier if you could control the preparation and thus calories.

If you can't cook - that's ok, but it's really important to try. You can make tacos. Take 1lb of ground beef, cook in a pan (med-high heat) using your spatula to break up the meat until it's no longer pink and crumbled up. Add a packet of taco seasoning (even better if it's organic) per the packet instructions. Meat will be done in 15 minutes or less. Assembly is easy - add lettuce, salsa, cheese, etc. You could make them even healthier for yourself by making your tacos out of lettuce wrap leaves instead of taco shells.

I really recommend learning to cook a few basic recipes. Once you've mastered them, then you can look for ways to make them even healthier.

Also, I agree with others that a 30 minute daily walk would be incredibly helpful in revving up your metabolism. Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet could get you a quick win to losing pounds again. A lot of sugar in most bread products, btw.

Klopford

Sorry sweetie, but you simply cannot lose weight living off of Pizza Hut, McDonalds and Krispy Kreme. It sounds like you are surrounded by people who think this is normal eating, so it sounds normal to you.

I would suggest you find people who are the size you want to be and eat more like they eat. Brutal honesty with yourself is the only way you will succeed. I am not trying to be harsh, just realistic. When you retrain your brain, your body will follow.

That is NOT typical of me. Check my history. I do not "live off" those foods and that was actually the first time I've had a donut in months.

Weekends are always crazy. Dinner is sometimes crazy. Check my weekdays for a better look at what I've been doing.

Everything I eat, I try to plan for. I try to aim for 1200 a day. I make smart choices at work (or try to) to save calories for whatever my parents decide on for dinner, because I often have no other option. What upsets me is when they pick something REALLY bad when I don't have room for it in my budget, and we currently have no other options in the house. Which I plan on remedying.

sezi62

Burger and pizza are a once in while thing when trying to loose weight so are chocolate bars..sorry hun but theres no way you can lose weight unless you change the way you eat...

You can learn to cook..we all had to

Pnknlvr96

That is NOT typical of me. Check my history. I do not "live off" those foods and that was actually the first time I've had a donut in months.

Weekends are always crazy. Dinner is sometimes crazy. Check my weekdays for a better look at what I've been doing.

Everything I eat, I try to plan for. I try to aim for 1200 a day. I make smart choices at work (or try to) to save calories for whatever my parents decide on for dinner, because I often have no other option. What upsets me is when they pick something REALLY bad when I don't have room for it in my budget, and we currently have no other options in the house. Which I plan on remedying.

Sadly, you can be good during the week and then completely undo everything over the weekend. It sounds to me as if living at home is not working for you. You have a job, so what about moving out? You could probably find roommates so rent wouldn't be too expensive. Then you'd be able to completely control what you eat.

linkinpark1990

you are making a lot of excuses i am also just started and lost 10 gained 3 back but well i am also happy with what i bin doing don't look it as a bad thing just look back at what you bin doing and you can change and head up all the junk food not good any way try change them out for some thing healthier that you also like i bin doing that i stop soda and potatoes all to gather knowing they are my big problems drink water and tea sins i know i love tea

Klopford

That is NOT typical of me. Check my history. I do not "live off" those foods and that was actually the first time I've had a donut in months.

Weekends are always crazy. Dinner is sometimes crazy. Check my weekdays for a better look at what I've been doing.

Everything I eat, I try to plan for. I try to aim for 1200 a day. I make smart choices at work (or try to) to save calories for whatever my parents decide on for dinner, because I often have no other option. What upsets me is when they pick something REALLY bad when I don't have room for it in my budget, and we currently have no other options in the house. Which I plan on remedying.

Sadly, you can be good during the week and then completely undo everything over the weekend. It sounds to me as if living at home is not working for you. You have a job, so what about moving out? You could probably find roommates so rent wouldn't be too expensive. Then you'd be able to completely control what you eat.

I really want to move out. Badly. I even have a place picked out. But I'm still in the "save up money" phase while my parents let me live rent free with them.

I personally do not believe in that "completely undo" statement, unless I were somehow capable of consuming 7000 calories in a weekend. Which I physically cannot and have not ever been able to do. (And like I said, Saturday with the fettucini is NOT AT ALL TYPICAL.)

kmuree

That is NOT typical of me. Check my history. I do not "live off" those foods and that was actually the first time I've had a donut in months.

Weekends are always crazy. Dinner is sometimes crazy. Check my weekdays for a better look at what I've been doing.

Everything I eat, I try to plan for. I try to aim for 1200 a day. I make smart choices at work (or try to) to save calories for whatever my parents decide on for dinner, because I often have no other option. What upsets me is when they pick something REALLY bad when I don't have room for it in my budget, and we currently have no other options in the house. Which I plan on remedying.

I checked your history, and none of it is good. Do you really need candy every day for a snack? (A large amount, I might add). :frown: I checked back as far as a month and the choices you are making are simply not going to get you where you want to be. If weekends are so crazy, learn some meals you can cook ahead of time and have ready to eat, or have some Tyson Diced Chicken pieces (froze) and brown rice steamers (frozen) ready to throw together when you get hungry.

You're a grown woman and you make your own choices. I lived in a house of horrible choices (Hamburger Helper and Jack In the Box). I made the differences. I cook (which I've never done before, at 22!) EVERY day and I make the time to MAKE my weight loss matter! I MAKE my family make better choices. I do the research, I present it, I enforce it, and now three months later, I call the shots around the kitchen. I do the grocery shopping - you should, IN THE LEAST, go with them when they do the shopping or ensure that they take you with them when they do, whenever that is.

I so sympathize with you but at the same time, you are making way too many excuses.

Remember, the only one this really affects is you. You're 24 with a full-time job. Figure something out.

Klopford

The problem with pre-prepared food it's hard to get an accurate calorie count cause the more fancy the food the harder it is to get a clear read. Also I noticed you don't document stuff like sauces, or ketchup, or soda with all your fast food, is it cause you are not using any or just don't add them?

Calories in and calories out determine your gain and loss, so if you aren't documenting everything then it's hard to let you know what is going on.

If it's fast food, their website often presents the data "as prepared."

I have not had a regular soda in months. It's diet, or water. Last week was nothing BUT water.

When I have a turkey burger from the cafeteria at work I add mustard... which I heard was no (or at least low) calories? And lettuce/tomato/pickle. I figured veggies are small enough to not matter. Anywhere/anything else? It's either "as prepared" or I don't add things.

I checked your history, and none of it is good. Do you really need candy every day for a snack? (A large amount, I might add). :frown:

I blame Halloween. I tried to be mindful of portions and tried to fit it into my budget. Hey, at least I logged it!

_Wits_

Add some fresh foods...fruits and veggies..cut out some of the processed take out food. Just based on your last week, there was a lot of take out and candy. Those once a week or so is one thing, but almost every day? Sodium levels were high just about every day....

If you really want this... make your own food and take control of this.

Mjhnbgff

Won't speak to the rest, but:

2. Time. There are plenty of things I'd MUCH rather be doing than wasting half an hour stirring a pot or checking on the oven.

This suggests that your priorities do not favour weight loss. If you can only be half arsed to do it, you will likely only get half arsed results. Now if you can make it work with your parents, great. But it seems like they aren't the ones motivated to eat better, and you will be constantly fighting an uphill battle. From what you've said anyway.

I have to agree with you. I really only cook on the weekend and then I plan my meals for the week. It's a lot of work to plan my meals, make my shopping list, and cook, but it's well worth it. I am actually saving money on my groceries and I am losing weight.

I like cooking but I don't like cooking for just myself so yes, there are other things I would much rather be doing than cooking. I get around this by planning my meals and doing most of my cooking on the weekends. It's really important to plan your meals, especially if you don't have much time and/or you're on a budget. This weekend I made chicken stock, grilled salmon, and cooked a bunch of veggie dishes. This week, I will use the chicken stock for different kinds of soups (my favorite is a light ginger lemongrass soup with shiitake mushrooms and spinach) throughout the week. I might have grilled salmon and brussel sprouts for lunch one day and the next day I'll make a salad with the salmon or kimbap (Korean "sushi"). I also keep healthy things on hand that I like and can quickly throw together mid-week if I get bored. I might make miso soup with frozen veggies and tofu (I love miso soup and it's super easy and quick to make) or a sandwich. Also, I never ever ever skip breakfast. I always keep cereal, oatmeal, bananas, eggs, and frozen veggies (for making a quick omelet) around so I can have breakfast everyday. I noticed that you tend to skip meals. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is a sure way to derail your healthy eating because you end up overeating. I find that I am always hungry in the morning if I ate properly the day before and didn't overeat at dinner.

My point is that this is a lifestyle change. No one is telling you to give up the foods you love but you have to eat healthier for the rest of your life if you want to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. Believe me, I have gained and lost enough times to know that there are no shortcuts. Hope this helps!

secretlobster

Your meals are mostly a combination of processed foods with high sodium, sugar, and fat. I see a ton of "junk food" like everyone else. I don't want to insult you but you said this is a lifestyle change that you want to be sustainable. Okay, regularly eating fast food might be sustainable for you. But it is not helping you improve your health, and it's most likely impeding your weight loss. I just have to be honest with you. "eat less" isn't as important as "eat better". Getting some fresh produce is important. Ideally for macronutrients, your diet should be made up of mostly vegetables and meat.

I really think you need to focus on getting healthy food and instead using fast food or cookies or donuts as occasional treats, but right now they make up a substantial part of your diet, sometimes two out of three meals a day. You can continue eating that way, or you can try to make healthier choices more often. This is why logging helps.

No one is saying you should deny yourself candy or fast food forever. But you can't eat this stuff as often as you do and justify it as "sustainable lifestyle change".

_Wits_

You're 24 with a full time job and you base your food decisions on what your parents make for dinner?
Why not make your own healthy meals on the side?

Three things and I know they're going to sound like excuses.

1. I don't really know how to cook...
2. Time. There are plenty of things I'd MUCH rather be doing than wasting half an hour stirring a pot or checking on the oven.
3. Social. Going out with my parents constitues pretty much the only social interaction I get outside of work that doesn't involve a computer, especially if my parents invite our friends to go out with us. When I left college and returned home, I left behind the only friends I had that were close to my age. None of my friends from high school stayed in the area and if they did they don't care enough to want to hang out, and all my brother's friends are away at college themselves. I have nobody but my family.

If my parents don't go to the grocery store ASAP so we can put a better plan in place I'm going to do it myself because I'm sick of having to plan around them.

1. Learn how to cook...if you really want this.
2. Make time...if you really want this.
3. Make new friends. Join a gym, join something. Using your parents and your situation as an excuse is going to fall out from under you eventually...when you don't get the results you seek.

Watch some Food network, go online or to a store and buy a cookbook, and then go to the store and buy your own food and make your meals. I had to do this when I lived at home, working PT and in school FT...and I had one shelf in the fridge my parents would let me take over and I utilized it.

Klopford

...Did anyone even BOTHER to look at a typical weekday for me? Try looking at some of my first weeks here? Everyone is so quick to jump down my throat over having Krispy Kreme ONCE, or eating HALF OF WHAT I USED TO EAT when it comes to pizza (I used to eat half a pizza. Not joking), and then attempting to budget a leftover slice for breakfast one morning just because we don't have anything else in the house that I either like or know how to prepare.

Seriously... this thread went from helpful to hostile REAL fast...

Klopford

3. Make new friends. Join a gym, join something. Using your parents and your situation as an excuse is going to fall out from under you eventually...when you don't get the results you seek.

Watch some Food network, go online or to a store and buy a cookbook, and then go to the store and buy your own food and make your meals. I had to do this when I lived at home, working PT and in school FT...and I had one shelf in the fridge my parents would let me take over and I utilized it.

I did join a gym. I'm going today. Nobody talks to me there... no one even makes eye contact with me... I have no local friends and can't find anything social to do that would fit in between work, exercise, and personal free time.

drakechic08

There is no such thing as it being too soon to hit a plateua. Weight loss is different for everyone. If you have ever watched the show biggest loser, most of them hit a plateua in the second week. I have been stuck within the same few lbs for over 2 months. I have tried everything under the sun, but that is only weight wise. Most of the time, I have been losing inches, so you need to look at both sides. If you are getting frustrated only a few weeks in, you need to evaluate why. This isnt going to happen over night. I understand the difficulties of working all the time and coming home to a family that does not eat healthy. There are so many things you can make that take a few seconds and are much better choices. If you stand up to your parents and they see your success, they are more likely to follow suit. Be the example for them. If you show them how you can all pitch in to make easier dinners, that are cheaper and healthier, they will most likely get on board. You need to tell them how important this is to you and that you need their support. Excuses are just that. We all ahve them, we've all made them. But success comes when we stop using them as a crutch and take responsibility for the choices we make everyday. We have to realize we are human and will not be perfect, but we choose what goes in out mouths and how much effort we are going to put out.

AngryDiet

Seriously... this thread went from helpful to hostile REAL fast...

Welcome to MFP!

secretlobster

...Did anyone even BOTHER to look at a typical weekday for me? Try looking at some of my first weeks here? Everyone is so quick to jump down my throat over having Krispy Kreme ONCE, or eating HALF OF WHAT I USED TO EAT when it comes to pizza (I used to eat half a pizza. Not joking), and then attempting to budget a leftover slice for breakfast one morning just because we don't have anything else in the house that I either like or know how to prepare.

Seriously... this thread went from helpful to hostile REAL fast...

Yes, I went back two weeks, since that's when you said you stopped losing weight. Within those two weeks, I see you are eating mostly junk. I don't see that anyone is being "hostile" to you, name calling, or berating you. But your food choices are generally poor from what I've seen, and I'm just trying to offer you insight into why you're not seeing the weight loss you want.

What you used to eat doesn't matter. Physics don't work on principles like "well at least it's not as bad as what I used to eat". If you don't correlate your progress to your eating habits, then you're done making progress.

secretlobster

I did join a gym. I'm going today. Nobody talks to me there... no one even makes eye contact with me... I have no local friends and can't find anything social to do that would fit in between work, exercise, and personal free time.

"Personal free time" isn't exactly an obligation, this is the time you carve out of when you have something more important to do

WendyTerry420

First, I don't know that your 1200 kcal goal isn't a bit low. But I don't know all of your stats.

But I've gone 5 or 6 weeks with no drop. A couple of weeks with no drop happens regularly. Then a bunch comes off quickly and the average loss is as expected.

So I suggest you double check your calorie goal and have some patience. A few weeks without a change is normal.

I think my BMR came out to 1800ish? All I know is I set my goal for 2lbs a week.

If your BMR is 1800, then eat 1800. My BMR is 1742(ish) and I eat at 1800, exercise about 30 minutes a day, 3x a week, plus about 15 minutes of strength training 2-3 days a week. And I eat back most of my exercise calories. I am averaging 2 pounds a week doing this. But also, weight loss is not linear. Like the poster said earlier, you might go a few weeks without a loss, then get a big drop.

kenazfehu

Basically you have to do the very best that you can and hang in there. It is not unusual to stay the same weight for several weeks in a row or even to gain a little. You have to put any slip-ups behind you and get back on track at the very next meal.

In looking at your diary, I see some slip-ups, which might be all the explanation you need. But don't give up! The more you practice, the better you will get at making healthy, sensible choices.